Yanzhi quickly dodged back and pushed the rouge in front of her. She raised her chin and said, "Madam, if you dare to touch my lady again, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Gu Old Madam's chest heaved violently as she glared at Gu Ying with terrifying coldness. "Good! Now that you've married, you turn your back on me?"
Gu Ying laughed lightly. "I haven't turned my back on you. I just won't have dealings with the Duke of Dongping's residence from now on."
Gu Old Madam flared with anger again. "Gu Ying!"
Gu Ying smiled gently without a hint of anger. "Grandmother, it's useless no matter how much you yell. I married into Prince Guo's estate. From now on, I will take the Zhao surname. It's none of your business since you are surnamed Gu."
Gu Old Madam laughed coldly again and again. Fury filled her chest and her old face turned purple. "Fine. It was you who said it. If you suffer any grievances in your husband's house in the future, don't condescend to take half a step into my Gu house!"
After the Old Madam finished yelling, an awkward silence filled the entire Changfeng Pavilion.
The Eldest Prince had gone to the garrison today. Inside and outside the yard, the servants who were attending clenched their nerves. After all, this woman held an extraordinary status. And she was carrying the little Eldest Prince of Prince Guo's estate in her belly. No one dared to be negligent and let Gu Old Madam harm her.
Soon, more than a dozen maids gathered around. Yanzhi and Hai Tang in particular glared at the old woman.
Gu Old Madam's expression was extremely ugly. Her lips were pressed into a taut straight line. "I'm your grandmother. How dare you treat me like this?! Do you still care about face if this gets out?!"
Gu Ying knew that she didn't dare make trouble in Prince Guo's estate. The corner of her mouth contained an extremely indifferent smile as she quietly looked at her.
Gu Old Madam stared at her with the pair of clear eyes and suddenly didn't know whether to continue yelling and shouting.
Gu Ying's lips curled into a cold smile. She patted Yanzhi's shoulder and walked out from behind her to stand in front of her grandmother.
Until today at seventeen years old, she had never dared to look her straight in the eye like this.
As she looked into those old eyes filled with anger, hatred, resentment and malice, she really couldn't understand why she had desperately tried to please her and the main room in the past.
She finally awakened. The huge boulder pressing on her heart had finally fallen to the ground.
"Grandmother."
Gu Old Madam stared fixedly at her.
Gu Ying laughed lightly. She casually said, "I communicated with Father recently."
Gu Old Madam's body trembled. She stiffly moved her eyes.
Gu Ying didn't miss the panic in the depths of her eyes and continued to laugh. "Father said he will be back this winter to see me and A Ning."
Gu Old Madam's lips quivered slightly as she tried to speak but couldn't make a sound. "You..."
Gu Ying sighed ruefully, her brows and eyes clear. "At that time, Grandmother should come too. Family should reunite, right?"
As soon as she said this, her most respected grandmother fled in defeat, only leaving her a flustered back view when she left.
Gu Jia cried and made a fuss like a child. She couldn't bear to leave the tasty pastries at Changfeng Pavilion and had taken a liking to the beautiful glass lantern at Prince Guo's estate.
"Mine! They are all mine! These are all mine!" She clamored and shouted to claim ownership of the glass lantern.
Gu Ying looked down at her from a high vantage point. She raised her hand and smashed the glass lantern in front of Gu Jia's face. There wasn't the slightest ripple in her eyes.
Under such a gaze, Gu Jia was so frightened that she wet herself. The stench of urine meandered out from under her skirt, flowing a long way.
"Ah!" She cried out with a wail. Her exquisite made-up face became even more ghostly.
Gu Ying only felt refreshed. Gu Jia's miserable state pleased her. She wouldn't let her die but would only let her live a lifetime of humiliation like this.
After Gu Jia was thrown out of Prince Guo's estate, Gu Ying completely broke off dealings with the Duke of Dongping's residence.
When the Eldest Prince returned and heard about this, he praised her for doing well. At night, he helped massage her sore waist and back and even personally bathed and washed her hair by himself.
She didn't have anything else to do on ordinary days either, still studying medicine with Mrs. Lin and managing medicinal herbs during her leisure time as usual.
Shen Ruxu calmed down a lot. She almost never came to liven things up around her anymore. She would only occasionally run into her at Lingxi Pavilion. They wouldn't exchange more than a few words before Shen Ruxu hurriedly left.
Mrs Lin said that she had recently opened a medicine shop outside to see patients’ illnesses and grab medicine. She seemed a lot more down-to-earth.
Hai Tang often followed Shen Ruxu. Everything she said and did, every little detail would be reported back.
Therefore, she wasn't worried that Shen Ruxu would make some sinister move behind the scenes. In any case, it was almost impossible for her to enter Changfeng Pavilion’s territory.
It was just that Su He had come to the estate as a guest more often recently.
He went to Changzhou to investigate the fire in Concubine Wan’s hometown. On the way, he was assassinated and accidentally blinded both eyes when saving people.
The doctors outside couldn't cure it. Only Mrs. Lin could treat it.
When Mrs. Lin treated him, he still bragged with satisfaction that he adapted well. In just over a month, he had completely adapted to the darkness and his hearing became even more acute.
Gu Ying laughed at him. "Then isn't it even better to not treat it?"
Su He said, "How could that be okay? Li Yang's cronies mocked me yesterday. I have to secretly heal my eyes to shock everyone."
Gu Ying stared at the gauze over his eyes, lost in thought.
Tianqi Emperor still forgave Li Yang under Concubine Wan’s whispers. She heard the emperor’s health had been poor recently and Dongli’s courtiers were worried there would be no successor for the dynasty. They frequently pressed him to establish a crown prince as soon as possible at court.
Prince Duan and Prince Shu each had their own supporters. The battle for the crown prince became increasingly fierce.
She also didn't know how Ning Si was doing at Prince Duan’s estate.
After passing Qingjie, she should find an opportunity to go to the prince’s estate and see her, lest Prince Duan had no sense of propriety and harmed her.
Su He murmured, "Sister-in-law, do you still remember my nephew?"
Gu Ying was startled. "You have a nephew?"
"Has pregnancy made you stupid for three years that you've forgotten him so quickly?" Su He was surprised as he pursed his lips and reminded, "Marquis Yong’an’s young master, Su Huanfeng."
Gu Ying hadn't heard that person's name in a while. In her memory, he was her former brother-in-law who protected her elder sister's glory, riches and honor for a lifetime.
After she was reborn, she had broken off his marriage fate with Gu Jia.
It was just a fluke that she had originally wanted to find him, but in the end found A Du instead...
Gu Ying felt it was somewhat funny and also marveled at the wonders of fate.
In this life, he hadn't done anything to wrong her and had treated her very well. He even helped make things difficult for Gu Jia at the winter hunt.
She recalled his bright smile and unruly grin then. He really was a dashing and unrestrained handsome youth who dared to love and hate.
"How is he now?"
Su He shouldn't have brought up Su Huanfeng. If A Du heard this, he would give him a good beating.
But he couldn't help but mention him.
"After your dissolved engagement, he enlisted in the army."
