This voice was familiar to Chu Ruoyan; it belonged to Gu Hongzhang, the son of Fourth Young Master Gu.

At the gate of the Gu residence.

Madam ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‍Yue swayed unsteadily. If not for the loyal old maidservant supporting her, she would have nearly fainted. “Zhang’er, who taught you to say such things? How vile!”

Gu Hongzhang shook his head earnestly. “No one taught me. I thought of all these words myself, Mother. Auntie Xuewu is very kind. She buys me sugar-coated haws and promised to take me out for excursions every rest day from now on!”

Madam Yue was so furious her eyes nearly split. “What? That woman bought you sugar-coated haws? And plans to take you on excursions? What about your studies? Don’t you need to read your books anymore?”

Gu Hongzhang pouted. “Auntie Xuewu said studying isn’t the only path. After all, Father has military merits. Even if I do nothing, I’ll never want for food or clothing in this lifetime. Even without studying, I can purchase a xiucai degree and still enter officialdom in the future!”

Purchase a xiucai degree?

So young, yet without any ambition, already considering buying an official title!

Madam Yue felt a surge of blood rush to her throat. Summoning strength from somewhere, she rushed forward and slapped Xuewu.

Slap!

The crisp sound stunned everyone present.

Xuewu covered her face and threw herself into Fourth Young Master Gu’s arms. Enraged, Fourth Young Master Gu swung back and slapped Madam Yue.

“Madam!!”

The old maidservant rushed to help her up. Seeing the trace of blood at the corner of Madam Yue’s mouth, she could no longer hold back her questioning. “Master, how could you strike Madam over an outsider? And with such force!”

Fourth Young Master Gu snorted. “She struck Xuewu first! I’ve already said, Xuewu is my savior. Today, she will enter this gate, whether you like it or not!!”

With that, he moved to support the delicate woman inside, but Madam Yue desperately grabbed his trouser leg.

“Gu Lanzhi! You cannot let her enter! This woman harbors ill intentions. She will ruin you, ruin the Gu family!”

Fourth Young Master Gu said impatiently, “I’m tired of hearing these old refrains of yours. Don’t you have anything new?”

A chill settled in Madam Yue’s heart. She couldn’t help but look up. “Gu Lanzhi, do you remember what you said to my brother the day you married me?”

Mentioning Yue Qianzhong finally made the arrogant Fourth Young Master Gu rein himself in somewhat. He cleared his throat. “Indeed, I did promise to treat you well and not take concubines… But Xuewu is no ordinary woman. She is my savior. I am taking her as a concubine out of gratitude. I believe Commander Yue will understand!”

Tears streamed down Madam Yue’s face. She looked up at her son, only to see him standing beside Xuewu, not moving an inch.

“Zhang’er, that woman is not good. She’s coaxing you about buying an official title to render you useless. Buying you sugar-coated haws shows no regard for you losing your baby teeth. Mother does all this for your own good, don’t you understand?”

To her surprise, Gu Hongzhang said, “Mother, you are wrong. For it to be for my good, I must feel it is good. Zhang’er just likes eating sugar-coated haws and doesn’t want to study. If you truly cared for me, you wouldn’t force me to do things I dislike.” He then looked up at Xuewu, a bright smile spreading across his little face. “Auntie Xuewu wouldn’t. She truly dotes on Zhang’er, more than Mother does! If only she were my mother…”

Those last five words pierced Madam Yue’s heart like daggers.

Thinking of all her efforts over the years, her heart shattered. Her gaze drifted to the vermilion lacquered pillar, her mind in a daze.

If she died… wouldn’t that be exactly what they wanted?

She sprang up and charged headlong toward the pillar!

“Madam!!” The old maidservant failed to stop her. It seemed she would smash her head open.

Suddenly, a pair of soft yet strong hands caught her. “Madam Gu!”

Madam Yue shrieked, “Let go! Let go!”

The woman’s eyes darkened. “Madam Gu, why go to such extremes? If Fourth Young Master Gu wants a concubine, let him have one. After all, it’s not your maiden family he’ll ruin. As for the child wanting to recognize a concubine as mother, let him. If he’s registered under the concubine, no titles or rewards will ever come to him. Isn’t that getting exactly what he seeks?”

Madam Yue was stunned.

Gu Hongzhang, half-understanding, looked panicked. Fourth Young Master Gu roared angrily, “Nonsense! How dare an outsider interfere in the Gu family’s affairs?”

Chu Ruoyan paid him no mind, only holding Madam Yue’s hand and saying, “The world is harsh, life is hard for women. Who hasn’t encountered a few ingrates? Like my aunt—she too was once worn down and schemed against. In the end, she left that filthy place and found a world of freedom, didn’t she? Madam Gu, the path is one we walk ourselves. With three thousand great ways ahead, why force yourself onto the road to death?”

Her gentle, unhurried voice flowed like a murmuring stream, miraculously calming Madam Yue.

Through tear-blurred eyes, Madam Yue looked at the woman before her. “I… I…”

She couldn’t speak, only weeping uncontrollably. When the heart is wounded to its extreme, it is like this. Chu Ruoyan didn’t speak either, just gently patted her back in comfort.

Gradually, whispers arose from the surrounding crowd.

“Tsk tsk, they say the Gu family has strict principles, but it seems not so to me!”

“Exactly. Other families at least favor the concubine over the wife, but here, the concubine isn’t even properly married yet and they’re already trying to drive the principal wife to her death!”

“Disregarding propriety and ethics, truly tarnishing Lord Gu’s reputation!”

“They should take this to the court and have his official position revoked!”

Hearing this, Fourth Young Master Gu finally panicked. The censors at the Imperial Censorate would not let him off easily.

He immediately turned his ire on Chu Ruoyan. “Just who are you? How dare you meddle in the Gu family’s affairs!”

Before Chu Ruoyan could open her lips, a cold, hard voice cut in. “She may not have the right, but does this Commander?”

Fourth Young Master Gu’s heart skipped a beat. He saw Yue Qianzhong, clad in official robes, riding over on horseback.

His eyes hawk-like, Yue Qianzhong dismounted and walked to Madam Yue’s side. “Elder Sister, are you alright?”

With her younger brother here, Madam Yue’s heart settled. “I’m fine, thanks to this…”

She paused, realizing she didn’t even know her savior’s name!

Yue Qianzhong cupped his hands in salute. “Thank you, County Mistress Changle, for your assistance! Yue will remember this favor!”

Chu Ruoyan smiled slightly. Madam Yue exclaimed, “County Mistress Changle? The Chief Grand Secretary’s wife?”

Yue Qianzhong nodded. Fourth Young Master Gu’s eyes widened, and he hurried forward. “So it’s County Mistress Changle! This humble official failed to recognize you earlier, my profound apologies!”

Chu Ruoyan didn’t even glance at him. She merely nodded to the Yue siblings and turned to leave.

Some favors need not be demanded; repayment will come naturally.

Yue Qianzhong cast a cold glance at Fourth Young Master Gu. “General Gu the Fourth, if you please. Let’s go before Lord Gu and have a clear discussion.”

Fourth Young Master Gu shuddered and tried to flee, but Yue Qianzhong grabbed him by the back of his collar, lifting him like an eagle seizing a chick, and hauled him into the residence…

Meanwhile, at the Duke of Chu’s residence.

Chu Ruoyan waited until midnight, but Chu Huaishan still hadn’t returned.

She then remembered what Yan Zheng had said before leaving: because of the recent evaluations by the Ministry of Personnel, her father had been completely tied up.

So the next day, after sending Wenjing off under the pretext of the Imperial Academy’s spring outing, she dispatched a messenger to the Ministry of Personnel to ask her father to return that evening.

That night, at the hour of Hai.

Chu Huaishan returned, travel-worn and covered in dust. Despite the exhaustion etched on his face, he managed a smile for his daughter. “Yan’er, what urgent matter requires your father’s return?”

Chu Ruoyan felt her eyes prick with tears, but there was no time left. Her elder brother had only given her two days!

She took a deep breath and said, “Father, the Emperor has grown suspicious of Yan Zheng. I fear he intends to use me as leverage against him. I plan to leave the capital. Will you… come with me?”

Chu Huaishan’s face paled dramatically.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep