The little maid outside softly asked, "Madam, should I bring in the hangover soup?"
Qin Yuan softly asked, "Should you drink some hangover soup? Otherwise, you’ll have a headache later, and you still need to go to the Great Camp tomorrow."
This gentle and caring manner from Marquis Gu was very pleasing, and he said, "That hangover soup doesn’t taste good. I never like drinking it. How about you feed me? I heard General Jin’s wife serves him like this."
General Jin often boasted in his ear about the benefits of having a loving wife and concubines.
He wasn’t envious.
But after marrying Qin Yuan, he couldn’t help but want to outshine General Jin for some reason.
Qin Yuan quietly rolled her eyes and smiled, "Alright, but you have to sit up against the pillow, or else it will spill all over the bed, then you won’t sleep comfortably."
Hearing this, Gu Jinghui felt an inner joy like galloping a horse under the blazing sun for hundreds of miles and drinking iced cherry almond pudding, feeling refreshed and comfortable in every pore of his body.
All the accumulated gloom in his heart vanished.
"Bring it in."
Seeing he didn’t object, Qin Yuan called out for the little maid to come in.
Unexpectedly, it was Hong Ye who came in.
Hong Ye’s eyes were full of laughter as she eagerly brought the hangover soup to the bedside.
"Leave us, it’s enough to have Madam here."
Gu Jinghui quickly spoke up, driving Hong Ye away.
Hong Ye: "..."
Originally wanting to say something, Marquis Gu didn’t give her the chance.
Qin Yuan laughed, "I’ll call you later. Go check if Cui Ming has finished preparing the chilled noodles. Marquis will dine at home tonight, let him try the cold noodles made by the small kitchen."
Hong Ye answered, placed the tray on the table, and left.
Qin Yuan picked up the soup bowl and turned back to see Gu Jinghui already leaning against the pillow, the corners of his lips slightly curved, looking at her with affectionate eyes.
Small kitchen.
Hong Ye whispered to Cui Ming, "Tsk tsk, you should have seen how clingy the Marquis was to Miss. I hadn’t even put down the tray yet and was driven out."
Cui Ming chuckled softly.
Hong Ye continued, "Now they should consummate their marriage, otherwise, they’ll have to wait another ten days."
Cui Ming said nothing.
After worrying about whether the two would consummate their marriage, Hong Ye asked, "Do you know who I met when I went out?"
"Who?" Cui Ming responded this time.
"It was Mr. and Mrs. Qian, oh my, they were so enthusiastic when they saw me. They even asked me to inquire with Madam about joining in on a purchase of pepper."
"Oh."
"I’m telling you, they stopped me and said a lot. Between the lines, it was all about Bai Que being influenced by others for going to Wutong Garden. Marquis, considering the respectability of the Qian family, wants Bai Que to have a grand wedding. Foolish Lady Zhao had the wrong idea and so on. Several housekeepers gathered around to listen, the compliments flowed out like they cost nothing."
"Mr. and Mrs. Qian are indeed efficient in their affairs."
Cui Ming admired the efficiency of Mr. and Mrs. Qian, cutting decisively, without ambiguity.
"I heard that Qian Da’s ancestor went to war with the Old Master, carried him out from a pile of corpses. Along the way, enemy soldiers searched everywhere but couldn’t find them. They suffered a lot, even drank urine during hard times. That’s why Qian Da holds significant respect in front of the master. The mansion’s treasury is handed over to him for management."
Cui Ming said, "Exactly, that’s why Miss worries about offending Mr. and Mrs. Qian, thinking of ways to resolve it."
Hong Ye, still with lingering fear, said, "Yes, offending such people is like offending the nanny by Mrs. Qin’s side."
The nanny by Mrs. Cui’s side is formidable, able to exploit any mistake, making life miserable.
Cui Ming advised, "The Marquis Mansion and the Qin Mansion are different. You should gather more information and be cautious to avoid unknowingly offending someone, not knowing whom or how you offended them, leading to dire consequences, not just for yourself, but also implicating Miss."
Hong Ye nodded emphatically.
The two chatted for a while until they were called in, saying the Marquis wanted to try the cold noodles made by the small kitchen.
When the cold noodles were served, the dinner from the main kitchen was also delivered.
Gu Jinghui had already freshened up and changed into a casual azure gauze robe, his hair loosely let down with only a small braid adorned with a bead to weigh it down.
Qin Yuan also changed into leisure wear, with all her hair ornaments removed, her hair tied with a silk tie.
The incense had been lit again in the room. The two sat closely together, appearing even more intimate than during the day.
Looking at the table full of dishes, Gu Jinghui said, "I only just commented on Prince Qi’s extravagance; he casually orders ten dishes when dining out. What we don’t finish at home is shared with the maidservants, appreciating simplicity, Yuan’er, you’ve done well."
The noble families always taught their descendants that wealth doesn’t come easy, constantly reminding them to cherish the fortune hard-earned by their ancestors, ensuring the family foundation isn’t squandered through indulgence and excess.
Lately, Qin Yuan’s actions have gained Gu Jinghui’s approval.
He looked at Qin Yuan with appreciation in his eyes.
Qin Yuan was taken aback and then smiled, "My father’s salary is low, with no other sources of income, only relying on gifts during festivals and tributes from students coming back to the Capital City to maintain household expenses. My stepmother is thrifty in her daily life. Having suddenly entered a wealthy environment, we can’t stand seeing so many good things wasted."