Chapter 712 The Inaccessible Study
Yuluyuan.
Meng Yunlan was being helped by her maid to change into a peach-pink dress and have her makeup done delicately and lightly.
"Granny Ping, is the bird's nest soup I asked you to prepare ready?"
"Reporting to the young mistress, everything is ready."
"Was it made with blood bird's nest?"
"Yes, it was all made strictly according to your instructions. The best bird's nest was selected, and it was served with fresh and sweet almond milk. Half a royal tribute pear was also added. It was simmered over low heat and is crystal clear. It is obviously not an ordinary product!"
Meng Yunlan glanced at her makeup in the mirror and felt that the gold hairpin the maid had put on her was too ornate and gaudy, so she took it off and replaced it with a clear and clean white jade hairpin. She also changed her ruby earrings to white jade.
She said slowly and deliberately, "It's well done. You didn't add honey or rock sugar, did you?"
"No, you specifically asked me to, so naturally I didn't add those two things."
Meng Yunlan nodded: "Yes, he doesn't like sweets. If you add those things, he won't touch them."
"Oh dear, the young mistress is so considerate and thoughtful. She takes such good care of people, far better than some women from humble backgrounds! Those ignorant women might not even know how to cook bird's nest properly, what a waste of such good stuff!"
Meng Yunlan said gently, "Granny, you shouldn't gossip behind people's backs. It's not good if people hear it."
"Don't worry, young mistress. I'm only saying a few words in front of you. I'm keeping my mouth shut in front of everyone else! Besides, it's not just me who's talking about this. Every maid and servant in the manor knows that the girl from that humble family got her share of the bird's nest because of you! She could never have eaten such a good thing on her own in eight lifetimes!"
The maid, Camellia, immediately chimed in, "Oh dear, Granny, what are you saying? That person probably hasn't even seen bird's nest before, let alone eaten it!"
"yes."
Meng Yunlan, accompanied by her nanny and a maid, left Yulu Courtyard and headed towards the front courtyard.
The front courtyard was where Duke Zhenguo Gu Rongchang, Gu Qianling, and their subordinates and staff held meetings, and the father and son's study was also located in the front courtyard.
However, the entire front yard is now occupied by Gu Qianhan alone, and the study and council hall are now guarded by Gu Qianhan's men.
There are three gates in the front yard, guarded by three layers of guards. Only after passing through these three gates can one enter the study and see Gu Qianhan.
Upon seeing Meng Yunlan, the guard at the first gate immediately clasped his hands and bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Young Madam!"
Meng Yunlan's face was gentle and her voice soft: "Is Qianhan inside?"
"Young master is here."
"I have important matters to discuss with him today. I wonder if I'll be disturbing him?"
"I'll go inform them right away. Please wait a moment, Madam!"
The guard responded respectfully, then immediately ran inside to report.
A moment later, he came running back, panting: "Young Madam, the young master invites you in."
Meng Yunlan smiled kindly at him: "Thank you for your hard work, Camellia."
Camellia stepped forward and handed over an exquisitely crafted brocade money pouch filled with heavy gold ingots.
The guard accepted the reward and became even more respectful: "Please come in, Madam. The young master is waiting for you in the study."
Meng Yunlan nodded, and led Granny Ping and Shancha through the first gate.
Just as they were about to cross the second gate, Shen Wantang arrived with her maids and nannies.
Just as Shen Wantang was about to enter, the guards stopped her: "This is a restricted area of the study. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter. Please stop here, Second Young Madam!"
Hearing the commotion, Meng Yunlan turned around and saw that Shen Wantang was being stopped by the guards. A faint smile appeared on her lips. Then, she led her maids and nannies through the second gate and headed straight for the study.
Then, the study door opened, and she took the food box from the maid and carried it inside.
The study door closed, cutting off Shen Wantang's view. She watched helplessly as Meng Yunlan entered Gu Qianhan's study, while she herself was blocked at the first door.
Outside the study, Meng Yunlan's maid and nanny were still standing.
At this moment, the two people, separated by two doors, looked at her with mocking eyes, as if laughing at her for being nothing, unable to even get through the door, and not even as good as their servants.
Shen Wantang believed that having cultivated for three lifetimes, she possessed a temperament and patience that were difficult for ordinary people to match, and she would not care about trivial matters.
But this situation still ignited anger in her heart.
However, even though she was angry, Shen Wantang didn't show it on her face. To avoid making a misunderstanding, she even politely asked the guard, "Why can the young mistress enter, but I can't? Could it be that the person in the study right now is the eldest young master?"
The guard, with an indifferent expression and a cold tone, said, "It's certainly not the eldest young master inside. The study is currently used by the second young master. The eldest young mistress went in to discuss important matters with the second young master, not to chat idly! Besides, the eldest young master is on duty at the government office during the day, how could he be at home? Second young mistress, don't you even know this?"
Seeing his attitude, Qin Xin stepped forward to scold him: "How dare you, a mere guard, speak to the Second Young Madam like that?! Do you know how much the Second Young Master respects the Young Madam? You..."
Shen Wantang raised her hand to stop her: "Qin Xin, step back."
Qin Xin glared fiercely at the guard and reluctantly retreated.
However, the mature and prudent Granny Yan remained motionless behind Shen Wantang, not showing any intention of going forward to reprimand the guards.
Because she was experienced and wise, she understood Shen Wantang's temperament better than Qin Xin, and she also understood that Shen Wantang preferred to strike decisively rather than engage in pointless arguments and quarrels.
Today, it wasn't just a guard who slapped Shen Wantang in the face!
She could easily deal with that guard, but what about the others? The Duke's mansion has hundreds, even thousands, of guards. Could she possibly take them all down one by one? What would become of her reputation as the second young mistress? How could she command respect in the future?
Moreover, this guard was not one of hers, nor one of the eldest son's men, nor even one of the Duke's men; he was one of her husband, Gu Qianhan's men.
If she dresses too heavily, she'll inevitably embarrass Gu Qianhan and become a laughingstock. If she dresses too lightly, she won't be able to save face and will still become a laughingstock.
Moreover, she couldn't even ask Gu Qianhan to come out and punish the guard at this moment.
Because Meng Yunlan was able to get in on her own merits, but Shen Wantang couldn't. People would say that she was not as good as Meng Yunlan, and that she needed a man to get through the door.
If this matter is not handled properly, Shen Wantang will always be inferior to Meng Yunlan in the future.
One move affects the whole situation, leaving them in a dilemma. Even Granny Yan was worried for Shen Wantang in this predicament. Qin Xin was young and didn't understand the intricacies of the situation, but Granny Yan, an old woman from the Duke's mansion, understood it perfectly well.
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