If she were just representing herself, Wu Yurou, she certainly wouldn't mind being Gu Ruobai's concubine. However, with her current identity as a princess for political marriage, it meant she could only be the principal wife. Even being a secondary consort was out of the question.
This was also the reason why when Wu Yurou said she wanted to stay at Gu Ruobai's mansion, no one raised any objections. Everyone knew there couldn't be anything between her and Gu Ruobai, since Gu Ruobai had already married Su Mingyu as his principal wife, a well - known fact in the entire capital.
"But you clearly said so." Su Mingyu didn't give her a way out. "Since the princess is so intent on this, she can ask the emperor for a marriage grant tomorrow."
"You're going too far!" Wu Yurou was already angry because Gu Ruobai had ignored her these days. When she went out to the market and was surrounded by a crowd, she got even angrier. Now, being provoked by Su Mingyu until her eyes were red, she turned around and ran outside.
Watching her departing back, Su Mingyu gave the King of Yu a push and winked at him. "A hurt woman is always particularly easy to be touched. Hurry up. If you and the princess get together, this will count as me repaying you."
Seeing the sparkle in Su Mingyu's eyes, the King of Yu immediately reacted. "You deliberately provoked her?"
Su Mingyu raised her eyebrows with a half - smile. "Hurry up. She'll be gone in a moment."
For some reason, the King of Yu, who had been in a good mood just now, felt a bit displeased when he saw Su Mingyu being so considerate about him and Wu Yurou. "If it were Gu Ruobai standing in front of you now, would you still let him chase after Wu Yurou?"
Su Mingyu didn't understand why he suddenly asked this, but she answered honestly. "No."
"Didn't I create this scene on purpose to keep her away from Gu Ruobai?"
Looking at the honesty in Su Mingyu's eyes, the King of Yu tightened his fist secretly. "You really do think about me."
After saying this, the King of Yu gave her a displeased look and then turned away.
Su Mingyu squinted her eyes at this inexplicable scene. People always said that a woman's heart was like a needle in the ocean, but it seemed that a man's heart was just as hard to fathom.
Su Mingyu sat in the teahouse for a while longer until Mu Yi came in from outside and whispered in her ear, "The King of Yu caught up with the princess and asked me to tell you that he would send the princess back."
"Even a secret guard like you was discovered by him?" Su Mingyu suddenly thought this King of Yu was not simple.
Mu Yi nodded. "Maybe I didn't hide well enough. It won't happen again. Shall we go back?"
Unlike Mu Yi's nonchalance, Su Mingyu found it a bit strange. The King of Yu didn't seem to have such skills on normal days. Could it be that he was also pretending to be weak to gain an advantage?
Su Mingyu returned to the Prince Ruixian's Mansion. Gu Ruobai was leisurely reading a book in the tea garden.
Seeing Gu Ruobai looking so peaceful, Su Mingyu felt the veins on her forehead throbbing. "I'm out there cleaning up your mess, while you're here enjoying yourself."
As soon as Gu Ruobai heard Su Mingyu's voice, he knew she was angry. So he quickly poured her a cup of tea. "But didn't you already earn a fortune from my brothers? You sold a piece of clothing for a high price of a hundred taels. You've set a precedent for the clothing shops in the capital."
Su Mingyu took the tea and took a sip before saying, "My cost is that high."
"By the way, why haven't I seen Leng Ziyue these days?" Su Mingyu threw an unpeeled apple to Gu Ruobai. The meaning was obvious.
Gu Ruobai turned the apple in his hand, then drew a dagger from his calf and started peeling the apple for Su Mingyu.
"Maybe he knew you were busy, so he didn't come to bother you." As Gu Ruobai said this, the apple was peeled.
He handed it to Su Mingyu and said, "After all, the whole capital knows that the princess is staying in our mansion. Leng Ziyue probably guessed that you were too busy dealing with this, so he didn't come to find you."
Su Mingyu took a bite of the apple, then raised her eyebrows and looked at Gu Ruobai, who was wiping the blade of his dagger with a silk cloth. "Using a dagger made of cold - ice mysterious iron to peel an apple. You've really made this apple expensive."
"How could it be? It's an honor for it to peel an apple for you." Just as Gu Ruobai finished speaking, a clear voice was heard. "I heard someone has been very busy recently?"
Su Mingyu took a bite of the apple. "I was just talking about you, and here you are."
Saying this, Su Mingyu handed a rather large box behind her to Leng Ziyue. "This is the clothing I said I would give to Concubine Chen last time. Remember to give it to her when you go back."
Leng Ziyue glanced at the color of the clothing inside and couldn't help raising his eyebrows slightly. "After all these years, she still likes such a simple and elegant yellow - pink color."
Su Mingyu had no mood to listen to his memories. She got straight to the point. "Did you come to find me specifically because there's something about Concubine Ning?"
"Not really." Leng Ziyue lowered his eyes. "Concubine Ning has been very quiet recently. I just heard that Wu Yurou is staying in your mansion and her target is Gu Ruobai. How could you bear it?"
Hearing him say this, Su Mingyu finally understood. "So you came to see my joke?"
After saying this, Su Mingyu waved her hand. "Now that you've seen it, you can leave. Hurry up. It won't look good if I have to throw you out later."
"No no no, don't be in such a hurry." Leng Ziyue said as he walked over and sat down beside Su Mingyu. "Last time you asked me to pay close attention to Concubine Ning's movements. I did as you asked. Although Concubine Ning didn't show any signs, I saw a person there."
Su Mingyu rolled her eyes at him. "Spit it out if you have something to say!"
Seeing that Su Mingyu was displeased, Leng Ziyue quickly said, "That person is Mu, the grand secretary, a veteran of three dynasties."
"Why did Concubine Ning meet with Grand Secretary Mu?" Su Mingyu frowned. This Grand Secretary Mu had a great background. He was the only one among the veterans of three dynasties who was still active in the court.
Moreover, the emperor trusted him very much. Many major decisions were made after discussing with him.
But why would such a big figure go to see Concubine Ning?
When Gu Ruobai heard this news, his face didn't look good either. He looked at Leng Ziyue and asked, "Are you sure?"
Leng Ziyue nodded. "I'm pretty sure I didn't see wrong. But he only went there once and never went again."
"After Grand Secretary Mu left, I clearly saw Concubine Ning's face turn a bit panicked, but she didn't tell the King of Yu about this."
Not telling the King of Yu? This was a bit interesting.
Su Mingyu touched her chin, then raised her eyebrows and looked at Gu Ruobai. "Guess what I'm thinking now."
Gu Ruobai didn't even lift his eyelids. "You're going to investigate Grand Secretary Mu."