The letter from the Loyal and Brave Marquis' Mansion in the capital came suddenly and urgently. The eldest daughter of the Jiang family was getting married soon, and everyone in the family was very busy. They could only arrange for Mr. Jiang, who was idle at home, to send his niece back to the capital.

Madam Jiang Er specially selected several capable maids to pack up Wei Hanzhang's belongings.

His legitimate daughter had been raised in her maternal grandparents' home for more than ten years, and the Loyal and Brave Marquis's Mansion had never been short of food, clothing and other daily necessities. Every year, shiploads of silver and other goods were delivered, and Wei Hanzhang, who was raised in such a pampered manner, never lacked good things.

The trip to the capital was hurried, and Master Jiang had specifically instructed them to travel light. Wei Hanzhang was watching the maids packing when she heard the voice of her third cousin Jiang Shengwen coming from far outside the courtyard.

She walked out of the courtyard and saw the young man standing next to Jiang Shengwen. Her eyes lit up: "Gu Yunran!"

The young man called Gu Yunran was wearing a dark robe with narrow sleeves. He stood on the path outside the Azure Courtyard. The corners of his eyes were slightly raised, and his eyes were full of light as he looked at her with a smile.

Different from those gentle and refined sons of aristocratic families, Gu Yunran, who was born in the eldest branch of the Gu family, a prominent family in Xuzhou, is a flamboyant and unruly person. He only restrains all his stubbornness in front of Wei Hanzhang. He is her gentle and caring childhood friend.

Jiang Shengwen called out, pretending to be unhappy: "Wei Ranran, I am such a big person standing in front of you, can you only see Gu Yunran?"

"I saw it, and I saw you too." Wei Hanzhang reluctantly looked up at his cousin and smiled slightly, "Third cousin, go do whatever you want."

The current dynasty has an open-minded society, and it is common for unmarried couples to spend time together and play together. Gu Yunran and Wei Hanzhang grew up together and are the tacitly agreed upon unmarried couple of the two families.

Jiang Shengwen had nothing to worry about, as he knew that his little cousin would be returning to Beijing tomorrow, and even Gu Yunran was informed by him.

He raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Okay, I'll go."

As soon as Jiang Shengwen left, Gu Yunran, who had been patient for a long time, just stretched out his hand, but Wei Hanzhang, who was prepared, dodged to the side.

She looked up at him.

The boy who accompanied her to drill the hole in the wall a few years ago was now a head taller than her. He stood tall and straight, with handsome eyes and brows. As Wei Hanzhang looked at him, she recalled the conversation between her two cousins ​​she had heard a few days ago.

Even if she didn't really believe it, she would get sick if she didn't get an answer to the anger she had been holding in for several days.

Wei Hanzhang retracted his gaze, lowered his eyes and asked: "I heard something a few days ago, and now I want to verify it with you. You must tell me the truth."

Gu Yunran was startled: "Why are you so serious?"

"Did you take in two concubines recently?" Wei Hanzhang asked bluntly, "I want to hear the truth."

The smile on Gu Yunran's face slowly faded away, and he remained silent.

"Just tell me the truth." Seeing him like this, Wei Hanzhang's heart sank slightly, but his voice became softer: "Gu Yunran, you know I hate it most when people lie to me."

Gu Yunran seemed to find it difficult to speak, and after a long pause he said, "My mother gave it to me..."

"So this is true?" Wei Hanzhang stared in disbelief, and instantly became furious and could not be suppressed. "Do you remember what I told you? I don't accept..."

"I remember. I always remember." Gu Yunran nodded hastily and said in a panic, "But the elders' gift cannot be refused. Just treat them as two objects, okay, Ranran? I promise they will never get in your way."

Just treat them as two objects...

Wei Hanzhang was in a trance. He didn't expect that the boy he grew up with could say such words.

She came from a good family in this world, and was loved by her elders and doted on by her childhood friends. Everything went smoothly for her from childhood to adulthood.

I have seen the ladies in the mansions of wealthy families. They either take care of household affairs all day long, or think about how to control their husbands' concubines. They have to appear to be neither resentful nor jealous, while also ensuring peace and coexistence of the wife and concubine in the backyard.

As a time traveler, how could Wei Hanzhang accept that he would have to live this kind of life for the rest of his life without making any effort?

But now, what is he saying? How ridiculous, he said that they are not women, in his eyes they are two objects...

She once thought that she could make him change the inherent concepts of this era, but it turned out that... it was impossible? Even if she instilled it in him since childhood, it was impossible?

That’s right, in the eyes of these men, concubines are just toys and objects, no different from porcelain placed on the shelf.

Wei Hanzhang's expression gradually became gloomy.

Gu Yunran panicked after seeing this: "Ranran, they are just two insignificant things. If you don't like them, I will send them away when I get back. Don't be silent."

lay off?

So what did he do during these days when he kept them by his side? The seventeen-year-old boy, his mother thoughtfully prepared a bed-warming maid for her son, he said that they were two objects...

What could she say? Could she tell Madam Gu not to give her son away? With what identity could she say that? Not to mention that they were not married yet, even if they were married, could she stop them? Wei Hanzhang looked at the anxious boy in front of him, who did not seem to be pretending. Their childhood sweetheart relationship was real, and he really had her in his heart.

Maybe she was greedy.

She had the delusion that in this age of having three wives and four concubines, she could ask a young man from a noble family to be the only one for her.

Even though she was born in a marquis's mansion and even though she was stunningly beautiful, it seemed too greedy.

"You are going back to the capital tomorrow. Let's have a good talk and not mention unimportant people, okay?" Gu Yunran reached out his hand to hold her again, but after seeing her red eyes, his hand stopped in mid-air, his heart and soul trembled.

"Ran Ran..." He clenched his fists, trying his best to hold back the pain in his heart, and explained in a low voice: "I have never touched them. I only accepted them to coax my mother. Don't worry, I will send them away when I return and never make you angry again."

rest assured…

What can she be assured of?

He couldn't refuse the person his mother gave him before his marriage, and in the countless years after his marriage, more people would give him women, and he would always have more reasons not to refuse.

Wei Hanzhang smiled bitterly. She had tried so hard, but still couldn't change the rules of this era. What else could she be at ease about?

Avoiding his outstretched hand, Wei Hanzhang took out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from her face.

Gu Yunran was at a loss: "Ranran, don't be angry with me."

"It has nothing to do with you. You just did what all the children of noble families would do." Wei Hanzhang lowered his head and said calmly, "It's my fault."

I shouldn't think you're different.

"How could Ranran be wrong? I was wrong." Gu Yunran finally held her hand and apologized in a low voice: "It's all my fault. I'm a bastard. I will never let Ranran cry again in the future."

Wei Hanzhang blinked and stared at him in a daze.

Ripples inevitably arose in my heart, but quickly dissipated.

The trust she had destroyed would never be regained.

She would never be so naive again.

(End of this chapter)