A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Sha Yanxiao will be gone for several days this time. Guier still goes to school every day and reviews her homework in her yard when she gets home.

Occasionally, she would visit the third and fourth concubines. She went to the third concubine mainly because she was worried about Taohua. However, after she sent some gifts to Taohua in the name of Sha Yanxiao, she calmed down a little. Of course, the third concubine still put her own daughter first. The last time they went to worship at Guanyin Temple, it was not convenient for Sanmei to go because she was pregnant, so she did not let Taohua go, which saved Taohua from a disaster.

Taohua was also very optimistic. She said, "I have enough food and clothes now. Sister Sanmei occasionally finds out that the Third Concubine is withholding my monthly allowance and tells her off, so I still get my monthly allowance sometimes. I can also sell flowers for money, and I have a teacher to teach me calligraphy. This is already better than many people. Didn't you say that when you grow up you'll find a chance to leave here? Then we'll go together."

Gui'er hadn't expected Taohua to be so resolute. After a trip to Shanghai, she realized that living in this era as a member of the lower class wasn't easy either. However, if she continued to stay there when she grew up, she might end up being used as a victim of marriage transactions, just like the three Miss Zhangs. So she smiled and said, "Okay, let's go together."

The fourth concubine has always been very polite to Gui'er, but Gui'er feels that he is very scheming and will use any means to eliminate anyone who gets in his way, so she always keeps her distance.

But after saving herself with Sha Lili last time, she felt that Sha Lili was low-key but smart and brave, and would not be a bad person when she grew up. It would be a good idea to make some friends with her now.

So I would occasionally go hang out with her and found that she actually had pretty good grades. Like Tong Yujun, she also had her own little group, but most of them were just bootlickers. Gui'er could actually get along with her on equal terms.

Just when Gui'er thought she could have a few days of peace, Dingxiang came up to her quietly after school and said, "Miss, why don't you go to the small courtyard and take a look? There's almost a fight over there."

Gui'er sighed and hurried to the small courtyard, where she saw Ji Yiru's personal maids pointing and cursing at the west wing opposite.

"You shameless, despicable people, don't think you can just act pitiful all day long. Everyone knows that you actually want to be the main wife. Ugh, disgusting!"

The west wing of the three Miss Zhangs was silent, and no one came out to refute or curse.

Gui'er felt a fire in her chest. She knew that this was actually Ji Yiru's intention. Otherwise, which servant would dare to scold the young lady?

So Gui'er went to the east wing to look for Ji Yiru. As soon as she walked in, she found her half-lying on a recliner, leisurely reading a book, as if she couldn't hear her maid scolding. Seeing Gui'er, she sat up and said with a smile, "Sister Gui'er, are you here? Please take a seat. Someone, make me a cup of milk tea. My little cousin loved it when we were in Shanghai. I'm sure you won't dislike it either."

Guier sat down and smiled, saying, "Thank you, Sister Ji. Sister Ji is so thoughtful. Before leaving, my brother specifically told me to come visit you sisters when I have time, and to pass on anything you need to mother, so that you sisters won't be wronged."

Ji Yiru could hear the hidden meaning in Gui'er's words and smiled nonchalantly, saying, "Alas, sister, you are still young. You don't know that some people who appear weak are actually pretending to be weak but are actually very powerful. Before I got engaged to your brother, my family sent someone to investigate. Marshal Zhang of Fengcheng still has no sons even in his middle age, while his daughters have been studying the Four Books and Five Classics and Sun Tzu's Art of War since childhood. They are not virtuous women who follow the Three Obediences and Four Virtues."

Gui'er didn't know whether what she said was true or not, and felt very annoyed. She regretted coming here to meddle in other people's business, but when she thought about the injury suffered by Miss Rong in Shanghai, she felt that if she didn't do anything, it would be difficult to deal with if something big happened.

She smiled and said, "Sister Ji is my brother's legitimate fiancée. This is something everyone knows. However, if there is any dispute and it gets out and the elders hear it, it won't be good. Although mother and father think that my brother is old enough and doesn't care about the affairs of his courtyard, they still have high standards for family traditions. I came here to tell my sister about this."

Gui'er carried the Marshal and his wife out. Ji Yiru was still a little hesitant and immediately said with a smile, "Thank you so much for reminding me, my servants. They are all rough people. I will discipline them well in the future. Please also apologize to the Zhang family sisters on my behalf."

Seeing that she was willing to restrain herself, Gui'er smiled and said, "Sister Ji, you are indeed a lady from a noble family, virtuous and sensible. I believe Sister Zhang won't mind."

After coming out of Ji Yiru's east wing, Gui'er went to the west wing. The three Miss Zhangs came out to greet her, especially Miss Zhang Er, who held his hand affectionately and led him into the inner room. After sitting down in the room, she was busy instructing the servants to make tea.

Gui'er said, "Brother, I went to Fengcheng for the past two days. Before I left, he asked me to take some time to come and see my sisters. If there's anything I need, just tell mother. How are my sisters these past two days?"

Miss Zhang Er smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, sister. We sisters have always had a lot of things to do. The Marshal's Mansion treats us with great courtesy and thoughtfulness, so there's nothing we lack."

But Miss Zhang San and Miss Zhang Si looked worried. Gui Er thought it was probably because of Miss Ji's maid's scolding, so she said, "I've already talked to Sister Ji. She should be more restrained in the next two days. My brother will be back in a few days. I hope you sisters will be patient."

Miss Zhang Er held Gui'er's hand and said, "Sister, you may not believe this, but a while ago, Miss Ji treated us like sisters. She even told us about the incident during our visit to Guanyin Temple. She also said she was willing to help us escape. Otherwise, if she were to investigate, she would definitely kill us sisters."

"But we all believed that the young marshal would never do that, so we refused. Later, not only did the young marshal not pursue the matter, he also comforted us and said that he would protect us well. After that, Miss Ji became more and more incompatible."

Gui'er didn't expect that there would be such a thing. Sha Yanxiao did stop the idea of pursuing the three Zhang sisters at the family meeting. What Miss Zhang said should be true.

It seems that Ji Yiru still cannot tolerate the three sisters of the Zhang family, but it is normal. She is the daughter of the number one gangster family in Shanghai. I am afraid that no matter who she marries, she will not allow others to take concubines.

Gui'er felt very troubled. She was really not good at dealing with such things. When she watched palace fighting dramas in her original world, she always felt that she would definitely not survive a single episode. Now, facing the real palace fighting, she still felt the same way.