Inside the room, every word of Gu Yan Chen and Qing Ya's conversation reached Lu Nian Fu's ears. Her heart skipped a beat uncontrollably. Gu Yan Chen pushed the door open, a muffled laugh echoing in the darkness, followed by rustling sounds.
Lu Nian Fu couldn't help but feel nervous. Had this fellow seen through her act of pretending to sleep?
The soft mattress dipped by half, and the familiar scent of the sea enveloped her. Gu Yan Chen's deliberately lowered voice sounded by her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "My lady, don't be jealous. I just had a meal there, I didn't let any of the girls get close."
The sleeve of his inner robe brushed past her nose, almost making her sneeze.
How could she possibly continue pretending to sleep?
Lu Nian Fu batted away his mischievous hand and sat up indignantly. "Who cares if you let the girls get close or not."
Gu Yan Chen rolled over and pinned her beneath him. In the darkness, the touch of their skin was even more distinct. He pecked her lips gently. "Your husband has remained chaste for you. Shouldn't my lady reward me?"
"W-what reward?"
"For example, a kiss."
After visiting the pleasure house, this man seemed even more adept at seduction. Lu Nian Fu felt her cheeks flush. The scoundrel had her pinned beneath him, peppering her lips with kisses, and now he wanted a kiss from her?
She glared at him. "Aren't you kissing me right now?"
"My initiative and your initiative are naturally different."
Lu Nian Fu: ...
"Here, here, put the bathtub here," Qing Ya's voice came from outside, followed by the sound of the bathtub being dragged and water being poured. Gu Yan Chen's body stiffened. He had the advantage of location and people, but the timing was wrong.
Lu Nian Fu felt his stiffness and couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Go wash up quickly. Didn't you say you smelled of perfume?"
"You heartless girl, was it me who disliked the smell? It was clearly because I feared you would." He pecked her lips forcefully before getting up and muttering as he went out. Lu Nian Fu sighed softly. This version of Gu Yan Chen was too irresistible; it felt like her newly erected psychological defenses had completely collapsed.
She buried her face deeply into the pillow and punched it twice.
With Ouyang Wen in charge, Yancheng began its orderly reconstruction.
Gu Yan Chen, using Emperor Chang Wu's imperial decree, sent people to recruit soldiers and began setting up watchtowers in areas vulnerable to Japanese pirate incursions. Due to the maritime ban, the Huaiyang Canal was desolate. With enough watchtowers, no ship at sea could escape detection, thus preventing Japanese pirates from landing stealthily.
Soon, the Japanese pirates began their direct assault.
The entire coastal area was placed under strict martial law, and the war against the Japanese pirates officially began.
Gu Yan Chen had to train troops and fight battles, sometimes not returning home for ten days or half a month. While Lu Nian Fu worried, she also pursued her own endeavors. After Xiang Dai Ge gained a firm foothold in Yangzhou, she opened a grain store.
It wasn't for profit, but rather to ensure that the soldiers would not go hungry if the imperial court's grain supplies were delayed.
Emperor Chang Wu was greatly troubled. Dealing with Huihe and the Southern Barbarians was already vexing enough. Now, the economic heartland of Da Yin, Jiangnan, was on the verge of becoming a battlefield. It was no exaggeration to say they were surrounded by enemies. Fortunately, there was Gu Yan Chen; otherwise, the imperial court would have to dispatch a great general from the border to provide support.
The crucial point was that these generals were experienced in land warfare but not necessarily in naval combat.
The Marquis of Guangling's mansion rose with the tide, enjoying considerable imperial favor.
Gu Yan Chen's father, Gu Rong, possessed mediocre abilities. After years of service in the Ministry of Rites, he finally benefited from his son's influence and became a Vice Minister of Rites, a third-rank official.
The position of Vice Minister was considered significant in the ministries of Revenue, War, Justice, and Personnel. However, in the ministries of Works and Rites, it was far less influential. Could a department with real power be compared to a leisurely one?
Gu Yan Chen's second uncle also received a promotion, becoming the second-in-command of the Hanlin Academy – Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy.
There is a saying in Da Yin: only those who pass the imperial examinations enter the Hanlin Academy, and only those from the Hanlin Academy can enter the Grand Secretariat. This illustrates the importance of the Hanlin Academy. However, not all members of the Hanlin Academy can enter the Grand Secretariat. Those with true talent emerge from the Hanlin Academy after a few years. As for Gu Li, who had been languishing in the Hanlin Academy for fifteen or sixteen years, his career was likely at its end.
Compared to the old Marquis of Guangling, who held the position of Minister of Revenue and was heavily favored by the previous emperor, these two brothers were veritable examples of a tiger begetting dogs. What's more, their offspring showed no signs of distinction. Just as the Guangling Marquis's lineage was fading from the court's attention, Gu Yan Chen emerged.
In just two years, he had risen to the position of Commander (third rank), concurrently overseeing the Wei Suo (military garrisons) and the Mo Bing Ying (an elite training camp).
The Wei Suo had a full strength of five thousand six hundred, and the Mo Bing Ying had twenty-eight thousand soldiers, all trained by him.