Qin Yuan’s lips curved slightly, yet her face held confusion as she asked, "Has my lord made up his mind?"

Gu Jinghui coughed lightly a few times again and said, "I do have this thought, but I still want to hear your opinion."

Qin Yuan inquired, "I wonder what the marquis’ considerations are?"

Marquis Gu reached out to straighten her hairpin, saying, "Today, I heard Mr. Songshan mention that Sima Yi feigned illness twice; the first time because he couldn’t see the situation clearly, he declined Cao Cao’s appointment. I think this is somewhat similar to my current situation."

"How so?"

Qin Yuan sat up straight in Marquis Gu’s arms, her gaze intensely watching his sharp and handsome profile.

Marquis Gu coughed once more and said, "Isn’t this playing dumb while knowing the truth? As you just mentioned, the Crown Prince is currently weak, other princes and the courtiers have their own agendas, and the Emperor is wrestling with the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, delaying his agreement to my request. Isn’t this uncertainty of the situation?"

Qin Yuan chuckled, "Wrong, how is this unclear? The Emperor clearly wants to use my lord to offend the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, binding you to the Crown Prince. Not only would you be serving the Crown Prince, but also offending the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, so that in the future, they could be used to suppress you. I foresee that civil servants in the court will inevitably prevent and suppress military generals in the future."

Marquis Gu choked, stunned, "... Really...?"

Qin Yuan looked at him steadily, nodding, "That’s my view. Whether it’s right or not, I don’t know."

After some thought, Marquis Gu said, "Then I should indeed feign illness."

"Why?"

Marquis Gu frowned, "My Gu Family has sacrificed many lives to guard the Northern Border. The merit of Northern Border, even to grant me the title of Duke, wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Yet the Emperor is stingy with rewards and vaguely intends to take away the Gu Family Army’s power. How can I recklessly offend the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers for that short-lived Crown Prince and leave my Gu Family with no place to stand? I haven’t retaliated for the Crown Prince and King Jin’s act of adding insult to injury, so why should I protect this ill-fated man?"

With no one around, Marquis Gu stopped hiding his disdain for the Emperor and the Crown Prince once the conversation reached this point.

Qin Yuan’s body trembled slightly.

Marquis Gu reached out to gently touch her cheek and asked, "Are you cold?"

Qin Yuan shook her head and held Marquis Gu’s hand, saying, "Not cold, I’m happy, happy that my lord tells me everything on his mind."

Marquis Gu sighed, "I’m naturally willing to share with you, though I once thought you might not like hearing such things."

Qin Yuan smiled, "I once had concerns too, worried that my lord might dislike me meddling in external affairs, not adhering to a woman’s duties."

"How can you say that," Gu Jinghui replied, puzzled. "In a military general’s family, our daughters don’t adhere to such conventions. The Gu Family has defended the Northern Border for generations, many of the family members serve there, and quite a few have been on the battlefield. The Northern Border is a place of open customs, and gender distinctions aren’t stressed. If the men die, it’s common for widows to remarry. Moreover, competent women can certainly lead houses, and in times of enemy raids, even fight on the battlefield. If you’re capable and intelligent, it’s my blessing. How could I be such a petty person who can’t accept that?"

Qin Yuan nudged him, whispering, "That was my fault, judging the marquis with a petty heart. Besides, I saw you and mother teaching Little Sister Baozhu about manners, thinking it was like the emphasis on ’rules’ seen in families in the Capital. It made me want to avoid certain topics."

Gu Jinghui laughed, "It’s my fault indeed. I forgot you’re much younger than me and a new bride, so naturally, you are careful about things. My mother and I are restraining Baozhu only because she’s looking for a suitor in the Capital, and she can’t continue being so unruly. Teaching her manners is to temper her nature. Besides, my mother says the Gu Family should transition into civil service and engage more with civil servants, so those surface-level manners will likely be necessary in the future to avoid losses. Others I can’t control, but between us, there’s no need for such formality."

Embracing Qin Yuan, he earnestly said, "I like you taking care of my matters, planning and managing for me. I feel I’m no longer alone, though it means you’ll inevitably be more burdened."

Qin Yuan suppressed the tumultuous emotions in her heart, smiling, "What mistress doesn’t plot and manage? Having your and mother’s trust, I naturally must do my utmost. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and I have my limitations, unable to handle everything."

Gu Jinghui couldn’t help but sigh, "You’ve surpassed others by far. Initially, I only hoped for a wife who could bear children. I’ve seen and heard all you’ve done, keeping them in mind. Even idle discussions tell me that mutual respect between husband and wife is already excellent, and there’s understanding between us. You’re so wise and lovely; I surely don’t take my blessings for granted."

Qin Yuan’s face felt hot, "My lord’s words make me feel light-headed."

Gu Jinghui laughed, "Really? You haven’t even drunk the wine, and you’re already so elated. I’ve specifically procured this wine for you to try."

He said, lifting a wine bottle to show her.

Qin Yuan saw it was a sealed silver bottle, curiously asking, "What kind of wine is this?"

Gu Jinghui answered, "This is thick wine brewed from yellow rice, with osmanthus and some herbs added. The wine is sweet and sour; the old and young in the north often drink it—it’s quite pleasant. It tastes even better boiled with yellow peaches or the like."

Qin Yuan blinked curiously.

"I wonder if I can get used to it."

Marquis Gu said, "Why not give it a try?"

"Alright," Qin Yuan nodded. Tonight, since Marquis Gu wholeheartedly wants her to learn more about the customs of the Northern Border, she naturally wouldn’t disappoint him.

Marquis Gu opened the bottle and poured the wine into a pot, beginning to cook it.

Qin Yuan laughed.

Marquis Gu asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Qin Yuan said, "We were initially discussing playing sick, but ended up cooking wine instead."

Marquis Gu asked, "Do you feel it’s inappropriate somehow?"

Qin Yuan shook and nodded her head alternately, finally saying, "Though the Dingbei Marquis is not a Duke, an inheritable title is still better than many others. Even a Duke’s title, after a few generations, would need downgrading before passing on, all due to the Northern Border. Now my lord has made great achievements, but the Emperor is unwilling to reward you. It’s nothing but your competence, and the Emperor foresees no need for future military action. This timing could excuse taking sick leave without reproach, though the Emperor might bear a grudge."

As Marquis Gu sliced yellow peaches into the pot, he commented, "Sima Yi’s first feigned illness, Cao Cao must have known it was false. Still, Cao Cao’s foundation was unstable, making it unwise to act against him. I recently returned from leading troops, so the Emperor’s lack of reward is already a fault of his. Having just praised me, he naturally can’t rebuke my feigned illness either."

Qin Yuan smiled, "My lord certainly knows how to draw analogies."

The thick wine in the pot began to foam, and Marquis Gu slightly shifted it for a slow simmer, then said, "I’m also stifled with anger; this inheritable title was earned by the Gu Family’s sons on the battlefield, and I haven’t besmirched my ancestors. Yet the Royal family father and son don’t treat me as a serious person."