My Sister Insisted on Swapping Marriages, and I Became a Marchioness Instead

Chapter 77: Chapter 77: So This Was the Root of the Matter

After walking a few steps, Qin Yuan stopped and asked, ”Go and find out first, who did the Marquis drink with when he went out today?”

If it were a proper appointment, it’s a bit strange to be neither too early nor too late.

Cui Ming answered and went off.

Qin Yuan stood outside the door, gazing at the flowers. After a while, Cui Ming returned and said, ”The Marquis went to listen to a song at the Sang Family’s House and later ran into Prince Qi. The two had a few drinks.”

He went to Sang Family’s House to listen to a song?

Qin Yuan pursed her lips and smiled, knowing why Marquis Gu was seeking her.

This husband of hers, who cared quite a bit about his appearance, would never admit he didn’t know something in front of her, always inquiring and probing in private.

Yet always hiding the head but not the tail.

Seeing her pursing her lips with a smile, Cui Ming asked, ”Madam, what’s so funny?”

”It’s nothing.”

Qin Yuan shook her head slowly, saying, ”Let’s go, and see what the Marquis has to say.”

The two of them brushed aside flowers and willows all the way to the main room, where a little maid guarding outside whispered, ”Madam, the Marquis said he had a headache as soon as he returned and clamored to see you. He’s already lying down now.”

Qin Yuan’s eyelid twitched.

Marquis Gu had made up his mind to stay and rest in the main room.

Qin Yuan nodded and said, ”Serve well outside, I’ll go in and see. Later, have someone send in a sobering soup.”

The little maid lifted the curtain, and Qin Yuan walked inside. As soon as she entered the room, she smelled a waft of alcohol. Cui Ming quickly went to light incense.

Qin Yuan said, ”No need to hurry.”

A few steps in, she saw Marquis Gu lying there with his outer garment and boots still on, sprawled boldly in the red canopy bed. His jade crown had been removed, his ink-black hair cascading like clouds, highlighting his well-chiseled, jade-white profile like a sculpture. She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, ”What a fine appearance.”

And yet this person was a military general who had been battling on the frontier for years.

Qin Yuan softened her voice and called him, ”Marquis, Marquis?”

The person in the canopy did not move.

Qin Yuan walked forward slowly and quietly said, ”Why sleep without taking off your outer garment?”

She sat at the bedside, reaching out to help Gu Jinghui remove his boots. As soon as she lifted one foot, she was pulled into the canopy and hugged.

Qin Yuan couldn’t help but let out a squeal.

Just then she heard Gu Jinghui whisper in her ear, ”What have you been doing at home today? Were you secretly cursing me?”

Cui Ming covered her mouth and quietly withdrew.

The room had only the two of them left.

Her ears were enveloped in his warm breath, frequently accompanied by the strong smell of alcohol.

She gave a soft hum and said, ”The Marquis hasn’t done anything wrong. Why would I secretly curse you?”

”Hmph, you’re saying one thing and meaning another.”

Gu Jinghui tightened his grip around her waist, his heat passing from his chest and arms onto her body.

Qin Yuan felt a bit uneasy, pondering what she could say to extricate herself.

Then Gu Jinghui asked again, ”Why do you no longer call me husband? With a master like you, there are servants like Hong Ye. You ask her to call you madam, she pays lip service, what about you?”

Hearing the hint of dissatisfaction, Qin Yuan chuckled and said, ”Where did you have drinks today, husband? Hong Ye is new to the residence and isn’t used to it yet. She’ll get it with more practice.”

Gu Jinghui asked, ”Really?”

Saying that, he lifted Qin Yuan’s body slightly, face-to-face with him.

Qin Yuan met his obscure gaze, stunned for a moment, and softly said, ”For such a small matter, do you think I would lie to you?”

Gu Jinghui sighed, ”Hard to say.”

”?”

Qin Yuan watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed, unable to help but laugh, ”What are you doing, husband? Did you hear something outside and came back to catch me doing wrong?”

Gu Jinghui loosened his hold, laying flat, saying, ”You scholars of the Pure Stream always beat around the bush, criticizing warriors like me, never speaking directly, only burying it in your hearts. If you can’t hold it in, you gesture secretly. If I can’t guess your thoughts, you’d probably call me a fool in your heart.”

Qin Yuan ”pfft” laughed out loud.

She could actually hear the grievance in that.

Really quite strange.

Gu Jinghui, displeased, said, ”Still laughing, is it that funny?”

Qin Yuan laughed, ”Though you may be a martial man, husband, you don’t act like one, do you? Otherwise, why don’t you just ask me frankly instead of hiding it when talking with me?”

Gu Jinghui: ”...”

He closed his eyes, saying nothing more.

Clearly wanting Qin Yuan to consider it drunken talk, never to be mentioned again.

However, Qin Yuan wouldn’t let it go, saying, ”Are you upset about the saying of Guan Yunchang reading the ’Spring and Autumn Annals’ at night? It’s merely something my father heard, being concerned for me. I spoke plainly to avoid a gap forming in your heart once you learned of it later. Father found it awkward to express to you, so it fell on me. Do show him some understanding.”

”Guan Yunchang kept vigil reading the books all night openly, and I, I, I have had nothing to do with Lady Zhao either.”

Gu Jinghui said aggrievedly.

Qin Yuan gently soothed, ”I know.”

”Know? What do you know? How do you know?”

Gu Jinghui, a bit agitated, turned to face Qin Yuan again.

Qin Yuan lowered her eyelashes, her long, curled eyelashes shielding the shrewdness in her eyes.

She had already administered the medicine to them, how could they not be clean?

The vague words from Lady Zhao might provoke the new bride, whose heart was tied to Gu Jinghui, into a frenzy, panicking and making foolish moves.

Meanwhile, she’d never taken those words to heart.

Not to mention it didn’t happen; even if it did, she had ways to handle it.

Everything depended on whether it was worth it or not.

For now, Marquis Gu was worth it in her eyes.

”Even my mother almost stopped believing in me. Why do you believe in me?”

Gu Jinghui stubbornly wanted an answer.

Qin Yuan smiled, ”I see that though you engross yourself in military strategies daily, husband, unaware of household affairs, you’re not the type to indulge in affairs. I revealed my father’s insinuations only wanting to counsel you a bit.”

Gu Jinghui asked, ”Counsel what?”

Qin Yuan said sternly, ”Mr. Guan was meticulous and correct in his conduct, praised by later generations. Cao Cao tested him, only because Cao Cao didn’t trust him. I’m afraid even Cao Cao couldn’t have done it, but Mr. Guan did it—and did it leaving others with nothing to say. As they say, ’under the melon field, beneath the plum tree’, the crowd’s scrutiny can melt gold. Husband, why not model your conduct after Mr. Guan’s? It could reduce some criticisms on the court, and those at the Imperial Censorate aren’t idle people.”

Military generals inherently respected Guan Yunchang; upon hearing this, Gu Jinghui felt somewhat lost and said after a long pause, ”Yuan’er indeed is exceptional, just like your brother said.”

”Oh?”

Qin Yuan found it rather odd.

That Qin Heng kid, did he actually praise her behind her back?

Gu Jinghui said, ”Just yesterday, I was drinking with my father-in-law, the brother-in-law, and the younger brother. They said you have good talent, capable as a scholar.”

Qin Yuan peered at his expression, seeing him staring steadily at her, so she smiled and said, ”It’s just idle talk. My father is the National Academy Sacrificial Officer, so I had the advantage of the proximity and read more books than ordinary families’ daughters.”

Gu Jinghui sighed, ”The brother-in-law also said I should ask you directly if there’s anything, since you’ve read more books.”

Qin Yuan understood that Gu Jinghui’s unsettled feelings and probings stemmed from this.