"After all, Lady Guo is a woman, and it is only natural for women to love cosmetics."
Despite what Wei Ruo said, her mind was filled with what Zhuo Yi had just said. Could it be that Guo Siyuan also wanted to choose a husband at Prince Chen's full moon banquet?
"As expected of Lord Guo, he knows the best time to make a move." Zhuo Yi sincerely praised, "At the full moon banquet of Prince Chen this time, almost all the young talents of Dayu will be present, so that the two princesses can choose a husband. If Lord Guo finds someone he likes at this time, I think the Empress Dowager will be willing to grant a marriage."
"That's right."
Kui Ruo's smile faded somewhat, and she even lost her appetite for tea. Seeing this, Zhuo Yi didn't force her and got up to leave.
"I have some matters to attend to at my residence, so I will not accompany Prime Minister Kui for tea for the time being. Let's arrange to meet again another day."
After Zhuo Yi left, Wei Ruo stared at the rouge shop for a long time. "Someone, go and invite Lord Guo here for a chat."
She's been in the cosmetics shop for so long and hasn't come out yet. Could something have happened to her?
A cosmetics shop.
Guo Siyuan looked at the colorful cosmetics in front of her, and her mind began to buzz.
"Miss, these are all ordered by Miss Qin. She asked you to pick out a few colors that best suit her."
Upon hearing this, Guo Siyuan's smile began to falter. "How can there be so many?"
"Yes, Miss Qin came twice but couldn't choose. She said there was a young lady with good taste, and I'm sure it's you, Miss."
Guo Siyuan had never seen so many cosmetics before. She began to think that she had been tricked by Qin Ke'er. Could it be that Qin Ke'er was deliberately retaliating because she had criticized Qin Ke'er's article a few days ago?
"I'm probably not the discerning person Miss Qin described," Guo Siyuan said with a polite smile. "I'll be going now."
Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, running away is the best.
"Oh, Miss, please don't leave! His Highness Prince Chen's full moon celebration is just around the corner, and we've been looking forward to seeing you for so long! If we don't give these cosmetics to Miss Qin soon, it will delay her choice of husband."
Just as Guo Siyuan was caught in a dilemma, neither wanting to leave nor staying, the servant beside Wei Ruo spoke up, "My master would like to invite this young lady to the teahouse across the street for a chat."
"Your master?" The proprietress looked at the servant, clearly reluctant to let him go.
"My master is the current prime minister."
"Prime Minister... Your Excellency Prime Minister, please, miss." The proprietress was so frightened that she almost knelt down. Good heavens, there were only two prime ministers in the entire Great Yu, and neither of them was someone a small shop owner like her could afford to offend.
Guo Siyuan naturally recognized Wei Ruo's personal servant. Her expression changed, and after glancing at the dazzling array of cosmetics, she decided to go have tea with Wei Ruo.
......
A private room in a teahouse.
"Thank you, Minister Kui, for getting me out of this predicament."
Guo Siyuan smiled and spoke, taking a sniff of the teacup in front of her; it had a refreshing fragrance.
“I thought Miss Guo went to buy cosmetics herself.” Kui Ruo’s gaze was deep. “But judging from Miss Guo’s tone now, it doesn’t seem like that at all.”
"Since I entered the court as an official, Prime Minister Kui has always addressed me as Lord Guo. This is the first time he has addressed me as Miss Guo."
Guo Siyuan's smile was just right, neither impolite nor overly eager.
"It's just a title."
Guo Siyuan shook her head. For someone like Wei Ruo, even a small change in address could reflect his inner schemes.
"It's only natural for me to buy cosmetics," Guo Siyuan said, pursing her lips. "Kui Xiang's sudden concern makes me tremble."
Am I really that terrifying?
Kui Ruo also just smiled. The two of them were clearly close at hand, but the smiles on their faces seemed to be wearing several masks, and neither of them could see through the other's thoughts.
No, that's not it.
Guo Siyuan turned her teacup. After serving as an official in the court for more than a month, she had heard many things about Wei Ruo, including how Wei Ruo became the adopted son of the Zhong family and how he became the top scholar in the imperial examination.
"I'm just a little curious."
Guo Siyuan lowered her eyes, somewhat curious as to why Wei Ruo was willing to give her life for the Empress Dowager. How could someone who was unwilling to help the Zhong family when they were in trouble be a kind and loyal person?
"Miss Guo is starting to be curious about me?" Wei Ruo's tone suddenly changed. "I intended to marry Miss Guo, but she refused. I thought Miss Guo had no curiosity about me at all."
An awkward atmosphere began to spread; this was the first time in months that the two had brought up the matter of the marriage proposal.
"I will not easily hand over my fate to a man."
Guo Siyuan looked at Wei Ruo and said, "If I had agreed to marry Prime Minister Wei back then, could Prime Minister Wei have guaranteed that marrying you would not affect my career? I am not only carrying my own fate, but also the fate of many women in Dayu."
Only if she establishes a firm foothold in the court will it be easier for women to enter officialdom through the imperial examinations in the future.
"I know." Wei Ruo grinned. He had already figured these things out. He admired women like Guo Siyuan.
"After speaking frankly today, I feel that Tongwei is like an old friend."
Guo Siyuan picked up a teacup and raised it towards Kui Ruo, saying, "Let's toast Kui Ruo with tea instead of wine."
Upon hearing this, Wei Ruo also raised her teacup, and the porcelain cups clinked together in the air, producing a crisp sound.
......
They chatted for a long time, from important matters of the court to Lingyun Garden, while the setting sun began to appear in the sky outside.
"Back then, the backyard of the Prime Minister's residence was renovated. Didn't you ever think I would refuse you?" Guo Siyuan clearly hadn't been drinking, but she looked somewhat drunk.
Kui Xiang initially wanted to shake his head, but then hesitated and finally nodded.
"As you said, I really didn't expect to be rejected by you." Kui Ruo still finds it a bit funny now. "I thought the conditions I offered were tempting enough: a fake marriage and support for you to take a position in the court. I never expected... that you would reject me."
"So, what does Prime Minister Kui think now?"
"I think you did the right thing."
Wei Ruo smiled and said, "If you marry me, everyone will think that we are in the same boat. Everyone will respect you, but your efforts will be overshadowed. People will only say that you have such good fortune because you became my wife, Wei Ruo."
Therefore, no matter how much he "concessions" he makes, Guo Siyuan will not agree to marry him.
"Thank you for your understanding, Prime Minister Kui. I did not mean to look down on you."
Guo Siyuan smiled too, displaying a touch of girlish charm, "It would be best if I never got married in this life."
To live together with my teacher like this, relying on each other for survival, would be the best thing ever.
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