Upon arriving at Prince Li Manor, Qin Hao made a beeline for the rear courtyard.
The moment he stepped through the gate, he spotted Gu Yanshu and Qin Lu enjoying their morning meal.
Morning court sessions in Tianqi were notoriously early—most officials abstained from proper breakfast beforehand, settling for light snacks to avoid mishaps during proceedings. Qin Hao was no exception.
After fasting all morning and the drama of court, the sight of a laden table made his stomach growl fiercely.
Never one for formalities, Qin Hao gestured for Xing Ren to fetch him chopsticks and promptly took a seat.
Gu Yanshu and Qin Lu didn't bat an eye at his lack of decorum, allowing him to dig in without comment.
Only once Qin Hao had eaten his fill did Gu Yanshu finally ask:
"How did court go today?"
"Smoothly? More like a resounding victory!"
At this, Qin Hao's fatigue vanished. He set down his chopsticks, ignoring the last few bites in his bowl, and launched into a vivid retelling of the morning's events.
For maximum dramatic effect, he even sprinkled in his own colorful commentary.
When recounting Qin Sheng's expression after the session adjourned, Qin Hao couldn't resist gloating:
"A shame you weren't there, Third Brother! Eldest Brother's face was a masterpiece—like a palette of spilled paints! Hahaha—"
The memory of Qin Sheng's impotent rage sent him into another fit of laughter.
"You're wasted in politics. The teahouses need a storyteller like you."
Qin Lu edged away slightly, eyeing his brother's undignified mirth with mild distaste.
"Storytelling can't compare to the thrill of court!" Qin Hao waved off the jab, then turned to Gu Yanshu with shining eyes.
"Sister-in-law, are you a prophet? How else could you have predicted Eldest Brother's scheme?"
Indeed, Qin Hao's entire performance today had been orchestrated by Gu Yanshu.
Yesterday, he'd warned that Qin Sheng would likely weaponize the gambling incident—and insisted Qin Lu preempt him by addressing it first in court.
At the time, Qin Hao had dismissed it as paranoia.
But Qin Lu had trusted his judgment, ordering him to follow his plan.
And lo and behold—the moment court began, Qin Hao recognized the trap Qin Sheng had laid.
Zheng Yaoguang's aborted impeachment attempt only confirmed it.
Now, Qin Hao regarded Gu Yanshu with unfiltered admiration, his gaze practically sparkling.
Gu Yanshu met Qin Hao's eager gaze with a brief pause, then gave him a look that screamed obvious:
"This required foresight? Any idiot could've guessed."
Putting himself in Qin Sheng's shoes made it elementary—
Who wouldn't seek payback after someone waltzed off with 1.2 million taels from their casino?
Qin Hao: ???
Are you insulting my intelligence?
(Yes, and the evidence is damning.)
Qin Lu finally took pity on his clueless brother:
"Remember where ChangLe Den's profits ultimately flow."
"Ah! Of course!" Qin Hao smacked his forehead. "No wonder Eldest Brother looked ready to combust!"
Though no genius, the Fifth Prince wasn't stupid—just selectively lazy.
One hint was all he needed.
Yet another mystery remained:
"But how did you predict Father's exact questions?"
As court reactions proved, Qin Hao's rare attendance left him clueless about political nuances.
Yet today, he'd answered every imperial query flawlessly—
Because Gu Yanshu had scripted his responses yesterday.
Hearing the Emperor voice those pre-rehearsed questions had been surreal.
"Consider every angle, and you'll anticipate most." Gu Yanshu shrugged. "His Majesty skipped several I prepared you for."
A flimsy excuse—he couldn't very well say:
"Decades of dodging journalists' traps taught me this."
Qin Hao bought it unquestioningly.
After all, Father had omitted many anticipated inquiries.
Only one puzzle lingered:
"Then how were you certain Father would refuse the money?"
Donating the windfall had been Gu Yanshu's idea—
Initially met with Qin Hao's vehement protests.
Prince Li's faction had scraped by for years—
Why surrender this godsend?
Only Gu Yanshu's unwavering confidence and Qin Lu's insistence swayed him.
Yet doubt lingered until the Emperor's unexpected rejection.
Now came the shocking truth:
"Actually... that part wasn't certain."
"WHAT?!"
Even Qin Lu's eyebrows shot up.
"I calculated a 70% refusal rate if you emphasized I won it without His Highness' prior knowledge."
With the gamble over, Gu Yanshu could admit:
He was no omniscient strategist—
Just a man who played percentages.
"The only reason I gave you that ironclad guarantee yesterday," Gu Yanshu explained casually, "was to ensure you'd actually propose donating the money today without hesitation."
"As for the remaining thirty percent chance? That was pure gamble—betting His Majesty would refuse."
"And if you'd lost that bet?" Qin Hao was stunned by his audacity. Thirty percent was far from negligible.
Gu Yanshu merely glanced at him, his tone breezy:
"Then we'd have handed it over. Simple as that."
"What?!" Qin Hao's shock only deepened, wondering if he'd misheard. "That's 1.2 million taels we're talking about!"
Not 120 taels. Not 12,000 taels.
1.2 million taels.
How could he speak of surrendering such a sum with such nonchalance?
"I know it's no small amount," Gu Yanshu replied, accepting the tea Bai Zhu handed him. he rinsed his mouth lightly before continuing, "But this was unexpected windfall to begin with. Letting it go wouldn't be too painful."
he paused, then added:
"Besides, even if it went to the national treasury, His Majesty would inevitably allocate a significant portion to the Ministry of War—otherwise, how could he justify it to the troops? As long as the money ultimately benefits the soldiers, His Highness and I wouldn't be at a real loss."
Qin Hao, who had been ready to argue further, fell silent at this. His gaze toward Gu Yanshu grew complex.
He hadn't forgotten—yesterday, when instructing him about today's court proposal, Gu Yanshu had emphasized:
"Be sure to stress that 'Third Brother wishes to contribute modestly to ensuring our soldiers have warm clothing and full bellies this winter.'"
Now, hearing him speak of how the Emperor would have to share the funds with the military, Qin Hao understood the true purpose behind those carefully crafted words.
The world praised Fifth Prince Qin Hao for his fox-like insight into human nature.
But now, Qin Hao realized—there were always greater masters beyond one's sight.
At the very least, he could never match Gu Yanshu's ability to consider every angle so thoroughly.
Beyond admiration, Qin Hao felt a surge of relief—
Relief that Gu Yanshu wasn't their enemy.
Relief that he was now his third brother's wife.
Relief that he and Qin Lu shared such profound affection...
Unaware of Qin Hao's thoughts, Gu Yanshu mistook his silence for lingering confusion:
"The world preaches 'giving up to gain.' Sometimes, you must sacrifice to obtain."
This simple statement made Qin Hao's expression grow even more complicated.
True, the saying was common enough—
But how many could actually practice it?
And how many could relinquish over a million taels as calmly as Gu Yanshu just had?
Perhaps infected by Gu Yanshu's composure, Qin Hao finally stopped agonizing over that thirty percent possibility. He clasped his hands in a slight salute:
"Sister-in-law speaks wisely. This younger brother was being narrow-minded."
"Not narrow-minded," Gu Yanshu corrected with a shake of his head, "just unfamiliar with the ways of commerce."
"Hmm?" Qin Hao's brow furrowed. "What does commerce have to do with this?"
"Everything," Gu Yanshu replied, his lips curving into a smile Qin Hao couldn't quite decipher. "Those well-versed in business know that 1.2 million taels is hardly an astronomical sum."
"'Hardly astronomical'?"
Had anyone else made such a claim, Qin Hao would have dismissed them as arrogant fools.
Even the Emperor would covet such an amount!
Yet when Gu Yanshu said it, he felt an inexplicable conviction—
As if 1.2 million taels truly were mere pocket change.
"From your tone," Qin Lu interjected, studying closely, "it seems you're deeply familiar with commerce?"
"Naturally." The reply came without hesitation, accompanied by a confidence Qin Lu had never seen before.
While he'd been equally self-assured yesterday while strategizing for court, this was different—
Yesterday's confidence stemmed from understanding his own capabilities.
Today's radiated the mastery of someone standing firmly in their element.
Watching him, Qin Lu saw a reflection of himself on the battlefield—utterly in command.
"So earning back 1.2 million would pose no difficulty for you?"
From anyone else, the question might have sounded sarcastic.
But Qin Lu's tone held only genuine curiosity.
Gu Yanshu's smile deepened. "None whatsoever."
"Then you must be aware of this prince's current... financial constraints?"
A faint smirk played at Qin Lu's lips.
Having just received 600,000 taels from him, "financial constraints" was certainly an exaggeration—
Though given his expenses, perhaps not entirely untrue.
"Mmm?" Gu Yanshu arched a brow, inviting him to continue.
"With talents like yours, this prince will undoubtedly need to rely on you often." Qin Lu's expression was the picture of innocence. "Would my princess consort be amenable?"
Not a trace of shame colored his request for what was essentially... a sugar arrangement.
Gu Yanshu preened at the deference, tilting his chin up.
"That depends... on your performance."
His smugness was practically tangible.
Qin Lu chuckled, unperturbed. "Then I shall strive to satisfy."
The deliberate double entendre sent a flush creeping up Gu Yanshu's neck.
"Y-you'd better!" he stammered, his earlier bravado crumbling.
Meanwhile, Qin Hao sat frozen beside them, his mind screaming:
Who am I? Where am I? Why am I still at this table?
We were discussing state affairs! When did this turn into... whatever this is?!