My Sister Insisted on Swapping Marriages, and I Became a Marchioness Instead

Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Never a Moment’s Peace

Qin Yuan smiled and said, ”Yesterday I heard from Sixth Madam that Bai Que had been standing outside Wutong Garden in the sun. Sixth Madam mentioned that Bai Que used to serve the Old Madam and has some standing. I don’t know if this will displease the Old Madam, so I asked Hong Ye to inquire with the Marquis. Anyway, Hong Ye knows this matter best. Why not clarify publicly to avoid misunderstandings.”

Qian Da kept a dark face and remained silent.

Mrs. Qian smiled, saying, ”Marchioness is generous, let’s have Miss Hong Ye explain, so we, old slaves, can understand.”

Hong Ye couldn’t hold back any longer, stepped forward, and explained everything in detail, finally saying, ”I didn’t know that the person requesting the Marquis is the Bai Que girl who once served the Old Madam. I just assumed she was a maid from Fengxuan Pavilion. I passed on the Marquis’s words, but she didn’t believe it, threatened to make trouble, said she would complain to the Marquis, making me unable to handle it, and attempted to force her way into Wutong Garden. The Marchioness had long set a rule that no maid or nanny from other courtyards should enter Wutong Garden without permission, violators would be whipped twenty times.”

Now Mrs. Qian felt a bit uneasy.

Qian Da’s face darkened, glaring at Hong Ye.

Not afraid, Hong Ye continued, ”I let those two nannies guard the door, thinking the Bai Que girl would leave after standing there, but unexpectedly she continued to stand and fainted when Sixth Madam came to see the Marchioness. The Sixth Madam asked the Marchioness about it, and that’s how the Marchioness found out, then asked me to inquire if the Marquis thought it was serious.”

Gu Jinghui picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and asked, ”Is there anything unclear?”

There was nothing unclear.

Qian Da and Mrs. Qian, being born and raised in the mansion, were well aware of the matters in the Marquis Mansion.

Evidently, the Marquis, for unknown reasons, got tired of Lady Zhao’s obsession. Their daughter was causing a commotion at the courtyard gate. If it hadn’t been for encountering Sixth Madam, it would have been fine. But encountering Sixth Madam made the Marchioness lose face, angered the Marquis, and led to her being chased away.

Truly a case of gods fighting, while the devils suffer.

With complicated feelings, Qian Da glanced at the beautiful lady sitting next to the Marquis.

He sighed internally; Lady Zhao’s bit of beauty paled like a flickering firefly compared to this Marchioness.

The bit of obsession his daughter held could only fade away.

Mrs. Qian sighed, still wanting to fight for Bai Que, saying, ”This girl was ignorant and incurred the Marquis’s displeasure, but she...”

Qian Da interrupted his wife’s words, saying, ”Marquis, Marchioness, it’s Bai Que who was ignorant. We now don’t have the face to plead for leniency from the Marquis and Marchioness. Raising children is a debt, old slaves apologize on her behalf to the Marquis and Marchioness.”

After saying this, he pulled Mrs. Qian to kneel on the ground to kowtow to Gu Jinghui and Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan immediately tugged Gu Jinghui’s sleeve.

Marquis Gu stood up, walked over, and helped Qian Da up, saying, ”How can I accept your bow? Please don’t do this.”

Qin Yuan also stepped forward, saying, ”Please sit down and speak slowly. The Marquis wasn’t intending to chase Bai Que away, it’s just that others mistakenly spread rumors. Your concern for your daughter led to this situation.”

Hearing this, Qian Da and Mrs. Qian dared not sit on the chairs, quickly found a small stool to sit below.

After everyone retook their seats, Mrs. Qian promptly asked, ”What does the Marchioness mean?”

Marquis Gu also looked at Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan smiled and said, ”The Marquis means Bai Que got sick standing outside the courtyard. It’s better to return home and recuperate properly. Moreover, Bai Que’s age has reached maturity, and the Old Madam originally intended to send her out. Why don’t the two of you help Bai Que find a suitable match, and ask for the Marquis and Old Madam’s blessing, perhaps with some rewards given for her to have better standing.”

The two of them always had the respect of Marquis Gu. If Bai Que got married, the Old Madam would surely grant lavish rewards, and she and the Marquis would add some more.

In the end, when it’s spoken aloud, it covers everything.

Mrs. Qian immediately said, ”Ah, so that’s what the Marquis means. We were really confused.”

Qian Da eagerly looked at Marquis Gu, awaiting his statement.

Gu Jinghui, half-smiling, glanced at Qin Yuan and said, ”The lady is indeed right.”

Qian Da immediately stood up, bowed to Gu Jinghui and Qin Yuan, saying, ”Thank you, Marquis and Marchioness, for your generosity. We will take Bai Que out now, not to trouble the Marquis and Marchioness anymore.”

Mrs. Qian also cheerfully said, ”The Marchioness is magnanimous. If you need anything from us in the future, we will serve with utmost dedication.”

The two were about to leave, happy.

Gu Jinghui said, ”Come back.”

Qian Da quickly asked, ”Marquis, do you have any other instructions?”

Gu Jinghui said, ”Outside there are rumors that I want to take Lady Zhao as a concubine, which is completely nonsense, deliberately tarnishing my reputation and the face of Marquis Mansion. After Bai Que leaves the mansion, remember to clear my name. I kept Lady Zhao and her child in the mansion to repay kindness, and nothing else. Lady Zhao is at a prime age; if she’s not willing to stay, I am willing to provide her with a dowry.”

This statement stunned even Qin Yuan.

She truly didn’t expect Gu Jinghui to speak like this. Qian Da was also momentarily taken aback, then said, ”Once I get back, I’ll have Bai Que redeem herself. Anyone who slanders the Marquis or the Marquis Mansion is against our family.”

Gu Jinghui nodded, saying, ”Thank you, both. You may leave now, I won’t see you off.”

Qian Da smiled, saying, ”Just ask the Marchioness not to blame old slaves for being reckless, breaking into Wutong Garden. Just lightly punish those guarding nannies.”

Qian Da still remembered to plead for the nannies, not saying not to punish, but to light punish. Truly skillful.

Qin Yuan also smiled, saying, ”No matter, I also ask you not to be angry with my maid. She just entered the mansion and hasn’t recognized everyone yet. If there’s any offense, just let it pass for my sake.”

Qian Da and Mrs. Qian quickly replied, ”Don’t dare, don’t dare, it was all a misunderstanding.”

Hong Ye also stepped forward to say a few nice words.

Thus, the matter was settled.

The two were about to leave.

Gu Jinghui spoke again, ”Wait.”

Qin Yuan glanced at him, not knowing what he intended to do.

Qian Da asked, ”What other instructions do you have, Marquis? Please say them all, otherwise, I don’t know when we can leave this room.”

Gu Jinghui smiled, saying, ”Take the thorn branches with you.”

Qian Da glanced at Marquis Gu, stomped his foot, and said, ”The Marquis is still the same as when he was young.”

Despite saying so, they still took the thorn branches away.

Gu Jinghui held Qin Yuan’s hand, complaining, ”It’s quite a fuss early in the morning, I’m hungry, let’s quickly have a meal.”

Qin Yuan smiled and said, ”Alright.”

Gu Jinghui said, ”Those two have been standing for a long time; they must be hungry too. Let’s eat by ourselves, no need for them to serve.”

Qin Yuan agreed.

Gu Jinghui showed her respect, letting her make decisions, and whatever he said went.

Cui Ming carefully set up breakfast. Fortunately, being summer, the meal hadn’t gone cold despite the delay.

Gu Jinghui sighed, saying, ”I’m really starving.”

Qin Yuan was actually hungry too.

The two ate quietly, finished breakfast, rinsed their mouths, and Gu Jinghui said, ”I today...”

Before finishing the sentence, a commotion started outside the courtyard.

Gu Jinghui frowned, annoyed, ”Another day, no peace.”

This time, he recognized it was Gu Baoshu who was supposed to be confined, bringing Brother Cheng and Sister Yu.