Chapter 84 Chapter 84 is the only authentic version...
The old nanny lowered her head and said tremblingly, "The eunuch who delivered the imperial edict is already waiting in the mansion, waiting for you, old lady, to return and receive it."
"Congratulations."
Gu Zhizhuo clapped his hands lightly and laughed, "Isn't your Gong family's daughter-in-law here?"
Madam Gong's face was black and blue, and her body couldn't help but sway, looking shaky.
"That's impossible!"
How could it be the eldest princess?
Hai'er never mentioned it before, so how could the marriage be suddenly arranged?
The Prime Minister's wife's chuckle broke the silence. She then offered congratulations, "Madam Gong, I've heard that the Grand Princess and Admiral Gong are very compatible. This marriage is truly a perfect match, a match made in heaven."
When talking about getting along well, everyone in the main room smiled knowingly.
They even like the same man, how can they not be compatible?
The Prime Minister's wife was grateful to Gu Zhizhuo for saving her master. Just now, it was the Gu family's family affair, and she didn't know what the Gu family's attitude was, so it was not convenient for her to interrupt. But now, seeing Gu Zhizhuo's attitude clearly, he kept saying sharp words one after another.
"Commander Gong and the eldest princess were fighting over... an actor a while ago." She smiled, emphasizing the word "actor." Seeing a sharp gaze coming her way, she pressed her handkerchief to the corner of her lips and said nonchalantly, "...I think the eldest princess and Commander Gong both love watching opera. It's great now, they don't have to fight anymore. From now on, we can build a stage and merge our families into one, living happily and harmoniously. It's wonderful."
Many ladies started laughing.
Admiral Gong's two previous wives had both died in disgrace, a fact known to everyone in the capital. No respectable family in the capital would dare marry their daughters there again. And now, the Gong family had set their sights on this delicate young woman, forcing her into marriage by destroying her reputation. Someone, already impatient, joined the Prime Minister's wife in saying, "Madam, finding a like-minded wife isn't easy these days."
"Admiral Gong is truly blessed."
Old Madam Gong covered her chest with her hands, her face flushed red, and she was about to suffocate.
Old Madam Gong knew very well that they were all laughing at her.
Even if you didn't know what kind of person the eldest princess was before, you would have known after seeing more than a dozen lovers being dragged out of the princess's mansion and paraded through the streets.
A noble lady from heaven, when the time comes, she will keep an actor as a lover, and I won’t even be able to say a word to her, let alone wait for her to honor me.
How could I accept the thought of not knowing who the child belonged to when I gave birth to it?
When she thought about the time before today, she was still laughing at the joke of the Duke of Anguo's Mansion, mocking the old Duke for having no children and lying in the coffin, without even a daughter or grandson to protect him.
And now, the person who has become the laughing stock of the entire capital has become their Gong family!
When I thought of those people's faces, a surge of heat rushed to my head.
She held the birthday stick tightly, and the wrinkled skin on the back of her hand was also stretched tight.
"Madam Gong, why do you look unhappy? Are you dissatisfied with the emperor's will?"
"How could that be possible?" Madam Gong said with a forced smile, "The Emperor has shown great grace in promising you a daughter. The Gong family is eternally grateful."
She leaned on a birthday stick, stood up shakily, and said goodbye with a stern face.
Mrs. Xu moved her mouth, wanting to ask whether Gong Hai and Ying'er's marriage was still valid. Seeing that she didn't even look at her, she quickly closed her mouth and her eyes wandered.
The Prime Minister's wife said kindly, "Princess Shang is a very happy event. Old Madam, please go slowly. You can't keep the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict waiting for too long. Otherwise, it would be disrespectful to the emperor."
Madam Gong paused for a moment, then quickened her pace. With her agile appearance, she couldn't even be expected to be seventy. She just wanted to go back immediately to find out what went wrong and why the eldest princess was promised to their family.
This marriage.
This marriage cannot be accomplished no matter what.
Gu Zhizhuo took Xu Ying'er's hand and led her inside, thinking about what his second aunt had just said...
Her gaze shifted to Xu, and when she saw Xu nodding to her, she felt as if she had suddenly been enlightened.
No way!
"Madam, the auspicious time is approaching."
Nanny Zhu had been paying attention to the clepsydra in the corner of the room. Even though she knew the atmosphere was a little tense, she still gave a reminder.
Xu'er's birth was full of dangers. When he was bathed on the third day of his birth, everyone in the Gu family attached great importance to it and did not dare to make even the slightest mistake.
"Mother, let's give Xu'er a bath first."
Xu took the initiative to speak.
The lady didn't say much from beginning to end. Upon hearing this, she stood up with the help of Nanny Zhu and called everyone to go to the wedding hall.
After leaving the main hall, she whispered to Nanny Zhu, "...was this handkerchief made by the Xu family and old lady Gong on purpose?"
The spoiled old lady had never experienced much domestic fighting, and it was only now that she finally pieced together the cause and effect.
She said regretfully: "Oh. It turns out it's fake..."
Nanny Sun knelt there at a loss, feeling uneasy. For a moment she didn't know whether she should stand up or kneel.
She subconsciously went to look for Mrs. Xu, but her eyes met Xu's.
Everyone in the main room had left without knowing when, not even the servants were there. Only Xu was still standing there, looking down at her, her cold eyes dark and gloomy.
"Madam Sun, you've been with me since I was little. You were there when I was at the Xu family. You were there when I got married. You were there when I gave birth to Lielie, and you were there when Lielie died young. You were there when I gave birth to Jiaojiao, Yinyin, and Weiwei. As soon as I open my eyes, you're by my side. In my heart, you're more important than my parents."
Her parents only have her brothers and sisters in their hearts, and her only value is to wait until she reaches the best age and marry a man who can help her brothers and sisters.
Nanny Sun is different.
She protected her as she grew up, accompanied her until she got married, and stayed by her side for more than twenty years.
Xu slowly opened her mouth: "Why?"
Nanny Sun's shoulders trembled, and her cloudy eyes stared at Xu. Her heart suddenly twitched, as if all the blood in her body had been drained, and she felt freezing cold.
"Madam." Nanny Sun pulled at her skirt, her breathing quick and shallow, "Please believe me."
Xu pulled the hem of her skirt out of her hands and said expressionlessly, "Cause and effect are cyclical and eternal. Madam Sun, think about this carefully here. Talk to me when you understand."
Nanny Sun sat limply on the ground, like a fish out of water.
Coming out of the main hall, Xu covered her chest with her hands and walked quickly into the wedding hall.
The third-day bath ceremony is for the female members of the family. Unmarried girls usually go to the banquet first, but Gu Zhizhuo brought Xu Ying'er along, and the two stood behind the lady.
Xu did not miss the auspicious time, and the wet nurse brought Xu'er out.
In just three days, Xu Ge'er gained weight, the red and black spots he had at birth faded, his skin became much whiter, and although he was a little smaller than a full-term baby, he also had some flesh on his face.
The midwife poured water boiled with mugwort into a small golden basin, held Xu'er in her arms, and slowly sprinkled the water on the child with mugwort, saying auspicious words one after another.
Xu Ge'er didn't cry or make a fuss, but looked around with his bright eyes.
Everyone's eyes were focused on Xu Ge'er, and they also said some flattering words.
Gu Zhizhuo took out the gold ingots he had prepared and gave a few to Xu Ying'er. The treasury gifts for a baby were given to midwives and midwives, so a few gold and silver ingots would suffice.
Xu Ying'er was still a little frightened and said hesitantly, "Big sister, I'm sorry."
She caused a flaw in her little cousin's third-day baptism ceremony.
"Nonsense. You don't need to apologize to anyone." Gu Zhizhuo touched her back.
Gu Zhizhuo's hands were slow and gentle, as if carrying an inexplicable strength that made her unconsciously straighten her back.
Qingmei reminded quietly: "Girl."
"I saw it."
Mrs. Xu, who was standing at the door, looked around furtively and slipped out quietly.
There was not even a servant along the way, so she returned to the main room smoothly.
The main room was quiet, with only Nanny Sun kneeling in the middle, sweating profusely.
"Mrs."
Seeing Madam Xu coming out, Nanny Sun suddenly raised her head and stammered, "Please save me. Madam must have known everything."
"Why are you panicking? As long as I insist that Ying'er is mine, how can she prove that the baby she gave birth to wasn't a stillborn baby? Madam Sun, don't panic. I'm already worried about the wedding being ruined!"
"A dead girl, yet the Gu family treats her like a treasure. Madam Sun, since the Gu family doesn't believe she would seduce the prince, you should just make it real. There are many people coming today, so put some perfume on your handkerchief, call Ying'er out, and send her and the prince into a room."
"Are you crazy?" Nanny Sun cried in disbelief. "The Crown Prince is Miss Ying'er's cousin. This is incest. He will be struck by lightning!"
"You're the one who's crazy." Mrs. Xu slapped him, "You're yelling and screaming."
Mrs. Xu glanced around guiltily. Seeing no one around, she lowered her voice and said, "If the Zhenguo Mansion wants to cover up its shame, they have to compensate Bao'er with a job. Would it be better to be in the Imperial Guard or the Five Cities Military Department? Or maybe let Bao'er go to the Hanlin Academy."
Nanny Sun covered her face and watched her lips opening and closing. Her blood-red lips looked like those of a ghost.
Nanny Sun swallowed her saliva and asked with difficulty, "What about the cousin?"
If this really happened, would Xu Ying'er still be alive?
"Madame Sun, you know that keeping her here is a nuisance." Mrs. Xu half-knelt down, looking kind and gentle. She raised her hand to brush away the hair that had fallen on Madame Sun's face and said lightly, "As long as she's gone, you won't have to worry about it anymore."
When Nanny Sun heard this, she felt a chill in her heart, as if something was stirring her internal organs. A sour feeling surged up from her abdomen, making her almost vomit.
She was not a good person, but she had never expected Mrs. Xu to be so vicious.
"What about me?" Nanny Sun murmured.
"Of course you still act like your nanny."
"Hehehe."
A self-deprecating smile appeared between Nanny Sun's lips.
"I thought I was a wicked person, stealing the child to save my life. But I have been guilty of this for thirteen years. During these thirteen years, I have not had a single sleepless night."
Mrs. Xu curled her lips and said, "It's not a big deal, but it scared you like this."
"When I said Ying'er was born, it meant I was the one. So many people knew about it when I was pregnant."
Nanny Sun's legs were trembling and her face was as pale as earth.
The older Ying'er got, the more she resembled the Second Madam. Others might have thought she looked like her niece, but she was terrified every day. Especially after Ying'er moved into the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, she stopped being so timid, stopped wearing dusty clothes, and stopped covering her face with thick bangs.
More like it.
Even the second wife asked her repeatedly whether the child had a birthmark that day.
She had nightmares every day.
"Cause and effect continue in a cycle that lasts forever."
She will get her comeuppance. People like her will definitely go to hell after they die.
Nanny Sun slowly got up from the ground. Mrs. Xu smiled and patted her shoulder: "It's good that you've figured it out. I will take good care of your little daughter. Once you've finished your business, I'll stop giving her the contraceptive soup... Ah, how dare you! What are you doing!"
Nanny Sun didn't know where she got the strength from, but she grabbed Mrs. Xu's arm tightly and dragged her out desperately.
After leaving the main room, the sunlight fell on her, making her feel dazed.
“Let go, let go!”
No matter how strong Mrs. Xu was, she was just a spoiled woman and could never match the strength of Nanny Sun.
She struggled desperately but couldn't break free, screaming at the top of her lungs, "Don't you want to live anymore? Don't you want your daughter's life too?"
Speaking of her daughter, Nanny Sun paused for a moment, then dragged Mrs. Xu with even greater force.
"No."
"This servant should have died long ago for doing such a thing."
Mrs. Xu screamed desperately, her shrill voice startling all the birds, but not a single servant appeared. Seeing this, Nanny Sun was still confused. The Second Madam really knew.
The last bit of hope in her heart was gone.
She dragged Mrs. Xu through the corridor and saw the Dowager and others coming out of the wedding hall in front. Nanny Sun pulled her harder and dragged her in front of the Dowager, then pushed her hard on the back.
Mrs. Xu stumbled and fell to the ground, right at the feet of the lady-in-waiting.
The lady retracted her foot and patted her chest.
What's going on? It's so frightening.
Nanny Sun knelt down in front of the old lady, just like she did in the main hall just now. The old lady frowned tightly, thinking that she was going to say something about the handkerchief again.
What's wrong with embroidering a handkerchief? Why make such a fuss?
Before she could finish her scolding, Nanny Sun opened her voice and shouted, "Second Madam, Cousin Ying'er is your biological daughter. It was I who stole her away."
"This slave deserves death."
Madam:!
Wait, stolen? Who did they steal from... and why?
Is Ying'er born to the second son's wife?
A series of questions flooded into the lady's mind at the same time, and then became a tangled mess the next moment. She couldn't even find the thread to solve the problem.
From the perspective of others, Madam Gu had a dignified expression on her face, showing no emotion, and her sharp eyes stared directly at the two people on the ground.
Nanny Sun was shaking like a sieve.
"You wicked slave!" Mrs. Xu screamed. "What nonsense are you talking about! Madam, are you just going to let your wicked slave go crazy here? Why don't you drag him away and beat him to death?"
Seeing that Mrs. Xu was unmoved, Mrs. Xu got up, dusted herself off, and said angrily, "If the Gu family treats guests like this, I won't come even if they invite me in the future."
She turned to leave, and just as she took a step forward, Nanny Sun, who was kneeling below, pulled her hard.
Boom!
Mrs. Xu fell to the ground with her face hitting the ground. She bit her tongue and her lips were stained red with blood.
After she said this, Nanny Sun seemed to have released the last layer of shackles and said in one breath: "Back then, it was this servant who stole the child and told you that the child was dead. In fact, the child is not dead, but was taken away by the madam."
"After the madam married into the Xu family, she had no children for six years. The master and the old lady wanted to divorce her, so she pretended to be pregnant and deliberately chose a time around yours."
"She has wanted to take your baby away from you since the beginning."
"This servant is an accomplice."
There was chaos and war at that time, with fires everywhere, which gave her an opportunity.
Gu Zhizhuo held Xu Ying'er's hand, the hand in his palm was cold and still trembling slightly.
She gave her an encouraging smile.
Xu Ying'er raised her head, straightened her back, and stood there without moving a finger, facing the gazes coming from all directions.
Xu turned aside and bowed to everyone: "I'm sorry to have made you ladies laugh at me."
"I haven't finished what I said just now... The handkerchief was embroidered by Ying'er, and the word 'Can' on it was also embroidered by Ying'er. It was embroidered by Ying'er for Cancan."
"Embroidering a handkerchief for my cousin is in accordance with etiquette." Her clear and cold voice was choked with sobs. "My Jiaojiao has never done anything shameful."
What's the matter with welcoming the child or not.
She is proud.
My husband named our daughter when she was still in the womb.
Gu Zhijiao.
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