Rebirth: So what if my husband is a little crazy? He loves me.

Chapter 167 Taking Him Home

Hearing him say that, Shen Li encouraged him even more: "Okay, it doesn't count as peeping. You can look as your husband pleases."

Gu Chang'an, on the contrary, was somewhat overwhelmed, and his ears turned red as he listened to her say this.

"Have you eaten on time, my husband?" Shen Li asked, deliberately standing on tiptoe and whispering in his ear when she saw his ears turn red.

Gu Chang'an instinctively shrank back, but then consciously moved closer to her lips, took a breath, and said, "Yes, I take my meals and medicine on time, without missing a single meal."

"My dear husband." Shen Li leaned down and kissed his ear, which visibly burned red.

"Ah Li...we'll talk about it when we get home..." Gu Chang'an said half a sentence, but when he saw that she was still standing on tiptoe, he quickly reached out and put his arm around her waist to make her feel less strained, and then gently put her down.

"Go home and what?" Shen Li didn't want to let him off so easily.

"Whatever you want, Ah Li." Gu Chang'an avoided her gaze, but he didn't let go of her arms around her waist; he couldn't bear to part with her either.

Shen Li gritted her teeth so hard they almost broke. She was determined to find that old man Zou and ask him how much longer she needed to take the medicine!

I need to calm down after every flirtation, it's really hard to get through this.

The two drank two pots of tea before calming down a bit. Gu Chang'an was reviewing case files again. All major cases had to be judged by the Dali Temple. He handled a lot of cases every day, and if he didn't delegate the work to others, he would have to bear the burden himself.

Shen Li thought to herself that it must be really frustrating for a treacherous official to be in such a position. In the past three years, from the Dali Temple to the Ministry of Revenue, two very lucrative posts, she had never seen Gu Chang'an accept any bribes or abuse his power for personal gain.

Although he was involved in factional strife, he did not overstep his authority or do anything privately; he was more diligent and responsible in his work.

She believed she held a significant place in Gu Chang'an's heart, but even with her there, Gu Chang'an wouldn't completely abandon his official duties.

Shen Li also granted his request and did not make things difficult for him in the slightest. She simply quietly looked at the historical materials, which were records compiled by her predecessors from the Hanlin Academy.

She felt good as long as they could stay together quietly.

It was almost dinnertime when Gu Chang'an finally looked up and asked, "Ah Li, I might be a little late today. Are you going back to eat, or should we eat here...?"

"Eat here." Shen Li interrupted him before he could finish speaking: "Yu Die should be ready by now."

"I'm sorry, Ali." Gu Chang'an looked guilty.

When Ah Li came to see him, he couldn't even concentrate on spending time with her, which was really wrong of him.

"What are you saying? Going back will just be the same as reading books. I'm happy to stay here with you." Seeing his seriousness, Shen Li added, "If my husband finds me a nuisance, I won't come anymore?"

"Of course not, I'm glad you came too. It's just that I don't know how to talk, Ah Li, don't be angry." Gu Chang'an got anxious when he heard this and quickly tried to coax her.

Shen Li still didn't smile, and only asked, "Then I'll come again next time?"

Gu Chang'an nodded very sincerely.

The two began eating as soon as the food arrived. During the meal, Gu Chang'an was interrupted three times, each time by subordinates reporting something. Shen Li felt a pang of sympathy for him, but she didn't know what to say.

It would be better if he didn't hold both the positions of Dali Temple and Ministry of Revenue concurrently; it's time to find someone to take over.

“Once my junior official has gained more experience, I will submit my resignation from the position of Dali Temple to His Majesty,” Gu Chang’an said before Shen Li could speak.

Although the cabinet is still discussing the reform plan for the Ministry of Revenue, it seems to be working well, and he will soon be busy with it.

"Alright." Shen Li had already finished eating and was serving him food.

Gu Chang'an could not refuse and could only say, "Thank you for your trouble, A-Li."

After dinner, Gu Chang'an made some arrangements. Half an hour later, the two boarded the carriage to return to the mansion. Before getting on the carriage, Gu Chang'an received a message from Yingzi. He opened it, glanced at it, and handed it back.

"Ah Li, it's done. The Crown Prince's men have taken over."

Shen Li was just about to look at the street stalls when she heard this and understood: "He's quite adept at doing these unorthodox things."

Gu Chang'an found it amusing. These words were clearly meant to praise the Crown Prince's quick actions, but there was no hint of praise in them; in fact, they were belittling him.

He wanted to laugh, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up. His Ah Li would never talk to him like that.

After passing the quiet government office, we arrived at the bustling city center. It was still before curfew, and there were many street food stalls, making it look lively.

Shen Li was in an official sedan chair, and because of her status, she couldn't stick her head out. So she chose snacks by listening to the vendors' calls and smelling their food.

Seeing the longing look on her face, Gu Chang'an said, "How about we change into casual clothes and go for a stroll tomorrow evening?"

Now that the two of them are wearing official robes, one red and one blue, going down there would only disturb the people.

“It would be nice to stroll around, but my husband is busy and will have to spend more time here and get less sleep. I can’t bear that.” Shen Li closed her eyes and continued to choose.

"It's alright, there will always be a time when things are less busy, let's do it tomorrow." Gu Chang'an coaxed her, "I haven't been shopping yet, Ah Li, just keep me company, okay?"

"Okay." Shen Li had no room to refuse, and knowing he was making excuses, she went along with it.

Gu Chang'an smiled; A-Li cared about him a lot.

"Yu Die, I want fried meatballs, sesame cakes, wontons, steamed buns, beggar's chicken, and yam candy." Shen Li opened her eyes and rattled off a list of snacks.

Gu Chang'an blinked his deep eyes. Had she really heard what he was saying?

"Miss, wait a minute, what's behind the sesame seed cake?"

Shen Li then read it again word for word, but added at the end: "There's another roasted lamb stall up ahead, buy more."

Gu Chang'an began to feel fortunate that he had managed his business well, owning quite a few farms and shops; otherwise, A-Li would probably have starved if she had stayed with him.

Shen Li naturally didn't eat it for herself. When she returned, the maids inside and outside the room were still awake, so she distributed most of the snacks, though she kept quite a bit for herself as well.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Shen Li's life was relatively peaceful, but the entire capital was turbulent, both overtly and covertly.

The case of Xia Yuan in Shuntian Prefecture not only failed to subside but also showed signs of escalating, increasing the pressure on the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture.

To appease him, the emperor granted him a favor by bestowing a marriage upon his beloved daughter, Xu Zhiyuan, the newly appointed top scholar in the imperial examination.

After the imperial edict was issued, not only was the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture overjoyed and repeatedly expressed his gratitude, but the Hanlin Academy also became lively.

For a time, the Hanlin scholars offered their congratulations to Xu Zhiyuan incessantly, even saying that Gu Chang'an back then had never enjoyed such glory, being the only daughter of a high-ranking official of the third rank.

Zhao Wencai, having heard rumors, privately comforted Shen Li, saying that the reason Lord Gu was not betrothed back then was not because His Majesty did not value him, but because he was too young.

"Brother Xu is too kind. I don't mind these things. Besides, this is a joyous occasion for Brother Xu. It's not excessive for his colleagues to be happy for him." Shen Li smiled calmly.

As for whether she could compare or not, she knew perfectly well in her heart.

"Lord Shen possesses extraordinary bearing; I admire him greatly," Zhao Wencai said sincerely.

He was clearly the one most qualified to be arrogant, yet he was always humble, polite, and considerate of others, which was truly admirable.

Xu Zhiyuan has been riding high lately, becoming the son-in-law of the Shuntian Prefecture and attending the banquets of the Prince of Yi, seemingly disregarding the Hanlin Academy.

One day, he walked right past Shen Li and actually stood there waiting for her to make way for him.

In his view, she was nothing more than a woman. What use was it if she came from a good family and married well? Her career was hopeless, and she would still have to depend on others.

Besides, he doesn't even respect Gu Chang'an, let alone his wife.

Zhao Wencai and Shen Li were traveling together when they saw this situation and were momentarily at a loss as to who to help.

Logically, he should have kept Xu Zhiyuan at bay, since Shen Li was a third-rank official and could even use a second-rank ceremonial guard, but he couldn't speak to Xu Zhiyuan.

But pulling Shen Li along wasn't appropriate, and he was in a dilemma, his beard almost turning white with worry.

Xu Zhiyuan remained silent, but took advantage of his height to look down at Shen Li, his eyes filled with arrogance and conceit.

He figured Shen Li wouldn't go any further, since men and women shouldn't touch each other, and if they bumped into each other, Shen Li would be the one who suffered.

Shen Li was having a pleasant conversation with Zhao Wencai when this sudden turn of events caught her off guard. She looked up and said, "Excuse me, Brother Xu, could you please make way?"

She is of high rank, and even if one is extremely humble, one cannot give way to her, as that would be against etiquette.

Xu Zhiyuan seemed not to hear her and continued walking forward, looking as if he was about to bump into her.

Anyone with eyes could see that running into Shen Li would be a loss for her, and her reputation would be affected, but Xu Zhiyuan, being a man, would naturally be unaffected; at most, he would apologize afterward for being reckless.

Shen Li didn't expect him to go to such lengths, and for a moment she didn't even react.

By the time she realized what was happening, Xu Zhiyuan had already screamed and fallen to the ground, his head hitting the table next to him, and he was now rolling around on the floor.

Crimson blood could be seen between his fingers as he covered his head, indicating that he had suffered a severe impact.

Shen Li remembered that she kicked the other person's shin when the person was close to the table, and the person would fall down and hit the inkstone on the table.

The scholars were startled but also felt a sense of satisfaction. They had been quite annoyed by his arrogance these past few days, and now that he was in trouble, they were secretly pleased.

To their surprise, Shen Li, who usually seemed so refined, would actually hit someone. But upon further reflection, it made sense, since Shen Li was a key figure in the suppression of the rebellion in the Northern Border and had military merits.

"Who is making such a racket here? What kind of behavior is this!" Academician Ge came out from the back hall, his voice low and his face solemn.

As he stepped forward, Xu Zhiyuan also stood up from the ground, one hand covering his bleeding head and the other pointing at Shen Li: "You...you dare to hit me?"

"What did you say? Speak louder." Shen Li looked at the finger pointing at her, her eyes narrowed slightly, and she took a step forward.

Xu Zhiyuan felt instinctively afraid when he met Shen Li's lifeless eyes and kept backing away: "Don't take advantage of your family background to act recklessly. Beating your colleague is a serious crime. I will report it to His Majesty."

"But I didn't hit you just now, wouldn't it be too unfair for you to accuse me?" Shen Li said calmly, "I can't be wronged."

Xu Zhiyuan thought she was guilty after hearing her words. He was about to stop when he saw Shen Li pick up the copper paperweight from the table as soon as she finished speaking.

This thing is heavy and sharp; if you were hit by it, you would either die or have your bones broken.

"You, you, you..." Xu Zhiyuan wanted to say something, but seeing Shen Li's eyes darken, he immediately turned and ran outside. Because he was running in a hurry, he tripped over his own feet and fell, rolling around a few times in the courtyard.

When Academician Ge came out, he saw Xu Zhiyuan in the central courtyard. His face was covered in blood and mud, his official hat had been thrown away, and he looked extremely disheveled.

Shen Li slowly put down a paperweight, looking very calm.

"Li... Li girl, calm down..." The old academician, who had studied all his life, almost fainted when he saw so much blood. He was helped to Shen Li's side.

Everyone else in the Hanlin Academy was stunned, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

If they hadn't met Shen Li a dozen days earlier, they would never have believed that she was a woman of propriety, well-read, and renowned as the most talented woman in the capital.

That imposing presence just now would probably make even a tiger tremble in fear.

"Your Excellency, I am certain that I did not lay a hand on him. However, it was not that I did not want to, but rather that he ran away too quickly," Shen Li said solemnly.

“…” Academician Ge.

"..." The scholars.

"Shen Li, you..." Xu Zhiyuan was so angry he almost vomited blood. He was a grown man, and all he could do was run away in front of a girl. If this got out, would he lose his reputation?

“Academician, he seems to be dissatisfied.” Shen Li picked up the paperweight again: “I must have misheard. I’ll go ask him again.”

"Li girl, I'm begging you, please sit down, please sit down." Academician Ge couldn't put on airs in front of her anymore and advised, "Calm down, he offended you, so I'll stand up for you."

The Hanlin Academy used to belong to the Shen family. Apart from the newly promoted compilers, editors, and probationary officials, all the high-ranking officials, from academicians to scholars, were selected through the imperial examinations under the supervision of Shen Zizai.

The older generation immediately sentenced Xu Zhiyuan to death in their hearts, not because he had offended Shen Li, but because he was stupid and had become arrogant after only a short time.

It's no wonder that someone like that can't go far in officialdom.

The farce ended with Xu Zhiyuan accidentally falling and hitting his head. Although Xu Zhiyuan didn't want to accept it, he understood the situation at the Hanlin Academy.

If things escalate, Hanlin will definitely side with Shen Li, and he will be even more unlucky.

So he could only swallow his pride and bear it. Looking at Shen Li's calm and bright face, he felt it was all an illusion. Everyone said that Gu Chang'an was a living devil, but he thought this woman was the real one!

Shen Li looked at him like he was a clown. Did he really think that he could be arrogant in front of her just because he had some connections? What did he think a prestigious family was? What did the Shen family's generations of influence in the court matter?

It's not easy for someone of humble origins to stand in this imperial court. Instead of being careful with his words and actions and keeping a low profile, he's so arrogant and reckless. Does he really think that someone will catch him when he falls from this height?

"Lord Shen, you were truly awe-inspiring today." When it was time to part, Zhao Wencai couldn't think of any other words.

He was standing not far from Shen Li at the time, and he always felt that Shen Li wasn't just bluffing when she picked up the paperweight; if Xu Zhiyuan had been slower to dodge, she really would have dared to hit him.

"I'm sorry to have made you laugh, brother. That was just a bluff. Do you really think I could kill someone like that?" Shen Li said with a friendly smile.

Looking at her bright and sunny expression, Zhao Wencai hesitated again. He wondered if his memory was wrong; she certainly didn't seem like someone who would actually make a move.

He must have been too nervous and misread it.