After Marrying the Villainous Prime Minister in My Brother’s Stead - Chapter 5

5: Marriage, They Got Married.

Yan Luo’s initiative left Gu Que in a dilemma—should she or shouldn’t she?

Eyebrow grooming—did she even know how?

Gu Que swallowed hard. She only knew how to use an eyebrow pencil on herself, and the one she used was different from the one on Yan Luo’s dressing table. Besides, there was no time to order an eyebrow pencil from Taobao now.

Pull an eyebrow pencil out of thin air?

Yan Luo would surely think she was a monster.

Gradually, Gu Que’s face turned red, as crimson as a ripe apple. Yan Luo glanced at her, her slender fingers lightly tapping the rouge. Gu Que quickly found a way out: “How about I try applying lipstick for you instead?”

Her hasty suggestion unexpectedly played right into Yan Luo’s hands. Yan Luo pretended to hesitate before agreeing. Gu Que immediately asked what color she wanted.

The set contained nine different shades, all popular online choices. Yan Luo randomly pointed to one—a classic red, fitting for her temperament.

Gu Que twisted open the lipstick. Yan Luo noted how it opened, then took it from her, casually remarking, “Little Tanhua Gu must be hungry. Why not have breakfast first?”

Yan Luo treated Gu Que with unusual warmth, her words carrying a tone of indulgence. The two seemed very much like a married couple. Unable to decipher Yan Luo’s thoughts, Gu Que followed the maid to breakfast.

Meanwhile, Yan Luo stayed at the dressing table, opening and testing all nine “rouge” sticks. She didn’t apply them but returned them to the set.

Little Tanhua Gu’s gift was unique, quite novel indeed.

Gu Que ate breakfast while Yan Luo changed into court robes and left for the morning assembly. After last night’s events, the imperial examination results were voided, and a retake was scheduled for a month later. This meant Gu Que might lose her title as Tanhua (the third-ranked scholar).

After Yan Luo left, Gu Que returned to the bedroom to measure the bed, memorizing its dimensions. She then measured the bronze mirror, making a mental note to place an order on Taobao later.

Since Gu Que didn’t need to attend court—her official post hadn’t been assigned yet—she returned to the Gu residence.

Back home, everything was quiet. Even the Marchioness of Yongle hadn’t noticed her “son” had been missing all night.

Once in her room, the Marquis of Yongle arrived, wheeled in by a servant.

“The imperial examination results are void. The top three scholars from yesterday’s banquet never left the palace. The Duke of Jin’s residence is under siege.”

“Was this Yan Luo’s doing?” Gu Que frowned, then added, “Last night, the Prime Minister abducted me, but she didn’t mistreat me—just kept me overnight. Something feels off.”

The Marquis of Yongle scoffed. “Yan Luo used you as an excuse to mobilize troops and besiege the Duke of Jin. Right now, she’s probably heading to Tongzhou.”

The Duke of Jin commanded 100,000 troops in Tongzhou. After last night, those troops would likely have a new master.

Gu Que’s expression turned grave. She was exhausted, but her eyes remained clear and bright. She looked at the Marquis and said, “The Prime Minister used me.”

“Indeed. But it’s nothing major. The only downside is you’ll have to retake the exam.” The Marquis didn’t dwell on it. Yan Luo was cunning, while Gu Que had been sheltered in the inner chambers—how could she be a match for Yan Luo? As long as she didn’t expose herself, it was fine.

With Yan Luo’s support, the Marquis’s household would gradually recover.

He then brought up something important: “For the next half-month, don’t leave the residence. Focus on studying at home.”

The wedding was set for the eighth day of the third month—just half a month away. With the exam voided, Gu Que had to start over. That she emerged unscathed was entirely due to Yan Luo’s help.

The Marquis understood the severity of the exam scandal. Since Gu Que had saved herself, it was a matter of fate. At worst, she’d just retake the exam. It was all those corrupt minds’ fault.

Gu Que knew the stakes and didn’t argue, listening carefully to her father. However, she owned several shops selling novelty items, most of which were sourced from Taobao—her supply chain.

Business was booming, especially with trinkets popular among women, like hairpins and handmade soaps.

Two days later, she visited one of her shops. To avoid revealing her identity, she changed into a dress and wore a veil. The shop was crowded, the clerks overwhelmed. She wandered around inspecting the goods when suddenly a woman took her hand, smiling warmly. “Miss, you look familiar.”

The voice was crisp. Gu Que looked up and met a pair of sharp eyes—more commanding than even Yan Luo’s.

Gu Que’s lashes fluttered as she recalled the palace examination half a month ago, where the female emperor had asked her many questions. She hadn’t dared to look up then, only stealing occasional glances. The woman before her now was the emperor.

And behind her stood Yan Luo, playing with a pink soap carved with rose patterns. The small soap rested in Yan Luo’s palm, complementing her beauty like a flower.

Yan Luo glanced up and saw a pair of clear, translucent eyes. The face behind the veil was hidden, but those eyes looked familiar. She paused, noticing the emperor still holding the girl’s hand. She stepped forward to intervene: “Your Majesty, you’re scaring her.”

The emperor ignored Yan Luo, staring at the veiled girl with admiration. “Miss, I feel like we’ve met before.”

“No, you’re mistaken.” Gu Que feigned calm, her heart racing. She pulled her hand away and hurried into the shop.

The emperor chased after her but was stopped by a clerk. “Sorry, customers aren’t allowed inside.”

Disappointed, the emperor tugged at Yan Luo. “You’re the Prime Minister. Flash your status—we can go in.”

Yan Luo, distracted, refused. “I have a reputation to uphold. In a few days, I’ll be getting married. Do you think this is appropriate?”

The emperor had a penchant for beautiful women. The veiled girl’s eyes alone were mesmerizing—no doubt the emperor was smitten.

If the emperor pursued her, it would be harassment. Yan Luo naturally wouldn’t help. She suspected the girl recognized her—why else would she run?

Lost in thought, the soap she’d been holding was bought by someone else. Staring at the empty counter, she sighed.

The shop was packed. Prices were reasonable—a bar of soap cost just a few dozen coins, and such novelties were rare, making the prices quite fair.

Yan Luo had investigated the shop. The soap was handmade, impossible to replicate elsewhere, giving it a monopoly. Besides soap, there were also dazzling accessories like “diamond” jewelry, affordable yet exquisitely crafted, showcasing ingenuity.

The emperor’s thoughts differed from Yan Luo’s. She posted guards at every exit, intending to seize the girl the moment she stepped out.

Yan Luo wanted to buy soap, but it was sold out. The clerk said there’d be no more stock today.

She shot the emperor a look. The emperor, embarrassed, said, “It’s just soap. There’ll be more tomorrow.”

Yan Luo turned and left. The emperor stayed, waiting.

Next to the shop was a tavern, also owned by Gu Que. Gu Que slipped through the backyard into the tavern, panting heavily. Yan Luo was outside—she had to leave quickly. If they crossed paths again, she might be recognized.

To avoid trouble, Gu Que exited through the tavern’s back door, quietly boarding a carriage back to the Gu residence.

Once home, she dared not leave again, burying herself in studies.

As the wedding approached, Gu Que moved to the new estate. The Marchioness of Yongle joined her, while the Marquis, due to his poor health, stayed at the old residence.

The house had been decorated according to Yan Luo’s instructions, but Gu Que made some changes—like adding a Simmons mattress to the bed and replacing the mirror. The display shelves now held crystal zodiac figurines, sparkling at a glance.

The day before the wedding, tradition required a young boy to “roll the bed” for good luck. Gu Que refused—her brand-new Simmons mattress hadn’t even been slept on by her sister-in-law. How could a stranger use it?

That night, she laid out bedding on the floor and gave the boy some lollipops from Taobao. “Want some?”

The sweet scent of the unwrapped candy made the five-year-old drool. “Yes!”

“If we sleep on the floor tonight, the lollipops are yours. When you go back, say you slept on the bed. Got it?” Gu Que coaxed.

Between the bed and candy, the latter was far more tempting.

The two slept on the floor, the boy munching candy half the night. In the morning, Gu Que wrapped a few more candies in oiled paper and tucked them into his clothes before sending him off.

In Great Wei, weddings were held at dusk, with the groom fetching the bride in the afternoon. Gu Que rose early, bathing first. She lingered in the bathroom, installing a new lock to ensure it was secure before leaving.

If Yan Luo, who’d already asked her to groom her eyebrows before marriage, suggested something like “mandarin ducks playing in water,” it’d be disastrous.

Noble households often hosted events, following standard protocols. But the bride was the Prime Minister—Great Wei’s first female Prime Minister—making this different. Yan Luo’s wedding dress, embroidered by palace seamstresses over three months, was resplendent with gold and silver threads. Gu Que’s groom attire was also a palace gift, equally luxurious.

Dressed in red, Gu Que had lost her Tanhua title and was now addressed as “Heir Gu.”

Gu Que’s fair skin, sheltered from the sun, gave her a delicate, almost dewy complexion. Her brows were naturally dark, her lips red, and the red wedding robes added a noble air.

The groom fetched the bride on horseback, accompanied by friends. Gu Que wasn’t close to most of them, relying on her cousin Ling Zhao, the top scholar from three years ago, now a high-ranking official.

Ling Zhao had feelings for Yan Luo—a secret buried in Gu Que’s memories.

Ling Zhao arranged everything: how to enter, how many gates to pass, when to fetch the bride, what to say to Yan Luo.

Ling Zhao remained stoic, his face stiff throughout. Gu Que glanced at him, sensing his heartache.

Yan Luo was his sister-in-law, destined never to be his.

At the Yan residence, Ling Zhao dismounted and delivered pleasantries. Soon, the gates opened, and Gu Que was ushered inside, all the way to the bridal chamber.

Once she received Yan Luo, one end of the red silk was in Yan Luo’s hand, the other in Gu Que’s. Gu Que gazed at those fair fingers and smiled. They were lovely. It was the Year of the Tiger—if Yan Luo got tiger-themed nail art, it’d be adorable.

The King of Hell paired with little tigers—wasn’t that cute?

Gu Que chuckled, the red silk trembling slightly in her hand. Yan Luo, holding the other end, sensed the movement.

Gu Que, standing in for her brother, escorted her sister-in-law to the bridal sedan, then mounted her horse. The sunset painted the sky in rosy hues as dusk fell.

At the Gu estate, Gu Que dismounted, took the red silk, and led Yan Luo inside.

They bowed to heaven and earth, then entered the bridal chamber.

As night fell, guests feasted in the front courtyard while relatives and classmates gathered outside the bridal chamber, clamoring to “trouble the newlyweds.”

Gu Que smiled. “What do you want to see? Me kissing the Prime Minister, or her kissing me? But remember her temper—if you see something you shouldn’t, she might pluck out your eyeballs.”

The crowd scattered instantly.

Amused, Gu Que turned to enter the chamber but was called away by Ling Zhao to toast guests.

After a round of drinks, slightly tipsy but clear-headed, Gu Que slipped away. Pushing open the chamber door, she found Yan Luo seated on the bed, her face hidden under the veil.

Gu Que, emboldened by alcohol, lifted the veil.

Their eyes met.