After Gu Shuang's joy subsided, she drooped her little face and said, "Why should I find fault with him? Although his official position is not high, his family has been engaged in official duties for generations. Moreover, he is the eldest son in his family. As a common-born daughter like me, how can I be qualified to reject him?"
Gu Ying chuckled and held the little girl's hand. "Didn't we say that as long as you like him and he likes you, Second Sister will help you. True lovers are rare in this world, and when you meet the right person, Fourth Sister must not let the opportunity slip away."
Gu Shuang expressed her grievances, "But my mother, she has lofty expectations and will certainly not allow me to marry Fu Dumu."
Gu Ying's eyes gleamed, "Leave Aunt Zhao to me. I, your Second Sister, have a clever plan."
Gu Shuang happily bit her lip and said, "Second Sister, my happiness depends on you."
Gu Ying understood Fu Xunzhi well. He was deeply affectionate and faithful to his promises. If he promised to marry Gu Shuang, he would definitely follow through.
With her secret assistance, this matter would surely succeed.
She smiled and rubbed the chubby face of the little girl. Gu Shuang would no longer suffer a miserable fate in her lifetime, and that brought Gu Ying a sense of comfort.
She inquired about the time Fu Xunzhi planned to come to propose.
Gu Shuang replied, "He said he would bring good luck and come on Lantern Festival."
Gu Ying nodded, "Yes, Lantern Festival is a good day. There will be lanterns and a temple fair. If everything goes well, we can go together and enjoy the Lantern Festival."
Gu Shuang still worried, "I hope it can really happen."
Gu Ying smiled and caressed the little girl's head, "Don't worry, he is destined to be yours."
Only then did Gu Shuang feel relieved. It was the first time she actively liked someone and desired to be with him. "Second Sister, if the heavens allow me to marry Fu Dumu smoothly, I am willing to exchange fifty years of my life."
Upon hearing this, a thought stirred in Gu Ying's heart. Somehow, an uneasiness emerged. "You silly girl, why are you talking about unlucky things?"
But then she thought again, could it be... that the bond between her and Fu Xunzhi in this life was the result of a tragic death in her past life?
If she hadn't been reborn, she wouldn't believe in such things at all.
But now, she had no choice but to believe in the words "fate" and "destiny." It seemed that everything had been predestined in the mysterious workings of the universe.
Just like her and the Eldest Prince... Even if they hadn't married in their previous life, they had a chance encounter by a twist of fate.
Unfortunately, she had been blind and mistakenly loved Jiang Yin.
But in her past life, what happened to the Eldest Prince in the end?
She distinctly remembered that the Emperor was not the Eldest Prince, yet Huo Qiyan did marry the Eldest Prince...
Her mind became a tangle of confusion, and she couldn't make sense of it no matter how hard she tried. So she decided to stop thinking about it for now.
After confiding in Gu Shuang, the evening sky was adorned with a silent red glow, and the heavy snowfall had finally ceased.
Gu Ying left the Mu Xue Pavilion and tightened the fox fur cloak around her. She went in search of the Eldest Prince.
In the pavilion of the backyard, she immediately spotted the tall figure of the Eldest Prince standing inside. The picturesque scenery served as a backdrop, and he himself was handsome like a god.
Looking at his elegant and upright figure from afar, Gu Ying felt a warm sensation inexplicably welling up in her heart. She quickened her pace and ran towards him.
Zhao Changdu heard a sound behind him and turned around.
A familiar fragrance wafted over as a delicate young girl threw herself into his arms.
A slight smile played at the corner of his lips as he embraced her slender waist, his chin resting against her hair. In a hoarse voice, he said, "Finally, you remembered that you have a husband."
Gu Ying looked into his cold and stern eyes for a moment, then buried her face in his embrace. "It's so cold, Adu. Let's go home."
Zhao Changdu paused for a moment, his phoenix-like eyes narrowing. With a swift movement, he lifted the person in his arms.
The eldest prince of the Duke's Residence personally carried his wife onto the carriage, and the news quickly spread.
Those rumors about the prince divorcing his wife received a resounding slap in the face.
Cheng, who was already furious, became even more uncontrollable upon hearing the rumors of Gu Ying mistreating her, the mother-in-law!
...
With the arrival of the Lunar New Year, the grand banquet in the palace was just around the corner.
Common folks were already joyfully preparing for the New Year, while the noble families and officials were busy preparing gifts for the palace.
Although Gu Ying managed the private assets and Changfeng Pavilion of the Eldest Prince, when it came to exchanging gifts between various noble households and relatives, it was always Cheng who made the decisions.
This time, she finally seized an opportunity to embarrass Gu Ying in front of the Empress and the influential figures.
The Empress was in poor health and the winter weather was harsh, making it difficult for women, especially those weak in constitution, to endure.
The Empress had been recuperating in a separate palace near the hot springs, and recently, she wanted someone with a suitable birth chart to transcribe the "Diamond Sutra" and the "Ksitigarbha Sutra" for Prince Duan, who was also weak and frequently ill.
Coincidentally, Gu Ying's birth chart was a good match.
Cheng immediately reported her name to the palace.
A legitimate daughter of an unlearned marquis's family, let's see how she could maintain her arrogance this time!
When Gu Ying received this news, she was busy arranging accommodations for Gu Ning.
The Eldest Prince was not in the residence today; he had gone to the palace to make arrangements for the security during the New Year festivities in the palace and the entire Bianjing.
"Wife, Cheng clearly wants to make you embarrass yourself in front of the Empress," Rouge said irritably. "She knows you're not good at calligraphy, yet she deliberately assigned you this task. Her heart is truly vicious."
Gu Ying smiled and said, "Alright, don't be angry. Getting angry harms the body. Your mistress knows what's going on in her heart."
Mrs. Liu was just playing her little schemes within the estate.
But Cheng played her tricks even within the palace. Gu Ying found it hard to believe that Lady Huo Qiyan didn't have a hand in this.
Lady Huo Qiyan had intended to marry Huo Qiyan to the Eldest Prince, but Gu Ying had beaten her to it. It was only natural for Lady Huo to hold a grudge, but no matter how formidable the Cheng family's methods were, Gu Ying was still a member of the Huo family. They were not in the same residence, so it wouldn't be easy for them to harm her.
She didn't take this matter too seriously and wholeheartedly focused on selecting a residence for Gu Ning.
The Eldest Prince allowed her to freely choose within the Duke's Residence, but she thought about it and decided to be more restrained.
In the western wing of Changfeng Pavilion, there was a small courtyard named Wanli Pavilion. It had a good location and environment, and it was close to her. It would be perfect for Ning to move in there.
Now, most of Aning's leg poison has been forced out by Royal Physician Wang, and once the remaining toxins are eliminated, his leg can slowly begin to recover.
She was not at ease with others taking care of him, so she placed Yin Zhu by his side.
Aning's mood has improved greatly in recent days, and he is more spirited than before. He even mentioned that in the future, when his legs are better, he wants to learn martial arts. Yin Zhu happens to be skilled in martial arts and can spar with him.
After Gu Ying finished arranging all the furniture and personnel matters in Wanli Pavilion, she suddenly saw Yin Lan rushing in with a hood on outside the window.
Through the thick curtains, Yin Lan anxiously said, "Madam, something bad has happened!"
Gu Ying lifted her gaze and asked, "What happened?"
Yin Lan entered the room and furrowed her brows. "Cui Ling caused trouble at the Duke's Residence and is now making a scene in front of Cheng's place, demanding to die or live."
