Lin Youning’s face finally broke into a smile. She walked forward with large strides, took the fan from Suyi’s hand, and sat by Mrs. Gu Sr.’s bed, gently fanning her.
"Aunt, is your health better?"
"It’s just anger that’s making unwell, there’s no actual illness. It’s all because your second brother is disappointing," Mrs. Gu Sr. said, looking at the young girl in front of her, no longer showing the guilt of earlier, "A daughter raised by a Duke Mansion is not even as good as a common market woman, despite being literate. You are smart, I’ve always known this, but after all, I’m getting old and can’t manage things for too many more years. In the future, talk to your eldest brother about anything, let him decide."
Lin Youning, knowing she’d leave the Marquis Mansion after her coming of age ceremony, didn’t dwell on her aunt’s words, and nodded with a smile.
Mrs. Gu Sr. liked Sister Ning’s obedient nature and her lack of questions. She didn’t know if it was because she was getting older, but especially when feeling unwell, she always wanted to give so advice. Lin Youning listened patiently.
As Mrs. Dong entered the courtyard, she heard Mrs. Gu Sr.’s voice. She pressed her lips together, "Is the girl inside?"
Suyi bowed slightly, "The girl has been here for a while."
"Then I’ll wait in the side room first; I’ll go in after the girl leaves." Mrs. Dong took Jingfu to the side room directly.
Suyi also entered the room. Mrs. Gu Sr. saw Suyi coming in and didn’t ask much, only pulled Lin Youning aside for a chat. Lin Youning could tell Suyi had sothing to say, so she tactfully ntioned that there were matters to attend to at Tingxue Hall.
Mrs. Gu Sr. patted her hand, "I have arrangents for your coming of age ceremony, you needn’t worry about anything else."
Lin Youning hadn’t yet spoken, but her aunt could see through her words, her face turned red, "I know you care for , Aunt, that’s enough. There’s no need to invite so many people to the ceremony."
"Alright, you should go back, I have matters to attend to here as well," Mrs. Gu Sr. said with a smile, not saying much more.
Lin Youning bowed slightly and retreated out.
Mrs. Gu Sr.’s smile vanished, "What’s the matter?"
"It’s Madam outside waiting," Suyi ca forward to report.
Mrs. Gu Sr. closed her eyes and said nothing, Suyi waited respectfully, and after a long ti, Mrs. Gu Sr. finally spoke, "Let her co in."
Sushan responded and left, and before long, Mrs. Dong entered the Warm Pavilion, knelt directly before Mrs. Gu Sr., who seed not to see her; Suyi silently retreated, leaving only the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the Warm Pavilion.
Under Mrs. Dong’s sleeves, her hands clenched into fists. She knew coming directly to her mother-in-law was against decorum, but why should the Marquis shoulder responsibilities of another house?
They were about to elevate a concubine into the house, yet still wanted the Marquis to take on the responsibilities of the Gu Family’s main house. How many parts should the Marquis be divided into?
The Shi’an Garden was quiet, and a row of servants stood in silence under the eaves, no sound erging.
Gu Yifeng, still in the azure robe he wore that afternoon, walked in briskly. The servants greeted him, but Gu Yifeng did not stop and entered the room with the maids lifting the curtain for him.
After speaking with Mrs. Dong at Yingshui Courtyard, he’d returned to Woodland Pavilion, but upon hearing from Li Si that Madam had gone to Shi’an Garden after he left, he imdiately hurried over.
Seeing Mrs. Dong kneeling in the Warm Pavilion, Gu Yifeng paused slightly, then walked to the other side of the bed and sat down.
Mrs. Gu Sr., after her son entered, slowly opened her eyes, "You ca just in ti; your wife has co to and knelt like this. I also don’t know why she’s acting like this."
Mrs. Dong felt wronged, "I know the old lady rembers the life-saving grace that the main house gave to the Marquis back then. If there were no heirs on that side, I’d be willing to adopt one over. But with the Marquis bearing a title, how is it proper to shoulder two houses?"
Mrs. Dong looked up at Gu Yifeng sitting on the other side of the bed, her eyes glittering with tears.
"I’ve thought about adopting an heir over, but have you birthed a legitimate son? There’s none, is there?" Mrs. Gu Sr.’s voice was faint, yet it pierced Mrs. Dong’s heart like a sword, "The Gu Mansion originally has a thin population. You weren’t afraid of Big Brother having trouble at the border years ago and never withdrew the engagent; this sentint I’ve kept in mind. After all, the Gu Mansion also wronged you by letting a concubine give birth to an illegitimate son; after you married into the Marquis Mansion, you had no children for three years, and a distant cousin was brought into the mansion. I know you’re soone who understands propriety. But have you seen any movent these years, apart from the three daughters? Is it possible you want Big Brother to have no successor?"
Mrs. Dong stumbled over her words, trying to defend herself, but couldn’t find a legitimate reason.
The Marquis Mansion has been tolerant of her, for a wife to stand securely in a house, she must bear a legitimate son, yet over the years, the old lady has said nothing.
As Mrs. Dong thought of how she hadn’t needed to establish rules in the Marquis Mansion, even living as the mistress directly, she’d forgotten what she should do as a daughter-in-law and a wife.
Today, upon hearing the Marquis would shoulder two houses, she impulsively rushed here.
Now, the old lady’s words doused her like cold water, finally awakening her.
She really was muddled; even if she bore a legitimate son, so what?
The old lady’s decision had been made, yet she’d made such petty actions.
Truly, she’s lived too well, letting it go to her head.
"Though I didn’t say it directly back then, I did suggest you should have Brother Xuan fostered under your na. But you are narrow-minded, believing the Princely Heir title would go to Brother Xuan. Did you not consider that even if he was fostered under your na, it wouldn’t change his status as illegitimate, hence he couldn’t seize the Princely Heir position?" Mrs. Gu Sr. said, eyes closed, slowly fingering the prayer beads, "Now that Erlang is in trouble, there’s only Brother De on their side. If you don’t want the Marquis to shoulder two houses, then produce a legitimate son to adopt over, and I won’t let the Marquis shoulder it. Do you think this is fine?"
Facing Mrs. Dong’s increasingly pale face, Mrs. Gu Sr. did not stop there, "You can’t bear a legitimate son, yet still want to sever their bloodline, or adopt an outsider with no blood relation? What do you take the Gu Family for? What do you take Big Brother for? Are you going to let your petty jealousy cause the Gu Family’s line to be severed?"
Mrs. Dong shook her head, "Mother, I didn’t, I didn’t an it like that."
Her mind was chaotic, not knowing what to say to explain. She looked toward the Marquis sitting beside for help, "Marquis, I didn’t an it that way, I know I was wrong."
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