Chapter 70: Each to Their Own After Marriage…
The summer heat lingered, and cicadas chirped incessantly from the grass. Yan Xuerui rose upon hearing the news, her gossamer skirt, thin as cicada wings, sweeping over the blue bricks and leaving a subtle, fragrant trail.
"Your Highness, will you grant him an audience?"
Bi He wiped sweat from her brow. These past days had been a whirlwind: first the relocation to the new palace, then Her Highness’s anxious care for the Eldest Young Master, personally packing his belongings. Coupled with the unsettling rumors swirling through the capital, it was only today that she finally had a moment of respite.
Had the Marquis perhaps chosen this exact day to arrive?
Yan Xuerui instinctively touched her shoulder. The cinnabar mark had already become one with her flesh. She had tried countless methods, but short of excising the very flesh, there was no other way.
She lowered her eyes and, to Bi He’s surprise, said, "Let him in."
The Princess’s Estate offered more freedom than the Imperial Palace, with everyone taking orders solely from Yan Xuerui. Since moving in, she had paid no mind to the construction of pavilions or the layout of rockeries and streams. Her first command had been to have the guards secure the estate so tightly that not even a breath of wind could pass through.
It was unclear whether this was to keep Gu Yan out, or if Gu Yan had simply anticipated that she would agree to see him.
Yan Xuerui gently placed the canary, which had been flitting about on the ground, back into its cage. Moments later, Grand Tutor Gu appeared, his expression serene, strolling leisurely as if entering his own home.
Yan Xuerui stood with her back to him. From Gu Yan’s vantage point, his gaze fell upon her thick, raven hair, swept up in a high chignon, adorned with a kingfisher-feather ornament that trembled delicately, a pearl dangling from its beak. Her slender, delicate back was draped in a lake-blue gauze dress, subtly revealing shoulder blades shaped like butterfly wings.
Her entire being was as exquisitely formed as jade, so slender she seemed almost fragile enough to be held in one hand.
"How are you feeling?"
As if they were still in the Marquis’s residence, Gu Yan, with practiced ease, encircled her soft waist from behind, his tone intimately familiar.
Yan Xuerui stiffened, her arms unconsciously tightening around the cage. The canary, just returned to its confines, flapped its wings and chirped noisily.
"Don’t you find it noisy?"
Gu Yan frowned slightly, gently prying her fingers open one by one, then casually tossed the cage to the ground. The startled bird chirped even louder.
Yan Xuerui could bear it no longer. She whirled around, glaring up at him furiously. "Gu Yan!"
A thousand words welled up, yet for a moment, she didn’t know where to begin.
He had treated her so outrageously—that score remained unsettled.
The Emperor was moving against the Gu family, and even her Ming Lan would not be spared.
Outside, the rumors of Grand Tutor Gu and Princess Changle’s deep affection were spreading like wildfire.
…
One grievance after another. Yan Xuerui gritted her teeth, lifted her skirt, and slowly ground her heel into his black boots. Her embroidered shoes, adorned with pearls, sank slightly into the leather, creating a strangely intimate tension.
"Alright, alright. Princess, please forgive me."
Gu Yan, now impeccably dressed, spread his arms as if inviting her blows or scolding, his voice tinged with amusement:
"It’s all my fault. Anger harms the body—don’t let it ruin your health."
Gu Yan possessed a rare quality: he knew when to yield and when to stand firm. When he gained an advantage, he never gloated. Now, not only had he branded his name onto his wife’s skin, greatly satisfying his possessiveness, but the Emperor was also pressing him to agree to a divorce. Before this, the entire city knew of their marital devotion.
The Imperial Court was no marketplace—how could a senior tutor’s memorials become common gossip? Unless someone was fanning the flames.
That someone was Gu Yan himself.
He had been granted the title of Marquis due to his ancestors’ merits and did not need to endure the arduous studies of common scholars. Yet, Gu Yan had been steeped in the classics since childhood. His disciples in court were countless, and no one questioned his scholarship—otherwise, the Emperor would not have chosen him as Senior Tutor to the Crown Prince.
He had previously focused only on policy discussions. This was his first foray into romantic compositions, and it came as naturally to him as plucking a branch. He submitted three to five memorials a day. Mindful of the common people's understanding, he avoided overly obscure language and instead liberally quoted classics: "Tied as husband and wife, with love and no doubt," "I wish to win your heart, and never part till white hair," "Take your hand, and grow old together"—in short, it was catchy and easily spread.
Gu Yan was very satisfied with the current situation. A subtle, elegant scent drifted from her collar. Gu Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, allowing Yan Xuerui to vent her fury on him.
His hide was thick and tough, so it didn’t hurt. Still, he didn’t know when her temper had grown so fierce.
Was it since she regained her status as a princess?
No, earlier—there were signs when that old man, Gao, entered the residence.
She used to fear him, bowing her head daily. Gu Yan loved her submissive demeanor, but he couldn’t deny that her vivid, angry moments touched his heart more deeply.
It reminded him of the past—the young girl’s endearing silliness as she leaned against the railing and laughed, the mischief in her smiling eyes. Their history was too tragic, stretched across such a long time that even he had forgotten how tender their first encounter had been under the gentle breeze of Yangzhou.
In this way, it was also a good thing.
Yan Xuerui had no idea that Gu Yan was still in the mood to think about such romantic notions. She was so angry that her cheeks flushed red. Ming Lan was in grave danger, and outside, rumors about her and Gu Yan were intensifying. Unlike Gu Yan, who cared nothing for reputation, Yan Xuerui was in her thirties.
At an age where she could soon be a grandmother, Gu Yan’s dozen or so memorials had tarnished her reputation in her later years. She hated him to death!
Coupled with the mark on her shoulder, old and new resentments piled up. Before she could speak, Yan Xuerui began hitting and pounding the man’s chest. Gu Yan took it all without complaint. She felt like she was punching cotton, which only made her angrier.
"Let go."
Yan Xuerui panted, wrenched free from Gu Yan’s grasp, her face cold.
"What business does Marquis Gu have here?"
Gu Yan raised an eyebrow and retorted, "You don’t know why I’m here?"
Before Yan Xuerui could erupt in anger, Gu Yan dropped his teasing tone and said seriously:
"The one-month deadline has passed."
Back when Yan Xuerui had brought up divorce in front of the civil and military officials, the Emperor had given them a month’s grace period. Now, upon closer calculation, more than forty days had passed. This farce needed to end.
When it came to serious matters, Yan Xuerui’s expression tightened, and she no longer had the heart to bicker with Gu Yan over these trivial romantic affairs.
She looked at Gu Yan and asked succinctly, "What are your chances, Marquis?"
Gu Yan was surprised. He pondered for a moment, then his face darkened. "Gu Minglan!"
His tone was resolute. He didn’t know that, besides his eldest son, his loyal younger brother, out of pity for his frail sister-in-law, had let slip the truth.
Yan Xuerui glared at him, not forgetting to defend her son. "Minglan didn’t say anything. I figured it out myself."
Since she had already passed the message, given Gu Yan’s nature, he would certainly not sit idle. She had called Minglan over to question him, but Gu Minglan, deeply influenced by his father’s teachings, had not revealed anything.
Yet he couldn’t withstand his mother’s tears. As she looked at him with tearful eyes, he lowered his head and repeatedly reassured her, "I have a way to handle it."
"Mother, please don’t worry."
Yan Xuerui then guessed Gu Yan’s dangerous plans.
Her tone was stiff as she said, "There’s no need to hide anything between us. Speak."
Her most beloved children all bore the surname Gu—how could she possibly harm him?
Gu Yan did not respond to her words. Instead, he retrieved a rosewood box from his sleeve and handed it to her.
Yan Xuerui opened it in confusion. Inside were stacks of bank drafts from various major banks, along with deeds for farmlands, estates, properties, and shops. At the very bottom were several densely written lists.
She looked at him suspiciously. Gu Yan chuckled softly and said, "You've been with me through everything, bearing and raising children for my household. In the end, I won't have you leaving empty-handed."
Yan Xuerui’s expression changed drastically. "What do you mean—"
Gu Yan cut her off calmly. "These are all my private assets, unrelated to the Marquis of Jingyuan’s estate. Use them as you need. I have my loyal undercover agents in the palace, and I leave them all to you."
"Congratulations, Princess. You’ve gotten what you wanted."
Yan Xuerui’s face turned pale. She opened her mouth, but it took a long time before any sound emerged from her throat.
"I don’t want it."
Even though it was something she had asked for herself, the box felt like a burning hot potato in her hands. She pushed it away frantically.
Gu Yan pressed it back into her hands, leaving no room for refusal.
"Rui'er... Your Highness."
He sighed softly. "You never had to manage a household before and never understood the hardships of the world. Though money might seem crude, it is what you need to get by in life."
She didn’t need him to tell her that, of course. Even a bowl of porridge in the palace required greasing palms. At the princess’s estate, it had taken her days just to go through the accounts. Though she had her salary and imperial stipends and rewards, the expenses of running such a large estate were astronomical.
She had even asked the Emperor to double the number of guards at her estate.
Gu Yan continued, "The palace is not like the marquis’s estate. Tall trees catch much wind. The Emperor dotes on you, so there will inevitably be those who envy you. Besides the agents in the palace, I'm leaving you those female guards for your protection."
The female guards he referred to were the tall female attendants who once stood outside the main courtyard. Gu Yan was never one to employ female subordinates, but he had trained this group specifically to prevent Yan Xuerui from running away.
After a moment of silence, Yan Xuerui asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"
She believed in no reward without merit. Even in divorce, she felt she had no right to take a single copper coin from the marquis’s estate.
Gu Yan chuckled, tipped up her chin, and pressed his rough, calloused thumb against her lips.
"Would Your Highness grant what I seek?"
"Gu Yan!"
Yan Xuerui was furious. Was this all he ever thought about? How could he be so crude at a time like this?
"Be serious with me."
Gu Yan held her gaze intensely. "Do you think I’m joking?"
He truly didn’t need her to do anything for him. If he succeeded, he would marry her again with great fanfare. If he failed, he had left her a path to security.
In this life, he had done every kind of wickedness—disloyal, unkind, and unjust—but the only shred of sincerity he had was reserved for her. Gu Yan thought fiercely to himself that he never engaged in losing deals. Sooner or later…
He abruptly released Yan Xuerui. Unlike usual, he did not push her onto the couch to whisper intimacies but turned and left swiftly.
His departure was resolute, without looking back. Yan Xuerui still had many questions she wanted to ask—about his plans, about why he had written those memorials.
But her throat felt blocked, and she did not call out to stop him.
Bi He, who feared Gu Yan for nearly taking her life, only dared to enter after he had left. She was observant and immediately spotted the birdcage Gu Yan had thrown to the ground.
"Oh dear, this cage is dented. I’ll go buy another one."
Bi He released the vibrantly feathered bird and said to Yan Xuerui, "Your Highness, let’s just leave the bird outside. It’s grown accustomed to the cage and won’t fly away."
Yan Xuerui suddenly snapped back to reality. She drew sharp breaths, her face pale, and Bi He nearly went to call the imperial physician.
"No need."
She sat down in an armchair, her gaze falling on the rosewood box Gu Yan had left behind.
After a long while, Bi He heard Yan Xuerui’s order: "No need to buy another cage. Just leave it in the courtyard."
"Let it be."
***
Two days later, after much back-and-forth between the Emperor and the Crown Prince’s faction, the Virtuous Prince’s charges were finally vaguely defined as "placing trust in vile counsel, lacking filial piety, and losing virtue." Out of respect for the deceased, the matter was dropped, and the Virtuous Prince’s wives, concubines, and children continued to enjoy the imperial privileges and honors.
During the same morning court session, the Emperor decreed with a vermilion brush: "Although Princess Changle and Marquis Gu once shared a marriage vow, over the years, their interests have diverged and their affection has waned. They are hereby permitted to divorce. Henceforth, each may remarry at will, with no further obligations to the other."
"Bloodline and offspring cannot be treated lightly. Princess Changle and Marquis Gu have two sons and one daughter together. Only the youngest son, still nursing, has not yet been entered into the marquis’s family registry. He shall be raised by Princess Changle to comfort her in her solitude."
For a royal daughter to divorce without mentioning wealth or property, and to ask for only the youngest, still-nursing son among three children, was more than enough to save face for Gu Yan.
Gu Yan stepped forward, his head bowed low, his spine taut like a fully drawn bowstring. "Your subject obeys the decree."