Chapter Fourteen
Gu Leyao brought up the suggestion to Li Heng.
Li Heng was a little surprised, not expecting Gu Leyao to want to plant fruit trees in the Prince's mansion, but he quickly nodded in agreement.
“You are the mistress of the manor, you can build the courtyard however you want.”
Gu Leyao didn't expect Li Heng to agree so easily.
Is this the charm of an ancient version of a domineering CEO? Paired with Li Heng's handsome face, it's simply too unfair.
Gu Leyao's lips curved into a smile. So domineering, so domineering!
She loves it!
Li Heng didn't understand what Gu Leyao was laughing about, but he could tell that Gu Leyao was quite happy. For some reason, seeing Leyao smile made him feel better too.
They did nothing today except take a walk around the Prince's mansion. Gu Leyao shared her thoughts, and Li Heng listened quietly, occasionally offering reliable advice.
When they returned, Gu Leyao did not go back to her own courtyard, but followed Li Heng to the study.
She offered her ideas, and Li Heng wrote a construction plan for the palace based on them, which he then gave to the steward. The steward would then use this plan to buy saplings and plant trees.
They discussed this matter for most of the day, until it was late and the maids lit the palace lanterns, at which point Gu Leyao reluctantly stopped talking.
Gu Leyao and Li Heng had a simple dinner in Li Heng's courtyard.
The light and refreshing snow fungus soup, crispy fried fish, cold pig's ear salad, and a bowl of winter melon and pork bone soup for each person are all light and delicious.
Snow Cloud Soup is made with tender white tofu and fresh hibiscus flowers; it's refreshing and beautiful.
The fried fish were freshly fried, even the bones were crispy. The cold pig ears were chewy and had a good texture. Gu Leyao said that they should have some wine, and eating pig ears while drinking would be a great experience.
Gu Leyao urged Li Heng to drink another bowl of bone broth, saying, "Bone broth is good for bones, you must eat more of it so that your bones can be strong."
Upon hearing this, Li Qi glanced at Li Heng's expression and saw that Li Heng was quietly drinking the bone broth that Gu Leyao had served him.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Li Heng silently finished his bone broth, then suddenly said, "We have to go back to the Earl's residence tomorrow."
Gu Leyao then remembered, "Oh right, the third day after the wedding is the day we go back to our parents' home."
Gu Leyao and Li Heng discussed it and decided that they would just bring some decent gifts back to the Earl's Mansion, without bringing anything too expensive.
Knowing that Gu Leyao had a bad relationship with the Marquis's mansion, Li Heng nodded in agreement.
As night deepened, the two went back to their respective courtyards to sleep.
*
The return visit to the bride's parents' home was required to be done very early, so Gu Leyao and Li Heng got up the next day and boarded a carriage to go to the Gu family home.
According to the custom in the capital, newlyweds should bring gifts to the bride's parents' home and then have a meal with her family.
On the Gu family's side, Madam Gu and Uncle Zhongqin changed into their magnificent formal attire early in the morning and waited at the gate of the courtyard with their entire family.
The fact that their family produced a princess was a great honor for the Marquis of Zhongqin's household, and they wanted the whole neighborhood to know.
As soon as Gu Leyao and Li Heng got out of the car, the Earl of Zhongqin and his wife came up to greet them with smiles, saying, "Our son-in-law has arrived."
Li Heng nodded slightly in greeting, "Mother-in-law, Father-in-law."
Zhongqin Bo's face lit up with joy. Gu Leyao had known Zhongqin Bo for so long, but she had never seen him smile so obsequiously.
Therefore, the Earl of Zhongqin, who was at the top of the food chain in the Earl's mansion, was not ignorant of those ways of pleasing people; he simply did not need to please them.
When Zhongqinbo met someone of higher status, he made them feel like they were bathed in a spring breeze and at home!
In her previous life, the original owner of this body had done many things to please her father. She thought her mother favored Gu Baozhu, but her father was very distant from both Gu Baozhu and her.
For a period of time, the original owner did a lot of things in hopes that her father would show her more care, but unfortunately he did not. The Earl of Zhongqin accepted her flattery, but his attitude did not change at all.
Gu Leyao felt a mix of emotions, feeling sorry for the original owner of the body. She suppressed her bitterness and had the gifts carried into the Earl's mansion.
*
The Earl of Zhongqin and his wife escorted Gu Leyao and Li Heng into the courtyard.
Uncle Zhongqin's face was beaming with joy. He said, "Oh dear, you've come too early. You must be hungry. I've already had the kitchen prepare a meal. Hurry up and eat a few bites to fill your stomachs."
The meal at the Earl's residence today was indeed very sumptuous, with roasted mutton, stir-fried quail with fresh bamboo shoots, scallop and water shield soup, clams braised in yellow wine, and spicy stir-fried snails... a table full of delicious dishes.
Both the Earl of Zhongqin and his wife were very adept at social interaction. Even though Li Heng and Gu Leyao rarely spoke, they could still make the atmosphere lively and bustling.
Since Gu Leyao arrived, Gu Baozhu hadn't said much, her small, pale face maintaining a polite smile.
But Gu Leyao could sense her unease from her tightly gripping chopsticks and the prominent veins in her hands.
Gu Ronghua was not resentful that his wife and the Earl of Zhongqin were so hospitable to Li Heng and Gu Leyao, but he did not do anything out of line and could only eat his meal silently.
After finishing their meal, Earl Zhongqin pulled Li Heng outside to talk.
Gu Leyao then suggested that she go back to the courtyard where she was before she got married to take a look.
Perhaps because Gu Leyao's status has improved, this courtyard is decorated exactly the same as before she got married. It is clear that it is regularly cleaned. There are few fallen leaves in the courtyard, and even the bluestone slabs have been swept clean, making it look neat and lovely.
The aunt spoke to Gu Leyao, "Yesterday you went to the palace and met the Empress. What was their attitude towards you?"
Gu Leyao said absentmindedly, "Very good."
She looked at the jujube tree; in just a few days, it had already produced many small, green fruits.
Gu Leyao thought that when she returned to the Prince's Mansion, she would transplant a big jujube tree in her own courtyard and pick jujubes to eat in the autumn!
Lady Bo continued talking to herself, "Although the prince is of noble status, you are ultimately marrying a disabled man. The Empress and the Emperor will definitely treat you well to compensate you. Our family doesn't ask for much; we just want your brother to have a title. After you've been married for a while, you can bring this up with the Empress and the Emperor at an appropriate time."
Gu Leyao had long known that the Madam was not one to say nice things, but she hadn't expected her to be so imaginative.
The current titles of nobility are all passed down from ancestors, and only those who have made extraordinary contributions can be granted a title.
Like Li Heng, who was originally a prince, he was granted the title of Prince Dingbei because of his meritorious service in pacifying the border.
Lady Bo is hoping to sell her daughter to secure a better future for her son. No wonder she used to be so obedient to her and give her whatever she wanted.
Gu Leyao's expression turned cold. "Didn't you like Gu Baozhu the most? What, Gu Baozhu can't be relied on anymore? Now you're coming to beg me? I thought you would say some comforting words when we got home, but I didn't expect you to be so attentive. You just want me to do things for you!"
Gu Leyao is now married and has become a princess, holding the first rank, which is much higher than that of the Lady Bo. She is no longer a little girl who can be manipulated by the Lady Bo.
She smashed the cup and led her people out of the courtyard.
Gu Leyao planned to find Li Heng; she wanted to go home and take him with her.
When asked, the accompanying guards said that Li Heng and the Earl of Zhongqin were talking in the garden.
Gu Leyao knew where the garden was. She walked around a corridor and crossed a small stone bridge. In the distance, she saw Gu Baozhu standing in front of Li Heng and talking.
"Your Highness, please don't be deceived by my sister. She has had an betrothed since childhood, Huo Pingyuan, the second son of the Marquis of Pingxi. Although Huo Pingyuan and my sister didn't grow up together, they hit it off immediately and are very close. He used to frequently come and go from my sister's courtyard as if it were his own..."
At this point, Gu Baozhu paused deliberately, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. After a while, she continued, "People in the manor said they saw my sister and Huo Pingyuan behaving intimately. They might..."
Gu Leyao picked up a pebble, then threw it hard at Gu Baozhu.
Caught off guard, Gu Baozhu was struck hard on the back by a stone, and she cried out in pain.
Gu Leyao rushed over and grabbed Gu Baozhu. "Gu Baozhu, have you no shame? Who gives you the right to speak here? Are you even a member of the Gu family? Whose blood flows in your veins?"
Gu Baozhu's face was initially filled with shock and anger, but upon hearing Gu Leyao's words, her expression immediately turned aggrieved, her eyes welled up with tears, and she said softly, "Your Highness, please don't take it to heart. My sister's personality has always been unstable at home. I get used to being beaten like this every few days."
Seeing that Li Heng was keeping his head down and not saying anything, Gu Leyao couldn't see his expression and assumed that he really believed it.
She pushed Li Heng's wheelchair out, annoyed and unlucky to run into these people.
Gu Leyao angrily pushed Li Heng onto the carriage.
A small table was set up on the carriage, on which were placed soft cheese, honey milk cake, cloud cake, and mint horseshoe pastry.
Gu Leyao ate several pastries before she felt her anger subside.
Remembering Gu Baozhu's ramblings, she explained to Li Heng, "I have no relation to Huo Pingyuan. When I returned from the countryside, no one from the Marquis's mansion was willing to pick me up, but it was indeed Huo Pingyuan who brought me back. However, after arriving in the capital, he never gave me a kind look. I think he must dislike me, because when he spoke to Gu Baozhu, his attitude was always gentle and polite... Anyway, in short, I'm married to you now, and I have no one else in my heart but you. From now on, we're a family. You're a grown man, so you can't be petty and hesitant, bringing up things from the past."
Li Heng remained silent, and the carriage was quiet.
Gu Leyao was a little nervous. People in ancient times were very feudal. Maybe Li Heng would mind this.
If all else fails, she will divorce Li Heng, but she will never return to the Gu family.
She can take Chun Tao with her; becoming a restaurant tycoon is also a great way out!
Gu Leyao felt Li Heng's shoulders trembling slightly. She sensed something was wrong and looked down at Li Heng's face, where she saw him laughing so hard his shoulders were shaking.
What?! I thought he had misunderstood!
Gu Leyao angrily slapped Li Heng twice, "Stop! Laughing!"
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