Chapter 2 — The day I stopped taking care of the books, the Marquis Palace collapsed

The Queen Mother ordered an investigation, and indeed found that the officials below were embezzling relief money. That day, after the banquet ended, Bui Huyen Do stood under the jade steps waiting for me. He wore a dark blue brocade robe, bright eyebrows and eyes, and his body was as straight as a pine tree. The crown prince of Vu An Marquis, a talented young general, was famous throughout the capital. I thought you would laugh at me about many things. But he said:

“Miss Thoi family, thank you very much today.”

I was stunned.

“Your Highness, don't you think I'm rude?”

He looked at me, his expression extremely serious.

“Being able to straighten out a chaotic situation and make it clear and orderly is a skill.”

It felt like something gently collided in my heart. That year, I was eighteen years old. I've heard too many people say that I'm too tough, too cold, too bossy. Only Bui Huyen Do said that it is bravery. Three months later, Marquis Vu An came to ask for his hand. The mother held the concubine in her hand, her eyes were red.

“Linh Nghi, if it can really tolerate you, then don't be too strong in the future.”

I lowered my head to look at the name Bui Huyen Do on the card. The handwriting is sharp and strong, exactly like his eyebrows and eyes.

“Mother, he understands me.”

On the day of the wedding, ten miles of pink decorations covered the entire long street. Bui Huyen Do personally came to welcome the bride. I sat in the palanquin, still clutching a wedding notebook in my hand. Xuan Dao quietly advised me:

"Miss, the wedding night is over, don't look at the books anymore."

I close the book. After bowing, Bui Huyen Do pulled the red silk ribbon and led me into the new room. When he lifted the scarf, the candlelight reflected into his eyes. Rarely do we feel so stressed. He saw the book in my hand and let out a low laugh.

“Even the wedding clothes you want to check yourself?”

My face gets hot.

“I'm used to it.”

He sat down next to me, reaching out to remove the heavy phoenix crown from my head.

“In the future, the Marquis's accounts will have to bother you.”

I looked at him, my nose suddenly stinging. He doesn't hate me at all. He handed over the entire Marquis Palace to me. I used to think that that was trust. In the first year after getting married, we lived very well indeed. On the outside, Vu An Hau's palace is extremely glorious, but inside it has been in serious deficit for a long time. The old Marquis was sick all year round, and the Marquis passed away early. Most of the time Bui Huyen Do was in the military camp. The Marquis's books were so chaotic that they looked like a tangled mess. I spent half a year reorganizing the entire estate, shops, monthly expenses, and military supplies in the government. Some people say our methods are too harsh. I don't care. Every time Bui Huyen Do returned to the palace, he would look through the books that had been neatly edited by me. He doesn't talk much, but he will always say one thing:

“It's been hard for her.”

Just those words are enough to keep me awake through many long nights. I thought we would live like this for the rest of our lives. You guard the border, I protect the family. He holds the spear, I hold the books. Until Lam Kieu Kieu returned to the capital. She is Bui Huyen Do's childhood friend. Her father had fought to save the old Marquis family since he was young He was raised in the Marquis Palace, but later because his body was not in good health, he was sent to the South to recuperate. The day she returned to the palace, I was checking the money for winter clothes at the estate. Suddenly the gatekeeper ran in and announced:

“Madam, the Lam family has returned.”

When I raised my head, I saw Bui Huyen Do cross the courtyard full of servants, striding quickly towards the palace gate. He has never been so eager to return to see me. Lam Kieu Kieu stepped down from the carriage. Wearing a pure white dress, her face was pale, and as soon as the wind blew, she looked like she was about to fall. Bui Huyen Do reached out to support her.

“Did you get cold on the way?”

She raised her head to look at him, her eyes red.

“Brother Huyen Do, you're finally back.”

I stood in the hallway, the book in my hand suddenly felt unusually heavy. At that moment, we still couldn't see the mess that followed. I just feel like the Marquis Palace seems to have an old debt that has finally been cleared up. Lam Kieu Kieu moved into Lam Nguyet hospital. It was the warmest hospital in the Marquis Palace. Originally, I intended to renovate that place into a winter convalescence for the old Marquis.