"Who cares about all that?" Gu Jinghui grumbled to Qin Yuan in a low voice, "The Emperor suddenly summoned me and said I had to go. The Imperial Guards aren't under my command anyway. This arrangement makes it seem like the Emperor values me, but I don't know what others think. I've never even heard of praying for blessings. When you go to the Jokhang Temple to fast, you always have to prepare three days in advance. It won't make a difference if I don't eat tonight, especially since I drank wine at noon."
As he spoke, he poured all of those things into the noodle bowl.
Qin Yuan sighed and said, "If we can't finish it, why don't we share some?"
Gu Jinghui said, "I can finish it, but I shouldn't eat so much at night."
Cuiming and Hongye exchanged a glance and then lowered their heads.
Gu Jinghui said, "You two go and rest outside. I'd like to have a word with my wife."
The two left.
Gu Jinghui finally felt comfortable. He ate quickly, but his demeanor remained impeccable.
Qin Yuan sat quietly beside him.
All the lights in the room were now on, and small insects occasionally fluttered against the thin window screen, making soft noises.
Under the lamplight, Qin Yuan's face was softer than during the day. She gently waved the round fan in her hand, her whole being soft and hazy, small and delicate, yet extremely important in Gu Jinghui's heart.
Gu Jinghui finished a large bowl of noodles, stretched, patted his stomach gently, and said, "What are we going to do now?"
Qin Yuan couldn't help but chuckle and said, "I told you not to eat so much."
"I saw that you made all of these, and I couldn't bear to waste them."
He didn't want to share the noodles that his wife had cooked herself for the first time.
Qin Yuan: "..."
It was something I made myself; the cook did the physical work, and she did the talking.
Gu Jinghui stood up, took a few steps, then turned back to Qin Yuan, who was smiling at him, and said, "Let's go to the bamboo forest to listen to the insects chirping."
Qin Yuan was surprised, then smiled and nodded.
He actually remembered that.
Gu Jinghui reached out his hand to her, and Qin Yuan gently placed her hand on his, using it to stand up. She said, "Okay, let's go then. But there are a lot of mosquitoes right now. Listening to the chirping of insects is nice, but getting bitten later will be uncomfortable."
Hearing this, Gu Jinghui hesitated and said, "I'm thick-skinned and not afraid, but it would be a pity if you got bitten."
Qin Yuan blushed and said, "I made some incense balls today, and my clothes are covered in the scent. Mosquitoes won't like that, so don't worry."
Gu Jinghui said happily, "So Madam was worried about me. How about giving me one of the sachets you made?"
What's wrong with that?
Qin Yuan hurriedly had someone bring over the newly made incense balls, put them in a purse, and tied it around Gu Jinghui's waist, saying, "Because my husband doesn't like these, I didn't make any. This was originally for my mother, so you can use it for now. If you don't like the scent, I'll make some more, but it will take a few days."
"It's alright, this is fine."
Gu Jinghui pressed it with satisfaction.
The two didn't ask anyone else to follow them. Gu Jinghui carried the sheep horn lantern by himself, while holding Qin Yuan's hand with his other hand, and they walked towards the bamboo forest.
He was mindful of her pace and walked very slowly.
Qin Yuan asked him, "Why is the Qi Prince's Mansion raising the price of pepper, yet not buying it?"
Gu Jinghui thought for a moment and said, "I don't know either. Prince Qi has always been accustomed to doing things as he pleases. I only found out about this today when he and Princess Fuyun came to find me."
Qin Yuan asked, "Then...why did he go to the main camp?"
Gu Jinghui had drunk with Prince Qi when he went to Sangjia Wazi before, and now they met again in the camp.
If others found out, wouldn't they think that Lord Gu and Prince Qi were getting along very well?
Qin Yuan hoped that Lord Gu would remain as he was in his previous life and not get involved in the struggle for the throne.
When the late Empress was alive, Prince Qi was still young, and the Emperor had no intention of establishing a Crown Prince at that time. The new Empress was the Emperor's favorite concubine, Consort Lin. After she was made Empress, her son became the legitimate heir and was later established as Crown Prince.
Empress Lin was highly skilled and ambitious, but unfortunately the Crown Prince was physically weak and would not live long. Even Prince Qi did not live past thirty.
The emperor, however, lived a very long life.
This is a dangerous place to wade through.
Gu Jinghui thought for a moment and said, "King Qi knew you wanted to buy pepper, so he came to tell me that the Qi Prince's Mansion did not intend to do pepper business, which was also a way of showing goodwill to me. Princess Fuyun and King Qi are born of the same mother. When they were young, I grabbed her while she was playing by the peach blossom pond in Jiaofang Palace, and she regarded me as her benefactor. When she heard that King Qi was coming, she came along to thank me in person. It was a military camp, so they did not stay for long. They had a cup of tea and left."
Qin Yuan was relieved, and then asked, "Was it because Princess Fuyun mentioned you to the Emperor that you got this assignment?"
Gu Jinghui had the same guess in his heart, and upon hearing this, he said, "If she does this, it's not repaying a debt of gratitude, but rather seeking revenge. I just want to stay in the camp and not get involved in anything."
As he spoke, he looked down at Qin Yuan's face.
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "Indeed, Your Excellency has guarded the northern frontier for many years. Are you going to return to guard the palace gates?"
These words resonated deeply with Gu Jinghui. Unable to say anything, he simply squeezed the smooth, soft little hand in his palm tightly.
Qin Yuan smiled and lowered her head.
The couple walked to the edge of the bamboo grove in high spirits. The bamboo grove was much cooler than other places on a summer night. The bamboo leaves rustled and the chirping of insects rose and fell. Gu Jinghui said softly, "Coming here, my heart is indeed at peace."
Qin Yuan said, "It does sound nice."
The two stood there for a while, then Gu Jinghui looked up at the twinkling stars in the night sky and said, "It's getting late, let's go back."
"good."
After taking a couple of steps, Gu Jinghui said again, "You hold the lamp, I'll carry you on my back, it's too late."
Qin Yuan was stunned.
She never expected that Lord Gu would do this.
Gu Jinghui had already handed the handle of the ram's horn lantern to her, squatted down, and said, "Come on up quickly, don't delay."
Qin Yuan quickly lifted the hem of her skirt and leaned against his back.
"How can you be so light, like a feather?"
Gu Jinghui sighed as he stood up and strode forward steadily.
Qin Yuan felt that his back was very broad and thick, as if it could carry everything.
The warmth of this summer night was interrupted by Sixth Master Gu's exclamation, "Third Brother, Third Brother, what's wrong? What happened to Third Sister-in-law?"
Reeking of alcohol, Master Gu emerged from the path, staggering along with a servant boy. He started yelling as soon as he saw the two of them.
Qin Yuan was shy and immediately tried to get off Gu Jinghui's back.
Gu Jinghui gently patted her buttocks with his hand.
Qin Yuan froze, her face flushed red, and she didn't dare to move again.
"Why is Third Brother carrying Third Sister-in-law on his back?"
Sixth Master Gu, his eyes glazed over with drunkenness, was oblivious to his third brother's annoyed gaze.
"Your third sister-in-law and I went to the bamboo forest to listen to the insects chirping. Why are you so drunk?"
"Listen, listen to the chirping of insects?"
Tears streamed down Gu Liuye's face.
Why was Third Brother able to marry a woman like Third Sister-in-law, while he married someone who only knew how to manipulate abacus beads?
"What can I do if I don't drink? Third Brother, I'm suffering so much. Third Brother, I'm so depressed."
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