Volume 3: The Lotus Does Not Spare Its Rouge Colour, Nor Does It Wait for a Golden House to Recommend a Grand Hall Chapter 110

  Until the late afternoon, the sky was a warm golden color, and the couple finally got up to bid farewell and return home. Gu Tingyan glanced sideways and saw that Minglan's eyes were red, her long eyelashes still wet, and he knew she had been crying. He couldn't help but feel a pang of tenderness in his heart. Having drunk quite a bit with everyone during the banquet, he was already slightly tipsy, so he pretended to stumble a few steps on purpose. Longbai and others took one look at him and quickly called for someone to escort him into the carriage as well.

  Inside the spacious carriage, there were incense burners and small tables, covered with thin velvet carpets. Minglan leaned against the soft cushion, holding a fan to gently sway it for Gu Tingye, dispersing the wine fumes. The carriage swayed slightly as it moved, and the late spring afternoon was somewhat sultry. A faint scent of willow smoke wafted from the purple copper incense burner on the small table, subtle yet enveloping the semi-enclosed space.

  Gu Tingyan was originally more drunk, but this scene actually made him sleepy. He didn't know how long he had slept for, and when he opened his eyes in a daze, he saw Minglan lightly grasping a folding fan with a powder face inlaid with coral pearls and shark skin silk, her eyes slightly closed as she lazily leaned against something.

  Minglan was still dazed, when she suddenly felt a tingling sensation on her eyelids. She opened her eyes and reached out to touch them, only to see Gu Tingye quietly gazing at her. His fingertips were slightly rough, gently stroking her eyelids as he asked, "Awake?"

  Minglan nodded, put down her fan, propped herself up and sat up straight, a smile playing on the corners of her mouth: "Do you want to drink some water?"

  Gu Tingyan was feeling parched, so he nodded. Minglan poured a cup of warm tea from the magnetic stone teapot on the small table and helped Gu Tingyan take a sip, letting him drink slowly. As soon as she put down the teacup, Minglan felt dizzy and called out to Gu Tingyan to turn over and press her onto the soft blanket, their noses touching.

  A strong male breath reeking of alcohol sprayed onto Minglan's face, and with his tall body pressing down on her, Minglan almost fainted. She struggled to push him away, saying "...heavy, heavy..." Gu Tingye moved his body slightly, but still stared at Minglan, his dense eyelashes almost touching her eyelids. He suddenly said: "You're crying? Why."

  Minglan was panting with difficulty and said in a low voice: "In the future... can't see grandmother often? I'm uncomfortable."

  "What's wrong, why are you crying?" He knew Minglan's temperament quite well. Generally speaking, without any physical suffering, she would be very strong-willed and wouldn't get emotional for no reason. It wasn't a life-or-death separation, so why did her eyes become puffy from crying? Even if the parting of grandmother and grandson was somewhat sad, judging by her temperament, it should have been just a slight amusement.

  Gu Tingyan's eyes were as dark as the night, quietly staring at Minglan. Minglan felt a sense of unease in her heart, and inexplicably felt a kind of pressure. She stuttered: "Grandmother, Grandmother scolded me..." The pressure in her chest eased slightly. Seeing that the man in front of her didn't intend to move away, Minglan continued: "Grandmother worries about me every day, scolding me for this and that, fearing I'll displease you, fearing... fearing she won't be able to take care of me in the future..."

  Gu Tingyan slightly shifted his tall body, wrapped his arms around Minglan and sat up halfway, leaning against the velvet cushion. His voice rose with a hint of curiosity: "So, she went to find the He family with you?"

  Ming Lan's scalp felt numb, and she suddenly envied those couples who had married without knowing each other. Although the wife didn't know much about her husband, the husband also didn't know much about his wife's past. Unlike this brother, who knew everything.

  "Doesn't he think his family is good enough?" Minglan muttered in a low voice.

  "What's next?" Gu Tingyan just stared at her deeply, with no emotion in his eyes.

  This question is profound and asks beyond what it seems to ask, meaning more than it says.

  Minglan slightly turned her cheek, suddenly changing the subject and said in a low voice: "That day, Madame Wang asked Concubine Lan and Hongyu to come out and pay their respects. You stood in front of me and spoke on my behalf... I was actually very happy. That day, you saved me from a lot of awkwardness, and also told them to wait before entering the mansion again, so that I could take charge of the household first. You protected me and treated me well, I understand."

  The faint gloom in Gu Tingyan's eyes had all dissipated, and a smile emerged. He seemed to be trying to conceal it, but couldn't suppress the corners of his lips from curving upwards.

  Minglan gazed quietly at the faint smoke swirling in the air, her voice soft: "Old Lady once said that He family's young master was good, but when the Cao family came to pressure me, he clearly knew I was unwilling, yet let me, a mere daughter, face them alone; towards Miss Cao, I was also wrong, and even more so!" Recalling the resentment and injustice of that time, Minglan couldn't help but choke back tears. Then, slowly turning her gaze, she stared at Gu Tingye with eyes as clear as water: "But you're different! You stood in front of me, shielding me from the wind and rain and difficulties. At that moment, I felt that even if there were knife mountains and fire seas ahead, as long as you were there, I wouldn't be afraid!"

  Liu Yao once jokingly asked Yang Xianrong, "How do I compare to the Sima family's sons?" Yang Xianrong replied without hesitation, "It wasn't until I married you that I knew what a real man is!" With a loud and clear voice, as a remarried empress who was no longer in her youth, Yang Xianrong was able to be the empress of two dynasties and monopolize the favor of Emperor Liu Yao of the Hu dynasty, later giving birth to a son and having him appointed crown prince, which is not unreasonable.

  Confessing is a skill, it can't just be slogans, can't be shy and reserved, must have substance, must be timely, when it's time to speak clearly and loudly, must do so. In ancient times, women were bound by strict rules, as a woman with "history", Minglan had to react quickly, not relying on her husband being clear about her past, but instead speaking out clearly and decisively.

  If things go wrong, it may lead to a rift between husband and wife, or even worse, give an opportunity for someone with ulterior motives to take advantage of the situation.

  A genuine sparkle burst forth in Gu Tingyan's eyes, as if a stone had been cast into a serene ancient well, causing ripples to spread out in circles. In an instant, the waves overflowed with color. A layer of unspeakable joy arose in his heart, and he deliberately spoke in a fierce tone: "You little scamp, you want me to play the villain for you, huh? Alright! I'm just perfect for playing the bad guy."

  Minglan was waiting for this sentence, and immediately smiled with a shallow smile, her eyebrows and eyes flushed, and she happily rushed over, quickly kissing the man's face: "Second uncle, you're so good..."

  Gu Tingyan only felt a fragrance on his cheek, sweet and sticky lips, but before he could get excited, his face turned black. Minglan seemed to have realized her mistake too, covering her mouth with her sleeve, opening her eyes wide, looking at him timidly.

  Minglan's eyes were born very beautiful and charming, with a soft and elegant curve of her eyebrows, like thin gauze, quietly covering them. When she looked at people unintentionally, her half-transparent eyes would wrap them in; Gu Tingye suddenly remembered when he was young, playing mischievously in his father's study, flipping through a precious ancient beauty painting scroll, unfolding it to see that the woman on the yellowed and aged scroll was gentle, soft, and charming, exuding a captivating charm.

  For some reason, his young heart was racing at the time; he didn't know that elegance and charm could be combined in this way.

  "I was wrong." Minglan admitted her mistake quickly, lowering her head and bowing her hands, with a good attitude.

  "Sly little rascal!" Gu Tingyan cursed under his breath, his face stern as he glared at her, but the smile in his eyes couldn't be concealed.

  He soon found out that this little slippery head was not only clever with words, but also good at turning her face and denying accounts. In the daytime, she would say nice things to make him feel like he was floating on air, making him think he had become a lustful wolf, wanting to take advantage of her. But as soon as night fell, she would put on a serious face and instruct the maid to lay out two beds on the bed.

  Gu Tingyan merely raised an eyebrow as he looked at her, lowering his head to drink tea, while Minglan lowered her head to face her fingers.

  ……

  Deeper into the night, Minglan leaned against the pillow, her head still dizzy, her whole body flushed, her cheeks burning like fire. The man lying on top of her was still being gentle, his heavy breathing extremely ambiguous. Minglan's body went soft, and her mind was only slightly clear, she whispered hoarsely: "If I don't get out of bed tomorrow...I won't live..."

  Gu Tingyan still refused to give up, and only coaxed her into listening, his hands reaching down, Minglan's whole body felt weak and sour. She hastily said: "Things should be done in an orderly manner, slowly and surely, you...you can't do this now, I'm already much better tonight..." Thinking about her performance just now, Minglan felt she had made great progress, it could even be described as a thousand miles in one day.

  The man listened, couldn't help but chuckle lightly, his low and hoarse voice was like a whisper: "Indeed it's too much... Alright, this time I'll spare you." His hand still twisted heavily twice.

  After all, he couldn't overdo it. Thinking of the two dark circles under her eyes that morning, he knew he had to hold back; besides, their honeymoon was already three days old, and she would have to start getting familiar with household chores soon. At least before things got out of hand, he should let her get a grip on things.

  On the second day, Minglan got up from bed very early and firmly, enduring the cold air to let Danju help her dress and style her hair. Gu Tingye wore a blue brocade robe with a pattern of intertwined flowers and a jade crown on his head, looking majestic and awe-inspiring, with an aura of grandeur and elegance that commanded respect without him even trying.

  After breakfast, he pulled Minglan into the side room, dismissed everyone, and briefed her on the affairs of the mansion.

  "...I've been away for years, and the mansion was just established. Most of the people in the mansion, from the managers to the servants, were either rewarded by the emperor or sold into servitude; they don't have any roots here. You can use those who are useful, and get rid of those who aren't." Gu Tingyan said seriously, his face solemn, with a mature and calm demeanor. "And then there are some..." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully, "...who were sent by the dowager lady and several aunts. You should also take a good look at them."

  This last sentence was very meaningful, Minglan rubbed her sore lower back while carefully remembering it; this kind of handover work is usually done by the mother-in-law to the daughter-in-law, and her marriage was truly one-of-a-kind.

  "In the mansion, there are accounts of land and money, I'll ask Mr. Gong to send them over for you to see, if you don't understand anything, just go ask... never mind, just ask me instead." Gu Tingyan said slowly after some thought.

  "Mr. Gong Sun?" Minglan listened for half a day and finally heard a familiar word, "Could it be that water thief from that day..."

  "It's true." Gu Tingyan smiled and said, "He has been holding two positions lately, it's really hard work; he is probably the one who most looks forward to my marriage."

  "You let Mr. Gong Sun manage the household?" Minglan had only met Gong Sunbai once, but he left a deep impression on her. This kind of person was clearly a pedantic strategist who loved to pretend to be profound. Hmm, did Zhuge Liang ever help Liu Bei manage his harem and children?

  Gu Tingyan was secretly delighted, but his face remained expressionless. He raised his cup and took a sip: "Mr. Gong Sun, it's not easy."

  The two of them said a few more words, but Gu Tingyan was after all a man and didn't pay much attention to domestic trivialities, nor did he understand them very well. Minglan asked him several questions in a row, but couldn't get a clear answer, and couldn't help but say: "What do you know, anyway? Probably only about marching into battle and roaming the rivers and lakes."

  Gu Tingyan was slightly annoyed at being asked, and gave her a white eye, saying: "What do you know that's so great?"

  "From astronomy to geography, music, chess, calligraphy and painting, the Eight Trigrams, arithmetic, medicine, divination, astrology, yin-yang and the Five Elements, Qimen Dunjia, agriculture, water conservancy, commerce, military strategy... I am all familiar with and extremely proficient in these fields!" Gu Tingyan's eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, Minglan suddenly turned around and said, "But none of this is possible!"

  Gu Tingyan's eyes sparkled with amusement, just about to speak sarcastically, but Minglan continued: "But at least I know what to call someone who can comb their hair and wash their face." Gu still hasn't figured out which one is Xia Zhu and which one is Xia He, truly a divine person.

  Gu Tingyan's eyebrows rose, not showing any shame, and he said straightforwardly: "Their body contracts are all in my hands, what is there to worry about? When doing big things, don't get bogged down in trivialities. As long as you grasp the main point, who can turn the sky upside down?"

  This sentence has some truth to it. For example, when Mongolia was attacking the Southern Song Dynasty, Mongolia had already conquered half of the world and was using all its might to attack, no matter how tragic or sorrowful the Southern Song was, they were bound to lose; similarly, now that the people in the Gu's residence are resenting Gu Ting Ye so much, there is nothing they can do about it.

  Gu Ting Ye had also been with many women before, but it was not clear whether they were just playing games or like Man Niang and Qiu Niang. At that time, he didn't seem to have been so intimate and familiar with them, laughing and scolding each other, staring at each other and laughing loudly, saying whatever came out of their mouths. Perhaps quarreling could increase familiarity, Gu Ting Ye had already argued with Ming Lan several times before marriage, so after marrying her for three days, he felt that Ming Lan was like a piece of flesh that had grown on his heart, both comfortable and likable.

  "Alright." Gu Ting Ye saw Ming Lan speechless, and with great pleasure put down his teacup, turned his head to look out the window, raised an eyebrow, and smiled leisurely. "Starting tomorrow, I'll have to attend court as usual, and when that time comes, the military commander's residence will be busy, so there won't be much free time. If you have anything else to ask, hurry up and ask, once we're done, I'll take you around the residence, the garden in the back is quite large, see what you like, I'll find a craftsman for you, plant some fruit trees and flowers, and that piece of mountain forest, I think it can be enclosed to raise deer, cranes, pheasants, and chickens. Oh, you still want to ask? Alright...ask something big, don't bother me with trivial matters."

  Minglan put down her raised hand, thought for a moment, and asked with some hesitation: "About how much silver can be spent in the mansion every year?" — In fact, she wanted to ask: How is your income?

  Is it a bit late to ask this question after getting married?