Grand Secretary Gu's grand scheme has been successful for everyone except the Crown Prince and Prince Qi's faction.

Zhang Hexuan doesn't have to die; he even gains a seventh-rank county magistrate and the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo as his wives.

From then on, the Duke of Zhenguo no longer had to worry about the supply of food and fodder; he could simply ask his son-in-law for help whenever he needed it.

Lord Ying can finally retire to Kyoto and no longer have to endure the cold winds of the frontier.

Your Majesty no longer needs to worry about the Crown Prince's marriage to the Duke of Zhenguo's family, and has found a capable and loyal young official who will serve him wholeheartedly on the frontier.

The Zhang family no longer sided with any of the princes, but instead remained loyal to Emperor Hui.

As for Gu Shaoyu, he made an even bigger profit!

The Zhang family, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, and His Majesty were all deeply grateful to him, and even his wife was no longer simply a model of marital harmony.

While the iron was hot, the two of them read several comic books together.

Otherwise, how come Gu Shaoyu became a Grand Secretary at such a young age?

You have to admit it!

In the blink of an eye, the chrysanthemum banquet at the Duke of Xun's mansion began.

Madam Tu brought three unmarried girls, Gu Jiaojiao, Gu Xuanxuan, and Gu Huanhuan, while Xie Xiangxiang, who had a close relationship with Madam Tu, made a high-profile appearance.

Everyone knows that flower viewing is just an excuse; the main function is socializing.

While Xie Zhaozhao was doing her hair, Miss Gu came to her courtyard.

He was blocked by Bei Chen at the door.

Gu Jiaojiao was furious: "Who do you think you are? I came to see my third aunt, and you actually stopped me from coming in?"

Hearing the commotion, Manman came out and said with a smile, "Miss is here? Madam is almost ready. Please wait a moment while I go and urge her."

Gu Jiaojiao thought Manman would welcome her in, but she didn't expect Manman to tell her to wait at the door.

"The people of Qingpu Academy deserve to die!"

She originally intended to leave, but when she thought of needing Xie Zhaozhao's help, she smiled sweetly and said, "I'll wait for Third Aunt, no rush."

Xie Zhaozhao heard Gu Jiaojiao's voice, but she ignored it and continued doing what she was doing in a leisurely manner.

In her past life, the gates of Fanghua Garden were never closed to Gu Jiaojiao.

In the beginning, before Gu Jiaojiao had a foothold in the Crown Prince's residence, she frequently visited her. At banquets and social events, she would often sweetly call out, "Sister-in-law, could you help me get dressed up?"

Every time she came, she wore extremely shabby clothes and accessories, looking at her pitifully.

Every time Xie Zhaozhao wore her clothes and jewelry, he was moved to tears.

Return it? I've never seen it before!

Before she was carried away, she hugged Xie Zhaozhao and cried, "Sister-in-law, Wei Chuchu's dowry is much more generous than mine. My mother and grandmother only managed to scrape together 32 loads for me. Even the girls from the countryside are better off than me..."

Madam Tu also sighed and complained about the difficulties in the household.

The old lady said embarrassedly, "Your mother and sister are too embarrassed to mention it, but I'll have to swallow my pride and do it... You can raise 128 dowries for Jiaojiao so that she can establish herself in the Crown Prince's residence. When the Crown Prince ascends the throne, your sister will surely become a concubine. At that time, the dowry will definitely be returned to you."

Xie Zhaozhao was unwilling, not because she was stingy. Much of her dowry came from her mother's past, and returning it would at most be of equal value, certainly not the original items.

In addition, lending her 128 loads of goods meant that more than half of her dowry was given away.

She deeply sympathized with Gu Chengyan's "unfortunate experience," but she wouldn't give away her dowry for nothing.

Ultimately, because of the witchcraft doll incident, she was threatened openly and secretly by Madam Tu and the old lady, and lent 32 loads to Gu Jiaojiao. Moreover, she made it clear to Madam Tu and the old lady that it was a loan, not a gift.

These 32 loads alone are worth far more than the 32 loads that the Marquis's mansion prepared for Gu Jiaojiao.

Gu Jiaojiao became the Crown Prince's concubine, and later became Emperor Xiao's imperial concubine.

Not only did they not return her dowry, they also hated her intensely.

Because Xie Zhaozhao didn't lend Gu Jiaojiao 128 loads of dowry, making her dowry shorter than Wei Chuchu's, Gu Jiaojiao blamed all her resentment on Xie Zhaozhao's "stinginess."

Consort Gu made a grand return to her parents' home, and using Xie Zhaozhao's bad manners as an excuse, punished her by making her kneel in the freezing cold for five hours, causing her to suffer from chronic rheumatism and never be able to straighten her knees again...

Does he still want to mooch off her dowry and clothes in this life?

Oh!

Finally, I got dressed and ready to go out.

At the entrance of Qingpu Courtyard, Gu Jiaojiao hadn't left yet. Seeing that every hairpin and hair ornament on Xie Zhaozhao's head was unique in the region, Gu Jiaojiao's jealousy began to surge.

"Third Aunt, you look so beautiful!" Gu Jiaojiao exclaimed innocently and adorably. "I've never seen these hairpins and hair ornaments before!"

Xie Zhaozhao smiled and reached out to touch it.

Gu Jiaojiao's eyes immediately sparkled.

In this situation, elders usually pull the hairpin from their own heads and place it on the other person's head as a sign of care and friendship.

Unexpectedly, Xie Zhaozhao only offered a helping hand.

"I have at least several hundred sets of jewelry like this, but I'm too lazy to wear them. They're heavy and they bother your third uncle..."

Xie Zhaozhao stopped halfway through her sentence, seemingly out of shyness.

Gu Jiaojiao felt a mix of envy and sourness. She smiled and said, "Auntie has hundreds of sets? You think they're too heavy, but countless women want one but can't have it!"

Xie Zhaozhao: "There are actually people who like this kind of vulgar thing? Since you like it, and you think it's beautiful..."

Gu Jiaojiao cheered inwardly: I like it, I think it looks good, so if you don't want it, give it all to me!

Xie Zhaozhao touched the ornament on her head again, then lowered her hand.

Gu Jiaojiao's heart was like a roller coaster. When Xie Zhaozhao's hand went up, her heart soared; when Xie Zhaozhao's hand came down, her heart sank to the bottom.

After going back and forth twice, she became a little impatient and said, "Third Aunt, I like it and I think it looks good. What do you want?"

Xie Zhaozhao seemed quite helpless, saying, "You are the eldest daughter of our household, it's rare for you to say a few words to me."

Gu Jiaojiao started cursing in her heart, "Why are you talking so much nonsense? Just give it to me directly!"

But Xie Zhaozhao stopped talking and turned to ask Manman, "Who went to the flower show today?"

"Miss Zhang, Miss Liu, Miss Li, Princess Changping, the Xie family... they will all be there," Manman said, counting them off on her fingers as if she knew them all by heart.

"Oh, they're all going? Have you packed their things?"

"It's all packed." Manman patted the box she was holding.

Xie Zhaozhao first went to Ci'en Courtyard to greet the old lady. The old lady said, "Your sister-in-law will be going with the young master's wife and a few girls. Please look after each other."

Xie Zhaozhao nodded: "Okay."

At the mansion gate, Mo Yan had already harnessed the carriage. It was a two-wheeled carriage with four imposing guards waiting beside it.

Madam Tu and Xie Xiangxiang also came out one after the other with their maids. Madam Tu looked at Gu Jiaojiao.

Not only did they not get any of Xie Zhaozhao's silkworm silk or shimmering brocade for their clothes, they also didn't get an extra hairpin for their hair.

His face was grim, and he snapped, "Young Miss, why aren't you changing your clothes yet?"