"Speak, my dear minister!"
"The land under my jurisdiction had a great harvest last year. The corn yield was double that of previous years!"
"Excellent!"
...
After the morning court session, Gu Gaoxu wanted to slip away and find Lu Yuan.
Gu Gaochi quickly grabbed his younger brother. "Second Brother, we are here in the Imperial Capital on Father's orders to visit His Majesty the Emperor and the Empress. You can't just run off without even saying hello!"
"First Brother, are you dense? You know what that old man the Emperor is like. Last time I came to the city to study, he wanted to grab me and teach me a harsh lesson. I'm just here for a quick visit this time." Gu Gaoxu had no desire to get dragged into this mess.
"Sigh, Second Brother, if the Emperor finds out you're here and you don't show your face, I'm afraid you'll never be allowed back in the Imperial Capital," Gu Gaochi reasoned.
"I don't want to come to this godforsaken place anyway!" Gu Gaoxu retorted decisively.
