My Husband Became the Most Powerful Minister - Chapter 31.2

Lu Wuyou’s voice drifted over, “I saw it by accident… you don’t have to mind it too much.”

…How could she possibly not mind it?!

Helan Ci wrung her hair again, then decided to simply sleep in the outer room tonight. She would also take the booklet and hide it deep in the innermost part of her clothing chest.

Lu Wuyou seemed to try comforting her, saying, “When my colleagues knew I was getting married, they also stuffed a few of these into my hands. There are some on the bookshelf too… but later, they seemed more concerned about whether I could even live long enough to marry.”

Helan Ci turned to look at the small bookshelf in the outer room. Just earlier, she had been planning to grab a book from there to read before bed.

Then, she finally heard Lu Wuyou’s voice again—very gentle and calm, “If you’re unwilling, no one will force you… Our marriage was originally just because we had no choice. We never said it had to include that kind of thing, so…” His voice was steady. “There’s no need to be afraid.”

Helan Ci opened her mouth slightly, but for a moment, she found that she didn’t know how to respond.

Since she had already married him, this wasn’t a fake marriage—it was real. She naturally assumed that kind of relationship would happen. She had always treated it as an obligation, and didn’t think much of it. Lu Wuyou didn’t need to take her feelings into account.

But now that Lu Wuyou had said this…

“I’m not afraid, I…” Helan Ci hesitated.

The truth was, she was still a little afraid. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have hesitated so much just to get onto the bed on their wedding night. Last time, she had been drugged andher mind unclear. She still the feeling of being unable to control my own body.

To be honest, she and Lu Wuyou used to look down on each other, so this situation was inherently awkward.

Last time was awkward, it doesn’t mean it won’t be awkward just because they’re married now.

But after hesitating for a while, then said, “Isn’t this a bit unfair to you? You want…”

Lu Wuyou interrupted her, saying, “…Miss Helan, don’t you want to go to sleep?”

Helan Ci replied, “…yes.”

Lu Wu You continued, “Don’t sleep outside. It wouldn’t look good if someone saw.”

Lu Wuyou said, “Don’t sleep outside, it’s not good if someone sees you.”

Helan Ci couldn’t help but ask, “…Then, Lu Daren, are you going to sleep on the floor again tonight?”

Lu Wu You: “…”

Even without hearing his response, He Lan Ci could already sense his internal struggle and entanglement. She simply turned back to the inner bedroom, grabbed the blanket that Lu Wuyou had used the previous night, and brought it out, and said, “How about we each sleep on one side? That way, we won’t bother each other.”

Lu Wuyou pondered for a moment and said, “……Alright.”

Wrapped in separate blankets, when their eyes are closed they can indeed pretend to be alone

Helan Ci had already slept poorly the previous night, so tonight, she was even more tired. Wrapped tightly in her blanket, she closed her eyes and quickly drifted into a drowsy state.

However, Lu Wuyou, having taken a nap in the afternoon, is now completely wide awake. The girl beside him is breathing softly—she’s actually not nervous at all!

Well, of course. He was the one who looked at the the booklet, not her. She had probably never even opened it.

Lu Wulou lay there with open eyes for a while then sat up. Noticing his movement, Helan Ci groggily turned her head and asked, “…You’re not going to sleep on the floor again, are you?” She kindly pointed out, “I left the mattress over there on the chair.”

…Wasn’t she the one who, just yesterday, had been so incredulous about him sleeping on the floor? Why was she acting so accepting of it now?

In the silent and dark night, Lu Wu You felt a subtle wave of discomfort.

“…Miss He Lan, yesterday you said I could kiss you. Can I still kiss you today?”

He Lan Ci was so drowsy that she barely registered what he was saying. She vaguely felt like there was no reason to refuse, so she nodded. “Just do it quickly, I want to sleep.”

As the words fell, Lu Wu You had already leaned over her.

In the end, he successfully made Helan Ci to also unable to sleep well.

The next morning, when Helan Ci woke up, all she remembered was being pressed onto the bed by Lu Wuyou, kissed until her entire body felt weak, her sleeping robes coming loose, and the broken, breathless whimpers that escaped from between her lips.

She was somewhat annoyed while rinsing her mouth and brushing her teeth in the washroom.

Lu Wuyou took longer to clean his teeth than she did.

Helan Ci couldn’t help but glance at him. Lu Wuyou said, “I ate too much candy. Gotta be more careful.”

Helan Ci: “……” Fine.

After breakfast, Lu Wu You said, “The Hanlin Academy sent someone over earlier. If my health is fully recovered, I might have to return in a few days. Since we have no plans today, do you want to go out for (an outing in the spring, also known as ” stepping on spring “. The Chinese people have long maintained the custom of outing during the Qingming Festival, and the custom of outing has a long history.<em>taqing</em>¹?”

Helan Ci was momentarily stunned. “How do you go on a taqing?”

Her family never had such traditions.

Lu Wu You replied, “Just going outside the city to enjoy the scenery. Last time at the state ceremony, I saw your eyes practically glowing…”

He Lan Ci quickly retorted, “I didn’t!”

Lu Wuyou smiled and said, “Well, with that incident involving Cao Shizi, you probably didn’t have the mood to go out. I’ve already had someone prepare a carriage. If you want to go, change your clothes and get ready, and we’ll head out.”

He specifically emphasized changing clothes.

He Lan Ci was indeed wanted to go out. She changed into the lake-blue dress from the day before, then took out a veil hat. Just as she was about to put it on, she heard Lu Wu You say,

“If you don’t want to wear it, then don’t.”

“But…” Her face really does attract trouble easily.

Lu Wuyou said, “You’ve already gotten married.”

After getting married, it is even more common for wives to be forbidden from showing their faces in public.

Helan Ci slowly lowered her veil.
——If she could, she actually wouldn’t want to wear it either.

Lu Wuyou gave her a satisfied look, as if she were a promising student finally learning her lesson, “How are you supposed to enjoy the scenery if you wear that thing?”

At this time of day, the weather was gradually getting a bit hot. The wheels of the cart clattered as they left the city. He Lan Ci carefully lifted the curtain to look and asked, “Where are we going?”

Lu Wu You replied, “I heard from my colleagues at the Hanlin Academy that there’s a lotus pond outside the city. This time of year, it’s at its most beautiful—just as ‘The endless green of the lotus leaves stretches to the sky, while the lotus flowers glow a brilliant red under the sun².’ If we’re lucky, we might even get to eat fresh lotus seeds. But be careful, lotus seeds are cold in nature, so don’t eat too many.”

When the carriage stopped, one could see the sun shining brightly overhead, with crowds of people bustling about.

Qingye thoughtfully handed over a paper umbrella.

Lu Wuyou passed it to Helan Ci.

She held up the umbrella, only to realize that it didn’t cover Lu Wuyou at all. So, she stretched her arm as high as she could.

Lu Wuyou: “……?”

Helan Ci: “Don’t look at me like that. My arms are only this long.”

This time, it was Lu Wuyou’s turn to be speechless, “Can you just use it for yourself?” He added, “I can’t get tan.”

Helan Ci replied, “…Actually, neither do I.”

“Forget it.” Lu Wuyou grabbed the umbrella and held it over their heads, “Stop dawdling, let’s go.”

Others couldn’t hear their exasperating conversation. All they saw was a handsome young man in a light moon-white robe, holding a delicate sky-blue paper umbrella painted with misty rain, and beside him, a girl in a flowing lake-blue dress, so breathtakingly beautiful that even the blazing sun seemed to dim in her presence.

From afar, the sight was so pleasing to the eye that it seemed to cleanse the soul, making one wonder—
How could such a perfect scene exist in this world?

The two walked down a long flower-lined path. At the end lay a vast lotus pond, where endless lotus leaves stretched over the water, dotted with graceful lotus blossoms.
Stone bridges, wooden pathways, and small pavilions were scattered across the lake, adding to the picturesque scenery.

Helan Ci, having not been out in a long time, was completely mesmerized.
Unbeknownst to her, while she was admiring the view, others were admiring her and Lu Wuyou instead. Occasionally, passersby would stop to take a look, and even the painter selling his art at a nearby stall couldn’t help but pick up his brush and sketch a few strokes.

Lu Wuyou held the umbrella and walked with her along the long wooden plank path. He intended to tease her a bit, but then remembered something and ultimately didn’t say it.

At the end of the lake, there is a resting place for tourists, with some vendors selling pastries and sweet red bean soup, street performers showcasing tricks, and small stalls displaying delicate items like embroidered pouches and handkerchiefs, making it very lively overall.

Helan Ci seemed like she hadn’t been out in hundreds of years; everything she saw was somewhat new to her.

However, her beauty was simply too dazzling. Wherever she stopped people couldn’t help but say, “Miss, if you like them, I’ll give you two for free.”

Lu Wuyou couldn’t really let her take it for free, so he followed behind to pay the bill.

Seeing this, even the stall owners grinned, “You two truly are a perfect match.”

Helan Ci took two items and then felt a bit embarrassed, saying, “Forget it, I don’t want them.”

Lu Wuyou paused for a moment, raised an eyebrow, and said, “This dress alone costs seven or eight taels. It could buy out all the vendors here several times over, and still have plenty left.”

Helan Ci looked at him in shock.

Lu Wuyou lowered his voice, speaking in a tone only she could hear: “If you want something, just take it, Miss He Lan. I can afford it. But what I can’t afford… is the humiliation of watching you hesitate over a few coins. Thank you.”

Helan Ci looked at those snacks and said, “It will be a waste.”

Lu Wuyou said, “Then just bring them back and distribute it to the others in the residence.”

Shuang Zhi also followed behind and said, “Guye is right!”

Helan Ci couldn’t help but turn her head to look at her.

Which side are you on?

After Helan Ci finally got tired of wandering around, the two found a pavilion to rest. Before they could even sit down, they heard a slightly familiar male voice.

“……It is my lack of foresight and skill that have displeased Miss Wei. I sincerely apologize, but… but—”

Then a sharp female voice retorted, “You can’t even throw a ring properly, what use are you! You’re driving me crazy! I shouldn’t have listened to Dad and come out with you…”

Helan Ci looked up and saw Lin Zhang’s handsome face filled with helplessness, standing next to him was a delicate young girl dressed in luxurious clothes.

Lu Wuyou also paused, said, “It’s Shaoyan and… Second Miss Wei.”

When the young girl saw Lu Wuyou, her eyes immediately lit up.

Helan Ci suddenly realized… Second Miss Wei, isn’t she the one who tried to kidnap Lu Wu You with a sack but grabbed a wrong person instead, the second Miss of the Kangning Marquis?