Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

Inside the study, Gu Yuande sat at his desk, the tea leaves in his teacup slowly swirling.

He seemed to be secretly savoring the words of Fang Cai's daughter, Quran.

Her words, "Jinyan has made connections with officials of the imperial court, and now she's all grown up," still echoed in his ears.

These few words carried a profound meaning, causing a slight ripple in his heart.

After Quran left, Gu Yuande pondered for a moment and then ordered someone to summon Gu Jinyan.

When Gu Jinyan entered the study, he smiled slightly, his demeanor dignified and his manners impeccable.

Her expression was calm and composed, as if she were unaware of the reason for her father's sudden summons.

However, in the instant she met Gu Yuande's gaze, she keenly sensed a hint of inquiry in her father's eyes.

"Father, did you summon me here because you have something to tell me?" Gu Jinyan asked calmly.

Gu Yuande took a sip of tea, slowly put down the teacup, glanced at her for a moment, and said indifferently, "Jinyan, have you been in contact with Lord Wang of the imperial court recently?"

Gu Jinyan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and a chill flashed through his heart.

She immediately realized that the source of these words must be the instigation of the Quran.

That half-sister was always good at exaggerating things to her father, often portraying her friendliness as opportunism and her efforts as scheming.

However, her face remained expressionless. She simply smiled and said, "Father, Lord Wang and I are completely innocent. We only make friends through painting because we both love calligraphy and painting. We have no other intentions."

Those rumors are just gossip spread by others; why should Father believe them?

At this point, Gu Jinyan's smile faded slightly, and a hint of determination flashed in his eyes. "Besides, my daughter's friendship with officials in the court is also intended to provide assistance to her father."

With Lord Wang's assistance in court, Father's authority will naturally be further consolidated.

As Gu Yuande listened to her reasonable and well-founded answer, the doubt in his eyes dissipated slightly, but a hint of hesitation remained in his expression.

He snorted and said, "You should know your limits and not let anyone find a handle to gossip about you."

Gu Jinyan bowed slightly and replied softly, "Your daughter understands and will not disappoint your father."

As Gu Jinyan left the study, he glanced back at the closed door and sneered inwardly.

The Quran has repeatedly used this tactic to try to sow discord between her and her father, even at the cost of damaging her reputation.

However, what she heard today only strengthened her resolve. She secretly vowed not to let the Quran's provocations shake her position again.

In the courtyard, apricot blossoms were like rosy clouds. A gentle breeze blew, and the petals fluttered down, landing on Gu Jinyan's shoulders.

She brushed the petals off her shoulder and walked slowly toward her yard, her eyes flashing with a calm light.

In the days that followed, she did not have any contact with the Quran, but she secretly sent people to investigate her half-sister's every move.

Sure enough, within a few days, she received a letter that was concise and to the point. It was about the Quran secretly sending people to spread rumors about her close relationship with Lord Wang.

Gu Jinyan held the letter in his hand, a slight smile playing on his lips, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

She murmured to herself, "Quran, since you enjoy stirring up trouble, I'll play along."

She instructed her personal maid, Hongyin, to find out the whereabouts of the Quran and to deliberately spread the news on these occasions.

Rumors gradually spread, eventually becoming the story that Quran was secretly getting close to Lord Wang in order to marry into a powerful family.

Within a few days, the rumor spread like wildfire among the aristocratic circles of the capital, and many people began to speculate about her true intentions.

Quran was completely unaware of this and continued to secretly embellish his relationship with Gu Jinyan.

Until one day, she was humiliated in the mansion by a noblewoman who made veiled insults, calling her a "climbing egoist".

Quran was so angry that his face turned pale, but he couldn't vent his anger in public, so he could only swallow his anger.

That night, Quran finally couldn't hold back any longer and personally went to Gu Jinyan.

Moonlight spilled onto the corridor, and Gu Jinyan's door opened gently, revealing Quran's figure outside.

Her eyes were filled with resentment, and she whispered through gritted teeth, "Why did you treat me like this, sister?"

Gu Jinyan remained calm, glanced up at her, and said in a composed voice, "What makes you say that, sister?"

I only mentioned it casually because I heard my sister enjoys making friends; I never expected it would cause such a stir.

Qulan's eyes reddened slightly, and she clenched the silk handkerchief in her hand tightly. She sneered, "Sister, you know exactly what I'm doing, yet you pretend to be innocent. Aren't you afraid that Father will find out?"

Gu Jinyan slowly stood up, walked to her, his gaze calm but devoid of any warmth: "I want to ask you, since you like to sow discord among others, why don't you try it again?"

However, if her father finds out this time, her sister will probably face more than just gossip.

Quran's expression changed upon hearing this, as if she realized she was at a disadvantage. She wanted to retort, but ultimately gritted her teeth and turned away.

After her figure disappeared under the corridor, Gu Jinyan smiled slightly, gently closed the door, and already had a plan in mind.