newbobooks Chapter 6 A lump in your throat, it'll make you furious.
Chapter 6 A lump in your throat, it'll make you furious.
"Madam, Miss Du has arrived and says she wants to serve you tea," a maidservant announced as she entered.
"Get her out of here. What is she? A lowly servant girl. Don't think that just because she's pregnant she can get into this house."
Mrs. Gu was furious; not just anyone was entitled to serve her tea…
Du Ruoling dared to instigate the young master of the manor to fake his death and elope. Gu's mother wanted to beat her to death last night, but she did not expect that she was pregnant.
For the sake of her grandson, she had no choice but to accept it.
Seeing this, Granny Wang immediately scolded the maid, "What are you standing there for? Didn't you hear what Madam said? Quickly tell that Du fellow to get out of here and stop bothering Madam."
The maidservant scrambled away.
Only then did Granny Wang turn around, her face beaming as she advised Madam Gu, "Madam, please don't upset yourself. There's plenty of time. We can deal with her after the baby is born."
Madam Gu was still furious. "Hmph! My son is blinded by greed and has been bewitched by this vixen. She is not worthy of being Cheng'an's legal wife. The honor of my Marquis's mansion must not be tarnished by her."
Wang Mama continued, echoing Gu Mama's words: "Madam is wise. With you here, the foundation of this Marquis's mansion will not be shaken."
Just as Madam Gu's anger had subsided somewhat, she heard a maid report that someone from the Earl's and Marquis's residence had arrived, and that the Marquis wanted to invite Madam Gu to the main hall.
Mrs. Gu's brows furrowed instantly, her eyes filled with annoyance and confusion. She muttered, "What are they doing here? They're just eager to join in the fun."
Granny Wang hurried forward and straightened the slightly wrinkled hem of Madam Gu's clothes. Madam Gu gently dusted off her sleeves, raised her chin slightly, and strode out.
In the courtyard, Du Ruoling was carrying a tea tray when her maid pushed her to leave.
"Get out of the way, don't get in my way!"
Du Ruoling stumbled and took two steps back before regaining her balance. When she looked up, she saw Gu's mother coming out of the inner room.
Her eyes lit up instantly, and she subconsciously took a step forward, a fawning smile on her face, about to greet him.
But Gu's mother's gaze was like a cold, sharp arrow, piercing straight through her, yet it seemed as if she didn't see her at all, simply passing by.
Du Ruoling's smile froze on her face; she had been met with a cold shoulder.
"Pah, she thinks she's someone important, scrambling to curry favor with us without even knowing her place. Our lady would never tolerate such a vixen."
The maids in Gu's mother's courtyard had long disliked Du Ruoling.
After saying that, he deliberately raised his voice, which attracted several servants around him to secretly look in his direction.
Du Ruoling's face flushed red. The maidservant, emboldened, continued, "She's just a lowly servant girl, yet she dares to dream of climbing the social ladder. She's simply overestimating herself. Does she even look at herself? Does she really think she's good enough to catch the eye of the Marquis's household?"
The maid deliberately looked Du Ruoling up and down, her eyes full of disdain.
Du Ruoling was so angry that she trembled all over, her eyes wide open, staring intently at the maid.
She thought that since she was pregnant and Chu Ruohan had married someone else, even if Gu's mother was unwilling, she could accept it for Gu Cheng'an's sake.
At this moment, the grievances and anger in her heart were like a volcanic eruption that was hard to suppress. "Wait until I marry Gu Cheng'an, and see how I deal with you all."
Upon hearing this, the servants in the courtyard burst into laughter. An old nanny covered her mouth and chuckled, "Still daydreaming about becoming a phoenix on a branch? Even if she gives birth to a child, she'll only be destined to be a concubine."
The laughter of the crowd pierced Du Ruoling's heart like needles.
Why do women make things difficult for other women? Aren't they just servants too? Why do they look down on her?
Du Ruoling took a deep breath, turned around and left the courtyard. She was a modern woman with higher education, and she wouldn't stoop to the level of these women who were investigating drugs in a feudal society...
Incense smoke curled inside the ancestral hall, and the memorial tablet of Anyang *** appeared solemn under the candlelight.
Chu Ruohan lit the incense herself, respectfully raised both hands above her head, and bowed three times. "Your Highness, your daughter-in-law has been forced to remarry my husband. From now on, I will be dutiful and respectful in managing the household."
"Dear Mother, your daughter-in-law humbly beseeches you to bless my husband with good health and longevity, and to grant him success in all his endeavors." She then took the teacup from the maid and gently placed it on the offering table in front of the memorial tablet. "This cup of tea is a small token of Ruohan's heartfelt wishes."
After all the ceremonies were completed, Chu Ruohan stood up, but did not rush to leave. She slowly looked at the portrait of *** hanging on the wall.
The woman in the portrait is dignified, as if she is also scrutinizing the bride.
The maidservant hurriedly entered the room, curtsied, and then said hastily, "Young Madam, people from the Earl's and Marquis's mansions have arrived. The masters are all waiting for you to serve them tea."
"understood."
Chu Ruohan straightened her clothes, took light steps, and followed the maid out of the ancestral hall.
Behind the curtain, Gu Junze sat quietly in his wheelchair, his hands slightly clasped, his deep eyes fixed on Chu Ruohan's receding figure...
Along the way, Chu Ruohan was filled with thoughts. Marquis Anyang was originally an unfavored illegitimate son in the Earl's mansion. He was only able to be ennobled after marrying Lady Anyang.
In this capital city, it's the first time a son's title has surpassed his father's.
Since the deaths of the old Earl and his wife, the Earl's and Marquis's mansions have not maintained close ties. In the previous life, after Gu Cheng'an faked his death, the Earl's mansion only came to pay their respects briefly before leaving.
The old Earl had four sons. The eldest son inherited the title, the second son married a princess, and the third son was a promising one who passed the imperial examination with top honors and was appointed as an official in a remote area.
Only the fourth master, who was also a son of a concubine, accomplished nothing, and the fourth madam always came to flatter Gu's mother.
Chu Ruohan walked gracefully to the front hall, dressed elegantly and appropriately. Her black hair was styled into a high bun, and the hair ornaments on her head remained perfectly still as she walked.
All eyes in the hall were on her.
Chu Ruohan stepped to the front of the hall, curtsied, and said, "Ruohan greets Mother-in-law and Aunt."
She then added, "Ruohan went to offer incense and tea to *** just now, causing all the elders to wait for a long time. I am truly apprehensive."
The Countess nodded secretly. Indeed, she was well-mannered and knew proper etiquette. As the wife of the Marquis of Anyang, it was only proper to offer her tea first.
However, Madam Gu had a gloomy face. With the people from the Earl's and Marquis's mansions here, she couldn't very well make things difficult for Chu Ruohan and gain a reputation for being a difficult bride-to-be.
A feeling of unease lingered in my throat, impossible to swallow or spit out.
"Let's serve tea."
Chu Ruohan nodded slightly and walked gracefully toward Gu's mother, who was seated at the head of the table.
She curtsied and said, "Greetings, Mother-in-law. Your daughter-in-law offers you tea." With that, Yu Ling handed over the teacup, which Chu Ruohan took and raised high above her head.
Looking at Chu Ruohan kneeling on the ground, Gu's mother felt a tightness in her chest. She had clearly chosen Chu Ruohan as Cheng'an's legal wife, yet Gu Junze had gotten the better deal.
It's all that shameless little whore's fault.
She took the teacup, but did not rush to drink it. Instead, she held the teacup in her hand and scanned Chu Ruohan with her eyes, as if trying to find some flaw in her.