My Sister Insisted on Swapping Marriages, and I Became a Marchioness Instead

Chapter 176: Chapter 176: I’ll Go Too

Qin Yuan lifted her foot and walked in, only to see Marquis Gu sitting behind the table with stubble emerging on his chin and cheeks, and red veins in his eyes.

His clothes were unchanged, wrinkled, still yesterday’s.

This appearance... seemed like he hadn’t slept all night.

”Husband, didn’t you rest last night?” Qin Yuan looked at him disapprovingly.

Gu Jinghui gave a dry laugh and said, ”I’m going to wash up, Yuan’er, sit here and wait for me for a moment.”

With that, he quickly stood up and went to wash.

Hong Ye and Cui Ming were setting the meal on the table beside them.

Qin Yuan casually flipped through the notes on the table, scattered about, numbering more than a dozen, with idle phrases written on them, lacking coherence overall.

Reading them was baffling.

There must be an agreed reading method between Marquis Gu and his subordinates that outsiders could not easily decipher.

In her previous life, Lin Ziqi often embedded secret codes in correspondence to communicate with his comrades.

Qin Yuan decided not to read any further.

Gu Jinghui came out to see her looking through the notes, his gaze somewhat deep.

Pretending not to notice, Qin Yuan tilted her head and smiled, ”Husband, what have you written? Though it doesn’t look like your handwriting at all.”

Gu Jinghui, after washing his face and shaving, looked much more alert and said with a smile, ”These are messages passed by the outside guards. Of course, you wouldn’t understand them.”

Qin Yuan nodded, walked to the table, and said, ”Husband, let’s have our meal.”

Gu Jinghui and Qin Yuan knelt face to face at the small table, their proximity adding an air of intimacy.

Hong Ye and Cui Ming retreated.

Marquis Gu served Qin Yuan a bowl of fish porridge and took a milk dough bun for himself, slowly chewing.

Neither wanted to talk much, Marquis Gu seemed distracted, seemingly pondering over something.

After finishing the meal, Qin Yuan said, ”Husband, I’ve finished checking this year’s accounts of the rear courtyard, and the accounts from previous years also need verification.”

Marquis Gu replied, ”Hmm, if you can manage it, it’s good to verify them.”

His little wife’s arithmetic skills were quite good, flipping through the account books was indeed quick.

After thinking for a moment, Marquis Gu added, ”If you find anything, tell me first, do not alarm Mother right away.”

Although uncertain about his attitude, Qin Yuan could only agree.

Gu Jinghui casually suggested, ”If you have some free time, why not check the front courtyard’s accounts too? I haven’t managed them since my return.”

Qin Yuan did not refuse.

She asked, ”Are you planning to lie down for a rest in a while?”

Gu Jinghui nodded.

Qin Yuan stood up, ”Then I’ll go back first. You should rest quickly. Staying up all night is harmful, especially now that so many in the house are down with smallpox. You should take care.”

Gu Jinghui laughed, ”I’m quite strong, why worry? As long as you’re well, I’m well too, I’ll always be here to accompany you through old age.”

Qin Yuan lowered her eyes, ”...”

Marquis Gu couldn’t help but tease her again, ”Why are you blushing now? Don’t you always say husband and wife are one? Naturally, our lifespans are one too.”

Qin Yuan gave him a sidelong glance and said softly, ”I won’t talk to you anymore. If you don’t take care of your health, it’s futile for others to worry.”

Saying this, she reached out for the plates on the table, and Marquis Gu also reached out to grab her, and with a ”bang,” the plate fell and shattered into pieces.

Fortunately, it was holding steamed buns, so no liquid spilled on the floor.

Outside, Hong Ye quickly asked, ”Madam, is there anything wrong?”

Gu Jinghui said out loud, ”Nothing, call a servant in to clean up later.”

Qin Yuan sulked, ”You should rest; I’ll leave. Just have the dishes packed into a food box and sent to Wutong Garden.”

”Are you upset?”

Gu Jinghui, though not quite sure why his little wife was angry, could tell she was unhappy.

Qin Yuan denied it.

Gu Jinghui held her hand and asked, ”Will you come for lunch?”

His eyes were full of expectation, like a child asking for candy.

Qin Yuan, cold-faced, ”You throw your day and night off balance and don’t rest properly, why should I come?”

Gu Jinghui understood, she was still upset about this.

He softened his voice and said, ”I don’t do this every day, it’s just that last night, Doctor Liu and the Yelv family’s hostage were exchanging messages, so we had to chase them a bit, plus, last night, the guard investigating Xu Zhen also sent back information.”

Qin Yuan sternly remarked, ”If you rest well, I won’t be mad. I’m leaving. If you’re up for it, have lunch; if not, have dinner instead.”

This meant she agreed to have dinner with Marquis Gu.

Only then did Marquis Gu release her hand with a smile.

As Qin Yuan left, she instructed the servant outside, ”Clean the room, then have someone send the food box to Wutong Garden.”

The servant promptly agreed.

With Hong Ye and Cui Ming in tow, Qin Yuan had only walked a few steps when she saw Gu Shiliu and Sixth Master Gu standing under the corridor chatting, and she asked, ”Have you two had your meal, Sixth Brother and Sixteen?”

Sixth Master Gu enviously said, ”Yes, we have. Third Sister-in-law came to accompany Third Brother for the meal, Third Brother is truly fortunate.”

Gu Shiliu replied, ”I’ve had the privilege to benefit from Sixth Master’s favor. Madam, are you leaving? Marquis didn’t sleep a wink last night, and his spirits might be low, don’t mind it.”

He had overheard the sounds from the room, assuming there was some conflict between the couple, hurriedly speaking up in favor of his master.

Qin Yuan asked, ”Weren’t you also awake last night?”

Gu Shiliu replied, ”Marquis said I’ve been overworked these days, so he took over the night watch and will have me keep watch during the day instead.”

Qin Yuan nodded, ”Sixth Brother, Sixteen, I have other matters to attend to, I’ll take my leave.”

Gu Shiliu quickly stepped aside, lowered his head, waiting for Qin Yuan to pass.

Sixth Master Gu watched Qin Yuan’s figure and sighed, ”Third Brother is indeed fortunate.”

The servant seized the moment to ask, ”Sixth Master, shall we call Aunt Zheng to serve you a meal?”

Sixth Master Gu shook his head, ”Your master is going to take care of his health properly from now on, so what need is there to see her?”

The servant fell silent, ”...”

Sixth Master is becoming more and more incomprehensible.

Gu Jinghui called for Gu Shiliu from the study, and Gu Shiliu quickly said, ”Sixth Master, I must go inside, there’s work to be done.”

Sixth Master Gu acknowledged with a sound.

After Gu Shiliu left, Sixth Master Gu declared, ”Everyone has work to do, and I’m the only one with nothing to do.”

The servant said, ”Sixth Master, you are busy reading and writing poetry.”

Sixth Master Gu turned his face towards him, ”Hah.”

Qin Yuan returned to Wutong Garden and had Doctor Li called in, first asking if he had slept well last night, if he was comfortable with his stay, and if he had breakfast.

Both Doctor Li and Xiao Dong naturally said everything was fine.

Only then did Qin Yuan ask, ”Master, have you scheduled a time with Doctor Liu to visit the patients?”

Doctor Li frowned, ”He said he had a headache early this morning and is lying in his room not moving.”

Qin Yuan couldn’t help but frown—what was this all about?

Xiao Dong immediately added, ”My master and I heard noises from his room all night, the windows being opened and closed repeatedly.”

Doctor Li glanced at Xiao Dong and then laughed.

Qin Yuan also smiled.

Doctor Li suggested, ”How about I first go see how the patients are doing?”

Currently, the sick were in one courtyard, while the group who had contact with the patients were in another, the number of people increasing.

Qin Yuan agreed, ”Master, I’ll go with you.”