Su Xiaoqi, being a person of deep emotions, couldn't help but raise her head and initiate a kiss on Shen Yun's lips when she was touched.
Shen Yun had been waiting for this. Seeing his little wife willingly offering herself, he had no reason to be polite.
He cupped her delicate waist with one hand and held the back of her head with the other. His lips parted slightly, brushing against her teeth. Su Xiaoqi actively cooperated with him.
Soon, both of them found their breathing becoming ragged and their minds in a turmoil.
"How about we go take a look at the estate?" Su Xiaoqi, sensing a certain arousal in Shen Yun, quickly suggested.
Shen Yun smiled helplessly. "My dear wife, rest assured, your husband knows his limits."
Here, amidst the fields, with tenant farmers occasionally passing by, he certainly wouldn't be so hasty.
He took his wife's slender hand and they walked into the estate together.
The layout of this estate was actually similar to that of Liuyuan, but it was twice as large.
It was planted with plum blossoms throughout.
According to Shen Yun's introduction, it had wintersweet plums, red plums, and white plums.
As it wasn't yet the blooming season, only patches of verdant green could be seen.
"This estate isn't called Plum Blossom Estate, is it?" Su Xiaoqi hadn't looked closely at the estate's plaque earlier.
Shen Yun nodded and said the name was established long ago, and if she disliked it, they could change it.
"Let's keep this name. When the plum blossoms bloom in winter, I'll bring Yiyi and Hui'an here for a gathering around a stove to admire the flowers. It will surely be delightful."
Su Xiaoqi spoke animatedly, but Shen Yun said with a slight hint of sourness, "The beautiful scene you described doesn't include your husband."
He was only half-jokingly upset. Su Xiaoqi reached out and pinched his waist lightly, stamping her foot as she said, "But that's a gathering of all ladies. Would it be proper for you, a man, to be there?"
Shen Yun had only said it casually, deliberately teasing Su Xiaoqi. Seeing her reaction, he gently took her hand and said, "If my wife can accompany them, then just spending a day with me alone would suffice."
Su Xiaoqi laughed in exasperation, pinching his chin. "You, you! In the eyes of outsiders, they think you are so gentle and prudent. Who would know that you are so childlike behind closed doors."
"Only in front of my wife," Shen Yun replied, unoffended, admitting it readily.
He enjoyed this feeling of uninhibited freedom in front of his wife.
He could say anything, do anything.
No matter what, his wife would never look at him with strange eyes.
She always looked at him with such clean, gentle eyes, making him feel incredibly at ease.
He felt no trace of worry or pressure.
He deeply cherished this gentleness and wished to be with her like this for a lifetime.
But a lifetime was a long time, and no one could make such a promise lightly.
The estate was vast, and by the time Su Xiaoqi reached the back courtyard, she was already tired.
As soon as Shen Yun noticed her fatigue, he picked her up into his arms without a word.
Su Xiaoqi was a little embarrassed at first.
But seeing that there were few servants in the estate, and they were extremely discreet.
As they approached, they quickly turned away to attend to their tasks.
Gradually, her boldness grew.
She wrapped her arms around Shen Yun's neck, rested her head on his shoulder, smelled the pleasant ink fragrance emanating from him, closed her eyes slightly, and listened to his strong heartbeat.
This birthday might not have had candles and cake, but it made her feel incredibly safe and unforgettable.
However, Su Xiaoqi had underestimated Shen Yun after all.
Upon entering the main house, she discovered not only a cake and candles but also several chests.
They contained deeds for the estate, land, and shops, worth a total of one hundred thousand taels.
"This, where did this come from?" Su Xiaoqi, holding a large stack of yellowed deeds, was somewhat bewildered.
Shen Yun's every move, from the beginning until now, had been under her gaze.
She had no idea when he had acquired so much.
This made her curious.
"Earned it. Doesn't my wife have confidence in her husband's abilities?" Shen Yun said, feeling a little wronged.
He knew his wife was a capable businesswoman.
When it came to business and calculations, she was far better than him.
But he wasn't weak either.
As a man of seven feet, how could he be a kept man?
"Did Prince Duan give this to you?" Su Xiaoqi guessed.
Shen Yun shook his head, saying she guessed wrong and punishing her with one night of service.
Su Xiaoqi refused. "Bah, I just guessed. We didn't set any stakes beforehand."
Shen Yun smiled. "Why doesn't my wife guess again? If you guess correctly this time, I'll serve you. If you guess wrong, you'll serve me..."
Su Xiaoqi continued to guess. "Did you earn it for Prince Duan?" After saying this, she glared at Shen Yun with wide eyes. "No, I guessed correctly. If I guess wrong, then I'll have to... have to..."
Su Xiaoqi couldn't utter the latter words.
Because Shen Yun, already very pleased, lifted her chin and said, "Congratulations, my wife, you guessed correctly. Your husband will serve you."
"Stop joking. What business were you doing for Prince Duan?" Su Xiaoqi was a little curious.
Shen Yun replied, "My wife, don't ask. I'm afraid it will frighten you."
"Smuggled salt?" Su Xiaoqi's heart trembled as she guessed.
Shen Yun patted the back of her head. "What are you thinking? Salt and iron have always been strictly managed by the court. As an official appointed by the court, how could I break the law?"
"Then what business is it?" Su Xiaoqi was very sure that when she first married Shen Yun, his family was indeed dirt poor.
So he must have connected with Prince Duan after becoming a student of Mr. Gu.
That was only a little over a year ago. She spread her hands, indicating she couldn't guess.
Shen Yun dipped his finger in tea and drew a few strokes on the table. Su Xiaoqi's eyes widened even further. "What, Yuanbao Mountain, there's a silver mine in the mountain!"
After shouting, Su Xiaoqi suddenly realized.
Shen Yun had just said he wouldn't touch even officially run salt and iron, let alone gold and silver mines that must be mined by the government.
"Didn't you say that as an official appointed by the court, you wouldn't break the law?"
Shen Yun said, "The silver mine comes from Yuanbao Mountain, it belongs to the people of Bashu. It should be taken from the people and used for the people. There's no problem with that."
Su Xiaoqi was speechless for a moment.
In any case, no matter what, her Shen Lang always had his reasons.
"Is Prince Duan already that powerful?" Su Xiaoqi thought of Prince Duan's ascension to power.
Since the novel didn't specifically detail these events, she thought Prince Duan's ascension was accidental.
She never expected him to have prepared so thoroughly.
It could be imagined that Shen Yun, who helped Prince Duan manage the silver mine, could gain such substantial profits.
Then, Prince Duan must have obtained even more wealth.
"Prince Duan bestowed ten thousand taels of silver upon me. The rest I earned by having Zhang Dian open the canal transport and trade in furs along the northeastern horse trails," Shen Yun explained.
What he took was what he deserved, and he didn't take any more.
"You're truly amazing, worthy of being a powerful minister," Su Xiaoqi blurted out.
After saying it, she realized she had slipped up and looked at Shen Yun uneasily.
However, Shen Yun had already heard her thoughts about powerful ministers countless times.
Hearing it like this didn't seem inappropriate.
He merely told her to put everything away, not to let anyone discover it, and certainly not to lose it.
"How could I possibly lose it? If I could lose it, then it would be a ghost," Su Xiaoqi said with great confidence.
"I have a spatial ability!"
She had let slip again. This time, Su Xiaoqi didn't even dare to show any expression and quickly lowered her head.
Then Shen Yun's deep, magnetic voice rang out.
"Spatial ability, what is spatial ability?" He had heard these two words countless times since he could hear Su Xiaoqi's thoughts.
But he never knew what it actually was.
Su Xiaoqi had always been cautious before, so he hadn't found an opportunity to ask.
Now that he had finally caught her in a slip of the tongue, he naturally had to ask for a clear explanation.