Chapter 338: Prelude of the Storm (V)
Translator: Ning LL
Minglan concluded that at last. She didn’t feel angry at all and was only a bit frustrated and sad. Caihuan was actually a very cautious girl, which was also why it had taken Minglan half a month to bust her. Everyone stayed silent for a long while and there was only Caihuan and Xiayu’s cry in the room. Minglan calmed herself and turned around, saying, “Tell Mama Cui to come in.”
Mama Cui brought two strong servants inside. Minglan glanced at them, finding their sleeves bulging. She assumed that there might be ropes and cloths to gag people. Seeing that, Caihuan and Xiayu was already scared out of their wits.
Minglan put on a serious look and said sternly, “You have to be clear of the reason why you are punished. Mama Cui, you can explain to them now.”
Mama Cui had waited for this moment for a long time. With her eyebrows knitted tightly, she said with expressionlessly, “Here’s the rule. Madam’s condition is special now, so we should be especially careful about the food and medicine she will take in.” Minglan’s three meals were all cooked by Momo Ge. Then, only Danju and other first-class maids could bring the meals to Minglan. The other foods and medicines of nutritious value would be stewed on the stove in the yard and guarded normally by two maids. If one maid needed to go out to do something, the other had to stay in the yard to guard the stove.
“Today you two are in charge of watching the stove. Xiayu told you that she needed to go to the restroom first but then she sneaked to her room to eat snacks and chatted with other maids for a while. She has left for too long. Caihuan’s mistake is more serious, because she even dared to absent without leave. You two can never stay in this yard anymore…”
Before she finished her words, Xiayu already burst into tears. Caihuan was the calmer one. She straightened herself and said with a loud voice, “Mama Cui, you are right, but Madam Wang has told me to serve Madam. If you kick me out like this, I don’t know how you will explain to Madam Wang when she asks about me.”
Mama Cui was furious as hearing of that. As she was about to curse, she heard a heavy and formidable man’s voice, “What’s the matter?!”
As everyone turned around, they saw Gu Tingye in a red official uniform standing there and holding a black golden hat with wings with a composed face. Minglan was startled. She had picked this time specifically to punish Caihuan in order not to bother Gu Tingye she felt it was still early.
“Master, you are back.” Minglan jumped off the brick bed at once and wanted to walk to him in her soft slippers.
Gu Tingye strode over with his long legs and pressed Minglan down, saying in a tender voice, “Sit here, don’t stand up in a rush.”
Xiaotao, the sensible girl, stepped forward and took over Gu Tingye’s official hat. After she put the hat away, she decided not to come back and only hid by the door to peek at the scene.
Gu Tingye sat next to Minglan with one of his hands on the table on the bed and then said with no expression on his face, “Mama, you can continue now, how to punish them?”
Mama Cui looked to Minglan with a reluctant look. After all, Caihuan and Xiayu were from the Sheng family. It would be a humiliation to the Sheng family if she punished the two girls in front of Gu Tingye. Even Minglan was a bit hesitant and didn’t know what to say.
Under Gu Tingye’s scary gaze, Mama Cui could only tell the truth, “Caihuan will be sent to the west corner to guard the empty room, Xiayu will be assigned to the Second Hall…” The more she spoke, the lighter her voice was. After Minglan receiving the distress signal from Mama Cui, she then said in a hurry, “They didn’t make a huge mistake anyway. However, if we don’t punish them, it’ll be hard for us to discipline others. You two can go now.”
There wasn’t any deep hatred between Minglan and Caihuan. All right, Minglan admitted that she wasn’t imposing enough, nor did she have the gut to destroy anyone. She planned to find a husband for Caihuan after she had given birth to the baby.
“Master!” Caihuan, with tears on her face, managed to get rid of the grip of the two old servants to everyone’s surprise and threw herself to the ground beside Gu Tingye’s feet. “Please show mercy to me. Please don’t let Madam kick me away. I’ll devote to Madam from now on. Madam Wang from the Sheng family sent me here. If I left this yard, my parents will be so humiliated!” She pulled out a lot of strength and even shifted the hem of Gu Tingye’s uniform.
Mama Cui got anxious ant once and grabbed Caihuan’s arm hastily in order to pull the latter away. Lvzhi who also got furious pulled Caihuan’s other arm and dragged fiercely.
“Wait.” Gu Tingye said that while looking at Caihuan puzzledly, “It’s you?”
Gu Tingye started to search his memory. This maid seemed to have served tea for him at one evening. Then, the girl whose name was Taozi called her out in a hurry. With a hopeful look on Caihuan’s face, she wrinkled her eyebrows, which made her look quite delicate, and wanted to say something. However, Gu Tingye frowned and scolded, “Why it’s you again?! Haven’t I told you last time that Madam was pregnant now and couldn’t smell the scent of the make-ups? Everyone in House of Auspiciousness is not allowed to apply make-ups! Why are you being like this today?!”
After he had said that, Mama Cui and Lvzhi got relived at once. Danju who had been so flustered also let out a relief. Minglan raised her head and looked at the ceiling. In fact, she really wanted to shout to Caihuan, ‘You are so unprofessional! If you want to seduce a man, you should at least do some research of him first!’
For example, Minglan had made so many efforts in learning the hobbies and habits of her husband who was also her boss in order to accomplish her job well. After she had inquired the old servants of the Gu family many times, she knew that because of Gu Tingye’s ‘considerate’ stepmother, he had already been around all kinds of pretty girls when he had been fourteen. Besides that, at the age of nineteen, Second Master Gu had stayed half a month in a famous nighttime entertainment spot in the capital. Not to mention how many romantic stories he had had with the women he had met when he had wandered at the outside world.
There was no use to pretend to be weak or aggrieved in front of him, because he had already witnessed the skills of higher levels. The amateurish act from a maid truly seemed shabby. Therefore, Minglan was never afraid that Caihuan’s tricks would work. The thing that truly worried her was that Caihuan would be instigated or want to harm her after those tricks had failed so many times.
“Master…” Caihuan was stunned. With her mouth widely open, she whose face was covered with make-ups, fell into a daze.
Gu Tingye felt quite displeased with the look on his face turning cold. He turned to Mama Cui and said angrily, “Since she always turns a deaf ear to the disciplines, why do you still keep her in the family?! Send her to the estate! If she still doesn’t behave, just sell her! I’ll explain to my mother-in-law!”
Mama Cui was overjoyed as if she had been remitted. The other two servants also recovered their strengths. In no time, they stood by each side of Caihuan and tied up the latter with the rope. After that, they gagged her and dragged her out. Xiayu didn’t dare to speak another word and dismissed herself at once.
Lvzhi followed them excitedly and planned to prepare luggage for them. Danju stayed in a trance and hadn’t come back to her sense. Xiaotao had the best mental quality. She walked out from behind the door with a smile and said, “We have some new Lu’an Guapian coming in today, Master, let me make tea for you.” After saying that, she walked over gently and pulled Danju away silently.
After everyone was out, Minglan looked around and then moved to Gu Tingye slowly, saying softly, “Master, what happened today?” He never liked to ask about the affairs in the inner yard. In the ordinary times, when Minglan was dealing with the family affairs, he would read book in the inner room. Judging from what had happened today, he clearly was in a bad mood and needed to vent out his anger.
“Nothing, I’m just annoyed.” After the man undid his collar, he fell into Minglan’s arms, exhausted. Then he closed his eyes to have a rest. Empress Shen’s brother was punished to stay at his home to ponder upon his fault, Gu Tingye could only take over his work these days. Those affairs were very complicated and numerous, which made Gu Tingye wear that sullen face the whole time as if he had lost his parents. No one dared to talk to him within three steps.
After Minglan loosened his hair bun, she ran her fingers through his hair and massaged his head tenderly. The man gradually stopped frowning and let out a few comfortable breaths. Minglan asked gently, “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”
Gu Tingye suddenly opened his eyes with a faint angry look in his eyes, “Something happened to Brother Chengyong.”
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