Xie Xiangxiang walked to the front yard and called Gu Chengyan to go back together. Gu Chengyan was a little surprised. Why did she leave before Xie Zhaozhao?

But he didn't say it aloud. He looked at her gently and affectionately, and said, "Let's go, I have something to do."

Xie Xiangxiang received such an ideal opportunity, and her initial anxiety subsided, replaced by a smile.

"Gu Lang," she said emotionally as she took Gu Chengyan's hand after getting into the carriage, "you are all I have left."

Gu Chengyan stroked her hair like he was doting on a child and asked, "Why are you saying these things?"

“My mother and grandmother said that now that I am married, I must put my husband first. This time, I will return to my parents’ home as if I had just left home. From now on, my heart will be entirely devoted to my husband’s family.”

Gu Chengyan smiled and said, "Your parents-in-law have taught me very well. I will treat you with all my heart, and we will live a good life together."

Xie Xiangxiang held his hand, and at this moment she felt that apart from being unable to have sex, Gu Chengyan was perfect in every way.

The procession was imposing, just like her resolute determination to burn her bridges.

She wanted to get her husband's letter as soon as possible so that he could be promoted to the rank of First-Class Duke of Yi ahead of schedule.

No sooner had she left than Xie An issued a decree ordering both Xu Shi and Xie Tingting to be taken to the family temple for religious practice, forbidden from leaving without permission.

The Xu family's courtyard was thoroughly searched.

Greenery was beaten to death. Greenery and her family were returned to their indenture and expelled from the mansion.

For the Xie family, which was always generous to its servants, the fact that a servant was kicked out was even more serious than being sold off by other families, since it was extremely difficult to find such a good master.

After the second and third wives left, the old lady held Xie Zhaozhao's hand and said with tears in her eyes, "I didn't manage the household well, and Zhaozhao has been wronged."

She was almost wrongly accused today.

"I must thank Grandmother for her cooperation. If it weren't for Grandmother saying that all the servants' indentures were in Grandmother's hands, Luyi might not have confessed today," Xie Zhaozhao said sincerely. "Grandmother and I are of one mind."

"As soon as you said that I had all the indentures, I knew you were bluffing her. Fortunately, Han Qi exposed them earlier, and Xu Shi panicked, thinking that I really had them all."

"Grandmother was wise; all's fair in war, and experience truly matters!"

Xie Zhaozhao still reminded, "Mother, we don't know where the poison came from. We should investigate it thoroughly. There are many people in the manor, and there are all sorts of people with different intentions. It's impossible to guard against them all. We should take this opportunity to eliminate something that is so damaging to the foundation."

At this point, she seemed to casually add, "Including Aunt Qu, let's investigate them all."

Xie Anfeng seemed to understand something and nodded: "Don't worry, Father will keep this in mind."

Xie Zhaozhao rested her head on the old lady's shoulder and said, "Grandmother, Father, I have to go back now. I'll come back with the Grand Secretary when we have time."

"That's best, that's best." The old lady was both sad and happy. Her granddaughter had only been at home for half a day and hadn't even come over to kiss her yet!

When Gu Shaoyu saw her come out, he subconsciously asked, "Does your foot still hurt?"

"Much better."

Upon returning to the Marquis's residence, Xie Zhaozhao and Gu Shaoyu first went to the old lady's Ci'en Courtyard.

I brought a few boxes of the finest Bijian bean cakes and white rice cakes that my grandmother had brought for the old lady.

The old lady looked at the pastries and praised them highly: "My dear in-law, you're too kind. Is this a recipe from the palace?"

Xie Zhaozhao said, "It was made by the cooks in the manor based on the recipe from the palace, and they also figured it out themselves. My grandmother loves it the most, so she asked me to bring some to my mother."

The Xie family even had a chef specifically hired to make these pastries.

Take this Bijian Bean Cake for example. It is made with carefully selected high-quality white kidney beans, mung beans imported from Xiandou Kingdom, lotus seeds from Xuanping, Wuyi, and Longjing tea from Lin'an.

The plumpest mung beans are selected, soaked for ten hours to naturally remove the skin, placed in a bamboo steamer and steamed over a low fire until cooked, and then repeatedly ground and sifted. Then, fine tea powder made from pre-rain Longjing tea is added, and after several processes, it is finally pressed into shape in a hand mold.

It's completely different from the greasy mung bean cakes we usually eat.

The old lady listened to the ingredients and procedures as if they were gibberish, and said with a smile, "I received a box of these pastries from Emperor Hui when the old Marquis was still alive."

The Xie family is far wealthier than the Marquis's family.

When Xie Zhaozhao returned to Qingpu Courtyard, Gu Shaoyu first dragged her to play in the pool. When she came out, her whole body was limp.

She knew she couldn't let this person get close to her.

She was carried out by Gu Shaoyu and lay on the bed, feeling tender and not wanting to speak.

Gu Shaoyu instructed someone at the door, and soon after, Nanxing returned carrying a food box containing several exquisite dishes.

Crab-stuffed orange, crab soup, lychee with pork kidneys... accompanied by a cup of lukewarm milk.

Xie Zhaozhao was so exhausted from his torment that she didn't want to talk.

Gu Shaoyu pulled her up and coaxed her to eat something: "There's still a long night ahead, you need to eat something, otherwise you won't have any strength."

Xie Zhaozhao really wanted to say, "What do I need so much strength for?"

But she didn't want to talk about it anymore; she already knew what Gu Shaoyu was planning.

"Sweetie, have a little."

Take a spoon, scoop out some crab and put it in her mouth, scoop a spoonful of soup and put it in her mouth, or peel a piece of fish and feed it to her.

After being coaxed into eating a few bites, Xie Zhaozhao really couldn't eat anymore.

Gu Shaoyu stopped abruptly and said, "You eat far too little. Your appetite is smaller than a cat's."

He picked up the food she didn't want and ate it, finishing all the plates clean.

Xie Zhaozhao blinked and said, "No wonder you're so tall, it's all from what you eat."

"Of course, look at me, I'm big, my feet are big, so everything about me is big..."

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