Chapter 5

“Of course,” Gu Ying said softly when looking at the clear and refined smile on the young marquis’ face.

After returning to the carriage, her heart was still excited and unable to calm down.

“Yanzhi, seeing is believing, hearing is doubting. The young marquis is truly a great man!”

In her previous life, she was also deceived by Gu Jia's one-sided words.

She only knew that this “brother-in-law” was a frivolous and unrestrained playboy who spent his days indulging in singing houses and wandering to willow lanes, sleeping among flowers and willows. He was ignorant and did not study.

But she did not expect that he understood everything.

He knew the hardships she faced as a woman in the rear court. He also knew that she had no parents to rely on and was mistreated by her family while raising her sick younger brother alone.

Therefore, giving her three months was already a great favor.

She was very grateful to Su Huanfeng. She said earnestly, "If one day he needs any help, I will certainly do my best to assist him even at the cost of my life."

"Oh my! What happened to your neck, miss?"

Yanzhi did not understand what her young lady was mumbling about. At a glance, she saw the bloodstains on her neck and hurriedly took out a handkerchief to wipe them. Then she realized the jade pendant that the young lady had always worn around her neck was gone.

"Young lady, where is the Yong’an Marquis Manor’s jade pendant?! The old master said before leaving that this jade pendant must not be lost!"

Gu Ying smiled slightly, remembering that she had wanted to take the jade pendant back before leaving, but was stopped by the young marquis.

He was a cold man with a gloomy aura. Yet he refused to let her take the jade pendant, "This jade pendant is no longer a token between the Su and Gu families. It is now a token between you and me."

She thought that since the marriage agreement between the Gu and Su families was invalid, this jade pendant was indeed useless.

She did not have a good reputation in Bianjing, and he did not completely trust her. Using the jade pendant as a token was understandable.

"Don't worry about the jade pendant, Yanzhi. I have my own arrangements,” Gu Ying said. Yanzhi was puzzled and did not understand. Ever since the young lady fell into the water, her temperament had become increasingly strange. "If the young lady has a plan, I will certainly feel at ease. But young lady, you just met the young marquis once, why is your face so red?"

Yanzhi asked teasingly with a smile.

When Gu Ying thought of the young marquis' handsome appearance gifted by the heavens, her pretty face turned red. She smiled without answering, only ordering the carriage driver to drive back to the city.

After all, a great battle was waiting for her when she returned to the Dongping Earl Manor...

...

The carriage gradually went far away. Night fell on Qixia Mountain.

"Adu, why did you, the heir apparent of the Zhenguo Duke Manor, come to this cold and distant place to accompany me instead of watching the show with the beauties in the palace? Don't you feel tired, eh? What are you looking at over there?"

A figure in crimson came over holding a lush green pine branch not far away. When he arrived at the side of the young man in black, he curiously stretched his neck to look at the carriage going farther and farther away. "That carriage looks a bit familiar, it seems to be—"

Zhao Changdu's long eyebrows slightly raised as he answered on his behalf, "It’s the carriage of the second young lady of the Gu family from Dongping Earl Manor."

The youth in crimson blinked, with a bunch of questions in mind, "Ah? The second young lady of the Gu family, isn't she my fiancée? What is she doing here? Don't tell me she came to see me?"

"No business."

Zhao Changdu had always been a man of few words. Su Huanfeng was used to it. He clicked his tongue twice, took three sticks of incense, and inserted them in front of his mother's grave. While chattering, he said, "This woman is not a good person. Adu, have you heard of her? She has the appearance of a beauty but a heart of snakes and scorpions. Compared to her knowledgeable and reasonable elder sister, she falls far short."

After offering sacrifices to the deceased Madam Yong’an together with Su Huanfeng.

Su Huanfeng still chattered, "My fiancée is beautiful but unfortunately I’ve heard that she has an affair with the new top scholar Jiang Yin. She openly wears a green hat for me. I think she is tired of living. I will cancel this marriage sooner or later!"

Zhao Changdu lowered his eyes and put the palm-sized jade pendant into his arms without a sound. Then he turned and walked outside.

"Adu, did you see my fiancée just now?"

The fine steed from the frontier had a body of pitch-black mane. It was handsome and mighty. Zhao Changdu jumped on the horse with the corners of his mouth hooked meaningfully, "I saw her."

Su Huanfeng scratched his head and led his own horse as well, "What do you think?"

Zhao Changdu did not speak.

He only thought, soon, she would not be his fiancée anymore.

...

When Gu Ying returned to the Earl Manor, she immediately felt an unusually tense and solemn atmosphere in the manor.

The main gate was locked and she could only enter the manor from the side door.

The maid and young lady walked towards the back garden. After turning around the partition wall and going through the garden, they arrived at the Yongshou Hall where Grandma stayed. Yanzhi looked at her young lady, tidied her sleeves, and her heart thumped wildly up and down.

She paused for a moment. Her small hands clutched her young lady's sleeves and shook slightly, "Young lady, just admit your mistakes to the old master, old madam, and grandma later... We can't fight them with our small arms. Let's endure if we can."

Endure?

Gu Ying smiled self-deprecatingly.

What had she gained from enduring for a lifetime?

She obtained her younger brother's premature death, her father's death in battle, the glory of the main branch climbing to the top, Jiang Yin's abandonment of her like worn shoes, her fall to the deserted temple where she became a plaything for vagrants. It had been ten years!

Only heaven knew what she had gone through in these ten years!

Every day, every moment, was worse than death!

She closed her reddened eyes forcefully, pressing the surging hatred back into her chest. Then she opened them again with clouds gathering and dispersing in her eyes, "Don't worry Yanzhi. I should admit my mistakes but it shouldn't be me making the admission. This time, I want to try whether my small arms can twist the legs of the main branch!"

Yanzhi opened her lips, "Young lady—"

But Gu Ying did not speak again. She just signaled to her with a look. Then she straightened her back and entered Yongshou Hall alone.

Inside the hall, sitting on the sandalwood arhat chair was Grandma Gu. Gu Jia was kneeling in front of Grandma Gu's legs sobbing.

Beside Gu Jia stood Liu Shi, who now held the power of steward of the entire Gu family.

Earl of Dongping, Gu Boyan, sat angrily on a chair and slapped the chair when he saw Gu Ying.

"Gu Ying, you still have the cheek to come back! Look at the trouble you've caused!"

Facing these relatives again after being separated for more than ten years, Gu Ying's heart was extremely calm, "Uncle, I don't quite understand what you're talking about."

Liu Shi rushed to stand up, seeing her wet all over with neatly combed hair, only wearing a grey rat fur coat. She immediately ignited with anger, "Gu Ying, what are you pretending to be confused about? You deliberately fell into the water for that external man named Jiang and then falsely accused others. You've damaged your elder sister's reputation and shamed my Gu family. In front of Empress Wan, regardless of rank, your malicious intentions are boundless. Have you lost your mind?"

"Gu Ying, you are also a daughter of the Gu family. Not only did you not protect your sister outside, you acted recklessly in front of Empress Wan using your father's reputation. If Her Majesty blames us, even if our Gu family offers a hundred heads it would not be enough! "

"Since you lost your mother at a young age, our family has treated you like our own daughter. She has always treated you like a sister. As a younger sister, not only did you not help her, you even pushed her to the poor Jiang family. What do you mean by this?!"

Gu Boyan and Liu Shi accused Gu Ying in front of Grandma Gu one after another.

Gu Jia's crying became louder and more aggrieved, "Grandma, you have to stand up for Jia'er. Jia'er doesn't want to marry into the Jiang family. The Jiang family may not be willing to want Jia'er either! My younger sister is fortunate to be able to marry the young marquis. But is Jia'er's fate not fate? We are both daughters of the Gu family. Jia'er has been studying hard since childhood. I don't expect to marry a family like the marquis, just one that can contribute to the Gu family and help it. This is what I want!"

What a just and selfless spirit, sacrificing self for the greater good!

Gu Ying almost laughed when hearing this.