Qin and Mrs. Lin looked at each other, both never having heard of such an eccentric family.
When a prominent family discusses marriage, no matter the outcome, they should leave some leeway for the other party.
Even though the old madame of the Fu family was originally a young lady who married down from a noble family, she shouldn't have handled this matter so heartlessly, right?
Gu Ying was full of doubts, "Auntie, did Fu Xunzhi not make an appearance at all?"
Zhao was furious, "No, I couldn't find him either, don't know where he went. I asked the Ministry of Personnel and heard he hasn't been to work for several days already."
Gu Ying's lips tightened.
She had already understood from their words.
The Fu family didn't want to be in-laws with the Gu family, but couldn't bring themselves to call off the engagement either.
My fourth sister's reputation had been well protected, but now with Fu Xunzhi running away, that kidnapping incident people had ignored floated up again.
No one wanted to look deeper into what was up with Fu Xunzhi.
All the malice was directed at innocent Fourth Sister.
If Fourth Sister couldn't get married, the rumors about her would be confirmed, that she wasn't clean.
This matter was just as Auntie Zhao said, originally not serious and wouldn't have fermented.
It was Fu Xunzhi's avoidance that made it the focus.
Thinking of this, Gu Ying's face also looked awful, "This concerns Fourth Sister's reputation, I'll go see how she's doing first, then make a decision."
Zhao quickly said with a bitter smile, "Ying, go see Frost, she...hasn't smiled in a long time, whenever I ask her, she just says it's nothing, but who knows how many times she's secretly cried."
Gu Ying reassured, "Auntie don't worry, I'll make the decision for Fourth Sister's marriage."
Zhao's eyes reddened, "Ying...I really thank you..."
Gu Ying helplessly patted Zhao's shoulder, being a mother, which one found it easy?
Especially women with daughters, who wasn't anxious?
She felt sorry for Zhao, and said to Mrs. Lin, "Mother, Fourth Sister's matter won't be resolved in a short time, anyway I'm free now, so I'll go stay at the Gu family for a few days first, what do you think?"
Seeing Zhao's red-rimmed eyes, Mrs. Lin was full of sympathy and had nothing to say.
Qin slapped her thigh and also compromised, "I think Ying going back and forth between the Duke's estate and Marquis's estate is tiring, might as well stay at the Gu family first."
Anyway when Gu Shuang's matter was settled, she could just send a carriage to pick up Ying, act first and report later.
Mrs. Lin had no choice but to agree.
In the afternoon, Gu Ying simply packed up and brought the Rouge Flowers rouge, going with Zhao to the East Ping Marquis's estate.
Entering the estate from the corner gate, walking through the Flowery Gate, going along the familiar green stone path, diagonally entering through a carved covered corridor from the back garden's artificial mountain.
The red silk on the corridor columns hadn't been completely taken down yet, several maidservants were gathered together gossiping, inside and outside their words were all about the ugly matter with Fourth Young Lady in the Reed Catkin Courtyard.
Everyone in the whole estate knew Fourth Young Lady couldn't get married, her goods had been rejected.
The big red lanterns were hung askew under the eaves.
Those several maidservants' words grew more and more indecent, even slandering that Gu Shuang was pregnant out of wedlock.
Gu Ying walked in, standing coldly behind that bush, lightly coughing.
The several maidservants were startled looking back, seeing the married-out Second Young Lady and newly elevated Auntie Zhao, they instantly shut up in fright.
Back then, they hadn't bullied Gu Ying who was still in the estate a little.
But the current Gu Ying was no longer the Gu Ying of those years, that weak and bulliable Second Young Lady had become the esteemed Princess Consort of the Duke's estate.
The several maidservants' legs went soft, uniformly kneeling on the ground, shivering in fear, "Princess Consort, Madame..."
Gu Ying spoke up, expression remote and cold, "Not intentionally speaking, or not intentionally letting us hear?"
Her indistinguishable joy and anger made people feel chilled inside.
The several women lowered their heads, not daring to speak.
Zhao ruled the household quite leniently, glaring sharply at them, "You lot often loiter in the yard, if I hear you talking about Frost's matters again in the future, I won't let you off, hurry and scram!"
Marquis Gu especially disliked cruel and ruthless women, Zhao had been with him so many years and was quite clear on his temperament.
So after she became the proper madam, managing the inner residence and the servants, her attitude was mild.
She didn't rebuke them much either, only telling them to shut their mouths.
The several maidservants hurriedly scattered like birds and beasts.
Gu Ying frowned, disapproving, "Auntie is just letting the servants freely gossip about Fourth Sister?"
Zhao looked troubled, complaining, "It's not that I haven't tried to stop it, just can't control it. Last time when Frost didn't return for a night, I already had servants who signed death contracts go investigate, yet in the end there were still people who spread the news out."
"Sigh." Zhao sighed, "They all say you even annoy dogs after running the household for three years, I'm trying hard to learn how to manage, but recently there have truly been too many matters, plus Frost's incident happened, I really can't get away to discipline the servants, so they look down on me somewhat."
Gu Ying looked towards White Egret Garden's direction, meaningfully said, "Auntie is new to managing the inner residence, possibly doesn't know that some people daring to wag their tongues disregarding the madam's prestige must have backers."
Zhao knitted her brows, looking complicated, "Ying means, Wang?"
Gu Ying smiled faintly, "Has Auntie only fought with Mrs. Liu before, forgetting there's still Wang in this estate who gave birth to a son?"
No matter what kind of person she herself was, as long as she had this son, she wouldn't need to worry about anything in the future.
Zhao lightly snorted, completely looking down on Wang, "Her? What can her temper accomplish?"
Gu Ying smilingly shook her head, "Some matters can't just look at the surface, some people also can't be underestimated, Wang Madame is that kind of person, usually unnoticeable, but more dangerous."
After all, Wang in her previous life was also a winner in life.
Not only did she bring down Auntie Zhao, she also supported her own son to inherit the East Ping Marquis estate, obtaining an Honored Madame title for herself, living in wealth and honor until old age.
You couldn't say what was good about this kind of person, her looks weren't even as good as Zhao's, her temper even worse than Mrs. Liu's.
But she could endure, conceal, and stab you when you weren't paying attention.
After being said this by Gu Ying, Zhao did recall several instances of being schemed against by Wang.
Although they weren't major matters, she could feel that ever since she became the East Ping Marquis's proper madam, the Marquis's attitude towards her had changed somewhat.
He was more intimate with Wang, frequently resting in Wang's White Egret Garden.
She had thought it was just the fickleness of men, only liking to dote on concubines, but thinking about it now, a man wouldn't change just like that for no reason, Wang must have done something.
Qin and Mrs. Lin looked at each other, both never having heard of such an eccentric family.
When a prominent family discusses marriage, no matter the outcome, they should leave some leeway for the other party.
Even though the old madame of the Fu family was originally a young lady who married down from a noble family, she shouldn't have handled this matter so heartlessly, right?
Gu Ying was full of doubts, "Auntie, did Fu Xunzhi not make an appearance at all?"
Zhao was furious, "No, I couldn't find him either, don't know where he went. I asked the Ministry of Personnel and heard he hasn't been to work for several days already."
Gu Ying's lips tightened.
She had already understood from their words.
The Fu family didn't want to be in-laws with the Gu family, but couldn't bring themselves to call off the engagement either.
My fourth sister's reputation had been well protected, but now with Fu Xunzhi running away, that kidnapping incident people had ignored floated up again.
No one wanted to look deeper into what was up with Fu Xunzhi.
All the malice was directed at innocent Fourth Sister.
If Fourth Sister couldn't get married, the rumors about her would be confirmed, that she wasn't clean.
This matter was just as Auntie Zhao said, originally not serious and wouldn't have fermented.
It was Fu Xunzhi's avoidance that made it the focus.
Thinking of this, Gu Ying's face also looked awful, "This concerns Fourth Sister's reputation, I'll go see how she's doing first, then make a decision."
Zhao quickly said with a bitter smile, "Ying, go see Frost, she...hasn't smiled in a long time, whenever I ask her, she just says it's nothing, but who knows how many times she's secretly cried."
Gu Ying reassured, "Auntie don't worry, I'll make the decision for Fourth Sister's marriage."
Zhao's eyes reddened, "Ying...I really thank you..."
Gu Ying helplessly patted Zhao's shoulder, being a mother, which one found it easy?
Especially women with daughters, who wasn't anxious?
She felt sorry for Zhao, and said to Mrs. Lin, "Mother, Fourth Sister's matter won't be resolved in a short time, anyway I'm free now, so I'll go stay at the Gu family for a few days first, what do you think?"
Seeing Zhao's red-rimmed eyes, Mrs. Lin was full of sympathy and had nothing to say.
Qin slapped her thigh and also compromised, "I think Ying going back and forth between the Duke's estate and Marquis's estate is tiring, might as well stay at the Gu family first."
Anyway when Gu Shuang's matter was settled, she could just send a carriage to pick up Ying, act first and report later.
Mrs. Lin had no choice but to agree.
In the afternoon, Gu Ying simply packed up and brought the Rouge Flowers rouge, going with Zhao to the East Ping Marquis's estate.
Entering the estate from the corner gate, walking through the Flowery Gate, going along the familiar green stone path, diagonally entering through a carved covered corridor from the back garden's artificial mountain.
The red silk on the corridor columns hadn't been completely taken down yet, several maidservants were gathered together gossiping, inside and outside their words were all about the ugly matter with Fourth Young Lady in the Reed Catkin Courtyard.
Everyone in the whole estate knew Fourth Young Lady couldn't get married, her goods had been rejected.
The big red lanterns were hung askew under the eaves.
Those several maidservants' words grew more and more indecent, even slandering that Gu Shuang was pregnant out of wedlock.
Gu Ying walked in, standing coldly behind that bush, lightly coughing.
The several maidservants were startled looking back, seeing the married-out Second Young Lady and newly elevated Auntie Zhao, they instantly shut up in fright.
Back then, they hadn't bullied Gu Ying who was still in the estate a little.
But the current Gu Ying was no longer the Gu Ying of those years, that weak and bulliable Second Young Lady had become the esteemed Princess Consort of the Duke's estate.
The several maidservants' legs went soft, uniformly kneeling on the ground, shivering in fear, "Princess Consort, Madame..."
Gu Ying spoke up, expression remote and cold, "Not intentionally speaking, or not intentionally letting us hear?"
Her indistinguishable joy and anger made people feel chilled inside.
The several women lowered their heads, not daring to speak.
Zhao ruled the household quite leniently, glaring sharply at them, "You lot often loiter in the yard, if I hear you talking about Frost's matters again in the future, I won't let you off, hurry and scram!"
Marquis Gu especially disliked cruel and ruthless women, Zhao had been with him so many years and was quite clear on his temperament.
So after she became the proper madam, managing the inner residence and the servants, her attitude was mild.
She didn't rebuke them much either, only telling them to shut their mouths.
The several maidservants hurriedly scattered like birds and beasts.
Gu Ying frowned, disapproving, "Auntie is just letting the servants freely gossip about Fourth Sister?"
Zhao looked troubled, complaining, "It's not that I haven't tried to stop it, just can't control it. Last time when Frost didn't return for a night, I already had servants who signed death contracts go investigate, yet in the end there were still people who spread the news out."
"Sigh." Zhao sighed, "They all say you even annoy dogs after running the household for three years, I'm trying hard to learn how to manage, but recently there have truly been too many matters, plus Frost's incident happened, I really can't get away to discipline the servants, so they look down on me somewhat."
Gu Ying looked towards White Egret Garden's direction, meaningfully said, "Auntie is new to managing the inner residence, possibly doesn't know that some people daring to wag their tongues disregarding the madam's prestige must have backers."
Zhao knitted her brows, looking complicated, "Ying means, Wang?"
Gu Ying smiled faintly, "Has Auntie only fought with Mrs. Liu before, forgetting there's still Wang in this estate who gave birth to a son?"
No matter what kind of person she herself was, as long as she had this son, she wouldn't need to worry about anything in the future.
Zhao lightly snorted, completely looking down on Wang, "Her? What can her temper accomplish?"
Gu Ying smilingly shook her head, "Some matters can't just look at the surface, some people also can't be underestimated, Wang Madame is that kind of person, usually unnoticeable, but more dangerous."
After all, Wang in her previous life was also a winner in life.
Not only did she bring down Auntie Zhao, she also supported her own son to inherit the East Ping Marquis estate, obtaining an Honored Madame title for herself, living in wealth and honor until old age.
You couldn't say what was good about this kind of person, her looks weren't even as good as Zhao's, her temper even worse than Mrs. Liu's.
But she could endure, conceal, and stab you when you weren't paying attention.
After being said this by Gu Ying, Zhao did recall several instances of being schemed against by Wang.
Although they weren't major matters, she could feel that ever since she became the East Ping Marquis's proper madam, the Marquis's attitude towards her had changed somewhat.
He was more intimate with Wang, frequently resting in Wang's White Egret Garden.
She had thought it was just the fickleness of men, only liking to dote on concubines, but thinking about it now, a man wouldn't change just like that for no reason, Wang must have done something.
