Chapter 710: Available, but not fully trusted
As the night deepened, candlelight flickered in the study in the inner courtyard of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.
Gu Junze dismissed the servants and took out a long brocade box from a secret compartment behind the desk.
He walked to the window. Chu Ruohan was leaning on the railing, looking at a sweet-scented osmanthus tree in full bloom in the yard. The evening breeze blew her skirt, and the moonlight sprinkled on her, as soft as a painting.
"What are you thinking about?" Gu Junze gently put his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder.
Chu Ruohan turned her head and leaned against him, her voice filled with emotion: "I was thinking, in the blink of an eye, we have been married for almost twenty years."
Gu Junze handed the brocade box in his hand to her and said gently, "Open it and take a look."
Chu Ruohan was a little surprised. She took the brocade box and opened it. Inside lay a jade hairpin, smooth and soft as mutton fat, with the head carved into a lotus bud about to bloom. The style was simple and elegant, but it was obvious that it was made of the finest material.
"I saw him by chance a few days ago and thought he suited you." Gu Junze's voice was low and gentle.
Chu Ruohan picked up the jade hairpin, measured it in her hair, and said angrily, "You are already an old couple, and you are still doing these things." Although she said this, she could not hide the smile in her eyes.
Gu Junze held her hand, inserted the jade hairpin steadily into her bun, looked at it for a moment, and nodded with satisfaction.
"You look good. In my heart, you will always be the same as when we first met."
Chu Ruohan chuckled, "When we first met, you were very wary of me."
Gu Junze hugged her tighter. "At that time, I was not able to walk well. Your sudden decision to remarry naturally caught me off guard. But fortunately, Madam recognized my talent and chose me..."
Chu Ruohan felt warm in her heart and leaned into his arms, enjoying the quietness that belonged only to the two of them.
After a moment, she said softly, "Today at the Duke of Anguo's mansion, there actually was a pretty good-looking girl."
"Oh?" Gu Junze became interested. "Which one?"
"The granddaughter of the old lady of the Duke of Anguo's Mansion, the legitimate daughter of the An family."
"I have some impression of that child. He seems gentle and calm, unlike others who are noisy and fussy. He has always been quietly accompanying the old lady and is very well-behaved."
After hearing this, Gu Junze was not as optimistic as her. He picked up a chess piece on the table and played with it between his fingertips.
"The Duke of Anguo's Mansion will not marry their legitimate granddaughter to a newly promoted third-rank official."
Chu Ruohan was slightly startled, then she understood the deeper meaning of her husband's words: "You mean... they are targeting the East Palace?"
Although the Duke of Anguo's Mansion is a duke, it has no real power and has always remained neutral.
Now that the Third Prince has fallen and the Crown Prince's position is secure, it is only natural that they would want to find a position as Crown Princess or Crown Princess for their daughter.
"That's a good thing." Chu Ruohan smiled. "Our daughter is too straightforward. She can't be the Crown Princess, and she can't compete with others."
Hearing this, Gu Junze reached out and held her hand, with a doting smile in his eyes: "Qingchen's personality is free and easy, which is also good."
The couple enjoyed this rare quiet time when Gu Junze suddenly spoke again, changing the subject: "What do you think of this boy Lin Jiayou?"
When this name was mentioned, the gentleness on Chu Ruohan's face faded a little, and her expression became solemn.
She was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I believe in Lu Ge'er's judgment. Since he hired Lin Jiayou, he must be fully confident. But..."
She paused, a hint of caution in her tone, "As for whether Lin Jiayou is truly trustworthy, I dare not say for sure."
"He gained Zhao Chenyu's trust shortly after returning to Beijing. He is definitely not a good person."
"That's exactly what I was thinking." Gu Junze nodded in agreement. "A person who can disguise himself so perfectly must be extremely strong-willed and ruthless. He can be used, but not completely trusted."
Chu Ruohan nodded slightly: "That's right. Lu Ge'er placed him in Jingzhao Prefecture as a civil servant."
Gu Junze gently patted the back of her hand and said soothingly, "Children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. Lu Ge'er is now an important official in the court. He knows what's going on. We'll just wait and see."
Chu Ruohan finally relaxed completely, leaning on his shoulder, looking at the moonlight outside the window, and whispered, "Speaking of which, in a few days, it will be the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet."
"Yeah." Gu Junze responded, "I'm afraid this year's palace banquet will be extra 'lively'." The third prince's party was uprooted, and the power in the court was reshuffled. At this year's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, I wonder how many pairs of eyes are secretly spying on the new situation.
Chu Ruohan seemed not to understand the deep meaning in his words, and just said leisurely: "With that girl Qingchen entering the palace, I'm going to have a headache again."
Gu Junze laughed and put his arm around his wife's shoulders: "Let her be, you can't force her."
The moonlight is gentle, stretching the figures of the two people and interweaving them together. The years are quiet and peaceful, just like they were back then.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, palace lanterns are hung high, extending from the palace gate all the way to the Hall of Supreme Harmony where the banquet is held, and it is as bright as day.
Chu Ruohan entered the palace with Gu Junze, bringing her two children. Today, she was wearing a dark blue imperial robe embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns. She looked dignified and graceful, with a calm demeanor as she walked.
Gu Qingchen changed out of her usual riding clothes and toned down her sharp features, leaving only her beautiful face, which actually had some of the quiet and virtuous air of a noble lady from the capital.
Even so, her appearance still attracted a lot of inquiring eyes.
As soon as he sat down at the banquet, the head lady-in-charge beside the queen came over in person, walking gracefully with a respectful smile on her face.
"Lord Duke, Madame Duke, and the Empress invite Madam and Miss Gu to Fengyi Palace for a chat."
Gu Junze looked up at Chu Ruohan, who gave him a reassuring look. She then stood up, took Gu Qingchen's hand, and left with the female official.
There was a warm fragrance in the air in Fengyi Palace, and the Queen was shocked when she saw Chu Ruohan coming in.
"Sister Ruohan, come and sit here with me." She walked forward very affectionately, holding Chu Ruohan's hand, her words full of familiarity and dependence, as if the two of them were really close friends who had not seen each other for many years.
Chu Ruohan always had a decent smile on her face. She took two steps following her force, then pulled her hand out unnoticeably and bowed slightly.
"In front of Her Majesty, I dare not overstep my bounds."
Her actions and words were respectful yet distant, clearly drawing the line between ruler and subject.
The smile on the queen's face froze for a moment, then returned to normal, as if she didn't notice the deliberate sense of distance.
She turned to look at Gu Qingchen with undisguised admiration in her eyes.
"I haven't seen you for a few years, and Qingchen has become even more beautiful. I heard that this girl has a cheerful personality, unlike those shy girls in the capital, and she is a perfect match for the prince."
As soon as these words were spoken, the hall instantly became quiet, even the breathing became lighter.
The ladies sitting with him all looked at Gu Qingchen with scrutiny and inquiry...
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