Liang Chen Mei Jin

Chapter 202: Absurdity

Xu Jingyi stood waiting under the corridor of Wanhua Hall, accompanied by two senior maids.

Mama Tong led the way with a red silk lantern as Jinchao and her entourage approached Wanhua Hall. Xu Jingyi immediately stepped forward to greet them.

"You've finally arrived..." Xu Jingyi took her hand. "The dew is heavy outside—let's go inside to talk."

Jinchao noticed her hand was slightly cold, deepening her confusion. What could have happened? On her way over, she had seen lights in the western courtyard and heard the maids being instructed by Second Madam's personal maid to boil water. Yet the front courtyard was eerily quiet...

Once seated, Xu Jingyi dismissed the servants and spoke in a hushed tone, "You'd never guess what happened... Shortly after the second watch, the night patrol matron heard a woman's voice coming from the empty bamboo hut near the Chuihua Gate. When she opened the door... she found a man and woman in secret rendezvous. It was none other than our Lan Er and Third Young Master Yao! Both were flustered, their clothes somewhat disheveled... The matron hurried to wake Tai Furen, and now both have been summoned to the eastern courtyard."

Gu Jinchao's heart tightened. How could Gu Lan do such a thing! No matter how much she fancied Yao Wenxiu, she wouldn’t dare be so reckless.

Xu Jingyi handed her a bowl of pear water and continued, "This happened right as your wedding approaches! Tai Furen didn’t dare alert anyone else... She only informed Second Madam and me, asking us to decide. That’s why I called for you first."

Seeing Jinchao silent and frowning, she asked, "Tell me now—how deep is the enmity between you and Gu Lan? What kind of person is she? She always seemed so delicate, hardly the type to do something like this."

Gu Jinchao closed her eyes briefly.

Suddenly, she recalled how Gu Lan had married Zhu Huaishan, the Auxiliary General, in her past life.

Back then, Concubine Song had just been elevated to principal wife. Zhu Huaishan was visiting the Earl of Yongyang's residence, originally to meet the earl’s fifth daughter. Gu Lan, still in mourning, excused herself from the banquet. Out of curiosity, Jinchao had secretly followed her. She had assumed Gu Lan was merely taking a stroll, but instead, she saw her speaking to Zhu Huaishan on the path. With slender fingers, Gu Lan pointed to his scented sachet and whispered, "Such an exquisite pattern... I’ve never seen anything like it..."

Zhu Huaishan smiled and replied, "It’s a nightshade motif."

Gu Lan bit her lip and sighed softly. "My mother passed just a few months ago, which is why I avoided the banquet... When she was alive, she often made me all kinds of sachets. If she had known how beautiful nightshade patterns were, she would have loved them."

Zhu Huaishan, the youngest legitimate son of the Prince of Jingjiang, often accompanied his father on military campaigns. Tall and handsome with an upright character, he was accustomed to the company of soldiers and had never encountered such a pitiful maiden. Moved by her recent loss, he softened his voice. "If you like it, I’ll give it to you—but don’t tell anyone else."

Gu Lan thanked him quietly and accepted the sachet, returning to the banquet shortly after.After she returned to the Gu family, the scented sachet given by Zhu Huaishan was discovered by Concubine Song, who pressed her to reveal its origin. The matter escalated and somehow reached Zhu Huaishan’s ears. At this point, Gu Lan, unable to endure Concubine Song’s scolding, attempted to hang herself but was discovered and rescued by a servant. Zhu Huaishan was even more shocked upon hearing this. He had merely given a scented sachet—how could it drive a young girl to suicide?

He hurriedly informed the then Princess of Jingjiang, but the princess was puzzled. No matter how unruly her son might be, he wouldn’t casually give a scented sachet to a young girl. Yet Zhu Huaishan insisted it was his own doing. Enraged, the princess immediately sent a matchmaker to the Gu family to propose marriage, finally suppressing the incident.

The mother and daughter had put on quite the act, deceiving those unaware of the truth. Regardless, Gu Lan successfully married Zhu Huaishan in the end.

Jinchao pondered and said to Xu Jingyi, “Even if she couldn’t control her emotions, she must have known the Moon Gate is always patrolled at night. How could she arrange a secret meeting there, where it’s so easy to be discovered? There’s only one possibility—she wanted to be caught on purpose.”

Xu Jingyi nodded. “I think so too… Tai Furen will summon me soon. Wait here for me, and I’ll tell you how it’s handled when I return.” She had a maid bring Jinchao a brocade quilt and urged her to rest in her room first.

Jinchao wrapped herself in the quilt. Xu Jingyi fluffed her pillow for her. Smiling, Jinchao said, “I definitely won’t be able to sleep. You go ahead.”

Only then did Xu Jingyi leave with her maids and servants.

But Jinchao rose from the Arhat bed and walked to the veranda, gazing at the lights in the eastern courtyard.

At the time of her own impending marriage, Gu Lan had stirred up this incident. It was worth analyzing… Madam Feng would never let this escalate, as it would damage the reputations of both the Yao and Gu families and might even affect Jinchao’s marriage. If the two hadn’t been intimate, the matter could still be forcefully suppressed. But if things had gone beyond redemption, there would be no way to cover it up.

No… Jinchao frowned. She exhaled and smiled faintly.

Gu Lan wasn’t foolish enough to lose the battle and the war—whatever was supposed to happen must have already happened!

Having thought this far, she felt there was nothing left to see. Returning to her room, she lay on the Arhat bed, covered herself with the quilt, and dozed off briefly.

In the main hall of the eastern courtyard, Madam Feng had been awakened in the middle of the night, her hair hastily tied up, wearing a Hangzhou silk jacket.

The faint chirping of crickets and croaking of frogs filled the night. The dim glow of pine oil lamps cast a hazy light on the Buddha painting hanging in the hall.

Yao Wenxiu stood with a pale, handsome face, tightly holding Gu Lan’s hand.

Madam Feng felt a stabbing pain in her heart, her anger churning with nowhere to vent.

She instructed Fuling to take Young Master Yao to the East Side Room to rest, but Yao Wenxiu glanced down at Gu Lan. She was still wearing her pink cherry-patterned jacket, her shoulders slightly disheveled, revealing the thin straps of her red Luzhou silk Dudou. Her snow-white, slender neck was breathtakingly beautiful. Yet her eyes were swollen from crying, her silent tears heartbreaking… No matter how upset Gu Lian had been, she would cling to him, crying and demanding his promises. But Gu Lan’s vulnerability stirred genuine pity in him—how could such a bullied illegitimate daughter survive after such an incident?He couldn't help but blame himself for being impulsive—how could he lose control just because she took a slight initiative?

Yao Wenxiu looked up at Madam Feng and said, "Old Madam, please don't blame her. Whatever happens, I'll take responsibility."

Madam Feng practically wanted to strangle this little bastard! If he were her grandson, she would have slapped him long ago! Shameless—and a scholar at that! He was already engaged to Lian jie er, yet he secretly entangled himself with Gu Lan behind her back...

What a disgrace! How could the Gu family have produced such a shameless creature like Gu Lan?

She pointed at the door. "Get out of here first!"

Yao Wenxiu froze—Madam Feng had always spoken to him kindly before... After hesitating, he finally followed Fuling and withdrew.

Madam Feng pointed at Gu Lan and snapped, "Kneel! Explain everything clearly to me!"

Her voice was so sharp that even Xu Momo, who had served her for years, was startled.

Gu Lan raised her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It's all my fault. I was the one who secretly had dealings with Young Master Yao... He asked me to meet him tonight, and I thought it was just to exchange a few words. Grandmother, it's all my fault. Just say the word, and I'll return to my room and hang myself—I won't bring shame to the Gu family..."

Madam Feng was furious. "You vile thing! Do you think this isn’t chaotic enough? You want to hang yourself and let the whole world know about your disgrace?"

She was already betrothed to the Zhao family. If she suddenly hanged herself now, what would people think? What could Gu Lan have done to warrant such an extreme act?

Gu Jinzhao was about to marry into the Chen Family—what if this incident affected that marriage?

Madam Feng truly wished she could strangle Gu Lan right then and there. Just when the Gu family was thriving smoothly, this wretched creature had to stir up trouble!

She took a deep breath, and Xu Momo quickly brought her a bowl of ginseng soup.

Xu Jingyi and Second Madam arrived shortly after.

Madam Feng redirected her anger toward Xu Jingyi. "Your Fourth Branch... how could it produce such a disgrace? How have you been raising her?"

Xu Jingyi hadn’t even had a chance to sit down for tea before Madam Feng lashed out at her. One glance told her that Madam Feng was furious because of Gu Lan. But she wasn’t one to endure unjust blame.

Xu Jingyi hurriedly replied, "Mother is absolutely right. It was my negligence in failing to discipline Lan Er properly, allowing her to act recklessly."

Madam Feng choked back another breath, thinking how exhausting it was to deal with Xu Jingyi. But now wasn’t the time for that. She pointed at Gu Lan and asked, "You're her mother. How do you propose we handle this? You must have an idea first."

Meanwhile, Second Madam had been staring coldly at Gu Lan since entering.

She slowly walked up to Gu Lan and asked, "Did you and Yao Wenxiu... have any improper intimacy?"

Gu Lan wept. "It's all my fault. I’ve wronged Lian jie er. Second Aunt, please let me go back and hang myself..."

Second Madam sneered. "After all Lian jie er has done for you, you didn’t spare her a single thought. The moment you saw Yao Wenxiu, you knew he was your sister’s betrothed. Yet your heart is so filthy, coveting your own sister’s man..." She raised her hand and slapped Gu Lan hard across the face.

Gu Lan’s head snapped to the side, and bright red finger marks quickly bloomed on her fair cheek.

She had long anticipated how these people would treat her, so she wasn’t the least bit flustered.

What had Lian jie er ever done for her? Summoned her at will, dismissed her at will—and when Yu Ming Ying caught her stealing, she immediately pushed the blame onto her.She just wanted revenge on Gu Lian—what could these people do to her anyway!

What other choice did she have? If she didn't act soon, Madam Feng would marry her off to some poor scholar's son!

Gu Jinzhao was about to get married—this matter absolutely couldn't be exposed, or the Gu family would suffer, and Gu Jinzhao's marriage would be ruined. If it were just a minor incident, Madam Feng would surely suppress it, so it had to be something too big to cover up. Like if she and Yao Wenxiu did something irreversible... Then Madam Feng would have no choice but to let her marry Yao Wenxiu.

Gu Lan suddenly recalled the moment in the dilapidated bamboo hut when Yao Wenxiu had pinned her down on a pile of bamboo splinters, the sudden sharp pain beneath her... She lifted her head, seeing only the dim light filtering through the broken glazed tiles, the shabby furnishings. She felt utterly humiliated...

Others had their wedding night with candles and flowers—what did she have?

But she had to endure it all. She knew in her heart that impatience would ruin great plans.

PS: Second update here, begging for pink votes, feeling like I'm about to be overtaken.