Gu Ying couldn't help feeling that Huo Qiyun was so fortunate to have someone care for her so wholeheartedly.
It was a pity that she herself failed to seize the happiness right in front of her.
She didn't know what had gotten into her. As she looked at the vast expanse of snow covering the artificial hill in the courtyard, her heart ached with inexplicable loss and melancholy.
She said she no longer believed in love between men and women in this world, yet she still couldn't help but envy Huo Qiyun...
Oh well, she would take it one step at a time. She didn't need anyone's love or pampering anyway.
"Miss!" Yanzhi waved her little hand as she came running over, holding a bamboo umbrella far away, running towards Gu Ying like an excited child. "There's a note!"
Illiterate Yanzhi ran over panting and shoved the note in front of Gu Ying eagerly, "Look, Miss! A servant secretly passed it in from the front gate and gave the password 'Kirin!' I guessed it must be from the Prince!"
Gu Ying's heart stirred.
She had just asked her aunt today, and now the Prince sent her a note already? How did he get the news so fast?
"Hurry and see what the Prince wrote!"
Gu Ying glared at her impatiently. "It's broad daylight. Aren't you afraid the Madam will find out?"
Only then did Yanzhi realize she was out of line. Blushing, she quickly looked around and shut her mouth.
Back in Twilight Snow Studio, Gu Ying took out the note again and unfolded it. The handwriting was bold and vigorous, forceful like hooks and silver like wires.
Seeing the words was like seeing the man himself. She could vividly imagine how overbearing he must have looked when he wrote these words.
"Tonight at the hour of the pig, under the eaves by the flower wall, to discuss marriage."
Gu Ying's cheeks grew inexplicably warm. How arbitrarily overbearing this man was!
Had she agreed to marry him that he would make such presumptions?
"Miss, what did the Prince say on it?"
Gu Ying pressed her lips together, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.
She pretended to be cold and aloof as she tossed the note into the charcoal brazier, watching it turn to ashes. Her mood was quite complicated. "Nothing..."
"I saw several words on it! Don't think you can fool me just because I'm illiterate!"
"He said to marry you off to his servant named Huai An."
"What?" Yanzhi's eyes widened in disbelief. "How could the Prince do that?"
"So now you understand that marriage is not something to be talked about casually, right?"
"I don't believe it." Yanzhi stuck her chin up stubbornly.
How could the Prince remember a lowly maid like her and marry her off to Huai An?
Gu Ying didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The Prince asked to secretly meet her alone at night. That was a huge taboo for an unmarried man and woman. Yet he completely disregarded propriety and even brazenly delivered the note into the Mansion. What did that imply?
It meant he didn't care at all about gossip or rules. If he wanted to meet someone, he would stop at nothing to make it happen. That was quite valiant and fearless like when he drew his sword to abduct his wife back then.
If she didn't show up tonight, who knew what else he might do.
He really was a madman.
Gu Ying was torn. Just then, Yin Lan brushed the snow off her shoulder and entered the room, parting the curtain.
"What were you and Yanzhi talking about?"
Gu Ying had not made up her mind whether to meet the Prince yet. Looking up, she smiled awkwardly, "Oh, just joking around."
Yin Lan cast a puzzled look at Yanzhi's aggrieved face but didn't ask further. She pushed Yin Zhu forward.
"Miss, Yin Zhu found out some things she wants to tell you."
Hearing about important matters, Gu Ying tensed up instantly and forgot all about the Prince. Staring intently at Yin Zhu's emotionless face, she asked carefully, "Go on, tell me."
Expressionlessly, Yin Zhu presented a West Pool longevity hairpin to Gu Ying.
Gu Ying took a closer look at the hairpin, finding it increasingly familiar. "This hairpin..."
Yin Zhu licked her lips and said flatly, "It belongs to Mrs. Liu. I've been watching Muffeng Studio for several days and discovered Mrs. Liu sneaking over there late at night when everyone else was asleep, wearing a black cloak. This hairpin was left behind accidentally in Muffeng Studio after her adulterous rendezvous with Dr. Liu."
At the mention of 'adulterous', Yanzhi's eyes bulged in shock. "Has the Madam lost her mind? How dare she do something like this! She's the main wife of our Mansion!"
Yin Lan gave a faint smile, her face contemptuous. "So what if she's the main wife? The Master has been doting on Aunt Zhao and neglecting her for years. She's a woman in her thirties. Of course she feels lonely and restless without a man. Just back from Nanhai Hunting Ground, she immediately took up with Dr. Liu. It's clear she is very lustful."
"This, this, this..." Yanzhi felt her worldview shattered once again.
Back when Mrs. Liu insisted on keeping Dr. Liu in the Mansion to treat the young master's leg disease despite objections, no one found it inappropriate. After all, there were so many eyes in the Mansion. No matter how bold she was... How could she dare to have an affair right under their noses!
This news was just too shocking!
The girls in the room now were all unmarried maidens who knew nothing about the affairs between men and women.
Realizing she had spoken too much, Yin Lan's face flushed red. She turned to check Gu Ying's expression. "What do you think, Miss?"
Gu Ying's brows pressed together. She didn't find it improper at all. Her young face was stern, exuding a gravitas beyond her years.
She was shocked for a moment, then her red lips slowly curled up into a cold smile.
This was just perfect timing!
She had been worrying about how to deal with Mrs. Liu, and now Mrs. Liu had voluntarily offered up such a huge flaw. This was a godsend!
"Yin Zhu, did you see Mrs. Liu with your own eyes?"
Yin Zhu nodded. "I saw her take off her veil with my own eyes and embrace Dr. Liu in the outbuilding. Half a minute later, Mrs. Liu tidied her clothes and left. After that, Dr. Liu started drinking. Before bed, he went to the young master's room to check on his leg disease but didn't do anything and directly went back to rest."
Gu Ying's dark eyes narrowed coldly, and she suddenly clenched her fists. Judging from this, the situation was very clear. It was Mrs. Liu who harmed her brother!
It seemed that Dr. Liu and Mrs. Liu could no longer stay!
"Yin Zhu, keep watching Muffeng Studio. Report to me immediately if anything happens."
"Yes."
Without another word, Yin Zhu turned and left.
Receiving this news, Gu Ying felt greatly relieved.
Now she just hoped Imperial Physician Wang would come soon on imperial orders. Several days had passed with no news, and she was growing worried that someone was interfering behind the scenes.
After sitting for a while, she couldn't sit still and wanted to go take a look at Muffeng Studio.
Leaning against the doorframe, Cui Ling stretched out her little hand for money as usual. "Second Miss coming to see the young master again?"
The rich patron had arrived, so she smiled ingratiatingly.
