Chapter 214: Chapter 215: The Yellow Oriole

The little servant girl brought by the Gao Mansion exclaimed on the shoreside, while in the lotus pond, Nanny Chang was still reaching out to pull the struggling Gao Yue out of the water.

Nanny Chang knew how to swim, Lin Youning had known this since she was young. There was a crescent-shaped stream in the Tingxue Hall where she lived. When she was little, she would always roll up her pants to play in the water there during summer. Although the crescent bend wasn’t deep, she was very small back then, so she was usually scared when getting into the water.

Nanny Chang would teach her what to do in the water. For example, when you can’t stand up in the water, just hold your knees instead of struggling.

Nanny Chang often shared many similar pieces of advice, and it was through her words that Lin Youning slowly dared to play in the water.

However, this time watching Nanny Chang appear not to swim, she struggled, yet still tried to save Gao Yue.

The sound of the little servant girl shouting pierced Lin Youning’s heart, making her increasingly agitated. “Why are you shouting? Go and get someone quickly.”

Lin Youning scolded the little servant girl, who then nodded hastily, turned around, and left in large strides. Lin Youning also looked around for anything that could be used for rescue.

The two people in the lotus pond were still floundering. Lin Youning anxiously paced back and forth on the spot until she saw a branch not far away. She breathed a sigh of relief, lifted her skirt, ran over quickly, picked it up, and returned to Nanny Chang and the others, leaning forward and handing the branch into the lotus pond.

Call her selfish if you will, but Lin Youning thought of saving Nanny Chang first; she never liked Gao Yue.

Nanny Chang, on the other hand, was still thinking about Gao Yue and didn’t reach for the branch. Lin Youning was anxious, but before she could speak, she felt a force from behind, and her whole body fell into the lotus pond.

Lin Youning was startled, and in the instant of turning her head back, she glimpsed a flash of a green skirt. After previously being framed like this, Lin Youning had been prepared. As her body leaned forward, she took a big step forward to support herself and managed to steady herself.

Her mind was startled by what she saw just now. She remembered that skirt; wasn’t it the servant girl by Gao Yue’s side?

She hadn’t thought further when the branch in her hand was pulled. Lin Youning was startled and looked up, meeting Nanny Chang’s eyes.

The only thought in her mind was that Nanny Chang actually had such dark eyes.

At the same time, the branch was grasped by a force, and Lin Youning, who had steadied herself, was pulled down into the lotus pond.

Lin Youning’s mind went blank.

Nanny Chang was no longer struggling in the water but instead watched her calmly.

And also Nanny Chang was pulling her into the lotus pond.

Why?

Countless unfathomable thoughts burst out in an instant, and when her whole body plunged into the lotus pond, all those countless whys in her mind were washed away.

Water flooded into her mouth and nose. Lin Youning didn’t want to struggle. Being betrayed by the one she trusted most, she instantly wanted to just perish like that.

Nanny Chang belonged to her aunt’s side, and without her aunt, no one could make Nanny Chang do this.

It was piercingly painful once she understood this situation.

The water poured into her mouth, and the suffocation in her chest made her breathless. She didn’t know how long it had been.

Until there was a noise by her ears, and then her body was dragged out of the water. Lin Youning watched the scene in front of her as Brother De stood on the shore with his robes wet, Gao Yue was held protectively in the arms of her personal maid, and the various madams and young ladies were crowding around the shore.

There was nothing unclear now; everything was obvious.

Lin Youning didn’t turn back; she didn’t dare to look at the man who pulled her out of the water. At this point, besides marrying this man who saved her from the water, what choice did she have?

The noise by her ears faded away, and she fell into darkness.

In the flower hall of Shi’an Garden, Mrs. Gu Sr. stared blankly at the empty courtyard, “Was it the Marquis who rushed over?”

Nanny Chang knelt on the floor, “Brother De had already hurried over; the Marquis arrived later.”

Mrs. Gu Sr. closed her eyes and waved, “You’ve been with me for so many years, it’s time to return to your children’s side and enjoy yourself. From today on, you are no longer a member of the Marquis Mansion. Go back.”

“Miss, this servant won’t leave.” Nanny Chang lowered her head, sobbing softly, “Even if the young lady and the Marquis resent me, I don’t care. I will not leave you, Miss.”

“I was the one who set this up in the first place. Sister Ning is so clever; she must have figured it out. But because you’ve cared for her all these years, you had to be implicated with me.” Mrs. Gu Sr.’s eyes were slightly wet, “First Brother already resents me over this, otherwise why would he have left me and gone over there. But I had no choice; I didn’t like anyone else, nor did I know what their intentions might be marrying into the family. I can’t just watch the Gu Mansion decline and could only resort to such measures to force First Brother, otherwise he wouldn’t agree.”

Mrs. Gu Sr. had not failed to persuade her eldest son before she came up with this plan, using Brother De to shoulder the responsibility. First Brother had always cherished Sister Ning, certainly unwilling to let her suffer like this, he would definitely save her.

In doing so, it would naturally make him responsible for Sister Ning’s reputation.

Mrs. Gu Sr. had already reached this point, with no way back. If Sister Ning had to resent someone, let her resent her grandmother.

She also understood that with this scheme, Sister Ning would likely become distant from her.

In Tingxue Hall, Liang Hui sat by the bed with red eyes, while Zhao Housheng and Gu Yifeng remained silent in the outer flower hall.

Though Zhao Housheng did not outwardly express anger, his face did not look good.

“Marquis, it’s ultimately not proper for Sister Ning to remain at the Marquis Mansion. I’d like to take her back now.” Zhao Housheng stepped forward and said with cupped fists.

Gu Yifeng’s gaze landed lightly on him, and although his cool look exerted an invisible pressure on Zhao Housheng, considering his sister’s ordeal, he still braced himself to meet the gaze.

“You and your wife should go back first. When Sister Ning wakes up, I will have someone send her home.” Gu Yifeng’s words left no room for rebuttal.

Zhao Housheng wanted to argue back, but seeing the coldness flashing in the Marquis’s eyes, he closed his mouth.

The servant standing in the tea hall, Nanny Guo, needed no instructions to enter the inner room and call Liang Hui out.

When Liang Hui came out, her expression had also calmed considerably. Zhao Housheng strode out, while Liang Hui remembered to salute Gu Yifeng before leaving.

Once the people left, Gu Yifeng seemed to be drained, sitting on the couch with a hand against his head, leaving the servants in the room too afraid to breathe.

Nanny Guo shook her head; she hadn’t expected this scheme by Mrs. Gu Sr. No wonder nothing had been said about finding a match for the young lady at the Marquis Mansion lately.

Now that the young lady could marry into the Marquis Mansion, bearing the responsibility of the Gu Family’s main branch, it seemed to be a decision made long ago by Mrs. Gu Sr.

Mrs. Gu Sr. had always doted on the young lady; who would have thought she’d plot against her, using Nanny Chang too, even someone who came from the palace like her didn’t foresee it.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep