Chapter 45: The Flower Show is Stunning
As dusk settled, the number of carriages and horses in front of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion gradually decreased. The last few guests, still reluctant to leave, boarded their carriages and departed, leaving behind the lingering laughter and fragrance of peonies in the garden. The hustle and bustle and splendor of the daytime had settled into a contented and peaceful silence.
Su Wanrou stood beneath the hanging flower gate, personally seeing off the last guest—the highly respected old princess. Before she boarded the carriage, the old princess held Su Wanrou's hand affectionately, patting it gently: "Good child, you've worked so hard today. This flower show was excellent, and that 'Celebrating Longevity with a Hundred Flowers' bonsai was truly an eye-opener for me. It's his good fortune, and the Duke's mansion's good fortune, that Yan Gui was able to marry you."
"You flatter me, Your Highness. It is Wanrou's greatest blessing that you enjoyed yourself." Su Wanrou slightly bent her knees, her smile gentle and dignified. She only straightened up slowly after the carriage had gone far away.
Her back, which had been ramrod straight, finally allowed itself to show a hint of fatigue. She gently raised her hand and rubbed her slightly sore temples. A whole day of high tension and maneuvering had been like fighting a silent, arduous battle, and now that she relaxed, she felt her whole body screaming with soreness and weakness.
A dark cloak, still warm from her body, fell silently onto her shoulders, shielding her from the cool evening breeze.
Su Wanrou suddenly turned around and saw Gu Yangui standing behind her. He must have just come from the outer study, still carrying a faint scent of ink and a hint of dust. He didn't say much, but simply pulled his cloak tighter around her, his deep gaze lingering on her slightly pale face for a moment before he said softly, "Are you tired?"
Those three simple words were like a warm current, instantly soothing her weary heart. Su Wanrou gently shook her head, wanting to say she was alright, but the words that came out were a soft sigh tinged with dependence: "I am a little tired." In front of him, she seemed to not always have to pretend to be strong.
"Go back and rest." Gu Yangui's tone left no room for doubt. He naturally reached out and gently supported her arm, walking side by side with her into the mansion.
The setting sun cast long shadows of the two figures across the cobblestone path. Maids and servants encountered along the way readily yielded and bowed, their faces filled with pride and heartfelt admiration. The success of today's flower show, and the lady's composure and quick thinking under pressure, had spread like wildfire throughout the Duke's mansion.
Inside Songhe Hall, however, the scene was quite different.
Liu Yiyi had already excused herself from work and returned early, citing illness. The moment she entered the east wing, the gentle smile she had been forcing on her face instantly crumbled, replaced by a gloomy, ashen expression. She waved away Chunxing, who was about to serve her, and sat alone on the embroidered stool by the window, her chest heaving violently, her nails digging deep into her palms, leaving several crescent-shaped red marks.
Scenes from the waterside pavilion flashed uncontrollably through her mind—the exclamations of the noblewomen surrounding the strange bonsai, the old princess's affectionate gestures as she held Su Wanrou's hand, praising her profusely, the princess's forced, stiff smile, and… and Cousin Yan Gui! Though he hadn't been present the entire time, he had quietly appeared at one point, standing far away under the corridor at the pavilion's entrance, his gaze piercing through the crowd and landing on Su Wanrou. Even though it was just a fleeting glance, Liu Yiyi clearly caught a glimpse of… admiration in his eyes!
"Why?!" Liu Yiyi cried out in her heart. That was supposed to be the day Su Wanrou was humiliated and embarrassed! That damned "Azure Dragon Lying in Ink Pond" was clearly ruined! How could she have thought of using such a crooked method to get away with it? And yet, she got to steal the spotlight!
"Bonsai... Hmph, nothing but fancy tricks, utterly unworthy of respect!" Liu Yiyi muttered bitterly, trying to soothe her turbulent emotions with belittling. But she knew in her heart that from today onward, Su Wanrou's reputation among the noble ladies of the capital was firmly established. No one would look down on her because of her young age, and no one would question her because she was a second wife. She could even foresee that from tomorrow onward, when people in the capital talked about the Duchess of Zhenguo, they would no longer refer to "that lucky youngest daughter of the Earl of Yongchang," but rather "that shrewd and composed Gu Su Shi."
The frustration of being used as a stepping stone for someone else's success, coupled with intense jealousy, gnawed at her heart like a venomous snake. The storm she had painstakingly created not only failed to defeat Su Wanrou, but instead became a stepping stone for the latter to showcase her talents! How could she possibly accept this?
"Chunxing!" she suddenly called out.
Chunxing entered in response, cautiously observing her mistress's unpleasant expression: "What are your orders, Miss?"
"Have you cleaned up the mess from yesterday's housewarming party?" Liu Yiyi asked in a low, menacing voice.
Chunxing nodded quickly: "Don't worry, Miss, I've been very careful. No one will trace it back to us. Old Zhao himself admitted it was an oversight, and Madam doesn't seem to have investigated it further."
"Didn't investigate further?" Liu Yiyi sneered. "She either didn't have the time, or... she simply didn't take this little trick seriously!" This realization made her even more upset. Su Wanrou's calm response seemed more like a condescending disregard, as if Liu Yiyi's elaborate schemes were nothing more than a clumsy performance by a clown.
"Keep an eye on what's happening in the main courtyard, especially Madam's arrangements for the household affairs," Liu Yiyi instructed, a hint of resentment flashing in her eyes. "If it doesn't work once, there's always next time. I refuse to believe she can be so lucky every time!"
In contrast to the gloomy atmosphere of Songhe Hall, the main courtyard was filled with warmth.
Su Wanrou took a bath and changed clothes, washing away her fatigue and the scent of perfume. She put on soft nightgowns and felt completely relaxed. Yunbin and Yuebai wrung out her hair while excitedly recalling the grand occasion of the flower festival that day.
"Madam, you didn't see it. When Princess An saw that bonsai, her face turned green! She had to force a smile, it was hilarious!" Yuebai said with a straight face and a grin.
Yunbin, more composed, smiled and echoed, "Isn't that right? The princesses and the old lady all praised her highly, saying that our lady is incredibly clever and insightful. I'm sure that after today, no one will dare to underestimate her!"
Listening to the maids' chatter, Su Wanrou smiled faintly, a sense of peace settling over her. Today's situation was a close call, but also a beautiful victory. It wasn't just a successful flower festival; it was a crucial step for her to establish herself firmly in this complex and secluded household.
Just then, footsteps sounded from outside; it was Gu Yangui entering. He had changed into casual clothes, and his dark hair was slightly damp, suggesting he had just taken a bath.
Yunbin and Yuebai quickly lowered their voices, bowed, and quietly withdrew, considerately closing the door behind them.
Only the couple remained in the inner room. The candlelight flickered, illuminating Su Wanrou's face, which appeared even more radiant and translucent after her bath, and her clear, smiling almond-shaped eyes.
Gu Yangui walked to her side and naturally took the soft towel from her hand to dry her hair. His movements were slightly clumsy but exceptionally gentle as he continued to wipe the water droplets from the ends of her hair. He rarely did such things to serve others, but at this moment, it didn't feel out of place.
"Thank you for your hard work today." His deep voice echoed in the quiet room.
Su Wanrou tilted her head slightly and looked up at him. In the candlelight, his cold and hard features appeared much softer, and her image was clearly reflected in his always unfathomable eyes.
"It is my duty to share my husband's burdens," she replied softly, her tone sincere. "Besides, I was able to get through this smoothly today thanks to my husband's trust in me, which allowed me to act freely."
If it weren't for his words "Go for it" and his silent companionship last night, she might not have had the courage to take such a do-or-die approach.
Gu Yangui put down the soft towel, his fingers unintentionally brushing against her smooth, slightly cool hair, a slight tremor running through his fingertips. He sat down beside her, his gaze falling on the sandalwood box on the dressing table where she usually kept her jewelry. The lid was open, and inside, besides a few ordinary pieces of jewelry, was an inconspicuous, somewhat old mutton-fat jade pendant.
Su Wanrou followed his gaze, her face flushing slightly, and instinctively tried to close the box. The jade pendant was something Gu Yangui had carried with him when he was young; it wasn't particularly valuable. He had accidentally dropped it once and she had found it. Later, when they were arranging their marriage, she didn't know why, but she inexplicably included it in her dowry as an inconspicuous "old item," as if carrying it was like carrying a preordained longing.
Gu Yangui reached out and pressed down on the box lid, picking up the jade pendant with his fingertips and stroking the simple cloud patterns on it: "You still have it?"
Su Wanrou's ears turned red, and she softly hummed in agreement, her voice barely audible: "I think... it's quite unique."
A faint smile flickered in Gu Yangui's eyes. He put the jade pendant back in its place but did not ask any further questions. Instead, he said, "From today onwards, you've established yourself in the circles of women in the capital. You'll find these kinds of social engagements much easier in the future."
Su Wanrou nodded: "Yes, at least on the surface, there won't be too many deliberate attempts to make things difficult anymore." She paused, looked up at him, a hint of cunning in her eyes, "However, there will probably be plenty of underhanded troubles. For example... how could the flower shears have 'just happened' to fall down on that perfectly fine 'Azure Dragon Lying in the Ink Pond'?"
Gu Yangui remained calm and simply said, "These are just clowns, nothing to worry about. You can handle things in the manor according to your own rules. If there are any troublemakers, just get rid of them; there's no need to hold back."
His words were calm and even, yet they carried an absolute sense of control and unquestionable protection. Su Wanrou knew that this was his complete delegation of authority and support for her handling of the inner affairs of the household. He may have already seen through Liu Yiyi's tricks, but he chose to leave it to her to deal with, offering only support from behind. This trust reassured her more than any sweet words.
"I understand," she replied softly, feeling a sense of peace in her heart.
The moonlight outside the window gradually brightened, its gentle glow filtering through the curtains and into the room. The couple remained silent for a moment, yet there was no awkwardness; a tranquil and warm atmosphere filled the air.
Su Wanrou recalled everything that had happened today, the genuine or feigned praise from the noble ladies, the loving gaze of the old princess, and the growing confidence she felt standing in the center of the waterside pavilion, receiving everyone's attention... She suddenly felt that in the short few months since marrying into the Duke's mansion, she had experienced a more profound growth than in the past ten years.
And all of this is closely related to the man beside her. It was he who brought her into this bustling world full of challenges and opportunities; it was also he who provided the strongest support when she was learning to walk unsteadily.
"Husband," she called softly, her voice tinged with weariness yet all the more tender, "thank you."
Thank you for his trust, thank you for his protection, thank you... it was he who chose her on that day at the hunting grounds.
Gu Yangui turned his head and looked at her beautiful and serene profile in the candlelight. Something seemed to be quietly melting in her usually cool eyes. He didn't speak, but simply reached out and gently took her hand, which was resting on her knee.
His palms were warm and dry, with the thin calluses typical of martial artists, yet they strangely soothed the last ripple in her heart.
The faint fragrance of flowers wafted through the window, and the gentle moonlight enveloped the two sitting side by side. The stunning beauty of the peony festival was now a thing of the past, but their days were still long and promising.
That night, the lights in the main courtyard of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion were extinguished very late.
End of Chapter 45
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