Chapter 43: The Marquis Is Angry Again

After Sixth Master Gu left, the room instantly fell into silence. Qin Yuan coughed lightly twice and said, "Sixth brother is so enthusiastic, but I don’t need it, it’s a real pity."

Gu Jinghui stood up, his face sullen, and the cold air seemed to emanate from him.

Qin Yuan finally noticed his unusual demeanor and quickly stood up asking, "Are you going back to rest, husband?"

"Yes," Gu Jinghui responded without waiting for her, and then walked away briskly.

Qin Yuan stood in place, watching his back: "..."

It’s truly baffling.

Hong Ye said, "Miss, was the Marquis angry just now?"

Cui Ming also worriedly frowned.

Qin Yuan furrowed her brow in retrospection, unable to discern any fault in herself, yet Marquis Gu had suddenly become like this.

"Ignore him, maybe he’s physically uncomfortable, and will be better in a while."

Marquis Gu hadn’t gone far, his body paused, and his complexion grew even more somber.

"Now that the sun’s also setting, let’s take a walk in the courtyard. Staying inside can be quite stifling."

As soon as Qin Yuan spoke, the two maids immediately chimed in.

Cui Ming said, "Miss hasn’t composed poetry for a while. I see several good spots in the courtyard. Perhaps you could indulge in some poetry amidst your enjoyment, and if there are any fine works, you could reply to Miss Dong."

Qin Yuan paused upon hearing this.

After her rebirth, she was busy preparing for marriage, and after arriving at the Marquis Mansion, preoccupied with various trivial matters, she had forgotten about this close friend in her previous life.

"Alright, let’s take a walk."

She hadn’t taken a proper stroll around her own courtyard yet.

The Marquis Mansion was not as cramped as the Qin Mansion; the Wutong Garden alone where she resided was already larger than the backyard of the Qin Mansion.

Qin Yuan led the maids to walk and frolic around.

Their laughter reached the ears of Marquis Gu, who was sulking on a bamboo couch in the side room, making him even more restless.

He didn’t want to listen, yet couldn’t help but search the cluster of female voices for the softest and most charming one.

"Poetry," Gu Jinghui murmured, barely audible, as he chewed over the word with his lips and teeth.

The gloom on his face seemed almost palpable.

Eventually, he couldn’t help but step outside and lean on the railings, gazing distantly at Qin Yuan’s figure as she appeared and disappeared amidst the fake rocks and greenery.

After watching for a while, he returned to the room to lie down.

Qin Yuan, tired from walking in the courtyard, headed home.

She had just stood by the pool, watching the dimly green water’s surface, as bamboo leaves floated upon it, and birds lightly touched the surface before flying across. Suddenly, a half-stanza of poetry came to her mind, intending to write it down on a floral note. She planned to think of the remaining half-stanza leisurely.

In her previous life, she was daily entrenched in mundane affairs, painstakingly strategizing for Lin Ziqi’s prospects, rarely finding such idle pleasure.

Lin Ziqi no longer accompanied her in composing poetry and painting, lost either in power struggles or captivated by someone else’s gentle affection. He was far removed from the ideal husband she had initially met.

Ultimately, both became unlikeable to each other.

Qin Yuan resolved to live this life comfortably and serenely. With her eyes focused on flowers when appreciating them, and her heart absorbed with poetry when composing it, Marquis Gu had long since been cast out of her mind. Hong Ye couldn’t help but worry for her saying, "I wonder if the Marquis is feeling better now."

Qin Yuan said, "See if it’s time for dinner, and later ask the Marquis what he would like to eat."

Cui Ming said, "Mrs. Cai is leading people in repairing the small kitchen. It’s probably almost finished, and once the plaster is dry, it can be used. We need to purchase some utensils as well."

Hong Ye asked, "Can’t these be obtained from the mansion?"

Cui Ming was unsure too.

Qin Yuan said, "Just ask Mrs. Cai."

The group, speaking of these trivial matters, temporarily set their poetic interests aside.

Upon returning to the corridor, Mrs. Cai was already waiting below.

Qin Yuan quickly said, "Mrs. Cai, please come in for tea."

Mrs. Cai shook her head and said, "It’s too late, I won’t disturb the Marchioness. The old servant has already arranged the small kitchen, but I will come back in a few days to check it. If there’s no problem upon lighting a test fire, we can use it."

Qin Yuan smiled and said, "Mrs. Cai, it’s really troublesome for you. This matter is urgent, I imagine you’ve been running around quite a bit. It truly isn’t easy in such hot weather."

This remark sent a long-held resentment rushing into Mrs. Cai’s nose, suddenly bringing on an emotional tightness.

"These things, the old servant is used to doing."

Qin Yuan said, "Hong Ye, go get an envelope for Mrs. Cai to have some tea."

Hong Ye responded and went to the inner room.

Mrs. Cai rubbed her hands, saying, "Marchioness, you need to let someone useful follow me to have a look, see if there’s anything to change. After all, it’s troublesome to do it once, better to do it well."

Cui Ming said, "I’ll go with you."

Hong Ye took out the red envelope, and Mrs. Cai and Cui Ming went away. Qin Yuan returned to the inner room to change clothes, and she stood waiting with her head down under the corridor.

Gu Shiliu walked in from outside the courtyard, curiously saying, "Hong Ye, what are you doing here? You’re not trying to block me again, are you?"

Every time Hong Ye blocked him, it was because she had something for him.

Hong Ye smiled and took out a piece of paper from her pocket, handing it to Gu Shiliu, "Take a look at what this is."

"What?"

"This is a receipt that the Marchioness gave you. It has the Marchioness’s private seal. You sign it, and later when Cui Ming returns, sign the ledger in Cui Ming’s account book, and it’s done. You’ll use this to distribute silver in the future."

"Really?"

Gu Shiliu, somewhat excited, took it over, praising "The Marchioness is thorough in her deeds, considering even us."

He looked at it repeatedly and carefully put it away in his pocket.

Mrs. Cai returned with Cui Ming, unexpectedly asking, "What were you guys just talking about...?"

Hong Ye cheerfully handed over the red envelope to Mrs. Cai, saying "Mrs. Cai, take this."

Mrs. Cai didn’t refuse. She took it and felt it, chuckling as she asked, "What were you guys talking about earlier? Can I join in?"

Her man worked for the Marquis, and her family had accumulated some silver money.

After hearing Hong Ye and the others, Mrs. Cai said with a smile, "Miss Cui Ming, could you help me save face in front of the Marchioness, also contributing fifty taels of silver?"

She truly wanted to foster closeness with the Marchioness.

Whether the money could be earned was secondary.

Cui Ming hesitated, seeing Hong Ye continuously signaling, she finally agreed, "I can only try talking to the Marchioness for you, but I cannot guarantee anything. You shouldn’t announce it everywhere. Once it’s resolved, I will find you."

Mrs. Cai agreed repeatedly, saying, "The old servant will not go in to bother the Marchioness. Miss Cui Ming, when you have news, just send a little maid to run an errand."

"Alright."

The group whispered quietly under the corridor.

Marquis Gu heard everything and loudly called from inside the room, "Sixteen, Sixteen, where have you gone?"

Gu Shiliu immediately said, "The Marquis is looking for me."

Hong Ye pulled him aside, whispering, "Please help to find out why the Marquis is suddenly upset."

"What?"

Gu Shiliu couldn’t figure it out.

"Didn’t the Marquis return from the main room just fine? He even gave me a large reward of silver."