Chapter 443 Guests Arrive at the Gu Residence

Although Gu Rongchang's voice was stern and his face was grim, he still stood at the door and hesitated to step into Gu Qianhan's courtyard.

Clearly, the person inside made even him, the father, somewhat apprehensive.

Gu Qianning blinked and gasped.

It seems that even if she were to be reborn as Gu Qianhan's biological father in her next life, it wouldn't make a difference; no one can do anything to him!

It's a real nightmare for ghosts!

Gu Qianning muttered to herself as she returned to her courtyard.

When she woke up the next morning, she heard from Xiao He that her father had returned empty-handed the night before.

"Miss, the Duke and the Second Young Master had a fight last night. The people below don't know the specifics of the fight, but they know that the Duke left in a very angry mood. Then, early this morning, the Second Young Master replaced all the guards around the Duke, and the guards around the Eldest Young Master were also replaced!"

Gu Qianning listened blankly for a long time before finally saying, "Oh no, things are really going to change at home. My father and eldest brother combined are no match for my second brother. I'm afraid... I'm really going to be married off to Jiangnan by my second brother..."

Xiaohe's face was also full of worry: "Miss, even the people around the eldest young master have been replaced. Will I be replaced by the second young master too? I don't want to leave you, Miss. Please talk to the second young master and don't let me go!"

Gu Qianning felt both angry and amused: "Do you think your young lady has any say? It's all up to Second Brother, not me! He doesn't even listen to Father anymore, so why would he listen to me?"

"Oh no! What are we going to do?!"

Seeing the maid's devastated expression, Gu Qianning comforted her, "Don't worry, Second Brother won't replace my people. After all, you're too stupid to achieve anything great. In Second Brother's eyes, you're just a little ant. Have you ever seen anyone seriously replace an ant?"

"Never seen it before."

Xiaohe breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good. I knew it! It's good to be a little slow. Slow people have their own kind of luck!"

Gu Qianning was amused by her: "Fools are sometimes lucky!"

"Pretty much, pretty much the same!"

The maid Xiao'ou lifted the curtain and came in, saying in a crisp voice, "Miss, Madam wants to see you. She says there are guests at the manor!"

Gu Qianning asked suspiciously, "Guests? What guests?"

"This servant doesn't know either. It seems to be a young lady and a young gentleman, they are brother and sister. Please quickly get ready and go to greet the guests!"

Gu Qianning didn't think much of it and let the two maids do her hair and makeup. After she was dressed, she went to her mother's courtyard.

After entering, I bowed to my mother, then greeted the unfamiliar young lady, and then the young man.

But when Gu Qianning saw the young man's face, a loud bang went off in her mind!

Isn't this one of the young masters drawn in the booklet my second brother gave her?!

His name seems to be... Ji Xiuyuan!

My second brother has actually invited people to our house!

Is he really in such a hurry to marry her off?!

This Ji Xiuyuan looks even more ordinary than the picture in the booklet. He has neither a noble air nor a masculine presence. He is far inferior to the Crown Prince!

Years of strict etiquette training allowed Gu Qianning to barely suppress her unusual expression. Her heart was in turmoil, and her vision was blurring, but she still maintained a smile on her face and greeted Ji Xiuyuan clearly.

She admired herself for being able to laugh even in this situation!

Fortunately, she heard her mother quickly pick up the thread, explaining that Ji Xiuyuan had come to the capital to participate in the imperial examinations.

The imperial examination was just around the corner, and Ji Xiuyuan, whose time was precious, needed to go back and review his lessons. He didn't linger at the Gu family's house. After paying a visit to Madam Gu on behalf of their mother, the brother and sister left.

Gu Qianning watched Ji Xiuyuan's departing figure, her face turning slightly pale.

Madam Gu, however, was oblivious. She was still sighing, "I was very close to their mother. We used to be inseparable. I even cried my eyes out the day she married and moved to Jiangnan! So many years have passed, and I haven't seen her since. I can only write her a letter occasionally to ask how she is doing. In the blink of an eye, her two children have grown up so much. It's a good thing she still remembers me and sent her children to visit me."

Gu Qianning's face turned even paler after hearing this.

She doesn't want to marry someone from Jiangnan! If she marries someone there, she won't have a single friend left!

She no longer cared about listening to her mother, lifted her skirt and ran outside, abandoning all semblance of a well-bred young lady.

She ran all the way into Gu Qianhan's courtyard, pushed open his door, and burst in crying, "Gu Qianhan, you're inhuman! Why did you call Ji Xiuyuan into the house? Let me tell you, I won't marry him! I'd rather die than marry him!"

Gu Qianhan looked up from the tall stack of letters: "Then who are you going to marry? The Crown Prince?"

"I won't marry anyone!"

"No, you must marry someone."

"Why should I get married?! You don't even get married yourself, so why should I?"

“My situation is different from yours.”

"Where are the differences? They're clearly the same! You're just making excuses!"

"If you don't like Ji Xiuyuan, I can find you a different one."

As Gu Qianhan spoke, she tossed the booklet to Gu Qianning: "Choose one."

Gu Qianning threw the booklet on the ground, tears streaming down her face: "I won't be picky! I won't get married! I don't want to leave the capital, I don't want to leave home, I'd rather die than go to Jiangnan!"

She thought that her willful and disruptive behavior would provoke her second brother's cold reprimand and make him angrily tell her to get out.

But there was nothing.

He seemed unusually patient and tolerant towards her today.

After a long while, she heard him say in a slightly hoarse voice, "You won't die, and your marriage is irreversible. I can tolerate everything else, but not this."

"Why?!"

"The reason... I'll tell you after you get married. I hope it will be in time then. Jixiang, see the young lady out."

Jixiang walked up to Gu Qianning: "Miss, look..."

Gu Qianning wiped away her tears, turned around and left.

She couldn't change her second brother's decision; the only person who could possibly change his decision was one person.

Upon returning to her courtyard, she immediately wrote to Shen Wantang, asking her to come over.

Shen Wantang received the letter and arrived that afternoon.

As soon as she arrived, Gu Qianning started hugging her and crying loudly, "A-Tang, help! My second brother is going to sell me!"

"He acted too quickly. He called Ji Xiuyuan to his house today. He must have planned this all along. He had already decided that I would marry Ji Xiuyuan. He even pretended to give me a booklet to choose from!"

"That Ji Xiuyuan is too ordinary-looking, and he looks like a bookworm. I don't like him! The thought of marrying him and going to Jiangnan with him makes me want to die!"

"Ah Tang, please help me persuade my second brother. He doesn't want me to marry the Crown Prince, so I won't marry him. As long as I can stay at home, I'll listen to whatever he says from now on!"