Five Provocations

  Gu Man cried and sweated, and her whole person was much more spirited. Wang Shi still didn't feel at ease and wanted to stay and accompany her some more, but today was a special day, and she also had to go to De An Ju to serve Old Lady Wang breakfast, so she left step by step, looking back repeatedly.

  Pei Qin had also heard the commotion and hurried over. Seeing that Wang Shi had left, she squatted down beside the bed and curiously looked at Gu Man: "Miss, was what you dreamed about very frightening?"

  Pei Qin and Pei Yin were both daughters of concubines brought by Wang Shi from the Wang family, and it was because they were completely trustworthy that Wang Shi had originally chosen them to be maids for Gu Man.

  Gu Man pinched her cheek and said with a serious expression: "It's very scary, so scary that just thinking about it makes me tremble."

  Pei Qin's temperament is bold and unrestrained, but she is very loyal. In her previous life, she was killed by Qiu Cangyu at the earliest.

  Thinking of Pei Qin's later being tortured to death by the housekeeper, Gu Man's outstretched hand trembled slightly.

  Pei Qin saw that her own daughter's face had turned pale again, so she didn't dare ask more questions. She quickly reached out and patted herself on the head a few times, muttering: "Pei Yin had told me before not to mention bad dreams in front of my daughter, but I still made a mistake, I really deserve to be beaten!"

  Gu Man was both amused and annoyed, and hurriedly pulled her hand back, laughing: "Alright, alright, no wonder you're so stupid. With the way you torture this poor head of yours every day, even if you weren't born stupid, you'd still be beaten into stupidity."

  Pei Qin hadn't had time to respond when Bi Ting's voice came from outside: "Fourth Miss, it's still early now, our young mistress hasn't gotten up yet, why don't you come back a bit later?"

  It was Fourth Young Miss Gu Qing, and Gu Man's eyes narrowed slightly.

  This Gu Qing is the daughter of Master Da, and since childhood, she has been raised by Old Madam at her side, so she is particularly spoiled. Her favorite thing to do every day is to make trouble for all kinds of people.

  Of course, among these people, there is one particularly special person who must be excluded - Gu Yan.

  Although she was just a concubine's daughter, no one in the manor took her seriously, but she had somehow managed to win over Gu Qing, who often brought her along, earning Gu Yan some face in front of the old lady.

  In the past life, it was Gu Qing who often bullied himself in the mansion, making him never get along with Old Lady and others. Not to mention his uncle and aunt, even his own father didn't have a good impression of him because he really had no charm.

  But it's really strange, this uncle is not the old lady's biological son, but the old lady treats him better than her own sons. Is it just because this uncle relied on his own abilities to become a martial arts champion and now walks in front of the emperor?

  She hadn't even had time to react when the door was kicked open with a loud crash, and Gu Qing didn't wait for anyone to announce her arrival, but instead burst in herself, pointing at Gu Man and scolding: "You stinky little girl, quickly return my hairpin! What kind of thing are you? You also dare to want something that belongs to my mother?"

  Pei Qin was startled, and hastily stepped forward to separate Gu Qing, apologetically saying: "Fourth Young Miss, what's wrong? In the early hours of the morning, can't you speak properly? Our young miss was haunted by nightmares again yesterday, please keep your voice down a bit."

  "Get out!" Gu Qing's eyebrows were raised in anger, and she slapped Pei Qin on the ear, coldly sneering at her: "You're also worthy of talking to me? I'm talking to you girls, what business do you have butting in? She being haunted by nightmares is her own problem, what does it have to do with me? You dare to speak for me?"

  The Dingyuan Marquis's estate had always been lenient towards its servants, especially the personal maids who followed the young mistresses. Pei Qin did not expect that this master would actually use physical force. For a moment, she was both angry and humiliated. Wanting to say something, yet fearing it would be difficult for Gu Man to do anything, she could only lower her head and retreat to one side.

  In this household, Gu Man is considered the most obedient and even-tempered master. Running into this unreasonable and overbearing Fourth Miss, he's probably going to end up at a disadvantage.

  Gu Qing still hadn't vented his anger, and he took a few steps forward to press closer to Gu Man, saying angrily: "Are you deaf? I told you to return my hairpin!"

  She's actually a young lady from a marquis' residence, yet she was taught to behave like this. Does the old madam really dote on her that much? Gu Man thought to himself and suddenly flung open the hand pointing at him, laughing: "Fourth Sister, this hairpin was given to me by Eldest Aunt. You came over this time also because of Eldest Aunt's summons? If Eldest Aunt wants this hairpin, just say so and I'll have someone send it over later. Why did Fourth Sister personally run over here and get so angry?"

  Although Gu Man was small in stature, her strength was not to be underestimated. Gu Qing was pushed back two steps by her and couldn't help but lose face. She hadn't expected that this soft persimmon would dare to fight back and even drag her own mother into it. Could she still say anything? If so, then the next day her mother would become a laughing stock in this mansion.

  She pursed her lips, about to leave like this, but couldn't bear it, so she stretched out her hand and pinched herself hard on the body, coldly saying: "Forget it, I'd rather wear this hairpin on Haba's head, I can't fight with a dog for things, can I? Gu Man, sleep well, just be careful, don't sleep to death in your dreams!"

  Gu Man's face was in pain, and she quickly grabbed Gu Qing's hand that had not yet withdrawn, coldly laughing: "Fourth sister is thinking too much, I'm just having a nightmare, I won't die. As for the hairpin, I don't dare to wear it, after all, it's something fourth sister has been thinking about with all her heart. When the time comes, I'll send someone to deliver it to you, how about that? But fourth sister should also be careful, doing too many things to harm people in secret, might really end up being haunted by a ghost!"

  This Gu Qing is simply inexplicable, she herself was fine lying in bed for a month, and there's nothing in her memory that would have offended her, yet she seems to be looking at me with a gaze that's as if she can't wait to see me dead, it's really strange.

  Gu Qing saw that she couldn't shake off her hand no matter how long it had been, and hearing that her words were all about how she had wronged others, he became enraged and stomped his foot on hers, only then managing to break free.

  What the girl said is right, the second and third wives are not good people, especially this Gu Man in front of her who was born with a pair of fox eyes. Now she's so petty, if her father really becomes the master of this Hou Mansion in the future, he will definitely not let the first wife have a good life. Looking at Gu Man, although she still looks naive, but her beautiful facial features are already vaguely visible, and she can't wait to tear up this face.

  What a good birth, growing up well, and later marrying well, she had to hold her own nonsense, could it be that just because of her face, relying on the power of her maternal grandfather, she was destined to be under her?

  No way! She gritted her teeth in hatred and sneered, "After being ill for so long, you've actually become sharper-tongued. Don't be smug, there's still plenty of time to come!"

  Gu Man looked at her as she walked out the door, then slowly said: "Fourth sister, don't worry, I naturally wouldn't dare to be complacent. This hairpin, I'll have someone send it over to you later, remember to wear it for tonight's family banquet."

  She didn't want to cause trouble, but she wasn't afraid of it either. Did she want to find fault with herself? Anyway, this mansion was already restless enough, and she didn't mind adding fuel to the fire.