The maid Chunhe came to Gu Zhen.
"Miss, the madam wants you to come over."
Gu Zhen's breath hitched, and her palms began to sweat. "Sister Chunhe, what does the Madam want me to do?"
Chun He pursed her lips and smiled, "The Marquis's wife was talking to Lady Haixi, and she happened to mention you. Miss, please follow me quickly, don't miss the opportunity."
Gu Zhen took a deep breath and said, "Chunhe, please lead the way."
Chunhe nodded with a smile and walked in front.
Gu Zhen followed her to the grand hall.
Seeing this, Gu Yue secretly snorted. She whispered to Gu Shan, "Big sister is very concerned about this marriage."
Gu Shan whispered, "Isn't this a very normal thing?"
After a pause, Gu Shan reminded Gu Yue, "Third sister, you have to be careful of your aunt. She seems to be planning something."
Gu Yue said with a sullen face, "No matter what she plans, I will never marry into the Xie family even if I die."
Gu Shan looked at Gu Yue with strange eyes. When they were in the northwest, Gu Yue and Xie Xian had interacted privately.
Now, she has changed her previous attitude and even said that she would rather die than marry into the Xie family.
Gu Shan blinked, thought about it for a while, and then understood.
After seeing the wealth of the capital and meeting the real young masters of aristocratic families, Gu Yue naturally looked down on his cousins from the Xie family.
So what if Xie Xian is handsome and dashing, he is no match for the young master of a meritorious family.
That is the real wealthy aristocrat.
Gu Shan did not expose Gu Yue's idea, but only reminded: "In any case, Third Sister, be careful not to let your aunt find an opportunity."
"Don't worry, I won't let anyone take advantage of me. Several cousins from the Xie family are coming over. Fourth sister, you take care of them while I go talk to the sisters from the Marquis' Mansion."
Gu Yue left in a hurry, not wanting to meet her cousins from the Xie family.
Xie Yuan came up to Gu Shan and asked, "Sister Shan, why did Sister Yue leave when she saw me coming? Doesn't she welcome me?"
"Cousin Yuan, you misunderstood. Third Sister has to entertain other guests and can't get away. If there is anything you need, please let me know."
Xie Ping, who was standing next to Xie Yuan, said, "Sister Shan, could you introduce us to the girl from the Marquis' Mansion?"
"this……"
Gu Shan hesitated.
Xie Yuan continued, "Sister Shan, I won't make things difficult for you. We don't dare marry a daughter of the Marquis's legitimate wife. Would you please introduce us to the daughters of the Marquis's concubines?"
Gu Shan was still hesitating.
Xie Yuan was not discouraged, but continued to encourage, "Without Sister Shan's introduction, we wouldn't know anyone in this place, let alone find anyone to talk to.
If someone asks us in the future which noble lady we know, I won't be able to tell them. Sister Shan, please be lenient and make sure our trip isn't in vain."
Gu Shan was not convinced.
"Sisters, please follow me. I will introduce you to the sisters of the Marquis' Mansion."
"Thank you, Sister Shan. Sister Shan, you are so kind."
Gu Shan pursed her lips and smiled, then led the girls from the Xie family and introduced them to the girls from the Marquis' Mansion.
Just as Gu Yue got away, she saw Gu Shan leading the Xie family cousins coming over.
She stomped her feet in anger, thinking that her fourth sister was going against her.
Just at this time, Gu Mei, Gu Qi and Gu Jiu led the girls from the Mansion of Duke Zhuguo, the Mansion of Marquis Lu, the Mansion of Marquis Dai and the Mansion of Earl Haixi to go out to visit the garden.
No one was afraid of the cold, so they put on their cloaks and went out.
Seeing this, Gu Yue hurriedly chased after them and took Gu Jiu's arm, "Second sister, I'm with you."
Gu Jiu turned his head to look at her and raised his eyebrows slightly.
Gu Yue blinked, "Second sister, is this okay?"
She's even acting like a spoiled brat.
Seeing this, Gu Qi smiled and said, "Since Sister Yue is not afraid of the cold, then come with us."
"Thank you, Sister Qi."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "Third sister, can you let go of my arm? It's tiring to have someone hanging on me."
Gu Yue smiled shyly, "Second sister's words are always so interesting."
Gu Jiu secretly rolled his eyes, and Gu Yue started acting again.
She doesn't care either.
As long as Gu Yue doesn't provoke her, it's fine.
A group of people came to the garden.
In winter, the garden is really not much to see.
The plum blossoms have not yet bloomed, only a few buds can be seen.
The scenery inside the bamboo forest is quite nice, but the light is a little dim.
Gu Mei said, "When the plum blossoms bloom, let's have a plum blossom banquet together."
Miss Wei San from the Zhuguo Mansion nodded repeatedly, "Sister Mei, this is a good idea. I like it."
Miss Wei Qi smiled and said, "Why don't we all pool our money together and go to the White Horse Temple to see the plum blossoms and have a plum blossom banquet."
"Okay!" Pei Man, the third lady of Marquis Lu's Mansion, looked excited.
"Then it's settled."
We all met at the Plum Blossom Banquet at White Horse Temple.
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "I'll contribute as well. Are you willing, sisters?"
Gu Mei took Gu Jiu's hand and said, "Since little sister Jiu is willing to join, we are naturally willing to do so."
Gu Yue also raised her hand, "I'll contribute as well, and my fourth sister will also contribute."
Gu Mei smiled and said, "Sister Yue, there's no rush. I'll send someone to do a census in a few days. Then everyone can just report their names."
Everyone was very happy when the matter was settled.
The girl from Dai Hou Mansion was named Han Qian. She walked up to Gu Mei calmly.
With a smile on his face, he jokingly asked, "Sister Mei, when can I change my words and call you sister-in-law?"
Gu Mei's cheeks suddenly turned red.
Everyone laughed kindly.
Only Pei Man didn't laugh.
I heard that the Marquis of Lu's Mansion also wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Marquis of Pingnan's Mansion, and they had their eyes on Gu Mei.
However, neither the old marquis nor the old lady agreed.
First, the position of the Lu Hou Mansion is somewhat subtle.
Secondly, if Gu Mei married into the Lu Marquis's mansion, she could only be the second young lady, not the eldest young lady in charge, because the eldest son of the Pei family was already married.
Gu Mei is the eldest daughter who has been carefully raised in the Marquis's Mansion and is destined to become the mistress of the house.
Therefore, the Lu Hou Mansion is out.
Soon, Gu Mei will be engaged to Han Dalang, the eldest son of Dai Hou Mansion.
This was the first time Gu Jiu had heard of this. She curved her eyebrows and smiled, "I want to congratulate Sister Mei."
Gu Mei scolded, "Little Sister Jiu, you come to make fun of me too. Don't talk nonsense about things that haven't even been decided yet."
Han Qian said, "But my eldest brother only recognizes Sister Mei. He doesn't want any other girls."
Everyone burst into laughter again.
Gu Mei stamped her feet in anger, pinched Han Qian's cheek, and jokingly said, "You damn girl, you only know how to laugh at me. When you propose marriage, I will make fun of you like this too."
Han Qian pursed her lips and smiled, "When I propose marriage, I should change my name to Sister Mei and call her sister-in-law. At that time, please show some mercy, sister-in-law."
Gu Mei's cheeks were rosy, very charming.
Everyone started laughing again and joking with each other.
Gu Yue watched from the side, feeling very envious.
If only she had been born in a marquis's mansion. She would have been able to chat and laugh freely with these noble ladies. She wouldn't be like she is now, unable to blend in with them.
Gu Jiu was completely unaffected, chatting and laughing with everyone else, as if he was born to be a part of this group.
As long as Gu Jiu is willing, she can make everyone feel comfortable.
After chatting for a while, everyone thought in their hearts that Gu Jiu was really nice, generous, and spoke in a caring and comfortable way.
Making friends with such people makes me happy.
Unconsciously, these noble ladies began to accept Gu Jiu and took the initiative to talk to her.
When Gu Yue saw this, she was not convinced.
He snorted inwardly, determined to compete with Gu Jiu.
She just didn't believe that she would lose to Gu Jiu in terms of social skills.
Back when we were in the northwest, Gu Jiu was nothing.
Gu Yue encouraged herself and followed Gu Jiu's example, actively joining in the conversation.
After chatting for a few sentences, Pei Man frowned.
It is obvious that Pei Man doesn't like Gu Yue.
For some reason, Gu Yue gave people a very utilitarian feeling. It made people feel that her words, her smile, and her expressions were not sincere.
It was like every word she said had a purpose.
Teenage girls are very sensitive. They are not wives in their thirties or forties who have experienced many ups and downs.
They were very disgusted with Gu Yue's approach with a purpose, even though they knew clearly in their hearts that this situation was inevitable.
However, hate is hate.
Afterwards, the two Wei sisters also took the initiative to distance themselves from Gu Yue and stopped participating in Gu Yue's topics.
The two sisters exchanged a look.
Why are the two sisters, Gu Jiu and Gu Yue, so different from each other?
When Gu Jiu speaks, people feel comfortable and at ease, and everyone is willing to communicate with him.
When Gu Yue spoke, there was a sense of materialism and snobbery in his nature, flattering the powerful and looking down on the weak.
These girls from noble families were well-informed and even if Gu Yue tried her best to hide, she could not escape their sharp eyes.
Because they have seen too many people like Gu Yue since they were young.
Gu Yue was very excited and she could join in every conversation.
It’s not that difficult to communicate with the girls from noble families.
Gu Yue glanced at Gu Jiu with pride. She felt very satisfied that she could completely suppress Gu Jiu (she thought so).
Gu Qi couldn't bear to watch any longer and coughed lightly. "There's a pavilion up ahead. Let's go sit there and talk. It's windy here and it's quite cold."
"Listen to Sister Qi."
Everyone walked towards the pavilion and the conversation came to a temporary halt.
Gu Yue lagged behind by a few steps and walked side by side with Gu Jiu.
"Second sister, you are not feeling well and the weather is so cold, why don't you go back first. I am here with you, so you don't have to worry."
Gu Jiu looked at Gu Yue with a half-smile, "Third sister, you are so thoughtful. I will go back when it's time. Third sister, please take care of yourself and don't catch a cold."
To look good, Gu Yue didn't wear a cotton coat underneath. Her cape wasn't thick either, and when the wind blew, it felt like her cheeks were turning blue.
In contrast, Gu Jiu wrapped himself tightly.
Except for the cold wind on my face, my whole body was warm and I didn't have to worry about catching a cold.
As everyone was walking, they turned a corner and saw Gu Yan leading several young masters who were visiting the mansion.
Gu Yue was surprised, "Sixth brother, why are you here?"
Gu Cheng smiled faintly, "I'll show you around. Sisters, do you want to go to the pavilion? I'll have the servants fence it off to at least block the wind."
"Thank you, Sixth Brother."
Gu Yue was overjoyed and felt extremely proud to have a brother like Gu Yan.
Han Dalang was in the crowd. He saw Gu Mei at a glance and stared at her blankly.
Gu Mei felt embarrassed by his gaze and quickly lowered her head, her ears slightly red.
Han Qian pursed her lips and smiled, "Brother, what are you looking at?"
Everyone laughed.
Han Dalang pinched his nose and said embarrassedly, "Nothing. Sister, please keep warm and don't catch a cold."
Han Qian smiled and said, "Brother, are you worried about me or Sister Mei?"
puff!
Someone couldn't help but laugh.
Han Dalang said seriously, "I'm worried about both of you."
"Brother is so cunning."
Han Dalang grinned. Is this his real sister? She is just busy ruining things.
Han Qian made a face at him.
In the crowd, there was a particularly handsome man. He had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and his features were deep. Those eyes seemed to hide a lot of thoughts.
Such a pair of eyes instantly attracted Gu Yue's attention.
Gu Yue's heart was pounding and she was in a state of confusion.
Who is that person?
She is really good-looking.
Why are those eyes so sad?
She wanted to smooth out the sadness between his brows.
Gu Yue wanted to ask Gu Yan, but she was afraid that he would look down on her and think she was not reserved enough.
Just as she was hesitating, Miss Zhao Liu called out, "Second brother, you must not drink too much today."
"Don't worry, sister. I don't drink too much."
Gu Yue felt like her heart was about to jump out of her throat.
Miss Zhao Liu called the man "Second Brother". Could he be the young master of the Haixi Marquis's Mansion, Zhao Erlang?
Because Gu Zhen might marry into the Haixi Marquis's Mansion, Gu Yue also paid attention to the situation in the Haixi Marquis's Mansion.
She knew that Haixibo had three sons. The eldest son was already married, while the second son's marriage was still uncertain. The man Gu Zhen was dating was Zhao Silang, a son born out of wedlock.
It turns out that he is Zhao Erlang.
Gu Yue hid behind the crowd, staring at Zhao Erlang with infatuated eyes.
How could such a good person have such a terrible reputation?
Is someone deliberately trying to ruin his reputation?
Is someone trying to harm him?
Thinking of this, Gu Yue couldn't help but feel unfair for Zhao Erlang, and even felt wronged and sad for him.
An impulse surged in her heart, and she wanted to help him.
Just when Gu Yue was daydreaming, Gu Cheng had already led his men away from the small path nearby.
Gu Yue couldn't see anyone. The only thing in her eyes was Zhao Erlang's back, which was so desolate.
Gu Yue felt a pain in her heart.
This was the first time in her life that she had experienced this feeling.
Gu Yue knew she was doomed. She had been poisoned by Zhao Erlang.
Gu Yue changed her previous proactive enthusiasm. She bit her lip and said nothing, falling into a rare silence.
Many people looked at Gu Yue with either concern or curiosity.
Why did Gu Yue, who was chattering and showing off just now, suddenly become silent?
The maids brought tea.
Gu Jiu placed the teacup in front of Gu Yue, "Third sister, are you okay?"
Gu Yue came back to her senses and glanced at everyone. Seeing that everyone was looking at her, she hurriedly shook her head, "I'm fine. I just got a little dizzy from the wind."
Gu Mei became worried. "Sister Yue, I see you don't look very well. Do you want to go back to your room and rest? It's too cold outside."
The winter in Beijing is getting colder day by day, and it may snow soon.
Gu Yue shook her head. "Thank you, Sister Mei, for your concern. I'm fine. I'll just have some hot tea."
After saying that, Gu Yue picked up the teacup and took two sips.
After drinking the hot tea, Gu Yue felt much better.
Everyone felt relieved when they saw that her complexion looked better.
Everyone chatted about all sorts of things.
Gu Yue was anxious. She was thinking about how to find out about Zhao Erlang's situation from Miss Zhao Liu without making any noise.
After thinking about it, there seems to be no good solution.
She is a girl, and anyone would be suspicious if she asked about a strange man for no reason.
What should I do?
She really wanted to know everything about Zhao Erlang.
Gu Jiu noticed that Gu Yue had been secretly observing Miss Zhao Liu several times.
Gu Jiu was very confused.
Before arriving at the pavilion, Gu Yue showed no interest in Miss Zhao Liu at all.
When chatting in the garden, Gu Yue's full attention was on the girls from the three families: the Duke of Zhuguo's Mansion, the Marquis of Lu's Mansion, and the Marquis of Dai's Mansion.
He was just an acquaintance with Miss Zhao Liu from the Haixi Marquis's Mansion, and they had never even exchanged a few words.
At this moment, Gu Yue was paying close attention to Miss Zhao Liu. It was really strange.
Gu Jiu couldn't figure out the key for a moment.
Gu Yue finally found an opportunity to talk to Miss Zhao Liu.
Seeing that Miss Zhao Liu's tea was gone, Gu Yue took the initiative to pick up the teapot and said, "I'll add water."
Miss Zhao Liu smiled at Gu Yue and said, "How can I have the nerve to trouble Sister Yue?"
Gu Yue smiled sweetly, revealing her most beautiful smile. "Sister Zhao, you don't have to be polite with me. When I first met Sister Zhao today, I felt close to her. It's just that I'm not good at speaking and don't know how to start. Sister Zhao, please don't dislike me."
Miss Zhao Liu pursed her lips and smiled, "Sister Yue, you're joking. If Sister Yue is not good at speaking, then I will become a gourd with a sawed mouth."
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