Chapter 435

"What should we do then?"

Gu Ying smiled slightly, looking at Yin Lan who walked in expressionlessly from the outside. She called out to her in a loud voice.

"Yin Lan?"

Yin Lan's eyes moved slightly as she walked under the old peach tree in the yard. Now in the summer, the scorching sun was shining brightly, but under this old tree it was breezy and refreshing.

"Mistress, do you have any orders?"

Gu Ying pulled her to sit down on the noble consort's chair. "There's something I want you to do for me. I wonder if you're willing."

Yin Lan smiled helplessly. She didn't know why the mistress was being so distant with her. "Mistress, please go ahead."

Gu Ying said, "I've had a disagreement with my mother. This matter will have to be resolved sooner or later. A few days ago, I already went to the Duke's mansion to explain to my mother, but you know my mother's attitude. She probably won't believe me unless the Heir comes back. I've thought carefully for several days now. My mother likes the carved honey toast from the Hu Ji restaurant. Starting tomorrow, please go to the Duke's mansion every day to bring her some to placate her. Is that okay?"

Yin Lan pulled at the corners of her mouth, trying to smile as if nothing was wrong. But in her heart, she somehow felt a little sad. "Okay..."

Gu Ying didn't miss the hurt in Yin Lan's eyes. She had wanted to keep up the act. But seeing Yin Lan's unhappy appearance, she really couldn't keep going. She took Yin Lan's cold little hand and stared at her for a long time.

Yin Lan didn't understand her meaning.

Gu Ying chuckled. "Yin Lan, I'm really sorry... Do you feel I've become distant with you?"

Yin Lan was startled. "This slave doesn't--"

"You don't need to lie to me." Gu Ying gently pinched her cheek, and said sincerely, "Last time at the Qingyun Temple when I competed with the Consort Xie, in order to make your worry seem more genuine, I didn't discuss it with you beforehand. I took advantage of your care for me. Here, I want to sincerely apologize to you again. Yin Lan, do you forgive me?"

Yin Lan had originally felt very despondent, but now she was completely confused.

Yanzhi leaned in lively and laughed. "Sister Yin Lan, the mistress was just acting with you earlier. I'm good at acting, so the mistress is at ease with me. But Sister, you're a sincere and genuine person. Sometimes you can't pretend many things, so the mistress wanted to use this method."

After hearing this, Yin Lan suddenly understood a little. "Mistress wants to use this slave to deal with Mrs. Lin?"

Gu Ying shook her head with a smile. "No, Shen Ruxu." Yin Lan's pupils widened slightly as her eyes darted around. She immediately understood some key points and slapped her thigh. Her eyes lit up instantly. "Mistress wants to deal with Shen Ruxu. Why bother pretending with this slave? This slave's acting skills are actually quite good! Even if this slave can't pretend, the mistress can give me some pointers. This slave will be able to grasp the main points very quickly!"

This time it was Gu Ying's turn to be helpless.

She had originally wanted to create the illusion of growing apart from Yin Lan, to let Shen Ruxu "take advantage of the situation" and let Yin Lan act as a double agent between them.

Then she would secretly put pressure on Shen Ruxu to completely ruin her reputation.

Yin Lan was smarter than Yanzhi, and knew better how to maneuver against Shen Ruxu.

She was just worried that Yin Lan was too loyal to her, and couldn't fully gain Shen Ruxu's trust.

So she thought to deliberately become estranged from her first.

To make Shen Ruxu truly believe that she and Yin Lan's mistress-servant relationship was over.

But she didn't expect that Yin Lan had really taken it seriously this time... Even though she was usually understanding, she also had moments of being unreasonable and stubborn.

Her heart softened into a mess. "Then, this is my fault for not considering properly. Let me buy a formal hat as compensation for our Sister Yin Lan, what do you think?"

Yin Lan looked at the girls around her. The sincerity in her eyes had no deception.

"Mistress, actually this slave is not so petty... This slave just wants the mistress to also treat me sincerely."

Gu Ying deeply felt that she was really wrong. She smiled and pulled the misty-eyed Yin Lan into her arms. "Alright, alright, I was wrong, I was wrong, is that not good enough? In the future if I commit this again, let my body be hacked to pieces, good?"

The feelings between people cannot be casually tested.

Yin Lan was loyal to her. How could she repeatedly take advantage of that?

Yin Lan laughed through her tears. The knot in her heart was untied and she also felt happier. "Mistress must not speak recklessly."

Gu Ying said playfully. "I was just joking."

Yin Lan said, "This slave has no other demands. I just want to sleep with the mistress once like Yanzhi."

Gu Ying blinked. "Ah? How is that compensation?"

Yin Lan said, "This slave doesn't care. There should be no favoritism. What the mistress gave to Yanzhi, she should also give to this slave."

Yanzhi tutted. "See, Sister Yin Lan is still jealous. Shame on you."

Gu Ying curved her eyes. "Alright, I'll agree to you, is that okay?"

Only then did Yin Lan wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes. She also felt she was being overemotional. But she cared for the mistress even more than she did for Mrs. Lin. In her eyes, Gu Ying was like her own sister. She was determined to protect and accompany this person. Even at the cost of her life, she would protect her completely.

"Since the mistress wants to deal with Shen Ruxu, this slave strongly agrees. Whatever you want to do, mistress just say it."

After coming to an understanding with Yin Lan, Gu Ying felt much more relaxed. She then carefully explained her plan to her.

Shen Ruxu was a chess piece of Jiang Yin.

Since Jiang Yin still refused to show himself, she would first pull out this disgusting chess piece of his.

Moreover, she had long disliked Shen Ruxu.

A woman who had killed and married before, and still coveted the Heir, how could she still dare to remain in the Duke's mansion?

Did she deserve to?

She didn't deserve to!

...

Recently, Shen Ruxu had been in a very good mood.

She would sneak into the Lingxi Pavilion almost every day, sticking to Mrs. Lin's side and saying bad things about Gu Ying's promiscuity and infidelity.

It was a pity that every time after listening, although Mrs. Lin would say she didn't like Gu Ying's behavior, she would also show a displeased expression. But she never truly turned against Gu Ying, nor made Gu Ying separate from the Heir.

This point made her extremely unhappy.

Gu Ying was already intimate with Jiang Yin to that degree, yet why could Mrs. Lin remain as steady as Mount Tai?

Did she not care about the Heir at all!

Seeing Mrs. Lin leisurely tending to the flowers every day with a calm expression,

Shen Ruxu became increasingly unhappy. "Mother, will you really allow Sister Gu Ying to tarnish the Heir's reputation? The Heir is a grown man. It's inevitable that he would be blinded by a woman sometimes. If his future and the Duke's mansion's riches and meritorious service are ruined for the sake of one woman, that would not be good."

Mrs. Lin helplessly sighed.

She placed the medicinal herbs in her hand into the medicine pot. Calmly, she said, "We'll wait for Adu to come back and make a judgment on this matter."

"But now the streets of Bianjing are all discussing this matter. Whenever I go out for consultations I feel I've lost face..."

"Ruxu." Mrs. Lin pursed her lips, her expression somewhat ugly. "You shouldn't meddle in this matter."

"Mother--" Shen Ruxu's eyes flashed with coldness for a moment. Then she pulled at Mrs. Lin's sleeve coquettishly. "Your daughter is just worried about mother and the Heir. And now your daughter's honor is tied to the Duke's mansion, so naturally I should also consider the Duke's mansion's interests."

Mrs. Lin sighed helplessly.