Chapter 215: In This Lifetime
The Emperor glanced at the Ninth Princess and asked, "What’s there to see? If you want to watch, won’t you see it at the palace banquet during the festival?"
The Ninth Princess tugged at his arm, shaking it a few times, and said coquettishly, "I’m just curious. I don’t know what this Qin Family’s daughter is like, enough for Marquis Gu to cherish her. Besides, Seventh Sister is going, so why can’t I go too?"
The Emperor couldn’t resist her pestering, and finally nodded in agreement.
"You can go, but don’t cause trouble. Your Crown Prince brother’s health has taken a turn again recently, and your mother is displeased. Don’t make her worry."
The Ninth Princess sighed.
"The Crown Prince brother’s poor health isn’t a recent issue. What’s bothering Mother is, after all, the Empress Dowager..."
The Emperor shot her a glance, making the Ninth Princess stop speaking.
The Chief Eunuch stood beside them, eyes lowered, seemingly lost in thought, as if he hadn’t heard what the father and daughter were discussing.
The order for the Ninth Princess and Seventh Princess to visit the Dingbei Marquis Mansion was somewhat troublesome for Gu Jinghui.
No new patients had appeared in the mansion, and the previous patients were slowly recovering. The two children of Sixth Master Gu were also much better, but the Dingbei Marquis Mansion still could not open its doors. How to welcome the Princesses then?
Sixth Master Gu rarely cared about such matters. Upon hearing the news, he merely blinked his watery peach blossom eyes, full of confusion, and asked, "Third Brother, why would the Emperor send two Princesses to visit?"
Gu Jinghui frowned and replied, "I don’t know either."
Ordinarily, wouldn’t such matters be handled by the chief eunuch close to the Emperor or perhaps a member of the Ministry of Rites, or even a prince or a close minister?
Who knew why two Princesses were sent?
Princess Fuyun was someone he would rather avoid.
In his view, the Ninth Princess was slightly better than Princess Fuyun.
One is a sister of Prince Qi, sharing the same mother, deeply cherished by Empress Lin; the other is the biological daughter of Empress Lin, the Crown Prince’s full sister.
Both are troublesome.
Gu Jinghui felt vexed and became more determined to stay at the Great Camp after the mansion opened, finding reasons not to attend court to avoid these people.
He originally planned to go to the main room, but seeing that it was already late, he changed his mind and decided to consult his mother during breakfast the next day.
Back in the Wutong Garden, Doctor Li and Xiao Dong had already left, while Qin Yuan, under the lamp with Hong Ye and Cui Ming, was fiddling with abacus beads.
"Why are you calculating again?"
Seeing him arrive, Qin Yuan raised her delicate chin and smiled lightly, "I saw Hong Ye couldn’t keep up with the calculations and, with nothing else to do, I decided to help out."
Hong Ye and Cui Ming didn’t raise their heads, exchanged a glance, and continued tallying the ledger.
"Madam, I’m currently undecided on something. Could you please think it over for me? It might be best to let Hong Ye and Cui Ming finish, as Hong Ye is smart and capable. She’ll sort it out soon without your help."
Hong Ye: "..."
How soon is soon.
The one with mental arithmetic skills is the young lady, not her.
Marquis Gu’s compliments can be quite overwhelming.
Qin Yuan put down the abacus, marked the paper, and wrote a line, then said, "Let’s go to the study to discuss, so as not to disturb them."
"Mm," Gu Jinghui glanced at Hong Ye and Cui Ming, focused on the abacus, expressionless.
Once Gu Jinghui and Qin Yuan had gone to the study, Hong Ye and Cui Ming breathed a sigh of relief.
Cui Ming said sourly, "Hong Ye, you’re so smart and capable, I don’t have to do anything; I also want to take a break."
Hong Ye was anxious, threateningly pinching Cui Ming’s neck, "Fine, don’t expect me to help you out in the future."
Cui Ming laughed uncontrollably.
Marquis Gu and Qin Yuan went to the room he had been reading in.
This room wasn’t much improved; it was just a temporary space. But Qin Yuan had already considered it Marquis Gu’s study—with only two books belonging to Marquis Gu inside: one "Spring and Autumn Annals" and one "Romance of the Three Kingdoms."
Days had passed, and the "Spring and Autumn Annals" hadn’t progressed from its page.
Sometimes Qin Yuan wondered if Gu Jinghui would ever finish "Spring and Autumn Annals" in his lifetime.
Compared to his adopted son, Marquis Gu really wasn’t a good student. If both were studying together, surely Marquis Gu would be the one punished and made to stand.
After sitting down, Qin Yuan asked, "Husband, what’s troubling you?"
Gu Jinghui naturally took her small hand, playing with it, and said languidly, "Whatever I say, don’t blame me. I’m just as clueless and confused."
"Then tell me, what’s the matter?"
Qin Yuan giggled from his touch, wanting to pull her hand away.
But Gu Jinghui wouldn’t let go, pressing her hand to his cheek, where the faint stubble tickled her.
Qin Yuan glared at him, meeting Gu Jinghui’s narrowed eyes as they stared at her.
"What exactly is the matter?"
Gu Jinghui said lazily, "Tomorrow, the Seventh Princess and Ninth Princess have the Emperor’s order to come visit the mansion. I’m unsure whether to invite them in or..."
Qin Yuan was surprised and asked, "Why would two Princesses come for a visit?"
She regarded Gu Jinghui with complex emotions.
Gu Jinghui quickly and solemnly replied, "I don’t know either. The Weiyang Palace Chief Eunuch relayed the message at night, instructing me to prepare for their arrival tomorrow. I just don’t understand these Princesses. The Dingbei Marquis Mansion isn’t the Dazao Temple; we still have smallpox here. Why are they coming?"
Qin Yuan said, "Perhaps it’s because there haven’t been new patients for a while, and the mansion is soon to open. The palace got wind of it, and the Emperor agreed to the Princesses’ request."
Looking at this handsome and unruly face, she thought, maybe the Seventh Princess is unwilling to let go, and this Ninth Princess tagging along, whether for the Crown Prince or other reasons, is still unclear.
Her husband really attracts attention.
Qin Yuan couldn’t help but use some force with her fingers.
Gu Jinghui asked, "What?"
Qin Yuan replied, "Mm, I like to pinch my fingers when thinking, did I hurt you?"
"My skin is thick, it doesn’t hurt," Gu Jinghui indifferently said, "I haven’t told Mother about this matter, I’ll mention it tomorrow morning when we greet her."
Implying they should go to the main room for breakfast tomorrow.
Qin Yuan agreed, "That’s fine."
Gu Jinghui waited before asking, "Yuan’er, is there anything you want to tell me?"
"Hmm?"
Qin Yuan slightly turned her head, showing a puzzled expression, "What should I say?"
Gu Jinghui looked disgruntled, "Are you suspecting Princess Fuyun has some inappropriate thoughts about me again?"
Qin Yuan: "..."
She hadn’t said anything, Marquis Gu.
Marquis Gu lamented, "I’ve told you, she’s just trying to get close to me to drag me down, intending for the sake of Prince Qi. This Ninth Princess is probably here for the Crown Prince too, causing a stir. The Crown Prince and King Jin both have concerns about me, previously even attempting to use Doctor Liu to harm our Dingbei Marquis Mansion."