Minglan slept very uneasily that night.
She lay on her right side, the little bastard in her belly kicking and kicking—OK, she understood what it meant, so she quickly asked Danju, who was sleeping on the side couch, to help her turn over and lie on her left side, but the little bastard still kicked. Minglan sighed, "Okay, now you're the biggest." Minglan tried to move a few times with difficulty, taking a huge risk by lying on her back, but the result was that her huge belly almost crushed her. Maybe the little bastard didn't like this position either, and kicked even more violently.
Minglan propped herself up on the bed and sat up painfully, one hand covering her belly. She couldn't help but whine. "You little bastard, just be quiet. I've tried all the sleeping positions for you. What else do you want? You want to sleep on your stomach? I'll crush you to death!"
Late at night, in the warm house, Minglan caressed her belly, supported her waist, and walked in circles around the small round table. She used to think that ignorant children were the most difficult to deal with, but now she knew that the fetus was the most difficult to deal with. You couldn't hit it, scold it, or even coax it, comfort it, or threaten it. All the various human tricks were ineffective in front of the fetus. If it felt uncomfortable, it would definitely make you more uncomfortable. Even if it didn't feel uncomfortable, if it wanted to make you uncomfortable, you would still feel uncomfortable.
The enemy was too powerful. Minglan could only hold back her temper and say nice things to it, "...I'm sorry, mommy hasn't treated you well lately. You haven't eaten well, and you haven't slept well. You've been thinking about... uh... bad things. Tomorrow, starting tomorrow, we will continue telling stories. Where did we go last time? Oh, the three little pigs wanted to build a house, and one built a straw house..." She also missed the lazy and comfortable days in the past, when she didn't have to worry or be suspicious. Alas, the more she thought about it, the more depressed she became.
The next morning, Minglan woke up feeling groggy. Mother Cui looked at her with distress, patting her belly and saying, "It's sagged a little more. I'm afraid you'll be born in the next few days." Minglan laughed, "Mom has been saying this for seven or eight days." Mother Cui stroked Minglan's tired face and murmured, "Before, when the time wasn't right, we were worried it would come before the full month. Now, we're worried it won't come at all. Alas, children are debts from past lives, and they're here to collect on their parents in this life. When I grow up, I'll definitely repay my parents and be filial to my wife."
Minglan sighed and carefully sat down at the table. With a chopstick, she dug into a plump, lotus-scented corn cake and nibbled it. She wasn't expecting much; she wasn't counting on the little bastard's future. She just wanted the debt to stop compounding with interest. After all the hard work, giving birth to a prodigal son would be a real bummer. She was munching on some moral texts to read as prenatal education while she ate breakfast. Just as she'd gnawed a round corn cake into a crescent shape, Danju entered, looking puzzled.
"Madam, someone from the Yu family is here."
Minglan blinked: "Which Yu family?"
Danju seemed to be thinking about the right words: "It's Miss Yanran's family, and also... the family of the lady in front." Minglan's chopsticks paused in mid-air, and she instinctively became alert: "Where's the Madam?" This damn old woman, what's up with her again! Then, not at all surprised, she heard the following answer - "She's entertaining guests."
Minglan slammed the crescent-shaped corn cake onto the table with a chopstick and glared, "Go tell them I'm too heavy to walk and can't see the guests!" She was just being a scoundrel, so what?! Danju's face turned bitter, "The mother who came to deliver the message said that the Madam Tai took care of Madam's weight and has taken the guests to the small flower hall. And..." She was extremely embarrassed, "The one who came was Madam Yu Si."
This time it was Minglan's turn to be in trouble.
When Old Master Xiong built Cheng Garden, he had originally intended to use the small flower hall with a beautiful view of the water and the mountains as a place for the female members of the inner house to entertain guests. Therefore, it was especially close to the main house, Jiaxiju. Since she was going to meet the original wife's family this time, and the second aunt of the Yu family was also there, Minglan, as the concubine, suddenly felt insecure, so she called for all the helpers, dressed neatly and solemnly, and went to the small flower hall with a crowd of people following her.
Upon entering the flower hall, Minglan looked up and saw the Dowager conversing with two middle-aged women in brocade attire, attended to by two maids and servants with long goose-wings. Everyone turned to look at the announcement. A woman sitting to the Dowager's right, wearing a lilac-colored, double-breasted summer gown, stood up and approached. She took Minglan's hand and said joyfully, "Isn't this Minglan? Let me see her! You've grown so much taller and more beautiful."
Minglan felt a warm welcome upon seeing her. She smiled and bowed, saying, "Greetings to Fourth Auntie. Uncle Yu's Qingtang music score has been edited. How are your brothers and sisters? Speaking of which, Sister Yanrong is almost coming of age."
Mrs. Yu's eyes were red, as if she had been crying for days. She smiled and said, "Okay, everything is fine. Your fourth uncle is busy for no reason. He will never stop. It's amazing that you still remember Rong girl. The child often talks about you and Yanran."
"Sister Yanran wrote to me a while ago, saying that she was pregnant again. She also complained that the Duan family no longer allowed her to go to the tea garden and forced her to stay at home to take care of the baby." Minglan held Mrs. Yu's hand and spoke as they walked.
"Who says it isn't? Yanran is a blessed child. Now she has a son and a daughter. The maids who went there all come back saying that the Duan family treats her very well." Mrs. Yu's face was full of satisfaction, and her fair and pretty face was full of smiles. "This child is also very good. Knowing that her fourth uncle loves to travel the most, she still praises Dali. She says that the ground is covered with camellias, the sky is full of clouds, and there are beautiful scenery everywhere. The people are simple and kind. Your fourth uncle is so excited about going out and has been clamoring to go and see it."
Fourth Uncle Yu is actually the second son, but the Yu family's cousins are of the same generation, so they call him Fourth Uncle. Unexpectedly, after all these years, he is still the same. Minglan couldn't help laughing.
Madam Yu Si came from a family of scholars. By the age of ten, she could master hundreds of chess sets, play the flute and the zither, and excel in painting fish, insects, birds, and animals. She later married the fourth son of the Yu family, a congenial figure. They lived in harmony and harmony. For a long time, Madam Yu Si served as Minglan's model for the talented women of ancient times. Though talented and literary, she was not above impeccable. She managed the chores of the Dengzhou family, cared for her parents-in-law, and raised her niece, Yanran, with a thoroughgoing approach. Despite her prominent family background, she was affable and kind, never looking down on those of lesser status. Sometimes, when she was in a good mood, she would offer Minglan some pointers on her dog-scratching brush calligraphy. When accompanying her husband on his trips to the countryside, he would always bring Minglan a share of any interesting finds. She gave Minglan her first clay figurine, her first windmill, even her first straw katydid cage, and her first long-haired rabbit.
The Yu family was Minglan's inner paradise during her childhood. Lord Yu was dignified and sensible, Madam Yu was kind and gentle, and Yanran treated her like a sister. Sometimes, while playing in the Yu Mansion's gardens, she could see from afar the Yu Si couple playing chess or playing flute and qin in the pavilion by the lake. The whole family was filled with laughter and joy, a scene that young Minglan envied.
Minglan hadn't seen the Yu family for a long time. She was about to exchange a few pleasantries when the lady on the other end of the line laughed loudly, "Minglan, why don't you come and sit down? Not only are you feeling unwell, but you shouldn't neglect us."
After hearing this, Minglan did not argue, but walked forward with Mrs. Yu.
"This is the eldest wife of the Yu family. Come and greet her."
The Madam Dowager warmly pulled Madam Yu towards her. Minglan smiled and bowed, while Danju, beside her, held her firmly. She looked up, discreetly examining her, and was momentarily taken aback. Madam Yu was incredibly well-maintained, unexpectedly youthful and beautiful, with slanted eyes, slanted brows, high cheekbones, and fair skin. She possessed a fierce, mature, and flamboyant beauty, looking no more than thirty.
Mrs. Yu also couldn't help but look at Minglan, from the golden five-phoenix rising sun hairpin on her head, to the nine-section red gold gourd necklace on Minglan's chest, and the extremely fine bright jade adorning the bottom, and finally to Minglan's bulging belly. Her eyes instantly became fierce, and then she sat down and accepted Minglan's blessing.
She didn't speak to Minglan either, but turned to Mrs. Yu Si beside her and said, "What you said just now is that Yanran is a blessed girl. Her father-in-law personally found a husband for her. How can she not be blessed?!" Mrs. Yu Si immediately realized that her words had offended her eldest sister-in-law, so she had to smile and say nothing, and sat down quietly.
"All the girls in my family are blessed, except my Yanhong, whose fate is unfortunate. Alas, I wonder if anyone still burns incense for her after so many years since she left. This pitiful lonely ghost..." Madam Yu spoke with an imposing manner.
"Sister Yanhong is buried in the Gu family's tomb," Minglan couldn't help but interrupt, "How can there be any talk of a wandering ghost?"
Mrs. Yu was very displeased by the interruption. She stared at Minglan with sharp eyes and said slowly, "...without even a trace of flesh and blood left, you're not far from becoming a wandering ghost."
Minglan's heart sank, and she resolutely refused to continue the conversation. She took the warming cup from Danju's hand and blew gently on the soup inside. Lord Yu had been a strong and capable man throughout his life, managing the government and managing his family. His wife was kind, his children were generally obedient, and he even selected his daughters-in-law himself. The family atmosphere was simple and unpretentious. This second wife, Mrs. Yu, was quite aggressive, probably the exception to the rule in the entire Yu family. His son, however, was so easily influenced by his daughter-in-law that he practically obeyed her every word. Lord Yu was rather depressed.
Seeing the awkward silence, the lady smiled calmly and said, "What are you talking about, mother-in-law? Although Yanhong hasn't been in the Gu family for a long time, I like her very much. She speaks frankly and is generous. Oh, to be honest, I like her more than my own daughter. Mother-in-law has brought up her daughter so well, but it is the Gu family that has let her down..." As she spoke, she couldn't help but choked up.
Minglan looked at her coldly, thinking it was a shame that such a good talent didn't become an actor.
Madam Yu felt sad when she heard this and she also cried, "If I had known that she had no fate with the Gu family, I would not have asked her to marry into this family. She has endangered her life in vain, and she was only a few years old..." Madam Tai was very considerate, calling her mother-in-law all the time, and kept blaming herself, saying that it was all the Gu family's responsibility for not taking good care of Yu Yanhong. She pressed her handkerchief and choked with sobs, "Don't say that your mother-in-law can't bear it. Even I feel upset when I think of the good things about Yanhong. It's also Tingye's fault. He ran away not long after the marriage, leaving Yanhong all alone, and that's why she fell ill..."
Ugh! You old witch, you might as well just say that it was Gu Tingye who killed Yu Yanhong! What do you mean by 'running away shortly after getting married'? What about the families of military commanders? Their husbands would be away for months or even years, so they would have died a hundred or eighty times! What do you mean by 'alone and lonely'? You have parents-in-law above you and sisters-in-law below you, and you died within two months of your husband being away. To put it nicely, it's because of the deep love between husband and wife and the longing for each other. To put it bluntly, it's because you can't bear the loneliness and can't leave your husband!
Based on the success of Gu Tingye’s first marriage, the first point obviously does not apply to Yu Yanhong. You old witch, are you speaking for Yu Yanhong or slandering her?
——Minglan was full of complaints in her heart, but she had to keep it to herself and listen silently.
"It can't be helped. My son-in-law originally wanted Yanran, so he doesn't like Yanhong, so it's inevitable that he'll be ignored. To be unfilial, if that's the case, why does father-in-law have to interfere..." The eldest Madam Yu became increasingly outspoken, and even the usually good-tempered Fourth Madam Yu couldn't help but frown. Minglan finally seized the opportunity and quickly interrupted, half-jokingly saying, "What you said is inappropriate. How can you say it's interfering? That was agreed upon by Lord Yu years ago. Lord Yu 'made it known' decades ago, so it's at least a little earlier than Lord Yu's 'made it known' a few months ago."
After hearing this, Mrs. Yu Si couldn't help but smile and glared at Minglan with a half-angry look.
Mrs. Yu was speechless. She stared at Minglan for half a cup of tea before she was brought back to her senses by the Madam's cough. She said to Minglan in a stern tone, "We have come here today to ask an unreasonable request. My father-in-law has been in poor health in recent years, so we came to the capital specifically to seek medical treatment. He has been unconscious for a few days..."
Minglan was shocked: "Is Lord Yu sick?" She turned to look at Mrs. Yu Si.
Mrs. Yu nodded with tears in her eyes: "Since last month, he has been fainting from time to time, and this time was particularly serious. Dad had just taken the medicine that day, and he looked a little more awake. He said... he said..." She looked at Minglan in embarrassment, as if it was difficult to continue.
Mrs. Yu said with a hint of sarcasm, "If you can't tell me, I'll be the bad guy. That day, the old man was a little more lucid. He said he had no regrets in his life. Now he has children and grandchildren all around him, but Yanhong died young. It's a pity that he didn't even leave behind any children. Later, we invited Xuanyuan Zhenren from Qingfeng Temple. Zhenren said that if we celebrated the occasion, it might help."
Minglan slowly opened her eyes wide, her heart sinking.
"... then I had an idea. I wanted to adopt a son for my unfortunate daughter. Firstly, I could offer her food at her grave. Secondly, it would comfort my father-in-law. If he could wake up, you would have done a good deed. If..." Mrs. Yu spoke fluently, as if she had rehearsed it many times beforehand, "it would also allow the old man to pass away in peace. Killing two birds with one stone, don't you think?"
She stared straight at Minglan, as if wanting an immediate answer.
Minglan was surprised for a moment and blurted out, "Then who should be adopted?" She turned to look at the lady.
"It's not Xian'er." The lady-in-waiting waved her round fan leisurely, smiling. "Tingye told me years ago that Xian'er was the third brother's only son, so there was no way he would be adopted. I think it makes sense, and there's nothing I can do about it. It just so happens that there's a perfect candidate. Come, bring them up."
Minglan was overwhelmed by the constant flow of people. Turning her head, she saw Xiang Mama enter with two figures, one large and one small. After the young woman behind Xiang Mama entered the room, she knelt down and kowtowed, saying in a clear voice, "Man Niang greets everyone." She then pulled a boy, about six or seven years old, to kneel with her. The boy seemed afraid and whispered, "Chang'er greets the elders."
For the first time in so many days, Minglan was truly shocked. How did they get out of the place arranged by Gu Tingye?!
The old lady smiled and turned to the crowd, saying, "The second son was confused at the time. He was young and ignorant. He took a mistress and later had a son and a daughter. The daughter is being raised by the second son's wife."
Mrs. Yu was proud: "I think Chang'er is well-behaved and clever. Instead of keeping him outside and unable to return to his clan, it is better to register him under Yanhong's name." The implication was that Minglan was jealous and that was why Chang'er could not return to his clan.
Minglan gasped, her heart aflame with rage. Despite her awkwardness, she suddenly stood up, raising her voice and sneering, "You all have such a thorough idea!" She turned first to the Dowager, her eyes gleaming with undisguised contempt. "You truly are a capable person. There's nothing you don't know. Don't say family disgrace shouldn't be aired in public. With the Marquis's current status, his family wouldn't have been able to cover up the events of his youth, and you're just about to start shouting about it all over the capital."
The Madam was a little embarrassed and said coldly, "I am also for..."
Minglan interrupted her swiftly, "Everyone in the Gu family knows who you're doing this for, and why. There's no need for you to repeat yourself." Without waiting for the Lady Dowager to retort angrily, she turned to Fourth Madam Yu and said softly, "Fourth Aunt knows what kind of person I am. Today, I'm dealing with the matter, not the person. Please forgive me if I've offended you."
Mrs. Yu Si stood up, her face full of apology and embarrassment, and she kept saying, "I know your difficulties." She was labeled as unfilial and had a sickly and frail mother-in-law who was at a loss. She knew that this was not a good thing to do, but she didn't dare not come.
Minglan nodded slightly, then turned to Madam Yu and said word by word: "Sister Yanhong is the Marquis's first wife. I know this without you reminding me. If Sister Yanhong had left behind any children, there would be no second choice for the position of the Crown Prince! But Sister Yanhong has no children!" Madam Yu's expression changed drastically, and she stared at Minglan vigilantly.
She continued, "Today, everyone said they wanted to adopt him..." She sneered and said loudly, "If this Chang'er is registered under Sister Yanhong's name, what will happen in the future? Will he be a concubine's child, or the original wife's biological child?"
Mrs. Yu was blocked for a moment, and then she sneered: "You are saying this and that, aren't you afraid that Chang'er will snatch the position of the prince from the baby in your belly? Don't be unconvinced, a concubine is a concubine, not the original wife!" As soon as she said this, she knew that she had spoken out of turn, and she hated herself for being so angry that she fainted and spoke without thinking.
Minglan burst out laughing, then suddenly turned serious and said, "Minglan, I understand. However, the matter of succession is the foundation of the clan. Minglan is just a daughter-in-law and dares not interfere. I just want to ask the eldest lady, after Sister Yanran got married, Sister Yanran's biological mother also had no descendants. If we ask you to adopt a child as the eldest son and grandson of the Yu family, would you agree?"
Mrs. Yu shouted angrily, "How dare you be so presumptuous!"
"Who's so presumptuous?" Minglan retorted bitterly, "Many years ago, when the Marquis was young and frivolous, he wanted to marry this Man Niang. The old Marquis and the Dowager refused to allow him because she was born into an opera family. Now, the old Marquis is gone, and no one listens to him anymore. And suddenly, they're asking someone born to an opera actress to be the Marquis of Ningyuan's heir? Could it be that the Yu family is deliberately trying to make things difficult for the Gu family?!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Man Niang, who was kneeling at the door, quickly raised her head and glanced. Minglan also turned her head at the same time. When their eyes met, she saw that Man Niang's eyes were sharp and resentful, and she did not show the panic that she had shown when she first saw her. Minglan immediately knew that she had known about her for a long time.
Minglan ignored her. There was no time for pity at this moment, only enemies and friends.
Mrs. Yu was so angry that she was shaking all over and couldn't speak for a long time. Suddenly, her eyes flickered for a while, and then she gritted her teeth and said, "My daughter was less than seventeen years old when she died. You, the Gu family, need to say something!"
Seeing this, Mrs. Yu Si hurriedly pulled Minglan aside and said, "Absolutely not!"
In fact, Lord Yu also said that. Deep down, she felt that it was just the old man's words of emotion when he saw his children and grandchildren. But now the eldest brother is like a father, and her husband is not an official, so her words are a bit weak. In addition, that Xuanyuan Zhenren has been deceiving her, as if not obeying Mrs. Yu's orders is unfilial. This big hat is too powerful.
"We are just thinking about Yanhong's tragic death at such a young age. We want her to have a successor, and we have absolutely no intention of interfering with the Gu family's succession." Mrs. Yu Si spoke from the bottom of her heart, saying, "If you don't believe me, when Marquis Gu comes back, we'll gather all the clansmen and have a clear discussion, and write a written agreement. But..." She cried, "Can we get this done first? Dad, he... he's afraid he can't hold on any longer. Mother said that if you don't agree, she'll come and beg you personally tomorrow, and ask Old Madam Sheng to kneel down before you!"
She couldn't help it any longer and covered her face and cried out loud. Old Madam Yu had been gentle and weak all her life, but now she could only shed tears all day long.
Minglan took a deep breath. This was what she feared the most.
She dared to declare war on any enemy. If she could win, she would fight. If she couldn't, she could run away or play dumb. But she couldn't be sharp and harsh to Mrs. Yu Si, and she couldn't be harsh and harsh to Old Madam Yu who would stroke her hair and nag about her concern.
In a flash, a thought passed through my mind.
"Ouch! My stomach hurts!" Minglan suddenly held her stomach and cried out, bending over with pain on her face.
Mrs. Yu was horrified and hurried to help her, telling her to sit down carefully. Danju, who was standing by, cooperated very well and came forward to support her. She kept calling for help. The people waiting outside heard it and immediately rushed into the house, helping and carrying her. Some asked about her illness, some kept saying "ouch", and some whispered reproaches. Before the old lady could react, Madam Cui had already led the people to take Minglan away.
The others were stunned. Mrs. Yu was extremely angry and chased to the door and shouted, "If your wife is not about to give birth, I will come tomorrow!" Mrs. Yu was panicked and anxious, and hurriedly tried to dissuade her, "Don't come, don't make any trouble! Look at how big her belly is, she is really going to give birth!" Mrs. Yu shook off her sister-in-law's arm and snorted coldly, "If you want to be a good person, you do it! The old man is still half alive, I dare not bear the crime of being unfilial!"
Inside the room, the lady was still sitting in her seat, motionless, as if watching the whole show, just smiling and drinking tea.
…
Minglan's face was tense, and she paced back and forth in the room, feeling extremely irritable. In fact, her stomach didn't hurt at all, but she just felt dizzy. She really didn't know what to do, so she used the trick she usually despised the most - pretending to faint.
But this trick can’t be used all the time. Am I going to pretend again tomorrow?
What to do? What to do? What to do… Minglan was in turmoil. She didn't want to give in, but it was hard to refuse Old Madam Yu and Madam Yu. She cursed the old witch in her heart. First, it was Aunt Kang, and now it was the Yu family. After the hard tactics were exhausted, she tried the soft tactics. This wasn't over yet. After walking around for several times, Minglan still hadn't come up with an idea. If nothing worked, how about… running away? She figured the best plan was to let Tu Er and the others escort her back to her parents' home to give birth. It didn't matter if it was embarrassing or not.
"It still won't work," Minglan thought carefully, wailing and exhausted. She expected that the shrewd Old Madam Yu would chase after her to the Sheng Mansion and plead with her grandmother. If she caused these two elderly people to break off their friendship in their old age for her sake, it would be truly a sin.
She is not a fool and is optimistic that the problem can be solved once and for all.
Not to mention the Madam's eager gaze, even that gloomy Man Niang was enough to make her dizzy. If Chang Ge'er were to marry Yu Yanhong, regardless of whether it was announced in advance or written, there would be endless trouble. If her son was capable, it would be fine, but if he was weak and good-tempered, Chang Ge'er would gather forces and join forces with some clansmen, and if there was a disturbance, there would be no peace.
Minglan sat down at the table with her head in her hands, at a loss as to what to do.
As her head numbed with thought, she suddenly found it amusing. Many couples who had fallen out would bitterly say, "I will never let you go, even if I die," but most of these statements were impossible to fulfill. Now, Yu Yanhong had actually fulfilled these words. Minglan was both angry and amused. Alas, she wondered how this woman had died.
——Oh right! How did Yu Yanhong die?!
Minglan slowly straightened up, leaning her arms on the table and thinking. Scenes flashed before her eyes, faces flashed by like a movie, and finally stopped at the turbid smile at the corner of the lady's mouth.
No, there's something wrong about this.
From her understanding of the Yu family, Lord Yu had always been keen on a career in government. So, after his wife's death, he had forced himself to marry the concubine of the Shangfeng family, a woman his father disapproved of. As for Madam Yu... well, she'd seen her today. Why had such a formidable couple, so scheming and unwilling to suffer any loss, only now arrived at the Ningyuan Marquis's residence?!
Yu Yanhong married into the Gu family and died within a year. No matter how you look at it, the Gu family must have let the Yu family down. If that were the case, why didn't the Yu couple come and ask to marry another daughter of the Yu family when Gu Tingye became successful?!
Fourth Madam Yu's daughter, Yanrong, was coming of age this year. Yanran had mentioned that she had a younger sister born out of wedlock, just a year older than Yanrong's cousin, meaning that girl had come of age last year. Even if she couldn't bear to part with her biological daughter, given the immense wealth before her, First Madam Yu wouldn't be so kind as to be reluctant to part with even a daughter born out of wedlock, let alone the many daughters of the Yu family's main branch. Even the Peng family had the audacity to approach the Gu family, so why didn't the more qualified and powerful Yu family come along?!
Not only did they not come to propose marriage, but even their daily interactions with the Gu and Yu families stopped. Originally, Minglan thought that the Yu family had a grudge against Gu Tingye and refused to interact with him, but now it seems that this is not the case.
What was Gu Tingye's attitude towards the Yu family and his first wife, who had passed away young? Even if they had been enemies, he should have felt some guilt or resentment after she died. Minglan recalled painfully.
It's still not right. Gu Tingye didn't look like he had any regrets or remorse.
For so long since their marriage, the couple had shared a deep understanding, sharing everything from court matters to domestic matters. Even the sensitive topic of Man Niang was one Gu Tingye would occasionally bring up, mocking his own youthful recklessness. However, he remained silent about Yu Yanhong, seemingly intentionally avoiding her. Gu Tingye wasn't a cold and ungrateful person, so why was this happening?
Then, there is only one conclusion.
Minglan's thoughts gradually cleared, but this hypothesis was too bold, and she didn't dare to make a rash bet. After pondering for a moment, she called Danju and whispered, "Go find Madam Chang. She doesn't need to come, just ask her... How did Madam Yu die? Does she know?"
Danju nodded vigorously and took note, then hesitated and said, "Maybe Madam Ruochang doesn't know either."
"If she doesn't know..." Minglan clenched her fist to her lips and said slowly, "Then ask her what the Marquis's mood was like after Madam Yu passed away. If you ask her to guess, how does she think Madam Yu died? Did the Gu family let her down?"
Danju chewed it carefully, understood Minglan's meaning, and hurried out.
…
Inside Xuanzhi Hall.
Xiang Mama whispered a few words into the old lady's ear. After hearing this, the old lady frowned slightly and asked, "Are you going to see that old man again?"
"Do you think that old man knows the inside story..." Xiang asked his mother worriedly.
The lady thought for a long time before slowly shaking her head: "I don't think she knows. If she knew, we would have to change our plans..."
"What about Hong Xiao?" Xiang's mother was still worried, "What if she leaked the secret?"
The lady laughed out loud: "Unless the Northern Pacification Office uses severe torture, she will never tell anyone."
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