After sending letters to Chu Linyang and Song Shilan, Chu Yu and Wei Yun began busying themselves with the matter of establishing the capital in Bailing. The entire family set out grandly towards Bailing.
Wei Yun and Chu Yu needed to go ahead to make preparations, so the two of them departed early. Jiang Chun led Wang Lan, Liu Xueyang, and the young masters to follow behind.
Away from Liu Xueyang’s watchful eyes, Wei Yun became much bolder, sitting directly with Chu Yu in one carriage and refusing to leave. The guards around them were used to this sight. Seeing that he couldn’t get Wei Yun to leave, Chu Yu could only helplessly say, “When we reach Bailing, you must go out.”
“Alright, dearest Yu,” Wei Yun immediately took advantage, leaning on Chu Yu’s thigh and coaxing, “I knew you cared for me.”
Chu Yu glared at him, gently patting his face, “If it weren’t for your handsome face, I would certainly throw you out today.”
Hearing this, Wei Yun raised his hand to touch his face, “Being born so handsome is also a talent, you know.”
Chu Yu laughed and pushed his head away, no longer paying him any attention as she looked at the map of Bailing.
The Wei family didn’t have a fixed residence in Bailing, so they could only temporarily select and purchase an empty mansion from among the wealthy families. Wei Yun arranged the grand ceremony for his investiture as king, while Chu Yu was in charge of the inner household affairs, including selecting the location herself.
“I invited a master to take a look, and he picked out several places for me, saying these all have excellent feng shui,” Chu Yu said, pointing out the spots on the map to Wei Yun. “When the time comes, the prefecture government office will be converted into your workplace. This mansion is not far from you. The other one is a bit farther from the government office, quieter. What do you think…”
“The first one,” Wei Yun decisively spoke. Chu Yu smiled, “Are you afraid of being lazy, wanting to sleep in more in the mornings?”
“That’s not an issue,” Wei Yun raised his hand to play with the ring on her finger, calmly saying, “I just want to come home for every meal.”
Chu Yu was taken aback, listening as Wei Yun continued, “I’m afraid I’ll get busier and busier in the future. You’ll be fine, I’ll always see you at night, but when we have children later, I fear I’ll have too little time to spend with them, and they’ll be unhappy.”
Hearing these words, Chu Yu’s heart felt as if it was bathed in spring sunshine, warm and bright. She listened to Wei Yun describe the future, very seriously worrying, “So I want to come back for lunch and dinner every day, to talk with them during meals. I’m afraid even this won’t be enough, but we’ll have to make do for now. When I find a way to free myself in the future, we can go live a peaceful life.”
“Yu,” Wei Yun spoke with some anticipation, “Do you want a son or a daughter?”
“Why are you asking this?” Chu Yu’s smile was faint, indiscernible at its depths.
The moment Wei Yun asked, Gu Yanqing’s young and frightened face flashed through Chu Yu’s mind, calling her “First Madam.” Her heart tightened, not knowing exactly what she was feeling sad about.
Hearing Chu Yu’s words, Wei Yun noticed that although she was smiling, the smile didn’t reach her eyes. He suddenly realized that when it came to the matter of children, Chu Yu had never shown the same love and anticipation as him.
His heart felt a bit panicked, but he didn’t dare to think too deeply about it. Instead, he simply reached out and hugged Chu Yu, saying nothing more.
Chu Yu stroked his hair, gently saying, “Don’t fool around too long, take good care of your wounds. There’s still a lot to do.”
“Mm.” Wei Yun seemed to have grown sleepy, falling asleep in her arms without another word.
The journey from Bailing to Huaicheng was only four days. After arriving in Bailing, Wei Yun and Chu Yu temporarily rested at the governor’s residence. The next day, Chu Yu began to handle the matters of setting up their home. She had prepared for this for a long time, and now it was just a matter of implementing the decisions she had already made. From taking possession of the house to settling all affairs, it took only three days.
Three days later, when Wei Yun walked into the house, he saw that even the incense was ready, and the Wei family’s ancestral tablets had been properly placed in the ancestral hall. He went with Chu Yu to offer incense in the ancestral hall, and as they walked along the long corridor afterward, Chu Yu slowly said, “Everything was settled in a hurry. If there’s anything not to your liking, just tell me, and I’ll have people make new arrangements.”
“What do I lack, for you to arrange?” Wei Yun turned his head to look at her with a smile. Chu Yu looked up, somewhat puzzled, “What else do you need?”
Everything in his room had been moved over according to how it was before, so what could be missing?
Wei Yun tugged at the great cloak on his body, lowering his eyes, “I’m twenty years old now, and my room lacks a wife. The First Madam has set up a home for me and managed the household, but no one is willing to marry in. What does the First Madam think should be done?”
Hearing Wei Yun playing tricks again, Chu Yu couldn’t help but smile, “How do you find ways to bring this up at every turn?”
Wei Yun glanced at her, “I want to stop climbing through windows early in the morning and get up a bit later.”
Chu Yu pursed her lips in a light laugh. Seeing her not respond, Wei Yun waved his hand, “Fine, fine, if you don’t agree, then forget it.” After a pause, he still added, “I’ll ask again tomorrow.”
This time, Chu Yu laughed outright.
When night fell, Wei Yun was reviewing documents sent from various places in his room. He looked up at the sky and called Wei Xia in, “What time is it?”
“It’s the hour of zi (11 pm – 1 am).”
Wei Xia answered respectfully, then added, “The First Madam has gone to sleep.”
Wei Yun nodded, understanding that it was time for him to climb through the window.
He put away the documents and waved his hand, saying to Wei Xia, “Put out the lights, I’m going to rest too.”
Visiting a lady’s chambers at night was ultimately not good for Chu Yu’s reputation. Even if it was the closest person, he didn’t want anyone to look down on her. So he always pretended to sleep, waiting for his people to relax their guard before sneaking out.
As usual, he extinguished the lights and changed clothes, lying in bed quietly listening to the sounds outside. However, before long, he heard the sound of a wooden window frame touching the ground. Wei Yun furrowed his brow, sitting up straight and staring directly at the window. Just then, the window suddenly opened, and a woman was raising one leg to climb in, straddling the window, her gaze meeting Wei Yun’s directly.
Seeing who it was, Wei Yun was stunned for a moment. Chu Yu hadn’t expected Wei Yun to be staring right at the window. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, she quickly climbed through the window, closed it, and hurried to the bed, lifting the covers and lying down.
This series of actions was performed smoothly and in one go. It took Wei Yun a good while to recover, “What are you doing here?”
“Didn’t you say you couldn’t sleep enough?” Chu Yu had her back to him, speaking somewhat bashfully.
It was just a joke, how could someone like him care about getting enough sleep? Yet this person had taken it to heart.
Wei Yun didn’t speak. Seeing no response from behind her for a long time, Chu Yu wanted to turn her head to look at him, but as soon as she did, soft lips pressed against hers.
His kiss now was gentle and lingering, unlike his outwardly stern and unyielding appearance. His lips were soft and sweet. He had learned to patiently tease and entice. The two were entangled for a long while before Chu Yu, gasping for breath, broke away, saying, “No more, no more, I’m about to suffocate.”
Wei Yun chuckled softly. He pressed his forehead against hers, whispering, “You’re so good.”
Chu Yu said nothing, her face red and silent.
Wei Yun spoke again, “Yu, can you be even better?”
Chu Yu asked in a low voice, “How much better?”
Wei Yun raised his hand, placing it on her lower abdomen, his eyes full of love, “Give me a child?”
Chu Yu was taken aback. Wei Yun’s hand moved up along her clothes, asking her, “If not a child, then how about some sweetness?”
Although he was asking her, he had already begun.
Chu Yu raised her arms to embrace him without speaking. After a long while, she murmured in a low voice, “Have you had enough…”
Wei Yun breathed softly, “A little longer.”
Chu Yu, red-faced, said nothing. After another while, “Enough yet…”
“A little longer.”
Finally, Chu Yu couldn’t bear it anymore.
“How long is your ‘a little longer’?”
Wei Yun chuckled softly. He went to lick her lips, saying hoarsely, “As long as the heavens and earth endure.”
Chu Yu: “…”
When Wei Yun finished and fell asleep in her arms, she thought very seriously.
The days ahead would probably be very painful.
Still, she’d be happy for as long as she could.
After several days passed like this, Jiang Chun arrived with Liu Xueyang, Wang Lan, and the others. After Chu Yu had settled everyone, the guest list for the ceremony also came out.
She smiled as she took the list, saying to Wei Xia, “Have all the people the Marquis wants to invite been added?”
“They’re all there,” Wei Xia said quietly, “Those who should be invited, and those with good personal relationships, have all been invited.”
Chu Yu said nothing. She scanned the list, suddenly seeing a name.
King Wei, Wei Chengyun.
And after this name, there was another line:
Princess Qingping, Wei Qingping.