Shen Qingqiu had no good feelings towards the people in the second branch of Hou Mansion.
Shen - a cowardly and vicious woman, who dared not say anything but looked at her and Liu with disgust every day. Gu Jing - a vulgar and shameless playboy. There were more than a dozen women with the title of concubines in the inner courtyard, and even more maids who had been involved with him.
He had five sons and seven daughters, all of whom were raised by Gu Yong.
However, the only legitimate son born to Shen, Gu Shaoqing, was adopted by Gu Yong, and the second house was left with only a group of illegitimate sons and Shen's biological daughter.
Shen Qingqiu hated those blood-sucking bugs that crawled on Gu Yong's skin and drank his blood, but they didn't come to her house to disgust her, and Liu kept persuading her, so she gave up the idea of causing trouble.
There has been a lot of work going on at the embroidery factory lately, and she is too busy outside to handle it.
"Mom, I understand. I won't cause you any trouble."
She smiled and snuggled in Liu's arms, looking up at her little face and speaking.
"My son is the most well-behaved." Liu stroked her hair lovingly.
The mother and daughter were so close to each other, which was a rare occasion, and the atmosphere was very good.
At this time, Mother Chen suddenly walked in and said, "Madam, Miss, Miss Huixiu from the second house has come back. The second wife wants you two to go over and take a look."
"Miss Huixiu?" Shen Qingqiu frowned, "Who is that?"
There are too many masters in the second house, and she can't recognize them all.
"Miss, that is the second master's eldest daughter, the one who married into the residence of Xu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War. She was also present when Madam and Lord Hou got married. She was the one who pulled you aside to talk." Mother Chen whispered.
"Oh, I remember. She was wearing a pink dress that day. It was quite eye-catching." Liu suddenly realized and was about to get up and go out.
Shen Qingqiu grabbed her, his face pale, "Mother Chen, go and reject the Second Madam, and tell her that my mother is busy and doesn't have time to deal with her."
"Ah? Qingqiu, this, this is not good!" Liu exclaimed in shock.
Mother Chen was also stunned.
"Mother, Gu Huixiu is a bastard from the second house. Why should you, the wife-in-law, go to visit her? Even if she wants to visit, she should come to see you."
Shen Qingqiu said coldly, "Mrs. Shen doesn't take you seriously. Mother Chen, go and reply to her with a firmer tone."
"This..." Liu was a little dazed.
Mother Chen was also angry when she heard this. When they were in the Shen Mansion in previous years, they were just concubines in an unpopular and unpopular house. When there were guests at home, they were asked to go to greet them. It was a great honor for them. Therefore, even though their status had changed and they became the wives of the marquis, they were still a little slow to react...
They continued to act as usual, and only reacted after Shen Qingqiu pointed it out.
"Yes, yes, ma'am, the young lady has made it clear. Shen is indeed too arrogant to let you go in person. This is really too much. I will go and scold her now."
Mother Chen yelled angrily and turned away.
Liu pursed her lips but didn't stop her.
The past is the past. Now she is the wife of the marquis. No matter how kind she is, she has to put on airs. Even if not for herself, she has to do it for Gu Yong and her daughter...
——
Mother Chen hurried to the second room, her face full of anger. She did not even go to greet Shen and Gu Huixiu. She just stood in the corridor and shouted through half of the window, "Our Madam said that she thought the second wife came from a wealthy family and should be knowledgeable and know the rules. How come she doesn't know the principle of respecting others and not being humble?"
"The eldest girl is a junior, and our wife is her aunt, and also the wife of a super-ranking marquis. Even if the eldest girl is a distinguished guest, how can an elder condescend to come and personally pay respects to a junior?"
"Our Madam is kindhearted and considers that her relatives don't care about those things, but the Second Madam also has to think about the eldest daughter. She married into an official family, a family of scholars, and is the most polite and tactful. If her son-in-law knew that she was so arrogant, it would go against the will of heaven. Wouldn't it cause trouble?"
Mother Chen yelled loudly, and the second room fell silent.
After a while, Shen's personal wet nurse came out with a smile on her face, and coaxed Mother Chen away by explaining and apologizing.
Mother Chen left with great victory.
In the room, Gu Huixiu's face flushed red.
She was not a person who knew etiquette, but as a concubine's daughter, she had to rely on her parents' family even after getting married. Shen had spoken, so how could she dare to disobey her stepmother's order? Now that her face was pouting, she was ashamed and afraid, fearing that her stepmother would vent her anger on her.
She looked at her stepmother cautiously.
Shen's face turned pale, and she suddenly cursed, "Liu, who do you think you are? You are just a seduce man, so that Gu Yong can welcome you into the mansion? You want to act like an elder in front of me, and show etiquette? Haha, you are not worthy of talking to me about these two words?"
"A good woman will never marry a second husband. How can a concubine like you scold me, the daughter of the Minister of Rites?"
She pounded the table in anger.
Gu Huixiu was so frightened that her face turned pale and her lips trembled, "Mother, mother..."
She whispered.
Shen's vicious eyes suddenly shot towards her.
Gu Huixiu almost stopped breathing.
However, as if she had thought of something, Shen's expression suddenly changed. The contempt and anger gradually faded away, and she forced a stiff smile, "Hui Xiu."
She shouted.
"Oh." Gu Huixiu didn't understand and responded with a trembling voice.
"Your cheap aunt said something unpleasant. I didn't want you to go see her, but I know your husband's family is very conservative. If you go back to your parents' home but don't visit the elders, it would be bad if they knew about it. So, since Liu is the boss, you should save face and go there yourself."
Shen ordered.
"Yes, mother." Gu Huixiu stammered in response and was about to stand up.
"Wait, I remember you brought back some gifts. I don't like the four-color snacks. Liu has a baby girl, so you can give them to them." Shen said, calling the maid, "Go and give her the snacks that the eldest girl brought back."
"Yes." The girl responded and turned around.
Upon hearing this, Gu Huixiu hurriedly said, "Mother, that snack is from Jinxiu Pavilion. Mother loves it the most. I specially asked someone to queue for two hours to buy it. Why should I give it to Madam Hou..."
"It doesn't matter. Liu is just a short-sighted person. If you give it to her, you will get something good from her, so that she won't gossip about you in the future." Shen made a smile as if she was thinking of the concubine's daughter.
Gu Huixiu was quite touched and leaned over quickly, "Thank you for your consideration, mother."
Shen turned her head away, seeming a little guilty.
At this time, the maid came over with a box of snacks and handed it to Gu Huixiu.
Gu Huixiu took it respectfully, bowed to Shen, and whispered, "In that case, mother, I will go and pay my respects to Madam Hou and will be back later."
"Go ahead, go ahead, let Mother Bai follow you." Shen waved her hand but didn't turn to look at her.
After hearing this, Gu Huixiu turned and left.
Mother Bai followed with her head down.
Inside the room, Shen carefully looked at her back through the window, sighing, with a guilty look on her face.
"Have you put away the poison given by Princess Changping?" Gu Jing suddenly walked out from the inner room and asked.
"Well, I put some snacks in her." Shen said in a low voice, and then asked worriedly, "Husband, do you think Liu and Shen Qingqiu will eat those snacks? Even if they eat them, they will die of the poison, but the snacks were brought by Hui Xiu, and she is the daughter of the second wife. Can Gu Yong not implicate us?"
"I have told Mother Bai that she will persuade Liu and Shen Qingqiu to have some snacks. As for Hui Xiu, haha, she is the daughter-in-law of the Xu family. A married daughter is a woman of her own making. She poisoned Liu and the others. What does it have to do with you and me? What's more, she is good friends with Xiao Ruyun. You just think she was seeking justice for Xiao Ruyun, so she poisoned them."
Gu Jing said coldly.
"Husband, will Huixiu agree with what you said? Don't let her betray you and me..." Shen asked anxiously.
"When she came back, I took action. There was medicine in the tea I gave her just now. She will die suddenly at 5:30. By then, she will die together with Liu's mother and daughter, and it won't be a problem for you and me."
Gu Jing said calmly, with a vicious look in his eyes.
"This, this, my husband..." Shen was trembling with fear and didn't even dare to look at her husband.
You know, she had some feelings for harming Gu Huixiu, because she was a concubine's daughter after all, and she had no blood relationship with her, so she wouldn't feel bad if she died. But Gu Huixiu was her husband's biological daughter...
He, he is so cruel.
Shen didn't dare to say a word.
Gu Jing glanced at her coldly and turned back to the inner room.
There was one thing he didn't say. When Liu's mother and daughter died, even if Gu Yong was angry, he could throw Shen out and just say that the poisoning was a private matter of the inner house and the women were fighting for favor. As for whether Shen would betray him...
Hahaha, Shen has only one biological son, Gu Shaoqing, in his life. Everything he does is for Gu Shaoqing's future. For the sake of his son, Shen will compromise.
She also has a daughter in her hands.
Gu Jing was calculating, his eyes were filled with venom, his mouth was cruel, he lay lazily on the bed, and was only looking forward to the news that Liu's mother and daughter were killed.
That way, everything would be back on track and the mansion would still be his.
——
In Liu's courtyard, Shen Qingqiu was sitting in front of her lap, and the mother and daughter were looking at the account books of the embroidery workshop.
Outside, Mother Chen came in and reported, "Madam, Miss, the eldest daughter of the second house is here to pay her respects to you."
"Young lady? Gu Huixiu? You're willing to come." Shen Qingqiu raised his head and sneered when he heard it.
"You have such a sharp tongue. Since she's here, she should bow her head. She's a married girl, and a concubine's daughter. She can only come back to her parents' home a few times. Why do you want to embarrass her?" Liu was a kind person who was considerate of others. She smiled and gave her daughter a glare, then said to Mother Chen, "Okay, please invite the eldest girl in."
"Yes." Mother Chen responded, turned and left. After a while, she led Gu Huixiu in.
"Hui Xiu pays respects to my aunt. May my aunt live long."
As soon as she entered the room, Gu Huixiu leaned over and saluted Liu respectfully. Her attitude was extremely proper, without any trace of arrogance.
"Hui Xiu, don't be so polite. Please stand up and sit down." Liu raised her hand to her.
"Thank you, auntie."
Gu Huixiu stood up, greeted Shen Qingqiu again, and then sat aside.
The three of them started chatting.
Gu Huixiu was not a arrogant person, and she was able to be humble and submissive. Liu was also easy to talk to, and the two of them chatted enthusiastically. Shen Qingqiu saw that she had a good temper, so he occasionally talked to her, and the atmosphere between the three of them was quite good.
At the side, Mother Bai took the opportunity to put out the snacks and put them on the table, interrupting and saying, "Madam, Miss Shen, these are the snacks from Jinxiu Pavilion that our young mistress specially bought. People have been waiting in line for two hours. Please enjoy them."
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