Gu Jinghui said inexplicably, "Are you stupid? These must be women from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. What does it have to do with me?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Yuan asked Gu Baozhu from inside the carriage, "Does the young lady from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion have something to discuss with you?"
Gu Baozhu poked her head out and called out, "You Da, is that you in there?"
The curtain of the carriage of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was lifted, revealing a beautiful young woman adorned with pearls and jade. She had a kind face and looked very approachable.
The woman said, "Seventh Brother Gu, with so many people around, what kind of nickname are you using?"
Gu Baozhu lowered her voice and retorted, "Isn't it because you, Miss You, inexplicably blocked my carriage? I'm in a hurry to get home to get a beating, so don't bother me now. Get out of my way so I can avoid getting a few more lashes."
Qin Yuan laughed in horror upon hearing this.
This sister-in-law is actually quite unconventional outside; she doesn't even shy away from saying she'll be punished by the family.
Then I thought about how even at his advanced age, Lord Gu was still getting beaten by his mother, and I was afraid that this was the family tradition of military officers.
As expected, Miss You was not surprised at all and said, "Old Madam Gu is the most soft-hearted. She won't let you be beaten and then kneel in the ancestral hall. Why are you pretending to be pitiful? My father will make me kneel in the ancestral hall again."
Gu Baozhu said, "Stop, stop, stop. It's fine for the two of us to talk here for as long as we want, but my brothers and sisters-in-law are all here. If you have something to say, say it quickly. If not, make way for me."
Miss You said leisurely, "If I hadn't gone to the palace to report the news and persuaded the Ninth Princess, do you think you would have had such a good ending today? Not to mention you even received a reward. Is this how you treat your benefactor?"
“So it was you,” said Lord Gu. “I was just wondering how the Emperor got the news.”
Miss You lowered the carriage curtain and stepped out. Without getting out of the carriage, she stood at the carriage shaft, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Lord Gu, Sixth Master Gu, and Lady Gu."
Lord Gu and the others returned the greeting from their horses.
Although Gu Baozhu didn't come out, she leaned half her body out, completely blocking Qin Yuan from view.
Miss You said, "I saw that Baozhu was in a bad mood and wanted to fight the Yelü people. I should have gone on stage, but I was too lazy to change my clothes, so I went to the Ninth Princess's place. It just so happened that Miss Chang was there too..."
He glanced at Lord Gu and Gu Baozhu's expressions and said, "When the Ninth Princess learned of this, she went to the palace. Coincidentally, Chief Steward Wang also chimed in, so the Emperor came to watch the excitement. It's all thanks to your skillful ball playing."
Lord Gu said, "Speaking of which, I have to thank Miss You."
Miss You blushed slightly.
Gu Baozhu pouted and said, "We're all exhausted from fighting, and Song Xiaoniu even got a scratch on her face. But you, you're too lazy to even change your clothes. I won't blame you since you went to get reinforcements. We're all good sisters. If you ever need my help, just let me know."
Miss You immediately replied, "No need for next time, just give it to me this time."
Gu Baozhu asked curiously, "What have you taken a fancy to?"
Qin Yuan also perked up, wanting to know what Miss You wanted.
Miss You said, "Since we've won, why don't you give me the chance to deal with the Yelü clan?"
Gu Baozhu was about to agree when she felt Qin Yuan tug at the hem of her clothes from behind, and she quickly changed her mind.
“That won’t do. This matter has been approved by the Emperor. You might not know this because you didn’t go, but we were about to lose on the field. It was only because my third brother led the generals that we won. I can’t make this decision by myself.”
These words surprised Qin Yuan.
Gu Baozhu kept pressing Miss You, asking, "What are you going to do with it?"
Miss You said sullenly, "Actually, I don't just want it for myself. You'll find out in a couple of days. Let's leave it at that. I won't keep you from going back, lest you get beaten up and then blame me."
He then bowed again on the carriage shaft to say goodbye.
After the two families separated, Gu Jinghui and his entourage set off onto the main road.
Gu Baozhu turned back and complained to Qin Yuan, "You Da is the worst. She doesn't play ball with us, and she won't bother arguing with me if she can't get something. But I just can't bring myself to be angry with her. Isn't that strange?"
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "Because although she didn't approve of what you did, she still found a way to get you help."
Gu Baozhu then stopped nagging.
Then he asked, "Why didn't you let me agree just now?"
Qin Yuan said, "Didn't you say a long passage yourself?"
Gu Baozhu rolled her eyes and said, "That was just my excuse. You Da knows that, right? It seems that Third Sister-in-law doesn't treat me like an adult."
Before Qin Yuan could speak, Gu Jinghui outside said, "Are you an adult? What kind of adult would cause so much trouble? I can't say anything to you now that we're outside, but I'll deal with you properly when we get back to the manor."
Gu Baozhu immediately rolled into Qin Yuan's arms and pleaded, "Good third sister-in-law, we're the best of friends in the world, you can't just stand by and watch me die, can you?"
Qin Yuan quickly pushed her away, saying, "You're covered in sweat, and your head is still wet."
He then said to Gu Jinghui, "Go back quickly. If Baozhu stays like this any longer, she might get sick."
Gu Jinghui said, "I understand."
Gu Baozhu frowned, looking like she was about to cry, and said, "My third sister-in-law dislikes me. When we get back, my mother will beat me up again, and I'll be even more pitiful."
Qin Yuan said, both amused and annoyed, "Go back and take a bath, drink some ginger soup, and then go to your mother to receive your punishment. My father told me to put in a good word for you in front of your mother, but you can't keep causing such a scene. Your sixth sister-in-law hasn't even been buried yet, do you think it's appropriate for you to make such a big fuss outside?"
Gu Baozhu said with annoyance, "I know it's wrong, but I was so angry that my stomach hurt from hearing Yelü's barking dogs. I wasn't the only one who was angry at the time; everyone was very unhappy, which is why we decided to fight them to the death."
Qin Yuan sighed.
"But everyone thinks you started it, that you're the leader. You know, public opinion is a fearsome thing. The Emperor had to step in and your brother got involved to cover it up. But if someone wants to cause trouble for the Marquis's mansion or for you, it will always damage your reputation."
"Is this why Third Sister-in-law is preventing me from agreeing to You Da's proposal?"
Qin Yuan said, "That might be part of it. Neither of you understands. With this life-or-death agreement, you can make a lot of a fuss. With the Emperor's endorsement, this matter has become so big that neither of you can control it. Didn't she say that she didn't want it for herself? Then you should see who is asking for it and who wants it."
Gu Baozhu pondered for a moment and then said, "I understand."
Then he asked, "Why did you come? I forgot to ask that. If it weren't for Third Brother, I'm afraid my life would be in danger."
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "Then let's talk about all the good deeds you've done in the past. If it weren't for your good deeds, your third brother probably wouldn't have gotten the news so quickly and come to rescue you."
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