CH 6

Liang-shi had just agreed to teach Gu Yu Qi martial arts when they heard Nanny Zhang from outside the door, “Madam, Concubine Liu requests to see you.”

Liang-shi and Gu Yu Qi were both startled and looked at each other. It had only been three days since Liang-shi had brought Gu Yu Qi to the capital. Concubine Liu brought her two children to come and greet them. She called it greeting them, but it was more like showing off her power. What concubine greeting a madam needed to be accompanied by the master? This was Concubine Liu from the Ding Yuan Marquis’ family.

She looked submissive on the surface, but every word coupled with Gu Huai Zhong’s deliberate defence all stabbed Liang-shi’s heart like a steel needle. It just so happened that she was a long-sleeved good dancer and had good etiquette, doing everything in a thorough manner. Liang-shi could not find any faults and could only suppress it all. Later, Liang-shi became ill and Liu-shi used the excuse of needing to manage the household to avoid having to take care of Liang-shi. Now that she suddenly asked to see her, was it because Liang-shi asked Chun Xing to investigate the puppy? 

As soon as the mother and daughter looked at each other, they thought this.

Liang-shi pulled Gu Yu Qi over and asked her to sit next to her, then told Nanny Zhang to let Liu-shi come in.

The curtain opened and a slender figure appeared in the warm pavilion. She was only in her twenties. She had bright eyebrows and the slender figure of a northerner. Her long hair was piled high up on her head and two golden filigree swallows inlaid with jade were pinned obliquely. The long golden tassels hung down to her shoulders and swayed with her steps. It was enchanting.

In the previous life, Gu Yu Qi looked down on this Concubine Liu. She was an orphan girl from who knew where and had been rescued by the Ding Yuan Marquis purely because of her good looks. She followed Gu Huai Zhong all the time. However, Gu Yu Qi had to assess Liu Yue all over again.

Gu Yu Qi took a closer look and felt a little more interested.

The long emerald green dress on her body was made of high quality Huzhou silk.

Gu Yu Qi knew that although silk already existed in this dynasty, because of its scarcity, silk was extremely precious and Huzhou silk was a treasure among silks. A small amount was produced every year and after paying tribute to the emperor, there was not much of it left. It was well sought after by the nobility in the capital and was very expensive. It was known to be worth its weight in gold.

Even in her previous life, Gu Yu Qi had few dresses made of Huzhou silk during the time when she had been favoured.

Liu Yue was just a concubine but she wore such a precious dress at home. It could be seen that her father favoredher greatly.

It was no wonder that in her last life, when her mother, Liang Huai Yu, passed away, that Marquis could not wait to give Liu Yue the status of a legitimate wife. Gu Yu Qi thought to herself that Gu Si Yang was only one year younger than herself, which meant that Gu Huai Zhong had already been with this Concubine Liu the first year he went to the border. At that time, her grandfather was still alive. If Gu Huai Zhong really wanted to make her his concubine, then he would have to give her grandfather some respect. Also, there was military discipline; this Liu Yue really could wait.

One was a wife who had only been with him for a short time. The other was a concubine who endured hardships and afflictions at the border with him, endured for many years without a title, and was willing to have children. Gu Yu Qi did not even need to think to know who Gu Huai Zhong cared about more.

Her mother had suffered… No wonder she started to get sick when she arrived in the capital from Jiangnan. If only she was not heartbroken.

This Concubine Liu was not only beautiful, but she was good at talking. She did not have a good background, but she learned things quickly. After she became the legitimate wife of the Marquis in the previous life, she became popular with the noble ladies. Not only was her son, Gu Si Yang, named the Marquis’ heir, even her daughter married very well. On the contrary, her mother had died of illness and she had served as a concubine with a disgraced reputation.

Thinking of this, Gu Yu Qi’s eyes dimmed a bit. It turned out that she had really ignored a lot in her previous life…

Seeing Gu Yu Qi’s inky eyes staring at her fiercely, Liu Yue thought there was something wrong with her makeup. She could not help but smooth out her dress. “Madam, Eldest Miss. I was also uneasy when something happened just after the Eldest Miss returned to the Marquis residence. I came to see Eldest Miss a few days ago and Eldest Miss was still very sick. It is good to see that you have recovered. Congratulations Eldest Miss, congratulations Madam.”

Liang-shi listened to her perfunctory words and raised her brows lightly. She snorted and told someone to show her a seat.

“What was Concubine Liu uneasy about?” Gu Yu Qi asked as she blinked.

Liu Yue’s eyes twitched. The little girl in front of her looked a bit different from the one she had seen a few days ago. The girl who came into the house before was quick-tempered, like a boy. After falling into the water for a few days, she had become quiet.

When Gu Yu Qi looked at Liu Yue just then and smiled, her smile stunned Liu Yue. Gu Yu Qi’s eyes were like ink. They seemed clear but were also like a calm and deep pool without a bottom. They were not the kind of eyes a ten-year-old girl should have.

She… Had she discovered something?

“Eldest Miss has just entered the residence and something happened. As a concubine, I naturally felt uneasy.” Liu Yue smiled like a spring breeze, concealing what she was thinking. “Fortunately, Madam and Eldest Miss are blessed, and now I can rest assured.”

“Concubine Liu still knows she’s a concubine,” Gu Yu Qi continued to smile lightly. “But since the concubine entered the door to my mother’s yard, I have yet to see you curtsey.”

When Gu Yu Qi said this, Liang-shi could not help but chuckle as she looked at Liu-shi with a pair of almond eyes.

Liu Yue’s face paled slightly. Her slender fingers secretly twirled the silk handkerchief in her hand. Her teeth clenched tightly, causing pain.

She had been happiest before Liang Huai Yu and Gu Yu Qi arrived in the capital.

During that period of time, she was the Marquis’ wife and got whatever she wanted. Although her husband was the Marquis, he was obedient to her and with her son and daughter running around, she really lived a fairytale life.

Yet when Liang Huai Yu and Gu Yu Qi came, Liu Yue had to face the reality that she was just a concubine. 

The key to the house had to be handed over and her children could no longer call her mother in front of outsiders. Moreover, they had to call that woman mother. The servants no longer called her the madam, but the concubine. Even the half-grown girl in front of her dared to tell her off with no respect for her and her husband had to set time aside to be in a relationship with that woman.

She had endured for so long and this was the result?

Of course this would not do! Although Liu Yue clenched her teeth so hard it hurt from Gu Yu Qi’s light words just now, she quickly suppressed the anger and resentment that surged in her heart.

She could endure being at the border for so many years. She could wait a little longer.

Although this girl was not the same as before she had fallen into the water, she was still just a girl, was she not? To deal with her, Liu Yue told herself that there was plenty of time. For now, she had to deal with this damn girl’s mother!

As long as Liang Huai Yu was around, Liu Yue would never be the madam of the Marquis’ residence.

Being watched by Liang-shi’s unmoving expression, Liu Yue felt hatred from the bottom of her heart. However, she still had to bend her knees and lower her head, bowing gracefully to Gu Yu Qi. “Forgive me Eldest Miss. Liu Yue was wrong. Liu Yue was caring about Eldest Miss’ health just now and momentarily forgot etiquette.”

She could bear it.

The corner of Gu Yu Qi’s mouth curved upwards slightly.

If it had been her in the previous life, she would never care about something like this. Yet this life was different. With the experience of the previous life, she was no longer just a silly girl who had crossed over and did not care about anything. Liu Yue’s subtle movements might have deceived her in her previous life, but not in this life.

She was someone who had experienced the battles of the back palace. Compared to the deceit and dishonesty in the back palace, the Liu Yue in front of her seemed a little inferior.

In her last life, she had really been muddling through life. She had been complacent, looking down on this and that, being proud. In the eyes of others, her pride had probably just been a foolish show.

It was no wonder that the cold-hearted and cold-blooded person had looked down on her. Even Gu Yu Qi disliked her previous self a bit.

“Concubine Liu is considerate,” Gu Yu Qi said slowly.

“What qualifications do you have to ask my mother to bow to you?!” A childish voice with a bit of anger sounded. Liang-shi’s eyebrows raised slightly and the corners of Gu Yu Qi’s mouth also raised. Her younger brother born from a concubine, Gu Si Yang, was really lively today.