Rebirth and Marriage: I am the Mistress of the Palace

Gu Qianling curled his lips into a mocking smile: "My wife has truly never cared about me, yet she claims the Crown Prince trusts me."

Meng Yunlan was taken aback: "Did I say something wrong? Isn't it true? Everyone outside knows that you are the Crown Prince's most trusted friend, his blood cousin, and his future brother-in-law!"

Gu Qianling's sarcasm deepened: "It's fine if outsiders think that way, but you are my wife, my bedmate. We've been married for five years, yet you know nothing about my situation!"

"What situation? What do you mean by knowing nothing? What are you talking about, Gu Qianling? If you don't want to help me, then choose. Why are you playing games with me like this!"

"Meng Yunlan, I have long since fallen out of favor with His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"What?! This is impossible!"

"I, the Junior Chamberlain of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, have long been sidelined and have no real power! The advisors around the Crown Prince all appear to respect me greatly on the surface, but they are all wary of me in private! They don't let me know any confidential matters or participate in any major decisions! I am now just a useless person with an official title!"

Meng Yunlan looked at him in disbelief: "How is this possible? You are clearly His Highness the Crown Prince's most trusted person, who would dare to disrespect you? You...aren't you being too sensitive? Have you misunderstood something?"

Gu Qianling gave a cold laugh: "Meng Yunlan, if you had put even a little bit of thought into me, you would have noticed something was wrong long ago. Instead, you still think I've misunderstood you even now."

After he finished speaking, he walked out.

He opened the door, and the cold night wind rushed in.

Meng Yunlan felt a chill run through her body almost instantly, and she collapsed to the ground.

"Young lady!"

Bai Shao rushed forward and helped her up: "Are you alright? You must take good care of yourself. The master and madam are waiting for your help. You must not fall down."

Meng Yunlan sat back in her chair, looking completely dejected: "Bai Shao, it's over, everything is over. Nobody is willing to help me, not even Gu Qianling. This time, the Meng family... is probably doomed."

Bai Shao didn't know how to comfort him, after all, Meng Deguang had made a really big and unbelievable mess this time.

She used to think that Meng Deguang was virtuous and averse to women.

To show her magnanimity, Madam Meng arranged for Meng Deguang to have several concubines, but Meng Deguang rarely touched them.

He rarely even went to Madam Meng's room, her legal wife's room.

He slept in his study all year round, spending his days and nights searching for faults among his officials to ensure that there were people and matters to impeach every day at court.

I thought he was so focused on his work that he wasn't interested in women, but it turns out he just hadn't met a woman who could move his heart!

Ren Jingqiu's stunning beauty and refined demeanor, born from her knowledge of literature, were indeed unmatched by the scheming Madam Meng and her few empty-headed concubines.

When Meng Deguang encountered Ren Jingqiu, he dared to betray not only his official duties but even the emperor.

The saying "Even heroes find it hard to resist the charms of a beautiful woman" is indeed true.

"No, that's not right! There's someone else who can help me!"

"Young Madam, who are you talking about?"

"Gu Qianhan!"

"Ah?! This..."

"Quick, help me change my clothes. I need to go to his study in the front yard. He's a genius; he'll definitely have a way to help me!"

Bai Shao hesitated, "But...but you just had a conflict with the Second Young Master during the day because of the carriage. If you go to see him now, I'm afraid he won't be willing..."

"Snapped!"

Before Bai Shao could finish speaking, Meng Yunlan slapped her across the face.

She was in so much pain that she saw stars, but she dared not cry out. Instead, she immediately knelt down and said, "This servant deserves to die!"

Meng Yunlan grabbed her hair and forced her to look up at him.

She gritted her teeth and said, "In the entire Duke's mansion, the person Gu Qianhan respects the most is me!! I am his sister-in-law, the one who will always protect him, help him out of trouble, and speak up for him! How dare you say that he is unwilling to help me! What are your intentions?!"

Bai Shao's scalp throbbed with pain from being pulled, but she endured the agony and begged for mercy repeatedly: "This servant knows she was wrong, this servant will never dare to do it again! This servant is lowly and short-sighted, that's why I misunderstood the Second Young Master! The Second Young Master respects the Young Madam the most, if you go to him, he will definitely help you!"

Meng Yunlan looked at her coldly and released her hand: "That's more like it! Why are you still kneeling? Do you want everyone to know that I'm ruthless and punish my personal maid by making her kneel in the middle of the night?"

Bai Shao stood up with trembling hands, ran to get her clothes, and helped Meng Yunlan change.

Meng Yunlan looked in the mirror and saw that her face was pale, her eyes were red and swollen, and there were tear streaks on her face. She said, "I look like a ghost. Use pearl powder to cover it up for me."

"Yes."

Bai Shao picked up the pearl powder, intending to cover her up, but Meng Yunlan slapped it away.

Bai Shao trembled: "Young Madam..."

"There's no need to cover it up anymore. If you cover it up, it won't have that poignant and tragic feel."

Bai Shao didn't think Meng Yunlan was beautiful at all; she only felt that Meng Yunlan was like a fickle and unpredictable demon who was about to devour people at any moment.

However, having already learned her lesson, she absolutely dared not utter another word this time.

She nervously accompanied Meng Yunlan out the door, her fingers tightly intertwined.

This can't go on. She has to call a doctor quickly to cure Granny Ping and Shancha. Their condition is much better than yesterday. They should just be frightened and there's nothing seriously wrong with them.

Once they recover, she won't have to face Meng Yunlan alone anymore, and her chances of survival will greatly increase.

After leaving Yulu Courtyard, Meng Yunlan was heading towards the study in the front courtyard when she suddenly saw a light on in the southeast direction.

She paused, "That direction seems to lead only to Biluo Courtyard. Why are there lights on over there? Who lives there?"

Bai Shao clenched her fingers and could only honestly answer, "Young Madam, Miss Pei is staying over there."

"Miss Pei? Which Miss Pei?"

"It's...it's that Miss Pei from the Prince of Hengzhou's mansion."

Meng Yunlan asked incredulously, "What did you say? Pei Yingzhu?! She's come to the Duke's mansion?"

"Yes."

"Snapped!"

Another slap landed hard on Bai Shao's face.

"You didn't even tell me Pei Yingzhu came! How dare you keep such a big thing from me?!"

Bai Shao immediately knelt down again: "This servant deserves to die!"

"Get up! Kneeling outside, are you trying to prove I'm guilty of abusing my servants?!"

Bai Shao quickly stood up.

"Who gave you permission to call Pei Yingzhu 'Miss Pei'? She's married! What kind of 'Miss' is she now!"

“Young Madam, yes, it’s because Pei… she, she’s already divorced, and the servants around her all call her Miss Pei, so the people in our household can only call her that as well.”