A Marriage in Name Only? My Stepbrother Won't Let Me Go Chapter 85: Finding Fault with Mei Wanying

Empress Gu wanted i Wanying to marry Gu Xun and have him serve as the child’s father in na.

i Wanying didn’t know if Gu Xun was aware of this plan.

But for Mrs. Gu to state it so brazenly made her feel as though her dignity had been stripped away and trampled underfoot.

Seeing her humiliation, a flash of displeasure crossed Gu Xun’s eyes. "Mrs. Gu, you should consider yourself fortunate that Miss i is willing to put you in your place."

Mrs. Gu opened her mouth, but she t the warning in his eyes and quickly lowered her head.

She had been held in high regard at the Gu Family for so long that she’d grown accustod to throwing her weight around. Coming to another’s ho and acting like this, she should count herself lucky she hadn’t been slapped.

Gu Xun’s tone was stern. "This is the i family, not the Gu family. Miss i is the descendant of loyal martyrs. If you cannot show her respect, then get out now!"

Gu Xun was well-known for his good temper; he rarely reprimanded anyone.

Cold sweat beaded on Mrs. Gu’s back. She knew this was the i family, but i Wanying, despite having no official standing, was pregnant with His Highness’s child.

Subconsciously, she regarded i Wanying as nothing more than a common mistress.

She had forgotten that i Wanying’s family was just as illustrious. If not for the Empress exerting pressure from above, i Wanying wouldn’t have to show deference to anyone.

Mrs. Gu panicked and forced an amiable smile. "You’re right to lecture , Xun. I must be getting old and muddled. I deserve a scolding!"

As she spoke, she slapped herself lightly on the mouth twice.

In a tone ant to smooth things over, Mrs. Gu said, "Please, Xun, forgive this once. I won’t make the sa mistake again."

Dispensing with formalities, Gu Xun sat down beside i Wanying.

The position didn’t block her view of the scenery, but it clearly placed him in her camp.

Gu Xun was secretly delighted.

This was the closest he had ever been to i Wanying. Unlike before, when he could only watch from afar as she pursued his cousin.

’Like a rat in the sewers, secretly watching her every move.’

"The one who was offended was Miss i. It’s up to her whether or not to forgive you."

Having spent her entire life in a large household, Mrs. Gu naturally knew how to be flexible.

She quickly turned to i Wanying. "Miss i, as long as you and the child are well, I will stay out of everything from now on. I won’t do anything to anger you again."

Ding Xiang snapped, "You should just shut up!"

’If the Empress hadn’t interfered, this child would have been gone long ago!’

’She’s just rubbing salt in the wound! This woman is doing it on purpose!’

But on second thought, the child would be born with the surna i and would carry on the i family line. In the future, the child would be her mistress’s pillar of support. At this, Ding Xiang’s smugness returned.

’So people can only watch with envy!’

’Who’s to bla? Pei Yan is a block of wood who doesn’t even have a female mosquito buzzing around him.’

’Now that he’s away at war, he has even less ti to find a wife.’

’The precious treasure in our mistress’s belly is enough to make certain people green with envy!’

Ding Xiang gave Mrs. Gu a haughty look. To Mrs. Gu, this was a display of utter impertinence.

"I am speaking with the mistress. Is it your place to interrupt?"

’If this were the Gu Family, a little wench like her would have been dragged off to have her mouth slapped long ago.’

"I’m not trying to stir up trouble, Miss i, but this maid of yours is ill-disciplined. You really ought to keep her in line."

The veneer of civility had been shattered. i Wanying no longer felt any need to be polite.

She lifted her chin slightly. "You ca uninvited, so you can hardly be considered a guest. Yet here you are, ordering my people around. I’d say that’s not just ill-disciplined, it’s downright despicable!"

"I am here on the Empress’s orders—"

"Enough!"

Gu Xun’s eyes were icy. "Do not disgrace the Gu family’s na."

Mrs. Gu’s face paled instantly. She didn’t know what ca over her; the mont she saw i Wanying, she felt an uncontrollable urge to lecture her.

She felt that i Wanying was riddled with flaws, and felt uneasy if she didn’t take her to task for them.

Mrs. Gu forced a smile. "I overstepped again, Miss i..."

"Are you not leaving?" i Wanying asked coldly.

Mrs. Gu let out an imperceptible sigh and told herself not to stoop to i Wanying’s level.

’Once His Highness returns to the Capital City victorious, marries his principal wife, and fathers a legitimate heir, we’ll see if the Empress still cares about the child in i Wanying’s womb.’

’When that ti cos, i Wanying’s dream of gaining status through her child will be shattered. She’ll have nowhere to turn to cry.’

Mrs. Gu led her attendants away, stopping at a moderate distance from the pavilion.

This was a blatant attempt to keep i Wanying under surveillance.

Gu Xun frowned. ’My aunt is going too far.’

’My cousin ruined Miss i’s reputation and got her pregnant out of wedlock. We are the party at fault, yet not only are we not atoning on his behalf, we’re openly pressuring her.’

’Isn’t this the behavior of a tyrant?’

Gu Xun took a deep breath. "Miss i, I apologize to you on behalf of the Gu family."

i Wanying knew Gu Xun ant no harm, but they were on opposing sides, and she didn’t wish to beco too involved with him.

She shook her head. "This has nothing to do with you."

She would not accept his apology.

Gu Xun understood. She was a woman of clear-cut loyalties and enmities.

Glancing at the people not far away, Gu Xun suggested, "Miss i, why not resu your journey ho?"

i Wanying wanted to go back and finally settle down as well.

But...

She lowered her gaze to her stomach. ’If my relatives find out, how will I ever face them?’

Knowing what she was worried about, Gu Xun said, "The person who most wants to keep this a secret is my aunt. When the ti cos, they’ll be the ones expending energy to handle the situation."

’That will keep them from having nothing to do but stare at Miss i all day, looking for faults.’

’They clearly have too much ti on their hands!’

Gu Xun looked at i Wanying, his eyes filled with suppressed emotion. "If you need it, I can clear the obstacles for you. I can give the child a legitimate status and protect you from vicious rumors."

Gu Xun was an official in Jiangnan. With his help, i Wanying would indeed be spared a great deal of trouble.

But there’s no such thing as a free lunch. i Wanying didn’t believe Gu Xun would help her so readily without wanting sothing in return.

It wasn’t that she was being paranoid. The i family was large and prosperous; marrying her would be no loss for Gu Xun.

Though she was no longer a maiden, what did that matter in the face of tangible benefits?

If he truly minded, he could always take concubines after they were married. There were plenty of ways to soothe his pride.

’So, what does Gu Xun want?’

His eyes were earnest, full of an unspoken affection, but i Wanying, lost in her own thoughts, failed to notice.

Ding Xiang, however, saw it all clearly.

She gasped inwardly. ’Could it be... Mr. Gu likes our mistress!’

’He and Pei Yan are cousins. If Pei Yan were to find out... Ding Xiang didn’t even dare to imagine how chaotic that would be!’

’With Pei Yan’s temper, wouldn’t he ambush Mr. Gu and give him a good thrashing?’

’After all, Mr. Gu was trying to cuckold Pei Yan...’

The mont the thought occurred, Ding Xiang ntally spat a few tis to ward it off.

’Our mistress isn’t hung up on Pei Yan. Who she wants to be with is her own choice!’

i Wanying lifted her gaze, her eyes landing on Mrs. Gu and her attendants.

’I really do need to give them sothing to do.’

’Besides, I have to go ho sooner or later. Staying here is just hiding my head in the sand.’

’I’ll face the music sooner or later. I might as well be decisive.’

i Wanying asked the question on her mind. "Mr. Gu, you’re helping so much. How can I possibly repay you?"

Gu Xun’s hands, which were resting on his knees, tightened.

’He wanted to stand by her side. He wanted her gaze to linger on him.’

’He wanted to be the one who lit a lamp for her when she was lost in the dark.’

Gu Xun’s Adam’s apple bobbed. "We are both traveling from the Capital City to Jiangnan. Let’s just call it fate. There’s no need for repaynt."