Chapter 85 [VIP]

As soon as Mi Yao finished speaking, a commotion erupted around her.

Even Gu Yunxiao was unable to remain calm.

Even if he looked down on Tzu Chi Hospital, he wouldn't be foolish enough to go around saying that L, an orphan from Tzu Chi Hospital, was a cursed jinx.

Gu Yunxiao looked in Ji Wanyun's direction, only to find that she had already hidden inside the house, not intending to explain the trouble she had caused.

At this moment, he deeply regretted that Yu Jiayin had refused to marry him in the first place, and that he shouldn't have chosen Ji Wanyun so casually. Not only could she not provide him with much help, but she also didn't understand the difference between insiders and outsiders, and helped outsiders cause him trouble.

"What? Mr. Gu isn't going to deny what he said, is he?"

Seeing Gu Yunxiao's expression, Mi Yao raised her eyebrows slightly, her face becoming more lively and charming. She deliberately softened her voice and asked in a sweet, coquettish tone, "Ah, isn't Mr. Gu a man of integrity? He wouldn't do something so disgraceful, would he?"

Mi Yao's voice was beautiful. If Gu Yunxiao had heard her speak to him like that on a normal day, he would have felt completely comfortable. But this time, his face turned red with frustration.

"It's a false rumor. If you don't believe me, call Ji Wanyun out and let her explain to you."

“Isn’t Master Gu a civil official? He’s incredibly talented, so why does he need to hide behind his wife to explain a rumor?”

A woman in the crowd, disapproving of Gu Yunxiao's manner, interjected.

As soon as she finished speaking, someone else chimed in: "Young Master Gu is shouting so loudly and menacingly calling his wife by her name. Could it be that he's so angry and embarrassed that he can't reason with us, so he's planning to take action against Madam Ji?"

"He takes his anger out on his wife when he can't win an argument. What a brilliant man!"

"you!"

Gu Yunxiao hadn't expected that, apart from Mi Yao, the other women from Yizhou were also so sharp-tongued. It truly was a barbaric land; even the noble ladies were all shrewish women who couldn't be presented in public.

“I shouldn’t have let my wife join this so-called mutual aid society in the first place! Everyone knows what kind of place this Fragrant Snow Pavilion is, and what kind of filthy things these two maids are, yet you let them serve you, you can imagine what kind of people they are…”

"Young Master Gu praised me for my talent and good looks, and had me serve you drinks. You can imagine what that means."

Before Gu Yunxiao could finish speaking, Hou Min stepped forward, her beautiful eyes looking directly at Gu Yunxiao.

She knew that she and the other ladies of Chun Jing Lou didn't have good reputations. Mi Yao had gone to great lengths to keep them around. Originally, when she saw Gu Yunxiao, she would lower her head and avoid him, afraid that Gu Yunxiao would recognize her and cause trouble for Mi Yao.

Hearing this now, she couldn't help but feel disgusted by Gu Yunxiao's attempts to smear Mi Yao's mutual aid association.

Even if she were to leave Mi Yao's side after today, she didn't want to hear Gu Yunxiao pretending to be noble.

Straightening her back, Hou Min looked down and saw Mi Yao pat her trembling hand. Knowing that Mi Yao meant she was there to support her, Hou Min's tension eased considerably.

“If you despise us for being filthy, why does Master Gu still expect us sisters to serve you? Do you think that birds of a feather flock together? If so, we are indeed unworthy to serve ladies of high moral character.”

"How dare you, a prostitute, speak to me like that? Who is on your side?"

Gu Yunxiao hadn't noticed Hou Min earlier, but now that she had stepped forward, he wasn't afraid. Who would care what a lowly person said?

Seeing that she stepped out from next to Mi Yao, he became angry and glared fiercely at Mi Yao.

"Madam Xiao, you first instigated my wife to violate traditional female virtues, then spread rumors to ruin my reputation, and now you've brought out a servant to commit insubordination, daring to insult me ​​in front of everyone! What are you trying to do, Madam Xiao?! Do you expect me to go to Magistrate Xiao before you'll restrain yourself and realize your mistake?!"

“What has my wife done wrong? Chief Secretary Gu, not every man is like you, who takes his anger out on his wife or other wives’ husbands when he has no reason to argue.”

Xiao Chuan had nothing to do today as it was his day off. After seeing Mi Yao off, he thought it was still early, so he planned to go to the nearby military post for inspection. However, before he got there, he heard that Gu Yunxiao was causing trouble. He rushed over and listened to his wife cursing the beast for a long time before finally standing next to Mi Yao.

The couple exchanged glances before Xiao Chuan looked at Gu Yunxiao again, but with a completely different gaze.

His impatience and hostility were written all over his face: "Chief Secretary Gu wanted to see me, but now that I've come out myself, are you going to kneel down and apologize to my wife, or are you going to keep being stubborn?"

Gu Yunxiao had heard the rumors about Xiao Chuan's beloved wife, just like he had heard that Mi Yao was an incarnation of a goddess; he treated them all as rumors.

Having risen to this position, and being a military officer from humble beginnings, he could believe Xiao Chuan knew how to eat, but as for Xiao Chuan knowing how to love, he thought it was just pretense.

She probably knew that Zhao Tianhe had no biological children and cherished his first wife, so she tried to please him.

“Is Commander Xiao really going to be so ungrateful? Your wife disrespects her elders, insults her cousin, and now she’s set up that Fragrant Snow Pavilion. Don’t you feel ashamed?”

"You're mistaken. Jie, I've already handed over the matter of inciting unrest to the authorities. What, does Chief Secretary Gu also have reservations about the military governor's orders?"

As soon as Xiao Chua finished speaking, to everyone's astonishment, he suddenly lifted his foot, and... if it weren't for the crowd blocking Gu Yun's view...

"As for shame, you publicly humiliated and insulted my wife. If I don't teach you a lesson, I should indeed feel ashamed."

"you!"

Gu Yunxiao wanted to curse, but it was too harsh. As soon as he spoke, he started coughing violently. However, his health wasn't completely ruined, so no matter how much he coughed, he didn't cough up blood.

Before being carried away by the servants, she was even criticized for being "unambitious and trying to act weak like a woman."

They left quickly.

Seeing Gu Yunxiao being carried away, he told the other ladies not to let trivial people spoil their mood, and then pulled Mi Yao to a corner.

"Did Governor Xiao secretly say something to Hu Hu? Did he use sweet words to coax her and stop her from being angry?"

As soon as Xiao Chuan left, the ladies started teasing him.

Mi Yao was teased by them, and knowing they didn't believe her, she still told the truth: "He just told me to get back to work."

When I said it, nobody believed me.

"I just wanted you to get back to work. It won't take that long. Even from this distance, I could see how tenderly Governor Xiao looked at you, Hu Hu."

Soft and dripping with water?

Mi Yao recalled Xiao Chuan's gaze and realized she didn't see any tenderness in it; it was clearly as hot as boiling water.

Xiao Chuanzhen didn't say anything to her just now; he just told her to go ahead and do her work and not to worry about Gu Yunxiao.

Even if he didn't say anything, she wouldn't worry about Gu Yunxiao. He was a smug little man. If he were Zhao Tianhe's illegitimate son, she might be a little wary of him. But he was just an official still on probation. He probably lost his mind after being flattered by Yu Jiayin a few times.

Thinking of Yu Jiayin, Mi Yao's eyes precisely caught Zhen Jing.

Zhen Jing knew she couldn't hide it, so she whispered the whole story to Mi Yao: "Your brother found out about this and reprimanded your second sister, but your second sister scolded your brother for meddling and moved out of our place."

Yu Shaoyang was furious at Yu Jiayin's shamelessness, but when he asked Yu Chengda to stop her from embarrassing herself as an elder, Yu Chengda pretended not to hear him.

“My father-in-law bought a maid to serve him on the way to Yizhou. After arriving in Yizhou, he visited other people’s homes a few times. A few days ago, he also took a concubine to serve him.”

Originally, she felt that she was a bad daughter-in-law and had been hiding in the Xiao family mansion. If people found out, they would say that she was unfilial. But when she saw that Yu Chengda had only been in Yizhou for a little over a month and had already made several women party every night, she felt disgusted and no longer wanted to care what others said about her.

"With the beauty by his side, my father-in-law is busy every day, either chatting with her or engaging in lively discussions with those who invite him for drinks."

"The head of the Yu family sent my father here not expecting him to have any connections in the public eye, but just to use his status to pressure my brother and me, to see how far we would back down, and to figure out how much benefit we could bring to the Yu family."

Mi Yao could understand why Yu Shaoyang couldn't do anything about Yu Chengda.

She was L, a daughter who married out of the family, and Yu Shaoyang was L, a son. Moreover, she had received a gentry education since childhood. It was already impressive that she could disobey Yu Chengda and not take him seriously.

“Your brother tried to control them with money, but they take money directly from the Lord’s house.”

Even though the Yu family is now in decline, it is still a powerful family. Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse, and it can still provide Yu Chengda and his group with enough money.

If they hadn't wanted to rely on Yu Shaoyang's official position, they probably would have rented a large house instead of staying in Yu Shaoyang's small two-courtyard house.

"It's not difficult to get money and control them."

Seeing Zhen Jing looking worried, Mi Yao didn't take it seriously at all. They didn't need Yu Shaoyang to give them money, so she would just make them the only ones who could get money from Yu Shaoyang.

Mi Yao called Qi Niang over and whispered a few instructions to her.

After listening, Qi Niang patted her chest and said, "Don't worry, Madam. I'm a professional at robbery. I'll make sure they don't have a single copper coin left."

"When you discuss things with Pu Qing, bring a few more people, put them on masks, and make up some excuse. It's one thing if they guess it's me, but make sure you don't leave any evidence against me from beginning to end."

"Don't worry, Madam!"

Qi Niang accepted the order and went to carry it out, while Zhen Jing watched in disbelief. She never expected it to be like this.

But thinking about it carefully, being able to just snatch it directly is naturally satisfying, just like when Xiao Chuo kicked Gu Yunxiao, it's more cathartic than saying a lot of words.