The Heartthrob System cultivates brotherhood online

Chengde Hall.

Calming agarwood was lit in the main hall, and white smoke dissipated in all directions and gradually fell downwards.

"Ahem..." The middle-aged emperor on the dragon throne coughed heavily, his lips showing an abnormal white color. Fugui bowed his head, and hurriedly poured him tea, saying, "Your Majesty, the weather is getting cold, you should pay more attention to rest."

The emperor did not respond. He picked up the teacup and took a sip. The hand holding the brush moved to the side of the memorial and left a comment. After a while, he closed the memorial and classified it into the pile that had already been processed.

He sighed: "Fugui, do I have white hair?"

Fugui took a closer look and saw a few white spots hidden in the emperor's hair. He smiled and said, "How could that be possible? Your Majesty is still young."

"Stop trying to fool me." The emperor coughed a few more times. Fugui was anxious to call the imperial physician, but the emperor didn't have time to react because the physician had already left.

"You old eunuch, now you don't even listen to me?" The emperor frowned and pretended to scold.

"Your Majesty, the judge of the Imperial Hospital has already said that you are not allowed to overwork yourself. If you continue like this..." Fugui did not continue and bent down deeply. The emperor could tell from the increasingly white powder on his face that his confidant was not young anymore.

The emperor simply put down his pen and looked outside the hall with a vague tone.

"Fugui, how many years have you followed me?"

"Including this year, it's already twenty-three."

Fugui has been serving in the Eastern Palace since the emperor was still a prince, and he didn't count the days deliberately, but now it seems that such a long time has passed.

"Tell me, which prince should I make the crown prince?"

The emperor mentioned the matter of establishing a crown prince so casually, and Fugui's heart trembled. He did not think that this was a sign of trust in him, and hurriedly said, "I dare not make any rash comments."

Seeing that he was like a frightened bird, Qin Wen sneered and seemed not to want a real answer from him. He counted the few princes he had left.

"The eldest is disabled, the second has leg problems, the fourth is dead, the fifth is honest and willing to learn, but he is indecisive and wavering..." The emperor paused and continued, "The seventh is too distracted and restless. As for the eighth, he is the least outstanding, dull-witted and often plays tricks."

The emperor concluded with a smile: "From this point of view, it seems that the fifth one is the most suitable. If he is indecisive, we can recommend a capable minister."

Fugui did not dare to agree and stood aside: "Your Majesty has his own considerations. Your decision is naturally for the sake of Daqin and the people."

After a while, the imperial physician knelt down tremblingly, carrying a box, and said, "Your Majesty, I will diagnose your pulse."

The imperial physician placed a white silk handkerchief on the emperor's wrist and carefully felt his pulse. He found something and suddenly pulled his hand back, kneeling on the ground and begging, "Your Majesty, spare my life."

Fugui scolded coldly: "Doctor Li, don't talk nonsense!"

The emperor raised his hand to stop Fugui from talking, and said to the imperial physician kneeling on the ground: "I won't punish you. Tell the truth."

The imperial physician knelt on the ground, his voice trembling: "Your Majesty, your pulse is weak, which is a sign of heart failure. If...if you continue to work hard, it will cause great damage to your dragon body."

"How to treat it?" the emperor asked in a deep voice.

"I will write a prescription right now and ask my disciple to go to the Imperial Hospital to get the medicine..."

Doctor Li's face turned pale, and Qin Wen saw that he was hesitant to speak. He asked the doctor directly, "How long can he live if he takes the medicine?"

Fugui was shocked: "Your Majesty!"

Doctor Li did not dare to raise his head, thinking that he was unlucky. It happened to be his turn to be on duty at the Imperial Hospital at this time: "...at most three months."

"Your Majesty, Imperial Doctor Li is too young and he is bound to make mistakes in diagnosis. It would be better to ask a few more imperial doctors to come." Fugui winked at Imperial Doctor Li and stared at him sternly.

Doctor Li's forehead was covered with sweat, and he nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, yes, Your Majesty, I must be not well-trained, so the diagnosis is unclear. Why not ask other colleagues in the Imperial Hospital to help Your Majesty diagnose your pulse?"

"I know my own body!"

"Go down first."

Doctor Li fled with the box in his hand.

The air was terrifyingly quiet. The emperor held his forehead with his hand, his face pale. "You go out too."

Fugui knew that this was directed at him, so he took everyone in the hall away.

In the vast and deep Chengde Hall, the warm yellow light had not yet added a trace of warmth to the place. Between the closing of the door, a gust of wind blew in and extinguished a candle. The deep voice of the middle-aged emperor sounded: "Three months, is enough..."

-

The next day, early in the morning, Jiang Nanxi went to the Yangxin Palace to visit Qin Wen. Fugui saw her and greeted her: "Hello, Concubine Chun."

Jiang Nanxi smiled and handed the heavy purse in her sleeve to Fugui: "Eunuch, I am here to visit His Majesty. Please inform him. I am inviting you to have tea."

Fugui smiled so hard that his eyes narrowed, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepened along the lines. "His Majesty is waiting for you, Your Majesty. You miss His Majesty and come every time."

"It should."

Jiang Nanxi walked into the palace with the palace maid Niao Niao Tingting. They didn't have to attend the morning court on their day off, and when she entered, she happened to see the palace maids and eunuchs helping the emperor to dress.

She bowed, and after the emperor's permission, she stepped forward to take the clothes from the maid's hand, "Your Majesty, you must have a good rest today."

"Why not go to Concubine Chun's palace?" Qin Wen looked at the woman in front of him who was tidying up his clothes with an unclear expression.

"I've already told you to have a good rest. Why are you wasting your energy? I've already come all the way here." Jiang Nanxi showed a look of dissatisfaction, half real and half fake. Such an expression was pleasing to the eye on her young and beautiful face. Not only did it not make people angry, but it also made people feel pity for her.

Qin Wen patted the back of his hand and led her to the low couch: "Okay, okay, I'm sorry to have troubled you, my beloved concubine."

"Your Majesty, do you know what I mean?"

After saying that, she beckoned for Fen Tao behind her to put down the food box and took out a bowl of green-yellow soup from it, "This is the soothing soup I made. I got up early in the morning."

The young eunuch at the side put the silver needle into the bowl without changing color. Jiang Nanxi just watched his movements out of the corner of his eye, and when he saw the result he wanted, he lowered his eyes.

"Drinking calming soup early in the morning?" Qin Wen stirred the soup with a spoon, and the soup gave off a bitter smell.

Jiang Nanxi was stunned for a moment, "Ah, then I'll bring it to you in the evening."

As she was about to take it away, the emperor held her wrist and said, "Since you gave it to me, how can you take it back?"

"I am confused."

Qin Wen took a sip and put it aside without moving. "I remember that you liked making all kinds of cakes before. Why don't you do it now?"

"Your Majesty, I've been a little tired lately, so I didn't care about that." Jiang Nanxi's expression faded a little, "Your Majesty wants to eat, I'll make it and send it to you in the evening."

"You do this and that, but you are not a cook. Do I need a bite of food from you?"

Jiang Nanxi smiled faintly: "Your Majesty is right."

"I allowed you to enter the palace. Did I wrong you?" The emperor tapped the side of his index finger with his thumb wearing a black ring. "I also sent your father and brother to the dangerous border. Some time ago, your brother's life or death was unknown."

His deep gaze fell on Jiang Nanxi. She stood up and knelt when the emperor asked the first question, her beautiful face showing stubbornness.

Qin Wen's brows moved slightly and his breathing became calm.

"Thunder and rain are all grace from the emperor. This world belongs to your majesty. I have no grievances in entering the palace. It is my honor to serve your majesty." Jiang Nanxi spoke quickly and her voice was clear, and every word was heard clearly. "As for my father and brother, they are your majesty and the ministers of the Qin Dynasty. When the Qin Dynasty is in trouble, they will charge into the battle and face death with equanimity. Even if they are not my father and brother, they will be other ministers. They are all loyal to your majesty and the Qin Dynasty."

There was no expression on Qin Wen's face, and his pale lips opened and closed.

Jiang Nanxi's voice gradually trembled, "If Your Majesty insists on asking me what grievances I have, I dare not hide it. I don't like this harem, and my child is also your child..."

The woman looked up at the moody emperor, her eyes red and her lips trembling, as if she was suppressing her emotions: "I haven't seen him yet. I know that your majesty is also very sad, so I shouldn't mention it again, and I won't mention it in the future."

Big tears fell on the pink skirt, leaving dark spots. Jiang Nanxi wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. After a while, she heard the emperor stand up, and then she was helped up.

The emperor wiped the tears from her face with his rough fingers, his eyes solemn: "This is my fault."

"Your Majesty can't be wrong."

-

Li Tingyan stood outside the hall for a long time. The cool breeze of early autumn brushed the corners of his clothes. His black hair fluttered as he kissed the warm face. A quarter of an hour later, Fugui came out of the hall, flicking the whisk in his hand.

"Lord Zuo Xiang, His Majesty invites you in." Looking at the man's upright figure, Fugui said with a smile, "You are old enough to get married."

Li Tingyan smiled slightly, "I haven't established my career yet, so I don't have the heart to think about romantic relationships."

Fugui bent down slightly and made way.

Li Tingyan walked past the compartment and heard the sound of tea being poured at the corner. He entered the main hall and knelt down to pay his respects.

The emperor's cold voice came from the couch: "My dear, please stand up."

Li Tingyan stood up and waited for the emperor to speak. Qin Wen poured tea for himself, the sound of boiling water was empty and dull. He said, "My dear, you are now the left prime minister, responsible for assisting the government. How come... I have never seen any member of the Li family come to Beijing to seek refuge."

"To be honest with you, Your Majesty, my parents died when I was young, and I don't know if I have any other relatives alive." Li Tingyan said respectfully, "Later, I was taken care of by the villagers and ate at hundreds of homes. From time to time, letters came to Beijing, and I also wanted to repay them by sending back some money and silk."

"The villagers are attached to their land and have lived there for generations. We cannot force them to leave their ancestral land just because of my selfishness. That is not repaying a favor, it is revenge."

The emperor laughed out loud, "My dear minister, you are also a person who knows how to repay kindness."

He paused for a moment, "Please take a seat."

The eunuch brought a chair, and after thanking him, Li Tingyan sat down. Then he heard the middle-aged emperor on the first throne say, "My dear minister, you are twenty-three years old. Do you have a girl you like? I can arrange a marriage for you."

Li Tingyan was alert instantly, and had a premonition that the emperor's next words were very important. He replied, "No. I dare not lie. Because of my experience of wandering and being homeless in my early years, I don't have much expectation of getting married. Your Majesty, please forgive me!"

"My dear minister, you are innocent and can be forgiven." The dull sound of the cups colliding was accompanied by the emperor's emotionless voice, "My sixth princess is well-educated, sensible, and innocent. She admires you very much and has been asking me to see you."

"I am deeply honored to be favored by Her Royal Highness the Princess."

Li Tingyan responded without a single mistake. He had only met the Sixth Princess once in the palace. At that time, the Emperor was not enthusiastic and even looked a little impatient. How could it be possible that the Emperor would immediately satisfy her request for a meeting now?

There is a fatal guess behind it, and Li Tingyan is not sure.

The emperor waved his hand, and then a woman in light yellow palace dress came in from the other side, with powder on her face and watery eyes, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Li Tingyan's eyes darkened, "Your humble servant greets Her Royal Highness the Princess."

The Sixth Princess saluted the Emperor first, and then returned the salute to Li Tingyan. "The Left Prime Minister was the top scholar in the imperial examination. I have always admired his talent. I am very happy to meet you today. Thank you, Father."

"Your Highness, I am too humble to praise you. I am too ignorant to be worthy of your praise."

The two chatted for a few words, and the emperor had a satisfied look on his face. Then the Sixth Princess looked at Li Tingyan shyly and timidly, bowed and took her leave.

During this time, Li Tingyan remained polite and distant, with a warm smile on his face. The Sixth Princess was sharp-minded and could not tell that he was interested in her, but for that matter...

"I see that you and Xiaoliu are having a good time chatting. If there is a chance in the future, the talented man and the beautiful woman should get along well."

Li Tingyan knelt down, looking as if he was about to face a disaster: "Your Highness is so noble, I dare not disrespect you. I respect you and dare not overstep the mark."

Qin Wen: "Don't I understand your personality? If I didn't know what kind of person you are, I wouldn't dare let you meet Xiaoliu. It's within the rules for men and women of appropriate age to meet and discuss poetry and songs."

Li Tingyan's face was filled with doubt and he responded, "Yes, Your Majesty."

.......

Ling Si still had half a month to go before he could reach the capital. On the way, he received a letter. On the lower right corner of the white paper was a vivid picture of a clump of bamboo.

This is Li Tingyan’s exclusive mark.

The pigeon flew directly to the inn where he was staying, and was now jumping left and right on the table, pecking at the grains on it.

——Want to arrange marriage with the Sixth Princess and make the Eighth Prince the crown prince.

There is also a simple crying expression at the end, which shows how devastated Li Tingyan was about this matter.

The Sixth Princess and the Eighth Prince were born from the same mother, so it was not surprising that he had such a guess. Ling Si did not have a deep impression of the Eighth Prince, and his mother's family was not outstanding. Now it seems that he was deliberately hiding his shortcomings.

Even worse than Qin Yu'an.

He even speculated that Qin Wen would make the seventh prince the crown prince.

As for the arranged marriage, whether or not the imperial decree can be received is another matter.

-

It was another secret summons, and Li Tingyan entered the Yangxin Palace under the leadership of Fugui.

Fugui walked quickly while saying, "Your Majesty has caught a cold recently, so please be careful, Lord Zuo Xiang."

Li Tingyan heard that this was a reminder to him, "Thank you, eunuch."