Shen Yu put on her veil, grabbed Yan Ran, and hurriedly got out of the sedan chair, heading straight for the temple gate.
Yanran shook off her hand and slowly adjusted her veil. "Yuyu, don't worry. Every time Mother comes to Putuo Temple, she stays until evening before leaving."
"What has she been doing here all day?"
"She copied scriptures in a side room of the Guanyin Temple. And I must say, every time my mother came home, although she was exhausted, her spirits were much better..."
Shen Yu couldn't help but curl her lips in disbelief. How could the Duchess not be exhausted and refreshed after a secret rendezvous with her lover?
It seems that by now, the Duchess is already entangled with Yideng.
She pulled Yanran into the temple, which was filled with incense smoke and teeming with people.
The two walked hand in hand toward the Guanyin Hall. Suddenly, Yanran broke free of her hand and turned around. Yanran was lying on the ground with someone under her. Then came a scolding voice, "Which blind fool dared to offend my mother?"
"Mother, get up quickly, where are you hurt?"
Shen Yu pulled Yanran up, and looking closely, she saw Gu Lingrong and Gu Xiaoliu helping Madam Gu up.
"Seventh Sister? You've come to offer incense too?"
Although Chen Yu was wearing a veil, Gu Xiaoliu still recognized her.
Upon learning that it was Shen Yu's people who bumped into Madam Gu, Ling Rong became even more furious and reached out to push Shen Yu.
Given Lingrong's bad temper, if Yanran were to see her, she probably wouldn't want to marry into the Gu family.
She dodged Lingrong's hand, pulled Yanran closer to Madam Gu, and bowed low. "Mother, Chenyu accompanied Miss Yanran from the Duke's Mansion to seek a marriage match. She accidentally bumped into you. Where are you hurt, Mother?"
Madam Gu, who had been stern and angry, immediately changed her expression upon hearing that it was Miss Yanran. She put on a kind smile and flattered Yanran, "So it's Miss Yanran. I stumbled and bumped into you just now. Are you alright, Miss Yanran?"
"It was Yanran who bumped into you, Madam. You don't need to blame yourself."
After Yanran finished speaking, she pulled Chenyu away, but Madam Gu grabbed Chenyu's sleeve and said, "Chenyu, your mother has something to say to you. Come with me."
Shen Yu told Yanran to wait, then followed Madam Gu to the back of the ginkgo tree in the corner.
In order to help Gu Dalang avert disaster, Madam Gu was eager to find a girl from a prestigious family to marry. Although there were many girls from prestigious families in the capital, Yanran, who was of noble status and related to the Empress, was one of a kind.
Meeting Yanran at Putuo Temple today must be a blessing from heaven.
Madam Gu was overjoyed and surprisingly grabbed Chen Yu's hand, "Chen Yu, does Miss Yanran have a man she likes?"
Shen Yu lowered her eyes and chuckled, pretending to think for a while before shaking her head and replying, "Never. I remember Liu Yu saying... Yanran has never had any contact with men outside the family, and we were just thinking of finding a good husband for her."
Never before?
Madam Gu was surprised and blurted out, "Miss Yanran is not young anymore, and she is still unmarried. Does she have some hidden illness or peculiar habits...?"
In order to arrange a marriage between Liu and Gu, Shen Yu naturally wouldn't reveal Yan Ran's quirks. Although this would harm Gu Dalang, it could also help Gu Dalang defy fate, so it could be considered a good thing.
So she retorted to Madam Gu with a straight face, "Miss Yanran is the only legitimate daughter of the Duke's mansion. Naturally, the Duchess is reluctant to let Yanran get married. She has been kept here until she is twenty-nine years old. Even now, the Duke's mansion is still reluctant to let Miss Yanran get married, for fear that she will not meet a suitable husband."
Madam Gu dispelled her concerns, nodded repeatedly, took a piece of paper from her sleeve and handed it to Chen Yu, whispering her instructions:
"This is your eldest brother's birth date and time. Your mother asked you to pass it on to the Duchess. If your eldest brother and Miss Yanran's birth dates and times are compatible, and the Duchess is interested in a marriage alliance with our Gu family, your mother will send someone to the Duke's mansion to propose marriage. Your eldest brother's marriage depends entirely on you..."
"Mother, Mother, I saw Erlang and Young Master Bai."
Hearing Lingrong's shout, Chenyu peeked out and saw Gu Erlang and Bai Yehua walking towards the Guanyin Hall, followed by several burly men who must have been dressed as constables.
It seems Bai Yehua is going to catch them in the act.
Chen Yu didn't have time to say goodbye to Madam Gu, and pulled Yan Ran to take a shortcut to the Guanyin Hall.
From the moment she entered the temple until now, Chen Yu had been in a great hurry, which puzzled Yan Ran. "Chen Yu is not an impulsive or reckless person, so why is she in such a hurry today? If you don't explain, I won't run away."
Shen Yu glanced back and saw Bai Yehua and his group not far behind her. In order not to expose her... knowing about the Duchess's affair, she had no choice but to use Bai Yehua as an excuse, "Yu Yu has already broken off her engagement with Young Master Bai, but he keeps harassing her. Let's find a secluded courtyard to hide in first."
She pulled Yanran into a secluded courtyard, the same courtyard where Bai Yehua had caught someone cheating in their previous life.
The courtyard was deserted and very quiet.
Based on her memory, she found the west wing where the Duchess and Yideng had been having an affair.
The door opened with a push, and the room was empty. On the desk by the window were scriptures, the ink still wet, indicating that the Duchess had just put down her brush.
Upon closer inspection, the plain-colored curtain behind the desk was still trembling slightly; behind the curtain must be the hiding place of the Duchess and Yideng.
"Fish, hide quickly! Young Master Bai is coming!"
Yanran whispered to herself as she hurriedly ran behind the curtain.
"ah……"
Yanran screamed, then fell silent.
Shen Yu naturally knew what Yanran had seen. Instead of going behind the curtain, she sat down at the table and whispered, "A group of people have come to the side courtyard. They're probably going to search this room soon. Hiding behind the curtain is useless. Come out."
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