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nConcubine Yun knelt with her head lowered. It looked like she was about to become a statue.

nWhen Shu Huan looked at her, she could only use the expression “not to know whether to laugh or cry” to describe her (SH) feelings. It turned out that all of this originated from some sentences she had said inadvertently!

n“Last night, second young master got drunk. He is still sleeping now. Later, when he wakes up, bring him a bowl of hangover soup.”

nShe still remembered every word of those sentences.

nThen, was she to blame herself?

nShu Huan didn’t have the hobby to dump mistakes on herself. Concubine Yun was clearly to blame for not having a good conscience. Those sentences just stirred up the emotions she had accumulated over a long period of time and that was on the verge of exploding. She just turned those sentences into her driving force for the actual action. Even if it was not this time, it would be next time.

nThe emotions in her (SH) heart suddenly loosened. Puzzlement arose in her heart.

nShu Huan asked frowningly, “Adding drug to Sweet Dream incense…where did you learn this from?”

nThis was not something a woman from a respectable family would know. When a woman from a respectable family wanted to fight for favor, it would already be very great that she could get her hands on the usual aphrodisiac. The place where she got such a complicated formula may not be simple.

nSure enough, when concubine Yun hear her ask this, her body shook slightly. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

nShu Huan’s mind moved a bit and said, “Meijing, bring two people to clean up Lotus Pavilion.”

nMeijing also knew that she should retreat now. She promised and went away.

nOnly now did concubine Yun say in a low voice, “Yun Yan…didn’t come from a respectable family…I was originally a clean (virgin) personnel at Beauty Courtyard…”

nBeauty Courtyard was a brothel

nHuiyun had long mentioned that old madam wasn’t at ease because of concubine Yun’s identity. Shu Huan had somewhat guessed some things. When she heard the news, she was not surprised. She only waited for her (Y) to continue.

n“I asked that formula from a sister of the courtyard when my slave contract was redeemed…I originally just wanted to be prepared…in case of need…”

nDon’t blame her for saying one simple sentence stuttering. It was indeed a very difficult thing to talk about, especially when it was to expose her deep scheming in front of people. That kind of embarrassment could be imagined.

nShu Huan was speechless after hearing that.

nGu Xiran took over and faintly said, “Retreat and shut yourself up to ponder about your mistakes. Without permission, you can’t take half a step outside this Japanese Rose Building!”

nShe had long lost the wishful thinking that she would be lucky. Concubine Yun knew that she couldn’t escape the fate of being forced to leave Gu household this time. After she heard that Gu Xiran only let her shut herself up and ponder about her mistakes, she went blank for a moment. Then, she promised in a low voice, got up from the ground and slowly moved the legs that became numb from kneeling.

nWhen there was no one else in the room, Gu Xiran turned and looked at Shu Huan. He said with a bitter smile, “You accused me wrongly.”

nThis tone didn’t seem like complaining but more like whining.

nShu Huan bit her lips and casted him a sidelong glance. Then, she turned her head and blurted out, “Serves you right!”

nHe indeed deserved it!

nHowever, after the misunderstanding was clarified and now that they faced each other, she couldn’t say any of the ten thousand words she wanted to say in her heart. All became one sigh.

n“Right, right, right, it served me right!” Gu Xiran cupped his hands and revealed a smile. “Wife, don’t be angry!”

nShu Huan humphed once, raised her head and said, “There is no sincerity in bowing with the hands!”

n“Then…,” Gu Xiran revealed mischievousness. “Punish me with kneeling on the bed sheet at night?”

nWhat?! He still dared to tease her?!

nShu Huan said, “Go die!” (go to hell)

nAfter Gu Xiran heard that, he smiled bitterly while he touched his nose. He didn’t say anything, turned and walked to outside.

nShu Huan was slightly startled, “Where are you going?”

nGu Xiran said obediently, “Listening to wife’s command. Searching for a place to die…”

nAfter being bullied for so long, Shu Huan had also practiced a lot. She simply sat back on the chair and slowly said, “Alright! Remember to not jump in the well because it would pollute the source of water. Also, don’t commit suicide by hanging on a tree. I’m afraid of haunting ghosts at night. It’s best if you look for a farther place and die on the mountain or wilderness. You can give yourself as meal to the wild animals and while you’re at it also benefit the flowers and plants.”

nGu Xiran choked and said, “Very ruthless!”

nShu Huan casted him a glance, “Right, I couldn’t be compared to your compassion!”

nAfter Gu Xiran heard that, he laughed bitterly, “Do you think I punished Yun Yan too lightly by only letting her shut herself up and ponder about her mistakes?”

nShu Huan just retorted him without thinking the matter through. She hasn’t even thought of that. After she was in daze for a moment, she shook her head and said, “How else could you punish her? You are unlikely to go as far as calling people to go beat her with the wooden board! Moreover, unlike Huiyun, you can’t marry her off to a servant. Her identity…is a bit awkward…”

nThe identity of a concubine was very awkward. Whether you sold her or gift her to someone, it wouldn’t be easy to answer to it when someone asked. The most important thing was that they didn’t have the will and viciousness to trample and manipulate another’s life. It wasn’t that they were overboard good people. It was that they had lived in a relatively civilized environment for a long time and knew how to revere and value a human life.

nGu Xiran sighed softly, “It’s not just awkward. It’s simply a thorny problem!”

nShu Huan was slightly surprised, “Why do you say that?”

nGu Xiran said, “You don’t know. Her slave contract was redeemed by someone else to give to master. Lin shi is someone easily jealous. Seeing that her (Y) appearance was beautiful, she was afraid that master would favor her only after having taken her in. Hence, the moment she was sent to master, Lin shi went to have a conversation with old madam.”

nShi:clan

nTalking till here, he laughed bitterly, “Now, I don’t have to hide it from you anymore. I time-traveled like you. The original owner was seriously ill at the time. Lin shi specifically bought someone from the outside to let the event of great joy drive away his bad luck and hasten his recovery. When old madam agreed, master was still unaware when the person (Y) was already sent over to the bedroom of the original owner.”

nShu opened her mouth, but was speechless for a moment. Then, she muttered, “A very good crossing the sea by a trick. It seemed that in order to get favor, one has to learn the thirty-six stratagems…”

nTo cross the sea by a trick: to achieve one’s aim by underhanded means.

nThe thirty-six stratagems were a Chinese essay used to illustrate a series of stratagems used in politics, war and civil interaction.

nShe truly was happy secretly. Fortunately, she time-traveled to be the main wife and didn’t time-traveled to be the concubine. Fortunately, the one she met was him and not someone else. Otherwise, she would’ve long died not leaving even the skeleton.

nWhile thinking, she wondered again, “Didn’t master get angry?”

nGu Xiran poured a cup of tea, shook his head and said, “I don’t know. However, the last time when we went to see master, you also have seen it. It couldn’t be said that he has feelings for her, but he paid a bit more attention to her than others. Otherwise, why would I say that she was a thorny problem?! I truly don’t know how to settle her. I can only look at how the situation will be played out.”

nWhile the two were chatting, they didn’t call Gu Da by his name. After all, they were used to calling him master and couldn’t change it in an instant.

nShu Huan got a headache because of such a complicated relationship. She suddenly frowned and said, “This is not right, ah!”

nGu Xiran was drinking tea. After he heard that, he put down the teacup and smiled slightly, “What?”

n“When the original owner took in Yun Yan to let the great event of joy drive away his bad luck and hasten his recovery, you haven’t time-traveled yet. The servants of Gu household wouldn’t also casually gossip about this, right?” Shu Huan starred and him and said, “Tell me second young master, how did you get to know these things?”

nGu Xiran smiled, casted her a sidelong glance and said, “I thought you couldn’t think of this to ask me about it!”

nShu Huan was dejected and said, “Are you saying that my reaction is slow?”

nGu Xiran smirked and said, “I don’t dare!”

nShu Huan pretended to be angry and said, “Tell me quickly!”

nGu Xiran didn’t answer and said, “Wait a bit.”

nWhen he talked, he went to the inner room. After a while, he came out and handed her a small box with a lock on it. “You will know after you see this.”

nWhen Shu Huan lowered her head and looked, she discovered that the lock on the box was already broken. She lifted the lid. Inside of the box was loaded with a stack of handwritten paper. The stack of paper wasn’t bound and the size and material of the papers were different from each . It seemed like paper the person conveniently grabbed to write. When she looked at the handwriting, it was the same as the handwriting of the paper she found at the beginning when reading the history book. It obviously came from the same person.

n“This is…”

nGu Xiran replied for her, “The original owner seemed to have the habit to write things up. Sometimes, it was poetry. Sometimes, it was recordings. There was a lot of writings about Gu household. I think he had no one to talk to, so he could only vent the worry on his mind by writing them.”

nWhen hearing about it, he seemed very miserable. While Shu Huan turned the paper, she asked, “Where did you found these?”

nGu Xiran laughed, “In the main chamber of Plum Flower Pavilion, there is a secret vault above the bed. This box was inside there. Half of the box was filled with manuscript. Others were found when I flipped through books. Presumably, he just left it there after he had finished writing.”

nShu Huan looked at him speechlessly. No wonder he stuffed himself in the study when his body wasn’t well and he couldn’t move freely. It turned out that he was looking for these.

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