Chapter Thirty-Six: Jingxi Eavesdrops
Seeing her friend so distressed for her, and how haggard she looked, clearly from worrying about her and not sleeping well for days, Meng Jinyao was deeply moved. In this world, apart from her two head maids, only A Ning would worry and grieve for what she had gone through.
She took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears that had seeped from Song Xinning's eyes, and said seriously, "Ah Ning, it's because I'm not stupid that I didn't choose the Second Young Master or the Fourth Young Master."
Song Xinning asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"
Meng Jinyao said calmly, "They are the children of the eldest and second sons of the concubines, while Gu Xiuming is the heir of the Marquis's mansion. If I choose between them, even if I become Gu Xiuming's sister-in-law or brother's wife, I will still be inferior to him. How can the second or fourth young master protect me? Only Gu Jingxi can. He is Gu Xiuming's father and can suppress Gu Xiuming."
Song Xinning was taken aback by her words, pondered them carefully, and after a long while nodded gently. Then she asked, "So... is your old man good to you?"
Meng Jinyao thought back on the past few days and honestly replied, "Aside from being lecherous, everything else is fine?"
"He's a womanizer?!"
Song Xinning's voice suddenly rose as she looked at Meng Jinyao in surprise and astonishment. Seeing that Meng Jinyao didn't seem to be joking, she found it unbelievable and asked incredulously, "Doesn't Lord Gu have a hidden illness? If he can't even perform, how can he be so lecherous?"
Qingqiu and Ningdong were also stunned. Thinking of the beautiful maids in the Marquis's courtyard, even the maids who did odd jobs were all pretty. None of them were ugly. Could it be that because of this, the lady thought the Marquis was lecherous?
Even Song Xinning's maid was stunned, finding it hard to believe. They had met Lord Gu before, and he was a man who rarely even glanced at beautiful women.
Meng Jinyao nodded slightly: "Although he has a hidden illness, it doesn't stop him from being a womanizer."
She thought to herself, if Gu Jingxi wasn't lustful, why did he secretly tear open her clothes the night before last? Wasn't he thinking that since he couldn't have her, he could at least take a look and satisfy his eye?
Song Xinning hesitated and said, "My uncle is his best friend. He once said that he is a virtuous gentleman, clean-living, and not interested in women. Ayao, do you have some misunderstanding about him?"
Meng Jinyao replied, "That proves your uncle doesn't understand him enough."
At this moment, Ningdong couldn't help but say, "Miss Song, the maids in the Marquis's courtyard are all beautiful."
Upon hearing this, both Song Xinning and her servant felt that Meng Jinyao had probably misunderstood. Any wife would feel uneasy seeing a group of beautiful maids around her husband and would easily have wild thoughts. If it were someone else, they might genuinely be lustful, but Gu Jingxi wouldn't be. He couldn't even do it; even if he wanted to, he was powerless to.
After a moment, Meng Jinyao added, "However, what man isn't lustful? Even my father, who doted on my stepmother so much, still had several beautiful concubines."
Song Xinning was slightly taken aback, suddenly thinking of her parents. Her parents were a harmonious couple, but that didn't stop her father from taking two concubines and having two illegitimate daughters born to the two concubines. However, her mother was open-minded and treated the two concubines gently, never mistreating them. The concubines were also well-behaved and didn't cause any trouble. Compared to other families, the Song family's backyard was relatively peaceful.
She nodded in agreement: "That's true. What man isn't lustful? The only ones who aren't lustful are probably monks."
Meng Jinyao said, "A-Ning, let's not talk about men anymore, let's talk about something else."
Song Xinning nodded in agreement, then changed the subject and told her about what she had seen and heard recently, "Ayao, your sister used to hate hearing people belittle you and praise her every day, but yesterday she actually spoke well of you for the first time ever, it's unbelievable."
Meng Jinyao was quite surprised and asked with interest, "She would speak well of me? What did she say?"
“She said it,” Song Xinning coughed twice, pinching her voice and mimicking Meng Jinyu’s tone, “What nonsense are you talking about? My eldest sister and brother-in-law have a harmonious relationship, which is why they were not treated coldly. On the day my eldest sister returned to her parents’ home, everyone in the Meng family saw it clearly. My brother-in-law doted on my eldest sister in every way.”
After hearing this, Meng Jinyao raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Meng Jinyu has become smarter, but with her brain, she can't think too far ahead. It's probably because my good stepmother taught her well."
Song Xinning didn't understand: "What do you mean?"
Meng Jinyao curled her lips into a mocking smile and said sarcastically, "I live well in the Gu family and am favored by my husband. Even if my husband's family doesn't support them, they can still benefit from it. When they go out, people will give them some face because of the Changxing Marquis's mansion. So, what good does it do them to smear me outside? Wouldn't that just make outsiders think that I'm at odds with my own family?"
As she spoke, she paused slightly and scoffed, "Of course, if I am treated coldly by my husband's family, they will be eager to sever ties with me, and even kick me when I'm down in public, saying how bad I am and how I bring shame to their family. They will pretend they never gave birth to this rebellious daughter of theirs."
Upon hearing this, Song Xinning suddenly realized something and frowned: "No wonder Meng Jinyu spoke well of you yesterday, which is unusual for her. I thought she had changed her ways."
Meng Jinyao narrowed her eyes and said bluntly, "She is doing this for her own future. The Yongchang Marquis's mansion has fallen into decline, and her marriage prospects are not much better. But having an elder sister who is the wife of the Marquis of Changxing and is favored by the Marquis of Changxing makes a difference."
Song Xinning frowned even more: "They really won't do anything without a profit."
Meng Jinyao was already used to it, and shrugged, saying, "They've always been like this."
-
The private room next door.
Two gentle and refined men stood facing each other, pressed against the wall, intently eavesdropping on the conversation in the private room next door. These two men were Gu Jingxi, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and Qi Yunwen, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. They were not only close friends, but also superiors and subordinates, and the best partners who had solved countless cases together.
Gu Jingxi overheard the conversation next door. When he heard the two girls talking about how all men are lustful, he lost interest in listening any further. His expression darkened, and he glanced at his friend, who was barely suppressing a laugh. He parted his thin lips slightly and asked indifferently, "Qi Mobai, is this the reliable information you mentioned?"
Mo Bai is Qi Yunwen's courtesy name.
Qi Yunwen was also surprised by this. He smiled awkwardly and explained, "Yaoling, the information I received did indicate that they would be discussing things here. I really didn't expect the information to be wrong. The people next door are actually my niece and your little wife."
Gu Jingxi frowned, his tone turning serious: "Didn't expect that?"
"I really didn't expect this. It's all the fault of the people below for their incompetence and inaccurate information."
Qi Yunwen looked innocent, yet somewhat helpless. Thinking of the conversation he had overheard, he couldn't help but laugh out loud. He winked at Gu Jingxi and teased, "You old geezer, I never expected that you, who usually acts like a monk, would actually be so lecherous."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com