bookrandom Chapter 23 I caught a cold
Chapter 23 I caught a cold
"That kid sneaks into the kitchen whenever he has a spare moment. Could it really be just for a bite to eat?"
"Isn't that so?"
Isn't it the perfect age to be greedy and indulge in food?
Gu Peiyan flicked Wei Dongning's forehead: "If it were really because of his stutter, he wouldn't have gone around showing off a piece of pastry that Baoxing specially saved for him."
The boastfulness in his tone was impossible to hide.
And there was a sparkle of joy in his eyes.
He looked exactly like a young man in the throes of first love.
Several times, I even held the pastry and grinned foolishly for a long time before remembering to put it in my mouth.
Gu Peiyan even suspected that the Gu family might be starving him, which was why he got so excited when he saw some dessert.
"Haven't you ever thought about setting them up? Qianrong would be very happy if you arranged the marriage, right?"
“I have no interest in arranging marriages. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to Aunt Zhou and Baoxing,” Gu Pei said calmly.
Wei Dongning thought about it and realized that what he said made sense.
She did indeed overlook the feelings of Aunt Zhou and her daughter because she was more familiar with Qianrong.
If the girl doesn't have such intentions, then they're just being presumptuous.
Wei Dongning's disturbance made Gu Peiyan less sleepy.
Since the topic came up, he casually asked, "When the Emperor bestowed this marriage upon you, did you ever think of resisting?"
Wei Dongning's slightly cool hand covered his forehead, then she pulled it back under the covers after a moment.
What are you doing?
"Let me see if you're delirious from a fever."
"What do you mean?"
“I’m not foolish enough to go against imperial power. Nor am I interested in jeopardizing my entire family,” Wei Dongning replied with a serious expression.
It's just a wedding.
She wouldn't stoop so low as to play a game of Nine Clans Elimination.
Gu Peiyan felt she had asked too many questions.
From her cherry-like mouth, she always manages to utter things that are unpleasant to hear.
Listening to it too much is simply annoying.
"Let's go to sleep." Gu Peiyan didn't want to continue the conversation. "We have to attend the morning court session tomorrow."
"Alright, alright, then remember to be quiet when you leave in the morning."
Wei Dongning pulled the blanket up higher, wrapping herself up completely.
Perhaps it's because every time I turn over, there's always a small gap in the blanket, and the cold air gets in uncontrollably.
Wei Dongning subconsciously pulled more blankets toward her side.
In the end, she tucked almost all the blankets under her.
Gu Peiyan carefully protected the last little corner covering her body, secretly pulling it back a little each time Wei Dongning turned over.
Gu Peiyan didn't get a warm night's sleep until it was time to get up for court.
After sneezing loudly with his hand over his mouth, only one thought remained in his mind.
Next time he sleeps, he wants to prepare two blankets on the bed!
A tickling sensation rose in her throat, and Gu Peiyan immediately rolled over and got out of bed.
He was afraid that the sound of his cough would wake Wei Dongning, who was still fast asleep.
Qian Rong carried a basin of hot water into the room and called out softly, "Young Master?"
Gu Peiyan replied in a low voice, "Find my official robes for me."
"Okay, young master, your throat..."
"You caught a cold. After court, you can buy some medicine for a cold. It's nothing serious."
Despite their best efforts to control their noise, Wei Dongning was still awakened by the soft sounds.
"What time is it now?"
Wei Dongning squinted and lifted the curtain on the bed to look outside. Only two candles illuminated that small corner of the room.
Qian Rong replied with trepidation, "Young Madam, it is now the hour of Yin (3-5 AM)."
Wei Dongning said "Oh" and lay back down.
No wonder she felt it was still dark outside.
After Gu Peiyan finished dressing, she lifted the bed curtains and tucked the blankets around Wei Dongning: "Go back to sleep."
When are you coming back?
"It will probably be dinner time. Today is my first day at the Censorate, and I don't know how much work I have to do."
"understood."
Wei Dongning turned over, her back to Gu Peiyan.
She clearly thought he was being long-winded.
Gu Peiyan's lips curled slightly as she stepped out from behind the bed curtains: "Let's go, Father will be getting impatient soon."
The carriage that would take them to court was waiting in front of the mansion gate early in the morning. When Gu Peiyan went in, Gu Song was already waiting inside.
"Today is your first day in the Censorate. Remember to be careful with your words and actions from now on."
"Yes, Father."
Gu Song and Gu Peiyan rarely communicated.
Therefore, apart from the brief conversation when they first entered the carriage and a brief inquiry about his cold, the father and son had no further interaction.
When they arrived at the palace gate, the civil and military officials were already gathered together exchanging pleasantries.
Basically, civil officials stood together with civil officials, and military officials stood together with military officials.
There seemed to be a dividing line between the two groups.
We will not disturb each other.
After Gu Peiyan got off the carriage, he met the gaze of his father-in-law, who had turned around.
Adhering to the proper etiquette of a son-in-law, he quickly walked over and bowed to Wei Liangzhe, saying, "Father-in-law."
"Hmm. Did you catch a cold?"
Wei Liangzhe noticed the slight hoarseness in Gu Peiyan's voice and couldn't help but ask her about it.
This is probably the true thought of every father-in-law: if he can treat his son-in-law better, his daughter's life will be better in his husband's family.
Besides, the one he doesn't get along with is that old geezer Gu Song, not the younger generation.
He was at most someone who was just thrown along.
Gu Peiyan responded softly with a "Yes," and her throat began to itch uncontrollably again.
A series of coughs followed.
Wei Liangzhe frowned as he listened: "I'll have Physician Liu examine you later, so you don't infect Ningning."
She secretly shook her head; this son-in-law was too frail.
We should send him to the military camp to train sometime.
Even if he, the son-in-law of the Wei family, doesn't have to fight on the battlefield like the Wei family's sons, he still needs to be physically strong.
Gu Peiyan also had something to say but couldn't.
He can't exactly tell the truth, "If your daughter hadn't taken all the blankets, I wouldn't have gotten sick," can he?
He's sick, not stupid.
All I could reply was, "Peiyan knows."
Unsurprisingly, the civil officials led by Gu Song and the military officials led by Wei Liangzhe were arguing fiercely.
This time it's because of border warfare.
The foreign state sent envoys to seek peace. The civil officials praised the other side's sincerity, while the military officials feared that the other side was using a feigned retreat as a pretext for advancement.
The two sides were deadlocked for a time, both waiting for the emperor to make the final decision.
The Emperor, seated on his high throne, swept his gaze across the crowd before finally settling on Gu Peiyan: "Young Minister Gu, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
The courtiers in the hall fell silent instantly, waiting for Gu Peiyan to give his opinion.
Gu Peiyan finally understood why everyone said the Emperor was an old fox.
No matter how he answers this question, he's destined to offend one of his fathers.
Su Yizhuo and the Crown Prince stood side by side at the head of all the officials. When he heard what the Emperor said to Gu Peiyan, he couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement: "That was a brilliant move."