Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Gu Yanzhou, let’s stop here…
Song Siyun's eyes rolled back, he couldn't bear it any longer and fainted.
This evening banquet was finally postponed until the day after tomorrow. I ate too much yesterday, and when I woke up the next day, I felt like vomiting. I had to drink a Chinese medicine pill to digest it, and I couldn't eat a small amount until the next day.
For several days after that, Song Siyun lay on the couch, trying to recover his confused mind.
It was at this moment that she realized that Gu Yanzhou had never slept on the small couch since returning to Beijing...
He slowly looked out the window, looking at the study room where candlelight was still burning, and pondered for a long time.
I had intended to roll up my bedding and sleep on the small couch, but I was so used to sleeping on a wide bed with a brocade quilt that I couldn't stand the cramped space anymore. I glanced at him, spread my hands, and didn't move.
We were just chatting under the covers, why are you feeling guilty?
As long as you don't have those dirty thoughts, it can't be considered betrayal.
As she thought this, she slowly fell asleep, covered with the quilt.
When Gu Yanzhou came in, he saw the girl lying on the bed with her legs spread out, filling the entire bed.
Although I'm used to it, I still find it funny every time I see it.
Just as I was thinking, I suddenly noticed a silhouette flash past the door. The smile in his eyes suddenly became sharp. After a moment of silence, he moved to close the window, then squatted down beside the bed...
Not long after, creaking sounds were heard from the silent room. They stopped for a while after two quarters of an hour, but gradually started to rise again after a few breaths.
After about three or four times, someone inside started calling for water. Before Cuiyu could respond, a maid from the water room rushed in, shouting.
She looked unfamiliar. When he stopped her and questioned her, he found out that she was a maid who had just joined the mansion in September, and he felt relieved.
After that, there was silence all night.
When Song Siyun woke up the next day, it was already noon.
After having lunch with my brother and sister-in-law, before I could rest, Cui Yu came to tell me that Yun Wanqiao was here.
The recliner, which had been rocking comfortably, suddenly stopped, and even the book in his hand fell out of his hand and hit his face. Before Song Siyun could do anything, the book was moved away, and then there was Yun Wanqiao's upside-down smiling face: "What? Ah Yun, are you not welcoming me?"
Song Siyun made a bitter face, "A little bit."
Seeing that she was about to get angry, he ordered them to bring another recliner while holding her hand and explaining, "It's true that the food you ate that day upset my stomach, and I'm a little scared."
"Don't worry, I didn't bring anything today." He patted the bag in his sleeve as he spoke, then saw the reclining chair was ready, and he slumped down on it, like a puddle of mud, without a trace of anger, "Ah Yun, it seems I'm going to enter the palace."
"What?" Song Siyun stopped the recliner, very surprised: "So fast?"
"Yes, at the latest in the spring of next year." Yun Wanqiao leaned back in her chair and tilted her head to look at her. "I don't really want to enter the palace."
"Ah Yun, you are very clever, do you have any ideas?"
If it were before, Song Siyun really would have been helpless, but with Yun Qu's help, she now really has a solution.
But this method...eats into people's character.
She tilted her head to look at her friend who was as disheartened as a wreck and waved, "Come here."
The two whispered, and no one else could hear them. The people around them only saw Yun Wanqiao's eyes getting brighter and brighter. Finally, she jumped up and shouted, "What a good idea!"
In the end, she was extremely anxious and wanted to go to the palace immediately. If Song Siyun hadn't stopped her, she would probably not have been able to leave the palace in time for Luo Yao.
Finally, he was persuaded, but he could not contain his joy. He just said that he would go home to write a visiting card and invite the prince to have a chat tomorrow.
As he was speaking, a voice suddenly came from behind him asking, "What good news could have made Miss Yun so happy?"
They were both startled. Yun Wanqiao, who was standing, turned and moved, revealing the two people behind her. When her eyes met Gu Yanzhou's, for some reason, she suddenly jumped up, as if she had done something wrong and was caught.
The corners of his lips, which were originally smiling gently, were stunned, and a hint of suspicion suddenly appeared in his eyes.
This suspicion was confirmed when Yun Wanqiao spoke, "Your Highness, my heart is with the mountains and rivers, and what I want most is a kitchen knife and a big pot. I can live wherever I go, and when I get tired of living there, I can just put away the pot and leave. I don't want to marry you, and I also know that Your Highness has no feelings for me. In this case, after we get married, why don't we both take a step back and, except for the indispensable palace banquets and national sacrifices, let me be free the rest of the time. In a few years, when Your Highness meets his true love, you can find a reason to have me die of illness and appoint a new queen. How do you think?"
Sentence after sentence, so similar.
Gu Yanzhou glanced at Song Siyun unconsciously, only to see her looking up guiltily and grinning awkwardly.
After the people left, he smiled and said, "Linging on a sickbed? The four seas and mountains? Ah Yun, is this what you said you would never tell anyone else?"
"Qiaoqiao is my close friend, not an outsider." She lowered her head, raised her eyebrows stubbornly, and retorted quietly.
After not hearing him speak for a long time, she decided to give up and pick on others: "Besides, this case has been reported to His Majesty. The verdict will be announced in half a month when Princess Jining returns to the capital. Even if we keep it secret now, she will know about this substitution in half a month. Why bother? Let her be happy for a few days first."
At the end of the conversation, the voice gradually died down.
Behind the desk, a man in a black robe closed his eyes as he listened, "Ah Yun, do you know that you can't use the same trick twice?"
"Princess Jining has used this method before. If Miss Yun were to use it again, how many people in the world would believe her? And how many officials in the court would trust her? If this were to come to light, not only would His Royal Highness be guilty of deception, but the Yun family would also be tarnished."
He rubbed his brows and thought about the pain. It was at this moment that Song Siyun realized how big a mistake he had made. He was stunned and at a loss. It took him a while to find his voice: "So, it was just a false alarm?"
"I'm afraid that all that's left is sadness." Gu Yanzhou raised his eyes to look at her, "Ah Yun, you're too impulsive and arbitrary. You should have discussed this with me first."
"She asked me then, and I..." The girl in front of him hesitated for a long time. Xu didn't want to make any more excuses. After a while, she raised her eyes and asked him, "So what should we do now?"
Gu Yanzhou leaned back in his armchair, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the handle. After a while, he slowly spoke: "Now that the imperial decree has been announced to the world, it is impossible to retract it. The only solution now is to change the master of the world. The officials of the current court will not obey the orders of the old court."
He slowly opened his eyes, and there seemed to be blood in his eyes.
Song Siyun was so frightened that he stopped moving, his heart pounding with fear. He uttered a word sharply and then quickly lowered it: "You, you are crazy! Do you know what you are saying?"
She looked at him in horror and didn't say anything for a long time.
The man at the table, on the other hand, seemed quite indifferent, with a smile on his face. Only when the light fell outside the window did it flash with a sharp edge.
The room was silent for a long time. After a while, only a light laugh was heard. The man raised his eyebrows lazily: "It's just a joke, what are you afraid of, Ah Yun?"
Even though he said this, Song Siyun was still not relieved. He took a few steps forward and said sternly, "Gu Yanzhou, you'd better do it. Otherwise, don't blame me for killing my husband for the sake of justice."
As she turned to leave, she looked back with a cold expression: "Master Gu has his own path to follow, and I also have my own to protect. If you and I are on the same path, then so be it; if not, I will not show mercy."
Gu Yanzhou knew that she did what she said.
The wooden door creaked shut, darkening the room even further. The man's lazy smile gradually faded, and in the silence, a wry smile suddenly rang through him, so faint it seemed like an illusion.
He did not return to his room that day.
The next day, he stayed in the study again.
For several days, the two of them were silent.
But for some reason, Gu Yanzhou suddenly became busy and was usually not seen during the day.
Later, I heard that a major incident had occurred at court. It wasn't anything special, except that the real culprit behind the Yunqusi attack was Li Wenxu, not Princess Jining! It was said that during court that day, the usually mild-mannered Minister of Works, Li Wenxu, had lost his composure in public, pointing his finger at all the officials and cursing them, from the lowest to the highest, ultimately reaching His Majesty himself.
As a result, an old case was brought up.
"It is said that he was responsible for the deaths of Feng Yichen, the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and Feng Weize, the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Ouch—"
Yun Wanqiao shuddered as she spoke, rubbing her arms and sighing, "It's true you can only judge a person by their appearance. Who could have thought such a kind and honest person would dare to kill someone?"
"I heard that the jade pendant that poisoned Feng Yichen was given by him through his own daughter. Poor Li Yuruan, the token of love she eagerly gave him became her fiancé's death warrant. Even the glance she gave him through the prison wall was the final straw that broke the camel's back. How sad, how lamentable."
Yun Wanqiao shook her head, feeling a little regretful.
Although Li Wenxu and Princess Jining were wrong, Li Yuruan was innocent after all. However, she was used as a pawn and unknowingly killed her lover.
"No wonder she went crazy. If it were me, I would go crazy too." Yun Wanqiao took a sip of hot tea and frowned, feeling sorry for her.
"It's okay to go crazy." After a long silence, Song Siyun finally spoke. The smoke from the cup curled up, making her already soft eyebrows even more sad. "If you go crazy, you won't remember anything and just live in the beautiful dream you weave. It's also another kind of perfection."
After saying that, he took a sip of tea.
When she raised her eyes, she saw Yun Wanqiao staring at her with her chin supported and brows frowned. There was a rare hint of thought in her usually clear eyes.
Song Siyun found it so funny that he couldn't help but arch his eyebrows. He also leaned closer with his chin propped up, raised his eyebrows and asked her, "What are you looking at?"
"Ah Yun, I always feel that you have changed a lot."
"Is there?" The smile on the corner of his lips froze for a moment, and then he raised his cup and took a sip of tea to cover it up.
But the brainless girl was a fierce one. She twisted her arm and forced her to finish her words: "Before, you were just like me, thinking about cosmetics, fancy clothes, hairpins, jewelry, and snacks every day. It's not like now."
"How are you now?" Song Siyun pursed her lips. "Am I still thinking about sweet fruits and snacks, cosmetics and fancy clothes, just like you?"
"no the same."
Yun Wanqiao frowned and looked at her, her eyes clear and filled with visible worry: "I always feel that you are unhappy. Even if your face remains the same as usual, I just know that you are unhappy."
"You have something hidden in your heart."
His gaze passed from her heart to her face. Seeing that she was about to refute, Yun Wanqiao quickly spoke up to stop her, "Don't try to lie to me. You and I have known each other since the first birthday. Now, just one look from you, and I know what you are up to. Ah Yun, I don't have to force you to say it, I just want to tell you that no matter what happens, you still have me by your side."
She looked at her, her expression serious, "Although I don't understand many things, I'm a very tight-lipped person! You can tell me about your frustrations with no one to confide in. Anyway, I'm going to enter the Eastern Palace in the spring, so it will be difficult for you to find me then."
In the end, I still wanted to make her laugh.
She was indeed amused. He covered his mouth and scratched her nose, then teased, "Want to get rid of me? Don't even think about it. Do you think you'll never see me again after entering the Eastern Palace? Qiaoqiao, don't you know that I'm different from you now? I'm a consort whose visiting cards reach the ears of the emperor."
As she spoke, the girl in front of her was paying attention to something else. She immediately frowned and looked at her: "So, you don't plan to divorce?"
What?
Song Siyun didn't react, and really didn't know where her words just now meant to stop the divorce. Yun Wanqiao didn't notice her strangeness at all, and just supported her chin and said to herself: "Hey, I said it at the time, he didn't treat you and Sister Si Shu differently, but I don't know how you knew that they both loved each other. I was thinking that you and I were not talking about the same person. What, now you know that what I said was true? If you had been more honest back then-"
"Why did you say I didn't plan to divorce?"
"Eh?" Yun Wanqiao wasn't annoyed at being interrupted, but she was a little confused for a moment. When she asked again, she came to her senses and explained, "Don't you know?"
Seeing her genuine bewilderment, Yun Wanqiao swallowed hard and muttered softly, "Didn't Gu Yanzhou tell you that divorce is forbidden by imperial decree, and that even if the husband dies, the wife cannot remarry..."
"Gu Yanzhou!"
That night, the door of the study in Ruixue Pavilion was kicked open.
After a day of waiting, she finally saw the lights in the study come on and rushed over, only to find herself empty-handed again. She stood at the doorway, her anger raging with nowhere to vent. For a moment, her gaze fixed on the neatly stacked bookshelves.
She really didn't have a good temper. She threw the neatly stacked books and desk into a mess, then relaxed and collapsed in the armchair, gasping for breath.
She was just tired, not angry.
With his hands on the armrests of the armchair, his eyes darted around, looking for anything that displeased him.
But with just a glance, he saw that among the desks on the floor, there were a few densely packed ones that stood out.
She picked it up, but her vision gradually blurred.
My wife, Song Siyun, is kindhearted and quick-witted. Though often harsh in her words, her actions are always filled with kindness and forgiveness. Her occasional naivete is no more than a cat poking its claws out, harmless and, in fact, a testament to her innocence. She enjoys fine food and fine clothes, and even after drinking hundreds of cups, her mind remains clear; she truly possesses a vast capacity for thought. When she smiles, her eyes sparkle, her cheeks are like fresh snow, her complexion smooth as cream, reminiscent of a child sipping from the steaming tray of soft, succulent steamed buns. When we first met, I longed to caress her, but with her dusty clothes, I dared not act rashly.
He appears outwardly intelligent, always smiling with others, but only in my presence does he become angry—a testament to his extraordinary nature. He may appear naive and gullible, but in reality, he harbors a clear mind. Whenever he encounters a question, he calms down and discusses it, not only not nagging but willingly helping. He appears strong on the outside, yet possesses a tender heart, easily comforted: a swing reveals his cheerful face, his parents' presence brings him joy, he leaps for joy at the sight of delicacies, his face brightens at the sight of hairpins and silk, and even the sight of perfumed nails adorned with powder brings him joy. Such an easily pleasing quality is truly rare in this world.
This woman is truly the most intelligent, lovely, bright, and protective woman of all time. Though she hasn't shown any signs of protection yet—but if it weren't for my protection, why would she abandon her peaceful life in Beijing and venture alone into the perilous land of Yunqu? She could have stayed out of the situation, but she chose to take the risk along. Such sincerity, isn't it? She truly protects me.
How fortunate indeed that such a jewel of beauty is not my wife. We shall be together till old age, sharing the same devotion. The only lifelong companion I have is Gu Yanzhou.
The ink seemed to pause for a long time, gathering momentum, and after a while, another line of small characters appeared:
I suddenly realize that I have not recorded more than a thousand words, so I will continue in the future. No matter, the rest of my life is long, and I can share my writings with you.
This is...written for me?
He once casually said a thousand advantages, but he never thought that he would actually write them down?
Song Siyun was a little stunned, but after a moment, a surge of resentment surged in his heart.
Why did he write it?! And why did he let me find out now?!
She struggled, as if to read the paper in her hand, but gradually, her breath faded. Like a pile of mud without support, she collapsed to her knees. Her forehead rested on the ground, her palm clutched tightly against her chest, and after a long moment, she finally let out her first roar. The roar formed in her throat, swirling around the tip of her nose before being swallowed back.
Now, she wants to blame someone, but she can't blame anyone. She blames everything on her own evil thoughts. She wants to love, but her heart is imprisoned and she cannot betray her elder sister. After all, her elder sister once sincerely wanted to marry him.
It's her own fault. It's all her own fault.
It was her own delusion, and by coincidence, she fell deeper and deeper into it.
She couldn't blame anyone, nor could she love anyone. Even if she was filled with worry, she had no idea where to put it. How could she tell anyone about the shameful fact that she had fallen in love with her elder sister's lover?
Slowly, I couldn't bear it anymore and lay down.
As Gu Yanzhou stepped out of the secret room, he saw her huddled among the books on the floor, clutching a few papers. She seemed to be in pain, and also seemed to be very confused. The tears in the corners of her eyes had long since dried. He didn't know how much time had passed, or how long she had been in there again...
Gu Yanzhou lowered his eyes, thinking that the person who was supposed to leave from the other side of the secret room seemed to have seen something and was struggling to get out. He raised his hand to block it and pulled the trigger with his backhand.
The secret room was closed, cutting off the thoughts of the person behind the scenes.
It was at this moment that he realized that he had no strength in his hands and feet. He fell to his knees as soon as he moved.
He wanted to help her, hug her, soothe her pain, wipe away the tears from her eyes, he...
I miss her very much.
But now he could do nothing. He just lost his strength and knelt on the ground in embarrassment.
He didn't know how long it had been, but just as his fingertips were about to touch her face, she suddenly moved. Her dead eyes turned slightly and fell on him, chilling him to the bone.
She held the case in her hand, wiped the corners of her eyes, and slowly stood up. Her eyes were even colder than when they first met, as if she were a stranger.
She looked at him and said word by word: "Gu Yanzhou, I will not love you anymore. Even if I can't leave the Gu family after death, I will not love you anymore."
"Never."
She repeated it coldly, not knowing to whom she was addressing it. As she spoke, she slowly raised her hand and handed the table to the candle beside her, letting the flames rage wildly, consuming all that was good between them.
That's what she thought. But she didn't expect Gu Yanzhou to be so desperate.
Almost instantly, he rushed over and extinguished the sparks. He didn't care what was burning, he only cared about one thing.
"Are you trying to kill yourself?" He circled around her twice, and only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw she was fine. He analyzed the situation: "You're going to burn books all over the floor? Song Siyun, I think you're really crazy. It doesn't matter if you don't love me, I do. Why did you set fire to the study? Do you have no regard for your life at all?"
He finished speaking in one breath, rarely losing his composure, but after a moment he lowered his head as if resigned to his fate, and hugged her to comfort her without any temper.
He could see that those words were not her true feelings. But why did she hate every word she said, like a knife stabbing at me, when she clearly loved me so much?
Gu Yanzhou didn't understand, but he thought it had something to do with her concerns in Beijing.
But she didn't want to say it, and he didn't want to ask.
He lowered his eyes and looked at the unconscious person in his arms, unable to think of a solution for a long time. In the end, he just carried her back to the room.
He hadn't slept well in the study for several days. Now, back in his room, hugging his beloved, he slept soundly. But for some reason, in the middle of the night, he always felt a hand on his body, tickling his heart.
I opened my eyes in a daze, and saw a kitten with its teeth and claws bared.
She held him, biting him without any reason, mumbling something incoherently. The tight underwear was now loose, and in the darkness, the touch was even more direct. Her every move, every bite, every bite sent shivers through him, tormenting him to the point of burning with rage, yet he had no outlet. Unfortunately, he was oblivious and simply stretched his neck to reach for his chin.
Wave after wave, he finally turned over and took the initiative when the girl pried open his lips and teeth and tasted rust.
The girl was lying there with her eyes half-closed, and the look in her eyes when she looked at him did not seem to indicate clarity, so Gu Yanzhou was a little hesitant.
After a while, he called her in a tentative voice: "Ah Yun? Do you know who I am?"
He had thought that if she didn't answer, then forget it. Unexpectedly, she actually answered: "You are Gu Yanzhou."
The girl squinted her eyes and raised her hand to hook him, tilted her head to meet him, pecked him lightly and teased him, very naughty, repeating a sentence with each peck.
Every move revealed a strange lucidity.
Gu Yanzhou's forehead veins were throbbing. Although he was suspicious, he ignored it relying on a little bit of luck.
He seemed incredibly gifted within the curtains. He'd only stumbled upon the laces of his underwear once before, and this time, with a single flick, they came undone. He hooked her, coaxing her to raise her body, and in a few seconds, she was completely unbuttoned. The night was thick with darkness, and he could only caress and explore the hibiscus flower in his memory.
But after searching for a long time, there was no trace of her, and she was instead trapped in a delicate area. He raised his hand, extremely curious, and did not get away for a long time.
It took him two full breaths to react, and he was stunned, but after a moment he closed his eyes and lowered his head to imitate her.
With great dexterity, he suppressed and controlled her, letting the beads of sweat drip down his forehead and fall onto the girl, causing her to shiver. He listened attentively to her whispers, lingering a little longer on the subtleties; when the words were short and difficult to suppress, he would force a smile and deliberately tease her; when the awkwardness became unbearable, he would...
Gu Yanzhou lowered his gaze, and swirled his palm over the place he had never touched before, until it became moist, and then he took off the other half.
At that time, there was no more obstruction. Unfortunately, the moon is not full tonight.
He slowly raised his head and glanced out the dark window, feeling rather regretful. However, this regret was fulfilled by the girl's silent urging.
He didn't know how to describe it. After all that absurdity, he lay on top of her, feeling the fusion of the two of them. He felt an unprecedented satisfaction in his heart, and even the fatigue of the day was completely dissipated. If the girl hadn't pushed it away, saying it was uncomfortable, he thought he should have been able to do it a few more times.
In the end, he didn't do anything stupid.
After calling Qingfeng to bring the water to the door, he filled the bathtub himself, then returned and carried her to take a bath.
She was a little awake during the bath, and the person who was originally facing away from her insisted on turning over to face him, smiling and tapping his nose, "Master Gu."
She glanced him up and down, seeing the claw marks on his body, and then gently touched it. After a while, she looked up and said with a smile: "Is this what the master said at the time that he could not wait for?"
Gu Yanzhou laughed, grabbed her rebellious hand and brought it to his lips, pecked it lightly, and asked with a smile: "Then Madam, do you still remember what you said about not interfering with each other?"
Song Siyun naturally didn't remember anything, not even the nonsense she had done tonight. She only remembered falling asleep and then having a dream. In the dream, there was Gu Yanzhou, water, and waves, which tossed her around and nearly broke her into pieces.
Actually, it should be considered a sweet dream.
She hid in the quilt and smiled secretly.
But this smile froze when he saw bruises on his body.
Why somewhere else, but why the heart? Even...even...
She lifted the quilt and stared with wide eyes. When she saw that there was no intact skin on his body, she could no longer hold it in.
What was even more surprising was that his body was incredibly sore and swollen, and he lowered his head stiffly. It took him a long while to recover. When he looked up and saw Gu Yanzhou sleeping soundly beside him, he screamed and kicked him.
Gu Yanzhou just woke up and fell to the ground before he opened his eyes. He looked up blankly and saw Song Siyun's face was red and pale. She pointed at him and then at herself. For a long while, she covered herself with the quilt and uttered "get out" with full force.
He thought it was just a girl's shyness, and thinking about how he had behaved last night, he felt guilty. He quickly got his clothes, packed up, and went out in high spirits. Before leaving, he specifically told Cuiyu to stew some black chicken soup today to nourish his wife and not to go out empty-handed.
I'm weak? I'm weak? I think you're weak!
After hearing all this, Song Siyun silently complained in her heart, unable to tell whether she was more angry or what. She only knew that she would never do this again in the future.
She had made up her mind. She had intended to bolt the doors and windows before going to bed, but she heard the bastard's voice while she was still in the shower.
She thought it was an auditory hallucination until she felt a warm sensation on her forehead and then she reacted and jumped out as if she had seen a ghost.
But the man was clueless and just frowned and asked her, "Is this all right?"
Without waiting for her to answer, he grabbed a towel and wrapped her up to dry her. Then he carried her to the bed and said with a smile, "Ah Yun, today—"
"No!" Song Siyun pushed him away with a cold face, hugged the quilt tightly, took a deep breath and managed to calm down, "Yesterday was an accident, you and I don't have to take it to heart. From now on, you and I will only be husband and wife in name."
As soon as the words fell, the smile on the man's face froze. He frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Literally." Song Siyun turned his face away and said coldly, "Master Gu, please stay in the study from now on to avoid misunderstandings."
She was really tired today and really didn't want to argue with him, so she simply pulled the quilt and turned her back to chase him away.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she lay down, the man caught up with her, pulled her hand, and pressed her down on the couch, his eyes red: "What do you mean?"
She didn't say anything, so he pressed on her and kissed her randomly.
At first she struggled, but he held her back with one arm. Gradually, her strength faded, and she simply lay there like a piece of fish on a chopping board, speaking coldly, "Gu Yanzhou, don't make me hate you."
Gu Yanzhou looked up and saw tears welling up in her eyes. He was a little scared. He tried to wipe them away with trembling hands, but he couldn't stop them. He hurriedly bent down to wipe away the tears from her eyes. After a while, he seemed to be begging, but he couldn't hide his grief: "You have to give me a reason."
"Ah Yun."
When he called her, his voice was always different from others'. Others would speak indifferently, but he would always call her in a low voice with a smile, and the ending tone would be deliberately prolonged, which gave her a little more tenderness and allure than others.
It is the same now.
Song Siyun didn't dare to look at him, she just closed her eyes and sighed softly: "I can't betray my sister."
The first words were extremely difficult to say, but once the floodgates opened, she could no longer hold them back. She suddenly opened her eyes, looked at him, gritted her teeth and kept her composure: "Gu Yanzhou, I do like you and love you. However, I cannot, must not betray my sister, just because of you."
She looked at him, tears streaming down her face as she spoke, "So, Gu Yanzhou, let's end it here."
She turned her face away, not daring to look at him, for fear of seeing his face full of disgust.
But after a long while, all he could get out was a light laugh, which seemed to be self-deprecating.
The man felt lighter and brushed off the corner of his robe, his expression as calm as usual.
He should respond well.
Song Siyun thought. But he didn't. He simply took out a white jade porcelain bottle and placed it upright on the bedside. He lowered his eyes and said softly, "You were too naughty last night. You've been weak since childhood. It hurts when you rub that place. Here's the medicine I asked for from the Imperial Hospital today. Apply it externally, twice a day, and it will be relieved in three days."
Finally, he frowned again, and seemed to be hiding something in his words: "I came here today just to apply medicine on you. It was not my intention to make such a fuss. But Ah Yun, you are no different to me than the Imperial Noble Consort is to you."
After he finished speaking, he glanced out the window, fell silent for a moment, and then did not stop.
It was a really unpleasant night, but at least we've made things clear.
This is a good thing.
This is a good thing.
At least she will be able to see her elder sister in the future.
This is a good thing that makes people happy.
She should be happy. She should be happy.
I should be happy...
Only when he could no longer hear the footsteps did Song Siyun dare to bury himself in the quilt and let his tears flow.
It's obviously a good thing, why is she crying?
Song Siyun didn't understand, and finally she blamed it on and cried with joy.
The days passed like this, and the two returned to the state they were in when they first got married, but there were some differences.
At least then I wouldn't be as frightened as I am now, to the point of not daring to sit at the same table with him.
Yu Nanzhi must have noticed something was amiss between the two, so she prepared a feast early on the day of the fireside banquet, intending to invite them to the feast. Unexpectedly, the palace sent a notice directly summoning them to the palace. At first, she wondered why they hadn't summoned them before, but today.
Before he could finish his grumble, he realized that even if he had summoned Yan Zhou, he couldn't have summoned him because he was in the Northern Frontier...
He immediately fell silent and stopped talking.
The Fireside Feast is a festival held after the Frost Descent, when the weather turns cold in late autumn, when people gather around the fire to keep warm. Originally a family feast, it gradually became popular in the palace, as the emperor's subjects were present in the vast land.
This year is Gu Yanzhou's first time to attend the fireside banquet, but it is not Song Siyun's.
Fearing that he might misbehave in front of the emperor, Song Siyun took the initiative to explain to him what a fireside banquet was. A fireside banquet is a banquet held around a stove. Unlike other banquets, the table at the fireside banquet was specially designed, with a hollowed-out center to house a stove, which could be used to warm wine, boil tea, and roast meat.
Finally, she couldn't help but remind him, "When the time comes, we'll sit separately. If you can't bake it, I'll bake it for you. But be sure not to burn it for too long."
"Okay." Gu Yanzhou nodded, occasionally lifting the curtain to look at the moonlight outside the window. Apart from that, he said nothing else.
Looks a little absent-minded.
He was a very disciplined person, and even if he was perfunctory, no one would notice. Why would he be...
Song Siyun glanced at him suspiciously a few more times, then lowered his brows again.
The two of them couldn't even say a word to each other now.
Don't talk too much, just concentrate on enjoying today's dinner around the fire.
She was filled with countless worries and sorrows, but to her surprise, today's fireside banquet went surprisingly smoothly. Instead, she was taken to Zhongcui Palace alone by her elder sister after the banquet.
Maids were not allowed to follow and serve. Song Siyun originally wanted Cuiyu Quemei to wait in the carriage, but her elder sister had sent the eunuch to tell her to stay overnight in Zhongcui Palace, so she sent them back first.
This is good, so we don’t have to suffer from the cold.
As she thought so, she took her sister's hand and walked into the house.
As soon as the thick curtain fell, Song Sishu took her hand and sat on the warm couch, saying firmly: "You are not happy."
"Ah?" This was a shameful matter, and Song Siyun had no intention of making a big fuss about it. She just sat around the stove, pretending to be dumbfounded. However, Song Sishu didn't give her the chance. She dismissed the servants and pulled her to sit upright. "Ah Yun, is there anything else you can't tell me?"
The two of them seemed to have returned to their childhood. Every time she got into trouble and hid it, not daring to tell her parents, her elder sister would pull her to sit cross-legged on the small couch, close the door tightly, and then ask her with a smile: "Ayun, is there anything you can't tell me?"
She didn't have it then, but she has it now.
Song Siyun turned his head away, not daring to look at his sister's gentle and clear eyes. He only muttered in a low voice: "Don't ask, sister. It's not glorious."
Just by hearing the tone of voice, Song Sishu guessed the reason.
He immediately raised his hand and pinched her bun on the back of her head as he did when they were little, still smiling gently: "I forgot, Ah Yun is different now. Ah Yun is married now. If there is anything bothering you, you can talk to your husband behind closed doors. There is no need for you to do this."
"Why--"
He sighed deeply, then shook his head, saying with some emotion, "Girls are the ones who grow up and can't be kept."
"No, sister, no."
Almost as soon as she finished speaking, before she could loosen her hand, someone grabbed her sleeve tightly.
Before she could finish her words, tears began to fall to the ground. Song Sishu immediately panicked, holding her face and wiping it non-stop. She felt an unbearable pain in her heart.
Ah Yun had been a tearful child, but most of the time she was just pretending. When had she ever truly shed so many tears? How much injustice had she endured?
Song Sishu was stunned where she was. Seeing her crying breathlessly, her eyes immediately turned red. She hugged her and comforted her: "Ayun, tell me, what did Gu Yanzhou do to make you so sad? Just tell me, I will help you vent your anger."
"It's not him, it's me, it's me." Song Siyun leaned into her arms and, like when they were children, he spoke out all his ugly thoughts. As the last word fell, she gradually stopped crying. The queen sister who had been choking in her heart for many days dissipated, and immediately she felt her stomach was empty and grumbling.
After listening to this, Song Sishu took a long time to digest the information before realizing that the problem lay with herself.
She was at a loss for words, and while calling for food, she handed her a clean handkerchief to wipe her tears. After everyone had left, she stroked her head and slowly said, "Ah Yun, in fact, I have never liked Gu Yanzhou."
"Then you said at the beginning..." The girl beside him looked up, her red eyes full of surprise and surprise.
"At that time, my parents learned that His Majesty was planning to marry me, so they wanted to find someone who knew me well to marry me off." Song Sixu wet a handkerchief and wiped her tear-stained face, laughing softly, "It's ridiculous. Yanzhou is one year younger than me. He was still a young boy at that time. My parents really tried all sorts of tricks."
She covered her mouth with her hands and smiled softly, then applied her usual facial oil and wiped her face. "I don't have any romantic feelings towards Yanzhou. I just treat him as my younger brother, the brother you found for free."
"She doesn't act like a brother at all." Thinking of the bad things he had done, Song Siyun couldn't help but retort.
"Yes, so he's not your brother, but your husband." He put the facial oil aside, still unable to resist teasing. Seeing her blushing and saying "Ah," Song Sishu stopped teasing and said to her seriously, "Ah Yun, in fact, he came to see me on the day the imperial edict was issued."
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