The prince loves me like his life, but I force him to rebel

If I'm not attracted to men, then what is the meaning of my feelings for Gu Nianzhi?

Could it be that this vague feeling has nothing to do with gender, but is just because he is Gu Nianzhi?

Sima Yao lay in bed, unable to fall asleep. He tossed and turned, unable to figure out why he cared so much about Gu Nianzhi.

Indeed, the two had experienced life and death, but Lin Heng and himself had also been through life and death, and had been together for even longer, so why didn't they have such feelings?

"Now that we are here, I will take my leave."

"Thank you, Brother Shu, for seeing me off."

It was too quiet at night, and the slightest sound would be heard from far away.

Sima Yao seemed to have heard Gu Nianzhi's voice. He jumped off the bed, opened the door and went to the yard.

Under the cold moonlight, Gu Nianzhi was opening the door.

In the other direction is Shu Huai’s receding figure.

"That person is Huaiyuan?"

Sima Yao stood in the middle of the yard and started asking questions, not caring that he was only wearing an inner robe, fearing that Gu Nianzhi would close the door if he was a second late.

Gu Nianzhi was obviously a little surprised.

"Third Prince, are you still awake?"

"Some official business has not been completed."

"You conduct business in your sleeping robe?"

Sima Yao glanced down at his clothes and was like a child who had been caught lying. He was a little overwhelmed. After a moment, he finally thought of changing the subject.

"You call Shu Huaiyuan Brother Shu now?"

"Is there anything wrong with that? I've addressed you this way before, but in the palace, we still address you by your official title."

"There's nothing wrong with that, but why are you two together so late at night?"

Sima Yao's series of questions left Gu Nianzhi a little confused, but she still answered honestly.

"I hadn't walked far from Jiya Pavilion when I ran into Brother Shu. He said that their patrol area had expanded to outside the imperial city. Tonight was his day off duty, and since it was getting late, he sent me back."

"Oh. That's it."

Shu Huaiyuan was originally only responsible for the security within the palace and took orders directly from the emperor. Now that his scope has been expanded, could it be that the emperor intends to give Shu Huaiyuan more power and responsibilities?

Sima Yao has not yet learned of this news from the court. It seems that the emperor's strategy is to try it out for a period of time, and then there will not be much resistance when it is implemented.

Sima Yao was just thinking about it when Gu Nianzhi continued talking.

"Brother Shu also said that after the patrol area was expanded, there was a slight shortage of manpower. He has not had a day off for many days. However, a team of soldiers will be transferred from the Imperial Mausoleum soon. When he takes a day off, he can..."

Shu Huaiyuan's original words here were that he and Gu Nianzhi could go for an outing during the holiday, but for some reason, Gu Nianzhi did not tell the truth but changed it.

"We can ask His Royal Highness the Third Prince to go out and play with all of us."

"Okay. Now that you're home, I'll go to bed."

"Third Prince, you haven't been waiting for me to return home, have you?"

Gu Nianzhi asked blankly, blinking at Sima Yao.

Sima Yao was actually dazed for a moment.

But he quickly came to his senses.

"I... I just didn't sleep well today. I was about to fall asleep, but I was woken up by your voices... So I got up to take a look..."

"But just now you said you were handling official business, and now you say we woke you up..."

Gu Nianzhi's eyes opened wide, like a little deer, and became round.

"I can handle my business while lying in bed, can't I?"

Sima Yao was panicked, completely panicked.

"Anyway, don't come back so late in the future, it will disturb other people in the mansion!"

Sima Yao turned around and hurried back to his room.

My heart was beating so fast, like it was about to jump out of my throat.

Even on a battlefield with thousands of troops, it has never been so tense.

I really was possessed by an evil spirit.

----

The plan to expand the emperor's direct imperial guards and allocate some personnel to patrol the capital aroused opposition from many ministers in the court.

Li Qinglai, the leader of the imperial guards in charge of the capital's security, was the first to express his dissatisfaction.

"Your Majesty, the peace of the capital has always been the responsibility of the Imperial Guards. Now that the Imperial Guards are suddenly involved, I'm afraid it will cause public discussion and spread rumors!"

Li Qinglai took the lead and everyone started to offer their suggestions.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Guards are only there to protect you and the palace! The Imperial Guards and the Imperial Guards should each do their own job."

"The security of the capital is the responsibility of the imperial guards. How can the imperial guards interfere in their duties?"

"The Imperial Guards have maintained the capital well for many years. It is obviously unreasonable to let the Imperial Guards take over part of it all of a sudden!"

"General Shu is still young, how can he be qualified for such a big task?"

"Your Majesty, no!"

"Your Majesty, think twice!"

The emperor just looked quietly at everyone in the hall talking to each other.

After they finished speaking, he slowly spoke.

"You all think that the Imperial Guards have done a good job over the years and have protected the people of the capital very well, right?"

No one in the hall knew what the emperor meant by this, and for a moment no one dared to answer rashly.

"If the Imperial Guards are doing a good job in the capital, why should I bother asking the Imperial Guards to take care of this mess? Li Qinglai, what do you think?"

The emperor's implication was obvious: he was not satisfied with the imperial guards.

Upon hearing this, General Li Qinglai, the leader of the imperial guards, immediately knelt down.

"I am stupid, so I hope Your Majesty will explain it clearly!"

"Bring the people up."

Shu Huaiyuan's subordinates escorted three men in imperial guard uniforms to the palace. The three men were terrified and one of them even couldn't stop shaking.

Li Qinglai took a closer look and found that these three people were all minor officials under his command, responsible for a specific area. Over the years, he had made a lot of money by secretly collecting protection fees from merchants with these people and enriching himself.

Now that these three people were brought before the emperor, he suddenly felt something was wrong.

"General Li, are you aware that these three people are wantonly collecting money from merchants?"

Shu Huaiyuan's voice was not loud, but it contained an indescribable majesty.

"This..." Li Qinglai glanced at Bai Mo who was standing beside him, but the other party did not give him any hint.

Li Qinglai pondered for a moment, then said tremblingly, "I don't know. I beg Your Majesty to investigate!"

"Do you dare to say that you have not received any benefits from these three people?" Shu Huaiyuan asked sternly, his voice much louder than before.

"Absolutely not. Maybe some of my subordinates have secretly pocketed the money, but I have never taken a single cent from them!"

"is it?"

Shu Huaiyuan's eyes became sharp and he took a bag of copper coins from the guard next to him.

Li Qinglai looked at the bag and felt it was very familiar. He subconsciously touched his sleeve pocket and found it was empty.

He suddenly felt something was wrong.

"Bring some hot water." Shu Huaiyuan said.

After a while, the eunuch brought a basin of hot water.

Shu Huaiyuan opened the purse in his hand and poured all the copper coins and silver in the purse into the water amid everyone's puzzled gazes.

Soon, tiny, inconspicuous oil droplets appeared on the water surface.

Shu Huaiyuan poured white vinegar into it, and the basin of water gradually turned light red.

Li Qing looked confused but didn't dare to ask.

Shu Huaiyuan grabbed the empty purse and showed the pattern and words on it to everyone.

"I sent someone to take this bag of copper coins from General Li's sleeve pocket before the court this morning. The word 'Li' on the bag must have been embroidered by Madam Li herself, right?"

Li Qinglai suddenly felt a chill all over his body. Indeed, most of the money in the purse was handed over to him by these three people.

Seeing that Li Qinglai didn't respond, Shu Huaiyuan took out a copper coin from the basin.

"I have already made an agreement with the big merchants in the jurisdiction of these three people. When these people come to collect protection fees, they will give them the silver and copper coins coated with safflower oil."

Shu Huaiyuan pointed at the small oil droplets on the water.

"Suhua seed oil naturally floats to the surface when it comes into contact with hot water, while impurities in the oil sink into the water and change color to light red when it comes into contact with white vinegar."

"Suhua seed oil is unique to the Western Regions and is extremely rare in Dasheng. Why are there so many copper coins and silver coins stained with succulent seed oil in your purse?"