Chapter 322: Young Master Nantang

After Marquis Gu and his wife left, Old Madam Gu said to Nanny Rong, "The third one is still not enlightened."

Nanny Rong asked, "How so?"

"Isn’t it obvious? That little girl from the Chang family probably has different thoughts, yet the third one is still thinking of something else."

Nanny Rong couldn’t help but laugh, "That’s also good. Now that I think about it, too much cleverness can be distracting. The Marquis has finally opened his heart and his thoughts are solely on his wife, which saves him from a lot of unnecessary troubles. If he wasn’t like this, he wouldn’t be able to accomplish great things."

"But didn’t Mrs. Zhao almost scheme against him?"

"It shows that there are pros and cons; the Marquis is not a perfect man."

Old Madam Gu laughed, "You old thing, you’ve said it all."

Nanny Rong stopped smiling and asked, "Old Madam, did the Chang family really take refuge with Empress Lin back then?"

Old Madam Gu shook her head, "I don’t know, but now that the Crown Prince and the Ninth Princess are taking care of Chang Qingling, it’s truly disgusting in our eyes."

"Isn’t it just..."

Nanny Rong knitted her brows tightly.

Just as Qin Yuan and Marquis Gu left the main room, Gu Shiliu came to invite them, saying, "Sixth Master says there’s something important for the Marquis and Madam to discuss in the front hall."

Qin Yuan couldn’t guess what needed to be discussed in the front hall. Marquis Gu held her hand tightly and said, "No worries, we can walk slowly there, treating it as a way to digest our food."

The two walked silently for a while.

Marquis Gu suddenly said, "Counting the days, it’s been several days since the Measles Goddess left."

Qin Yuan’s heart skipped a beat, and her face felt unbearably hot, forcing a voice from her throat, "These past days, I’ve been so tired from work that I even forgot to count the days."

Marquis Gu looked helpless.

"You heard what Mother said, Mother suspects that my husband is ill that’s why we haven’t consummated yet. When I think about how we’ve been married for several months now, do you... think others will laugh at my incompetence?"

Today, he was quite provoked by General Jin.

General Jin sneaked in to ask about the treasure book. When Marquis Gu said it was decent, General Jin remarked, "This is the culmination of my years of experience, the distilled essence passed down for generations, written after countless plucked beard hairs. How can the Marquis dismiss it as merely decent?"

To Gu Jinghui, indeed, this book was just decent, nothing more.

Although his young wife seemed affectionate and tender, they still couldn’t cross that line.

He speculated in his heart whether his young wife was just conforming due to their marital status, or perhaps she was still too young and hadn’t awakened to such matters, requiring a gradual approach.

Faced with General Jin’s pointed questions, Gu Jinghui displayed a difficult-to-interpret expression.

General Jin suddenly realized, "Could it be that Madam is not pleased with matters between men and women? It seems the Marquis needs to put in more effort. If there’s discord in such matters, even affection suffers a discount."

Initially, Gu Jinghui didn’t understand, but seeing General Jin’s inscrutable expression, he realized a possibility and angrily said, "You rogue, what nonsense are you guessing?"

With such words, General Jin seemed even more convinced, offering a cryptic expression, "Marquis, don’t be angry. I’ll think of another way."

When General Jin left, his heavy, large figure seemed somewhat dispirited and anxious.

Gu Jinghui was quite vexed, unable to explain or lose his temper.

Without losing his temper, people would merely speculate on their own.

If he did lose his temper, there wouldn’t be any need for speculation; it would be confirmed directly.

This vexation simmered, and upon hearing Mother’s remarks today, the Marquis couldn’t help but reveal his heart to his young wife under the moonlight.

Qin Yuan never expected such words to come so unabashedly from Marquis Gu’s mouth, immediately blushing, her face burning, unable to speak.

Marquis Gu saw her bowing her head low, lower and lower, till it couldn’t go any lower, exposing her red, flushed ears, and he lifted her chin to observe closely under the lamp and moonlight.

His gaze followed her long, graceful eyebrows, the misty cold stars in her eyes, down to her tender, flowerlike red lips, and he couldn’t help but kiss her deeply.

Qin Yuan melted in his arms.

Hong Ye and Gu Shiliu had already retreated far away.

Gu Shiliu didn’t dare make a sound.

Hong Ye covered her eyes, not daring to look, only whispering, "Sixth Master is still waiting, should I ask him?"

Gu Shiliu: "..."

With Marquis Gu’s keen hearing, he probably already knew.

The crescent moon slowly drifted into the clouds.

Darkness descended around them.

A few stars twinkled faintly.

Marquis Gu eventually remembered there was still business to attend to, holding the beautifully blushing, dreamy-eyed Qin Yuan in his arms, grumbling, "The Sixth Elder better have something important."

By the time they reached the front hall, Qin Yuan had regained her dignified composure. Sixth Master Gu came forward, smiling, "Brother and Sister-in-law are finally here. We were just discussing poetry."

Gu Jinghui: "..."

Sixth Master Gu paid no mind to his third brother’s expression, addressing Qin Yuan, "Sister-in-law, Mr. Songshan is immensely talented. Just now, he discussed poetry and made everyone’s hearts itch. I’ve heard Sister-in-law is quick-witted in poetry. Why not, while everyone is here tonight, join us in enjoying fireflies and composing poems?"

Qin Yuan glanced at Marquis Gu, whose face seemed somewhat darkened, and smilingly declined, "I can comment a little, but if I were to compose poetry, it would be like fireflies competing with the bright moon."

Sixth Master Gu looked toward Qin Jijiu.

Qin Siyuan said, "Sister, why be so modest? We’re all family here."

Qin Jijiu laughed, "I’ve heard your brother say that Siyuan’s recent poetic talent was honed by your guidance, something I couldn’t achieve but you easily did. You shouldn’t hide it from family. With Mr. Songshan here today, if you miss this chance, you may not get another."

Mr. Songshan quickly said, "Lord Sacrificial Officer, you’re flattering me, truly overwhelmed."

Seeing Qin Yuan somewhat intrigued, Gu Jinghui said, "Madam has been working hard these days; why not relax together? I also wish to see you create poetry."

Qin Yuan smiled, "In that case, I’ll dare to show my clumsiness, but as a lady, I should take a pseudonym for composing. Even if it gets out, others won’t guess it’s me."

Qin Jijiu said, "Even if they find out, it doesn’t matter. Many women’s poems are engraved and sold, widely circulated. What’s wrong with that?"

Qin Yuan smiled without speaking.

Qin Siyuan asked, "What pseudonym?"

Qin Yuan pondered for a moment, "I love the lotus in Wutong Garden, taking the line ’Gathering lotus in South Pond, the lotus rises above one’s head,’ I’ll use the name Nantang. How about Nantang Young Master?"

Qin Jijiu couldn’t help but laugh, "I thought you’d choose something like ’Mistress of Water Lily’."

Qin Yuan also laughed, "That was childish folly; Father, don’t tease me."

Qin Siyuan clapped and said, "The name Nantang Young Master is excellent. If the world hears of Sister’s great talent, they’ll never imagine the graceful young master is a lovely lady."

Mr. Songshan pondered silently, seemingly lost in thought.

Gu Jinghui suppressed his inner astonishment and said, "Yes, very good. I think the lotus pond in Wutong Garden should be called Nantang."

General Jin once said, to win a woman’s heart, one needs to possess the qualities of Pan, Donkey, Deng, Small, Leisure. He prided himself on the first three but knew the latter two required time.