Chapter 11

Everyone was stunned, and Gu Old Madam and Mrs. Liu's faces instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot!

But they had already arrived here, with several maids behind them, and the brothers and sisters were all in one place watching them, making the scene extremely awkward for a while.

Gu Ying screamed at the right time, "Oh my! Eldest sister! Ancestral hall! What are you doing! Who is that man?!"

Gu Jia and Jiang Yin came to their senses at the same time.

Looking through the door and window, they saw a large group of people standing outside, and their faces changed instantly.

"No, no!" Gu Jia pushed Jiang Yin away forcefully, crying out in panic, "Grandmother! Mother! It's not what you saw! I... I don't know how Young Master Jiang got here either! This is the Gu family ancestral hall! I really don't know!"

She also realized quickly that things were slowly starting to spiral out of her control.

Somewhat frantically and somewhat at a loss, she screamed, "Grandmother, listen to my explanation, listen to my explanation!"

Some people gloated at her misfortune, while others were terrified. Everyone whispered to each other.

"This young lady usually looks down on the Jiang family too, how did she get involved with Young Master Jiang?"

"How did Young Master Jiang get into the Gu family in the first place? The ancestral home of an Earl, if there were no insiders, how could a commoner get into the inner courtyard?"

"Look at him standing with the young lady, the insider is probably the young lady's person. This is clearly a private meeting, the young lady is really too bold."

Mrs. Liu was so angry she almost exploded, her fur standing on end. "Shut up, all of you!"

After the outburst, she looked at the old matriarch in panic, "Mother, this is definitely not the case. We should listen to Jia'er's explanation. A grown man entering the ancestral hall must be possessed..."

Gu Old Madam coldly laughed, her face ugly with anger, "Everyone leave! Bring that Young Master Jiang out for this old woman!"

Gu Jia's forehead was covered in cold sweat, there was a buzzing sound in her brain, as if she had died, and she collapsed limply on the ground, her face ghastly pale.

Jiang Yin was pulled out of Gu Jia's ancestral hall, and as he passed Gu Ying, his gloomy gaze fell on her pretty, fair and delicate little face, and he clenched his fist tightly.

Gu Ying showed a faint smile imperceptibly, and mouthed to him, "Take care on your way, Young Master Jiang." When she turned around again, she only saw Jiang Yin's shabby figure being jostled away.

The newly crowned top scholar, whose future was limitless.

But now he was about to be ruined.

Climbing walls at night, sneaking into an Earl's mansion at night, secretly meeting the Earl's legitimate daughter, clandestine meetings in the ancestral hall, disregarding the dignity of their ancestors.

No matter whether it was Gu Jia or Jiang Yin.

Among these powerful and prestigious people in Bianjing, who could still have a promising future?

The more she thought about it, the more she felt that fate was truly wondrous.

Back then, she had loved him wholeheartedly, but he did not cherish her. And now he had taken the initiative to sneak into the Gu family manor to ask for her feelings, while also giving her a chance to get back at Gu Jia.

Huh, this was probably what lowly men were like!

...

Jiang Yin was taken to Yongshou Hall.

Gu Old Madam hurriedly summoned Gu Boyan from the government office.

Everyone else was blocked outside and could not go in. No one knew what was said and done inside.

Outside the door.

Aunt Zhao gave Gu Ying a meaningful look, "Second young lady has been a little different since she returned from the palace yesterday. Looking at you today under the sun, I see that Second young lady is so beautiful that she outshines the whole country, exquisitely gorgeous, making me feel refreshed."

Gu Ying gently lowered her eyes, "Auntie flatters me, how could I compare to Fourth sister's natural beauty."

Gu Shuang pulled her lips into a smile. She was not familiar with the legitimate daughter of the second courtyard. "Second sister is too polite."

Gu Ying raised her eyes and looked at Gu Shuang's childish little face.

She remembered in her previous life how Gu Shuang was married off at fifteen to a rough military household arranged by her stepmother, Mrs. Liu.

The poor delicate young lady only found out after marrying that the man was actually a bandit, incorporated into the army as a petty officer, full of the temperament of a bandit, fierce and cruel.

Gu Shuang lasted less than a year there before being tortured until she lost her spirit, and her coffin was carried back to the Gu manor.

Aunt Zhao had already been suppressed by Mrs. Liu until she lost Gu Bo's favor, living in seclusion in the Gu manor's cold courtyard. She didn't even get to see her own daughter for the last time before she died.

Gu Ying sympathized with Gu Shuang, and Aunt Zhao's opposition to Mrs. Liu was just to her liking. The enemy's enemy was a friend.

She wanted to ally with mother and daughter, so she politely smiled and said, "Fourth sister is twelve this year right? We are of similar age. If sister has time, you can come to my yard more often. I got some good paintings the other day and wanted to invite Fourth sister to view them together."

Gu Shuang was surprised that Gu Ying, the legitimate daughter, was actively currying her favor as an illegitimate daughter.

Aunt Zhao patted her silly daughter and said with a laugh, "Of course that's fine. The belongings of the legitimate daughter are naturally better than ours at Cattail Courtyard. They must be good stuff. Shuang'er, when you have time, go take a look in your Second sister's yard."

Gu Shuang knitted her brows, somewhat reluctant.

Second sister was weak-willed, usually sticking with Eldest sister. To get close with her, an illegitimate daughter, now, was probably part of some scheme.

Gu Ying did not mind. Gu Shuang was young and suspicious, but still much kinder and simpler than the other children of the main wife.

Some things could not be accomplished all at once, and had to be approached step-by-step.

"Auntie should also be more careful. The weather is turning cold. Pay more attention to colds and chills, and find a highly skilled external doctor to take a look."

Aunt Zhao stared at her strangely. She was perfectly fine, why was she telling her to find a doctor, wasn't that cursing her to get sick?

"Alright, I know. I'll invite a doctor in tomorrow."

"Auntie must remember to invite him in secret, don't let the elder madam know. Gu Ying is going to see her brother now, so I'll take my leave first."

Aunt Zhao didn't say anything more, sizing her up with a few looks, her eyes growing heavier.

Gu Ying smiled lightly, some things could be conveyed subtly, hoping Aunt Zhao would be a little smarter.

...

On the way from Yongshou Hall to Mohufang Studio.

Baidizi laughed and said, "Miss, now no one will dare say you're the one who likes Young Master Jiang anymore. With Young Master Jiang and Eldest young lady seen like this by so many people, their marriage will be set sooner or later."

"Yes." Gu Ying sighed, "Not only will it be set, but it has to be set as soon as possible."

"Miss, will Young Master Jiang confess about coming to find you last night?" Baidizi was increasingly worried.

Gu Ying laughed. "Don't worry, he won't be so stupid."

To say he colluded with the physician of the Gu manor?

To say she was the one who let him in?

Then as long as she flatly denied it, he would never clear his name. It would be better to push it all onto Gu Jia. Gu Jia already had no credibility left with the old madam anyway.

Gu Ying narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, "Grandmother should act quickly, otherwise when the rumors spread, Gu Jia will really be finished as a person."