Qin Yuan's lips curled slightly, but she asked with a puzzled look, "Have you made up your mind, my husband?"
Gu Jinghui coughed a few more times and said, "I do have this idea, but I'd like to hear your thoughts."
Qin Yuan asked, "I wonder what your considerations are, Lord Marquis?"
Lord Gu reached out to straighten her hairpins and said, "Today I heard from Mr. Songshan that Sima Yi feigned illness twice. The first time, he refused Cao Cao's appointment because he couldn't see the situation clearly. I think this is somewhat similar to my current situation."
"How so?"
Qin Yuan sat up straight in Lord Gu's arms, her gaze fixed intently on his sharp and handsome profile.
Lord Gu coughed again and said, "Isn't this just pretending to be ignorant? Didn't you just say that the Crown Prince is currently ill and weak, the other princes and the court officials all have their own agendas, and the Emperor is also trying to wrestle with the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, so he is reluctant to agree to my request? Isn't this an unclear situation?"
Qin Yuan laughed and said, "Wrong. How can this be considered an unclear situation? It is clear that the Emperor wants to use my husband to offend the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, so that my husband and the Crown Prince are bound together. Not only will he have to work for the Crown Prince, but he will also have to offend the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, so that he can use them to suppress my husband in the future. I think that in the future, civil officials in the court will inevitably have to guard against and suppress military generals."
Lord Gu choked for a moment, then said in a daze, "...Is that so...?"
Qin Yuan stared at him intently, then nodded and said, "That's my opinion, but I don't know if it's right or wrong."
Lord Gu thought for a moment and said, "Then I should pretend to be sick even more."
Why?
Lord Gu frowned and said, "My Gu family has sacrificed so many lives to defend the northern frontier. For our contributions to the north, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to grant me the title of Duke. Not only is the Emperor stingy with rewards, but he also seems to be planning to strip the Gu family of their military power. How can I risk offending the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers for the sake of that short-lived Crown Prince, leaving my Gu family with nowhere to stand? I haven't even retaliated against the Crown Prince and Prince Jin for kicking me when I'm down. How can I protect that short-lived devil?"
With no one around and the conversation having reached this point, Lord Gu naturally no longer concealed his loathing for the Emperor and the Crown Prince.
Qin Yuan's body trembled slightly.
Lord Gu reached out and gently touched her cheek, asking, "Are you cold?"
Qin Yuan shook her head, took Lord Gu's hand, and said, "I'm not cold. I'm happy. I'm happy that my husband tells me whatever he wants."
Lord Gu sighed, "Of course I'm happy to tell you this, but I was worried you might not like hearing it."
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "I had some concerns before, worried that my husband would dislike me for meddling in other people's business and not fulfilling my duties as a woman."
“How can you say that?” Gu Jinghui said, puzzled. “Daughters of military families don’t have such customs. The Gu family has guarded the northern frontier for generations, and many of our clansmen have taken up positions there. Many of them have been on the battlefield. The people in the northern frontier are open-minded and don’t really care about the differences between men and women. If a man dies, it is common for a widow to remarry. Moreover, women are capable of more than just supporting the family. Sometimes, when enemy troops launch a surprise attack, they will even go to the battlefield to fight the enemy. If you are capable and intelligent, it is my blessing. How could I be such a petty person who cannot tolerate others?”
Qin Yuan nudged him and whispered, "That was all my fault. I judged the Marquis's noble character with my petty mind. Besides, I saw that you and Mother both said that you should teach Baozhu to behave properly. I thought that people in the capital usually pay attention to the word 'rules,' so it was inevitable that I would want to be more careful."
Gu Jinghui laughed and said, "It's all my fault. I forgot that you are much younger than me and a new bride, so it's inevitable that you have to be careful in everything. The reason why Mother and I restrain Baozhu is simply because she is going to choose a husband in the capital. She can't continue to be so unruly. Making her learn etiquette is also to temper her temper. Besides, Mother said that the Gu family will change its social status in the future and will pursue a career in literature. We will need to deal more with civil officials, so we will probably have to follow those formal rules. Otherwise, we may suffer in the future. I can't control what others do, but there's no need for us to be like this."
As he spoke, he put his arm around Qin Yuan and said earnestly, "I like it when you take care of my affairs, plan for me, and manage things for me. I feel like I'm no longer alone, but you'll inevitably have to work a little harder."
Qin Yuan suppressed the turmoil in her heart and smiled, "What mistress of the house doesn't need to plan and manage? I have the trust of my husband and mother, so I should do my best. But everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and there are always things I can't do. My abilities are limited, and I can't be perfect in every aspect."
Gu Jinghui couldn't help but sigh, "You have surpassed others by far. All I initially hoped for was a wife who could bear children. I have seen, heard, and remembered everything you have done. Even when I am idle and hear others talking, I know that it is already excellent if husband and wife can treat each other with respect. We understand each other perfectly, and you are so intelligent and charming. I will not take my good fortune for granted."
Qin Yuan's face flushed, and she said, "My husband's words have made me feel a little flattered."
Gu Jinghui laughed and said, "Really? You're already feeling euphoric before you've even had a drink. I even went out of my way to ask someone for this wine so you could try it."
He then picked up the wine bottle to show her.
Qin Yuan noticed the sealed silver bottle and asked curiously, "What kind of wine is this?"
Gu Jinghui said, "This is a thick wine made from millet, with osmanthus and some medicinal herbs added. It has a sweet and sour taste. People of all ages and genders in the north often drink this. It's very good. It tastes even better when cooked with yellow peaches or something similar."
Qin Yuan blinked curiously.
I don't know if I'll be able to get used to it.
Lord Gu said, "Why don't we give it a try?"
“Okay,” Qin Yuan nodded. Tonight, Lord Gu was eager for her to learn more about the customs and culture of the northern frontier, so she naturally wouldn’t spoil the mood.
Lord Gu opened the wine bottle, poured the wine into the pot, and began to heat the wine.
Qin Yuan laughed.
Lord Gu asked, "What are you laughing at?"
Qin Yuan said, "We were originally talking about pleading illness, but how did we end up brewing wine?"
Lord Gu asked, "Do you feel there's something amiss?"
Qin Yuan shook her head and then nodded, finally saying, "Although the Marquis of Dingbei is not a duke, his hereditary title is still much better than others. A duke's title has to be downgraded after several generations, all because of the northern frontier. Now that my husband has made great contributions, the Emperor is unwilling to reward him, simply because he is too capable and the Emperor is certain that there will be no need for him to wage war again. It is not wrong for the Emperor to blame me for feigning illness at this time, but he will inevitably hold a grudge."
As Lord Gu peeled yellow peaches and put them into the pot, he said, "When Sima Yi first claimed to be ill, Cao Cao knew it was a lie. However, Cao Cao's foundation was not stable, so it was not easy to touch him. I have only recently returned to the capital. The emperor has already been in the wrong by not giving me any great reward. He has also just praised me, so naturally he will not blame me for claiming to be ill."
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "My husband is indeed quick to draw inferences from one instance to another."
The thick wine in the pot was foaming. Lord Gu moved it slightly to let it simmer slowly before saying, "I'm also holding back my anger. This hereditary title was earned by my Gu family sons with their swords and spears on the battlefield. I haven't disgraced my ancestors, but the royal father and son don't treat me like a proper person."
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