The Plum Garden was vast, and the location of the rockery was relatively secluded.
But today, after all, there were many guests, and it was broad daylight, a place where people came and went. Although the rockery provided some cover, it was by no means completely secure.
Lord Gu only dared to take a light taste, but the illicit couple at the entrance of the rockery, perhaps having finally found an opportunity, started off just clinging and kissing each other, one peck here and there. Later, unable to control their burning desire, they tugged at each other and moved further inside. Rustling sounds followed as they began to untie their clothes.
Deep within the rockery, Gu Zhao tightly held Zhu Qingyu, not daring to move an inch.
The illicit couple was now very close to them—so close that with just a slight stretch of a hand, they could touch them.
If it weren’t for the pitch darkness inside, they would have been discovered long ago.
Gu Zhao wasn’t afraid of being found out; in fact, he almost wished it would be made public so he could go with the flow.
That would be better than enduring day after day, doing everything in secret, even worse than that illicit couple.
But he worried that if he acted on his own, Zhu Qingyu might turn against him, and the loss would outweigh the gain.
The illicit couple might have still held onto some last shred of reason, deliberately restraining themselves, but the fragmented sounds of their pleasure still reached Gu Zhao’s ears without omission.
Gu Zhao felt himself growing even hotter.
The young woman in his arms made no sound at all, and seemed to be on the verge of collapsing softly.
Here they were, both eavesdropping on the same scene—he was flushed, his heart racing, his breath uneven—while the young woman in his arms had actually fallen asleep drunk?
He could only concede in disbelief!
Gu Zhao held her tighter, leaning himself backward so she could rest more comfortably against him.
It certainly made him even hotter!
Gu Zhao felt a fire in his heart, roasting his very soul; every moment was torture.
Fortunately, the illicit couple, perhaps afraid of being too brazen and getting caught, finally tidied their clothes after about a quarter of an hour and hurried away.
Silence fell over the place.
Perhaps because they had stayed so long in the depths of the rockery, their eyes had gradually adjusted to the dim light, and her silhouette emerged faintly in the darkness.
She had indeed fallen asleep—it was rare for her to appear so peaceful and soft in his presence.
So peaceful that Gu Zhao almost wished this moment could last forever.
He could wake her up, but then this moment would be gone.
For her, he wanted so much but possessed so little. Perhaps letting this moment stretch a little longer wasn’t being too greedy.
Gu Zhao unfastened his own cloak, draped it over her, pulled up the hood to cover her from head to toe, then lifted her up and walked out of the rockery.
He turned through a path of flowering shrubs, entered a small lane, and avoiding the crowds admiring the plum blossoms all the way, he left through the back gate. Outside, Xiong Kun was waiting with the carriage.
Seeing the prince carrying someone out, Xiong Kun quickly lifted the carriage curtain to let the young master board.
Gu Zhao instructed,
“Go tell Zhang Jingyan that Lady Zhu drank too much and has gone back first.”
Xiong Kun nodded, dared not ask questions, and hurried off to find Zhang Shen in the plum garden.
Gu Zhao carried Zhu Qingyu into the carriage and, once inside, still held her in his arms, leaning back against the carriage wall as he had in the rockery, adjusting her head so she could sleep more comfortably.
Having her in his arms—this awareness made Gu Zhao feel steady and at ease. He kissed her hair and smiled helplessly.
One year… it seemed he couldn’t wait even a year. What was he going to do?
After a moment, Xiong Kun returned and reported outside the carriage,
“Sir, I’ve delivered the message.”
Gu Zhao hummed in acknowledgment:
“Back to Qingyi Lane.”
The journey from the Plum Garden on the outskirts to Qingyi Lane in the capital took an hour. On the way there, Gu Zhao had been burning with anger, feeling the time was unbearably long, wondering why they hadn’t arrived yet.
On the way back, however, Gu Zhao felt time was too short. She had only been in his arms for a little while, he had only held her for a short spell, and he still hadn’t gotten his fill of looking at her when they had already reached the capital.
Zhu Qingyu had been extremely busy lately, with many social engagements, many memorials to memorize, and another policy essay to write. She hadn’t slept enough for several nights, and the night before she had nearly pulled an all-nighter studying. She was exhausted, and with the alcohol today, she hadn’t woken up during the entire ride.
Gu Zhao carried her off the carriage just as she was, not heading toward the Zhang residence at all. Instead, he brought her straight into his own house, into the main room, and laid her on his bed.
It was already past the hour of You, and the sky was growing dark.
Gu Zhao took off her cloak and shoes, covered her with a blanket, and let her continue sleeping while he sat by the bedside, watching her.
After a while, perhaps because she seemed so sweet in her sleep, Gu Zhao couldn’t help wanting to get closer, so he drew near and lay down beside her.
The last time she had lain beside him was at Yongfu Villa.
It felt as distant as a past life, yet it remained as fresh in his mind as if it had just happened.
Gu Zhao gently kissed her cheek and murmured,
“What should I do, Qingyu? I can’t wait a year.”
The person in her drunken sleep, perhaps annoyed by his kiss or tired of his muttering, turned her back to him and resumed sleeping.
Gu Zhao leaned over, kissed her neck again, and muttered once more,
“Anyway, I’m no gentleman. If I break the agreement, it wouldn’t matter, would it?”
The drunken sleeper gave no response, slumbering soundly.
Gu Zhao pressed closer, wrapped his arms around her, and changed his mind again:
“Forget it. One year it is—I said I’d give you the chance not to choose me.”
The notoriously promise-breaking Lord Gu wavered back and forth, his left brain battling his right. In the middle of this struggle, he drifted off to sleep himself.
He didn’t know how long he had slept when he heard Qin’s mother’s soft voice from outside the door:
“Young Master, Lord Zhang has come to call.”
Gu Zhao glanced at the incense stick in the room; it had been less than two quarters of an hour since he returned.
This Zhang Jingyan was truly insufferable—not only did he undeservedly occupy the title of her husband, but he was also chasing so closely after her.
The irritation that had dissipated with her embrace this afternoon gathered again, and Gu Zhao felt deeply displeased.
He had made a pact with Zhu Qingyu for one year, but divorce was between two people. Since Zhang Jingyan wasn’t truly her husband, why couldn’t he be considerate enough to divorce her first?
Why did he have to stand between them?
If they had divorced first, at least he wouldn’t have to steal two quarters of an hour’s time with her in secret like this.
Gu Zhao was unhappy and didn’t care about maintaining surface propriety. He instructed Qin’s mother,
“Let him in.”
Letting an unrelated man into the inner courtyard was against the rules.
But speaking of rules, carrying another man’s wife into one’s own inner quarters was even more outrageous.
Qin’s mother was a professional—she didn’t say a word and went to fetch the visitor.
Gu Zhao sat up, expressionlessly stripped off his outer robe, and sat waiting by the bed.
When he heard Qin’s mother leading someone inside, Gu Zhao carelessly tossed his outer garment onto the floor and walked out.
Zhang Shen entered the inner courtyard and reached the main room’s outer chamber. Seeing Gu Zhao emerge from the inner room dressed only in his undergarments, a sharp pain clutched his heart, yet his face remained calm as he asked,
“Where is she?”
Gu Zhao said with a fully satisfied smile:
"She's asleep. She'll be staying here tonight."
