In the courtyard, the morning sunlight adorned the ground. With his chin resting on Murong Yan's shoulder, Gu Lang softly said, "But they will insult you..."
"Don't mind," Murong Yan replied, "When I sought enlightenment in the Eastern Palace before, they didn't hesitate to insult me... How can I let their words dictate my actions? What about the dignity of the Crown Prince?"
He released Gu Lang, taking his hand, and said, "The ceremony is necessary. Today may be simple, but in a few days, I'll make it more festive for you, alright?"
Gu Lang looked at him, a smile playing on his lips, and slowly lowered his head.
They bowed to each other in the bright morning light, their long hair interweaving.
May this life be spent together until old age, never abandoning each other in life and death.
After the resolution of the old Gu family case and Zheng Yufei's confession, pointing out Lü Pingshan's involvement, the old Emperor spared him from death but chose exile. Lü Pingshan, conspiring with the Northern Qi, orchestrating plots against loyal subjects, met his end at noon with a beheading.
On the execution day, Murong Yan and Gu Lang stood in the crowd, watching Lü Pingshan on the execution platform, hysterically shouting, crying, and laughing.
"I'm not wrong! For oneself, heaven and earth will be condemned! What have I done wrong?!"
"And what about Nie Zhan? Invincible in a hundred battles? Ridiculous! Didn't he end up dying by my hands?"
"You will regret this! Don't think that raising a few soldiers can resist Northern Qi! The Northern border will fall sooner or later!"
"I want to witness your complete defeat, like dogs who've lost their homes..."
With a bang, the executioner tossed the sign, "Execute!"
Lü Pingshan laughed even more crazily, "You will all die! Everyone will die..."
A flash of the blade, red blood splattered the execution ground, and the cries abruptly stopped.
Gu Lang turned to Murong Yan and said, "Let's go."
Murong Yan nodded, holding his hand, and said, "Since there's nothing today, let's go check on Qu Fengyun."
Gu Lang looked at him, puzzled.
Murong Yan smiled, "Qin Si secretly passed me a message. Qu Fengyun summoned him, detained him at Physician Ruan's house, and refuses to release him."
Gu Lang: "...Does Qu Fengyun lack people that much?"
Qin Si squatted in the kitchen brewing medicine, his face covered in soot, sometimes coughing from the smoke. He looked pitiful.
Ruan Nian was outside the door changing the bandage on Qu Fengyun's hand.
"Much better," Ruan Nian carefully examined Qu Fengyun's right arm, pleased to see improvement.
Qu Fengyun said, "Then I won't take the tonic."
"Why?" Ruan Nian asked in surprise. "Don't you want to recover quickly?"
Looking at his soft, white face, Qu Fengyun said, "Can't sleep after taking it."
"Can't sleep?" Ruan Nian said, "Then I'll add some tranquilizing herbs for you?"
Qu Fengyun: "...No need."
Ruan Nian: "Why?"
"Who can't sleep?" Murong Yan entered with Gu Lang, smiling, "I have medicine here, very effective."
Ruan Nian quickly bowed, "Greetings, Your Highness."
Qin Si heard the voice and excitedly rushed out, trying to hug Murong Yan, "Your Highness!"
Murong Yan blocked him and said, "Be careful; I'm a married man."
Qin Si looked at Gu Lang beside him and suddenly realized, "Right, only the Crown Princess can hug... I don't like hugging anyway."
Gu Lang: "..."
Murong Yan pulled him away, took out a white porcelain bottle from his pocket, and said to Qu Fengyun, "Can't sleep at night? This medicine is good. Take one, and you'll sleep until morning."
Qu Fengyun firmly refused, "No need."
Handing the medicine to Ruan Nian, Murong Yan emphasized, "He simply doesn't like taking medicine. Please take good care of him, Physician Ruan."
Ruan Nian nodded dazedly.
Satisfied, Murong Yan walked away with Gu Lang, and Qian Si hurriedly caught up, running faster than anyone else.
Watching them leave, Ruan Nian faintly heard Gu Lang asking the Crown Prince, "What is it?"
The Crown Prince replied, "Naturally, it's something good..."
Ruan Nian held the white porcelain bottle and turned to look at Qu Fengyun, "Ah Ying..."
Qu Fengyun was very serious, "Remember, don't believe half a word of what the Crown Prince says."
"Huh?" Ruan Nian puzzled, "The Crown Prince is a good person. He's worried about your sleep and even gave you medicine."
Qu Fengyun: "..." You'll regret it this way.
The Ministers of Rites and Personnel, drunk, were in a tavern.
After leaving the court, they intended to have a small drink, but once they started, they couldn't stop, their faces turning red.
"You know... burp... throughout history, has there ever been a man who became the Crown Princess?" The Minister of Personnel spoke without restraint, "This Crown Prince is truly absurd..."
The Minister of Rites, holding a wine jug, sighed, "My Lin family has never encountered such a situation... burp... my son..."
The Minister of Personnel continued, "If this gets out, where will I, a dignitary of the Great Yan, put my face? Won't I be laughed at by others?!"
"That does make sense; I didn't think it through thoroughly," the Crown Prince admitted.
"But let me tell you..." The Minister of Personnel suddenly felt something was wrong, turned around, and saw the Crown Prince sitting next to him.
The Minister of Personnel was startled, "Your... Your Highness..."
Murong Yan just came to have a meal with Gu Lang, but upon entering, he saw the Ministers of Personnel and Rites drinking in a corner, muttering something.
He asked Gu Lang to go upstairs first and walked over to take a look. He heard the Minister of Personnel hiccuping, worrying about the face of the Great Yan.
Murong Yan concurred with a sentence, then picked up the wine jug on the table and poured him a drink, saying, "Minister Zhou's words are reasonable. After careful consideration, I indeed should not have allowed a man to be named the Crown Princess, violating the ceremonial norms."
The Minister of Personnel, thinking the Crown Prince had finally realized it, was instantly moved to tears, "Your Highness understands, it's good... I, the old minister..."
"Previously, I was ignorant," the Crown Prince continued, "If there is any offense, I hope the two esteemed gentlemen can forgive me."
The two ministers quickly bowed, "Your Highness is too modest..."
The Crown Prince then poured wine for the Minister of Rites and said, "Regarding the matter of marrying into the Gu family, I'll trouble Minister Lin to take more care."
Minister Lin looked puzzled, "Wha... What marrying in?"
The Crown Prince said, "Since a man cannot be named the Crown Princess, I can only marry into the Gu family."
The Minister of Personnel's hand trembled, and the wine glass fell with a clang.
The Minister of Rites suddenly slapped the table, enlightened, "Right, we should have that brat marry into our Lin family!"
Then, in a hurry, he stumbled away, shaking and swaying.
The Crown Prince turned to look at the Minister of Personnel, "Minister Zhou..."
Minister Zhou stood up abruptly, the chair falling, "Your... Your Highness..."
Murong Yan, simply coming for a meal, ended up unintentionally instigating the two ministers to drink themselves into confusion. He watched as Minister Zhou struggled to stand, bowing repeatedly, "Your Highness..."
"Before, I didn't understand," the Crown Prince said, "If there's any discomfort, I hope the two esteemed gentlemen can excuse me."
Minister Zhou hurriedly excused himself, "Your Highness, I... I'm not feeling well, I'll take my leave first!"