In ancient times, the powerful and wealthy seized power step by step.

This wasn't the first time Zhu Qingyu had tried to persuade Zhang Ruohua, but each time Zhang Ruohua would nod enthusiastically and resolutely refuse to change her mind.

Zhang Ruohua is now in charge of household affairs. She manages the food, clothing and daily necessities of the whole family. She dresses up beautifully every day and can't stand seeing the people around her looking shabby. She feels an eyeache when they pass by her. If her sister-in-law doesn't like to wear new clothes, it means the new clothes are not well made. Then she will make them again. It's not like the family is short of money. Clothes only cost a few dollars. She can always make something that her sister-in-law likes.

Now that she had finally changed her sister-in-law out of her drab, dusty clothes, Zhang Ruohua felt refreshed.

She couldn't understand why her sister-in-law, who was so beautiful, always wore those ugly cloth clothes and a wooden hairpin with no decoration at all. She thought her aesthetic sense was really problematic. Even the best looks couldn't withstand such a waste. She was too embarrassed to say anything, afraid that her sister-in-law would be upset.

Zhang Ruohua circled her beautiful sister-in-law, admiring her beauty and expressing great satisfaction.

"This Song brocade looks plain, but it's so bright and gorgeous when you wear it. Sister-in-law, you look really good in it. When your second brother comes back in a few days, wear this to pick him up. He'll definitely like it. I also bought some new rouge and face powder, all from the merchants of the vassal states. There are a few colors that suit you particularly well. I'm sending them to you. Remember to use them too."

Not only was Zhang Ruohua amazed, but on the day Zhang Shen returned to Yangzhou, he was stunned when he saw Zhu Qingyu who came to pick him up at the ferry. He even forgot to get off the boat and stared at Zhu Qingyu for a long time without saying a word.

Zhu Qingyu felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze and adjusted the heavy gold hairpin by her ear:

"Why are you looking at me like that? Is it a little strange? My third sister wanted to help me get dressed before I left, and I couldn't refuse her kindness. But I was wearing so many hair accessories that I didn't dare to lower my head the whole way, for fear of accidentally losing one of them."

Zhang Shen disembarked, his face filled with undisguised amazement. He took her hand, his face beaming.

"How could it be strange? You came to see me dressed in your finest attire, like a fairy descending to earth. I am truly flattered."

Perhaps because Zhang Ruohua had been bedridden for many years, once he was released from confinement, he was like a caged bird flying into the sky. Once he started to fight, he became somewhat reckless and preferred to go towards the direction of towering mountains and blooming flowers.

The heavy head full of jewels and jade made her scalp ache, especially the solid gold hairpin with gemstones and pearls by her ear. Perhaps because of its weight, or perhaps because she was in a hurry to leave and didn't put it on properly, Zhu Qingyu always felt that it was about to fall down, and she couldn't help but reach out to hold it up.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Shen quickly stopped and took the gold hairpin off for her, then found a new place to put it back on, saying:

"Is your hair not done properly? I'll find you two maids who are good at combing your hair."

Zhang Shen wasn't good at fixing his wife's hairpins and ornaments, so he was slow at it. Passersby at the ferry crossing kept glancing at the two of them. Two groups of people even got so engrossed in watching that they bumped into each other and started arguing, accusing each other of not watching where they were going.

Zhu Qingyu felt even more uncomfortable:

"Let's go back to the carriage and wear it; everyone's watching us."

Zhang Shen ignored the quarrels of others, carefully put the gold hairpin on his wife's head, and replied:

"They're not looking at us, they're looking at you. But it's time to go back. I'm a very stingy person, I rarely even look at people, I'm a little reluctant to let others see me."

……

In a private room on the second floor of Qin Yun Pavilion, Gu Zhao, who was sitting by the window, watched the whole thing from beginning to end. Even as the affectionate young couple boarded the carriage, he couldn't tear his gaze away.

Every time he saw her before, she was always unpretentious about dressing up. He thought she was naturally simple and didn't like dressing up, but he didn't know that she dressed up for the man she loved. Only in front of her husband would she spend so much time and effort, and under the jewels and jade ornaments, she became even more beautiful and captivating.

"My lord, I would like to offer you a toast."

A woman's soft voice reached his ears, and Gu Zhao turned his gaze to his side.

The imperial envoy was assassinated in Yangzhou. The person sent to investigate the case was the emperor's cousin, and the person who was stabbed was the emperor's brother-in-law. The local officials were naturally to blame.

Prefect Liu of Yangzhou and Governor-General Gao of Liangjiang and Jiangsu Province have been living in constant fear these days, as if walking on thin ice, for fear of angering the Emperor and losing their heads. They have set up this banquet to apologize to the Vice Minister.

During the banquet, Lord Liu's adopted daughter, Liu Yiyi, accompanied him.

Liu Yiyi offered a toast, and Lord Liu urged her to drink more:

"Your Excellency, this is a daughter's red wine that my family prepared for Yiyi. I humbly request that you take a look and appreciate it."

The banquet was set with the daughter's red wine from her wedding day, and the dishes served with the girls' maiden names. Lord Liu's assessment of the wine was unclear; was he referring to the wine or the people?

Liu Yiyi was sixteen years old, with a beautiful appearance. Every gesture she made was that of a well-bred young lady, but she had an added touch of charm.

Gu Zhao glanced at her with an ordinary expression, but remained silent and did not touch a drop of wine.

Unsure of Lord Gu's attitude, Liu Yiyi glanced at Lord Liu, and seeing him nod, she moved closer to Gu Zhao and raised her cup in another toast:

"I'll drink this first as a sign of respect, and please do me the honor of tasting it, sir."

After downing a full cup of wine, the beauty, unable to hold her liquor, blushed, her eyes filled with affection, yet remained silent, as if she wanted to speak but hesitated.

Gu Zhao glanced at her again. When he was presiding over the Yan family's case, Gu Zhao had heard about the local industries in Yangzhou. They specially selected beauties from young girls, spent ten years cultivating them, and then put them before him. Every smile, every gesture, was both innocent and charming. They were indeed rare beauties.

But while it is beautiful, it seems to be missing something.

Otherwise, why would he remain so calm and unmoved in the face of such a beautiful woman?

What exactly is missing?

Gu Zhao couldn't help but picture a pair of blood-stained yet steady hands in the consultation room, angry eyes in the cramped pharmacy, and a seemingly respectful but actually feigned smile in front of the clinic, as if he had finally gotten rid of the trouble.

Clearly, none of these women should be associated with beauty when taken individually, yet Gu Zhao doesn't know why she suddenly thought of them again.

This unexpected turn of events even made Gu Zhao feel somewhat annoyed.

The Vice Minister remained silent for a long time. The scene, which should have been romantic and ambiguous, suddenly turned cold. Liu Yiyi, standing to the side, could hardly maintain her smile.

Amidst the expectant gazes of everyone at the table, Gu Zhao finally picked up the wine glass beside him, but before bringing it to his lips, he took a shallow sniff and then put it down, saying:

"Generally speaking, let's withdraw."

This is so-so; I don't know if it's referring to the wine or the person.