Chapter 12

“How could the old madam let rumors of such an ugly affair spread? This concerns the reputation of all the young ladies of the Dongping Earl Manor,” Gu Ying coldly quirked her lips. “Although grandmother wants to cover up the sky with one hand, how can she stop the mouths of the people? Did you see the looks on Aunt Zhao and Gu Shuang's faces when they saw Gu Jia tangled up with Jiang Yin earlier? Their eyes were about to pop out."

Yanzhi was startled, her mind suddenly illuminated, “So that’s it! Young lady, Aunt Zhao is favored, and usually lazes around morning and night, not coming if she can avoid it. No wonder you had the servant go to Aunt Zhao's Reed Catkin Courtyard early this morning to deliberately mention that the young lady had gone to the ancestral hall. It was to get Aunt Zhao to come watch the show!"

Gu Ying's lips slightly curved, "Aunt Zhao looks down the most on Mrs. Liu. Gu Jia spending the night in the ancestral hall is such a loss of face, if Aunt Zhao knew about it, she would definitely bring her daughter here today to watch Mrs. Liu's misfortune. She's also a big mouth, whatever she sees will spread immediately. Even if Aunt Zhao's mouth is shut, I will find a way to spread the news."

Her eyes turned cold, "Even if grandmother manages to contain it, I will find a way to spread the news."

"But this matter is of great importance," Yanzhi was still worried. "In the future, the young lady and young master's marriage..."

Gu Ying paused, thinking of the handsome and aloof face amidst the swirling snow, her heart fluttered slightly.

No matter what kind of character the young master of Yong'an Marquis Manor Su Huanfeng has, his status and family background are enough for many noble ladies to pursue.

But she was different. She was only born for revenge. Matters of love between men and women were not something she dared to desire or touch...

In three months he would personally come to cancel the engagement.

By then, she had to prepare an escape route ahead of time, find a family that could guarantee her security for life without needing feelings, to live out the rest of her days.

Or escape from the Earl's manor, take her brother to the border to find their father, and become a free and unfettered wild girl, better than being confined for life in the tiny courtyard.

"Young lady!"

Gu Ying walked in front while Yanzhi chased behind, "What about the winter hunt in five days? I heard our future young master will also attend. At that time, the young lady can properly explain to the young master about Master Jiang, I'm sure the young master won't mind what happened with the young lady."

"The winter hunt?"

"That's right." She had almost forgotten about this important event.

The winter hunt was held by the imperial family. All the noble children and ladies of distinguished families would attend.

In her previous life, at the winter hunt she had stubbornly chosen Jiang Yin as her hunting partner, utterly humiliating herself!

And because of an accident that happened unexpectedly in the snowbound mountains, she was unable to participate in the three days of hunting that followed.

Instead, it allowed Gu Jia to shine at the winter hunt. The young marquis of Yong'an must have started liking Gu Jia at that time...

Thinking of this, Gu Ying's lips curved coldly, "Go, of course I'll go."

Not only would she go, but she would also bring Gu Jia.

She would settle all of the hatred and enmity from her previous life at the winter hunt!

Having said that, Gu Ying stepped into the Muffeng Studio.

She bumped straight into a clumsy maid, and frowned in irritation, "Stand still, what did you do to my brother?"

The maid's clothes were disheveled, her arms covered in blood. She stood still in panic.

Seeing it was the meek second young lady of the second branch, she immediately steadied her nerve and arrogantly said, "I was just feeding the young master medicine when he scratched me. Why are you getting angry at me, Second Young Lady? If you really cared for the young master you should be feeding him the medicine yourself! Why trouble us clean maidservants to serve a little cripple!"

Before she could finish speaking, Gu Ying fiercely slapped her across the face, a flash of chill in her eyes, "Who did you call a little cripple?"

"Second young lady, you dare hit me? Do you know who I am?"

Gu Ying's eyes turned icy cold, the chill between her brows surging.

Yanzhi was even more furious. Seeing her young lady's staunch attitude, she also puffed out her chest and slapped the maid's cheeks until they were badly swollen. "You're just a servant, yet you dare defy your masters! No matter who you belong to, we're hitting you today! Young lady, don't get your hands dirty, leave it to this slave to teach her a lesson!"

The maid's arrogance was completely beaten out of her. She was forced to kneel on the ground by Yanzhi, humiliated but unresigned.

She may have knelt, but her mouth remained unbowed, still speaking arrogantly, "I am Aunt Liu's daughter, born a servant of the Gu family. Second young lady, you dare treat me this way, aren't you afraid of my mother complaining to the old madam!"

Aunt Liu was Aunt Li's younger sister. When she came of age, under Aunt Li's arrangement she was matched to the steward of the household. Now she was also considered a senior member of the family.

Usually no one dared to boss her around, she lived like a mistress.

Only now did Gu Ying recall her name, Cui Ling.

In her previous life, Aunt Liu had intended to make this maid her brother's concubine. In the beginning of next year, Cui Ling became pregnant with her brother's child.

Crying and making trouble, if her brother didn't give her a position, she would commit suicide.

At that time, she never imagined this maid had such wild ambitions, wanting to rely on her brother to move up in status, even helping to persuade her brother to marry Cui Ling.

Thinking back now, she utterly hated her own ignorance and foolishness!

Her brother was only ten years old then, his legs atrophied later on leaving him unable to walk. How could he have gotten Cui Ling pregnant?

It was all Aunt Liu's scheme to undermine the second branch!

The more Gu Ying thought about it, the colder she felt.

How could Aunt Liu let a ten year old child bear so much pain and grievance!

"Young lady, what should we do with this maid?" Yanzhi's anger had passed, and she also felt offending Aunt Liu's people was unwise.

After all, Aunt Liu was the official wife of the steward. Just a few whispers in his ear would make it easy for her to make trouble for Twilight Snow Studio.

As the events of the previous life vividly resurfaced in her mind, Gu Ying tightly clenched her fists, desperately trying to calm herself down.

She put on an embarrassed smile and took the initiative to pull Cui Ling up, apologizing, "Sister, I lost my temper just now. Please take this bracelet as my apology for my offense, what do you think?"

As she spoke, she took off her wrist the valuable green jade bracelet and pressed it into Cui Ling's hand.

Cui Ling gave a cold laugh, reluctantly getting to her feet, mockingly said, "The second young lady is no longer putting on aristocratic airs now?"

"Sister, you jest," Gu Ying's eyes darkened as she gently said, "Seeing so much blood on sister's hand, caring for my brother, I lost my composure for a moment. If the bracelet is not enough, take this hairpin as well, what does sister think?"

"You're sensible." Cui Ling's eyes greedily contracted, stuffing the bracelet and hairpin into her sleeve.

Gu Ying deliberately revealed a weak demeanor, pitifully biting her lip, "I have accidentally offended sister, I hope sister does not mention today's matters to Grandmother and Eldest Aunt, whatever other accessories sister lacks in the future, you can come to me for them."

Hearing this, Cui Ling's eyes brightened even more.