The mistress has no feelings, why do you provoke her?

After treating Gu Huaizhou's wound, the doctor came out carrying his medicine box and said to Song Wenjun, "The Marquis's injury is very serious. We must not let it reopen, otherwise the wound will become infected and fester, and even if it heals, it will leave a scar."

"Thank you, doctor." Song Wenjun nodded slightly, and then asked Xiao Tao to see the doctor out.

After the person left, her face immediately turned cold.

Jiang Miaoyin and Xue Qingwan both felt uneasy and dared not look at her.

Adopting the air of a matriarch, Song Wenjun asked, "My lord, what exactly happened to cause such serious injuries?"

She usually seems gentle and easy to talk to, but when she puts on a stern face, she can be quite intimidating.

Jiang Miaoyin felt a little guilty and didn't dare to meet Song Wenjun's gaze, but Xue Qingwan didn't have as many concerns as her. On the contrary, she looked smug and waited to see Jiang Miaoyin make a fool of herself.

"Yes, sister-in-law, only you and the Marquis were in the room just now. What happened to make the Marquis so badly injured?" Xue Qingwan asked sarcastically.

Jiang Miaoyin stammered and couldn't get the words out, her face turning bright red.

She dared not say anything; no matter what she said, that bitch Xue Qingwan would refute her.

And she exposed her affair with Gu Huaizhou.

Just as she was in a dilemma, Gu Huaizhou came to her rescue: "Don't blame me, sister-in-law. I just accidentally rolled off the bed."

Xue Qingwan's eyes widened suddenly, and she looked at Jiang Miaoyin with a mocking gaze: "Sister-in-law, is that so?"

It's hilarious that someone would say something as ridiculous as rolling off the bed.

She looked at Song Wenjun, only to see her breathe a sigh of relief and actually believe it: "My lord is too careless. How could you fall off the bed like that? If anything happens, just tell the servants. If all else fails, you still have your sister-in-law."

Hearing her say that, Xue Qingwan almost rolled her eyes to the sky.

What an idiot! She actually believed such a lame excuse.

No wonder Jiang Miaoyin and Gu Huaizhou's affair went on for so long without her noticing.

Seeing Xue Qingwan's smug look, Jiang Miaoyin wanted nothing more than to tear her mouth apart.

What are you so smug about, you scoundrel?

One day she'll show her what she's capable of.

Xue Qingwan feigned surprise and exclaimed, "Young Madam is right. With your sister-in-law watching outside, is the Marquis afraid of gossip if he doesn't ask her to do anything?"

Gu Huaizhou glanced at Xue Qingwan indifferently, a look that carried a warning, but the latter curled her lips without showing any fear.

She had leverage over Gu Huaizhou and Jiang Miaoyin. Did she think she was as easy to bully as Song Wenjun?

"Cousin, please stop teasing me."

Song Wenjun also glanced at Xue Qingwan disapprovingly: "Cousin, don't say such things in the future. My sister-in-law and the Marquis are completely innocent. She is not that kind of person."

Xue Qingwan gave a soft hum and remained silent.

But in his heart, he despised Song Wenjun to the dust. How could such a foolish woman become the mistress of the house?

Seeing that she had finished giving her instructions, Song Wenjun stood up and said, "My mother-in-law still needs my care, so please take good care of my sister-in-law and cousin here."

"Don't worry, I will take good care of the Marquis," Jiang Miaoyin said hurriedly.

Song Wenjun nodded, then left with Xiao Tao.

As soon as she left, Jiang Miaoyin's smile vanished, and she slapped Xue Qingwan across the face.

Xue Qingwan wasn't one to be trifled with either, and slapped him back twice: "Do you think I'm as good-tempered as Song Wenjun, letting you hit me? Let me tell you, you'd better keep your tail between your legs when you see me in the future, or I'll make you regret it."

Jiang Miaoyin covered her slapped cheek and glared angrily at Xue Qingwan.

She couldn't beat her in terms of physical strength, not to mention that the other party had leverage over her.

He had no choice but to swallow his anger.

"You're just a cousin with no status in this household. Let's see how long you can be so arrogant." Jiang Miaoyin could only utter harsh words.

Xue Qingwan smiled indifferently and retorted, "Even if I'm not the best, I'm still a cousin. If I'm willing to beg my aunt, the young mistress will surely grant me the title of a concubine. What are you? You're just a rat in the gutter, never able to see the light of day. What makes you think you can compare to me?"

She deliberately hit Jiang Miaoyin's sore spots, leaving Jiang Miaoyin furious but helpless.

She could only look to Gu Huaizhou for help, venting her anger on him: "Gu Lang, do you really want to take her as a concubine?"

Gu Huaizhou was getting a headache from their bickering, but he still sided with Jiang Miaoyin.

But now that Xue Qingwan has something on him, he has to appease her no matter how dissatisfied he is.

Therefore, Gu Huaizhou put on a stern face and said to Jiang Miaoyin, "I can't disobey my mother. From the moment my cousin entered the manor, my mother made her plans. What can I do?"

He was a marquis, and it was really inappropriate for him to have only one wife and no concubines in his household.

Jiang Miaoyin never expected him to speak in Xue Qingwan's favor, and her heart shattered into countless pieces.

Her eyes reddened, and she asked, choking back tears, "So, Lord Marquis, you've agreed?"

Gu Huaizhou turned his face away, not wanting to talk to her anymore. Jiang Miaoyin was good in every way, except that she didn't know how to be flexible.

Knowing full well that she shouldn't mess with Xue Qingwan right now, she's still jumping around in her minefield.

Xue Qingwan curled her lips smugly, thinking that being a concubine wasn't so bad, after all, she was a proper mistress in the mansion.

Most importantly, she felt great satisfaction seeing Jiang Miaoyin fall out of favor.

"Xue Qingwan, didn't you say you'd rather die than become a concubine?"

“The past is the past, and the present is the present.” Xue Qingwan smiled in a cheeky way: “I’ve figured it out now. I’m so fond of the Marquis that even if I were to become his concubine, I would be willing.”

Xue Qingwan had already realized that Gu Huaizhou didn't like Song Wenjun at all.

Although she was in charge of the household's finances, how was she any different from an old maid?

As long as she wins Gu Huaizhou's favor, she will eventually be the one calling the shots in this mansion.

Gu Huaizhou actually quite enjoyed the feeling of being fought over by the two women, which made his male pride feel incredibly good.

Jiang Miaoyin nodded repeatedly, her heart filled with despair: "Okay, very good. Gu Huaizhou, I'm putting this out there: it's either her or me, it's either her or me."

After saying that, she turned around and stormed out.

Gu Huaizhou breathed a long sigh of relief; with Jiang Miaoyin gone, he felt a great sense of peace and quiet.

To reassure Xue Qingwan, he held her small hand and feigned deep affection: "Cousin, is what you said true?"

"Of course it's true." Xue Qingwan blushed and asked, "Cousin, do you like me?"

Gu Huaizhou nodded without hesitation: "I like you, I like you very much. I took a liking to you at first sight the day you entered the manor. It's just that my cousin rejected my mother's suggestion, and I was disappointed for quite a few days."

Xue Qingwan's eyes lit up slightly: "Really, cousin?"

"Really." Gu Huaizhou tightened his grip on her hand slightly, placing it against his chest. "Before meeting my cousin, I had no idea what love was. Today, after hearing her confess her feelings to me, I'm certain of my own feelings. Qingwan, are you willing to be with me?"

Xue Qingwan's heart pounded wildly; no man had ever confessed his love to her like this before.

For a moment, her heart was in a panic.