Chu Qianhuang smiled faintly and continued to drink the cup of tea with candied apricots, looking calm and relaxed.

Chu Qianchen also smiled, and imitated Chu Qianhuang, picking up a candied apricot and throwing it into the tea. Her mind was racing: Catgut? What is that? She was sure that there was absolutely no catgut in the medical books she had read in her two lives, and her master Lin Miao also didn't know about catgut.

Judging from Chu Qianhuang's expression, she wasn't talking nonsense. So, how did she know that? A strange light flashed across Chu Qianchen's eyes and disappeared in a flash.

She wiped the corners of her lips with a handkerchief, and her gaze revealed the lively and charming beauty of a young girl.

"Gut string, is it made of sheep intestines?" she asked curiously, "I have never heard of this."

She had just specifically instructed Amber to go to Jishidiang to inquire about the sutures in order to set a trap for Chu Qianhuang. To be honest, she was only 40% to 50% sure and wanted to test whether she could get anything out of Chu Qianhuang.

I actually got something out of it!

Chu Qianchen suppressed the joy in his heart, and still looked innocently smiling with a relaxed look on his face.

Amber said in tacit understanding: "Princess, do you want me to go and ask Doctor Liu from Jishitang?"

The master and servant sang in unison, and neither showed the slightest sign of abnormality, as if Doctor Liu had really told Amber the catgut.

Chu Qianhuang thought that catgut was nothing special, so she stopped Amber and said, "Catgut is indeed made of sheep intestines. Besides, cow intestines are also OK."

"So that's how it is." Chu Qianchen looked at Chu Qianhuang with admiration. His eyes and expression seemed to be saying, Sister, you know a lot.

Amber lowered her eyes silently again, thinking that her princess' acting skills were simply perfect and she could control her emotions with ease.

Seeing Chu Qianchen looking at her like this, Chu Qianhuang added a few more words: "It's not difficult to make catgut. Just tan it and dry it, then make it into thread."

"I also heard about it from an imperial physician by chance, and I don't know the details." Chu Qianhuang added.

While drinking the sweet and sour chrysanthemum tea, Chu Qianchen listened attentively, savoring every word of Chu Qianhuang.

The steps Chu Qianhuang described for making catgut were very vague and somewhat jumpy.

I'm afraid she only has a general idea, and this should be all she knows.

Although she still felt a little regretful, what she gained today had actually far exceeded her expectations.

Chu Qianchen stopped talking about the topic of catgut and sighed appropriately, "There are so many strange things in this world. Today I have really broadened my horizons."

She drank her tea again and chatted with Chu Qianhuang for a while. The topic revolved around the snacks on the table and the incense in the private room.

Amber knew that her master had achieved his goal today. She glanced at the leaking pot beside her and said with a smile, "Princess, the jujube paste pastry from Tang Su Ji next door should be ready at this time."

"Tang Su Ji only sells ten batches of jujube paste pastry a day, and it has always been in short supply." Chu Qianhuang added casually.

Chu Qianchen smiled and said, "I came out today just for this jujube paste cake. I'll buy some later and ask Amber to send a box to Big Sister as well."

Chu Qianhuang agreed politely.

Chu Qianchen took three boxes of candied apricot meat from Yunting Pavilion and left. The master and servant first went to Tang Su Ji next door to buy some jujube paste cakes. She got on the carriage by herself and only asked Amber to deliver the jujube paste cakes for her.

Chu Qianchen lifted a corner of the curtain with his fingers, looking at the Yunting Pavilion in front of him and Amber's back, his eyes flickering.

She was still thinking about the catgut that Chu Qianhuang mentioned.

Can sheep intestines really be used as stitches to sew wounds? Chu Qianchen felt that he had gained a lot from this conversation with Chu Qianhuang today.

It wasn’t just because of the catgut, it also made her finally certain that Chu Qianhuang did have some opportunity.

Maybe she lived a new life like herself, or maybe...

Chu Qianchen's heartbeat suddenly quickened, echoing in his ears like a drum.

Or maybe, resurrection from the dead? Chu Qianchen's pupils shrank sharply, and his eyes were so deep that they seemed to melt into the endless darkness.

Just then, Amber, who had delivered the date paste cakes, came back lightly.

The carriage started its return journey and went straight back to Prince Chen's Palace.

After returning to the palace, Chu Qianchen asked Amber to find a sheep intestine.

It is good to eat mutton for nourishment in winter, but now it is August, and there is no mutton, lamb ribs, or lamb intestines in the kitchen except goat milk.

Amber simply went to find the steward Sui. The steward Sui was stunned, but he did not question the princess's order at all. He found five pieces of sheep intestines as quickly as possible and asked the kitchen to wash them carefully several times before sending the cleaned sheep intestines to the main courtyard.

Raw sheep intestines look white, soft and greasy, just like a white worm. Even after being washed many times, they still emit a strange smell.

Several maids in the main courtyard covered their noses in discomfort, and they really couldn't figure out why the princess wanted to give birth to sheep intestines.

Chu Qianchen studied the raw sheep intestines carefully, recalling what Chu Qianhuang said. She said that sheep intestines could be made into sheep gut thread after tanning, but what she knew should be very general, and she had to explore the details step by step on her own.

Chu Qianchen thought about it and told Amber to get the casings.

The step of removing the casing is simple. Chu Qianchen doesn't have to do it herself, Amber can help her, and she uses different methods to make the casing thick and thin.

Chu Qianchen had no books to refer to, so he could only temporarily link "tanned" sheep intestines with tanned fur, assuming that they were similar in nature.

Therefore, the first step in the tanning process is "soaking in water".

She soaked a whole piece of raw sheep intestine and four other different pieces of casings in salt water and wood ash water of different temperatures and asked Amber to record it. She planned to soak them for three to twelve hours respectively.

Chu Qianchen was very patient. She had no basis to refer to, so she was mentally prepared to fail many times.

The way of medicine is to make new discoveries through repeated attempts, just like the ancient Shennong who tasted hundreds of herbs.

Leaving the sheep intestines in the pharmacy, Chu Qianchen washed his hands and went to the small study.

She walked straight to the desk by the window and dripped water on the inkstone.

Seeing her like this, Amber knew that the princess wanted to grind the ink herself, so she didn't go near her and went to do other things first.

Chu Qianchen personally spread the paper and ground the ink, then picked up the pen.

When Amber came back after making tea, she saw Chu Qianchen writing with an elegant posture.

Her postures and movements were indescribably beautiful, like a painting of a lady by a famous artist.

Amber originally thought that Chu Qianchen was sorting out the method of making catgut. When she walked to Chu Qianchen's side, she found that what the princess wrote had nothing to do with catgut.

The paper was filled with the word "nine", written in various fonts: regular script, official script, small regular script with flowery flowers, cursive script, running script...

Amber was stunned for a moment, then curled her lips, thinking that the princess must be missing the prince.

Amber's eyes sparkled with laughter.

At this time, Chu Qianchen finished writing a page of "nine" and put down his pen.

Chu Qianchen looked at the number "Nine" on this page, sighed, and whispered to himself: "I need to practice more."

Amber put down the teacup and couldn't help but say, "Princess, you write very well!"

The strokes of “九” are simple, and the simpler the strokes, the harder it is to write. Every “九” written by Chu Qianchen is beautiful, enough to be used as a copybook.

Chu Qianchen put the wolf-hair brush on the pen holder, looked at Amber with a strange look, and sighed again, "You don't know... This is homework."

Chu Qianchen couldn't help but think of what Gu Jue said before he left. He assigned her homework.

He said that when he came back, he hoped to hear her call his name in person.

Nine, Xia.

Chu Qianchen thought about Gu Jue's calligraphy in his mind and felt that it was really difficult for him.

"I need to practice more." Chu Qianchen said to himself, sat down, and picked up the hot tea that Amber had just brought.

Amber blinked slowly, thinking: What does the princess mean by this? Did the prince give her a homework assignment and ask her to write "nine"? Is she going to write the "hundred and nine diagrams"?

After Chu Qianchen took two sips of tea, he put down the teacup and looked out the window.

It had already darkened, and in the pitch-black night sky, numerous stars were dotted around the crescent moon.

Chu Qianchen looked at the bright moon and whispered, "He should be here soon, right?"

It was obvious that the "he" Chu Qianchen was referring to was of course Gu Jue. Amber counted on her fingers and said, "Princess, the prince should not have arrived yet."

Chu Qianchen did not refute and looked towards the northwest.

After a while, she went back to the pharmacy.

Without Gu Jue watching over him, Chu Qianchen became so busy that he became so engrossed that he forgot about time and did not rest until the rooster crowed the next day.

Not only Chu Qianchen stayed awake all night, Gu Jue was the same.

As Chu Qianchen estimated, Gu Jue had already arrived in the northwest, thousands of miles away.

He and Wuhe Jialou separated three days ago. Gu Jue's trip out of the capital was not to escort Jialou, and Jialou's suggestion that Gu Jue "escort" her did not mean he really wanted him to escort her.

Shortly after they left the capital, Gu Jue separated from Wuhejialou and his group, and he took Mo Chen with him and traveled to the northwest in a simple manner.

He traveled in secret this time, as he had to go back to meet up with Uhagalou and the others, so he traveled day and night.

When he arrived at the Nanyang Army camp, the sky was just beginning to turn pale.

Qin Yao was overjoyed when he heard that Gu Jue was coming. If it weren't for his disability, he would have gone to greet him in person.

"Brother Jiu, why are you here!" Qin Yao looked at the dusty Gu Jue with surprise.

Gu Jue was dressed in a moon-white Taoist robe and had a faint smile on his face. His usually smooth chin now had a patch of slightly blue stubble, which made his face, which was carefully sketched by a painter, look a little more unruly.

Qin Yao had just gotten up not long ago and had not properly dressed himself. The ponytail on the back of his head was a little crooked, with a few strands of hair falling on his cheeks. His clothes were not straight either. He casually put on a purple gown with a loose collar.

At first glance, he doesn't look like the prince of Nanyang who is in charge of an army, but more like a playboy who lingers in brothels.

The last time Gu Jue left the Northwest, Qin Yao was still sitting in a wheelchair, but now, he can not only stand, but also walk. Moreover, in the past month or so, he has completely taken control of the Northwest Army.

"Brother Jiu, Sister-in-law Jiu's medical skills are amazing. Look, I can walk already. After a while, I should be able to run too." Qin Yao said with a smile, almost circling in front of Gu Jue.

Qin Yao personally invited Gu Jue to sit down, and ordered people to serve tea and prepare snacks. He also praised the cooking skills of their Nanyang military camp chef and said that Tang Yuchu did not come this time.

When he sat down, a piece of letter paper fluttered out of his sleeve and landed on the ground.

Qin Yao's smile froze, his expression changed, and he immediately leaned over to pick up the letter.

Gu Jue asked directly: "What's wrong?" He had already noticed that something was wrong with Qin Yao.

Qin Yao did not answer, but directly handed the letter in his hand to Gu Jue.

What caught my eye was a beautiful handwriting, written by the Princess of Nanyang.

This letter should be considered a memorial, in which Princess Nanyang accused Qin Yao of killing his father and brother in her name, and every word in it was heartbreaking. It was obvious that Princess Nanyang had regarded Qin Yao, her son, as an enemy, not a son.

If this letter was really sent to the capital, it would become a handle in the hands of the emperor. Even if other Nanyang Army soldiers defended Qin Yao, Qin Yao's reputation would be tarnished, and the advantage that Gu Jue created for Qin Yao would be wiped out.

Fortunately, Qin Yao's men discovered and intercepted the letter in time.

After reading the letter, Gu Jue placed it on the small square table between them.

Qin Yao personally poured tea for Gu Jue, and the two drank a cup together, and everything was said without words.

Gu Jue did not comfort Qin Yao, and Qin Yao did not need his comfort.

After going through so much, what was there for Qin Yao to be upset about? People can't choose their parents and brothers. No matter what happened, he knew he was not alone.

That's enough.

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

"Nineth Brother," Qin Yao suddenly winked at Gu Jue and smiled, "You are newlyweds, why did you come to the northwest and leave Sister Nine alone in the capital? Aren't you afraid that the emperor will bully her?"

Gu Jue thought about Chu Qianchen's two faces towards the outside world and the inside world, and couldn't help but smile slightly. He didn't know if this girl stayed up late again while he was away.

There were candles lit in the tent, and the dim candlelight cast a layer of soft light around Gu Jue, making his cold eyes and brows appear a lot warmer.

"Do you think she will be bullied obediently?" Gu Jue asked back with a very light smile on his lips.

Qin Yao: “…”

Qin Yao touched his chin and said honestly, "No."

In Qin Yao's heart, Chu Qianchen was no longer an ordinary woman. She was his ninth sister-in-law. Could she be a mortal? He also smiled, feeling as if he had been fed a mouthful of candy. In his heart, he once again cheered for Su Mubai's wisdom and foresight.

This marriage is such a wonderful one!

Gu Jue narrowed his eyes, took two sips of tea, and asked, "Has Chu Lingxiao arrived yet?"

Qin Yao almost choked on the tea in his mouth, thinking: Brother Nine cares so much about Chu Lingxiao, is it because he is his father-in-law? After swallowing the tea, he nodded and said, "Here we are."

"He arrived half a month ago and arrogantly asked me to come and see him in his capacity as an imperial envoy."

"I ignored him."

So what if he is the emperor's envoy? Qin Yao doesn't take him seriously.

However, because Chu Lingxiao was Gu Jue's father-in-law, Qin Yao just treated him coldly and ignored him, and did not directly embarrass Chu Lingxiao.

Qin Yao yawned lazily and said jokingly, "Brother Jiu, you are not here to support your father-in-law, are you?"

Qin Yao just made a casual joke, but he didn't expect Gu Jue to nod: "I came here to see him."

Qin Yao raised his eyebrows, and all his sleepiness disappeared, and he suddenly became energetic.

Very interesting.

He slumped down in the armchair in an untidy manner, stroking his chin casually.

Based on Qin Yao's understanding of Gu Jue, he certainly didn't really think that Gu Jue came all the way to the northwest to support Chu Lingxiao.

It's easy to figure out that if Gu Jue really wanted to help his father-in-law, he could have ruined Chu Lingxiao's job while he was in the capital, and there would be no need for Chu Lingxiao to run to the northwest.

Qin Yao's thoughts were racing, and suddenly an idea came to him.

I heard that Sister-in-law Jiu had a hard time in her natal family before, so Brother Jiu came all the way here without the Emperor's knowledge, could it be to support Sister-in-law Jiu? Thinking along this line, Qin Yao figured out another thing.

"Brother Nine, could it be that you brought Chu Lingxiao here?" Qin Yao has always had amazing intuition.

Gu Jue had no intention of hiding it from Qin Yao, so he agreed bluntly.

Qin Yao straightened his upper body and laughed.

His fox eyes sparkled, and he was curious. He said proudly, "Ninth Brother, I'll go get Chu Lingxiao!"

"No need." Gu Jue stopped him, "No hurry, Chu Lingxiao should be unable to hold on any longer."

Chu Lingxiao has been left out for so long that he must be almost unable to bear it anymore. It would be better to let him move on his own before Qin Yao moves first.

Gu Jue's pupils were as dark as ink, and there seemed to be a faint light flowing in his eyes.

Qin Yao silently shed tears of sympathy for Chu Lingxiao, and he didn't know what method Ninth Brother had come up with to torment Chu Lingxiao.

Based on his experience of getting along with Ninth Brother over the years, anyone who is targeted by Ninth Brother will never have a good ending.

Qin Yao has known Gu Jue for nearly ten years. He knew him long before Gu Jue joined the army at the age of fifteen. The two of them were young and frivolous when they were young. He has also witnessed some changes in Gu Jue over the years, but in Qin Yao's opinion, Gu Jue's essence has not changed.

For example, Gu Jue would never suffer any loss. If he wanted to teach someone a lesson, he would make that person regret it for the rest of his life.

For example, Gu Jue is very protective of his people. As long as he considers someone to be one of his own, he will protect them under his wings.

His ninth sister-in-law holds a special position in Gu Jue's heart.

The more unusual it is, the more interesting the show will be.

Qin Yao felt like a cat scratching its claws in his heart, feeling both curious and expectant.

He had lived in the military camp for so long that he was almost moldy. Finally, there was something good to watch.

For the sake of the next good show, Qin Yao barely suppressed his inner impatience, smiled and leaned towards Gu Jue, and asked: "Nine Brothers, how did Chu Lingxiao offend you... and Sister-in-law Nine?"

He was sure that this matter must be no small matter.

The two of them were friends for life. Since Gu Jue had sent Chu Lingxiao to the northwest, he had no intention of hiding it from Qin Yao. Besides, Chu Qianchen's life experience was not a shameful secret and would be revealed sooner or later.

Even Qin Yao was dumbfounded after hearing this, and his heart was mixed with sighs, feelings, and even a subtle sense of mutual sympathy.

Sister Jiu has not grown ugly under such circumstances. She is indeed not an ordinary person.

Qin Yao glanced at the letter on the small square table and said self-deprecatingly, "I always thought I was pretty miserable, but I didn't expect Sister-in-law Jiu to be even more miserable."

He, a grown man, had actually fallen to the point of comparing his misery with others! Qin Yao thought about it and burst out laughing, with a bit of open-mindedness in his smile.

He picked up the letter paper and lit a corner of it with a candle. The flame quickly spread across the silk paper, turning it into ashes.

Qin Yao blew and flicked casually, and the ashes scattered and floated down in the air.

He no longer forced his mother.

Qin Yao immediately put the Princess of Nanyang out of his mind and talked to Gu Jue about business: "Ninth brother, I'll show you something good."

Qin Yao winked at the servant Yuanbao, who immediately understood and fetched a parchment map, spreading it on the large desk.

"Look at this new map!" Qin Yao showed off the new map.

Ever since Gu Jue led his troops to annihilate the Lin State Army that raided the northwest last time, the Lin people have been afraid and have taken the initiative to seek peace, ceding land and paying compensation, which has greatly expanded the territory of the northwest.

The new map that Qin Yao had drawn not only included the ceded land of the Lin State, but also included some small countries and tribes in the north and surrounding areas.

"Brother Jiu, as long as we take over this area, we can connect the northwest and the north." Qin Yao pointed at the map, his eyes flashing with ambition.

At that time, the emperor would not dare to take action against Prince Chen's Mansion and the Northern Army easily.

Qin Yao certainly knew that Gu Jue didn't like the capital, and that he only returned to the capital because Queen Mother Yin was still in the palace. As long as they were strong enough, they could get the emperor to agree to let Gu Jue take Queen Mother Yin to the north, so that they wouldn't have to be trapped in the capital and tied down.

"Leave the Northwest to me." Qin Yao added, "Brother Jiu, the emperor has not put any more obstacles in your way..."

Qin Yao said halfway, and then felt that he was just worrying about something else. Although Gu Jue was a little worried about Queen Mother Yin and his hidden injury, he was never a person who would suffer a loss.

Gu Jue smiled slightly and said calmly: "Next, I will transfer 30,000 black armor troops to the capital."

Qin Yao was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped. He asked, "What's going on?"

Gu Jue said it in a few words, and Qin Yao's eyes became brighter and brighter. He never expected that Gu Jue could exchange such a huge benefit with the emperor.

The 60,000 Black Armored Army is an elite force that can defeat ten enemies at once, and they can even give it a try if they want to force a palace.

Just thinking about it, Qin Yao felt his blood boiling.

Qin Yao looked at Gu Jue with burning eyes, the expectation in his eyes was so strong that it was about to overflow.

However, Gu Jue’s response was to shake his head.

For people who know each other well like Gu Jue and Qin Yao, there is no need for them to say anything else as they can understand each other.

Qin Yao, who had originally held his back straight, wilted again like a plant without water and leaned lazily on the chair.

Yuanbao went out for a while, and when he came back, he not only brought back a heavy food box, but also a piece of news: "My Lord, the Marquis of Yongding is asking to see you outside the military camp."

Qin Yao suddenly became excited again, looking at Gu Jue with a half-smile, "Oh, he really can't keep his temper."

As he spoke, Qin Yao smiled with a certain gloating look. The fun started so soon.

Chu Lingxiao has been in Nanyang for some time. Although Qin Yao has ignored him these days, he would not let him wander around Nanyang, so he secretly sent people to keep an eye on his every move.

Chu Lingxiao has been restless these days. He has inquired about a lot of things about the Nanyang Army soldiers, and even met some of them. However, he did not visit their mansions openly, but "accidentally met" them in restaurants, teahouses, theaters and other places in the city.

These people were basically those who had been dissatisfied with Qin Yao in the past, or had suggested to King Nanyang that the second son Qin Xuan would be more suitable to be the crown prince.

Whatever they said, it all reached Qin Yao's ears in various ways. Although Qin Yao had never met Chu Lingxiao, he had already made an 80% to 90% judgment about him. This person was impatient and had a bad heart. It was hard to understand how a man like him could have such a good daughter in Jiu Sao.

Sister-in-law Jiu is like her own mother! Originally, Qin Yao also calculated that Chu Lingxiao thought he had a thorough understanding of the situation in Nanyang and would definitely come to him in a day or two. Unexpectedly, Chu Lingxiao came faster than he expected.

Qin Yao and Gu Jue looked at each other again, exchanging tacit glances.

Yuanbao took out the food from the lunch box one by one. Qin Yao casually took a steamed bun and ate it, mumbling, "Stop it!"

"Who can enter this important military camp?!"

He spoke righteously and eloquently, but he didn't look convincing at all at the moment.

Yuanbao arranged the food and ran out to pass on the message.

(End of this chapter)