Trouble with the Mistress

Didn't she think that splash was a little too big?

She truly couldn't understand the bizarre stunt.

Not until—

Not until Lu Baozhu struggled in the water, shouting, "Help! Marquis, help me!" did Gu Wanning suddenly understand.

Every time Lu Baozhu came looking for trouble with her, she did it under the banner of standing up for Gu Wanqing. Gu Wanning had thought theirs was such a touching friendship!

It had all been a cover. Lu Baozhu's mind wasn't on the wine; it was on Xu Weibei!

She leaned against the bank to watch the show.

When Xu Weibei met her gossip-hungry gaze, rage shot all the way to the tips of his hair.

What was that supposed to mean?

Didn't she know what would happen if I saved Lu Baozhu?

But he had no time to think further. He turned toward the bank and said, "Lu Jiu, your younger sister fell into the water."

In the end, though, there was no need for anyone from the Lu family to help.

The older female servants from the Princess's Residence had originally rushed over to save Gu Wanning, but now they went down and fished Lu Baozhu out instead.

Another maid waited with a cloak and draped it over Gu Wanning as soon as she came ashore.

Several concubines all crowded around her.

Fourth Concubine couldn't hold back her fiery temper. "Madam, was it that Lu Baozhu who pushed you into the water? If it really was her, I'll make sure to shove her back in and drown her half to death!"

Gu Wanning said, "Shh—we didn't suffer a loss. Keep it down."

Afterward, no matter who asked, she insisted that she had accidentally fallen into the lake herself. She repeatedly stressed that it had absolutely nothing to do with Lu Baozhu, and begged everyone not to misunderstand and damage Lu Baozhu's reputation.

But the more she said that, the more everyone suspected Lu Baozhu had something to do with it.

Using the little incident as an excuse, Gu Wanning returned to the Marquis's Residence early.

Gu Wanqing seemed to want to say something to her, but in the end, she held her tongue.

The four concubines gathered around her, fussing over her.

Gu Wanning told them the whole story from beginning to end, along with her own suspicions.

"I never expected someone would actually take a fancy to our Marquis," Gu Wanning said with a giggle.

Xu Weibei, who had returned because he was worried about her, stood in the doorway with his hands clenched behind his back, the veins bulging on their backs.

What was wrong with someone taking a fancy to me?

She was heartless, so was no one else allowed to have a good eye?

"She really can't be thinking straight," Second Concubine said. "She's a legitimate daughter of the Duke's Residence. Why would she want to become a concubine?"

It wasn't worth it. This was a bad bargain.

"How do you know she wants to be a concubine?" Gu Wanning said. "Maybe she wants to be his next wife!"

To be honest, Lu Baozhu was quite a good match.

If he could marry into the Duke's Residence, Xu Weibei would probably be more willing.

"How shameless," Fourth Concubine cursed, stamping her foot.

"Why are you so worked up? You sound almost jealous," Gu Wanning teased.

"Who's jealous? I just can't stand how shortsighted she is. She has fish and meat aplenty, but instead she has to set her sights on the leftovers in someone else's bowl."

Third Concubine said, "The Grand Princess is clear-eyed and sharp-minded. She'll surely see through her intentions. She won't agree to this marriage."

Someone as shallow and foolish as Lu Baozhu could never catch the Grand Princess's eye.

Only First Concubine said nothing.

"Eldest sister, why do you look even worse than Madam? Are you ill?" Fourth Concubine reached out to feel her forehead.

"I'm fine." First Concubine dodged her hand. "I'm just a little tired."

Seeing how pale she was, Gu Wanning waved a hand. "All right, go back and rest, all of you. I'll go check on my corn too..."

"Marquis, Marquis, something's happened!" Gao Lan's booming voice made all the women in the room turn toward the door as one.

Who else could it be standing in the doorway, his face ashen, having listened for who knew how long, but Xu Weibei?

Chapter 40: Trouble with the Mistress

"Why is the Marquis eavesdropping?" Fourth Concubine, the blockhead, muttered.

Everyone found it both frightening and funny, and had no idea how much Xu Weibei had heard.

Xu Weibei glared fiercely at Gu Wanning, the "chief culprit." Just wait. When I get back, I'll settle every last score with you.

"Why are you shouting?" he demanded, frowning at Gao Lan.

"Marquis, something's happened over at the Thirteen Wards."

Xu Weibei's expression changed instantly. He strode down toward him. "What happened?"

Master and servant went out one after the other, their voices gradually fading from earshot.

"What are the thirteen households?" Fourth Concubine asked. "Surely the Marquis hasn't kept thirteen households of women outside?"

Third Concubine, who knew the Capital well, said, "It's a place, and one where every inch of land is worth its weight in gold."

After a pause, she looked at Gu Wanning and chose her words carefully. "I was serving the Grand Princess today. When the Marquis arrived, he and the Grand Princess had a bit of a disagreement..."

The Grand Princess had told Xu Weibei to deal with the person at the Thirteen Wards, but he refused, and grandmother and grandson parted on bad terms.

"...The Grand Princess told me I wasn't allowed to tell you. I told her you already knew. So afterward, the Grand Princess will probably use your fall into the water as a reason to give you some compensation. Of course, that's only my own guess."

Gu Wanning thought, Could something that good really happen?

Xu Weibei did "bad things," and the Grand Princess "dropped gold coins."

If that was the case, she really did recommend that Xu Weibei keep a few more women outside.

Her dream of striking it rich wasn't just a dream.

"He didn't care when Madam fell into the water, but when something happens to his woman outside, he runs faster than anyone," Fourth Concubine muttered. "My senior brother must have been blind."

Gu Wanning: ???

"What does your senior brother have to do with this?"

"My senior brother brought me down the mountain to seek refuge with the Marquis. Hmph!"

"Then where is your senior brother?"

"He's still in the Northwest." Fourth Concubine reached out to "maul" the peonies in the vase. "Liar, he lies every day. He promised he'd come back once the fighting was over. The Marquis came back, but he didn't. Who knows if he's off fooling around somewhere? If he really is, then the Marquis led him astray. My senior brother used to be so good..."

Gu Wanning recalled Xu Weibei saying that someone had entrusted Fourth Concubine to his care. That matched up.