The daughter of the first wife grew up in the countryside and was extremely powerful

Although they had actually been prepared and planned for this before, when Gu Fanchu thought that things might develop in such an unfavorable direction, he still felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, and a piercing chill spread throughout his body.

However, this was not the time to indulge in sadness. Things had come to this point, and the plan she had carefully planned could finally be put into practice.

She lowered her head slightly and thought for a moment, then spoke slowly:

"That batch of food is a matter of life and death for the soldiers guarding the border! Therefore, no one should covet it, no matter what!

Although the amount of food we have previously transported to the border is undoubtedly sufficient, the circumstances surrounding this matter require further consideration."

As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed that the two people beside her turned their heads and stared at her at the same time, so she paused for a moment and then added:

"The relationships within the palace are complex and intertwined, and a fierce struggle is bound to ensue between the Crown Prince and the Fifth Prince. Whether it's where my aunt is or our General's Mansion, if we hope to remain safe, we will probably have to face a difficult decision."

Hearing this, Gu Xunzhou's face suddenly changed drastically, and he couldn't help but screamed:

"Sister, don't talk nonsense!"

In comparison, Gu Qingming seemed much calmer. He stared deeply at the calm woman in front of him, and began to think carefully in his heart.

This little girl always has extraordinary insight, and can always keenly perceive things that are still in their infancy, just like this famine and the crucial issue of military rations.

Is it because of her own extremely sharp insight and judgment?

Or is there a mysterious and powerful force hidden behind her?

However, after observing her for so long, I found that she had been staying in the general's mansion for a long time and had almost no time to interact with people from the outside world...

At this moment, she actually dared to say such outrageous words. Could it be that she had discovered some unknown secrets?

Thinking of this, he could no longer suppress his inner doubts and asked her directly:

"Could it be that you know something about this? Is this matter related to...that person?"

Facing her grandfather's questioning, Gu Fanchu couldn't help but secretly admire his cleverness. She nodded slightly and replied softly:

"Your Majesty's dragon body is already in poor condition. From the outside, he may appear to be safe and sound, but in my opinion, his true condition is not optimistic."

After all, in front of her, who is proficient in medical skills, any illness is difficult to hide.

Hearing this, Gu Xunzhou was shocked. He never expected that Gu Fanchu had already noticed that His Majesty was unwell, but why were the imperial doctors in the palace unable to make an accurate diagnosis?

Just when he was full of doubts, Gu Fanchu seemed to see through his thoughts and explained calmly:

"My master once told me that there are always some people in this world who are addicted to so-called panaceas, hoping to gain immortality through them."

"People like this usually don't show any physical problems at first, but over time, they'll develop different symptoms depending on the medicinal ingredients used to refine the elixir. The only thing they have in common is some lichen starting to grow on their necks."

That day she was in her aunt's palace. It was the first time in her life that she looked at the man who held the power of life and death in the world at such a close distance.

The emperor's face was as pale as paper. Although his eyes were still bright, he could not hide the fatigue and tiredness deep in his eyes.

His figure still seemed tall and majestic, but if you looked closely, you could detect a slight stiffness in his movements.

This is a very obvious symptom of taking elixirs.

Gu Qingming didn't expect that the emperor would become addicted to elixirs, but no one in the palace got wind of it. He probably didn't want people to know that he was a king who was greedy for imperial power.

well······

After taking a deep breath, Gu Qingming once again turned his gaze to Gu Fanchu, who was sitting there calmly.

At this moment, the turmoil in his heart seemed to have gradually subsided because of the calmness of the woman in front of him.

He spoke slowly, his voice as soft as the breeze blowing across the lake:

"Then, in your opinion, between His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Fifth Prince, who will ultimately ascend to the supreme throne?"

Gu Fanchu heard this without any hesitation on her face. She answered frankly and without reservation:

"Grandfather, brother, I once asked the current Lord Yan, and he told me that the Crown Prince is a man of both virtuous character and a heart of benevolence and righteousness.

If what he said is true, then if the Crown Prince can successfully take that position, it will undoubtedly be a better choice for the people of the world."

Hearing this, Gu Xunzhou, who had been listening quietly, couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

He never imagined that his seemingly weak sister actually had such a broad vision and a big heart.

However, he knew very well that such remarks could only be discussed privately in the study.

Once they walk out of this room and let others hear it, I'm afraid the entire Gu family will face a catastrophe.

Gu Qingming nodded slightly, indicating his agreement with Gu Fanchu's opinion. At the same time, he began to ponder in his heart:

"The situation in this battle for the throne is so complicated and confusing. It's really hard to predict which prince will truly win the hearts of the people..."

Now it remains to be seen whether these two men can successfully calm the emotions of the frontier soldiers and solve the current problems.

After several days of intense discussions, two distinct factions gradually formed in the court.

One of the factions was a group headed by the prince, who firmly opposed the transportation of military supplies to the disaster area.

The prince advocated doing everything possible to raise donations of food, supplies and money, and sending special personnel to deliver these items to the disaster area. He also planned to send envoys to personally comfort the affected people in order to stabilize the people's hearts.

However, the sharp-minded Fifth Prince saw through his father's inner hesitation at a glance.

So, he stepped forward without hesitation and resolutely chose the strategy of prioritizing the solution of the most pressing problem at the moment - first transporting military rations to the disaster area to alleviate the urgent problem, and then trying to raise other supplies needed for the follow-up.

This batch of military rations not only included food to fill the stomachs of the people in the disaster-stricken areas, but also cotton-padded clothes and other important supplies specially prepared for the brave soldiers guarding the border to resist the severe cold.

As a result, many officials in the court began to weigh the pros and cons.

After all, the solution proposed by the Crown Prince meant that they would have to pay out of their own pockets and expend a great deal of manpower and resources;

In comparison, the Fifth Prince's method did not require them to pay any substantial price.