MYSIOAMEWTMMAlTWOAM: Chapter 72

Glossary

·Gu Jinghui (顾靖晖): The male protagonist, the Marquis.

·Sixth Madame Gu (六夫人): Wife of the sixth son, Gu Jingjun.

·Gu Baozhu (顾宝珠): Gu Jinghui's younger sister.

·Gu Jingjun (顾靖钧): The sixth son.

·Zhao Niangzi (赵娘子): The widow the Marquis brought back.

·Zhao Mama (赵嬷嬷): Sixth Madame Gu's personal maid.

·Zi He (紫荷): A maidservant previously assigned to Zhao Niangzi.

·Bai Que (白雀): A maidservant serving Zhao Niangzi.

·Old Madame Gu (顾老夫人): Gu Jinghui's mother.

·Qiuju (秋菊): A maidservant of Old Madame Gu.

·Qian Da (钱大): Bai Que's father, manages the family treasury.

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Chapter 72: Unexpected Return

Sixth Madame Gu started in alarm.

"What do you mean, the Marquis is 'dragging someone'?"

The young maid was too flustered to give a coherent explanation.

With no other choice, Sixth Madame Gu leaned on her maid and went out to see for herself. There stood the Marquis, hands clasped behind his back, his posture ramrod straight in the courtyard. His face was dark, his sharp eyes radiating a murderous intent that seemed to promise violence.

Behind him, two servants held two bound matrons by ropes.

"This..." Sixth Madame Gu's heart leaped into her throat.

She recognized them—they were the women tasked with guarding Gu Baozhu's courtyard.

Clearly, the Marquis was deeply displeased by Gu Baozhu's intrusion into Wutong Yuan.

Was he here to demand accountability?

Or...

Sixth Madame Gu immediately wanted to send for Gu Jingjun.

Her husband might be useless, but having him present to absorb the Marquis's wrath was better than facing it alone.

"Th-the Marquis... he's terrifying today," Zhao Mama stammered under her breath.

They seldom saw the master of the house.

When Sixth Madame Gu had married into the family, the Marquis had already left for the frontier to succeed the Old Marquis. He hadn't returned for years, and his letters home were infrequent and brief.

She had only heard Gu Jingjun mention a few times how his third brother had looked out for him when they were young.

By then, the family had already conducted several successive funerals.

Old Madame Gu, worried the Marquis household would lack an heir, had urged her to bear children quickly, but spoke little of this surviving son—as if she held no expectation he would return alive.

Truth be told, the relationship between mother and son was rather strange.

Anyone else, regardless of birth order, would have secured an heir first. Yet the Old Madame never pressed the matter, and the Marquis himself showed no urgency.

Sixth Madame Gu had imagined countless times that the Marquis estate would eventually pass to her own son.

She just wasn't sure whether the title would go to Gu Jingjun directly, or if her son would be adopted into the Marquis's line.

She never expected the Marquis to return completely unscathed.

She would never forget her first sight of him.

A towering figure in military attire, travel-worn, face bearded, his gaze sharp and cold—it had felt like he was looking right through her.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

That single glance had instantly buried all her unspoken ambitions deep within her heart.

Though the Marquis had been exceedingly tolerant toward his family these past months, she could never forget that icy stare.

Now, under Gu Jinghui's piercing gaze, Sixth Madame Gu felt her scalp prickle. Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs, and it took immense effort to keep her body from trembling.

"Third Brother, what is the meaning of this?" Her own voice sounded strained and dry to her ears.

Dispensing with pleasantries, Gu Jinghui stated, "A whole group of matrons failed to keep Gu Baozhu confined. A young lady of her age, barging recklessly into her elder brother's courtyard—as her sister-in-law, you need to take better charge of her. If anything happens to her, how will you face Consort Wen?"

His frigid tone unsettled her deeply.

Sixth Madame Gu stood dumbfounded for a moment before stammering, "These matrons are always growing careless and slacking off. You are right, Marquis. I will discipline them strictly from now on and keep a closer watch on Baozhu."

"How do you intend to punish them?" Gu Jinghui pressed.

She froze again.

Gu Jinghui raised his brows, his sharp eyes fixed on her, waiting for an answer.

A shiver ran down Sixth Madame Gu's spine. She hurriedly replied, "Twenty strokes of the cane first, then demote them to guard duty at the second gate. Does that satisfy you, Marquis?"

Gu Jinghui neither approved nor rejected the suggestion. "And Baozhu?"

"Baozhu?" Sixth Madame Gu looked at him blankly.

Zhao Mama quickly prodded her from behind.

Understanding dawned. "I... I will personally supervise her spinning and embroidery."

"During the Qixi Festival," Gu Jinghui declared, "Gu Baozhu will participate in the embroidery competition at the Begging for Skill Pavilion. If she brings disgrace upon the Marquis estate, she will remain confined to the estate practicing her needlework indefinitely. If there are any further lapses..."

Sixth Madame Gu felt like crying.

Gu Baozhu, in all her years, had never successfully embroidered a recognizable duck. Her butterflies resembled caterpillars, her flowers were unidentifiable...

Gu Jinghui paused, shot her a look, then turned to his servant. "Fetch the Sixth Master here. Now."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

The servant scurried off.

Sixth Madame Gu: "..."

Why was Gu Jingjun being dragged into this now?

Gu Jinghui fell silent, clasping his hands behind his back and pacing slowly at the foot of the steps, the sound of his boots echoing ominously.

With each heavy footfall, Sixth Madame Gu felt a throbbing pain in her temples.

"Third Brother, what did you need me for?" Gu Jingjun grumbled as he was practically dragged over by the servant, his face a mask of resentment.

Ignoring him, Gu Jinghui addressed Sixth Madame Gu. "You are a woman. If you err, it is improper for me to punish you directly. But I can punish your husband. If Baozhu's behavior is not corrected, Sixth Brother here will take the cane strokes in your stead."

Gu Jingjun, who had thought his third brother had changed his mind about providing

 funds: "..."

Sixth Madame Gu:"..."

Gu Jinghui swept his gaze over the stunned pair, gave a disdainful "Hmph!", turned on his heel, and left.

"Third Brother! Third Brother!..." Gu Jingjun stamped his foot in frustration, but the Marquis was already gone.

Frowning, he turned to blame his wife. "What did you do to provoke Third Brother?"

Sixth Madame Gu, who had been giving him the cold shoulder these past two days after their quarrel, set aside their disagreement now. "Your sister was supposed to be confined to her courtyard. Today, she took Zhao Niangzi's two children and stormed into Wutong Yuan. Not only did your Third Brother send her packing, he also arrested the gatekeepers to hold them accountable."

"Heh," Gu Jingjun sneered. "You get to play the virtuous one, while I bear the consequences. If Third Brother ever learns the truth, we'll see how you handle it."

"How is any of this my fault?" Sixth Madame Gu protested with an air of innocence. "Zhao Niangzi wanted to return to her hometown and made a scene at the Main House. Her children didn't want to leave, so they went to find Baozhu. How does that make me responsible?"

Gu Jingjun shot her a cold glance and muttered, "Do you really think everyone else is a fool?"

Having no patience for his sarcasm, Sixth Madame Gu retorted, "It's not my fortune to have a husband like Third Brother, who actually protects his wife. I have to deal with these matrons now. Are you going to stand here and watch, or go back to comfort your precious Zheng Yiniang?"

Glaring at her, Gu Jingjun turned and stalked away.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Bottled up with rage and no outlet, Sixth Madame Gu vented her fury on the unfortunate matrons, punishing them severely and reassigning them to the tedious, poorly-paid duty of guarding the second gate—a post with little traffic and even less prestige.

Instantly, the matrons' complaints filled the air.

Fengxuan Pavilion

After being comforted for hours by Old Madame Gu and escorted back by Qiuju, Zhao Niangzi finally felt she had salvaged some shred of dignity.

Seated by the window, she called out, "Bai Que!"

No one answered.

Then she remembered—Bai Que was gone.

Qian Da and his wife had taken Bai Que away, and not before uttering many harsh words. Overwhelmed, she had gone to the Main House to weep and plead for most of the day, even threatening to take the children back to her hometown. Yet despite all this, the Marquis had not come to dissuade her. Only Old Madame Gu had offered any consolation.

It seemed she needed to devise a new plan, and quickly.

"What does Zhao Niangzi require?" An unexpected voice answered, and the curtain was lifted as someone entered.

Frowning, Zhao Niangzi asked, "Zi He? What are you doing here?"

Zi He's expression was wooden. "This servant's leave has ended. I have returned to serve."

A pang of guilt shot through Zhao Niangzi. She and Bai Que had schemed to push Zi He out before. She never expected the woman to return.

(End of Chapter)

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Translator's Note: check out my other work— The Marquis’s Beloved is a Black-Hearted Lotus and Rebirth as the Matriarch of a Noble Family (⁠*⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠)⁠/⁠～⁠♡

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