It wasn't until the late afternoon, when the sky was ablaze with golden light, that the couple left. Gu Tingye glanced sideways and saw Minglan's eyes were red, her long, drooping eyelashes wet. He knew she must have been crying, and his heart softened. He had drunk quite a bit during the banquet, so he pretended to stumble a few steps. Changbai and the others noticed something was wrong and quickly sent for him to be escorted to the carriage.
The spacious carriage was equipped with an incense burner and a small table, covered with a thin Rong Tan rug. Minglan helped Gu Tingye lean against the cushion and fanned him gently to help him get rid of the smell of alcohol. The carriage swayed slightly from time to time. The late spring noon was quite stuffy. The copper incense burner on the small table emitted a faint willow mist fragrance, which was vague and shrouded in the semi-enclosed space.
Gu Tingye had been pretending to be drunk, but this scene made him sleepy. He didn't know how long he slept. When he opened his eyes in a daze, he saw Minglan gently holding a round fan inlaid with coral beads and shark silk satin, leaning lazily with her eyes slightly closed.
Minglan was half asleep when she suddenly felt an itch on her eyelid. She opened her eyes and reached out to touch it, only to see Gu Tingye looking at her quietly. His fingertips were slightly rough, and he stroked her eyelid with a rustling sound. He said, "Are you awake?"
Minglan nodded, put down her fan, propped herself up and sat up, a dimple forming at the corner of her mouth. "Would you like some water?"
Gu Tingye was feeling dry lips and teeth, so he nodded. Minglan poured a cup of warm tea from the magnetic tea tray on the small table, helped Gu Tingye to his lips, and let him drink it slowly. As soon as she put down the teacup, Minglan felt dizzy, so she asked Gu Tingye to turn over and press on the Rong Tan blanket, with their noses touching.
The strong masculine scent mixed with the smell of alcohol sprayed heavily on Minglan's face. Coupled with the pressure of the tall body, Minglan almost fainted. She pushed hard, saying, "...Heavy, heavy..." Gu Tingye moved away a little, but he kept staring at Minglan. His thick eyelashes almost pricked Minglan's eyelids. He suddenly asked, "Are you crying? Why?"
Minglan gasped for breath and whispered, "From now on... I won't be able to see Grandma often. I feel bad."
"That's not right. Why are you crying?" He knew Minglan's personality better or worse. As long as she didn't suffer any physical pain, she would be very tough and wouldn't be sad or nagging. It wasn't a life-and-death separation, so why cry until her eyes were swollen? Even if she felt a little sad about the separation between the grandparents and the grandchildren, she would probably just treat it as a joke given her personality.
Gu Tingye's eyes were as dark as the night as he stared at Minglan silently. Minglan felt anxious and inexplicably pressured, so she could only stammer, "Grandma, Grandma scolded me..." The pressure in her chest eased a little. Seeing that the man in front of her had no intention of moving away, Minglan had to continue, "Grandma was always worried about my life, scolding me for this and that, afraid that I would displease you, afraid that she would not be able to take care of me in the future..."
Gu Tingye slightly turned his slender body to the side, hugged Minglan and half sat up, leaning against the cushions. He raised his voice, with a hint of strangeness: "So, she found a He family with you?"
Minglan's scalp tingled, and she suddenly envied those couples who got married blindly. Although the wife didn't know her husband well, the husband didn't know his wife's past either. Unlike this brother, he knew everything.
"I thought his family was better?" Minglan pouted and whispered.
"What happened next?" Gu Tingye just looked at her deeply, with no emotion in his eyes.
This question is very profound, and it is irrelevant to the question and the meaning is not correct.
Minglan tilted her cheek slightly and suddenly changed the subject, whispering, "That day, when the Madam asked Concubine Gong and Hongxiao to come out to see her, you stood in front of me to talk. Actually... I was very happy. That day, you saved me a lot of trouble and told them to come in later so that I could take charge of the affairs first. You protected me and treated me well. I understand."
The haze in Gu Tingye's eyes disappeared, and a smile appeared on his face. He seemed to want to hide it, but he couldn't suppress the corners of his lips that wanted to curl up.
Minglan quietly looked at the light smoke in the air and said softly, "The old lady once said that the young master of the He family was good. However, when the Cao family came to force me, he knew that I was not happy, but let me, a girl, deal with it on my own. To the girl of the Cao family, I was right but wrong, and wrong was even more wrong!" Thinking of the anger and injustice at that time, Minglan couldn't help but choke up, then slowly turned her eyes and stared at Gu Tingye in a daze, her eyes as clear as water: "But you are different! You stood in front of me, blocking me, shielding me from the wind and rain and embarrassment. At that time, I felt that even if there were mountains of swords and seas of fire ahead, as long as you were there, I would not be afraid!"
Liu Yao once jokingly asked Yang Xianrong, "How do I compare to the men of the Sima family?" Without hesitation, Yang Xianrong replied, "Only after I married you did I know what a true man is!" These words resonated with great force. As a remarried queen who was no longer in her prime, Yang Xianrong was able to serve as empress for two dynasties, command the exclusive favor of Emperor Hu, Liu Yao, and later be crowned crown prince after giving birth to a son. This was not without reason.
Expressing one's feelings is a skill. It's not just about shouting slogans or being coy and reserved. One must be meaningful and appropriate, and when it's time to speak openly, one must express it clearly and loudly. Ancient women were subject to strict rules, and as a woman with a history, Minglan had to react quickly and not take advantage of her husband's knowledge of her past to be effeminate and hesitant.
If one is not handled properly, at best it may cause a rift between the couple, and at worst it may allow someone with ulterior motives to take advantage of the situation.
Gu Tingye's eyes lit up with a genuine brilliance, like a stone dropped into a tranquil ancient well, causing ripples to ripple and suddenly become vibrant. An indescribable joy welled up in his heart, and he said maliciously, "You little rascal, you want me to play the villain for you, right? Fine! I'll be the villain after all."
Minglan was waiting for these words. She smiled faintly and happily rushed over to give the man a quick kiss on the face: "Second cousin, you are so nice..."
Gu Tingye only felt the fragrance on his cheek and the sweetness on his lips. Before he could be happy, his face immediately turned dark. Minglan seemed to realize that she had said something wrong. She covered her mouth with her sleeves, opened her eyes wide, and looked at him timidly.
In fact, Minglan's eyes are very pretty and bright, with a brightness that penetrates the bones, and she has a pair of soft and graceful curved eyebrows, which are covered as reservedly as a veil. When she looks at people inadvertently, her eyes are rippling with a translucent water color, wrapping people in them; Gu Tingye suddenly remembered that when he was a child, he was naughty in his father's study and turned over a precious ancient painting of a beauty. When he unfolded it, the woman on the old and yellowed scroll was graceful and beautiful, and her heart was moved like a winding stream.
For some reason, the young boy's heart was pounding; he never knew that dignity and elegance could be combined with charm and playfulness in this way.
"I was wrong." Minglan admitted her mistake quickly, lowered her head and hands, and had a good attitude.
"You little rascal who's good at sweet-talking!" Gu Tingye cursed softly, staring at her with a stern face, but he couldn't hide the smile in his eyes.
He soon realized that this little rascal was not only good at sweet-talking, but also good at going back on her words. She said sweet words to him during the day, which made him feel aroused. He felt like a raging pervert and wanted to teach her a lesson. After finally enduring until night, she turned her face away and seriously ordered the maid to make two quilts on the bed.
Gu Tingye just raised his eyebrows and looked at her, lowering his head to drink his tea. Minglan lowered her head and pointed at her fingers.
…
It was late at night. Minglan leaned against the pillow, her head still dizzy, her whole body flushed, her cheeks burning. The man lying on top of her was still gentle, his heavy breath extremely ambiguous. Minglan's body was limp, but her mind was still a little clear. She could only plead softly with a hoarse voice: "...If I can't get out of bed tomorrow, I, I will not live..."
Gu Tingye still refused to give up and just coaxed her to be obedient. His hand went straight down. Minglan felt sore all over and she said anxiously, "You have to do things step by step and take it slowly. You, you...you can do it later. I feel much better tonight..." Thinking about her performance just now, Minglan felt that she had made great progress, which could be described as making rapid progress.
The man couldn't help laughing after hearing this, and sneered softly, his low and hoarse voice like a murmur: "It's indeed much stronger... Well, I'll spare you this time." His hands twisted it twice hard.
After all, he couldn't go too far. Thinking of the two dark circles under her eyes this morning, he knew he had to stop. Besides, it had been three days since their wedding, and she also had to start managing the household and getting familiar with housework. He had to help her sort things out before the other side reached out to her.
On the second day, Minglan got up from the bed early with great determination, holding back her breath and letting Danju dress her up. Gu Tingye was wearing a royal blue jacket with round flower patterns, arrow sleeves and tassels, and a jade crown to tie his hair. He stood straight like a pine tree, looked majestic without even being angry, and was tall and extremely handsome.
After breakfast, he took Minglan into the side room, dismissed everyone, and explained the affairs of the mansion to Minglan alone.
"...I've been away from home for the past few years, and the mansion hasn't been established for long. Most of the people here, from the stewards to the servants, are gifts from the emperor. Some were confiscated from criminal officials, while others sold themselves to the emperor in their early years. These people don't have any foundation, so you can take a look. Use those who can be used, and sell those who can't." Gu Tingye said seriously, his face solemn and mature, with a look of restraint and composure. "There are also some..." He paused, as if weighing his words, "sent by the madam and a few aunts. You, take a close look at them."
This last sentence was very meaningful. Minglan took note of it carefully while pounding her aching lower back. This kind of handover work was usually assigned by the mother-in-law to the daughter-in-law. Her marriage was truly unique.
"I'll ask Mr. Gongsun to send the accounts of the land and the clearing list of silver and money in the mansion to you later. If you don't understand something, just ask Gong... Forget it, just ask me." Gu Tingye thought for a moment and spoke slowly.
"Mr. Gongsun?" Minglan listened for a long time before finally hearing a familiar word. "Could it be the pirates from that day..."
"Exactly." Gu Tingye smiled and said, "He has been juggling two jobs lately and it's been very hard. He's probably the one who's looking forward to my marriage the most."
"You let Mr. Gongsun manage the household?" Minglan had only met Gongsun Baishi once, but she was deeply impressed. This kind of man was clearly a strategist who loved to pretend to be profound while waving a feather fan in the middle of winter! Uh, did Zhuge Liang ever manage Liu Bei's women, children, and harem?
Gu Tingye was delighted, but his expression remained calm as he took a sip of his tea. "Mr. Gongsun, this is not easy."
The two exchanged a few more words. Gu Tingye, after all, was a man, and he wasn't interested in the trivialities of the inner chambers. He didn't explain them clearly. Minglan asked several questions but received no clear answer. She couldn't help but ask, "...What do you know? I'm afraid you only know about marching, fighting, and wandering the world."
Gu Tingye was slightly annoyed by the question. He rolled his eyes at her and said angrily, "How many amazing things do you know?"
Minglan said in a clear voice: "From astronomy to geography, music, chess, calligraphy and painting, the Eight Diagrams, arithmetic, medicine, divination, astrology, yin and yang, the five elements, Qimen Dunjia, farmland irrigation, business, military strategy, I know them all and am very proficient in them..." Gu Tingye's eyes widened when he heard it, but Minglan suddenly changed her mind and said, "This is all impossible!"
Gu Tingye had a playful look in his eyes and was about to make a sarcastic remark, but Minglan continued, "But at least I know the name of the person who combs my hair and washes my face, right?" Comrade Gu still hasn't figured out which one is which between Xia Zhu and Xia He. He is truly an expert.
Gu Tingye frowned, not ashamed at all, and said bluntly: "Their indentures are all with me, what is there to worry about? When doing big things, don't worry about the small details. Just hold the big deal, and who can make trouble?"
This statement has some truth to it, for example, when Mongolia attacked the Southern Song Dynasty, Mongolia had already conquered half of the world and put all its strength into the attack. No matter how tragic and heroic the Southern Song Dynasty was, no matter how desperately it tried to win, it would still be defeated. For example, now, no matter how much the people in the Gu Mansion hate Gu Tingye, they can do nothing about it.
Gu Tingye had had many women before, but regardless of whether they were casual flirts or women like Manniang and Qiuniang, never had they felt so intimate and familiar with each other, laughing, arguing, glaring, and saying anything. Perhaps quarrels deepened familiarity, and Gu Tingye had already bickered with Minglan several times before they married. Therefore, only three days after marrying her, he felt that Minglan was like a piece of flesh growing in his heart, comforting and pleasing.
"Alright." Seeing that Minglan was speechless, Gu Tingye happily put down his teacup, turned his head to look out the window, his brows relaxed, and a smile spread across his face. "Starting tomorrow, I have to go to court as usual. I'm afraid the Jundu Mansion will be busy and I won't have much time. If you have anything else to ask, just ask quickly. When we're done, I'll take you around the mansion. The garden in the back mountain is quite large. If you like anything, I'll find a craftsman to plant some fruit trees and flowers for you. As for that mountain forest, I think it can be fenced in to raise some deer, cranes, pheasants, and the like. Oh, if you still have questions, okay... ask the big ones, don't bother me with the little details."
Minglan put down her raised hand, thought for a moment, looked quite hesitant, and asked seriously: "How much money does the mansion spend every year?" - In fact, what she wanted to ask was, how much do you earn?
Isn’t it a bit late to ask this question after marriage?
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