You expect me to serve your mistress? The mistress is driving this scumbag and his entire family cra

Chapter 187 A Misunderstanding

Liang Jiang calmed down, suppressing her guilt: "They definitely won't let this go! They might even try something else."

“Then Old Qian can’t stay here any longer. I want to take him back to the Prince’s Palace.”

Liang Jiang nodded: "The Prince's mansion is certainly safe, but Your Highness, do you trust me?"

Gu Xizhi smiled and said, "If I don't trust you, who else can I trust?"

Liang Jiang looked around, then tiptoed towards Gu Xizhi, leaned forward, and beckoned: "Please come closer, Your Highness."

Gu Xizhi moved closer to her, the two of them almost touching. Liang Jiang whispered a few words in his ear, her breath sweet as orchids.

He felt a warm breath penetrate straight into his heart from his ear, and his face flushed and his heart pounded. He didn't even realize what Liang Jiang was saying.

Liang Jiang asked, "How is it?"

"Huh?" Gu Xizhi coughed lightly, looking a little uncomfortable. "I didn't hear you clearly just now."

Liang Jiang glanced at him irritably, then leaned close to his ear and whispered a few words.

Gu Xi listened intently, and only then did she understand the meaning behind Liang Jiang's words: "You want to test Yu Shu and Yu Hua?"

Liang Jiang nodded: "How is it?"

"Everything is up to you."

"However, this matter must be kept strictly confidential, and not a word of it can be leaked. I would like to ask Your Highness to instruct the Dowager Consort to put on a show even in front of Miss Jian."

“I will explain the pros and cons, and I believe my mother will understand the importance of it.”

Once the two had agreed, Gu Xizhi immediately ordered Guan Qi to come and summoned a carriage to take Lao Qian back to the Prince of Pingxi's residence that very night.

He also left some silver as compensation and thanks to the staff and manager of Renhetang.

Galangal did not refuse.

After leaving Renhetang, Liangjiang took her leave.

"Ginger!"

Gu Xizhi called out to her.

Liang Jiang paused, "Does Your Highness have any further instructions?"

Gu Xizhi walked up to her and stood down, looking down at her: "Thank you for saving Lao Qian and my mother."

"It is only right to stand up for what is right, Your Highness. Why be so polite with me?"

"I heard," Gu Xizhi hesitated for a moment, "that you saw Chu Xiucheng yesterday?"

Liang Jiang looked completely bewildered: "Who is Chu Xiucheng?"

Her doubts secretly pleased Gu Xizhi: "Don't you remember him? The son of the Grand Tutor, the current emperor's brother-in-law, and a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. With his handsome appearance, I believe he would stand out among the sons of noble families."

Liang Jiang became even more puzzled: "I've heard of this person before, but I was busy with business all day yesterday, so I don't know when this person you're talking about has ever seen me?"

These words startled Gu Xizhi: "You weren't at the poetry gathering held at the Duke's mansion yesterday?"

"You mean that poetry gathering? It was organized by Wen Dong. I wasn't at home."

"However, Chu Xiucheng told me that he saw you at the Duke's mansion, where you were playing the zither, throwing arrows into a pot, and composing poems with a group of young noblemen."

Liang Jiang chuckled: "Leaving aside whether I can compose poetry or not, if I were to play pitch-pot with those weak and helpless young noblemen, it would be a favor if I didn't make them so drunk that they had to be carried out of the Duke's mansion."

Gu Xizhi thought about it and realized that she had been so focused on feeling awkward and upset that she had forgotten about this.
She's definitely not the type to nitpick over literary phrases. Gu Xizhi stammered, "Then, I wonder why Liang Wendong suddenly decided to hold a poetry gathering?"

"My grandmother said that he just joined the Ministry of War and wants to make more friends, which will be helpful to him in the future. Why, Your Highness, do you seem quite interested in this matter?"

There must be some misunderstanding here.

I was a bit dishonest myself, as I spoke ill of Liang Jiang to Chu Xiucheng.

He coughed lightly and said awkwardly, "No, I was just asking casually. It's good that you're not here."

Liang Jiang was surprised. Gu Xizhi was usually very methodical, so why was he speaking so hesitantly and incoherently today?
The Duke's Mansion.

Second bedroom.

When Master Liang returned to his residence, he learned about the banquet held at his mansion the previous day. He was somewhat displeased and summoned Liang Su and Liang Wendong to his side, giving them a thorough scolding.

“Liangsu, you’ve always been so clever. How could you be so absurd today? If you want to get married, do it honestly and find someone who is your equal and compatible. Find a matchmaker to arrange the marriage. Why did you impersonate Liang Jiang? The truth will eventually come out. In the end, people will say that our Duke’s Mansion is a marriage fraud.”

Liang Su lowered her head, fiddling with the sash of her skirt with her fingertips, without saying a word.

Aunt Liang snorted, "Do you think we want to do this? But in terms of family background, our Su'er is indeed not as good as Liang Jiang. Moreover, at the last Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, Su'er was harmed by Liang Jiang and was scolded by the Empress Dowager, losing face at the banquet."

"Look at all those matchmakers who came to our door, all the men they recommended were from humble backgrounds. None of them are good enough for our Su'er."

"Then let's wait it out. Once Wen Dong inherits the Duke's mansion, things will naturally improve."

"Easy for you to say," Aunt Liang scolded. "Liang Jiang is currently very popular, and matchmakers are coming to propose marriage to her in droves. They are all from families that Liang Su can't even dream of marrying. But Liang Jiang has repeatedly refused them. What does that mean? She is not willing to hand over the Duke's mansion to anyone!"

That brat is cunning, and now she has the backing of the Prince of Pingxi's mansion and the Marquis of Huaiyuan's mansion. The matter of Wen Dong's succession is still uncertain.

Aunt Liang's analysis left Uncle Liang speechless.

"That doesn't mean she would impersonate Galangal."

"Do you think Liang Su, with her qualifications, is capable of marrying into the Grand Tutor's household and becoming the Empress Dowager's brother-in-law?"

"The Grand Tutor's Mansion?" Master Liang was taken aback. "Are you talking about the second-place winner of the last imperial examination, Hanlin Compiler Chu Xiucheng?"

Aunt Liang nodded smugly: "That's right, a distinguished family, a powerful and influential lineage, a man even a princess would want to marry. How could it possibly be Liang Su's turn?"

Master Liang was skeptical: "This young master Chu is arrogant and never associates with those纨绔子弟 (spoiled brats) in the capital. How could he possibly participate in such a poetry gathering?"

“He really didn’t come today.” Aunt Liang said smugly, “At first, our Liang Su was also very disappointed, thinking that all those young men at the banquet were not talented enough, had only a name but no substance, and their family backgrounds were very ordinary, so they were not good enough for her. But in the end, things took a turn for the better.”

"What's the turning point?"

"When Liang Su left, he gave them a couplet, promising that anyone who could match it would be able to release lanterns and cruise the lake together on the night of Qixi Festival. At that time, the couplet stumped everyone present. No one could answer it."

"and after?"

Aunt Liang looked at Liang Su: "Liang Su, you tell me yourself."

Liang Su raised his face, a hint of smugness in his expression: "After the banquet had ended, that young master of the Chu family heard about this from someone and actually sent someone to deliver the second line of the couplet."

"With Chu Xiucheng's talent, he could easily compose a couplet. Perhaps he was just itching to show off and wanted to compete with you, Liang Su, and had no other intentions."

"But he promised to release lanterns and go boating on the lake with his daughter on the night of Qixi Festival."

"really?"

"How could this be fake? The invitation is here."

(End of this chapter)