42 - Governor's wife

Chapter 42 – Governor’s wife

Shangguan Yan replied awkwardly. “It’s alright.”

How can she tell him that her lower body hurts?

Although she did not say it out, he was still able to guess. He looked at her and the curve at the corners of his mouth became deeper and even his eyes were flashing with a suspicious light.

How dare he laughs at her? She threw a side-long glance at him. The more she looked at him, the more she felt that his smiling expression needed to be disciplined. Who was the one who caused her to become like this?

But Di Jing did not mind being glared at by her. She was unaware of how charming she looked like this. After a night of moisturizing, her usual heroic spirit had become a little more delicate and striking and in his eyes, she looked extremely beautiful.

When he saw her staring suspiciously at him again, he let out an awkward cough and regained his seriousness.

She was naturally born delicate and graceful but now after she had combed her hair into a married lady’s bun*, it gave her an added woman’s appeal. Di Jing looked at her from time to time with a smile and she seemed to be infected by his good mood. Her heart softened like water and the corners of her beautiful lips were curved slightly into a smile.

(In ancient times, hairstyles for single ladies and married women were different. Single ladies would comb their hair into high buns or plaid buns with flowing tresses while married women would comb their hair into low buns. The hairstyles of women also depended on the dynasties they were living in.)

Because there were no parents-in-law for her to offer greetings, there was no need for them to take their breakfast in a hurry, so they took their own time at a leisure pace.

After breakfast, Di Jing brought her to worship the ancestors which was equivalent to the ceremony of offering tea to her parents-in-law.

Since she has become the Governor’s wife, this mansion now belongs to her and is under her control.

Di Jing took her to the main hall and all the servants came to greet their Mistress. It was also a way for her to get to know the servants in the house.

Shangguan Yan and her eldest brother and second brother learned to do business from their father since they were young. In addition to owning her own shop and having her own stewards, she also has her own residence outside. Matters regarding the management of shops and reviewing accounts did not pose any obstacles to her. In front of the servants, her demeanor as a mistress was very natural.

As a secret constable, she is particularly good at remembering names and faces. The Steward instructed each servant to report his name and responsibilities to the mistress and after listening to them, Shangguan Yan could remember about eighty percent of it. She could immediately call out the names of several servants and it made all the servants startled. They realized that their new mistress is indeed a powerful character.

Di Jing watched at the side with a smile on his face as he drank tea and in his heart, he felt proud of his foresight.

After everyone returned to their posts to continue with their work, Di Jing, who had three days of wedding leave, led her around the mansion so that she could familiarize herself with the new environment.

Because Di Jing was always busy with official duties, the furnishings of the new mansion were kept simple. Some of the side rooms were even filled with only a few simple pieces of furniture without many decorations.

“You can utilize these side rooms in whatever way you want and you can decorate them as you please. If you need money, go to the treasury to get it.” He said gently to her.

As the mansion was bestowed by the Emperor, Shangguan Yan was very satisfied with its location but it was too empty. When she heard that she was allowed to decorate it, her eyes shone brightly.

“Am I truly allowed to decorate as I wish?”

“Of course! You are my wife and the mistress of this mansion, so you can do whatever you want.”

She thought for a while and said to him. “I want a study as well.”

Just now, she had looked around and noticed that there was only one study in the mansion. However, even though she is already married, her shops still had to continue operations, therefore, she needs a place to work.

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Di Jing nodded readily. “Alright. You can just pick any room you like and turn it into a study.”

Upon hearing this, her eyes shone, her cheeks became flushed, and she showed a lively expression. “And also, the sunlight in the south courtyard is strong. More trees should be planted there and when spring arrives, it should be very beautiful.”

He smiled.

“Alright.”

“And……..”

As soon as she started to think, her thoughts started to flow endlessly. Unconsciously, she started to talk more and more while he listened to her with a smile.

He likes to listen to her say ‘we’, and likes that he has a place in her plans. When she talks, her beautiful eyes would roll, her expressions would become lively and it made him unable to look away from her.

She just kept talking and was unaware that the affection in Di Jing’s eyes was getting deeper, so deep that it was bottomless. It was until she noticed that she was doing all the talking without hearing a sound from him that she could not help but lift her eyes to look at him.

“Why are you not talking?”

The answer she received was a close-up view of his face and unable to react in time, she was kissed on her lips.

She was stunned. She did not expect that he would kiss her in the garden in broad daylight. She closed her eyes to savor the soft and affectionate kiss and her heart throbbed.

It seems that this Lord Husband is not as serious and rigid as she thought. Although on the surface he looks stern and calm but in fact, he is very hot and passionate………

During the days following their marriage, Lord Di was always accompanying his wife in the mansion and did not go anywhere. Whether it was dawn or dusk, Lord Di would always remain beside his wife.

Of course, Lord Di was inseparable from his wife at night. Since he did not want to waste a moment of the spring night, so as soon as the sky turned dark they would get into bed. He would continue to conquer the city, analyze the situation and terrain, and attack wherever it was easy to subdue. The more he attacked, the more experienced he became and he enjoyed it so much that he did not feel tired of it. As a result, the more he battled, the more courageous he became.

In the daytime, Lord Di is strict and upright but as soon as the moon rose at night, Lord Di’s eyes would turn red and he would change from being a ‘gentleman’ to being a ‘wolf’.

The three-day wedding leave granted by the Emperor to Lord Di was all used on his newly wedded wife without a moment of it being wasted.

When the maids accompanied his wife on walks along the tree-lined paths in the mansion, there would always be a smile on Lord Di’s face as he looked at his wife affectionately. As long as he put his arm around his wife’s waist, he would wink at the maids and the maids would immediately retreat far away as they dared not ruin Lord Di’s happy time.

On the third day of their marriage, it was the day to return to the maiden home* of the bride. The gifts that were meant to be given to the Old Master Shangguan and his wife were already prepared in advance.

(Returning to the maiden home is a custom that must be observed by the newlyweds after the wedding. On the third day of their marriage, the new couple has to return to the maiden family’s home to offer tea to elders and bring along gifts. Usually by looking at the gifts, one can see how much the groom’s family values the bride.)

Lord Di gently supported his wife to get on the carriage and from beginning to end, his eyes were fixed on his wife never leaving her as if he was afraid that she might encounter any mishap.

Old Master Shangguan and his wife had been waiting for their daughter and son-in-law to return since early morning. They had given instructions to their Eldest Son and Second Son to wait at the door to welcome them. When the appointed time arrived, the two brothers saw the Governor’s three carriages approaching.

Although the Shangguan Family is wealthy, there is still a difference between a government official and common people therefore, the difference in status was clearly seen from the appearance of the carriages.

The Lord Governor is prestigious and noble and his style is beyond words.

When the two elder brothers saw this scene, they finally realized that their Fifth Sister had truly married into nobility and even they as elder brothers felt very proud.

When the carriage stopped, Di Jing helped his wife to get down from the carriage. Then he stepped forward to greet the two elder brothers-in-law.

When Shangguan Yan saw her two elder brothers, her eyes shone brightly and she smiled. “Eldest Brother, Second Brother!”

When the Eldest Master and Second Master saw their Fifth Sister, they could not help but feel surprised. Under the sunlight, Fifth Sister’s skin was rosy and bright and there was an additional touch of beauty between her eyebrows. The soft light in her beautiful eyes seemed hazy as if it was smudged and her gestures had become more charming. It was only three days they had not seen her and Fifth Sister seems to have become more charming and striking like a lady that had walked out of a painting.

When she saw her two elder brothers staring at her in a daze, she could not help but wonder.

“What’s the matter with the two of you?”

The two elder brothers hurriedly recovered from their reverie. “Father and Mother are looking forward to seeing the both of you. Let’s go.” Eldest Master smiled as he led his sister and brother-in-law into the main courtyard.

Di Jing was led into the front courtyard to meet and greet Old Master Shangguan while Shangguan Yan went to the rear courtyard to see her mother, sisters, and sisters-in-law.

The moment Old Madam Shangguan saw her daughter, she immediately held Shangguan Yan’s hands and scrutinized her. When she saw the radiant look on her daughter’s face, she knew that her daughter was doing well. She noticed that her daughter was emanating a charming air and only a woman would be able to understand that the air was something that a girl could only possess after changing into a woman.

Old Madam Shangguan sighed in her heart. It felt as though her daughter had suddenly grown up overnight.