“How can this be allowed?” Gu Jinghui said, “Yuan’er already dislikes them, mother and son. If she finds out about this, she’ll probably look down on the two children in the future. I’m only doing this because of them, which is why I’m in such a difficult position.”
He didn't live in the mansion often before. When he came back, he would spend time with his two children whenever he had free time. Little did he know that the rumors in the mansion had spread like this, and no one dared to mention it to him outside.
He treated them much the same way he did in the northern frontier. Occasionally, he felt something was off. Zhao Niangzi said that the capital city was not as open-minded as the northern frontier, and those young ladies who liked to read and recite poetry would inevitably look down on her. But the innocent are innocent, so he didn't take it to heart.
What a perfect example of "the innocent are innocent."
It's impossible to clear my name now.
Gu Jinghui sighed.
Madam Gu asked, "What did Yuan'er say to you?"
Mentioning this, Gu Jinghui couldn't help but sigh again, saying, "She said she wasn't a jealous woman and wouldn't stop me from taking a concubine, but Zhao Niangzi is different; she'll only cause chaos in the inner quarters. Yuan'er also told me a story about a man surnamed Qin who wiped out the entire Cui family. I roughly understand it."
"The Qin family wiped out the entire Cui family?"
Madam Gu squinted and thought carefully, unable to recall ever hearing of such a terrible thing over the years.
And why did Yuan'er tell such a story?
"oh?"
Madam Gu suddenly remembered that Qin Yuan's father's surname was Qin and her stepmother's surname was Cui.
"No, no," Old Madam Gu shook her head.
You also think it won't happen?
Gu Jinghui breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I think Yuan'er is exaggerating."
Madam Gu said, "Tell me the story properly. I've never heard of such a thing before."
Gu Jinghui choked and said, "I don't remember this story very clearly either. I just vaguely remember reading about it, but I don't know which book it was in."
Madam Gu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I knew it wouldn't happen. What, do you mean it's written in a book? Yuan'er is different. Her father is the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, the most learned person in the entire academy. Yuan'er speaks in a refined and literary way and can even tell stories from books."
This topic has gone on for miles.
Gu Jinghui asked, "Does Mother have any ideas?"
He had heard Qin Yuan call out "Mother" a few times, so it came out naturally to him.
Madam Gu was taken aback. She looked at him for a long time and said, "You're in such a hurry now. Didn't you say before that you should just take her back, give her a title, stop the rumors from outsiders, and let her and her son live in the Marquis's mansion as if they were your own children?"
Gu Jinghui, his face flushed, said, "Mother, didn't you already beat your son? Why are you bringing it up again?"
Bringing up the past now would be utterly ironic.
It was a sarcastic remark about how stupid and clueless he was.
Madam Gu ignored him and asked, "Tell your mother exactly what Yuan'er told you."
Gu Jinghui had no choice but to patiently repeat it.
Madam Gu said, "Go and find out what this story is all about. Yuan'er is a steady and thoughtful child, and she is also intelligent and tolerant. She has thought about it for a long time before she told me this. If you don't understand, how will you talk to her in the future?"
Gu Jinghui was stunned.
At that time, he thought that he was already inferior to Lin Ziqi in front of Qin Yuan, who could recite poems and talk about history. If he said that he did not know, wouldn't that be embarrassing?
Anyway, he already understood Qin Yuan's meaning, which was similar to what he had thought: she wanted Zhao Niangzi to take the child out of the mansion.
I never expected my mother to mention this.
“These scholars just can’t speak properly,” Gu Jinghui couldn’t help but complain.
Although he was literate, he only had a superficial understanding of the subject.
He was born to go to the battlefield; being able to read military books and write memorials was enough for him.
Where can you find such troublesome scholars who have to quote classics every time they speak?
He was afraid that only his sixth brother in his family could explain things clearly to Qin Yuan.
Or, should we go find Sixth Brother?
While he was lost in thought, Old Madam Gu had already spoken to Rong Mama: "We have always taken care of Fengxuan Pavilion ourselves. When the Marquis brought them back, we were afraid that they would be wronged by others, so we didn't let the sixth son's wife get involved. Now that Zhao Niangzi is sick, no one has reported it. What's going on?"
Rong Momo said, "Since Madam Zhao has already set her sights on this, she has probably promised these maids quite a few benefits. Why don't I find an excuse to call Bai Que over and ask her what's going on with that girl, whether she has developed feelings for someone else?"
Madam Gu nodded.
A moment later, Bai Que arrived, smiling as she asked from outside, "What good tea did Granny Rong call me to fetch?"
"Come in with me and take a look. It's the Marquis's newest possession. The old lady asked you to choose it for Lady Zhao."
Bai Que said happily, "The old lady always thinks of Fengxuan Pavilion. It's truly a blessing for Fengxuan Pavilion."
As she spoke, she followed Rong Mama in and met Gu Jinghui's deep, unfathomable eyes. Her face flushed, and her heart began to pound.
Seeing her like this, what else could Rong Momo not understand?
Bai Que was a second-class maid in the old lady's room. She was assigned to serve Zhao Niangzi, but unexpectedly, she also developed feelings for the Marquis.
With just a glance, Rong Momo had already guessed quite a bit.
Bai Que gracefully bowed to Madam Gu and Gu Jinghui, saying shyly, "Greetings to Madam Gu, and greetings to the Marquis."
Gu Jinghui responded with a muffled sound.
Madam Gu, with a stern face, said in a sharp voice, "Bai Que, you were serving Madam Zhao in Fengxuan Pavilion, how come you didn't even report such a serious matter as Madam Zhao's illness?"
Only then did Bai Que realize that her secret had been exposed. She knelt down with a thud and cried out, "Please spare my life, Madam. I did not mean to hide it. It was just that Madam Zhao begged me to say that she dared not go to the trouble of calling a doctor to come and treat her. She had some kind of illness in the north and would have recovered in a few days. I was confused for a moment and did not come to bother you, Madam."
As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Gu Jinghui's expression.
Gu Jinghui's face turned ashen. Just as Zhao Niangzi had said, he still cared about her.
Bai Que was relieved.
"You, a mere servant, have actually made decisions for your master," Rong Mama scolded angrily. "Now, in front of the old lady and the Marquis, you should tell me honestly how Zhao Niangzi got sick, how long she has been sick, and why you weren't allowed to call a doctor."
Bai Que sensed something was amiss upon hearing this, but assumed that Rong Mama was blaming her for not serving her well enough, so she said, "This servant doesn't know what's wrong with Madam Zhao. These past few days, she's been sighing at the moon and sitting by the window in the wind. I wonder what's on her mind."
“My attempts to reason with her were futile. Lady Zhao must have caught a cold last night. She begged me not to call the doctor again, fearing that the madam would be displeased and the marquis would be troubled. I was so foolish when she pleaded with me that I…”
He then kowtowed to Gu Jinghui and said, "The two young masters have been unable to smile all day because of Zhao Niangzi's health. If the Marquis has the time, it would be great if he could visit Fengxuan Pavilion."
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