Qin Lu couldn't understand why, after a perfectly pleasant conversation moments ago, his father, the Emperor, had suddenly ordered him to leave.
Nevertheless, he obediently complied with the Emperor's wishes and took his leave.
Upon returning to his residence, when Gu Yanshu asked about the Emperor's reaction after receiving the basket of fresh greens, Qin Lu naturally recounted everything without omission:
"At first, His Majesty seemed in good spirits, but later, for some reason, he became rather displeased."
"Displeased?" Gu Yanshu's heart skipped a beat, his expression immediately turning serious. "What exactly happened? Tell me in detail."
Though Gu Yanshu had only met the Emperor a handful of times, he believed he had a decent grasp of the man's temperament.
It was often said that the Son of Heaven was capricious, but Emperor Qin Yuan was not one to be ruled by such whims.
That was precisely why Gu Yanshu took the matter so seriously when Qin Lu mentioned the Emperor's anger.
Seeing Gu Yanshu's grave demeanor, Qin Lu didn't dare to be careless and recounted the events of the audience in full detail.
As Gu Yanshu listened, his tense expression gradually relaxed when he heard that the Emperor had also been following The Legend of Chancellor He at Guiyuanju.
But when Qin Lu repeated the exact words he had said to the Emperor afterward, Gu Yanshu was momentarily at a loss for how to react.
"And then, Father told me to get out."
As Qin Lu recounted the scene, he replayed the memory in his mind, yet still couldn't pinpoint what exactly had provoked the Emperor's anger.
Hearing the faint confusion in Qin Lu's voice, Gu Yanshu couldn't help but burst into laughter:
"Pfft—"
A man like Qin Lu, if placed in the modern era, would undoubtedly be labeled a steel-straight man—completely oblivious to subtle emotional cues.
Just like now—he had managed to anger the Emperor without even realizing why.
Now that he understood the reason, Gu Yanshu's worries dissipated entirely.
He could roughly imagine the Emperor's state of mind at the time—likely more exasperated than genuinely furious.
"What are you laughing at?" Qin Lu frowned slightly. He hadn't said anything particularly amusing, had he?
"Nothing," Gu Yanshu waved his hand, still chuckling. "I'll have someone compile the remaining chapters of The Legend of Chancellor He later. Make sure to deliver them to His Majesty tomorrow."
"Father already knows the ending."
Since the Emperor already knew the conclusion, surely he wouldn't need the rest?
The corner of Gu Yanshu's mouth twitched.
He doubted Qin Lu would ever grasp the frustration of having a story spoiled, so he simply rephrased his reasoning:
"Compared to the ending, His Majesty would probably be more interested in the details of He San's imperial examinations and the events leading up to his rise as a renowned prime minister."
"I see."
Qin Lu nodded slightly, though his expression still betrayed a lack of full comprehension.
At the very least, he seemed to accept the explanation more readily than before.
Originally, Gu Yanshu had been pondering what new excuse he could use to maintain the Emperor's favor.
After all, he had already introduced most of the small luxuries and conveniences he could think of to improve daily life.
But now, upon learning that the Emperor was also engrossed in The Legend of the Renowned Prime Minister, Gu Yanshu saw a perfect opportunity.
This was a ready-made reason to keep the Prince Li's Mansion in the Emperor's good graces!
That very afternoon, Gu Yanshu had the storytellers compile the first volume of The Legend of the Renowned Prime Minister and handed it to Qin Lu.
Yes—only the first volume.
When Qin Lu skimmed through it, he immediately noticed something amiss:
"This doesn't seem to cover the entire story?"
After all, The Legend of the Renowned Prime Minister concluded with He San becoming a revered statesman, his name immortalized in history.
Yet this book ended with He San barely passing the imperial examinations at the county level.
"Indeed, it's incomplete."
Gu Yanshu nodded without hesitation, openly explaining his plan to use The Legend of the Renowned Prime Minister as a means to keep the Prince Li's Mansion in the Emperor's thoughts.
Though Qin Lu didn't fully grasp the strategy's purpose, he had long since learned one crucial lesson:
Gu Yanshu's decisions were always correct.
If he didn't understand them, the best course of action was simply to follow along.
Thus, this time as well, Qin Lu resolved to act according to Gu Yanshu's instructions.
Worried that Qin Lu might misspeak, Gu Yanshu even prepared a script for him:
"If His Majesty asks about the later chapters, tell him the storytellers are still refining the plot and haven't yet written them. Assure him that once they're completed, they'll be delivered to the palace immediately."
"Understood." Qin Lu nodded, his expression unchanging—a clear sign that he had grown accustomed to Gu Yanshu drafting his responses.
And indeed, this had become routine.
Ever since their marriage, Gu Yanshu had frequently prepared scripts for Qin Lu to use during audiences with the Emperor.
At first, Qin Lu had been puzzled by this practice.
But before long, he began to appreciate its benefits.
Situations like today—where the Emperor would inexplicably grow angry and order him to leave—had been common in the past.
After it happened enough times, Qin Lu realized it was likely because he had said something wrong.
Yet no matter how much he reflected afterward, he could never pinpoint his missteps.
Eventually, he simply stopped wasting energy on it.
But since his marriage, by following Gu Yanshu's prepared responses, such incidents had dwindled.
In fact, today's outburst was the first in over a month.
Thus, Qin Lu had gradually grown accustomed to letting Gu Yanshu handle these matters.
Meanwhile, news of Qin Lu's audience with the Emperor—and his subsequent dismissal—spread quickly.
It wasn't long before Crown Prince Qin Sheng received word.
For the Crown Prince, this was perhaps the best news he had heard in the past two months.
In his excitement, the teacup slipped from his fingers.
Another set of porcelain was added to the Crown Prince's household expenses.
But the delighted Crown Prince couldn't care less about such trivial costs.
Eagerly, he pressed his subordinate for details:
"What exactly happened? Tell me everything!"
Since Qin Lu's conversation with the Emperor had taken place outside the imperial bedchambers, with few attendants present, the Crown Prince's informants couldn't provide specifics.
They could only relay the general sequence of events.
Yet even this vague account was enough to thrill the Crown Prince.
He had been waiting for an opportunity like this for months!
Lately, all he had heard were praises for the Prince of Li.
When had the Emperor ever shown Qin Lu such open displeasure before?
Immediately, the Crown Prince sprang to his feet:
"Prepare my carriage!"
"Your Highness, it's nearly time for the midday meal..."
The chief eunuch at his side cautiously reminded him—perhaps it would be better to wait until after the meal to visit the palace.
But the Crown Prince waved him off without a second thought:
"All the better! It's been too long since I've shared a meal with Father. Today, I shall fulfill my filial duties."
Seeing his determination, the eunuch said no more and hurried to arrange the carriage.
The Crown Prince's calculations were precise:
If the Third Prince had just angered the Emperor, wouldn't this be the perfect time for me to appear and soothe His Majesty's temper?
What better way to showcase my filial devotion?
What the Crown Prince didn't anticipate, however, was that his visit would place him directly in the line of the Emperor's fury.
The Emperor was already fuming over Qin Lu's blunt spoiler—"He passed the imperial examinations with top honors, rose swiftly through the ranks, became a renowned prime minister, and secured his place in history."
And now, here came the Crown Prince, barging in uninvited, claiming he wanted to share a meal.
On any other day, the Emperor might have been mildly pleased by the gesture.
But today was different!
Today, the Prince Li's Mansion had sent a basket of fresh greens—a rare delicacy in this season.
Though the basket seemed sizable, once it reached the imperial kitchens, it yielded only two dishes and one soup.
Not even the imperial consorts had been granted a taste.
And now the Crown Prince wanted to share the meal?
The Emperor barely hesitated before deciding to send him away.
But before he could issue the order, a eunuch announced that the Crown Prince had already arrived.
With the meal about to be served, turning him away now would reflect poorly on the Emperor's magnanimity.
Gritting his teeth, the Emperor had no choice but to endure his eldest son's sudden—and highly suspicious—display of filial piety.
All the while, he prayed silently that the Crown Prince would have the sense to keep his hands off the precious greens.
Unaware of the Emperor's inner turmoil, the Crown Prince, overjoyed at being granted permission to dine together, hurried into the imperial chambers.
When the dishes were laid out, his eyes immediately locked onto the vibrant green vegetables standing out amidst the array of meats.
"Fresh greens in this season? Even the imperial palace has such luxuries?"
This oversight stemmed from Xing Ren's thoughtless decision to cover the basket with a large cloth, obscuring its contents entirely.
When Qin Lu entered the palace, he hadn't bothered to remove the covering, so no one outside the Emperor's inner circle knew what he had brought.
Later, the Emperor, reluctant to share his prize, had instructed Eunuch Wang to deliver the basket to the kitchens—with the cloth still firmly in place.
Thus, the Crown Prince remained entirely unaware of the greens' origins.
After his exclamation of surprise, without a second thought, he reached out with his chopsticks, plucked a generous portion, and popped it into his mouth.
These greens had been cultivated using fertilization techniques Gu Yanshu had adapted from the future.
In the post-apocalyptic era, aside from weaponry, food—especially fresh produce—had been a scarce commodity.
Before wood-attribute ability users evolved to the point of accelerating plant growth, vegetables like these had at times been more valuable than gold.
People had gone to extraordinary lengths to maximize yields.
Later, once ability users became capable of plant manipulation, the focus shifted to enhancing flavor and moisture content to stay competitive.
Thus, the greens grown under Gu Yanshu's methods were not only tender and succulent but carried a natural sweetness.
Each bite released a burst of juice, leaving a lingering sweetness on the palate.
And when prepared by the imperial chefs, these qualities were elevated to perfection—making it impossible to resist a second bite.
The Crown Prince was no exception.
After swallowing the first mouthful, his face lit up with satisfaction, and he couldn't help but praise:
"As expected of the imperial kitchens! Even a simple vegetable dish is prepared to such perfection!"
Without hesitation, he reached for another helping—completely oblivious to the Emperor's darkening expression.
Eunuch Wang, witnessing the scene, felt his heart leap into his throat.
Seeing the Emperor on the verge of eruption, he swiftly intervened:
"Your Highness, today's chefs include a master from Chaozhou, renowned for his soups. Perhaps you'd like to try this beef ball? It's tender, springy, and full of flavor—surely to your liking."
As he spoke, he deftly served a beef ball into the Crown Prince's bowl.
Eunuch Wang was the Emperor's most trusted attendant.
Since the Emperor's ascension, he had never personally served anyone else—not even the imperial consorts could boast of such an honor.
The Crown Prince was both startled and flattered.
Though he wasn't particularly fond of beef balls, he obediently ate it and praised:
"Mmm, indeed delicious!"
"If it pleases Your Highness, perhaps you'd also enjoy this Eight-Treasure Fish? It's a new creation by the chef."
Eunuch Wang smiled, continuing to serve the Crown Prince while discreetly signaling to a junior eunuch to transfer the remaining greens to the Emperor's bowl.
The young eunuch, well-trained by Eunuch Wang, moved swiftly to comply.
Seeing the greens safely in his own bowl, the Emperor's expression softened slightly.
Eunuch Wang allowed himself a small sigh of relief.
Just when it seemed the meal would conclude without further incident, the Crown Prince—after a long stretch of silence—spoke up again:
"Eunuch Wang, I've had rather too much rich food today. I'll finish with the vegetable and mushroom soup."
The moment the words left his mouth, both Eunuch Wang and the junior eunuch froze mid-motion.
The greens from the Prince Li's Mansion had been limited—after two dishes, the soup contained only enough for one serving.
If the Crown Prince took it, the Emperor would have none.
Eunuch Wang couldn't allow that.
He scrambled for an excuse to dissuade the Crown Prince—but before he could speak, Qin Sheng had already reached for the soup himself.
Assuming Eunuch Wang's hesitation was due to fatigue, the Crown Prince—ever the considerate son—smiled magnanimously:
"No need to trouble yourself, Eunuch Wang. The soup is within my reach."
"Your Highness—!"
Eunuch Wang's exclamation made the Crown Prince pause, spoon halfway to his lips.
"Hmm?"
"...Nothing."
Eunuch Wang swallowed his words.
By now, the Crown Prince had already taken a sip.
There was no way the Emperor would eat from a dish his son had touched.
The soup was as good as lost.
The Crown Prince, oblivious, continued eating.
He failed to notice the Emperor's thunderous expression—or the vein throbbing at his temple.
In that moment, the Emperor deeply regretted his earlier leniency.
Why had he allowed this unfilimal son to stay for the meal?
Not only had the wretch eaten his precious greens—now he had taken the last of the soup!
As the Crown Prince set down his spoon, wiped his hands, and opened his mouth to speak—
The Emperor's patience snapped.
He bestowed upon his eldest son the same words he had earlier granted the Prince of Li:
"GET OUT!"