Chapter 6

Rong Shu, fully dressed, stepped around the screen and addressed Gu Changjin, "My lord, I'm ready."

Though she spoke of being ready, her complexion hardly reflected it. Dark circles adorned her eyes, and her face was alarmingly pale.

Gu Changjin couldn't help but recall the image from the previous night when she had smiled radiantly at him under the dim candlelight after lifting the red veil.

The young maiden had been dressed in a vibrant red wedding gown, adorned with a phoenix coronet and a veil of flowing silk. Her cheeks were rosier than any bloom, and her eyes shimmered with anticipation, clearly displaying her joy and vitality.

But after just one night, she seemed to have fallen gravely ill.

Gu Changjin assumed she hadn't slept well.

Yesterday, on his wedding day, he had been the center of attention, and the officials from the Ministry of Punishments, all heavy drinkers, took every opportunity to ply him with alcohol. Intent on waiting for her to fall asleep before entering their shared room, he indulged their wishes and continued drinking in the outer chamber until midnight.

Upon returning, he discovered that she had stayed awake, determinedly resisting sleep, waiting for him. The warming decoction to sober him up had been reheated numerous times in the small kitchen until he finally drank it, allowing her to rest peacefully.

Calculating the hours, this young lady had managed to sleep for less than two hours.

Considering this, Gu Changjin looked at Rong Shu and said, "It's still early. If you're feeling weary, there's no harm in visiting your mother later."

Rong Shu's head was still pounding painfully. In the past, such a headache would have kept her in bed for half a day.

But now that she was married, things were different.

Not only did she have to go, but she also had to make sure she wasn't late. If she was, others would criticize the daughter of a marquis family for being disrespectful to her mother-in-law and putting on airs.

Rong Shu shook her head and said, "It's alright," her tone distant, even to herself.

Gu Changjin glanced at her but didn't say anything more.

When they arrived at Liumiao Hall, the sky had already begun to lighten, revealing the bright lights in the courtyard and the pervasive aroma of medicine.

Gu Changjin had a thin family connection; only his mother, Madam Xu, resided in this Liumiao Hall.

He was the second-born in his original family. His father, Gu Jun, was a hunter in Jinan Prefecture, and with Madam Xu, they had two sons and a daughter. Gu Changjin was the youngest, originally having an older brother and a sister.

Unfortunately, when he was six years old, a fire broke out in the mountain where they lived. Both Gu Changjin's father and siblings perished in the flames.

Madam Xu was also injured in the fire and later suffered from mental exhaustion and physical deterioration. Her chronic illnesses fluctuated frequently, requiring her to be accompanied by medicinal soups almost every day.

Rong Shu followed Gu Changjin inside, where they found an elderly woman with sallow cheeks and silver-streaked hair leaning against a large bolster on a canopied bed, listening to an old nanny speak.

This was none other than Gu Changjin's mother, Madam Xu, and the nanny's surname was An. Gu Changjin had specially invited her to look after Madam Xu.

Upon seeing them enter, Nurse An hastily interrupted her conversation, turning with Madam Xu to look at the couple. Her gaze subtly swept over Rong Shu before she sighed inwardly.

Miss Rong from the Rong family truly possessed an ethereal beauty and stunning appearance.

Her willow-shaped eyebrows complemented her lotus-like face, while her pair of peach blossom eyes shimmered like water, perfectly embodying the phrase "peach blossoms bloom in spring water." They evoked memories of February's blooming peach trees in all their glory.

Though her current complexion wasn't at its best, looking somewhat haggard, she carried a delicate charm that seemed to need the support of a gentle breeze.

Nurse An felt a inexplicable unease but concealed it well, maintaining a courteous smile on her lips. The moment Rong Shu finished serving tea, she kindly handed two red envelopes to Madam Xu.

Madam Xu took them and personally placed the red envelopes in Rong Shu's hands, smiling warmly. "Our second son has a stubborn nature and isn't skilled with words. If you ever feel wronged, come and tell me, and I'll scold him for you."

Rong Shu had heard this speech before.

The last time she heard these words, she thought to herself, how could she bear to complain about Gu Changjin? No matter how great the injustice, she wouldn't be able to bear it.

Listening now, it seemed like a distant memory.

Rong Shu slightly lifted her face and smiled, softly acknowledging with a "yes."

Her countenance was as bright as a full moon, her peach blossom eyes enchanting yet not coquettish. When she smiled, the corners of her eyes curved like a crescent moon rising in the spring tide.

Madam Xu gazed at her for a moment before lowering her eyelids gently. She held Rong Shu's hand and patted it, saying, "This place is filled with sickness. There's no need for you to come and pay your respects to me daily, lest you catch any illness. In the Gu household, there's no need to be bound by empty formalities. As your mother, I only wish for the two of you to live happily together."

Madam Xu then coughed twice and spoke to Gu Changjin, "Second Son, escort Zhaozhao back to Songsi Courtyard."

Songsi Courtyard was where Gu Changjin resided – a mere fifteen to twenty-minute walk from Liumo Hall.

Gu Changjin accompanied Rong Shu back to Songsi Courtyard and returned to Liumo Hall afterward.

Madam Xu was not surprised by his return; it was as if she had anticipated it all along.

She took the freshly brewed teacup from Nanny An and sipped it, asking, "Nanny An mentioned that the two of you didn't consummate your marriage last night?"

Gu Changjin held the teacup in his hand, which Nanny An had prepared for them when Rong Shu was still there. By now, the tea had long gone cold.

Sipping the tepid tea without complaint, he took several gulps before casually explaining, "Nephew has no such intentions towards the Rong family."

Madam Xu gazed at him and smiled gently. "You're already at an age where you understand human emotions. Princess Cheng'an's eldest daughter, Rong Shu, is known for her beauty in the capital. It would only be natural if you developed feelings for her; there's no need to hold back."

Her words were both a probe and an approval.

But Gu Changjin replied, "The cases in the Ministry of Justice keep piling up, leaving me utterly overwhelmed. I truly don't have the heart for romantic dalliances."

Putting down his teacup, he looked up at Madam Xu, utterly perplexed. "Nephew still doesn't understand why Aunt wants me to marry Rong Shu?"

Madam Xu straightened slightly and instructed An Mama to serve him a fresh cup of tea. "It's because she is the right person."

Pausing here, she seemed to recall something, laughing as she appraised Gu Changjin.

"Be honest with Aunt. Are you secretly thinking of Wen Xi? You don't need to worry about Wen Xi being jealous; she knows that your marriage to Rong Shu was my arrangement, so she won't mind. As for your marriage to Rong Shu, it won't last more than five years at most. Even if you dislike it, you'll have to endure for now."