Changfeng Pavilion has caused quite a stir these last couple days, making many people look on in admiration and envy this new lady of the house.
Cheng's mouth twitched in displeasure, then curled up in satisfaction. "I thought you didn't understand propriety, but it turns out you know a little something."
Gu Ying obediently responded, "It's all thanks to the Eldest Prince's teachings."
"He's busy with his career outside, what could he possibly know?" Cheng knew this was an opportunity, so she said to Huo Qiyun, "Ah Yun, come teach Ah Ying the proper etiquette for paying respects."
Huo Qiyun's body stiffened, and she raised her eyes to look at Gu Ying.
Gu Ying had already expected Cheng to come make trouble for her, and had prepared herself to meet the enemy head-on.
"Sister-in-law, you've gone to too much trouble."
Huo Qiyun looked at Gu Ying's radiant, charming little red face, and felt an awkward heat rise to her own cheeks. "Little sister, in our household, when paying respects to Mother, you must kneel on the ground and bow..."
Gu Ying raised an eyebrow, her eyes coolly looking at Huo Qiyun.
Cheng said, "Show her an example, don't let others say she's ill-mannered since she just got here."
Huo Qiyun felt humiliated inside, but had no choice. No one in the Duke's manor would stand up for her, she could only obediently kneel before Cheng, pressing her hands to her forehead and laying her whole body flat on the cold stone floor.
Not even a mat for her to kneel on, she felt wronged and pitiful.
Cheng didn't tell her to get up, so she didn't dare move.
Gu Ying watched Huo Qiyun's actions but didn't move, laughing, "Mother, such grand etiquette is only fit for my late birth mother and deceased mother-in-law, I'm afraid you can't accept it."
Hearing the mention of the deceased Lin, Cheng's brows furrowed as anger surged up. "What inauspicious words are you saying this early in the morning? Sun Mammy, smack her mouth!"
Sun Mammy immediately went over to hit her.
Yin Lan hurriedly shielded her young miss, pushing back Sun Mammy. Sun Mammy was old and no match for Yin Lan's strength, nearly toppling over from the push.
"Mistress, this servant girl actually dares to shove old servant!"
"Whoever dares touch our mistress will have to answer to the Eldest Prince!"
Cheng scoffed, "The back residence is under this mistress's jurisdiction, not just her, even if the Eldest Prince himself stood before me now, he's still my junior! If I say something, would he dare disobey?"
Yin Lan still wanted to tussle with Sun Mammy. Huo Qiyun was stunned and frightened into trembling all over.
Yet Gu Ying didn't show any fear, laughing, "Mother, the Eldest Prince said the etiquette of the Duke's manor is the etiquette of the Duke's manor, Changfeng Pavilion's etiquette is Changfeng Pavilion's etiquette. Ah Ying is of Changfeng Pavilion and need not abide by the Duke's manor's etiquette. So I'm afraid this show of respects will have to disappoint you."
Cheng's expression immediately soured. She didn't expect Gu Ying to be so bold as to directly defy her wishes.
From a lowly common girl to the Duke's concubine and now the prestigious Duke's wife, it had been a long time since she was this angry.
"You've eaten the gallbladder of a bear and leopard! Servants, hold her down! If she doesn't complete this etiquette today, don't let her step out of Baomo Hall!"
Some servant girls went to grab her.
Gu Ying coldly said, "Huai An!"
Huai An standing guard outside heard the commotion inside and immediately kicked the door open, holding his sword with imposing momentum as he strode in. "Who dares touch my master the Eldest Prince's wife? Ask my sword if it agrees!"
His stern shout made Cheng's face go pale. The aura of a major of the Qilin Army was not something the lady of the back residence could withstand.
"You, a guard, how dare you be here!"
Huai An lifted his chin, pulling Yin Lan into his arms protectively. "This subordinate was ordered by the Eldest Prince to protect the Mistress!"
"You, you... Duke! You must uphold justice for me!" Cheng's face was pallid as she pointed at Huai An, stammering and unable to get words out.
While still kneeling on the ground, Huo Qiyun's expression was complex.
Gu Ying helped her up. "Sister-in-law, why suffer such humiliation? Get up."
Huo Qiyun didn't dare get up, eyes reddening. "Little sister, don't..."
No one was backing her up, she didn't dare confront Cheng head-on.
If she defied Cheng and went back, it would be a beating from Zhao Changxing. In this cold weather, if she got sick again, there'd be no money for medicine.
Gu Ying knew her plight and didn't insist further. After angering Cheng, she left Baomo Hall with Yin Lan and Huai An.
As they left, the sounds of smashing porcelain and angry wailing curses could be heard from inside.
"Hurry and tell someone to get the Duke to uphold justice for me!"
"Heavens! A daughter-in-law bullying her mother-in-law, where's the natural order and justice?!"
Gu Ying strangely felt great satisfaction. She too had endured her mother-in-law's torment for a man's sake, swallowing the indignity and not daring to retaliate.
But it was different now. Not only did she come today to pay respects to Cheng, she would come every day from now on until Cheng was angered to the point of losing her appetite.
...
Huo Qiyun tearfully emerged from Baomo Hall and upon raising her eyes, saw Gu Ying standing under a plum tree not far away, seemingly waiting for her.
She hurriedly turned away to clumsily wipe the tears from her face.
Only then did she lift her head with a dry laugh and walk over to Gu Ying. "Why hasn't little sister left yet?"
Gu Ying stared at the red swelling on her cheek and directly asked, "Does Cheng always humiliate you like this?"
Huo Qiyun smiled bitterly. "I'm used to it."
Seeing how pitiful she was, Gu Ying comforted, "Don't be afraid, try resisting her. If Cheng dares mistreat you again, the Eldest Prince will uphold justice for you."
Huo Qiyun looked up in astonishment.
"What's more, if word spreads about you kneeling to pay respects, no one will take Cheng's side. There's no etiquette in all of Dong Li of a daughter-in-law kneeling on the floor to pay respects to her mother-in-law. Even if the Duke finds out, for the sake of the manor's reputation, he wouldn't dare shield Cheng."
Huo Qiyun stared at her, eyes full of disbelief.
Someone must have told the woman before her about her and Du's past.
She was Du's wife, so why would she want to help her?
"You-" Her nose tingled and eyes reddened. "Are willing to help me?"
Gu Ying's mouth curved up as she grasped Huo Qiyun's battered little hand. "Women helping women is only natural."
It was precisely because she had undergone a similar experience that she empathized and wanted to help her.
No matter if the Eldest Prince liked Huo Qiyun or used to like her but didn't anymore.
Facing someone sinking into misery, she couldn't just stand by.
Moreover, she had carefully considered that if the Eldest Prince...still had feelings for Huo Qiyun.
She could find a way to free Huo Qiyun, then quietly bring her into Changfeng Pavilion. After she divorced the Eldest Prince, he could then raise Huo Qiyun to the position of Eldest Prince's wife.
That would also count as repaying the Eldest Prince's kindness in helping her.
