The morning passed amidst the smoke of gunpowder. Minglan held her chopsticks, facing a table full of delicacies. For the first time, she understood what it meant to have food that tasted like wax. Thinking that it was better to eat less than to suffer indigestion, Minglan put down her chopsticks and paced around the room. With her large belly, she moved clumsily and slowly, feeling restless and anxious like a fat cat with a nail stuck in its paw.
Seeing Minglan's agitation, Nanny Cui couldn't help but press her onto the bed and said with a stern face, "With the vastness of the sky and earth, is giving birth really such a big deal? Madam, you should rest quietly. If it really doesn't work out, we'll hide away in the villa and see who can find us."
Minglan was taken aback, but after some thought, she realized it was a great idea. She could quietly retreat to the hot spring villa with the midwife and other helpers. By the time that old witch and the people from the Yu family found them, she would probably have already given birth. Feeling relieved at the thought of this clever plan, Minglan obediently went to sleep according to Nanny Cui's suggestion. People who hadn't slept well at night always found afternoon naps especially refreshing. What's more, when she woke up and looked through the glass beads curtain, she saw Nanny Chang sitting at the table in the hall, chatting quietly with Nanny Cui.
"Nanny Chang, why are you here? How is Nian Ge?" Thinking of the little Nian Ge who was still nursing his bruised arm, Minglan felt a pang of guilt. As she raised her hand to let Nanny Cui help her put on her clothes, Nanny Chang's expression turned serious, but her words were laced with dark humor. "Madam, what are you talking about? This old woman is not some magical pill. Nian Ge can't rely on me forever. He'll have to stand on his own two feet sooner or later." Nanny Cui couldn't help but chuckle at her words.
Wearing a freshly changed set of dry and clean summer clothes, Minglan gestured for Xiaotao and Danju to stand by the door, while Nanny Cui sat upright in the center. With only herself and Nanny Chang left in the room, Minglan spoke in a low voice, her urgency apparent, "Nanny Chang, I've already explained the situation to Nanny Danju earlier."
Minglan suppressed her impatience and continued, "It's not that I'm nosy, but now that they've all come knocking on our door, and considering the relationship between the Yu family and me, I had no choice but to speak up..."
Nanny Chang's hands, wrinkled with age, covered Minglan's small hands firmly as she whispered, "Madam, do you still not know what kind of person you are? Over these days, Madam hasn't even asked once about Master's past."
In truth, Nanny Chang had been troubled. If Minglan asked about Manniang, she wouldn't know whether to speak or not. If Master Gu didn't indicate, she didn't dare to speak without permission. Fortunately, Minglan rarely asked questions, which relieved Nanny Chang's worries and earned her respect.
"As for the matter of Lady Yu..." Nanny Chang paused, and Minglan's heart clenched tightly, feeling as though her heart was trembling. "This old woman truly doesn't know. Master never mentioned how Lady Yu passed away."
Minglan's disappointment was evident in her large eyes. "Master didn't even tell you, Nanny Chang?"
Nanny Chang slowly raised her head, her expression grave. "...At that time, Young Master had a falling out with Old Master and couldn't swallow his anger. He left in a fit of rage, and despite my attempts to dissuade him, he wouldn't listen. But just a couple of months later, he hurried back from the south in a panic. When I asked him what happened, he refused to say. Not long after that, the Yunban was struck at the marquisate, announcing that Lady Yu had passed away."
"So soon?" Minglan was puzzled and asked softly, "What was Master's condition at that time?" Nanny Chang shook her head slowly and said, "It's hard to say, something didn't seem quite right." Minglan encouraged her earnestly, "Nanny, whatever you're thinking, please don't hesitate to speak."
Nanny Chang nodded, recalling carefully, "At first, I thought Young Master rushed back because he received news from the marquisate about Lady Yu's critical illness. But upon further observation, it didn't seem likely. I was worried that Young Master might be mistreated there, so I often sent money for people to listen for news outside the marquisate. If Lady Yu was truly so seriously ill, why didn't the marquisate invite any imperial physicians? That's when I started to have doubts."
Minglan truly admired Nanny Chang, holding her hand and encouraging her with her gaze to continue.
"There's another thing," Nanny Chang's speech slowed down even more. "I remember on the second day after Young Master returned, he got drunk and refused to go home, so he came to my place. I helped him lie down, but he clenched his teeth tightly and didn't say a word. At that moment, I found it strange. How could a man drink so heavily when his wife was on the brink of death? Although my young master has a temper, he's not heartless like that. No matter how bad Lady Yu was, they were still husband and wife. My young master wouldn't behave like this..."
"Perhaps Master felt guilty, which is why he drank so heavily," Minglan speculated sourly.
Nanny Chang's old eyes narrowed even more, resembling inverted triangles, as she continued to shake her head. "It doesn't seem like it. I know Young Master's temperament. He's not someone who just speaks empty words. If he truly feels guilty, he would make sincere efforts to make amends. His demeanor seemed more like he was filled with grievances and anger that he couldn't express. He was so angry that he could only drown his sorrows in alcohol."
This evaluation hit Minglan right in the heart. Gu Tingye was a straightforward person who liked to express his feelings through practical actions. When he felt indebted to Duan Chengqian, he left his heavily pregnant wife behind to help his brother (this scoundrel, Minglan couldn't help but curse inwardly). And because he felt guilty for mistreating Yu Yanran, causing her to marry far away in Yunnan, he secretly arranged a three-year tea supply contract for the Duan family. When Minglan found out about it, she even ordered her not to reveal it. It wasn't until Minglan received several letters from Yanran declaring that she was truly happy that he considered interfering less in the southwestern tea market.
So, if he truly felt extremely guilty towards Yu Yanhong, according to his behavior pattern, he should have stayed by her bedside day and night to comfort her, or even robbed a couple of top physicians, or even stolen some millennium ginseng and ancient turtles from the palace. All of that would have been more plausible.
"After Lady Yu's death, Young Master didn't even wait for her funeral before leaving again. He was gone for several years." Recalling the past, Nanny Chang sighed deeply, "In the span of about ten days, only in the last few days after Lady Yu's death, Young Master said something about himself being blind and misunderstanding Lady Man. After that, he never said another word."
Normally, losing a wife is quite a serious matter, especially a newlywed wife, and she died so suddenly. Which widower wouldn't want to talk to someone about it? Even Chang Bai would probably compose a few more poems lamenting the fate of a married couple who were destined to be apart.
"So, according to Nanny's meaning..." Minglan's eyes gleamed as she listened intently.
Nanny Chang lowered her head, pondering repeatedly.
In the beginning, she had her suspicions and even hinted at it twice, saying, "So young, how could she fall ill and pass away just like that?" But Gu Tingye always avoided the topic. Nevertheless, she still sensed something amiss in his behavior. Although Gu Tingye never showed it on his face, she could perceive his avoidance, as if he wanted nothing to do with the matter. And Gu Tingye was not one to shy away from things.
"So Lady Yu's death should have nothing to do with Young Master." Nanny Chang spoke each word solemnly. "Not only is there no connection, but Lady Yu must have made a grave mistake." As for whether it had anything to do with the Gu family, she couldn't be certain.
Minglan let out a deep sigh, feeling somewhat relieved. In hindsight, she also had this feeling.
If that were the case, then the reaction of the Yu family would make sense. They felt guilty, so they didn't pursue the matter of Yu Yanhong's death, nor did they dare to ask Gu Tingye to marry another daughter from the Yu family, and they certainly didn't dare to impose on the Yue family again. Until this morning, the behavior of both the Gu and Yu families was consistent with this inference. But what gave Madam Yu the audacity to come and pick a fight today?!
Minglan was deeply puzzled, pondering repeatedly. Suddenly, a flash of insight crossed her mind. Earlier this morning, during the commotion, Madam Yu's unnatural avoidance when mentioning Gu Tingye, that inexplicable behavior, suddenly came back to Minglan's memory.
"...Did Young Master have any dealings with the Yu family before or after Lady Yu's passing?" Minglan asked suddenly.
Nanny Chang was momentarily stunned, then hastily replied, "He probably didn't. He was very troubled, and he left before the funeral arrangements were even completed."
Like a crack tearing through the long-standing darkness, Minglan's doubts finally found a most reasonable explanation. She let out a long exhale, stood up slowly, supported her lower back, took a few steps, and then turned back with a smile on her face.
"Let's set aside how Lady Yu from the Yu family passed away. Regardless, it should be seen as her own fault, and the Yu family is to blame. This is a matter that's hard to speak of, and very few people are aware of it. In the Gu family, perhaps only the old Marquis, the Lady Marquis, and Young Master Gu know about it. In the Yu family, only Mr. Yu and Madam Yu know, and the rest of the Yu family members were in Dengzhou at the time, so they probably don't know," Minglan explained.
"But then why would Madam Yu dare..." Nanny Chang was confused. Where did the courage come from for someone who had done something wrong?
"Because someone intervened," Minglan stood in the middle, smiling faintly. "The main branch of the Yu family has always felt guilty and kept silent, not daring to cause trouble. But recently, someone suddenly came to Madam Yu, saying that Young Master Gu wasn't aware of the whole matter."
Nanny Chang's eyes widened suddenly, her expression greatly shocked.
"Young Master Gu knew he was aware, we knew Young Master Gu was aware, and Lady Marquis also knew Young Master Gu was aware. But the Yu family didn't know. Both families were caught off guard when the incident occurred. Then, during the funeral and aftermath, it was Lady Marquis who handled everything," Minglan carefully analyzed the situation at the time, finding it more and more reasonable the more she thought about it. "When the incident happened, the Yu family was both ashamed and guilty, so they wouldn't dare to ask too many questions."
Nanny Chang gradually grasped the point. Following Minglan's line of thought, she continued, "However, recently someone told the Yu family that Young Master Gu might not actually be aware of the whole situation. If they cover it up well, they might get away with it."
As for who that person was, both of them knew very well.
Minglan slowly sat down in front of Nanny Chang and smiled, "Not only that, but that person also promised various benefits. Mr. Yu's career is not going well, and Elder Yu's days are numbered. If they could adopt a son under the Yu family name, that child would surely acknowledge the Yu family as their maternal family. There might even be opportunities for assistance and favor in the future." And all of these promises, the rest of the Yu family members are unaware of."
"...Isn't this just deceiving people!" After a moment, Nanny Chang came back to her senses. "You can deceive people for a while, but you can't deceive them for a lifetime. Once Young Master Gu comes back, won't the whole thing be exposed?"
"The Yu family is just a pawn," Minglan's smile turned somewhat cold. "Once I let slip, let them go outside and make a fuss, claiming they've already received promises from the Gu family, delaying the proper ceremonies until later. First, rush to celebrate Elder Yu's happiness, have the Yu family organize a few tables of food and drink, and have Chang-er pay his respects everywhere, making it a done deal. The unlucky ones will be the Yu family and the Marquis."
At that time, it's easy to imagine how embarrassed Gu Tingye would be. Not only would his past recklessness be brought up again for ridicule (perhaps even attracting the attention of the imperial censors), but there would also be the issue of the heir. Unless he resolutely rejects the child, otherwise, it would be endless trouble.
As for Mr. and Mrs. Yu, just like Aunt Kang, once they are used up, why would that person care about their life or death?
Nanny Chang took in a sharp breath, saying, "What a vicious plan!"
After staying silent for a while, she was about to ask Minglan for her plan of action, but she saw Minglan staring blankly into space, prompting her to inquire.
"Guoniang probably knows about this too," Minglan looked up, lost in thought.
Initially, the people who came with the Yu family's dowry had already been dismissed or sold off, or returned to the Yu family, leaving only Hongxiao behind; she had been accompanying the Yu family since childhood and should be well aware of everything. Now, Minglan finally understood why Gu Tingye always looked disgusted whenever this pitiful girl was mentioned; having someone around who knows your hidden secrets but isn't known by others is always unsettling.
"She must have planned this for a long time. Just empty talk wouldn't convince Miss Yan's father so easily. She needed someone to corroborate her story." Minglan's thoughts wandered as she murmured, "During the separation of the branches four or five years ago, Aunt Gong always went over there. At that time, I had my own affairs to deal with and couldn't be bothered with her. Now, thinking about it, that person must have taken Aunt Gong out during that time to use her as a witness to prove that the Marquis was truly unaware. That's why Mr. Yu dared to be so bold!"
No wonder that old hag chose to stir up trouble at this time, and no wonder Gong Hongxiao had been unusually obedient afterward. Minglan had thought her own domineering attitude had subdued her.
Nanny Chang gritted her teeth in anger, cursing both individuals, "Damn it! Damn it!" She was cursing two different people.
"Madam, we can't control the others, but let's tie up this Gong woman!" Minglan sighed, "She's already done what she wanted, so what's the point of tying her up? Well, it's better late than never. Let's fix our mistakes while we still can." She then called for Nanny Cui and quietly instructed her to have Hongxiao supervised. Nanny Cui acknowledged and left.
"Madam, what should we do now?" Nanny Chang was a bit flustered this time.
Minglan remained calm, feeling that the greatest fear in the world was not knowing the truth. Now that she had some understanding, she wasn't afraid anymore. She smiled and said, "What else can we do? Tit for tat. Let's use some tricks of our own."
Nanny Chang understood her meaning but was still doubtful. "What if the Yu family doesn't take the bait? And what if we're all wrong?"
Minglan tilted her head and pondered for a moment before spreading her hands. "I've already gathered the guards. If we really have no other choice, I'll take the servants with me, and Nanny, you can take Little Nian. We'll take refuge in the mountain hot spring villa. It's easy to defend and difficult to attack. Let's see who can reach us there!"
Nanny Chang remained speechless, her frustration evident in her staring eyes.
Minglan sighed. "Unless we absolutely can't hold out here, it's still safer to give birth in the mansion. After all, we've been preparing for months, and everything and everyone we need is readily available. If we go to the mountains and find ourselves lacking this or that, even rushing to find a doctor in case of emergency might not be feasible."
...
She slept soundly for a while, stretching lazily as she got out of bed. After devouring two bowls of rice, Minglan wiped her mouth and waited eagerly throughout the morning. However, by lunchtime, no one had shown up to challenge her. Feeling disappointed, she went back to bed for a nap. When she woke up again, unsurprisingly, she heard the report of someone from the Yu family arriving, accompanied by the familiar sound of teeth grinding mixed with the rustling of leaves: "The Yu family has sent someone again, and they're in the small flower hall!"
Minglan felt a sense of long-awaited excitement, waving her hand confidently, "Change clothes, prepare to receive guests." Actually, what she wanted to say was, "Close the door and unleash the hounds."
Seeing Madam Yu again, Minglan had plenty of time to scrutinize her from head to toe. She wondered what kind of audacity and thick skin could prompt her to come and cause a scene like this (assuming her speculation was correct). Madam Yu's presence made her skin crawl, but she still managed to maintain an imposing gaze and said sternly, "What do you have to say? Are you going to comply or not?"
It had a somewhat mafia-style negotiation atmosphere; Minglan glanced around and smiled, "I didn't expect to meet Madam Yu today."
Madam Yu's face showed a hint of weariness, "Mother intended to come, but she's not feeling well. It took us a lot of effort to persuade her to stay."
"Auntie Four is so filial, it's really hard on you." Minglan smiled gently, then turned to Lady Tai and the confrontational Madam Yu, "If Madam were to hear our conversation, she might faint."
Madam Yu's expression stiffened, "What do you mean?"
"No particular meaning, just wondering, what if I refuse to comply, Auntie?" Minglan said slowly.
Madam Yu, filled with anger, sneered and loudly declared, "My unfortunate child, married into your Gu family for less than a year and lost her life. At least give me an explanation! If you think I'm not worthy, I'll invite the elders and my mother-in-law!"
Madam Yu Four, sensing the tense atmosphere, hurriedly interjected, "Minglan, don't be hasty. This is all for the sake of my late father. It's just a formality, to please the elders and make the old lady happy."
"Oh, my unfortunate daughter, you died early in the Gu family, not even having a proper funeral..." Feeling emotional, Madam Yu began to wail, but unfortunately, there were no tears.
"Auntie, please don't cry. Let me explain." Minglan quickly waved her hand, "Yesterday, after you left, someone came to me. It was a nanny whom Marquis Hou has trusted since childhood. Even during those years when he was away, this nanny took care of him."
Minglan smiled as she spoke, satisfied to see Madam Yu stop her fake crying and listen with confusion. She continued, "The nanny noticed my troubled expression and asked me the reason. I told her about the adoption matter. She was shocked and even slammed the table, cursing 'This is outrageous, such audacity.' Auntie Yu, do you know why?"
Madam Yu's expression changed gradually. She instinctively looked at Lady Tai, who smiled back at her, indicating with her eyes. Madam Yu turned back, glaring at Minglan sternly, "I truly have no idea!"
Not seeing the Yellow River doesn't mean it's not flowing! Minglan sneered inwardly, continuing her gamble. Despite that, her face remained pleasantly smiling, "Even after hearing the nanny's words, I still couldn't believe it. Sister Yanran is so gentle and virtuous, how could Sister Yanhong do such a thing?!"
Madam Yu's face began to turn purple, and she bit her lip hard to hold herself together.
"So, I brought Gong Yiniang here for questioning. Speaking of which, she is also from the Yu family. Auntie, have you seen her recently?" Minglan casually threw out this question, closely observing Madam Yu's expression. She noticed a pause in her breathing, smiled, and continued, "She told me many things, which made me understand why Marquis Hou never wanted to mention Sister Yanhong."
Madam Yu couldn't hold it anymore, her body started to tremble, while Madam Yu Four listened with confusion, watching the sisters-in-law in a daze. At that moment, Lady Tai, sitting at the other end, chuckled lightly and leisurely remarked, "Yanhong isn't one to talk much, could it be that someone threatened or coerced her?"
Minglan didn't even turn her head, smiling as she stared at Madam Yu, "I heard that Gong Yiniang was raised under your care, so you know her temperament best. She's a smart woman, aware of her situation in the mansion. What's left for her is only prospects. If someone can promise her that, I'll double it. What do you think she would do?"
Madam Yu's breathing became heavier, and in confusion, she looked at Lady Tai again. This time even Lady Tai's expression changed. She only knew that Gong Hongxiao had been guarded since last night, making it difficult for her to pass on any messages. What exactly happened, she didn't know.
"Gong's mother is still alive. I promised her a lifetime of wealth, a good family background, land, properties, and even a son-in-law. Isn't that better than anything else? Auntie, what do you think?"
Minglan intentionally lowered her voice, speaking gently and slowly, leaning closer to Madam Yu. Deliberately drawing out her words, Minglan said, "Madam Yu, it's difficult to swallow, isn't it?" Madam Yu struggled to swallow a breath of air, looking at Minglan with a face full of disbelief and uncertainty, her own voice trembling as she spoke, "You, you mean, Marquis... he already..."
"Mother-in-law!" Lady Tai interrupted loudly, standing up abruptly.
Madam Yu fell silent.
Minglan snorted disdainfully, "In these past few days, I used to think Marquis Hou's indifference towards the Yu family was not good. But after learning the truth, let me tell you... " Her expression suddenly turned cold, full of sarcasm, "Humph! Even if Sister Yanhong still lies in the Gu family's grave, receiving the ancestral offerings from the Gu family descendants, it would have been considered fulfilling both families' dignity! It's lamentable that human hearts are still insatiable, daring to come and humiliate us. Is the Gu family so easy to bully?!"
Madam Yu seemed to pale even further, sitting there on the verge of collapse. Madam Yu Four also began to understand the situation. Seeing the current situation, it seemed that her niece had made a grave mistake in the Gu family. It could even be a scandal. Realizing that their family dared to come and cause trouble, wasn't this blatantly offending the Gu Marquis? She broke out in a cold sweat, looking at Minglan in panic and confusion.