Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 451

Gu Ye couldn’t decipher the meaning behind Qian Sansi’s enigmatic smile, but he trusted the chief eunuch’s competence and chose not to dwell on the matter.

Back in his tent, Xiao Luzi had already prepared hot water for him. Gu Ye, unaccustomed to having servants attend to him, didn’t mind having a young eunuch like Xiao Luzi assist him. He leaned back lazily in the tub and asked Xiao Luzi to wash his hair.

After the bath, as Gu Ye was about to drift off to sleep, he casually inquired, “Did anything noteworthy happen in the camp today?”

Although Gu Ye had spent the afternoon away from the camp, palace servants like Xiao Luzi, who weren’t skilled in martial arts, had stayed behind. These individuals were typically well-informed, especially Xiao Luzi, who was the only apprentice of Qian Sansi, the first eunuch serving Gu Ye. His position commanded respect and spoke to Gu Ye’s authority as a fearsome ruler. Thus, it wasn’t uncommon for people to confide in him about various matters.

Xiao Luzi began to recount the day’s events, “Your Royal Highness played with the Younger Highness for a while in the morning, and then the Younger Highness took a break after lunch. The Empress, not finding anyone to do, went to find the General’s wife to go horse riding together.”

As Gu Ye listened, a small smile naturally crept onto his face. He had been encouraged by Gu Yin to stop worrying about whether the two mothers would become jealous over him. Instead, he genuinely hoped that the two women could get along well.

However, Xiao Luzi quickly changed his tone and continued, “Then they met the young lady from the Lu family—the one betrothed to Duke Lu. The General’s wife didn’t approach her, but the young lady took the initiative to come over…”

Xiao Luzi relayed the details of the encounter precisely to Gu Ye.

Gu Ye opened his eyes, and the smile on his face faded.

Despite his youth, he displayed exceptional manners and demeanor, exuding a sense of majesty when he assumed a more serious countenance.

Upon witnessing this transformation, Xiao Luzi remarked, “The young lady of the Lu family seems rather thoughtless and unobservant. She appears to disregard the General’s wife and highness. Is she unaware of her place, considering her status as the Lady of Duke Lu?”

Xiao Luzi’s final statement carried underlying implications, and Gu Ye comprehended its meaning upon hearing it. Although the Lu and Feng families were betrothed, until they officially tied the knot, the Lu family remained a merchant clan.

The royal family might be somewhat cautious when dealing with families of great merit, fearing that their actions could alienate the heroes who founded the dynasty. However, this was not a concern with a family like the Lu’s.

If Gu Ye were to approach the Empress Dowager or Empress Zhou to discuss about Lu Yuanqi, Mrs. Qin, who was accustomed to favoring the high-born and belittling the lowly, would likely waver between reputation and wealth. Perhaps she might reconsider the marriage.

Without the protection of Duke Lu, Lu Yuanqi would merely be a common merchant’s daughter, with no leverage for her frivolous behavior.

Gu Ye shook his head. He couldn’t reveal this plan.

“My mother believes that the union of the two is a ‘blessed event’. The marriage should not be annulled,” Gu Ye pondered.

Xiao Luzi realized that there was little he could do about the impetuous young lady and fell silent.

Shortly after Gu Ye finished bathing, Lu Zhao’s wet nurse approached and informed him that the child was crying.

As Gu Ye wondered why Empress Zhou had not been summoned to comfort the child, he went to tend to Lu Zhao.

Feeling exhausted from the afternoon’s activities, Gu Ye spent time playing with Lu Zhao until both of them drifted into a peaceful slumber.

In the early morning of the second day, Gu Ye quietly left Lu Zhao’s residence.

At that moment, both Mrs. Wang and Gu Yin were already awake, sitting together and engaged in conversation.

Gu Yin sipped her fragrant tea, but Mrs. Wang didn’t address her as warmly and cordially as usual. Instead, she lowered her head and admitted her mistake in a hushed tone, “I meant well, thinking about that deer blood tonic. It seemed a waste to discard it, so I prepared it. I didn’t realize it would be that potent.”

Wu Qingyi had taken a cold shower all night and hadn’t returned to her quarters, while Gu Yin had suffered from insomnia due to the heat. The two of them had endured a difficult night, especially Gu Yin, whose living conditions had improved recently, making her body more delicate than before.

Seeing this, Mrs. Wang understood that her plan had failed, and her intention to disrupt their lives had backfired. She quickly apologized.

Gu Yin responded calmly, “Yesterday, not only Qingyi and I consumed the deer blood, but I also gave some to the Empress.”

Mrs. Wang awkwardly smiled and replied, “Well, it should be fine.”

Sensing the tension in the room, Gu Ye decided not to intrude any further. He gestured to the servant at the door, indicating that he was leaving.

Back in his tent, as Xiao Luzi assisted him in changing his clothes, Gu Ye inquired about the effects of deer blood.

Recognizing that his master was different from ordinary individuals, Xiao Luzi didn’t sugarcoat his response due to Gu Ye’s youth. He explained that deer blood was known to enhance yang energy and improve essence, making it an excellent supplement for adult men, particularly beneficial for procreation.

If consumed, deer blood could increase the chances of conceiving a child, and it was highly potent. However, given the conversation between his mother and grandmother, it appeared that the plan had failed.

Gu Ye couldn’t help but smile. Once he was dressed, he went to attend to Emperor Zhengyuan once again.

Xiao Luzi continued to stay in the tent, ruminating on his inability to come up with a good idea the previous day. He felt a sense of self-blame and regret for not carrying out his errand successfully, and he was racking his brains for a solution.

As he pondered, a sudden insight illuminated his mind. It dawned on him that His Highness might have a plan.

Determined not to waste any more time, he was not idle that day in the camp. He visited Emperor Zhengyuan’s dining room and approached the royal chef, requesting some fine wine and deer blood. He also inquired about the best method to use deer blood. He then mixed the two to create a bottle of deer blood wine.

Once the day’s hunting was over, the bottle of wine was sent to the tent of Feng Yuan, Duke Lu, along with other rewards.