Mrs. Liu was stunned for a moment, then quickly regained her composure and slowly said, "Where did you two go last night? As unmarried young ladies, staying out all night and coming back looking like this, how proper is that?"
These words were truly heartless.
With what had happened last night, with all the imperial guards of the hunting grounds mobilized, there was no way Mrs. Liu didn't know what was going on.
She was just being petty, seeing the two of them return unharmed and deliberately trying to make things difficult for them.
Gu Ying was no longer the soft persimmon that could be manipulated by others. Naturally, she would not let Mrs. Liu have her way.
"What is mother-in-law saying?" Gu Ying sat up straight, a smile blossoming on her dirty little face. "My sister and I narrowly escaped death last night. If it hadn't been for the Ye Family's rescue, I'm afraid we wouldn't be standing here paying our respects to mother-in-law today."
Mrs. Liu was so angry she slapped the table. "Gu Ying, how dare you talk back to me like that? Bringing up the Ye Family too, what kind of status is the Ye Family, who do you think you are to try and get close to them?"
"Talk back? What exactly does mother-in-law not believe about us?" Gu Ying was so angry she almost laughed. "We've come back looking like this much of a mess, nearly died in the Black Forest, could it be we were secretly meeting with men? Mother-in-law doesn't believe we are innocent, only thinking of how to falsely accuse us and get us in trouble with Grandmother when we return home?"
Having her intentions seen through, Mrs. Liu's face turned ashen. "You..."
"Hehe." Gu Ying insisted on bringing out into the open the shady thoughts made in private. "In other households, any family with a little status and reputation would protect their young ladies well. Regardless of birth order or seniority, they are all virtuous young ladies from good families, with reputations intact. Only in our great Marquis Fu, overseen by mother-in-law, is there this murky, foul air. Now who in the capital does not laugh at the young ladies of Marquis Fu for having no self-respect or propriety? Grandmother worked hard for many years to slowly build up the good reputation of Marquis Fu, yet mother-in-law has totally destroyed it all. When we return home, Grandmother will surely stand on our side in this."
Mrs. Liu's expression was extremely ugly.
But she soon remembered that under their machinations, Gu Ying's connections with the Ye Family had long been severed. Now Gu Ying was trying to use the Ye Family to pressure them, wishful thinking!
Mrs. Liu slowly smiled. "Ying, your words sound nice, but I'm afraid the Ye Family is unwilling to acknowledge you as a niece."
Today she would definitively establish that Gu Ying and Fu Xun had fooled around together all night in the Black Forest.
There was no need for outsiders to know about this.
Once they returned to the Marquis Fu, telling Grandmother that Gu Ying had personally chosen Fu Xun at the hunting grounds, then spent the night with him in the Black Forest, would be enough to incur Grandmother's wrath.
At that time, forget about the engagement with Marquis Yong'an's estate, even an ordinary family would be unwilling to marry a ruined woman like Gu Ying. Even if Grandmother insisted on arranging a marriage for her, it would only be to a lower ranking family.
As long as she secretly arranged things well, making sure Gu Ying married into a wolves' den and was stifled for life.
The dowry Madame Ye had prepared for Gu Ying would all become her precious Jia's.
The more Mrs. Liu thought about it, the more satisfied she was. She mocked, "Go on, does the Ye Family recognize you as a niece or not?"
Just as Gu Ying was about to speak.
At this moment, a loud voice suddenly came from outside the tent entrance.
"Who said the Ye Family doesn't recognize her as a niece?"
The voice arrived before the person, clear and melodious, carrying a bearing of class and refinement.
Gu Ying was astonished and exclaimed, "Auntie, why are you here?"
Didn't cousin say for Auntie to come visit her when she had time?
This 'had time' came too quickly!
Gu Ying hurriedly turned to look. She saw the thick curtains outside lifted, and a slender figure bent to enter.
She raised her delicate face, long brows, straight nose, red lips, brimming with masculine spirit yet exceptionally beautiful and dazzling.
Her hair was styled neatly and elegantly, long coat opulent yet simple. Around her neck was a collar of gray squirrel fur, her eyes holding a formidable astuteness, at first glance seeming fierce, but the distinct black and white of her eyes were full of doting.
Gu Ying was surprised. "Auntie, how did you come?"
Didn't cousin say for Auntie to come see her when she had time?
This 'had time' came too fast!
Gu Ying hurriedly turned to look. She saw the thick curtains being lifted outside the tent. A slender figure bent to enter.
She raised her delicate face, long brows, straight nose, red lips, brimming with spirit and exceptional beauty.
Her hair was neatly and elegantly styled, long coat opulent yet simple. Around her neck was a gray squirrel fur collar, her eyes holding a formidable astuteness, at first seeming fierce, but the distinct black and white of her eyes were full of doting.
Gu Ying was surprised and exclaimed, "Auntie, how did you come here?"
Qin walked in briskly and casually, nodded at Mrs. Liu, then took Gu Ying's hand and said, "Ying, this elder brother's wife is just the head madam of the main house of Marquis Fu. Isn't your dad away making his own fortune planning to split from the main house? How does the main house madam now interfere with you young ladies of the second house?"
Mrs. Liu and her daughter's faces darkened, forcing stiff smiles. "Madame Qin, what brings you here today?"
Weren't relations with Gu Ying severed?
How did she suddenly show up, could Gu Ying have secretly used some charm to summon her here?
Qin glanced at Mrs. Liu, steadily walked to the main seat in the tent and sat down.
Mrs. Liu the so-called head madam could now only stand. Even if she were to sit, it would only be in a lower position, clearly far inferior in status.
Qin unabashedly had Gu Shuang stand up and pulled Gu Ying to sit with her. Smiling she looked at Mrs. Liu standing below and said, "Look at what elder sister-in-law is saying. As auntie, coming to see my niece, do I need to pick an auspicious day from the Imperial Observatory to send an announcement to the Gu family mansion?"
