Gu Tang looks great bathed in the rising sun.
He changed into casual clothes, which made his tall figure appear even more upright.
"Let's go," Gu Tang said to Qin Junche.
Aside from the momentary bewilderment and stunned silence when he initially agreed, he seemed perfectly natural.
Qin Junche was somewhat puzzled.
He trusted Gu Yan.
Although the two had only known each other for a few months, Gu Yan was being groomed as the future crown prince.
But Qin Junche always felt that there was a special connection between them.
It was as if he and Gu Yan were born to be so familiar with each other.
Therefore, his obedient apprentice would not lie to him.
That……
On the way to the First University of the Imperial Capital Star, Qin Junche turned his head to look at Gu Tang several times.
Is it because so much time has passed that time can really make everything fade away?
Qin Junche became somewhat excited.
If that's really the case, does it also mean that he and Gu Tang...
He has the opportunity to replace that person in Gu Tang's heart.
After all, they still have a very, very long time to be together.
The First University of the Imperial Capital Star truly lives up to its reputation as the most beautiful university campus in the entire Galactic Empire.
The campus is lush with greenery, and large gardens can be seen everywhere. There is even a large, clear lake on the south side of the campus.
The lake reflects the starry sky, making it seem as if one can see the stars floating and sinking.
This was Qin Junche's first time visiting the First University of the Imperial Capital Star, but it wasn't the first time he had heard the name of this lake.
It is said that this place is not only a popular dating spot for the First University, but also a famous romantic dating spot in the entire Imperial Capital.
He and Gu Tang had just finished breakfast and were strolling casually along Xinghai Lake.
The campus has fresh air, and what you see is not only vast lakes and mountains, but also young, vibrant, and energetic students.
Even the hustle and bustle of the world seemed to have faded considerably.
"I used to..." Gu Tang didn't say much along the way.
Now that he had arrived at the shore of Xinghai Lake, he looked at the vast lake surface that seemed to be an inverted starry sky, and suddenly smiled.
That smile seemed to come from the heart, and even her eyes sparkled.
"Fall into this lake." Gu Tang snorted and bent down to pick up a stone.
Without a second thought, he casually tossed the object far into the lake, shattering its tranquility.
Water birds take flight on the shore of Xinghai Lake, leaving behind a trail of melodious and clear sounds.
"When did this happen?" Qin Junche asked.
"Twelve years old, I guess." Gu Tang finished throwing the stone and stood lazily by the lake.
He crossed his arms and gazed into the distance: "It still doesn't look like anything has changed."
"Why did you fall in when you were twelve?" Qin Junche couldn't help but ask again.
"He was pushed down," Gu Tang said.
He didn't seem too keen on bringing up the past; after saying that, he strode forward.
Qin Junche stood there for a while.
Xinghai Lake is very large, and it is located within the First University of the Capital Star.
Although outsiders are not prohibited from entering, the people coming and going are mainly students and teachers.
Most of those who are able to enter the First University come from noble families in the Galactic Empire.
The children of the powerful and wealthy in the capital city, such as He Hui who is now active in the court, are basically all graduates of the First University.
Even Gu Tang's elder brother, the former crown prince who died young, studied here.
As for Gu Tang...
Qin Junche knew that he hadn't even graduated from university when he ascended the throne, but this unfavored little prince did not come from the First University.
It is precisely because of this that, whether it was when Gu Tang first ascended the throne or now, many people are not convinced that he has become the Emperor of the Galactic Empire.
The one who could command the respect of those people was always the former Crown Prince, a man who was known for his wisdom and strength even during his school years.
Qin Junche imagined it for a moment.
Why did twelve-year-old Gu Tang come here?
After thinking it over, there's only one possibility.
He was looking for his elder brother, the Crown Prince, who had just entered university and become a freshman at the First University.
"And then?" Qin Junche stood there for a moment, then quickly caught up with Gu Tang, who had already walked some distance away. "You must have been a very good swimmer when you were twelve, right?"
Xinghai Lake looks very deep. Even if a twelve-year-old child falls in, it would be difficult for him to come out alive, no matter how good he is at swimming.
"I can't swim." Gu Tang chuckled. "I'm a complete landlubber. Right now, I can barely float in the water. Swimming is very difficult for me."
As he spoke, he picked up another stone and threw it far into Xinghai Lake.
Watching the ripples spread out on the lake, Gu Tang said, "My older brother pulled me out of there; he's a great swimmer!"
He paused, then said softly, "He was not only an excellent swimmer and an all-around athlete with superb combat skills, but also proficient in astronomy, history, literature, law, and painting. Later, he joined the army and, in just six months, led a cavalry force to completely annihilate the rebels harassing the eastern border of the empire..."
Gu Tang smiled.
That smile held a tenderness and longing that Qin Junche had never seen before: "If he were still alive, he would be a thousand times more capable than me as the emperor of the Galactic Empire. Those people wouldn't be dissatisfied then."
This was the first time Gu Tang had openly mentioned his elder brother in front of the Qin army.
His tone was gentle, filled with nostalgia.
It was as if his eyes lit up when he talked about his illustrious older brother.
After saying these few words, it was as if an opportunity had finally been found.
Gu Tang slowly walked forward again, saying as he went, "I first met this older brother when I was seven years old."
"Why?" Qin Junche didn't understand.
"Because I entered the palace for the first time when I was seven years old." Gu Tang smiled. "Haven't you heard that I am the late emperor's illegitimate son who was left behind?"
He didn't seem upset when he talked about the past.
His tone was light and casual, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him: "When I was very young, I lived with my mother in the northern part of the empire. I was not even seven years old when my mother passed away. Since I had no other relatives to take care of me, I was sent to an orphanage. There, someone found the royal insignia on my body and guessed that I was related to the royal family, so they sent me to the capital planet."
What Gu Tang said was not a secret.
The previous emperor was a romantic and amorous man, and although there was only an empress in the harem, there were no concubines.
But lovers are everywhere.
Many of the socialites and noblewomen in the capital city alone are his lovers.
However, no matter how affectionate His Majesty the Emperor is, he only has one son, Crown Prince Gu Feng.
The empress, born into nobility, was proud and noble, and never cared about His Majesty the Emperor's romantic affairs.
As long as no one can affect her son's status, she always turns a blind eye to her husband's mistresses throughout the capital and beyond, pretending not to know anything.
At the very least, they will maintain a facade of mutual respect and affection.
Later, Gu Feng, the only son of the late emperor who was named crown prince at a young age, gradually grew up.
Intelligent, kind, wise, and incredibly powerful.
With her heart now set on something else, the Empress became even less inclined to care about her husband.
When Gu Tang, who was just over six years old, was first brought to the palace, it was also the first point of conflict between the late emperor and the empress.
His Majesty the Emperor had no feelings for his suddenly appearing illegitimate child.
He couldn't even remember who Gu Tang's mother was, only vaguely recalling a gentle, graceful figure on that somewhat desolate planet in the north.
Gu Tang looks a lot like his mother, with beautiful and delicate features. He has been so beautiful since he was a child that people would take notice.
But the emperor was too lazy to care about him, and every time the empress saw him, she would be reminded that he was the product of her husband's betrayal.
Even if she wanted to turn a blind eye, there was still a thorn in her heart and eyes.
As a result, young Gu Tang became almost invisible in the palace.
The eunuchs all knew that although Gu Tang was the little prince, no one cared about him or would support him.
Even they could bully him at will.
In the palace, Gu Tang even experienced hunger he had never tasted in the much poorer northern star system.
Fortunately, the capital city enjoys a spring-like climate year-round.
Although the temperature is slightly higher in summer, it is not as bitterly cold as winter.
Otherwise, Gu Tang doubted whether he would live to see the flowers bloom the following year.
Will he be able to see his older brother, Gu Feng, alive?
To him, the best man in the world was someone the entire Galactic Empire combined couldn't compare to.
Thirteen-year-old Gu Feng returns from his studies abroad with his teacher, who is also the father of Wu Xuan, Gu Tang's best friend.
He heard the clamorous rumors circulating in the palace.
Then, on that spring afternoon, the weary Crown Prince, without bothering to wash away the dust and fatigue from his journey, hurriedly went to Gu Tang's residence.
In the most remote palace of the imperial palace, little Gu Tang was shockingly thin.
His arms were very thin, and his frail body looked almost like a piece of paper.
Gu Feng even suspected that if the wind in the capital city were stronger, his younger brother would be blown away and disappear into the sky forever.