Granny Gui turned pale with fright, but still stubbornly argued, "Princess Consort Duan, I am the Prince's wet nurse. Is this how you treat the Prince's wet nurse?"

Princess Consort Duan sneered, "Wet nurse? If you still know that you are a wet nurse of our Duan Prince's residence, you should know the difference between superiors and inferiors, and you should know the rules of the Prince's residence. How can I tolerate your outrageous behavior!"

Granny Gui was speechless, her face pale and tears streaming down her face.

At this moment, the sound of a cane being struck and Granny Gui's high-pitched screams came from the courtyard.

Gu Qinlan stared at Granny Gui without a trace of sympathy. Instead, she became even more determined to severely punish this wicked servant!

Princess Duan nodded slightly, her gaze falling on Granny Gui, who was pleading desperately below the hall. Her tone was firm: "Today she must know that the rules of the Duan Prince's Mansion are not child's play, and no one can violate them."

Granny Gui's screams grew weaker and weaker as she gradually lost consciousness under the blows of the paddle. Seeing this, the servants did not delay and continued the punishment.

At this moment, the servants of Prince Duan's mansion whispered among themselves, shocked by the punishment given to Granny Gui.

They all knew that Granny Gui held an extraordinary position in the Prince's Mansion, but today she was severely punished by the Princess Consort of Duan and Gu Qinlan, which was enough to show that the rules of the Prince's Mansion could not be violated.

Gu Qinlan looked at Granny Gui and thought to herself, "Granny Gui, today's punishment is your own fault. From now on, there will never be a wicked servant like you in the Duan Prince's Mansion."

As Granny Gui's screams gradually faded and she fell unconscious, Princess Duan stood up and addressed the crowd, saying loudly, "Everyone has witnessed what happened today. Granny Gui's punishment is to let everyone know that the rules of the Duan Prince's Mansion cannot be violated. In the future, if similar incidents occur, they will be severely punished without exception."

Everyone agreed, and then Princess Duan led Gu Qinlan and the others away from the main hall.

Gu Qinlan gently supported Princess Duan, her tone full of concern: "Princess, your health has been declining lately, please rest as soon as possible. The Prince of Duan is so concerned about you, and your health is of paramount importance to him."

Princess Duan sighed softly, looking at Gu Qinlan with a hint of gratitude in her eyes: "Qinlan, you're right, it's time for me to take good care of myself. Since the Crown Prince went to war, I seem to have focused all my attention on him, neglecting my own health."

Gu Qinlan smiled slightly and gently patted Princess Duan's hand: "Princess, you are a good mother, but please think of yourself too. If your health collapses, how can the Crown Prince be at ease?"

Princess Duan nodded, a determined look on her face: "I will listen to you and take good care of myself. Thank you, Qinlan."

Gu Qinlan helped Princess Duan walk slowly towards the courtyard gate, the two talking along the way. Princess Duan gazed at the bright moon in the night sky and sighed, "Time flies. In the blink of an eye, the Crown Prince has already started a family and established his career. I always worry that I won't be able to stay with him for much longer..."

Gu Qinlan comforted her, "Your Highness, please rest assured, your health will improve. Moreover, the Crown Prince is a responsible person; he will definitely take good care of himself, so you can rest assured."

Princess Duan sighed softly, her eyes filled with endless worry: "But, Qinlan, I know you are also worried about the Crown Prince. He has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood, but I always worry that he will be burdened by the intrigues of the court."

Gu Qinlan was silent for a moment, then said, "Your Highness, what you say is true. But please believe me, I will do my best to assist the Crown Prince so that he can become a good prince and bring blessings to the people in the future."

Princess Duan looked at Gu Qinlan with eyes full of trust: "Qinlan, I believe in you. You are my good daughter-in-law and the Crown Prince's good wife. With your companionship and support, I can rest assured."

The two reached the courtyard gate, where Princess Duan stopped and looked at Gu Qinlan: "Qinlan, you should also go back to your room and rest early. It's late, don't tire yourself out."

Gu Qinlan smiled slightly and said gratefully, "Your Highness, please rest assured, I will. Thank you for your concern."

Princess Duan instructed her maid to close the courtyard gate, then turned and went back to her room.

As night deepened, Gu Qinlan returned to her room, letting go of the day's fatigue. She softly summoned her maids, Hongye and Fuyu, to prepare for a relaxing bath.

Hongye and Fuyu tiptoed in, each carrying a basin of hot water, which they carefully placed next to the bathtub.

Hongye couldn't help but speak up: "Princess Consort, are you aware that the rules of Prince Duan's residence are becoming increasingly chaotic, and those servants are becoming more and more presumptuous?"

Gu Qinlan frowned slightly. She soaked in the warm water, closed her eyes, and said softly, "I've heard about it, but I haven't seen it with my own eyes yet. Hongye, tell me in detail."

Hongye then recounted the various chaotic situations that had recently occurred at the Duan Prince's residence. Her tone was heavy, clearly indicating her deep concern about the current state of affairs: "Not only are the rules in disarray, but some servants even dare to openly defy their masters, which is utterly despicable."

Fuyu added from the side, "Yes, Princess Consort, you've just returned, so you may not know yet. Recently, there have been thefts in several courtyards, and everyone is in a state of panic."

After listening, Gu Qinlan opened her eyes, looked at Hongye and Fuyu, and a cold glint flashed in her eyes. She said softly, "I understand. I will handle these matters."

Hongye and Fuyu exchanged a glance, seemingly wanting to say something but hesitant to speak. Gu Qinlan noticed their hesitation and smiled, "Whatever your thoughts are, please speak them."

Hongye bit her lower lip and finally said, "Princess Consort, we think that someone might be manipulating things behind the scenes. Otherwise, it would be impossible for the rules to suddenly fall apart and the servants to become so unruly."

A hint of approval flashed in Gu Qinlan's eyes, and she nodded slightly: "Your analysis is quite good. I will investigate this matter secretly and find out who is behind it."

Fuyu said worriedly, "Princess Consort, you must take good care of yourself and not let the other party hurt you."

Gu Qinlan smiled and said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. But you guys shouldn't let these things affect your mood."

Hongye and Fuyu nodded, their faces showing relieved smiles.

...

Princess Duan, her face beaming with smiles, hummed a little tune as she walked into the courtyard. Her steps were light, as if the joy in her heart was floating out with the melody.

Back in the courtyard, Zheng Huiyi immediately came to greet him, her face showing a hint of worry.

"Mother, you seem to be in a much better mood. Did you give Gu Qinlan a proper scolding just now?"

Princess Duan smiled gently and patted her daughter's hand, indicating that she didn't need to worry. Her eyes were full of tenderness, a stark contrast to her previous serious demeanor.

“Huiyi, you’ve misunderstood her. After spending time with her, I’ve found Gu Qinlan to be a very good person. She’s smart, capable, and knows what’s important. She handles the affairs of our Prince’s Mansion very well. I think we should respect her.”

Zheng Huiyi looked at her mother in surprise, her brows furrowed: "Mother, what's wrong with you? Did you fall for her sweet words?"