Chapter 151 Wicked Stepmother and Poor Child 44
While waiting for the Zhou family to invite him to stay for dinner, Gu Hongjian inadvertently bumped into a girl wearing a pale yellow dress, which caught his attention, and the leech man's radar was activated.
The woman was about sixteen years old, with a pretty and bright face, and her demeanor carried a girlish liveliness and elegance, making her even more beautiful than Zhou Jingxuan.
Gu Hongjian's heart stirred. He pretended to inquire with his servants and learned that it was Zhou Jingyao, the youngest daughter of Lord Zhou.
Having grown accustomed to being a kept man, a thought immediately popped into his head.
If he could marry Lord Zhou's biological daughter, wouldn't his relationship with the Zhou family be even stronger?
Zhou Jingxuan is just a niece, yet Zhou Shilang is able to help her so much. If she becomes his son-in-law, wouldn't she rise rapidly in her official career?
He knew all too well the convenience of gaining assistance through marriage; despite his talent, his downfall was his lack of connections.
Shen Ci's dowry once lifted him out of poverty; now, if he could marry the eldest daughter of the Zhou family, that would be the true path to success!
Zhou Jingxuan was a concubine, and Zhou Jingyao was a wife. The sisters shared one husband, which was quite a story. They would surely live in harmony in the inner quarters in the future.
The more he thought about it, the more feasible this method seemed. It was much faster than struggling in the Hanlin Academy. Which official in the court didn't have relatives or friends? It was only because he was an outsider with no powerful backing that his promotion was so slow.
Gu Hongjian was anxious inside, but he pretended to be calm and collected on the surface. During the meal, he was extremely considerate and attentive, taking meticulous care of Zhou Jingxuan and demonstrating his demeanor as a man in every way.
They were even more eager to use all their skills on Lord Zhou and his wife.
His efforts to perform were not merely to bring Zhou Jingxuan back; he had a much bigger scheme.
...
Dan Gui walked briskly into the main courtyard and reported in a low voice.
"Madam, the master has brought Concubine Zhou back to the manor."
Shen Ci lowered her eyes and thought for a moment.
"Find a handsome and clever man, preferably someone who resembles Gu Hongjian, and arrange for him to meet Zhou Jingxuan by chance."
Remember, do it cleanly, leave no trace, and spend the money freely.
Money can make the devil turn the millstone, and the same goes for people.
Just a few days later, Zhou Jingxuan met a handsome young actor by chance while going out to watch a play.
The actor not only bore a resemblance to Gu Hongjian in his features, but was even more dashing and handsome, especially with his silver tongue, which made him a master at charming women.
Most importantly, he has Gu Hongjian's strengths but none of Gu Hongjian's weaknesses.
Gu Hongjian is no good, but this actor is perfectly fine.
After being suppressed and depressed in the Gu family for so long, Zhou Jingxuan suddenly met a man who was so charming and looked like Gu Hongjian. She couldn't help but be moved, as if a withered tree had been reborn, and she regarded him as a substitute.
Gu Hongjian knew nothing about any of this.
Out of respect for the Zhou family, he no longer dared to let the old lady openly mistreat Zhou Jingxuan, and his living conditions had become much more relaxed.
But his own thoughts had already flown to the Zhou residence.
Under the guise of visiting Lord Zhou, he frequently visited the Zhou family, meticulously planning to create opportunities to meet the legitimate daughter of the Zhou family, Zhou Jingyao.
These messages all reached the main courtyard through the servants around Zhou Jingxuan and Gu Hongjian.
Shen Ci instructed Dan Gui to reward them generously.
Under the strict management of Madam Gu, the servants in the mansion lived a very frugal life. Shen Ci gave them the opportunity to earn extra money, and the servants flocked to it.
Unbeknownst to her, almost everyone in the Gu family had become Shen Ci's eyes and ears. Even though she was bedridden and never left the hospital, she knew everything about the affairs of the household, including which servants were having an affair with which servant.
She was nowhere to be found, but her own people were everywhere.
Shen Ci analyzed that the reason why the original owner's two children had such a tragic fate in this world was because their mother died early and they had no father to protect them.
The two five-year-old children were helpless and alone; in other people's eyes, they were like two lumps of fat meat that anyone could take a bite out of.
The key to changing her fate lies in the fact that she, as a mother, must stand firm, see things clearly, and be ruthless.
The two children are so young; all we can do is help them grow up well.
Although Zhou Jingxuan's relationship with Gu Hongjian seemed to have improved on the surface after being taken back to the mansion, under the daily analysis of her personal maid Ju'er, Zhou Jingxuan blamed everything on the old lady.
It was the arrival of this old hag who disrupted the balance in the mansion and bewitched Gu Hongjian, causing her to suffer endless humiliation.
People always need some spiritual sustenance to find a reason to live more easily, and hatred is also a kind of sustenance.
On this fine day, Shen Ci recovered from his long illness.
She made a rare appearance in the pavilion of the mansion's garden, wearing a thick cloak, leisurely sipping tea and admiring the scenery that she had bought with her own money.
Upon hearing that Shen Ci had actually left the courtyard, Old Madam Gu immediately felt she had seized an opportunity and rushed over with her entourage. She had been holding back for so long, and finally she could meet this daughter-in-law who had been avoiding her all along!
To avoid an awkward situation and to make it easier to reprimand Shen Ci, the old lady also ordered someone to call Zhou Jingxuan over.
Whether you're herding one sheep or letting two sheep graze, it's the same thing, so you might as well beat them all at once, which saves you trouble.
Zhou Jingxuan was unwilling at all, but she couldn't resist over such trivial matters, so she could only stall for time and let it pass slowly.
The three sat around a table, the atmosphere quite subtle.
Shen Ci spoke first, her voice barely audible, yet she still managed to flatter the old lady.
“Mother, your daughter-in-law is unwell and has been bedridden for a long time, unable to serve you. I feel really guilty and uneasy.”
Thanks to her mother managing the household affairs, everything was in perfect order, allowing her daughter-in-law to focus on her recovery.
The household simply cannot function without you!
Madam Gu responded with a forced smile.
"Your health is the most important thing, so let's skip these formalities."
Taking good care of yourself is the right thing to do. I'm hoping for your speedy recovery so you can take care of our family and have children.
She changed the subject, her gaze sweeping over Shen Ci's clothes and jewelry, and sighed.
"But recently the household expenses have been very high, and Hongjian's meager salary is a pity!"
With winter fast approaching, expenses for various things, such as charcoal, winter clothes, and holiday visits, will amount to a significant amount.
"This old man of mine, even a skilled cook can't cook without rice."
The two were talking, and they really did seem to have the air of a loving mother and filial son; they looked very harmonious.
Shen Ci remained silent, and the old lady continued to make her point.
"Speaking of which, your family is a prominent clan in Yizhou with considerable wealth."
"My dear wife, you're feeling a bit better now. If you could use some of the assets under your name to help the family get through this difficult time, wouldn't that be a win-win situation?"
She had already investigated and found that Shen Ci's dowry shop's profits had been taken back by her and no longer handed over to the public funds, which was why the household had no money to use.
Could she, a mere mother-in-law, really ask Shen Ci to hand over the shop? She was a refined and courteous old lady; she would never do such a thing.
Before Shen Ci could respond, the old lady immediately put on a kind and fair expression, as if Shen Ci had already agreed, and took Shen Ci's hand to make a promise.
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