Chapter 30

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“Ah!” Nanny Xu, caught off guard by the push, fell hard onto the floor. The spilled tea quickly soaked her skirt, and the sharp porcelain shards jabbed painfully into her behind.

Dazed and bewildered, she looked up at Old Madam Gu’s frightened, unsettled eyes.

“Enough!” Old Madam Gu, her mind a chaotic storm of fear, panic, and unease, erupted in anger. “You’re a woman with elders above and children below, yet you seem to have no sense of mercy or compassion! Always talking about killing—such a violent temper! You carry so much blood guilt. Perhaps it’s best you shave your head and go to a nunnery to pray for the family’s fortune!”

“Please, Old Madam, forgive me…” Nanny Xu was dumbfounded, unable to understand what she had said wrong.

Her legs weakened, and she fell to her knees, her knees pressing into the cat hairs and ashes on the floor, though she hardly noticed. She repeatedly knocked her head against the smooth, gleaming floor, her forehead quickly swelling. But Old Madam Gu’s heart was as cold as stone, unmoved by her pleas, as she raised her voice and called out, “Someone, come here.”

Li Mama and the head maid Bailu rushed in upon hearing the commotion, just as Old Madam Gu issued her command with finality, “Nanny Xu has overstepped her bounds and disrespected her superiors. Give her twenty strokes as a warning to others. Once she has received her punishment, send her to Mei An Temple for reflection!”

Li Mama and Bailu were both taken aback, while Nanny Xu, terrified, continued to kowtow frantically. “Old Madam, I understand my mistake.”

Her face was as white as a sheet, her entire body trembling uncontrollably with fear. The hierarchy in the Marquis’ Household was ruthless; when she had once enjoyed Old Madam’s favor, her family had also benefited. Her two eldest sons held positions within the household, and her three grandsons, all over ten, served as young attendants to the family’s sons.

But now that she had fallen from favor, her family would likely be trampled upon, with no chance for advancement.

Old Madam Gu’s expression remained stony, utterly unmoved. The staff at Cihe Hall knew her character all too well. Without hesitation, Li Mama called in two strong servant women and, with a polite but firm tone, said to Nanny Xu, “Sister Xu, apologies.”

The two servant women were taken aback, hardly believing that Nanny Xu, once trusted by Old Madam Gu, had suddenly fallen out of favor. Quickly, they lifted her up from the ground, one on each side, and dragged her roughly toward the door.

“Old Madam, I—” Nanny Xu tried to call out in desperation, but her voice was muffled as someone stuffed a cloth into her mouth, leaving only faint, muffled sounds. Soon, Cihe Hall fell silent once more, with only the front door curtain swaying softly in the stillness.

Two young maids entered and quickly began cleaning up the broken porcelain and spilled tea on the floor.

“Send someone to inform White Horse Temple that I will go there for incense offerings tomorrow morning…” Old Madam Gu instructed, her heart still racing, the echo of its rapid beat drumming in her ears.

However, Bailu hesitated, her expression showing a hint of reluctance. Cautiously, she ventured, “Old Madam, the eldest and third young ladies are scheduled to visit Jing Wang Manor for polo tomorrow. Third Miss just sent word, requesting to borrow your carriage…”

The Marquis’ Household certainly had plenty of carriages, but only the ones belonging to Old Madam Gu and the Marchioness were the finest—luxurious and spacious, suitable for making an appearance at the royal estate. Since Gu Yun Rong had been raised by Old Madam Gu, it was natural for her to request the best carriage from her.

Polo? Old Madam Gu’s pupils contracted, and instinctively, her hand moved to her forehead, the spot where the polo ball had struck her in the dream, which now throbbed as though someone had hit her with a heavy club.

The more she thought about it, the more she sensed an unsettling strangeness in everything. She wanted to tell Gu Yun Rong not to go to Jing Wang Manor, but the words stopped short on her lips.

Over the past few days, she’d overheard rumors that even the Empress Dowager would be attending Jing Wang Manor tomorrow! With the Eldest Prince newly returned to the capital, it seemed likely that the Empress Dowager, having spent so much time secluded in the palace, would take this chance to observe the noblewomen of the capital and potentially arrange a suitable match for Prince Kang.

It was a pivotal moment, and nothing could be left to chance—Gu Yun Rong had to go.

Old Madam Gu reached for the string of Buddhist prayer beads on the tea table, but noticed that her hand was trembling slightly. Her chaotic thoughts refused to settle, and her heart felt as if something vital was missing.

Even she couldn’t tell whether it was fear or anxiety that weighed more heavily on her.

Her beloved Yun Rong had once had her fortune told—a life marked by wealth, honor, and prosperity, blessed to bring fortune to her family. Yun Rong was like a precious pearl, yet even pearls were susceptible to dust… No, she needed to find someone to shield Yun Rong, to ward off any ill fate.

The thought took root, and a name immediately surfaced in her mind:

Gu Yan Fei.

Whether it was the proposed marriages with the Gu and Fang families, or the confusion over the true and false daughters, it had always been Gu Yan Fei who absorbed misfortune on behalf of Yun Rong.

A spark of clarity lit Old Madam Gu’s eyes, and her mind finally began to calm. Yes! Gu Yan Fei had been born to bear misfortunes in Yun Rong’s stead.

Outside, the little kitten on the treetop scratched its ear with a paw, then leapt down. On its way back, it chose a different route, trotting playfully with its tail held high in delight, as if it were ready to touch the sky.

“Meow, meow, meow…”

As soon as the talkative cat leapt through the window, it eagerly began to report its success to Gu Yan Fei, its long, fluffy tail swishing back and forth. It meowed excitedly, but Gu Yan Fei, with a deadpan expression, responded with three words: “I don’t understand!”

Qing Guang: “…”

The little cat flopped onto its side, sprawling dramatically on the jujube-wood chessboard in the corner of the desk. Gu Yan Fei couldn’t help but chuckle, reaching out to pet its soft, silky fur.

Back in the Yaoling Realm, though Qing Guang hadn’t taken human form, as her contracted spirit beast, they could communicate via mental link, exchanging simple thoughts. But now, Qing Guang was reduced to a tiny kitten, with no spiritual power or mental connection.

Gu Yan Fei didn’t mind not understanding its “cat language.” She knew Qing Guang had completed its task, and that was enough. Smiling, she said, “Tonight, you’ll get a treat of crispy fish snacks.”

The kitten seemed dissatisfied, reaching out a paw to bat at the black stones in the nearby chess box, producing a faint scratching sound.

“Miss, Xia Lian from Third Miss’s side requests an audience,” Juan Bi announced as she entered, lifting the curtain. “She says she’s here to deliver a message on behalf of Third Miss.”

Juan Bi wrinkled her nose, showing her dislike for Xia Lian.

It worked! Gu Yan Fei made a small gesture, and Juan Bi understood instantly. Shortly after, she returned, leading in a young maid dressed in a blue robe, her face delicate and refined. Trailing closely behind Juan Bi, Xia Lian’s gaze subtly took in the surroundings, her lips curling slightly in a faint sneer.

“Second Miss, my lady asked me to deliver a message, inviting you to join her tomorrow at Jing Wang Manor for a game of polo,” Xia Lian said with a respectful curtsy, though her gaze finally lingered on the kitten sprawled across the chessboard.

The chessboard was crafted from high-quality jujube wood, and the pieces were top-grade Yunzi stones—white pieces as pure as jade, black ones as dark as polished obsidian with a hint of green. Both the board and pieces were impeccably maintained.

Xia Lian recognized them instantly. This chess set belonged to the eldest young master; it was a treasured heirloom that had been passed down from the old Marquis to the previous Marquis, who then gifted it to the eldest young master. Even her own lady, for all her requests, had never received it. And yet here it was, given to this Second Miss.

The eldest young master was clearly biased in favor of the Second Miss!

Thinking of this, Xia Lian felt a pang of grievance on behalf of Gu Yun Rong, mixed with a simmering resentment. Her lady was nothing short of exemplary, and her loyalty to her elder brother was unquestionable. Yet, it seemed that years of sibling devotion could not outweigh mere blood ties. The eldest young master’s heart was too cold!