The husband who forced her to marry her couldn't keep her warm, and she didn't want him to

The temperature in the greenhouse is pleasantly warm, as if spring has arrived, and the air is filled with fresh, elegant and fragrant floral scents.

In the rockery made of Taihu stones, gurgling water flows slowly from top to bottom, making the voices behind the camellia tree faint, and you have to listen carefully to catch them.

Bai Zhi was the head maidservant beside Gu Jinchu. Whenever Gu Jinchu went to Minghui Hall to pay his respects, he would usually bring her with him.

The masters and servants present were naturally more familiar with Bai Zhi. Moreover, in the entire Dingguo Mansion, there was only Bai Zhi, the capable maidservant beside the Fifth Madam of Yuanyuan Hall.

A few days ago, after learning that Gu Jinchu had betrothed Bai Zhi to He You, the masters of each household, for the sake of the Fifth Madam, all added dowry to the soon-to-be-married Bai Zhi.

The corners of Madam Jiang's mouth tightened slightly on her usually calm face. She raised her hand to signal Gu Jinchu to stay calm, and then looked at the two figures behind the tree with cold eyes.

Li frowned, feeling something was wrong.

In her opinion, the maid who could be valued so much by the fifth brother's wife must not be a shallow-eyed person. How could she do such an outrageous thing when exchanging engagement letters?

She couldn't help but lean close to Gu Jinchu's ear and whispered, "Fifth brother's wife, you have to call the person out and ask clearly... You can't let your reputation be implicated in this unclear way!"

Wang raised her eyelids and glanced at Li, with a look as if she didn't recognize her.

This idiot is never useful at critical moments.

At this time, I heard someone crying intermittently: "...I have met Guard Gao several times before, and he saved me...How can I be inferior to Bai Zhi who is about to get married!"

"Don't say that casually. A girl's reputation is the most important..." Another voice said cautiously, obviously disagreeing with what she said.

He then continued, "If the masters hear this, I will lose my job. Please stop talking. Just pretend I didn't hear anything about what happened today."

"There's no one here... I've only been here for a short time and don't have any close sisters, so I can only tell you this. I saw Bai Zhi and Gao De enter the servants' room with my own eyes, and many people saw it!"

Hearing this, Wang's mouth corners slightly lowered and she took a step forward.

There was a hint of calculation in his eyes, and he whispered to Madam Jiang, "Mother, leave the matter here to my daughter-in-law... We must not let the reputation of our Dingguo Mansion be tarnished."

The plain pearl hairpin on Li's head swayed in an arc in the air. She turned to look at her sister-in-law, her heart full of shock and confusion.

Is the sun rising from the west? Wasn't this scene arranged by her?

Early in the morning, I heard the new maid in the yard mention that her previous master liked to use roses to dye her nails. Not only did the color become pink, but the fragrance it exuded was so natural that it seemed like natural body odor.

Otherwise, she would never have set her sights on the flower petals in her mother-in-law's greenhouse.

Could it be that she was being taken advantage of again?

Gu Jinchu knew that he was already in a trap. This time, Wang was smarter than before.

Although Madam Jiang was not in charge of the household affairs, she had been in the inner courtyard for many years. When she got together with several old sisters around her, she often heard them talk about the secrets of the backyard.

Her face was calm, but her eyes were filled with wisdom accumulated over the years. She patted Gu Jinchu's hand, but was comforted by her daughter-in-law:

"Mother, please don't be angry. Why don't you let those two people inside come out... If the servants around me make a mistake, as their master, I, your daughter-in-law, will also be to blame."

After hearing this, Wang no longer insisted on her attitude.

Gu Jinchu was still too young and didn't realize that when such a scandal occurred in the back house, it would not only damage the reputation of the Duke Dingguo's Mansion.

Even her husband, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, would be at risk of being reported to the Emperor for impeachment by his political opponents.

Li, who was standing aside, was a little confused about her eldest sister-in-law and fifth brother's wife.

Aren't they supposed to be the least compatible?

The eldest sister-in-law wants to secure her position as the Crown Prince's wife. If she has the opportunity, she will severely suppress the fifth branch.

Shouldn't the Fifth Brother's wife just go with the flow and take the mother-in-law away, and then find the eldest sister-in-law later? Even if it means handing the handle to the eldest wife, shouldn't she suppress this scandal and prevent it from fermenting!

The conversation inside seemed to be coming to an end, and there was also an unclear pulling sound.

"Sister Nianyun, please stop telling me... I'm not like you, a child of the Jiang family... I will pretend that I didn't hear anything you said today!"

"What are you afraid of? I'm not afraid even if Madam Five finds out!"

As they were talking, the camellia tree flashed in front of the group of people, and it seemed that the people behind were about to come out.

Wang glanced at Mother Zhang, her eyes flashing with sharpness. Why was Nian Yun's attitude different from what she expected?

Mother Zhang was sweating profusely, but she stood there trying to remain calm.

Gu Jinchu held Madam Jiang's arm, feeling her hand was a little cold, and stood beside her and shouted, "I'm right here, whoever's inside might as well come out and tell me!"

As soon as she finished speaking, a short scream was heard, and a little girl with two buns came crawling out.

Then she knelt on the ground without raising her head and said in a trembling voice: "Greetings to the masters. I heard nothing and saw nothing."

The little girl's face was full of fear and her body was shaking constantly.

Behind the little girl, came a young girl with a fresh and charming face.

Seeing so many masters standing a few steps away, he looked flustered, but his posture of greeting and tone of voice showed that he was a man who had seen the world.

"I am Xia Long's granddaughter Xia Nianyun. I am honored to meet the Madam and all the ladies." Xia Nianyun knelt there, with a hint of uneasiness in her eyes. She would never dare to stand up before her masters spoke.

Wang looked down at her and said in a cold voice, "Where do you work as a servant? How come you come to the Duke's wife's conservatory and talk nonsense! If you offend the Fifth Madam like this, selling you off would be the least of your punishment!"

Gu Jinchu turned to look at Wang and smiled slightly, "Sister-in-law has been the housekeeper for these years and has always been strict with herself and her subordinates.

My sister-in-law also wants to understand the whole story, and also wants to let people know whether the servants of my Yuanyuan Hall are really that unruly! "

Although there was a faint smile on her lips, her eyes were very sharp.

After she finished speaking, she looked at Madam Jiang, helped her sit on the brocade stool brought by Mother Hu, and asked softly, "Mother, do you know where Xia Long, whom Xia Nianyun mentioned, works?"