However, she also knew that the young lady said this to reassure her. So she didn’t hesitate: “Thank you, young lady. I love it.”
Qiuzhi and Baishao watched as Qin Xue accepted it. The words of refusal that had reached their lips were swallowed back, and they hurriedly thanked Gu Nanyin. The young lady often gave them gifts, but a hairpin worth a thousand taels—this was the first time they had seen such a thing. For a moment, they grew nervous, as if holding a hot potato, unsure where to put the hairpin. A thousand taels, a thousand taels! Qiuzhi screamed inwardly.
Gu Nanyin looked at their reddened eyes and sighed silently to herself. In the past, this money had been spent on that ungrateful wretch Gu Qinglian, but today she felt the money was well spent.
“Young lady, aren’t you going to buy something for yourself?” Qin Xue composed herself, raised a smiling face, and asked Gu Nanyin. It was rare to come out, and the young lady had only bought hairpins for them, but she hadn’t bought any jewelry for herself. Qin Xue touched the thick stack of silver notes in her sleeve and couldn’t help but sigh. Now, it seemed there was money but nowhere to spend it. With the young lady being so frugal, what would happen to all the money in the Prince’s mansion?
Gu Nanyin looked at Qin Xue’s wrinkled little face with a smile, reached out, and pinched it: “I have too many pieces of jewelry, so many that several boxes can’t hold them all. Qiuzhi and the others have to spend a lot of effort tidying them up every day. If I buy any more, I’ll have to hire another maid.” Who would complain about having too much jewelry? Qin Xue blinked, not understanding. It seemed she would have to tell the Prince that in the future, when sending gifts to the young lady, he shouldn’t send jewelry.
Afterward, Gu Nanyin bought some rouge and powder for Qiuzhi and the other two, and they all had dinner together at a restaurant before returning home satisfied. How harmonious Gu Nanyin and her maids were need not be mentioned for now, but that night, many in the Minister’s mansion found it difficult to sleep.
There are no walls without cracks. Within a few days, the story of the Minister of Personnel’s illegitimate daughter plotting against the legitimate daughter had spread throughout the capital. By the time Gu Qinglian and Concubine Yun received the news, it was already too late to stop it. Not only did it become a laughingstock among the common people, but there were even storytellers who specially composed tales to tell in various restaurants. To attract more listeners, many different versions were added.
Some said Gu Qinglian was exceptionally ugly and, out of jealousy for her legitimate sister’s beauty, resorted to such a wicked scheme. Others claimed Gu Qinglian was born a fool, her mind unclear, which led her to do such a thing. There were even those who said Gu Qinglian had taken a fancy to her legitimate sister’s lover and, to steal him away, disregarded sisterly affection.
But in every version, without exception, Gu Qinglian was the unforgivable villain, while Gu Nanyin was merely an innocent victim.
Gu Nanyin leaned on the chaise lounge as Qin Xue vividly recounted these versions of the story. Qiuzhi and Baishao listened nearby, laughing until they bent over. Gu Nanyin herself struggled to hold back her laughter: “These storytellers are truly remarkable. They’ve never even seen Gu Qinglian, yet they can spin such convincing tales. If I weren’t the one involved, I might have been fooled by their words too.”Qiuzhi had Baishao pat her back to calm her breathing, barely suppressing her laughter. “Miss, these storytellers rely on this for their livelihood, so of course they put their heart into it. But every word you said that day was true—she brought this fate upon herself.”
Before she could finish speaking, Gu Qinglian stormed into the courtyard with her entourage.
“Gu Nanyin, you’ve gone too far. We agreed not to speak of this matter.” If not for Gu Nanyin threatening her reputation, she and her mother would never have been forced to move to that dilapidated Jicao Pavilion. After enduring so much hardship there, Gu Nanyin had now gone back on her word?
Gu Nanyin lazily lifted her eyelids to glance at her, not shifting from her reclined position on the couch. “I’m not as idle as you. If it weren’t for the Liu family’s second daughter publicly accusing me of mistreating you and your mother, I wouldn’t have bothered wasting my breath on someone like you. Need I explain how Liu Wan’er found out? Since you tried to use this to slander me, why shouldn’t I speak the truth?”
Gu Qinglian’s face paled. When Liu Wan’er had visited earlier, she had indeed claimed her injuries were inflicted on Gu Nanyin’s orders, conveniently omitting the fact that she had pushed Gu Nanyin into the water. That fool Liu Wan’er, always so easily manipulated, had believed every word about Gu Nanyin’s cruelty.
But she never expected her plan to backfire so spectacularly. Not only had Gu Nanyin remained unscathed, but her own reputation had plummeted throughout the capital.
Gu Qinglian showed no remorse, instead boldly retorting, “No matter what, I am still your sister. We grew up together—surely there’s some affection between us. Couldn’t you have defended me in front of outsiders?”
Gu Nanyin looked at her with an expression of disbelief. “Did those twenty lashes not wake you up? Now you remember we’re sisters? I have no sister as ruthless as you. Besides, why would you think I’d feel any affection for you after you tried to kill me?” Why? Because Gu Qinglian had the audacity?
Gu Qinglian faltered. “Even if you don’t care about me, you should think of Father. If my reputation is ruined, how can the Minister’s estate fare any better?”
At this, Gu Nanyin couldn’t even feign patience. Her cool gaze fixed on Gu Qinglian. “How hypocritical of you, sister. If you truly cared about the estate’s reputation, why would you commit such a vile act? You did it, yet fear others speaking of it. Who do you think you are, that everything should go your way? And now you dare come shouting at me, the victim? What gives you the right? Do you even know the meaning of shame?”
Gu Nanyin snorted coldly before continuing. “Haven’t you always wanted fame in the capital? On your own, a lowly concubine-born daughter with no talent, no grace, and plain looks would likely remain unknown until death. But now? Go out and see—who in the entire capital doesn’t know of Gu Qinglian, the second daughter of the Minister’s estate? I helped fulfill your wish, sister. Shouldn’t you be grateful?”Gu Qinglian listened to Gu Nanyin’s string of words, her expression turning extremely unpleasant. How had this Gu Nanyin become like a completely different person since falling into the water? Sharp-tongued and impervious to both soft and hard tactics. It was true that she wanted to make a name for herself, but who would want such a tarnished reputation?
She gritted her teeth unwillingly, “Aren’t you afraid, sister, that the reputation of the Minister’s residence will be ruined and your own marriage prospects will be affected?”
Gu Nanyin glanced at her, smiling nonchalantly, “My marriage is none of your concern, little sister. I, your elder sister, am more beautiful than you, come from a more distinguished family, and excel in every way. No matter what, I could never marry worse than you. However—”