Chapter 735 This is the first time we've had such a big argument.

Gu Qianling frowned slightly: "Why are you talking nonsense again? I already explained to you when we were at Mother's that I had no choice but to bring Qiao Zhiyu back. It was raining so hard today, and she was a weak woman with no one to rely on. I couldn't just leave her alone on the street. Besides, she's your cousin, so it's even more inappropriate for me to abandon her."

"So, you brought Qiao Zhiyu back for my sake?"

"I didn't say that. I just said that I brought her along because of you."

"For my sake? For my sake, you should send someone directly back to the Qiao family. My aunt is unwell and needs someone to take care of her. If you bring Qiao Zhiyu back to the Duke's mansion, what will happen to my aunt?"

As Meng Yunlan spoke, a surge of grievance welled up within her, and tears began to fall: "You weren't like this before! You never used to bring women home so casually! Qiao Zhiyu is my cousin, that's true, but you never even spoke a word to her before, and now you're letting her ride in your carriage back home!"

Gu Qianling looked tired and weary. Their conversation was almost exactly the same as when they were talking to her mother.

He didn't understand what was so interesting about arguing; Meng Yunlan was simply being unreasonable.

He had already had enough of a mess at the Imperial Household Department today. The Crown Prince had refused to see him for days, but had met with everyone else. He, the former tutor to the Crown Prince, had been excluded from the power structure by the Crown Prince.

He was exhausted and under unimaginable pressure, yet he had no one to confide in.

After a long day, he just wanted to come back and rest.

"Yunlan".

Gu Qianling's voice had become hoarse: "Stop talking, I'm tired. If you don't like your cousin, just send her away. I don't want to waste my time here."

Meng Yunlan looked at him with disbelief: "You think talking to me is a waste of time?"

"That's not what I meant. I meant Qiao Zhiyu, she..."

"Qiao Zhiyu is my cousin. How could I not like her? I just don't like you being nice to her or getting close to her!"

"How many times do I have to tell you? I did not get close to her. My second brother and his wife were also riding in the same carriage today! I did not ride in a carriage alone with your cousin!"

Meng Yunlan's eyes were bloodshot: "Gu Qianling, how dare you yell at me?! You never used to raise your voice at me!"

Gu Qianling was getting more and more tired: "I didn't yell at you, you're the one who's yelling. It's the middle of the night, what kind of behavior is this, shouting like this? Stop arguing, or people will laugh at you."

He wanted to say that she had never been so unreasonable before, but he felt that saying that would only exacerbate the conflict, and he wouldn't be able to rest tonight.

So he swallowed those words back.

Meng Yunlan got even angrier: "If you hadn't mentioned my second sister-in-law, I would have forgotten. Qiao Zhiyu said that Shen Wantang went out of her way to deliver an umbrella to you in the pouring rain today. What kind of nonsense is it for her, as a sister-in-law, to go and deliver an umbrella to her brother-in-law?"

"And yet you spoke up for her to my mother, and even questioned me on her behalf, asking why I didn't send a carriage to bring her back to the mansion!"

"Shen Wantang got caught in the rain, and you feel sorry for her, don't you? You're blaming me on her behalf, aren't you?"

Gu Qianling's expression was somewhat unpleasant: "Didn't I already explain all this to Mother? Why are you questioning me again? I already said that the person who brought the umbrella was Qiao Zhiyu, and it has nothing to do with my sister-in-law! As for the carriage, I only asked you a few questions casually. I didn't mean to interrogate you or blame you. Do you have to misinterpret me?"

Meng Yunlan's voice became sharp: "I'm not misinterpreting you, I know you! You just feel sorry for Shen Wantang because I made her get caught in the rain, so you come to question me! If you trusted me, you wouldn't be asking me about the carriage! And with Shen Wantang, you should have stood up for me instead of taking all the blame for me!"

Even Gu Qianling, who was as soft as a clay figure, was enraged. Moreover, he did have a temper, but he usually doted on Meng Yunlan and rarely argued with her.

This time, he was exhausted and had accumulated countless worries about official business, so he suddenly exploded: "When did I take all the blame for you? Can you stop talking nonsense?"

"Yes, Granny Yan is convinced that you refused to send a carriage to your younger siblings, but I immediately refuted her. I told them that you couldn't possibly be that kind of person!"

"What else do you want from me? It's true that the manor didn't send a carriage to pick up your sister-in-law. She was left standing in the rain for an hour for no reason. Is the Duke's manor at fault? Don't you, as the mistress of the house, bear even the slightest responsibility?"

"Do you think you can get away with everything by shifting all the blame onto your mother? Do you think you can escape your mistakes by saying you didn't receive the message? In officialdom, your superiors won't believe such an excuse to shirk responsibility, and neither will your colleagues!"

Meng Yunlan burst into tears: "This isn't the officialdom, this is home! Don't try to use your official ways to pressure me! I treat Shen Wantang like my own sister, how could I deliberately not send a carriage to pick her up? I really didn't receive the news! This isn't my fault! Why are you constantly blaming me? You're my husband, shouldn't you be on my side? Why are you siding with others!"

Seeing that she refused to admit her mistake, Gu Qianling suddenly lost the will to continue talking to her.

He waved his hand wearily, "Never mind, I won't say anymore. You should get some rest!"

After he finished speaking, he turned around, went out the door, and walked into the rain.

His servant hurriedly followed, saying, "Young Master, umbrella! Don't get wet!"

When Meng Yunlan saw that Gu Qianling had actually left, she stood there stunned: "Granny, where is he going? Is he going to leave me tonight?"

Granny Ping said anxiously, "Oh dear, young mistress, you must hurry and chase after him! We can't let the eldest young master sleep somewhere else. Even if you've had a fight, you have to keep him in our courtyard!"

Meng Yunlan took a step forward, then turned back: "Why should I chase after him? He used to comfort me patiently whenever I cried, but he didn't do that today! He's even speaking up for Shen Wantang!"

Granny Ping sighed, feeling that her mistress was spoiled and pampered and didn't know how to back down or give in. She would only take advantage of her mistress.

In fact, before she got married, she was quite spoiled in the Meng family. It was just that Madam Meng covered it up well, which is why she had the reputation of being gentle and virtuous.

After marrying into the Duke's mansion, Gu Qianling had a good temper and good character. She was considerate and tolerant towards Meng Yunlan. The Duke and Duchess never found fault with her. When she made a mistake, the Duchess would turn a blind eye and silently smooth things over for her.

Meng Yunlan was living a life of unparalleled comfort in the Duke's mansion.

This is the first time I've ever argued with Gu Qianling like this.