Gu Yan Chen said, "What's there to think about? We have a large household, so of course we have to wait until everything is settled before leaving."
Lu Nian Fu paused, then looked at him with a thoughtful gaze.
Gu Yan Chen felt a pang of guilt under her scrutiny and after a moment, spoke sheepishly, "I know it's sudden to ask you to leave your home. But the imperial decree has been issued, and there's nothing we can do about it. We can delay our return to the capital, but defying the decree means beheading."
"I have to go too?"
"Of course. Upon our return to the capital, I'll likely be taking office. You'll be out of your mourning period next year, and we can't live apart, can we?" He grumbled with deep resentment at the thought.
Who else was as unlucky as him, having to live like a monk for three years after getting married.
With his mourning period ending next year, if they were to be separated by a thousand miles, he might as well smash his head against a wall. He soothed her, "Although it's difficult to get along with my stepmother, as long as the Emperor grants me an official position, I will request my father to establish a separate residence outside. You can visit my stepmother every ten days or so to pay your respects, and we'll live our lives as usual."
Princes usually established their own residences after coming of age. Lu Nian Fu was a little surprised, "You haven't established a residence yet?"
"If parents are alive, children do not establish separate households. Besides, I had just come of age when I came to Yangzhou. I wanted to follow Ouyang and gain some merit, hoping to secure a minor official post to escape my stepmother's control. Who knew my luck was so good, I was directly appointed a thousand households commander, and I stayed in Yangzhou for over two years."
Having merit did indeed make it easier to be enfeoffed as a prince. What was his title in his previous life? It seemed to be related to ‘Rui’, and his fiefdom also seemed much better than Situ Jue's, which had caused Situ Jue to lose his temper at home many times.
Lu Nian Fu ignored the strangeness she felt and couldn't help but imagine what the capital would be like.
In her past life, the main reason she married Situ Jue was her hope that her mother would look upon her with favor. But she was too foolish; a secondary consort to the Prince of Ning was, in the end, merely a concubine, and could be killed or harmed at will. But if he returned as the Seventh Prince's consort?
She shook her head, quickly dispelling the thought.
She had promised herself to live for herself this life, so why should she still care about the opinions of irrelevant people?
Gu Yan Chen was displeased, "Why are you spacing out again?"
"Ah?" Lu Nian Fu gave an embarrassed laugh, "Isn't it just that things came too suddenly?"
"You think too much. If you were busy, you wouldn't waste time on these trivial matters." He scooped her up with his right arm and slung her over his shoulder.
Lu Nian Fu's head hung downwards, and she felt blood rush to her head. Without thinking, she pounded his back twice with her small fists, "What are you doing? Do you still want your hand to be alright?"
Her strength was no different from giving him a massage.
Gu Yan Chen was unconcerned and even deliberately patted her buttocks with his left hand, "Don't worry, even with this injury, I'm more than capable of handling you."
The soft mattress sagged as Lu Nian Fu was thrown onto the bed. The tall figure followed, his lips finding hers precisely. However, he was met with fierce resistance. Lu Nian Fu turned her face away forcefully and cried out, "You haven't brushed your teeth yet."
Gu Yan Chen paused and sniffed. Mmm, it smelled like braised beef. He laughed heartily, "Aunt Cui's cooking is superb. How could I enjoy it alone? Of course, Madam should have a taste."
Her slender hands were pinned above her head, and Lu Nian Fu was kissed again.
After the kiss, her ragged breaths echoed in the room. She lay on the bed, motionless, despair filling her face. She was sure she now tasted of beef, just like Gu Yan Chen.
Gu Yan Chen, proud of his successful kiss, declared, "As husband and wife, tomorrow we'll have some garlic."
Garlic!!!
Lu Nian Fu, at the end of her rope, kicked him off the bed, "Go brush your teeth."
She had brought this upon herself. To prevent herself from throwing up when kissed tomorrow, Lu Nian Fu forced Gu Yan Chen to brush his teeth five times, to the point where his gums almost bled. Only when she was sure there was no trace of the taste left in his mouth did Lu Nian Fu allow him back onto the bed.
Perhaps the cold and simple bed in her previous life had left Lu Nian Fu with psychological trauma. In this life, the soft, comfortable, and warm bed had become her obsession. Summers were fine, but as soon as winter arrived, she wished she could stay in bed forever, refusing to get up before the sun was high in the sky.
She slept soundly, but the warmth of the quilt this morning was a bit excessive.
She opened her eyes to find herself completely enveloped in Gu Yan Chen's embrace. The heat from his body, even through two layers of underclothes, was more effective than a warming stove.
Having experienced this many times before, Lu Nian Fu was not surprised. She simply asked, "Are you slacking off on your training again this morning?"
What happened to practicing martial arts in the dog days of summer and the coldest days of winter?
Gu Yan Chen replied, "I'm not a soldier anymore, and I don't need to fight pirates. It's fine to be lazy once in a while."
This man always had an endless supply of excuses for his laziness.