A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Gui'er didn't accept Wu Mingqiang's brooch after all. After finishing her cake, she said goodbye and went back. When she arrived at the bottom of Wing On Department Store, she ran into Dali walking upstairs. Dali said, "I saw your friend come out earlier. Why are you still upstairs? I was worried something happened to you."

Guier smiled and said, "Nothing, I just ran into someone I know, so we chatted for a while."

After returning to the Marshal's residence, I just got off the car and passed by the gatehouse in the courtyard when I heard the servants inside talking: "I really feel sorry for our young master. Although he was raised outside before, how is our young master worse than the eldest young master? He helped the Marshal take over Fengcheng within a few years of returning. Isn't it because he has no mother? When he was in Shanghai, there were so many young ladies from famous families to choose from, but he chose this gangster daughter who looks like a man. Not only is she domineering all day long, but she also cheats on the young master outside."

"Nowadays, when it comes to the eldest young master's marriage, they know how to find a lady who is a high-ranking government official and has a wealthy business background. I heard that the lady the eldest young master has chosen this time is not only as beautiful as a fairy, but also well-educated, has seen the world and studied abroad."

"Actually, it would be fine if the eldest young master found someone with better conditions. After all, he is the lady's biological son, and she will definitely plan for him. But the lady actually tried to match the young master and the young mistress together again in order to make the reputation of the Marshal's Mansion better. Isn't this disgusting? Who would be willing to share a bed with a vicious woman who kills people?" It was the voice of the steward.

"The worst thing is that this woman has returned to our courtyard, and Madam is constantly urging us to have children. If we really have children, we might get angry again, and then our hard times will begin. Have you forgotten how arrogant their servants were before? The young master doted on the young lady so much, and that woman hurt her so much, but the young master didn't dare to do anything to her."

"Butler, what you said is wrong. I think the young master must have a plan, but it's just not convenient to act now." said a servant.

After hearing this, others also echoed and said, "Yes, yes."

Gui'er didn't expect that the news that Sha Yanyao had a blind date would spread so quickly. She thought that maybe she could use this matter and what Wu Mingqiang had just said about Ji Yiru being a barren woman to instigate some trouble, at least to make Sha Yanxiao feel resentful towards Ji Yiru.

When she walked into the house, Sha Yanxiao was sitting on the sofa in the hall, waiting for her. When he saw her come in, he smiled and waved, saying, "Guier, come here."

Gui'er walked over and sat down beside him. Sha Yanxiao took out a box. Gui'er recognized it at a glance. It was the box containing the brooch that Wu Mingqiang wanted to give her just now.

Sha Yanxiao opened the box with great interest, and found the exact same brooch.

Sha Yanxiao handed it to Gui'er and said, "This is a gift from the security team in Fengcheng. Try it on and see if it looks good on you."

Gui'er didn't know if Wu Mingqiang had told Sha Yanxiao what had just happened, so she asked, "Why didn't the security team give a gold bar or silver dollar as a tribute, but a brooch?"

Sha Yanxiao smiled and said, "Because this wasn't confiscated formally, Wu Mingqiang must have gotten it by blackmailing the casino or tobacco shop owners."

"He said that he thinks this thing is especially suitable for you, but he won't accept it if he gives it to you." After saying that, he looked at Gui'er with a smile.

After hearing this, Gui'er was moved and said, "Yes, I just ran into him when I was shopping at Wing On Department Store with my classmates. How could he just accept someone else's things?"

Sha Yanxiao smiled, touched his head and said: "My Gui'er is a good girl."

Seeing the opportunity was right, Gui'er quickly looked around and whispered to Sha Yanxiao, "I was just chatting with Wu Mingqiang, and he told me that my sister-in-law is in her twenties and still hasn't had her period. Is that normal? Didn't you say before that a woman's period is proof that she can have children? If my sister-in-law doesn't have her period, does that mean she can't have children? My mother is urging me to do it, so what should I do?"

Sha Yanxiao's expression changed. He said, "Did Wu Mingqiang tell you? How would he know these things?"

Gui'er said, "Yes, he asked me if I was sick because I looked pale. I thought he was from our courtyard too, so he didn't seem like someone who would keep his mouth shut, so I told him about what had happened recently. He said that my sister-in-law didn't appreciate her blessings. He said that when she was in Shanghai, everyone in the family knew that she hadn't had her period. After she married into the Marshal's Mansion, even though you treated her well, she was still acting like a tyrant and even trying to kill people."

Sha Yanxiao remained silent.

Gui Er felt like adding fuel to the fire, so she said, "I just came back from outside. When I passed by the gatehouse, I heard the servants talking about how Big Brother recently fell in love with the daughter of a central government official, who also has a wealthy business background. She's as pretty as a fairy, educated, and has studied abroad. They say Mother is afraid that she'll have someone investigate us, and that finding out about your disagreement with your sister-in-law will affect them, so she's letting you get back together. They're all saying that Mother and Father are partial."

As she spoke, she took Sha Yanxiao's hand and said sadly, "Brother, you are suffering."

Sha Yanxiao took Gui'er's hand in turn, hugged her in his arms, sighed deeply, and said nothing.

In fact, Gui'er felt bad. She thought that no matter what era, people always have emotional needs. Sha Yanxiao had been without a mother since he was a child, and his adoptive father who raised him had passed away. Maybe he was really filial to the Marshal and his wife. Just like in modern families with many children, the one who was least cared for is often the most filial. They actually wanted to use filial piety to win their parents' love.

Gui'er directly exposed the matter now, which was actually hurtful to Sha Yanxiao, but she had no choice. If she let this woman gain power again, her life would be in danger.

After returning to the room, Gui'er was a little worried. She was afraid that Wu Mingqiang would hear from others that Ji Yiru's lack of menstruation was actually false. If that was the case, she would be regarded as the person who spread the rumor and slandered her, and would easily be bitten back.

So she called Dingxiang and asked, "How many maids does my sister-in-law have now?"

Ding Xiang said, "Originally there were more than a dozen, but most of them have been sold. Now there are only four."

Gui'er asked, "Are these four maids all her close servants? Can you talk to them?"

Ding Xiang said puzzledly, "The ones who stayed behind were all his close servants. How much have we been bullied by them before? Everyone in the courtyard avoided him, so why would we talk to them? Miss, why do you ask that?"

Guier said worriedly, "I recently heard someone say that my sister-in-law has never had her period since she was a child. I wonder if it's true."

When Ding Xiang heard this, she cried out, "Isn't that a barren woman? How could anyone from the Ji family cheat others like this?"

Gui'er was startled. She hadn't expected Dingxiang to react so violently. Dingxiang also noticed her own loss of composure and said sheepishly, "Miss, you're still young, so you might not understand. When a wealthy family marries, the first priority is to have children. This barren woman can't have children, so no one would dare marry her, no matter how good the family background is. The Ji family is really cheating."

Gui'er frowned and said, "I'm worried too. Mother is urging my brother and sister-in-law to have children soon. Can you get close to them and see if there's a chance to get any information out of them? You don't have to ask them specifically, just get close first. If you really can't find out anything, forget it."

Dingxiang thought for a moment and said, "It's not that there's no chance. The young marshal has confiscated their monthly allowance and all their money. They're used to spending lavishly, so they must be very upset now. But as for me..."

Gui'er understood instantly and handed him a silver dollar, saying, "Take these and use them first. If you need more, come back to me. But this must be done secretly. No one should know about it, or they will accuse me of stirring up trouble."

Ding Xiang nodded and said, "Don't worry, Miss. I know what I'm doing."