Clouds and Moon Shadow

Chapter 396 Let's ask the knife in my hand if it agrees first!

Beside the old Duke, his cousin from the third branch of the family, Gu Yuanzhen, was kneeling. Gu Yuanzhen remained silent, his head bowed.

On the other side was Gu Feiwen, the third wife's illegitimate daughter, who was crying with tears streaming down her face.

Gu Qingyue narrowed her eyes, raised an eyebrow, and a surge of anger rose in her heart.

She turned her head and saw the Sixth Prince, Prince Sheng, Mu Yunzhen, sitting in the chair opposite the old Duke with a gentle expression.

What's going on?

"Grandfather," Gu Qingyue said as she walked over.

Gu Lin said that her cousin from the third branch of the family, Gu Yuanzhen, wanted to poach the head chef from Wenxianglou, so she rushed over.

But why is this half-sister, Gu Feiwen, crying again?

Looking at Prince Sheng, Mu Yunzhen, sitting next to her, Gu Qingyue made a bold guess.

Could it be that this girl has gotten involved with Prince Sheng?

They actually took advantage of everyone watching the play to have a secret rendezvous? And they got caught by their grandfather?

With a hint of doubt, Gu Qingyue approached the old Duke. As Gu Qingyue drew near, the old Duke gave Gu Yi a wink.

Gu Yi immediately stepped forward and whispered a few words in Gu Qingyue's ear.

Now, Gu Qingyue was itching to get her hands dirty!

Unexpectedly, while the head chef of Wenxianglou was making tea and snacks, Gu Yuanzhen actually sent someone to the kitchen to bribe him. When the bribery failed, he threatened to have Gu Qingyue kick the head chef out of Wenxianglou.

And just then, Gu Yi, who was patrolling around, ran into them.

The servant was captured, and eventually it was discovered that Gu Yuanzhen was the mastermind.

Gu Qingyue clenched her fists.

She turned to look at Gu Yuanzhen, "Cousin Yuanzhen, may I have a word with you?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanzhen's eyes darkened, he bowed to the old Duke, and stood up.

Gu Qingyue didn't care or get involved in Gu Feiwen's affairs.

Don't call her cold-blooded. In her mind, relationships between men and women can only last if both parties are willing. If the two people are in love, then she thinks it's perfectly reasonable for anything to happen.

However, in this ancient capital, at a crucial moment in the struggle for the throne, the relationship between the sixth prince and Gu Feiwen, the illegitimate daughter of the Duke's mansion... is it genuine affection or manipulation?

You can tell at a glance.

Gu Qingyue led Gu Yuanzhen outside the courtyard and found a relatively secluded pavilion.

"Cousin, please have a seat!"

Gu Qingyue suppressed her anger and sat down gracefully.

"Qingyue, I..." Gu Yuanzhen looked at Gu Qingyue, who was angry but still rational and did not immediately lose her temper, and he tentatively spoke up.

Gu Qingyue raised her hand to stop him. "I've heard my grandfather praise my cousin for his business acumen. The shops and estates under the third branch of the family are thriving because of him. This must mean that you are an extremely intelligent and shrewd person. Why would you do something so foolish?"

Gu Qingyue had heard her elder brother say that among all her cousins, Yuan Zhen from the third branch of the family was the one with the most talent in business.

Why were we so stupid this time?

Seeing the man lower his head and remain silent, Gu Qingyue tentatively asked, "Is it because of Third Aunt?"

He was the biological son of Third Aunt Hu. If he was retaliating against the Second Branch for his Third Aunt being confined to the small Buddhist hall, then Gu Qingyue completely understood.

Gu Yuanzhen pursed his lips but did not speak.

Gu Qingyue understood.

"What did your third aunt say to you about the second branch of the family? Did she say that we framed her and that your third uncle locked her up?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanzhen suddenly raised his head and stared intently into Gu Qingyue's eyes, not blinking for a moment.

After a moment, he nodded.

Hu's confession to the old Duke was kept completely secret. Apart from her third uncle, the old Duke had given instructions to protect the reputation of the Duke's mansion.

This matter is to be known only to the second wife and the third uncle; no one else is allowed to speak of it.

They couldn't let people know about the murky infighting among the three branches of the Zhenguo Duke's mansion, which had even escalated to the point of drawing swords and resorting to witchcraft to kill each other.

Seeing his reaction, Gu Qingyue sighed, "You should sit down!"

Half an hour later, Gu Yuanzhen stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to Gu Qingyue, and left the pavilion.

Turning around, his face showed shock, helplessness, sadness, and guilt.

Gu Qingyue sat quietly in the pavilion, watching his departing figure.

She made a decision.

She thought that she might be able to cooperate with this cousin in her business in Beijing in the future. After all, he was a member of the Gu family, and he had been operating in Beijing for a longer time and had a wider network of contacts and experience.

Wenxianglou will not suffer a loss.

As for the Hu family, who are unwilling to settle down... let Yue Liang'er make a few more trips.

After finishing up here, Gu Qingyue was about to get up and go to Tinghe Pavilion to find a few young girls when Yue Ling appeared.

Gu Qingyue raised an eyebrow. "Any news? How is Lin Qinwei? Why didn't she come today?"

Yue Ling bowed slightly, coughed, and was a little embarrassed to speak.

"Master, something happened to Lin Qinwei last night..."

Gu Qingyue was stunned!

Is this happening?

In short, she has a cousin, the son of her maternal uncle, who has admired Lin Qinwei since childhood. He somehow heard that Lin Qinwei wanted to become a concubine of the Prince of Li.

Driven by jealousy, he drank too much last night and somehow tricked Lin Qinwei into going to a restaurant, and then... Lin Qinwei lost her virginity.

This morning, the Lin residence was in turmoil for quite some time. Minister Lin was furious. He was about to lose the prince's concubine, so you can imagine how angry he was!

As a result, Lin Qinwei was placed under house arrest.

In particular, rumors have already spread in the capital this morning that Lin Qinwei has completely lost her chance with Prince Li.

Gu Qingyue breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

If this hadn't happened, she would have had to do it herself. She's a very petty woman; anyone who dares to covet Mu Yun Chu should first ask the knife in her hand if it agrees!

snort!

When Gu Qingyue arrived at Tinghe Pavilion, she saw several girls still chatting and laughing, waiting for her.

It seems they are unaware of what happened to Lin Qinwei. If they knew, they wouldn't have reminded her of Minister Lin and Consort Ying's attempt to influence the old emperor through their pillow talk.

Fortunately, it has already reached a perfect result.

She loves it.

"Jiaojiao, I'm here," Gu Qingyue said, adjusting her bad mood as she went inside.

"You've finally arrived! I have something to discuss with you—or rather, my brother has something to discuss with you," Zhang Yuying said, rushing over and grabbing Gu Qingyue's hand before she even reached her seat.

Gu Qingyue raised an eyebrow in suspicion. Zhang Qingxuan was looking for her?

Could it be that something happened to Mu Yun Chu? Gu Qing Yue's heart skipped a beat.

"Hey, don't get the wrong idea," Zhang Yuying said, seeing Gu Qingyue's sudden serious expression, she knew that Gu Qingyue might have misunderstood.

“It’s not about the Prince of Li,” she said in a low voice, “it’s about my uncle.”

Hearing this, Gu Qingyue finally felt relieved.

“Let’s go see your brother. I also have something to say,” Gu Qingyue immediately agreed, remembering Zhao Lingyun’s matter.

So the four girls got up together and went to the pavilion by the lake.

At this moment, Gu Yuanchen, Gu Yuanming, and Zhang Qingxuan were talking in the pavilion.

Seeing them approach, Gu Yuanchen immediately waved.

Gu Qingyue greeted her two older brothers with a smile, unaware that Zhao Yunnan's face suddenly turned red to the roots of his ears.