Chapter 553 Stimulated

The sun sets in the west, casting its last rays across the sky.

Holding her grandson, Madam Gu looked at her dazed daughter-in-law and asked with a smile, "Missing Yaoling?"

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao came back to her senses and saw her mother-in-law looking at her with a smile. She asked, "Mother, what did you just say? I didn't hear you clearly."

Madam Gu asked again, "Are you missing Yaoling?"

Meng Jinyao paused for a moment, then nodded shyly. She had indeed been thinking about it; she had just been wondering if her husband had eaten properly while he was out, and whether he was too busy to eat.

Madam Gu comforted him, saying, "He said he would be back in ten days or half a month before he left. He will be back in a few days, so you don't need to worry about him. He can take care of himself. If you feel bored while he's away, go to a banquet and chat and laugh with the ladies. The day will pass quickly."

Meng Jinyao shook her head subconsciously. She had been attending banquets for several days in a row, chatting with those ladies about this and that, and now she was tired of it. So she said, "I've been lazy for a few days. You've been taking care of Wanwan these past few days. How can I keep tiring you out?"

Madam Gu smiled and shook her head: "Ayao, you're overthinking it. I don't feel tired at all. Wanwan is much more well-behaved than Yaoling was when he was little. He's not troubled at all, and taking care of him doesn't take much effort. With him by my side, life is much more interesting."

Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyao couldn't help but sigh in her heart: the bond between grandparents and grandchildren is truly different.

Seeing that her grandson had fallen asleep, Madam Gu handed the child to the wet nurse to take away. She then said, "Ayao, don't worry. While I'm still healthy and can take care of your child, it's good for you to go out more. Get to know those ladies from prominent families. That way, you won't be bored at any banquets in the future, as you'll be surrounded by familiar faces."

Meng Jinyao seemed to understand, then nodded: "Daughter-in-law understands."

Seeing that it was getting late, Madam Gu said, "Ayao, why don't you stay for dinner tonight? You can go back after you've had dinner."

Meng Jinyao readily agreed. In the past, her husband would come home after work and would have dinner with her almost every day. Now that her husband was not here, she felt uncomfortable eating alone. With her mother-in-law by her side, she enjoyed her meals much more.

After dinner, Meng Jinyao carried Wanwan back home.

Madam Gu said to Granny Feng, "This child is quite clingy. I didn't notice it before, but I have now."

Granny Feng laughed and said, "That's right, she's very clingy."

Just now, the old lady was serving food to the lady, and the lady didn't realize it and subconsciously called out "husband," which amused the old lady so much that she couldn't help but laugh out loud. The lady then realized that she had called the wrong person and blushed deeply.

This shows just how affectionate the Marquis and his wife are.

-

That afternoon.

Upon returning to the capital, Gu Jingxi did not go home immediately. Instead, he went straight to the palace, told Yu Chuan and the others to go back, and instructed them to inform their families that he had returned safely.

At this moment, Meng Jinyao was playing with Wanwan in Old Madam Gu's Shou'an Hall when she heard the maid report that Gu Jingxi had returned. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were overjoyed, and smiles appeared on their faces.

Meng Jinyao stood up: "Mother, I'll go see where my husband is. You take care of Wanwan for now."

Before the maid could leave, she heard this and hurriedly said, "Madam, the Marquis has returned, but he didn't go home. He went to the palace. That's what Young Master Yu Chuan told me just now."

Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyao paused for a moment, then quickly smiled again: "It's good that you're back. Business is important." After saying that, she instructed her maid to tell the cook to prepare a few of her husband's favorite dishes for dinner.

Madam Gu teased, "Now that I'm serving you food, you're not going to call me 'husband' anymore, are you?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyao blushed and said shyly, "Mother, please stop teasing your daughter-in-law."

Madam Gu smiled and said, "Alright, alright, Mother won't say anything."

-

The Imperial Study.

When Emperor Jingwen learned that Gu Jingxi had returned, he immediately put down the memorials he was writing and summoned him outside the imperial study.

A short while later, Emperor Jingwen saw the unshaven Gu Jingxi enter the hall and bow to him: "Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!"

Upon seeing this, Emperor Jingwen was taken aback. His minister was usually very particular about his appearance, so why wasn't he shaving? Could it be that he was frightened by the seventh princess of Anguo?

After a moment, Emperor Jingwen said, "Rise, my dear minister." Looking at his face, he felt uncomfortable and couldn't help but say, "My dear minister, you don't need to ruin yourself like this."

Gu Jingxi was slightly taken aback, not understanding what the emperor meant by his words. After a moment's thought, he assumed that the emperor was concerned about him, so he said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am doing well."

Emperor Jingwen then asked, "My dear minister, how are the matters I asked you to handle progressing?"

Gu Jingxi quickly presented a wooden box and said respectfully, "I have successfully completed my mission. Your Majesty, please take a look."

Emperor Jingwen gave a signal to the eunuch beside him, who quickly stepped forward, took the wooden box, and presented it to the emperor.

Emperor Jingwen lifted the wooden box, opened it, and looked at its contents. His face quickly darkened, but he said nothing. He silently closed the box and said, "My dear minister, you have had a long and arduous journey."

Gu Jingxi: "Your Majesty, I wish to..."

Emperor Jingwen glanced at him, and before he could finish speaking, he interrupted him and said with a smile, "Alright, I know you want to take a vacation. Starting from tomorrow, I will give you three days off. Go back and get some rest."

Gu Jingxi quickly kowtowed to express his gratitude: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your compassion."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingwen's smile deepened. As a ruler, being able to see through the thoughts of those below him, especially those of a shrewd minister like Gu Jingxi, was a gratifying thing; it gave him a sense of accomplishment. Previously, when Gu Jingxi wanted to take a vacation, he had assumed Gu Jingxi was genuinely tired, only to later learn that Gu Jingxi wanted to spend time with his beloved wife. Indeed, marriage changed everything.

After leaving the palace, Gu Jingxi did not go home, but went to the Dali Temple. After all, he was going on a three-day holiday starting tomorrow, and he wanted to finish what he needed to do now so he wouldn't have to come back tomorrow.

When the officials of the Court of Judicial Review learned of his return, they all came to see him and ask what he wanted to do.

When they saw Gu Jingxi, they were all taken aback. They knew how much the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices cared about his appearance. No matter how busy he was, he would never be unkempt. They interpreted this behavior as being due to Madam Gu, so he paid special attention to his appearance.

He's probably acting like this because he's been traumatized. And this trauma probably stems from what happened at the palace banquet half a month ago. The seventh princess of Anguo didn't realize that the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was already thirty-two, so she took a liking to him, which is why he ruined his face.

Gu Jingxi didn't notice their expressions. She gave them all the instructions she needed to, then told them to go about their business. She then got busy at her desk, hoping to finish as soon as possible so she could go home for dinner.