Did the Seventh Prince attend court today?

The Qin family is also a century-old family. Although they cannot compare to the founding heroes in terms of honor and glory, they are still one of the most prestigious families in Shengjing and have a lot of influence in the city.

Qin Tan's ability to rise to the position of Minister of Rites without vying for power demonstrates the Qin family's considerable strength, and Qin Tan himself was certainly no mediocre individual. However, the Qin family has always adhered to the principle of self-preservation, which allowed them to survive for a century but also made further progress extremely difficult.

From the moment it stepped into the Qin family's gate, the Pixiu kept wailing. Although the Qin family's mansion was not as grand as the Prime Minister's mansion, it still had the foundation of a century-old family, which ordinary noble families could not match.

The Qin residence wasn't large, consisting of four courtyards, and at first glance, its carved beams and painted rafters appeared quite magnificent. However, upon closer inspection, one would find that from the roof of the main hall to the smallest details like the brackets and eaves, every arrangement and furnishing in the Qin residence was within the prescribed form, without the slightest deviation from the rules, demonstrating remarkable meticulousness.

The Qin family members are all meticulous and cautious, no wonder they have stood strong for a century. Not only do they avoid offending people, but even if they do, no one can find fault with them.

This is a summary of what Youlu has learned along the way.

However, he soon thought of Qin Rongrong, whom he had met once before. This girl must have been born into the wrong family; she was simply an anomaly in the Qin family.

Chen, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, was soon sent to the Qin residence. Youlu and Chen were invited to the flower hall. After Qin Tan instructed the servants to serve tea and snacks, he personally went to the backyard to invite Madam Qin. It was clear that he truly loved and cherished his wife.

The Pixiu said, "I've heard that the first rule of the Qin family is that they are only allowed to marry wives and not take concubines. Every male member of the Qin family is monogamous and respects his wife very much."

You Lu expressed understanding, saying, "There's always trouble in the inner quarters of the household. The Qin family ancestors probably established this rule to prevent future generations from favoring concubines over wives and inviting disaster."

"This is way too cautious! They're even taking precautions like this!" the Pixiu exclaimed.

Youlu laughed and said, "That was just a guess. Maybe it's just a family tradition of being devoted to one person."

Family rules shape family traditions, and devotion can indeed be passed down from generation to generation, since parents are role models for their children.

With nothing to do, Youlu struck up a conversation with Old Chen, who was standing nearby. At first, Old Chen kept his eyelids drooping and ignored him, but after a cup of tea, the two began to address each other as brothers and discussed medical principles and the properties of medicines together.

When Qin Tan helped his wife over, he saw an old man and a young man chatting and laughing. He stared in surprise.

It is said that the head of the Imperial Medical Academy is arrogant and conceited, and dares to show disrespect to the Emperor because of his excellent medical skills. How come he is chatting and laughing with the Seventh Prince who has just returned to the palace? Is this still the Chen Lao he knows?

Then he realized that perhaps the Seventh Prince really was a highly skilled physician, which was why even Old Master Chen looked at him with new respect.

This seventh prince is no ordinary person; he can tell fortunes and cure diseases.

Filled with doubt, Qin Tan parted the beaded curtain and helped his wife into the flower hall.

Seeing this, Lu and Old Chen stopped talking.

Madam Qin gracefully entered the hall, curtsied, and said, "Greetings, Your Highness the Seventh Prince, Headmaster Chen... cough cough cough..."

Before he could finish a sentence, he covered his mouth and coughed violently.

Qin Tan quickly helped the woman to a chair and poured her a cup of hot tea.

You Lu took the opportunity to observe the people in front of him.

Madam Qin had gentle and beautiful features, but she was taller than him and her frame was not as soft and delicate as a woman's. Perhaps because she was afraid of the cold, she was still wearing a long coat with a high collar at the end of May, covering her neck completely.

Judging by her figure alone, she certainly didn't look like a woman, but her words and actions exuded the air of a well-bred lady. Her soft-spoken manner was very gentle. If it weren't for You Lu having already foreseen Qin Tan's future, she probably would have been fooled as well.

This acting skill is so good, he'd definitely be a movie star in modern times!

Lu sighed with regret, lamenting the loss of talent in the film and television industry.

[This treacherous brother was simply born at the wrong time.] Pixiu sighed in agreement.

While the man and the beast were acting erratically, Old Chen had already finished taking Madam Qin's pulse. Stroking his gray beard, he pondered, "Does Madam Qin often experience cold limbs and noticeable wheezing when she exhales?"

"This condition does exist." Qin Tan nodded, hope rising in his eyes.

"Then it must be right." Old Chen put away the pulse pillow. "Madam Qin's pulse is thin and deep, weak and feeble, which is a weak pulse. In addition, her limbs are cold and her lips are cyanotic, which shows that she has asthma. This disease can only be carefully managed and cannot be cured."

Qin Tan's bright eyes slowly dimmed, and he cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Headmaster Chen."

He had lost count of how many times he had heard such words.

Madam Qin gently tugged at her husband's sleeve, looked up and smiled, "It's alright. I'm content to spend the rest of my life by my side, Qin Lang. It's just that I've troubled you with all your worries and troubles." As she spoke, she coughed again, her face turning even paler.

Qin Tan quickly patted her back to help her catch her breath and gently comforted her, saying, "What are you saying? It's because I'm incompetent and can't share your pain."

The once strong and upright man now had tears in his eyes.

Seeing this, Youlu couldn't help but sigh.

In Qin Tan's future, he and his traitorous older brother were inseparable, like soulmates. Even after learning the truth before his death, he never blamed his brother. This shows that Qin Tan had feelings for his brother; perhaps he had already sensed something was wrong but dared not confront it, given the deep-seated family and national hatred that separated them.

[They were also a pair of star-crossed lovers.] Pixiu expressed regret, then firmly stated: [But he is, after all, a spy from an enemy state, and will help Nanzhao attack Dayong in the future. We cannot let him go!]

"Of course," a deer tapped it on the head. "But if he's willing to submit to Dayong, I could help this ill-fated couple."

"Boss, have you come up with a solution?" The Pixiu stood up abruptly and wagged its tail happily.

You Lu raised an eyebrow smugly, "Have you forgotten what your boss's specialty is? The moment this traitorous older brother walked in, I dug up his entire past. Getting him under my thumb is a piece of cake!"

【Oh yeah! Long live the boss!】The Pixiu cheered, still happy to help lovers.

[Don't be too happy yet. This man isn't simply sick; he's been poisoned by a Gu worm. Do you understand what a Gu worm is? It means there are worms in his body. We need to find a way to help him get rid of these worms so he won't have to obey the King of Nanzhao. As long as the King of Nanzhao can't threaten him, it will be much easier for us to turn him against his own side.]

From Madam Qin's past, Youlu learned that he had been poisoned by the King of Nanzhao, and that he only agreed to work for the King of Nanzhao in order to obtain the monthly antidote; in reality, he had little affection for Nanzhao. On the contrary, having lived in Dayong for more than ten years, he developed feelings for Dayong, because he experienced a warmth there that he had never felt before.

Such people are very easy to turn if they get out of control.

"But what if he doesn't listen to us after we detoxify him?" Pixiu scratched his forehead.

"That's easy." You Lu chuckled, rubbing his hands together and looking at Qin Tan with eager anticipation.

Qin Tan felt a chill run down her spine, and a sense of foreboding suddenly rose in her heart.