Chapter 4 Lack of love (1)
A month ago, at night, the moonlight melted, the courtyard was silent.
“Furen, have an early rest. The Emperor called Xingguo into the palace to discuss state affairs. I am afraid he will not come back all night.” Mo Xiang protruded her lips and persuaded the woman who was sewing and mending at the table.
The woman sewed the last st.i.tch, turned around and smiled and shook her head. “No, Xianggong said he will come back tonight.”
Faint candlelight shines on her face, and how many times she saw her face, still cannot be recovered by her beauty.
The arched eyebrows, the milky white skin, the nose was straight, especially the beautiful eyes that were always watery, like a deep pool, was fascinating.
She is Nie Wushuang, the pearl in Nie"s clan"s palm and the only di daughter of Chancellor, the powerful man of Qi State.
Three years ago, she pushed aside numerous matchmakers to propose marriage for the sons of high-ranking officials and insisted on marrying Gu Qinghong, a poor scholar who still went to the capital to compete in Imperial Examination (5).
At that time, how many people were criticized about her choice, but it was unexpected that a year later, Gu Qinghong made renown in overnight and became the Zhung Yuan (5). From then on, the emperor was more respected, the future was unlimited. In just three years, he became the youngest Prime Minister in the history of Qi State.
“Furen, if you don"t think about yourself but think for your child…” Mo Xiang had been recovering from Nie Wushuang"s beauty for a long time, she could not help but admonish.
Before she had finished, Nie Wushuang put a white jade finger upon her lips, and her soft face showed a pure and naughty expression: “Shh, don"t say anything, if Xianggong heard it, it would be no fun.”
Mo Xiang returned to her mind and nodded. “Nu Bi knows that furen wants to surprise His Excellency.” She grinned and retreated.
Nie Wushuang smiled and shook her head, and her hand involuntarily touched the flat abdomen.
She"s happy!
If there is any regret for the couple who have been in love with Gu Qinghong for three years, it was that she had no children so far.
She wanted to have a baby for him, but… Her clear eyes darkened. I don"t know if she"s too thoughtful. Recently, Xianggong seems to be quite indifferent to her.
If she hadn"t invited him several times, he would have slept in his study almost nightly for two months in a row. Ordinarily, if the newly appointed prime minister has a lot of affairs, but it seems that this should not be the case.
"Hiss!” She had so absorbed her thought that sudden a needle stuck into her finger when she did not pay attention to tidying up the needle and thread. Suddenly, beans size of blood oozed from her fingertip.
Her heart jumped and she looked at the bright red blood, a little alarmed.
Seeing the slight of blood, it"s bad luck!
“Furen! Why aren"t you sleep yet? Suddenly the door sounded pleasant. Nie Wushuang looked up with joy and saw Gu Qinghong standing at the door.
The night was very dark. He stood in the doorway. The moonlight outside the window seemed to pour down on him. It was easy to see his G.o.dly elegant demeanour at a glance. Sword eyebrows eyes shone like stars, temples like knives cut, overall, he looked like ink painting, beautiful, elegant, convincing.
He is Qi"s youngest Prime Minister and the most brilliant talent. Currently, his thin lips with an invisible smile but cannot guess what his thoughts, quietly leaning against the door looking at Nie Wushuang in the room.
Nie Wushuang quietly wiped the blood beads from his hands and greeted him with a smile and said, “Xianggong, why do you come back late?” Her hand reached out to him and his fingertips were empty. He had quietly avoided her hand, did not show any expression and entered the room.
(5) 科举 (kējǔ) Chinese Imperial Examination were a civil service examination system in Imperial China to select candidates for the state bureaucracy. Although there were imperial exams as early as the Han dynasty, the system became widely utilized as the major path to office only in the mid-Tang dynasty and remained so until its abolition in 1905. (from wiki)
(6) 状元 (zhuàngyuán) (Top thesis author) Number One Scholar, a t.i.tle conferred on the one who came first in the highest score in the imperial examination. the second rank conferred 榜眼 (bǎngyǎn) Eyes positioned alongside and the third rank conferred 探花 (tànhuā) Flower s.n.a.t.c.her.
相公 (xiàng gong) a form of address for one"s husband; young man
奴婢 (nú bì) slaves and maid-servants address themselves