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

Zhu Dashan joined the army at the age of thirteen. He had only been on the battlefield once when he was discovered by General Wen, who brought him back and assigned him to work as a servant in the Grand Princess's mansion. He was not allowed to go to the battlefield and die at such a young age.

Therefore, despite his young age, Zhu Dashan has firsthand experience of what battlefield combat is like.

Although Zhu Dashan had not witnessed Lord Gu's heroic act of slaying the Left Wise King on the battlefield, he had heard about it from the returning soldiers, and thus he held Lord Gu in the highest esteem.

Upon hearing Madam Zhu ask how Lord Gu was doing, Zhu Dashan, holding his teacup, was very excited, his face full of admiration:

"Lord Gu is quite capable!"

Okay, that means you agree.

Zhu Qingyu asked again:

"I want to marry Lord Gu, what do you think?"

Zhu Dashan was only thirteen years old, not yet of marriageable age, and didn't have a clear understanding of what marriage meant. But since Madam Zhu said she wanted to get married, that was naturally a good thing, so Zhu Dashan nodded vigorously.

"That's great!"

Zhu Qingyu nodded:

"You must be thirsty after carrying books for so long, have some tea."

Zhu Dashan, still somewhat dazed, downed his tea in one gulp.

Now that Zhu Dashan has accepted Gu Zhao and drunk the tea offered by Gu Zhao, the process is complete and smooth, it's practically perfect!

Zhu Qingyu decided that the elders of the Zhu family had agreed to the marriage.

Having accomplished this important task, Zhu Qingyu, still feeling sleepy and even weak in the legs when going downstairs, took advantage of Gu Zhao's absence to run back to her room to catch up on sleep.

While half asleep, she heard Gu Zhao's footsteps in the room, and the sound of water being poured.

In her half-awake state, Zhu Qingyu thought:

"Oh, this bath soap, I'll have to take a bath during the day again."

Gu Zhao washed Gu Zhao's clothes, and Zhu Qingyu slept in her own, so they didn't bother with him.

But not long after she fell asleep, Gu Zhao came over and reached out to undo her clothes.

Someone was going to keep causing trouble, but Zhu Qingyu didn't even open her eyes before slapping his hand away.

Gu Zhao felt somewhat aggrieved:

"Get up and take a shower before going to sleep, otherwise you won't feel comfortable. I've already prepared the water."

Zhu Qingyu opened her eyes, realizing it was water she had prepared for herself.

Gu Zhao, shirtless and wearing only pants, knelt on the bed with her legs half-bent, her body still damp with the water droplets she had just gotten, and coaxed:

"Otherwise, the water will get cold later, so you can wash now, okay?"

With the bright daylight and no clothes to cover him, and because he still had a buzz cut, Gu Zhao looked exactly like a modern person from this angle.

Judging from his age and physique, he looks like a young male college sports student.

Even with him running around so busily, Zhu Qingyu suddenly had the illusion that the two of them had traveled to modern times, and she was dating a male college sports student, and the two of them were living together at home.

This illusion made her lower her guard, and she even became somewhat addicted to it.

She stood up, moved closer, and reached out to touch Gu Zhao's hair.

Why did he style his hair like this again? Zhu Qingyu wanted to ask him last night, but Lord Gu was too much of a jerk, so she didn't have a chance to ask.

Gu Zhao lowered his head and let her touch him, then persistently began to undress her.

This time, Zhu Qingyu didn't interrupt him and asked:

"Did your family disapprove, so you went and became a monk again?"

Gu Zhao hummed in agreement, pulled her up, and then took off her undergarments and skirt before carrying her.

Although there was a brazier burning indoors, it was still cold on this first snowy day, so Zhu Qingyu wrapped her arms around his neck and let him lift her up.

The two embraced tightly without any barriers. Zhu Qingyu suddenly felt a pang of sadness and asked in a low voice:

"When are you going back after this trip?"

Zhu Qingyu's mission here is not yet complete. It will be at least this time next year before she can arrange the first batch of qualified doctors to be sent to medical clinics in various places. In other words, it will be at least a year before she returns to the capital.

Gu Zhao is the Vice Minister of Revenue, and he usually has to work in the capital. It is estimated that he came here on leave. If he wants to go back before the New Year, he will not be able to stay in Jiangning for more than a few days before he has to leave.

We part in spring and reunite in winter.

See you next time, another year from now.

Coming all this way only to end up in a long-distance relationship where we can only see each other once a year, it's really killing me.

Gu Zhao placed her in the warm bathtub, seemingly too eager to confront the issue directly, and answered vaguely:

"It depends on the situation."

Knowing that he was about to leave, Zhu Qingyu became much more cooperative with him.

She didn't know how other people dated, but it seemed like Master Gu wanted to seize every moment to be with her.

Actually, she is too.

Gu Zhao also squeezed into the bathtub, and the two sat on top of each other in the warm water, embracing each other.

Zhu Qingyu leaned against him, and Gu Zhao lowered his head to kiss her. She looked up and met his kiss.

Lovers deeply in love are always so infatuated that space and time become blurred in the midst of pleasurable sensations.

Zhu Qingyu wasn't even aware of when she finished washing, how she washed, or when she got back to bed.

When she regained consciousness, it was already midnight. The two of them had missed breakfast, lunch, and then dinner.

Gu Zhao held her in his arms; he woke up almost as soon as Zhu Qingyu did.

Zhu Qingyu was exhausted and hungry, even more so than during the day, and warned fiercely:

"Oh no, it's so late. The restaurants are closed, and the cooks are asleep. Master Gu, we're going to go hungry until tomorrow. If you don't learn your lesson tonight and we miss breakfast again tomorrow morning, I'll kick you out. Get a good night's sleep tonight and don't cause any more trouble."

Ha, causing trouble?

It's as if he's the only one indulging in pleasure and oblivious to the world!

At this moment, Gu Zhao, who was slightly satisfied but still wanted to continue, was extremely pragmatic. He didn't argue with Lord Zhu at all, but instead proactively crawled over, replying as he dressed:

"It's my fault, I'll go find you something to eat."

In the dead of night, Zhu Qingyu didn't believe that Gu Zhao, who was unfamiliar with the place, could find food.

Less than a quarter of an hour later, Gu Zhao first brought in a copper basin filled with warm water and took a handkerchief to wipe her face.

The water temperature was just right, as if someone had prepared it in advance, waiting for them to wake up and bring it to them.

Then Gu Zhao brought in a food box, the portion and temperature of the late-night snack were just right.

Zhu Qingyu sat down at the table, a little bewildered by the thoughtfully prepared late-night snack. Then, as if remembering something, she asked:

"Is Granny Qin here?"

Gu Zhao handed her chopsticks and smiled:

"yes."

Zhu Qingyu found it strange:

"Why didn't I see her yesterday? Where does she live?"

Gu Zhao had been so content and relaxed these past two days that his mind had become careless, and he inadvertently let slip:

"The Governor-General's Residence of Liangjiang".

Zhu Qingyu found it even stranger:

"Why doesn't Granny Qin come and stay here? Why does she have to stay at the Governor-General's Mansion? Are you very familiar with the Governor-General of Liangjiang? No, isn't the position of Governor-General of Liangjiang vacant and hasn't been filled yet?"

Gu Zhao paused, filled with regret, but it was too late to make amends.

Zhu Qingyu had already realized what was happening:

"You've been transferred to the position of Governor-General of Liangjiang?"

If he was being transferred to the position of Governor-General of Liangjiang, why didn't you say so earlier? She thought he was about to return to the capital!

Gu Zhao put on his most gentle smile, trying to deceive them:

"Yes, I didn't have time to say it."

Didn't you have a chance to say it? Was it because you didn't have a chance to say it, or did you deliberately not say it?

Ha ha.

Zhu Qingyu smiled without saying a word, choosing to remain silent for the time being.

When Gu Zhao finished delivering the food box and went out, he came back to find that Lord Zhu had already closed the bedroom door and refused to see any guests.

Gu Zhao looked pitiful:

"Qingyu, let me in."

Having long been excessively satiated and used and discarded, Zhu Qingyu remained unmoved and said with a heart of stone:

"Go back to your governor's mansion. I have doctor's appointments tomorrow, so don't disturb my sleep!"