Forced to be a concubine? I turned around and married the scumbag's father.

A secluded courtyard, and you think you can buy her for a lifetime with just a thousand taels of silver?

Are we just going to let go of the bullying that Aunt Pei and Gu Wanru inflicted on her?

It's true what they say: a kind person is often bullied, and a good horse is often ridden.

Now that she has stood up, everyone has changed their appearance.

Gu Hua sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm.

"Thank you, cousin. If one day I can leave the Duke's Mansion and the Gu family, this little courtyard may become my place of refuge."

Pei Yi's heart skipped a beat.

If that day comes and his cousin is willing, he is willing to do his best for her.

How could someone as beautiful as her be a mistress?

Being a concubine is beneath her.

"Cousin, I have a favor to ask."

Pei Yi said earnestly, "Cousin, please speak freely, your cousin will definitely do it for you."

“I have a very good relationship with my elder sister’s maid, Jin Kui. I heard that her mother’s medicine is supplied by the Pei family’s pharmacy. I would like to ask my cousin to arrange for someone to handle this so that I can give you the money every month.”

Pei Yi laughed and said, "Why bother asking for such a small thing? You're a young lady, you should keep some money on hand. Leave her to me, her medicine and living expenses will definitely not be interrupted, so don't worry."

Gu Hua looked grateful, curtsied to him, and said softly, "Cousin, you are such a kind person."

Pei Yi sighed inwardly.

My little cousin is so kind; she can't even take care of herself, yet she still helps a maid.

A girl like this truly deserves to be cherished.

But right now, the matter of the Pei family becoming imperial merchants is of utmost importance, and Pei Yi knows what's important.

Having received Gu Hua's approval, Pei Yi went to the counter, retrieved 50,000 taels of silver notes, and handed them over to Aunt Pei.

Aunt Pei happily handed the silver notes to Gu Hua, repeatedly urging her to give them to Gu Wanru as soon as possible.

Gu Hua replied, "Mother, don't worry. I'll only be well if my elder sister is well."

For the first time, Aunt Pei found the little slut somewhat pleasing to the eye.

Pei Yi personally saw his aunt and Gu Hua off. Dong Hua helped Pei Yi into the car first, while Gu Hua stood by the car and talked to Pei Yi.

Neither of them saw a carriage parked not far away across the street, with the curtain slightly lifted, revealing the faces of three women.

Three pairs of unfriendly eyes were fixed on the smiling girl beside Pei Yi.

Jiang Ruoxi deliberately said, "That young lady beside Young Master Pei... seems to be the younger sister of the young mistress of the Duke's mansion. She's as beautiful as a vixen. She's talking to your husband so intimately, without any regard for propriety."

Sitting next to her was Pei Yi's wife, Qian Peizhu.

"Sister, you must keep a close eye on your brother-in-law to prevent him from causing trouble and bringing shame to the Qian family."

The speaker was Qian Peiqin, Qian Peizhu's elder sister and Jiang Ruoxi's second sister-in-law.

Qian Peizhu felt humiliated in front of her elder sister and looked unwell: "They are cousins, they are speaking normally."

Jiang Ruoxi's jealousy was undisguised.

"Sister, you don't know how ambitious this little vixen is. This unmarried young lady is actually staying at the Duke of Yong's mansion and refusing to leave. Didn't you see that carriage is the Duke of Yong's personal carriage? She even dares to talk and laugh with other men in the street. What kind of behavior is this?"

Qian Peizhu glanced at her: "Didn't the Empress Dowager intend to bestow a marriage upon the County Princess and the Duke of Yong? Once you become the Duchess of Yong, you can just drive this kind of woman out."

Jiang Ruoxi rolled her eyes at her: "Of course I'm not afraid, I'm just afraid your husband will be targeted. Don't blame me for not warning you."

Qian Peizhu smiled and stopped looking at the two people outside the window: "My husband isn't stupid. He swore he wouldn't take a concubine. My father is still helping the Pei family become a first-class imperial merchant. He knows I'm the face of the Pei family."

Qian Peiqin smiled faintly.

She always looked down on Qian Peizhu, who was born out of wedlock. She thought that as a mere illegitimate daughter, she had ambitions that were too high, but in the end, she still married a man from a merchant family.

What kind of effort would a father put into helping his illegitimate daughter? This half-sister is still so dim-witted.

Today, Jiang Ruoxi dragged her out, saying they were going to Linlang Tower to look at the new jewelry and pick out a birthday gift for the mother of the Duke of Yong. Qian Peizhu was inexplicably invited along.

The three of them were surprised to find themselves watching such a boring show.

Jiang Ruoxi also lowered the curtains: "Which man doesn't have multiple wives and concubines these days? Does Young Master Pei really mean he won't take any concubines? You're too naive, little sister. If you don't catch them in the act, they'll be able to sneak around and you won't be able to catch them later."

Qian Peizhu couldn't hold back her anger any longer: "Princess, don't you want me to have a good life?"

Jiang Ruoxi sneered: "You're my second sister-in-law's sister, how could I not want you to be happy? Don't be ungrateful, you'll have your day later."

Qian Peiqin didn't want to continue this topic: "Alright, let's go look at jewelry, shall we? Didn't you say you wanted to choose a gift for Old Madam Yong's birthday?"

"Well, let's go."

Jiang Ruoxi never looked down on the Qian family. One of them desperately married into the Jiang family, which was related to the imperial family, to become her second brother's second wife, while the other chose a merchant in order to become the legitimate wife.

The reason I brought them out today is because someone from the Yongguo Duke's Mansion reported that Gu Hua had left the mansion, and following her, they discovered that she had come to meet Pei Yi again.

As a county princess, she disdained to punish a mere concubine's daughter.

It would be most suitable to let Qian Peizhu, who was also born out of wedlock, deal with the little vixen.

Who knew that Qian Peizhu was a useless piece of trash.

After the carriage had traveled for a while, Gu Hua lifted the curtain.

"I'm going to Linlanglou to look at jewelry. Auntie, take the carriage back first, and then the carriage will come back to pick me up."

The old lady's birthday is coming up, and she wants to pick out a gift.

Aunt Pei had no objection, and the carriage stopped in front of Linlang Tower.

Donghua and Dongqing helped Gu Hua down from the carriage.

Gu Hua said to Dong Mo, "You should go back to your residence. The carriage will come to pick me up later."

Dongmo frowned: "Sister Zhou instructed me to protect the young lady."

Gu Hua smiled and said, "What could I possibly run into on the street in broad daylight? Besides, isn't Donghua here? A large group of people following me would only attract attention."

Helpless, Dongmo could only watch Gu Hua enter the Linlang Tower.

When the maid at Linglong Tower saw that it was Gu Hua, she warmly invited her in: "Miss Hua, Manager Qiu is currently receiving County Princess Jiang. Please wait a moment."

Gu Hua was taken aback.

Why did you touch her again?

Gu Hua didn't want to provoke the person who was very likely to become the second mistress of the Yongguo Duke's Mansion.

"Manager Qiu is busy, so there's no need to bother you. I'll come another day."

Gu Hua turned and left without hesitation.

"Stop!" came an arrogant shout.

Gu Hua paused, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

Do we really have to meet face-to-face?

She wasn't afraid either.

Gu Hua turned around and faced the three arrogant women.

Jiang Ruoxi's eyes lit up; she hadn't expected to run into him here.

It’s true that we are enemies on a narrow road.

She was about to speak to Qian Peizhu when she suddenly rushed over like a madwoman and reached out to grab Gu Hua's head.

Gu Hua was shocked and hurriedly dodged. At the same time, Dong Hua rushed forward and pushed him away.

Dongqing also stood in front of Gu Hua.

"What are you doing!"

"How dare you! This lowly servant dares to assault an official's wife!"

Jiang Ruoxi's eyes gleamed with excitement, her face cold: "Guards, drag this insolent and lowly servant out and beat her to death!"

The maids of the Jiang family stepped forward to grab Donghua, but Donghua kicked them away one by one.

Gu Hua rushed forward, pulled Dong Hua behind her, and shouted, "Princess, Dong Hua is the Duke's woman. It's not appropriate for you to kill her!"

"What are you, daring to block my way, the county magistrate!"

Jiang Ruoxi raised her hand and slapped Gu Hua hard across the face, making Gu Hua's head buzz and her eyes dizzy.

Qian Peizhu rushed up and snatched the jade hairpin from Gu Hua's head.

Donghua and Dongqing panicked and tried to hide behind Gu Hua, but Gu Hua held their hands tightly, preventing them from going forward.

She can't afford to offend the Jiang family for now.

Even though Donghua and the others were from the Duke's mansion, they were still servants and could not stand against the Jiang family.

It's not worth risking your life by fighting head-on.

When Gu Hua saw the woman snatching the hairpin, she suddenly realized, could it be...?