Zhao Changdu narrowed his extremely slender phoenix eyes, and his gaze fell on the graceful figure of that woman in the window.
Her every word with the maid entered his ears.
The plain words were able to make people feel her endless suppressed pain.
She looked only fourteen or fifteen years old, but was prematurely mature like she had experienced countless ups and downs in life, making even someone as cold-hearted as him unable to help but want to peek into her heart.
Gu Ying looked up, "Prince?"
Zhao Changdu brushed the snow off his shoulders, his tall figure floated to the ground, "Let's go see."
"Did the prince see it?"
"I saw it."
"Who was the prince looking at? Was it Second Aunt Gu from the Gu family?"
"Mm."
"Why was the prince looking at her? She doesn't have a good reputation in Bianjing."
Zhao Changdu's handsome face was indifferent, the snow-white color set off his handsome cold face like jade, "It's fine. She's good wife material."
Huai An was stunned.
On the cold long street, his master's back was tall, cold, and aloof. This was the first time after that incident that the master had thought about marrying a woman.
Ah!
He didn't hear wrong!
...
The next day after waking up, as soon as he opened his eyes, it was just getting light out.
It seemed like a pair of eyes flashed by the carved window lattice outside the red lacquered window.
Gu Ying suddenly opened her eyes and sat up, "Rouge."
"Miss, you're awake so early? There's still some time before the morning court, sleep a little longer." It took Rouge a while to groggily walk into the inner room wearing her clothes.
Gu Ying couldn't fall back asleep.
She had important things to do today, so she got up and dressed, did her hair.
Rouge blankly stood there for a while, watching her young miss dress and do her own hair, nimble and skilled, and was stunned for a moment.
"Miss, when did you learn to put your hair in a bun?"
Gu Ying smiled slightly, her movements frozen, "Your miss is clever, watching you do this every day, how could I not learn it? If I didn't, wouldn't that make me an idiot?"
Rouge's brows furrowed. She thought, in the past, the miss's nickname in Bianjing was the idiot pillow embroiderer.
Just as she was about to say something, Gu Ying had already finished dressing.
"Let's go, Rouge. Grandmother and the old madam are still waiting for us."
"But miss, Young Master Jiang--"
"Don't talk, just listen to your miss."
Rouge hurriedly nodded, and went to change her own clothes.
On the way to get the nourishing pills miss took daily, she took a detour to Aunt Zhao's, concubine of the old master, Reed Catkin Courtyard.
At the hour of Mao, when mistress and servant arrived at Yongshou Hall, an incense stick worth of time had passed.
Twilight Snow Studio was the furthest from Yongshou Hall. Usually Gu Ying was the last to arrive at the morning court, so Old Madam Gu's dissatisfaction with her was reasonable.
Today, Gu Ying had intentionally arrived early at Yongshou Hall, which made Old Madam Gu look at her once more.
"Granddaughter pays respects to Grandmother."
"Mm, get up. Why did you come so early today?" Old Madam Gu also found it odd. Recalling what Madam Liu had said about being cursed last night, her gaze at Gu Ying also became strange.
Gu Ying bit her lip, a mournful expression on her face. "Granddaughter will come of age to marry soon, and it's about time to officially propose marriage to Yong'an Marquis Manor. Granddaughter thought that before marrying out, being able to serve at Grandmother's side and fulfill my filial duty would be good."
Speaking of the marriage arrangement with Yong'an Marquis Manor, Old Madam Gu's expression was a little unpleasant. Up until now, she still felt Gu Ying was unfit for the grand wedding hall, not like Gu Jia who could bring benefits to the Gu family.
"It's good of you to have this filial heart."
"It's all granddaughter's duty." Gu Ying pressed her lips together, seeming to hesitate, "Grandmother, granddaughter woke up early today and coincidentally went to the ancestral hall to see elder sister. But I saw elder sister, she--"
Just as the grandmother and granddaughter were talking, there was a commotion outside, and a few more people arrived.
Gu Ying hid her smile at the corner of her lips. Her timing was perfect.
Only to see the legal wife of the eldest master, Madam Liu, walk in with an ashen face. She brought the concubines of the eldest master and the eldest master's children.
Seeing the lowered head and submissive Gu Ying, she put away her anger and forced a smile to greet Old Madam Gu.
"Greetings to Mother."
The others also paid their respects in order.
Old Madam Gu held Mama Li's hand and sat in the luohan chair. "Ying, what did you just see in the ancestral hall?"
Gu Ying deliberately revealed a worried look, shooting Madam Liu a few nervous glances, arousing their curiosity in her hesitation to speak.
As expected, everyone present looked at her, especially the concubines of Eldest Master. They all watched Madam Liu with an expression of anticipation for a good show.
Madam Liu's brows furrowed. She didn't have much patience. "What is it, girl? What are you still waiting for?"
Gu Ying shivered, pretending to be scared. "Old Madam, don't get angry at me. I...I...."
This performance made Madam Liu feel that Gu Ying was still the Gu Ying from before that she could manipulate as she wished. Last night she must have seen wrong.
She sighed, "Grandmother, Jia'er's health is poor. She must have been unable to sleep well in the ancestral hall all night..."
"Yes--" Gu Ying took the opportunity to chime in, "When I went to see elder sister, I discovered she had fainted in the ancestral hall. No matter how I called to her from the door, she didn't respond."
As soon as she finished speaking, Madam Liu immediately became anxious. "What?"
She turned around and pleaded to Old Madam Gu, "Mother, you know Jia'er's body is weak. She has even fainted... Can daughter-in-law go see her? It's cold in the ancestral hall, and there's no one to serve her. She's been delicately raised since she was young, how can she endure it!"
Old Madam Gu didn't say much either. She also cared for Gu Jia, and hearing that Gu Jia had fainted, she was a little worried too. "Even if she's committed a huge mistake, a young lady shouldn't be locked out like this. Go take a look, it'll be good."
"Thank you, Mother."
Madam Liu was moved to tears, and shot the concubines a triumphant look, especially the arrogant Aunt Zhao.
It was as if telling them that although Gu Jia was in the ancestral hall, she and Gu Jia were still the old master and old madam's beloved treasure. No one should think of taking her position!
The group of people walked towards the ancestral hall. Gu Ying alone fell behind, watching this big family as an outsider.
To her, the life and death outcomes of most of these people were clear.
With a slight movement of her fingers, she could change their fates. Thinking this gave her a surreal feeling, as if in a dream.
When they arrived at the ancestral hall, what dumbfounded everyone was--they didn't see the fainted Gu Jia at all. Instead they saw Gu Jia in the same room as a commoner man, tugging and pulling at each other, not knowing what they were arguing about!
Zhao Changdu narrowed his extremely slender phoenix eyes, and his gaze fell on the graceful figure of that woman in the window.
Her every word with the maid entered his ears.
The plain words were able to make people feel her endless suppressed pain.
She looked only fourteen or fifteen years old, but was prematurely mature like she had experienced countless ups and downs in life, making even someone as cold-hearted as him unable to help but want to peek into her heart.
Gu Ying looked up, "Prince?"
Zhao Changdu brushed the snow off his shoulders, his tall figure floated to the ground, "Let's go see."
"Did the prince see it?"
"I saw it."
"Who was the prince looking at? Was it Second Aunt Gu from the Gu family?"
"Mm."
"Why was the prince looking at her? She doesn't have a good reputation in Bianjing."
Zhao Changdu's handsome face was indifferent, the snow-white color set off his handsome cold face like jade, "It's fine. She's good wife material."
Huai An was stunned.
On the cold long street, his master's back was tall, cold, and aloof. This was the first time after that incident that the master had thought about marrying a woman.
Ah!
He didn't hear wrong!
...
The next day after waking up, as soon as he opened his eyes, it was just getting light out.
It seemed like a pair of eyes flashed by the carved window lattice outside the red lacquered window.
Gu Ying suddenly opened her eyes and sat up, "Rouge."
"Miss, you're awake so early? There's still some time before the morning court, sleep a little longer." It took Rouge a while to groggily walk into the inner room wearing her clothes.
Gu Ying couldn't fall back asleep.
She had important things to do today, so she got up and dressed, did her hair.
Rouge blankly stood there for a while, watching her young miss dress and do her own hair, nimble and skilled, and was stunned for a moment.
"Miss, when did you learn to put your hair in a bun?"
Gu Ying smiled slightly, her movements frozen, "Your miss is clever, watching you do this every day, how could I not learn it? If I didn't, wouldn't that make me an idiot?"
Rouge's brows furrowed. She thought, in the past, the miss's nickname in Bianjing was the idiot pillow embroiderer.
Just as she was about to say something, Gu Ying had already finished dressing.
"Let's go, Rouge. Grandmother and the old madam are still waiting for us."
"But miss, Young Master Jiang--"
"Don't talk, just listen to your miss."
Rouge hurriedly nodded, and went to change her own clothes.
On the way to get the nourishing pills miss took daily, she took a detour to Aunt Zhao's, concubine of the old master, Reed Catkin Courtyard.
At the hour of Mao, when mistress and servant arrived at Yongshou Hall, an incense stick worth of time had passed.
Twilight Snow Studio was the furthest from Yongshou Hall. Usually Gu Ying was the last to arrive at the morning court, so Old Madam Gu's dissatisfaction with her was reasonable.
Today, Gu Ying had intentionally arrived early at Yongshou Hall, which made Old Madam Gu look at her once more.
"Granddaughter pays respects to Grandmother."
"Mm, get up. Why did you come so early today?" Old Madam Gu also found it odd. Recalling what Madam Liu had said about being cursed last night, her gaze at Gu Ying also became strange.
Gu Ying bit her lip, a mournful expression on her face. "Granddaughter will come of age to marry soon, and it's about time to officially propose marriage to Yong'an Marquis Manor. Granddaughter thought that before marrying out, being able to serve at Grandmother's side and fulfill my filial duty would be good."
Speaking of the marriage arrangement with Yong'an Marquis Manor, Old Madam Gu's expression was a little unpleasant. Up until now, she still felt Gu Ying was unfit for the grand wedding hall, not like Gu Jia who could bring benefits to the Gu family.
"It's good of you to have this filial heart."
"It's all granddaughter's duty." Gu Ying pressed her lips together, seeming to hesitate, "Grandmother, granddaughter woke up early today and coincidentally went to the ancestral hall to see elder sister. But I saw elder sister, she--"
Just as the grandmother and granddaughter were talking, there was a commotion outside, and a few more people arrived.
Gu Ying hid her smile at the corner of her lips. Her timing was perfect.
Only to see the legal wife of the eldest master, Madam Liu, walk in with an ashen face. She brought the concubines of the eldest master and the eldest master's children.
Seeing the lowered head and submissive Gu Ying, she put away her anger and forced a smile to greet Old Madam Gu.
"Greetings to Mother."
The others also paid their respects in order.
Old Madam Gu held Mama Li's hand and sat in the luohan chair. "Ying, what did you just see in the ancestral hall?"
Gu Ying deliberately revealed a worried look, shooting Madam Liu a few nervous glances, arousing their curiosity in her hesitation to speak.
As expected, everyone present looked at her, especially the concubines of Eldest Master. They all watched Madam Liu with an expression of anticipation for a good show.
Madam Liu's brows furrowed. She didn't have much patience. "What is it, girl? What are you still waiting for?"
Gu Ying shivered, pretending to be scared. "Old Madam, don't get angry at me. I...I...."
This performance made Madam Liu feel that Gu Ying was still the Gu Ying from before that she could manipulate as she wished. Last night she must have seen wrong.
She sighed, "Grandmother, Jia'er's health is poor. She must have been unable to sleep well in the ancestral hall all night..."
"Yes--" Gu Ying took the opportunity to chime in, "When I went to see elder sister, I discovered she had fainted in the ancestral hall. No matter how I called to her from the door, she didn't respond."
As soon as she finished speaking, Madam Liu immediately became anxious. "What?"
She turned around and pleaded to Old Madam Gu, "Mother, you know Jia'er's body is weak. She has even fainted... Can daughter-in-law go see her? It's cold in the ancestral hall, and there's no one to serve her. She's been delicately raised since she was young, how can she endure it!"
Old Madam Gu didn't say much either. She also cared for Gu Jia, and hearing that Gu Jia had fainted, she was a little worried too. "Even if she's committed a huge mistake, a young lady shouldn't be locked out like this. Go take a look, it'll be good."
"Thank you, Mother."
Madam Liu was moved to tears, and shot the concubines a triumphant look, especially the arrogant Aunt Zhao.
It was as if telling them that although Gu Jia was in the ancestral hall, she and Gu Jia were still the old master and old madam's beloved treasure. No one should think of taking her position!
The group of people walked towards the ancestral hall. Gu Ying alone fell behind, watching this big family as an outsider.
To her, the life and death outcomes of most of these people were clear.
With a slight movement of her fingers, she could change their fates. Thinking this gave her a surreal feeling, as if in a dream.
When they arrived at the ancestral hall, what dumbfounded everyone was--they didn't see the fainted Gu Jia at all. Instead they saw Gu Jia in the same room as a commoner man, tugging and pulling at each other, not knowing what they were arguing about!
