Chi You left the Prime Minister's manor smoothly.
Bai Ze had been following her, staying by her side, almost guarding her every step.
She bought a pile of things and dumped them all onto Bai Ze. By noon, she went to a tea house to listen to opera. The place was crowded, and the noise was enough to give one a headache.
Bai Ze, laden with bags, was panting from exhaustion.
As soon as they entered, he put down his belongings, angering the person next to him.
"Why are you bringing so many things to listen to opera? You're blocking the way."
Bai Ze, "---"
Chi You sat on a chair, cracking melon seeds, and looked back.
"Why don't you send the things back first? I'll stay in the tea house to listen to stories, and wait for you to return."
Bai Ze, who had all the items hanging on him, shook his head.
"Your subordinate will wait for you, Miss."
Chi You paused, then continued listening to the opera.
She stayed at the tea house for a long time. In the afternoon, she had lunch at a restaurant and then went shopping again.
Bai Ze was truly at his limit and deeply regretted it.
If he had known, he wouldn't have listened to the Saintess and should have taken a carriage or brought more people, so he wouldn't be this exhausted.
"Miss, do you still want to buy anything?"
Chi You walked into a shop. "Yes, the silk from the Central Plains is very beautiful. I want to get two bolts."
Bai Ze glanced at himself, completely covered in items, and quickly said, "The silk in the manor is all fine brocade, and there's also cloud silk from the South Sea. If you like it, Miss, you can have the embroiderers in the manor cut and make clothes."
"No, I like buying them myself."
"---"
He seriously suspected that this Saintess was doing it on purpose, deliberately making things difficult for him.
Later, when he truly couldn't carry anymore and saw Chi You going to buy pastries, he quickly said.
"Miss, wait here. Your subordinate will go back and send these things back first."
There were his people at the city gate; she couldn't run away.
Chi You hadn't intended to run. She watched Bai Ze leave and immediately went to the courier station to send a message.
Liu Rongruo had taken her bracelet. She couldn't contact Xuan Qing, so she had to find a way to send a message.
Fearing that Liu Rongruo would investigate, she specifically went to a very small courier station. However, she didn't expect that most of the shops in the capital were almost all owned by Li Qiongyu.
An暗卫 (secret guard) saw her and informed Li Qiongyu.
At that time, Li Qiongyu was teaching Wei Qingge archery in the domain.
When the message arrived, he casually glanced at it.
"Who is it? Does Ah Wu want to return to Nanjiang?"
Wei Qingge peeked at the letter in his hand.
"What is this written? I can't understand it, it looks like scribbles."
Li Qiongyu put one arm around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. He handed the letter to Jing Yu behind him.
"Send it to the Prime Minister."
"Yes."
Wei Qingge looked up and asked him, "Is that Nanjiang script?"
"Yes."
"Then do you recognize what it says?"
Li Qiongyu looked at her curious apricot eyes and leaned down to kiss her heavily.
"So nosy."
Wei Qingge was already used to his occasional kisses. She twisted her waist, wanting to break free from his embrace.
"I'm curious."
Li Qiongyu chuckled, picked her up, and placed her on the horse.
"I don't want to ride this horse, it always shakes me off."
"I'll ride with you."
His chest, hot and burning, pressed tightly against her from behind. His hands went through her sides, grabbed the reins, and with a whip, the horse neighed and galloped away.
Wei Qingge loved the feeling of galloping the most. The biting wind blew past her cheeks, and her bright, mischievous little face was full of smiles.
"Qingge, I'm going south in a couple of days. I might not be back until half a month before the wedding."
His voice came from behind her.
Wei Qingge froze, her smile instantly stiffening.
"Why are you going south?"
"I have business to attend to."
He hugged her waist from behind and sniffed her neck deeply.
Wei Qingge didn't notice his actions, but she suddenly lost the mood to play and felt a pang of disappointment.
"Oh."
"Do you want to come with me?"
The voice came from behind her. Joy instantly flooded Wei Qingge's heart, and she immediately turned back.
"Can I go with you?"
Li Qiongyu had been afraid she wouldn't want to travel with him, but seeing her expression now, he couldn't help but smile.
He leaned down and covered her lips, kissing her fiercely.
"Silly."
Wei Qingge pouted in embarrassment, 'You're the silly one.'
"You're already my wife, what can't you do?"
Hearing him mention this, Wei Qingge suddenly remembered how he had tricked her out of money and exploited her by making her work in his shops. She immediately took advantage of the situation and said, "I'm marrying you, so don't you have to give me money to spend?"
She didn't know how much betrothal gift the Marquis of Xuanping's manor had given when they went for the engagement, but it was all put into the treasury by her father.
Li Qiongyu put an arm around her waist and lifted her up.
They were facing each other, and her neck no longer hurt.
'Marry me, and everything will be yours.'
His businesses spanned across the Nine Provinces. She didn't want that much; she couldn't manage it all.
She said righteously, "I want a bank."
"Little money grubber."
He indulgently flicked her nose.
"Then will you give it to me?"
Li Qiongyu kissed her forehead. "Yes, I'll give you the deeds to all the banks in the capital later."
Wei Qingge's eyes lit up, then she immediately thought of something and shook her head.
She had only just learned how to manage a household, and looking at those account books gave her a headache. With so many banks in the capital, if he gave them to her, she would squander them all.
"I don't want that much, I just want one bank."
Li Qiongyu wanted to laugh at her confused look.
"Alright."
With that, he pulled her waist closer, lowered his head, and covered her lips, kissing her fiercely and passionately.
Wei Qingge's heart startled. She glanced around nervously at the soldiers who had come for training and secretly punched him.
"Someone's coming."
Broken breaths escaped her lips, their ragged breathing entwining.
Li Qiongyu ignored her, holding her tighter and kissing her repeatedly.
Wei Qingge's body went soft from his kisses, her cheeks as rosy as blooming flowers, and her pair of dark, bright apricot eyes seemed to be filled with peach blossoms, hazy and moist.
She unconsciously pressed against his body, reaching out to hug his back and returning his kiss.
Li Qiongyu unexpectedly swallowed, his hands around her waist burning hot.
Wei Qingge's heart trembled from the heat of his hands. She opened her eyes with a tremor and looked at him.
"Then when do we leave? We're getting married soon, and my mother is watching me very closely. She forces me to embroider all sorts of things every day. If she finds out I've been out playing again, she'll beat me to death."
Li Qiongyu glanced at the increasing number of people around them, pulled the reins, and headed towards the pavilion.
"We'll go in a couple of days. I'll go to the manor and inform the Old General Wei. Mother will definitely agree."
Wei Qingge's heart filled with joy, but hearing his address, she immediately retorted, "That's my mother, not your mother. Don't call her that."
'She will be eventually.'
He looked down at her, his peach blossom eyes filled with romantic charm, making her heart flutter.
She scratched her cheek, wanting to speak, but found he was riding the horse directly towards their residence.
In broad daylight, she punched him indignantly.
"What are you doing?"
Li Qiongyu leaned down, close to her ear, and said in a low voice, "Doing it."
Wei Qingge blushed and twisted his ear.
"I'm not going, put me down."
Li Qiongyu paid her no mind. Upon reaching the courtyard gate, he directly dismounted with her in his arms and headed straight for the house.
Wei Qingge was annoyed by his actions. Ever since that time, he had become relentless, sneaking into her home late at night to demand her.
On the desk, in the water, in the kitchen, in the military camp. One time, it was even in a carriage, making her too embarrassed to show her face. He tossed and turned her relentlessly.
Sometimes, it would last the entire night, as if to make up for all the lost time.
"Don't you get tired?"
He carried her to the bed and pressed down on her.
"I've endured it for so many years."
"Mmm~"
Wei Qingge's moist eyes instantly became hazy, her eyes flushed, and her body trembled violently.