Chapter 28

The servants in the grand mansion were all shrewd people. Even though it was the old master himself who ordered someone to bring Gu Qiancheng into the mansion, these people did not dare to show any favor to Gu Qiancheng under the watchful eyes of the lady of the house.

Fortunately, Gu Qiancheng had not expected to secure her position in the Gu family with just this move. Dragging her injured body, Gu Qiancheng limped into the flower hall under the watchful eyes of the Gu family's servants.

In the flower hall, the old master and the old lady sat in the middle, while Gu Qiancheng's father and stepmother stood behind the two elders. Their faces were relatively calm, indicating that although last night's incident was quite serious, they had managed to control it and prevent it from reaching the ears of the old master and the old lady.

When the two saw Gu Qiancheng walk in, covered in dirt, their brows involuntarily furrowed. Before Gu Qiancheng could steady herself, the Duke of Gu scolded, "Qiancheng, you are really too undisciplined. Knowing that the old master wants to see you, you didn't even change your clothes before coming."

This was her own father. Seeing his daughter appear covered in blood, he was not concerned about her well-being but instead blamed her for disgracing him.

"Sir, don't blame Qiancheng. Qiancheng is a sensible child. She must have rushed here to avoid keeping the old master waiting. Qiancheng, are you hurt? If you feel unwell anywhere, you must tell your mother. I will immediately send for a doctor. A girl must not be left with scars on her body." Lady Gu smiled very gently, absolutely deserving the title of the best stepmother in the Great Qin.

There was no choice. Lady Gu could not afford to make any mistakes now. Although last night's incident had been quelled, Lady Gu knew that the old lady still harbored resentment towards her.

To please her husband, even though she hated Gu Qiancheng, Lady Gu had to act gentle and kind at this moment to make the Duke of Gu forget about last night.

Of course, this was all while ignoring the handkerchief in her hand, which was twisted into a rope.

Gu Qiancheng smiled lightly, a mix of sarcasm and mockery. Ignoring the two, she bowed slightly and greeted, "Granddaughter greets Grandfather and Grandmother."

Before the old master could speak, the old lady preempted him, scolding, "Look at you, so messy and unruly, completely lacking the grace of a well-bred lady. No wonder Prince Chu refused to marry you."

The old lady's face was very ugly. It was she who decided to send Gu Qiancheng away, and the old master's order to bring her back was a direct slap in the face.

"Grandmother, my mother died early, and there is no one in this mansion for me to learn from. Naturally, I do not know how a well-bred lady should behave." Gu Qiancheng did not name anyone, but her words were sharper than if she had.

"Ridiculous." The old lady angrily slapped the table, believing that Gu Qiancheng's actions were a challenge to her authority. Gu Qiancheng lowered her head and did not look at the old master.

She was very clear that the old master had not called her to the study alone to give her a warning, to make her understand that without his protection, she was nothing in the Gu family, and it was best not to play any tricks on him.

Sure enough, the old master was not really going to scold Gu Qiancheng. Before his wife could get angry, he spoke first, "Enough, both of you should speak less. Qiancheng is injured. Someone, go and fetch the imperial physician with my note."

When the old master spoke, he deliberately glanced at Gu Qiancheng's left leg, then looked at his wife and daughter-in-law with dissatisfaction. The two felt guilty and dared not speak further.

The old master would not argue with women. He only scolded his son, "Eldest son, although the inner courtyard is managed by women, you should not be confused about what you should know. Our Gu family's daughters are precious. When have we ever been so poor that we cannot afford a doctor?"

"Father, son (daughter-in-law)..." The Duke of Gu and Lady Gu immediately knelt down, ready to explain, but were interrupted by the old master, "Enough, I do not want to pursue the past. Both of you, leave."

The old master was giving a sweet potato after a slap, also warning Gu Qiancheng that he could protect her, but he would not cause trouble in the inner courtyard or interfere in the affairs between his son and daughter-in-law for her sake.

The old master's reaction was exactly as Gu Qiancheng had expected. She was not disappointed and stood there calmly. The old master nodded in satisfaction, "Qiancheng, go back and rest well. When you are better, come and greet your grandfather again."

Although the old master was eager for the other half of the *Yi Guo Zhi*, with Gu Qiancheng right in front of him, he was not worried about not getting it. After the initial excitement, he quickly calmed down and waited for Gu Qiancheng to offer the second half of the book.

"Thank you, Grandfather. When I am better, I will definitely come and greet you." The longer it took, the higher the expectations, and the greater the disappointment would be.

Although Gu Qiancheng hoped the old master would ask about the *Yi Guo Zhi* now, she knew that rushing was not a good strategy. If the old master could be patient, she could be patient too.

Ignoring Lady Gu's twisted face, Gu Qiancheng, supported by the servants, sat in a sedan chair. Before leaving, she deliberately asked in front of the old master, "Father, Mother, I wonder if my courtyard has been prepared. Otherwise, I won't be able to recover."

Gu Qiancheng's tone was gentle and natural, with no intention of complaining. However, the Duke of Gu and Lady Gu, feeling guilty, had very unnatural expressions.

Lady Gu even felt the pain in her chest where she had been kicked by the Duke of Gu last night. She rubbed it hard and then forced a smile, "Qiancheng, rest assured. Your courtyard has always been kept tidy. You can move in whenever you return."

Not likely. She had been busy all day sealing the servants' mouths and taking care of Qianxue. She had no time to tidy up Gu Qiancheng's courtyard. It was still the same as when Gu Qiancheng left.

"Thank you, Mother." Gu Qiancheng did not expose her.

Rome wasn't built in a day. She had time, and she would take it slowly...

The old master knew the ins and outs, but since Gu Qiancheng was not pressing, he would not ask.

There was no right or wrong in the inner courtyard, only whether things were done well. The old master was a shrewd person and would not dig into the details or scold his daughter-in-law for her mistakes.

The family dispersed. As soon as Lady Gu returned to her courtyard, she ordered the servants to tidy up Gu Qiancheng's courtyard. With the old master supporting Gu Qiancheng, even though she hated her, she had to put on a show.

To demonstrate her kindness and propriety, Lady Gu suppressed the turmoil in her heart and, in front of the Duke of Gu, instructed the servants, "Pick the best decorations from the storeroom and send them to the eldest miss's courtyard for her to choose from. Also, select the fabrics the empress bestowed before the New Year, in the patterns the eldest miss likes, and send them to the sewing room to make several sets of clothes for her."

"Yes." A few matrons took the storeroom keys and quickly left, leaving the space for the master and lady.

What is the eldest miss anyway!

No matter how angry the master was, she had the skills to make him revolve around her, with no one else in his heart or eyes...

To the readers: The saved drafts are almost used up. Three updates tomorrow!