Both Gu Jia and Mrs. Liu were unhappy, it was obvious to anyone.
Right now Grandma Gu was receiving Master QingFeng in the back courtyard, still unaware of what had happened in the study. It would be better if she remained unaware, otherwise who knows how angry she would be.
Gu Ying calmly lifted her teacup and took a sip, the corners of her mouth curving into a faint smile where no one could see.
The show was over. She stood up and bowed to her aunts and sisters, "Gu Ying suddenly remembers she has something to attend to, so she'll take her leave first."
As the Crown Prince's favored one these days, no one in the household dared provoke her too much.
Gu Shuang also immediately stood up, "I made plans with second sister to look over Master Zhang's landscape paintings together. Second sister...wait for me!"
Gu Jia stared fixedly at the backs of Gu Ying and Gu Shuang as they left hand in hand, her crimson eyes seeming to shoot sparks.
Once out of Yongshou Hall, Gu Shuang covered her mouth and laughed, "Second sister, did you see it? Eldest sister looked about to turn green with anger."
Gu Ying smiled amusedly, "That was nothing. She's only lost a good husband for now, but soon - she'll lose someone even more important."
Gu Shuang was puzzled, "Second sister has something even more amazing planned?"
Gu Ying mysteriously curved her lips, "Just wait, there's still a good show to see today."
...
Not long after, Grandma Gu personally escorted Master QingFeng to the front gate. When she returned to the study in the main building leaning on her cane, Jiang Yin had already been punished by Gu Boyan to kneel outside the study.
It was snowing heavily outside, and the wind was cold, but no one dared plead for Jiang Yin.
Only Jiang Yin's delicate younger sister Jiang Ling'er, upon hearing her brother was punished to kneel, cried as she ran over wanting to kneel together with her brother, putting on a show of living and dying together.
"Brother, how are you? Are you cold?"
Jiang Ling'er tightly grasped Jiang Yin's hand, continuously trying to warm him.
Jiang Yin didn't say a word, his eyes as deep as a secluded winter spring.
"Brother, how could they do this to you...I'm so heartbroken..." Jiang Ling'er feebly cried in an annoying manner.
Gu Jia stared fixedly at Jiang Yin's indifferent handsome face, her expression already beyond simply ugly.
Clearly just last night this man had held her tenderly, comforting her well into the night...she had shuddered in his embrace, clasping his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, fantasizing about her future days as his honored wife lording over Gu Ying.
Yet today, Jiang Yin had brutally slapped her in the face.
Grandma Gu walked heavily past Jiang Yin, her expression solemn, and entered the study.
With the door shut, Gu Boyan and his wife stared apprehensively at the old madam, "Mother, what did Master QingFeng say?"
Grandma Gu sat in her chair, her aged face ashen white.
"He said, our household...is haunted by evil spirits."
Gu Boyan exclaimed in shock, "Evil spirits?!"
Grandma Gu no longer had the leisure to deal with Jiang Yin's matters. Hearing Master QingFeng say this, her whole body tensed up as she suddenly thought of Madam Ye who had passed away many years ago.
"Mother, just who is this evil spirit? Isn't it that wretched Gu Ying?" Mrs. Liu gnashed her teeth and said, "That girl is acting stranger and stranger. She had such a bizarre dream early this morning too."
Grandma Gu shook her head, "Master QingFeng said, Min'er's death...was indeed someone intentionally harming her. Min'er's resentful spirit is now possessing that wax plum tree, intentionally blooming it to warn us. If we cannot promptly find the murderer...Jiang Yin's demotion is merely the prelude to household chaos, with even greater disaster waiting for my Gu family!"
Mrs. Liu was shocked into silence, her lips trembling, "Just who killed Min'er..."
Grandma Gu's aged face was grave, "Master QingFeng will perform a ritual before that wax plum tree in a few days. We'll know the truth then."
Gu Jia didn't stay to hear the rest.
Her mind was filled only with her mother's intermittent sobs and her father's cold, heartless scolding.
She covered her mouth and ran outside. Halfway she anxiously grabbed Dou Kou, "Dou Kou...you, you...quick find a way to call Yin Lan over to me, I have something to ask her!"
Dou Kou was startled by her young mistress's blazing eyes. Assuming her mistress was angered by her future husband, she didn't think too much and immediately nodded before dashing off towards Twilight Snow Studio.
...
Gu Ying and Gu Shuang were drinking and appreciating the snow in the courtyard.
"Green ant dark wine, red clay mini stove. Second sister, after you marry I fear we won't be able to sit like this and leisurely drink anymore."
Gu Ying laughed, "I'll personally deliver next year's Peach Blossom Wine to you."
Gu Shuang happily sipped her flower wine, "Alright, I'll respectfully obey then."
As the two were chatting merrily, Yin Lan walked over with a smile, "Miss, Dou Kou came looking for me saying the eldest miss is embroidering pillows to use at her engagement and asks me to go over to help pick patterns."
Gu Ying brightly smiled, "Mhm, right on time then."
Yin Lan meaningfully smiled, "Miss's plans are truly ingenious."
Gu Ying was unruffled, everything was within her calculations, "Go on, pick some auspicious times for eldest sister."
Yin Lan's eyes flashed excitedly, "Miss be assured, I will certainly not fail in my mission."
Having said that, Yin Lan turned and left.
Gu Shuang curiously leaned in, "Second sister, can you really get the murderer who killed eldest sister to confess on their own?"
"Much injustice has its own retribution." Gu Ying's lips quirked up as she looked at the young girl's face, and was suddenly reminded of something, "Fourth sister, I heard Wang went to your mother's courtyard some days ago?"
Gu Shuang nodded, "Mhm, Wang was very enthusiastic. She heard mother's health is poor and specifically sent over a pile of things to nourish mother's health."
Gu Ying faintly felt something was off, "What were the things?"
Ever since her rebirth, she didn't dare underestimate anyone in the household. Naturally she also hadn't forgotten the inconspicuous Wang.
Someone like Wang, who appeared completely harmless, was often the most unexpected.
Gu Shuang didn't understand and explained, "Some health tonics. I took a look and they weren't poisonous, they really were just health and blood tonics."
Hearing this, Gu Ying immediately understood. She laughed coldly, "Quickly have your mother hide those tonics away."
"Ah, this..." Gu Shuang was even more confused. She was young and didn't understand such crooked schemes.
After Wang sent those tonics over, she had been very careful. She even specifically had the doctor examine them for any medicines that could induce miscarriage, and cautiously checked for any incompatible medicinal interactions before daring to let her mother use them. She had completely confirmed there were no poisons.
One look and Gu Ying knew Gu Shuang didn't understand. She earnestly advised, "Don't worry, it's still early. The child in your mother's belly is fine. Wang doesn't intend to make your mother miscarry either."
