Rebirth of the Excellent Daughter of the Marquis Household (REDMH) - Chapter 174

The Ding Yuan Marquis’ residence dared not show any neglect towards Imperial Prince An. No matter what dishes Dai Mei suggested or what ingredients were needed, the residence fulfilled the requests unconditionally.

Dai Mei used the highest quality huadiao wine to steam a basket of hairy crabs, and stir fried a hibiscus fillet with fish meat scraped off from the black croaker. She also asked for a chicken, which Run Ying helped her slaughter, and stewed a pot of chicken soup, then she roasted lamb chops over low heat, seasoning it with pepper, salt and sesame seeds. Moreover, she took fresh spinach, shredded tofu skins, and stir-fried a spinach and bean curd dish. Lastly, she used five-coloured rice, dried and fresh scallops and shrimp to make a pot of congee. The side dishes to accompany the congee were taken directly from the marquis residence and included four types of small pickled vegetables, and salted duck eggs with buttery yolks oozing golden oil.

The weather was pleasant that evening, with a bright moon and sparse stars. Everyone simply moved the tables out into the courtyard. To guard against the evening chill, Ran Mo brought out the braziers and placed them at the four corners, lighting them with fine silvery charcoal. Run Ying also moved out the standing palace lanterns, illuminating the small courtyard of Danxia Courtyard until it was brilliantly lit.

When Dai Mei brought out the entire basket of hairy crabs, everyone looked at the colourful and aromatic spread and could hardly contain their appetite.

Yet, because Imperial Prince An was present, both Gu Si Yang and Gu Yu Qi sat upright and proper. The maids also stood behind Gu Yu Qi.

What should have been a cheerful celebratory banquet became rather stiff and awkward.

Seeing everyone looking constrained, Yun Ke knew he was the reason and felt quite uncomfortable.

He recalled the flicker of unwillingness in Gu Yu Qi’s eyes earlier when she had come to report to him, and his gaze dimmed.

“Let’s all eat together,” Yun Ke waved towards the surrounding maids.

The maids looked at one another, but none dared to move forward. Bai Fu wanted to walk over and sit beside Yun Ke, but with Gu Yu Qi present, she only glanced furtively at the empty spot next to him and lowered her head silently.

“There’s no need to be so reserved today,” Yun Ke added. He knew his words alone were useless. Gu Yu Qi needed to speak as well.

He could have stood and left, letting Gu Yu Qi and her maids enjoy the space on their own, but Yun Ke thought, if he wanted Gu Yu Qi to gradually accept him, then he must participate in the things concerning her.

“Ah Nan, tell them to come sit,” Yun Ke said to Gu Yu Qi, pointing at the four round stools covered with brocade cushions that remained empty to the side.

“Since His Highness has already spoken, you all should come over,” Gu Yu Qi said slowly.

“Yes,” the maids finally took their seats hesitantly, though Bai Fu still did not dare sit beside Yun Ke in front of Gu Yu Qi. Instead, it was Run Ying who went over and sat down.

Yun Ke did not eat much. Perhaps feeling that his presence really was making everyone uncomfortable, he only drank a bowl of congee and then rose, saying he had some matters to discuss with the Ding Yuan Marquis, using it as an excuse to leave.

The moment he left, the atmosphere in the courtyard instantly relaxed.

Dai Mei picked a fat crab and placed it in front of Gu Yu Qi, laughing, “Oh my goodness, with His Highness here, this servant almost suffocated to death.”

“Right?” Run Ying added. “You were all seated far away, but I was right next to him. I was so scared, I didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly.” As she spoke, she patted her chest with lingering fear and made a motion of wiping sweat from her brow, making everyone burst into laughter.

“Sigh, we all felt the same,” Gu Si Yang laughed as he picked up a hairy crab and placed it in front of Ran Mo, which immediately made Run Ying protest. “Young Master, the two of you aren’t even married yet. You can’t play favourites like that. Why is it that out of so many people, only Ran Mo gets one? This won’t do, you have to drink as punishment!”

With Run Ying stirring things up, Dai Mei clapped her hands in support and even Gu Yu Qi smiled at Gu Si Yang.

“Eldest Sister, Eldest Sister,” Gu Si Yang quickly pleaded for mercy, “Please speak to Run Ying on my behalf.”

“Eh? If you want to marry Ran Mo, of course you must first get the approval of her sisters,” Gu Yu Qi said with a smile as she pried open the shell of the crab and scooped out some crab roe.

“That’s right! You want to marry Ran Mo, and you think her agreement alone is enough? Have you asked us?” Dai Mei added from the side, fanning the flames.

“How about this? Today, we maids will be bold. Young Master, if we drink, you must drink with us. Only when all of us sisters are happy from drinking will we allow you to take Ran Mo away,” Run Ying stood up and declared.

Gu Si Yang looked at Ran Mo, who only smiled silently from the side, then looked at the eager expressions of everyone around. He rose to his feet and said, “Alright! It’s rare to be so esteemed by all you sisters. Today, I’ll risk my life to drink with you.”

As soon as he said that, everyone began filling the wine cups in front of them. Gu Yu Qi had originally intended to stay out of it and enjoy the spectacle, but Dai Mei, Run Ying, and even Ran Mo would not let her go. Helpless, she was also dragged into the drinking game.

Dai Mei even started a drinking game using cards. Whoever lost had to drink.

The courtyard burst into peals of laughter and the atmosphere lively beyond words.

Yun Ke quietly sat on the wall bordering Dan Xia Courtyard, watching the lively scene inside, his heart filled with bitterness.

Gu Yu Qi was laughing so joyfully, completely different from when he had been there earlier.

After a few cups of wine, a natural flush rose to Gu Yu Qi’s cheeks. Her eyes sparkled even more brightly and no star in the night sky could compare to the brilliance of her gaze.

The corners of her lips were lifted the entire time, glistening from the wine, making them appear even more lustrous.

The merrymaking went on for quite a while. Even after they had drunk Gu Si Yang under the table, Gu Yu Qi and the others were still reluctant to stop. Gu Yu Qi too was slightly inebriated, tipsy and swaying. Although she was not as drunk as Gu Si Yang who had passed out completely, she had begun to see double.

Run Ying and Dai Mei were also quite drunk, hugging wine jars, arms around each other, laughing and singing. Ran Mo had drunk even more and she had fallen asleep right on the table.

Only Bai Fu, having something on her mind, had not drunk much.

She really wanted to leave the courtyard and go out to find the prince, but if she did that, she would most likely be distanced by Dai Mei and the others in the future.

“Miss, it’s about time to rest,” Bai Fu said with a smile, seeing Gu Yu Qi still swaying with a pair of chopsticks in her hand.

“Mmm…” Gu Yu Qi lifted her hazy, drunken eyes and glanced around. Some had collapsed, others were acting silly. She wobbled to her feet in a daze. “Retreat!” she commanded with a wave of her hand, but the next moment she lost her balance and toppled backwards.

Before Bai Fu could even react, a white figure leapt down from over the wall like lightning and caught the falling Gu Yu Qi securely in his arms.

“Your Highness?” Bai Fu looked in astonishment at the man who had flown in, then at the wall he had jumped from. Could it be that he had been hiding there all this time?

Bai Fu was stunned. How could this be?

She felt both envious and jealous.

Gu Yu Qi had clearly drunk too much. Now that the breeze was hitting her, her mind grew even fuzzier. In Yun Ke’s arms, she struggled wildly. “Let go of me!” she shouted, slapping at him haphazardly. “You rogue!”

“Take a good look at who I am,” Yun Ke said gently, still holding her.

Gu Yu Qi struggled to steady her head, her drunken eyes squinting hard at Yun Ke. “Don’t move!” she ordered. Why was this person in front of her swaying so much, it was making her eyes spin.

“Alright, I won’t move,” Yun Ke replied, amused and helpless as he looked at the completely drunken Gu Yu Qi. holding her like this, soft, warm, and fragrant, was truly comfortable. “Let’s go inside and talk.”

He scooped Gu Yu Qi up in his arms and turned to Bai Fu, who was still standing frozen to the side. “Bring in some hot water, then you may all withdraw.”

“Yes.” Bai Fu gave a respectful curtsey, then watched enviously as Gu Yu Qi was carried off in Yun Ke’s arms. She sighed deeply and resigned herself to fetch the water.

“I told you to stop swaying and you still are,” Gu Yu Qi muttered, trying to hold Yun Ke’s head in place with her hands. “I can’t even see clearly.”

“Okay, okay, okay.” Feeling her slightly warm palms pressed against his cheeks, Yun Ke could not help but laugh from the bottom of his heart.

This was so nice.

Her entire heart and mind were on only him.

But… What if she truly had not recognised him? A sudden wave of worry and annoyance swept over Yun Ke. If it had not been him who had come just now, would she have allowed someone else to hold her like this and cup their face too?

“Ah Nan, who am I?” Yun Ke asked softly in Gu Yu Qi’s ear.

“You?” Gu Yu Qi squinted at him carefully, then suddenly let out a chuckle. “Aren’t you Yun Ke? I would recognise you even if you turned to ashes.”

It was good that she recognised him. The tension Yun Ke had been holding in his chest finally eased. He had really been afraid Gu Yu Qi might mistake him for another man. If that had happened, he would not have been able to stop himself from killing that person.

No matter who it was, anyone who dared to steal his wife deserved to die.

“Ah Nan, you are wonderful.” Yun Ke carried Gu Yu Qi back into the room, gently set her down on the soft stool, then crouched in front of her. He lifted her chin with his fingers and gazed into her eyes with deep affection.

“Of course I am!” Though utterly drunk, Gu Yu Qi still managed to reply, as if on instinct. Then she let out a massive burp and Yun Ke, who had just leaned in affectionately for a kiss, wrinkle his brows.

If it had not been for that timely burp, he probably would have kissed her.

Yun Ke stood up quickly. Gu Yu Qi, unable to sit upright, started falling backwards again after burping. Alarmed, Yun Ke quickly caught her, guiding her to lean forward against him for support.

Yun Ke sighed deeply.

He could not tell if she was doing it on purpose.

Gu Yu Qi’s cheek rested against his chest. Her arms stretched out instinctively and wrapped themselves around whatever she could reach, which happened to be Yun Ke’s waist. This spontaneous gesture made Yun Ke’s heart tremble, as though it were about to take flight.

“Ah Nan, please don’t be angry with me anymore, okay?” Yun Ke said softly. “Please forgive me?”

He gently patted her back, as though coaxing her into uttering those forgiving words.

Gu Yu Qi only smacked her lips and closed her eyes in a daze.

“Your Highness.” Bai Fu’s voice came from outside the door. Yun Ke slowly pushed Gu Yu Qi upright and steadied her by the shoulders, then said coldly, “Enter.”

“Yes.” Bai Fu brought in the hot water, and after a deep glance at Gu Yu Qi, who sat unsteadily on the stool supported by Yun Ke, she asked, “Does Your Highness have any other orders?”

“No. Leave.” Yun Ke replied flatly.