Fourteen Banners

  Obviously still the same person, her face hasn't changed in the slightest, but Liu felt a chill and a dense threat emanating from Gu's eyes, unmasked mockery and intimidation flowing out of her shining gaze, not diminished in the least by her slender physique.

  She slightly opened her mouth, and just as she was about to say something, she changed the subject: "I am your fifth aunt!"

  Wang was also shocked, she looked at Gu Man's pale face but still emitting endless coldness all over his body, suddenly having a kind of illusion: changed, Gu Man is no longer the original Gu Man.

  Fifth aunt? Really funny, now that I know it's my own fifth aunt, what about when I was unlucky in the previous life? When the title was inherited by a concubine's son and didn't follow the rules of propriety? Why didn't she come out and say: "I am your fifth aunt?"

  Liu Mama had some misgivings in her heart. She knew Gu Man's temper before, although he was a bit violent, but he never dared to be rude in front of his elders. Moreover, because he couldn't get along with Old Lady and Gu Boqi, he became introverted and rarely got angry with people.

  Seeing Liu's obvious discomfort, she plucked up the courage to say: "Ninth Miss, what you said is all within the family. Could it be that our Fifth Madame would still have the heart to harm you? You're still young and don't understand the twists and turns between adults. No matter how things are among us, once we step out the door, we're still one family. Our madame wouldn't have any reason to harm her own family members. It's actually Ninth Miss who has become more temperamental since falling ill this time, with a sharper tongue that cuts like a knife, every sentence piercing people's hearts."

  Wang was also somewhat hesitant in his heart, and after Gu Man's illness this time, he indeed became a little different.

  She had just seen it very clearly, the hatred that burst out of Gu Man's eyes when he looked at Shang Liu Shi, even she, a bystander, was startled.

  People who have been reborn, how can their words and deeds be exactly the same as in their previous life? After crossing over from their previous life, they became even more reserved and wooden to prevent others from discovering that they were not their true selves. Unless it was towards their loving grandmother, there would be a hint of warmth, but in the Hou Manor, they were like a wooden puppet, devoid of any vitality.

  Now reborn in this life, she no longer wants to worry about these things.

  Even if she said it out loud, no one would believe that kind of thing about transmigrating and rebirth. Since that's the case, what's the point of hiding it? She might as well take advantage of this opportunity to relive her glory after being bullied and having her fighting spirit ignited. She wants to live a carefree and upright life, and no one can stop her.

  Thinking of this, Gu Man snorted and glanced at Wang Shi's astonished face, saying indifferently: "Mother was right, if I had been ill for so long and still couldn't tell whether someone truly cared about me or wanted to harm me, then it would have been a waste of my illness."

  She paused for a moment, then continued: "Alright, let's get back to the original topic. Aunt Wu, you've come this time to seek justice for Eighth Brother, haven't you? If that's the case, then take me away now to see Grandmother, or wait until Grandfather returns and have me taken away to make a complaint - it's all the same. Just one thing, Aunt Wu: you'd best understand that this world isn't just yours alone, and not everyone is as skilled at twisting black and white as you are. Moreover, don't think you can drag my mother into this affair; if you do, I guarantee that Eighth Brother's reputation for being violent, arrogant, and overbearing will spread throughout the capital in no time!"

  The sound of ice slabs falling on the checkered bricks outside still came in from time to time, but inside the house was quiet and still, with no one taking Gu Man's threat as a childish nonsense.

  Gu Man's maternal grandfather was the current Taifu, one of the three senior officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Moreover, the royal family's style had been personally praised by the emperor himself. The noblewomen in the Shengjing aristocratic circle all took pride in having connections with the Wang family. If the Wang family were to reveal even a single word or phrase outside, it wouldn't just be within this noble circle that would be affected. In two years' time, Gu Chengdong's chances of entering the Imperial Academy would also be at stake. Moreover... her own brother, the eldest son of Ru Ning Bo, was currently vying for the position of Wu Ku Si in the Ministry of War, working under Wang Tingran, the eldest son of Taifu Wang. She didn't want to take this risk.

  The Liu family finally restrained their temper and gloomily took the group of maids including Liu's mother back to Chunyi House.

  They came with a mighty momentum, but when they left, they were defeated and disheveled. The housekeepers who had been waiting outside the garden to chat looked at each other in surprise, for they had thought that Mrs. Liu would surely return victorious, but now it seemed that things had not turned out that way.

  A miracle has happened? The usually disadvantaged Wang family actually made the Liu family suffer a loss?

  Not to mention how the crowd whispered and made random guesses, in De'an's residence, leaning against a beautiful woman watching Tan Xiang and Tan Lan play double six dominoes, Old Lady Gu's eyes narrowed slightly as she coldly smiled: "The real Fifth Master was indeed left speechless by Ninth Sister?"

  The woman standing beside, Wu, hastily chimed in: "Isn't that the truth! I've only just now realized, Ninth Miss's tongue is truly formidable. She didn't even let Fifth Madame get a word in edgewise, and even Liu Mama was left speechless by her questioning!"

  The old lady's face sank, and she was silent for half a day before sneering: "She's not sharp-tongued, is she? After all, there's an able and eloquent great-grandfather who can cover the sky in the imperial court. Where does he still put our family members in his eyes? At such a young age, she has learned to be so sharp-tongued, without any of the magnanimity of a noble lady! She only knows how to follow her mother and learn nothing good."

  The old lady was rarely so harsh to her own granddaughter, but if the object of this harshness were the girls from the second house, it would be quite normal. Wu Ayi saw nothing unusual and hesitated for a moment before continuing cautiously: "Although Ninth Miss indeed lost her composure, Eighth Master was also too unscrupulous, bursting into his daughter's boudoir and hitting someone, if this gets out, our Hou Mansion will not look good either."

  Wu Ayi is the old lady's confidante, so there are some things that only she dares to say.

  Mrs. Guo sighed and said, "Do you think I don't know these things? It's just that Old Eight has had a hard life, and I also pity him for suffering so much at such a young age, so I've been lenient with him. To say the truth, this child is indeed mischievous, but it's not to the point where he deserves to be beaten. Someone must have instigated him...". At this point, Mrs. Guo stopped and thought that Fifth Wife Liu often caused trouble for the second household, but she didn't know if it was really her. If it were really her, then she would be too unreasonable!

  Madam Wu naturally knew she doted on her grandson and didn't dare say anything more, so she just stood respectfully to the side with her head bowed waiting for her to speak.

  "That's right." Old Mrs. Gu suddenly changed the subject: "After being delayed for so many days, it won't go wrong again tomorrow, will it?"

  Madam Wu knew she was asking about Gu Yun's return to the manor, and hastily replied: "Don't worry, tomorrow will definitely not be wrong. The second master and third master have both sent letters, you just rest assured."

  Old Mrs. Gu felt that the annoyance in her heart had dissipated a bit, and she turned to Yu Xiang who was serving her: "You go and pass on my message, just say that tomorrow there's no need to get up early, it doesn't matter if you come late. Everyone will be bustling about together, welcoming your young mistress."

  Yu Xiang hastily agreed and then sent a few maids to inform each room, but she herself went in the direction of the second house.