Upon hearing this, the women around Qin Yuan looked at her strangely, and their gazes toward her became inexplicable.

"Is the Marquis ill?"

Qin Yuan was completely baffled.

What illness does Gu Jinghui have?

How could she not know?

Meeting the strange and bewildered gazes of the crowd, Qin Yuan realized what was going on and found it even more absurd.

Doesn't she know whether Gu Jinghui has problems in that area?

Is Chang Qingling here to make amends or to create enmity?

From what standpoint can an outsider say such a thing?!

Qin Yuan released Chang Qingling's arm, not wanting to talk to her anymore.

Gu Baozhu deserves much credit for making things this way, but Chang Qingling is not innocent either.

Dai took two steps back, covered her nose with a handkerchief, and spat, "What kind of person is this? Honestly, his words stink more than dog shit."

Gu Baozhu was stunned for a moment before she reacted. She immediately jumped three feet high, put her hands on her hips, and shouted, "You shameless woman surnamed Chang, you didn't come here to offer incense to my sixth sister-in-law, you're just here to cause trouble. Get out of here right now, you shameless thing, don't bother sticking your face up to our house. You never say anything nice, I don't even dare to listen to what you say, how despicable! Do you think you can bully my sister-in-law because she's a well-bred lady who doesn't know how to curse? I'll tell you to stay away from my house. My third brother looks down on people like you, and you're spreading rumors about him. Get out of here right now!"

Then he told the old women to call the servants to fetch water to wash the floor.

"You've stank my sixth sister-in-law's mourning hall. Clean the floor right now. If you let bedbugs in again and it's disgusting, you'll all get a beating. No wonder people like you have nowhere to go but to come to the capital. I'll admit defeat if I let you step into the Gu family again. Don't think you're something special just because you've hooked up with the Crown Prince and Ninth Princess."

Qin Yuan couldn't get a word in edgewise the entire time.

If it weren't for several aunts holding her around the waist, Gu Baozhu would have started a fight.

Chang Qingling left in tears, with no one stopping her or trying to persuade her.

Gu Baozhu continued to curse for the duration of an incense stick burning.

Qin Yuan couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she had her wet nurse help her back to rest.

Feeling ashamed, Qin Wan used the excuse of looking for Madam Yu to slip away. She walked and looked around, and before she knew it, she had arrived at the lotus pond in the outer courtyard.

In her past life, she often wandered around here, reciting Lin Ziqi's poetry collection.

Unconsciously, she arrived at the familiar place, and Qin Wan stopped to admire it carefully.

In her past life, she admired Lin Ziqi's outstanding poetic talent, novel ideas, and vivid word choice. Whenever she thought of him, she would sigh that Qin Yuan was so lucky. If she could live with such a person, even for just one day, she would not have wasted her life.

But now that she has gotten what she wanted, she feels more and more that it's nothing special.

"Am I being too materialistic? Should I wait and be more patient, and wait until my husband becomes successful?"

Qin Wan was heavy-hearted and sighed deeply by the pond.

I don't know how long I stood there. The lotus leaves were blown by the wind, rising and falling, spreading a delicate fragrance, and also carrying the charming laughter of a woman and the voices of a man not far away.

Qin Wan's expression darkened. Seeing the sound getting closer, she found a place with lush vegetation to hide herself.

Before long, the two people who were talking arrived.

“Cousin, we used to pick lotus seeds and leaves together when we were little. This pond in the Marquis’s mansion is really big.”

The woman's voice was soft and sweet, with a slight panting in it.

"Yes, back then I said you would marry me when you grew up."

The man responded with deep affection.

Qin Wan couldn't help but clench her fists in the shadows to keep from rushing out and beating people. This woman was the Yu Niangzi she was looking for, and the man was Lin Ziqi.

Madam Yu said quietly, "Why bring this up again? I've considered my cousin my husband since I was a child. Now I'm no longer worthy of him. If it weren't for my aunt's kindness in bringing me from the countryside, I don't know how many people would laugh behind my back at me for being rejected by my fiancé and unable to get married."

Lin Ziqi sighed, reached out and pulled Yu Niangzi into his arms, comforting her, "It's all my fault. Just stay here and be at ease. When I pass the imperial examination, I'll talk to the Qin family about taking you as a concubine. We grew up together, we have a deep bond, and I love you. Don't worry. I should have told you these things sooner, but there were too many people in my family, so I didn't have the chance. Now that we've talked it out, don't think about marrying someone else to upset me, okay?"

Madam Yu first smiled and nodded, then buried her face in Lin Ziqi's chest with tears in her eyes. After a while, she pushed him away, looking very sad: "But my sister-in-law doesn't like me very much. She is the daughter of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, and has a noble status. I am a country girl with little knowledge, so it is understandable that she looks down on me. Now that I have just arrived, the things she gives me are all things she doesn't want. If I continue to stay like this, she will definitely find a way to drive me away. I'm afraid my cousin won't be able to make the decision then."

Qin Wan clutched her chest in anger, her eyes blazing with fury.

Lin Ziqi didn't take it seriously: "She's just spoiled by the Qin family. Don't worry, she wouldn't dare. She put a lot of effort into marrying me, she would never disobey me."

"You're lying, I don't believe you."

“Really,” Lin Ziqi began to coax her, “My father-in-law originally wanted to marry his eldest daughter to me, but she took a fancy to me, saying that I was very talented and would definitely pass the imperial examination. She tried to find a way to change the marriage and marry me. She looked forward to my success every day, just like my mother, hoping that I would become a noblewoman in the future.”

As soon as Madam Yu acted coquettishly, Lin Ziqi poured out the whole pot.

In the end, she even assured him: "You know that my family is poor and I will have to rely on your family a lot in the future. But don't worry, I will treat you well and I will treat you no worse than she did. It's just that I don't have the title of the head of the household. I will definitely share wealth with you in the future."

Madam Yu chuckled and said, "Of course I believe in my cousin's feelings for me. Who told you to be so talented that my sister-in-law took a liking to you? You had no choice but to betray me. Now that things are better, you've brought me to your side. If I'm lucky enough to have a son, you must raise him well so he can be as outstanding as you. Maybe one day I can even have an imperial title and live a glorious life."

These words struck a chord with Lin Ziqi.

He immediately swore that he would never let Madam Yu down, but with the imperial examinations approaching, he couldn't be distracted. He told her to be humble and subservient to Qin Wan, and that once she passed the examinations and was selected as an official, she wouldn't have to worry anymore.

The two poured out their hearts to each other, completely oblivious to the people watching and listening by the pool.

In late summer and early autumn, the weather wasn't exactly cool. Qin Wan squatted in the shadows, and the chill seeped through her thin embroidered shoes, chilling her from her feet all the way to her heart, making her shiver incessantly.

She never expected that Lin Ziqi would harbor such thoughts.

Madam Yu thanked her profusely in front of her, her words as sweet as honey, and she won her many gifts, but behind her back, she said these things about her.

Was I wrong?

Qin Wan found it increasingly boring.

In her previous life in the Marquis of Dingbei's mansion, although she was not on good terms with Marquis Gu and lived a lonely life, neither the old lady of the Gu family nor Marquis Gu ever made things difficult for her. Her food, clothing, housing and transportation were all excellent, unlike the Lin family who made things difficult for her at every turn.