Therefore, Gu Qinlian put this doubt out of her mind.
"Mother, I want to kill Gu Qinlan!"
Madam Song was startled: "You must not act rashly! Murderers must pay with their lives, and that is against all reason!"
Gu Qinlian's eyes flashed with a venomous rage: "How could I take her life so easily? I will make her wish she were dead!"
Song's heart tightened, and she asked in a low voice, "So what do you plan to do?"
A sly glint flashed in Gu Qinlian's eyes: "Mother is very wary of us, so we don't have many opportunities. Therefore, we must seize every chance."
Song's eyes darkened, and she asked hesitantly, "You mean today?"
Gu Qinlian nodded slightly.
Song hesitated for a moment: "However, today is your big day. If a scandal breaks out, your reputation will be damaged."
Gu Qinlian chuckled: "Witnessing her fall into the mud on my joyous day is just the icing on the cake."
Knowing that she had suffered greatly at Gu Qinlan's hands in her previous life, Song would surely harbor resentment towards her, so she said, "Then how should we plan our strategy?"
Gu Qinlian gently raised her slender fingers, painted with red nail polish, and examined them for a moment: "Zheng Dinglian will probably find it difficult to become a real man in the future. After all, she is my sister. How can I bear to let her grow old alone? I will do a good deed and let her taste what it's like to be a woman."
Song stared wide-eyed, shocked by Gu Qinlian's audacious actions.
Gu Qinlian smiled and said, "Mother, a woman who is not ruthless will find it difficult to maintain her position. In my previous life, I was too kind, which gave her the opportunity to turn against me. In this life, I will never give her another chance."
After a moment's thought, Madam Song agreed and said, "Then how do you want to proceed? I'll make the arrangements."
Gu Qinlian leaned close to Song's ear and whispered a few words. Song's expression quickly changed from solemn to excited.
"You can get ready in peace, I'll go make the arrangements right away. This time, I'll make sure that bitch is trampled underfoot by everyone, and she'll never have a chance to rise again!"
Only in this way can the resentment that had accumulated in her heart due to the loss of a large amount of money be quelled!
Gu Qinlan chatted with many ladies in the courtyard, and the atmosphere was harmonious.
With the misunderstanding surrounding the dowry ceremony resolved, everyone naturally wanted to take this opportunity to build a good relationship with her.
A woman with a round face said, "Madam, I am so sorry. I was misled by others and almost misunderstood you."
Gu Qinlan smiled and replied, "Madam Sang is too modest. It was just a trivial matter, and I didn't take it to heart."
Of all those people who spoke, Madam Sang had the loudest voice.
Her husband was also a merchant, and although he had some connection with the Gu family, he was also a competitor. Therefore, he gloated over the Gu family's predicament. She enjoyed watching Gu Qinlan lose her composure and Song Shi's humiliation.
Madam Sang covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "No wonder the Crown Prince's wife was able to enter the Duan Prince's mansion; her demeanor is truly unmatched by ordinary people."
The ladies around him nodded in agreement and echoed his sentiments.
Gu Qinlan had been through countless battles in the business world and knew those who were opportunistic all too well. In her eyes, the behavior of these ladies was nothing special, and she didn't care at all. She chatted and laughed with everyone as if nothing was amiss.
However, in the eyes of others, the eldest daughter of the Gu family was so poised and dignified that she was never arrogant even when she was in the right.
Everyone secretly sighed, realizing that such a woman could not have been raised by an ordinary family. Compared to Song's daughter, she was worlds apart.
They had thought Song was a virtuous woman, but they never expected her to be so narrow-minded, so tightly binding such an excellent woman to the point that the outside world knew nothing about it. Otherwise, they would have certainly urged their sons to fight for her.
If we can marry such a beauty, the prosperity of our family will be just around the corner!
Unfortunately, this beautiful woman had already married into the Prince Duan's household and become the Crown Prince's wife.
That being said, there's nothing to regret. The Duan Prince's Mansion holds a prestigious position, a level that merchants like them can never reach in their entire lives. For such a woman to marry into such a wealthy family is truly well-deserved.
Thinking of this, the ladies couldn't help but feel disappointed, as their sons had the opportunity to marry a future mistress of the Prince Duan's mansion!
All of this was because of Song, that narrow-minded stepmother, who caused their son to miss a great opportunity!
Gu Qinlan was completely unaware of the regrets in the hearts of these ladies. She remained composed and chatted with them.
Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was noon. The maids of the Gu family came to invite the ladies to take their seats.
According to wedding customs, the wedding ceremony is held in the afternoon. The bride's family hosts guests starting from the first evening, followed by two more banquets on the second day, one at noon and one in the evening, for a total of three banquets. The groom's family follows the same practice.
Gu Qinlan took her seat with the others. Based on her current status, she was seated at the head table, where she sat with the wives of officials and wealthy merchants.
The Gu family has always been wealthy and powerful, and they like to display their wealth at banquets. Therefore, this banquet was decorated in an exceptionally luxurious and exquisite manner.
The banquet featured a dazzling array of delicacies, numbering over a dozen, not to mention the numerous other dishes.
The host's generosity delighted the guests, who ate with great joy, their laughter echoing throughout the room.
A noblewoman raised her wine glass and said to Gu Qinlan in a gentle and refined manner, "Madam of the Heir Apparent, we have rarely seen you go out to socialize in the past. Please make sure to visit us often in the future so that we can also share in your noble aura."
Gu Qinlan also raised her glass in return, smiling broadly as she said, "Indeed, we should interact more. I would also like to bask in the glow of your wealth, ladies."
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