The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 803 Fighting stance

"Master, General Nie has come to pick up your great-aunt."

Everyone sat and listened to Gu Xiaoxue gossip about her family. Even Liu Yue'e and Zhao Shi, who had gone back to their rooms, were drawn out and joined the discussion.

Just as everyone was having a heated discussion, Su Qing came in from outside to tell them that someone from the Nie family had come to pick up Gu Baishuang.

After dinner, Nie Xiaofeng watched as the snow fell heavier and heavier and the sky grew darker, but Gu Baishuang still hadn't returned home, so he sent someone to pick her up.

He originally intended to come in person, but Nie Mingyuan and his two older brothers kept him up to reminisce. He said he was so engrossed in talking about his meritorious service on the battlefield that he didn't want to stop, so he sent his trusted confidant to fetch his mother.

Tong Huaqiong looked at Gu Baishuang and said, "If you don't want to go back, you can stay here."

Gu Baishuang's house is empty and uninhabited, with nothing added to it. If Gu Baishuang doesn't want to go back, she can only stay at Tong Huaqiong's place.

Tong Huaqiong couldn't let Gu Baishuang take the initiative to ask to stay; it would be better for her, as the stepmother, to speak up first and persuade her to stay.

Gu Baishuang stood up and said, "I will have to face Nie Mingyuan and his two sons sooner or later, so I might as well go back now and see what they are up to. Besides, the General's Mansion is my son's residence, and I am Nie Xiaofeng's biological mother. Why should I be afraid of them? Why should I leave just because they are in the mansion?"

Gu Baishuang smoothed her hair, adopting a fighting stance.

Tong Huaqiong didn't try to stop Gu Baishuang any longer, and told her, "The wind and snow are heavy outside, be careful on the slippery roads. If anything happens at home, send someone to let me know, and I'll take your brothers and rush over."

Gu Baishuang smiled and nodded.

At General Nie Xiaofeng's mansion.

Nie Mingyuan sat at the head of the table, with his two sons from his first marriage sitting on either side of him. Nie Xiaofeng sat opposite Nie Mingyuan, and his two daughters-in-law served him very attentively, adding tea and water to his table.

Nie Xiaofeng was talking about how he killed the enemy.

Nie Laoda interjected, "You've made such a great contribution that it's been written in the report and announced to the whole world. Even the Emperor knows about you. Wouldn't you be able to walk around Shengjing with impunity? Wouldn't all the court officials have to give you some face?"

Nie Xiaofeng smiled and said, "Brother, you're joking. In Shengjing, even a brick falling from the ground can hit a marquis or a prince. In Shengjing, I'm nothing, and my face isn't worth much."

The eldest and second eldest Nie exchanged glances, avoiding Nie Xiaofeng's gaze. Both of them felt that Nie Xiaofeng was wary of them.

Before coming to Shengjing, the two had discussed how to take advantage of Nie Xiaofeng's achievements. The eldest Nie wanted to buy an official position, while the second Nie thought that the sex trade was profitable and wanted to switch careers and open a brothel in Shengjing to cater to the pleasures of high-ranking officials and nobles.

They felt that given Nie Xiaofeng's extraordinary achievements, the two things they asked for were nothing; Nie Xiaofeng could accomplish them with a flick of his finger.

Hearing Nie Xiaofeng say this, they felt annoyed. They hadn't even made any requests yet, and this little brother was already rushing to make excuses.

Despite sharing the same surname, Nie Xiaofeng favored the Gu family.

They weren't born from the same mother's womb after all.

"Second brother is joking. Even a single hair of yours is thicker than my and my eldest brother's thighs."

Nie Lao Er said something with a forced smile.

Nie Xiaofeng didn't think too deeply about what he heard. He just assumed that his older brothers had never been to Shengjing and didn't understand that there were countless officials and dignitaries in Shengjing. Even a powerful general with real military power couldn't get everyone to give him face and let him do whatever he wanted.

Once the older brothers have been there long enough, they'll understand.

Nie Xiaofeng didn't respond, and Nie Laoda and Nie Laoer thought he was pretending to be stupid.

At this moment, Zhang, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Nie family, said casually, "Third brother sent someone to fetch Mother a long time ago. Why hasn't Mother come home yet? The snow outside is so heavy. Could something have happened to her because the road is slippery?" Sun, the second daughter-in-law, gave a short laugh and said, "Mother and Uncle Gu are very close. Uncle Gu is coming to the capital today, so Mother naturally wants to stay and catch up with him."

These words successfully provoked Nie Mingyuan's displeasure.

Gu Baishuang is a member of the Nie family and their daughter-in-law. When her own family members come to Shengjing, why doesn't she come back to reunite with them? Instead, she goes to her parents' home to reunite with her brothers. What kind of nonsense is that?

Nie Mingyuan had been holding back all night.

Madam Zhang chimed in, "Is Mother not welcoming us to Shengjing? Is that why she's staying at the Gu family's in a huff? If so, it's truly our fault. Before I came to Shengjing, I told Mother, my husband, and my second brother that it would be fine for you to come, and that we two sisters-in-law would stay at home. Father insisted on bringing us to Shengjing so that our Nie family could have a reunion for the New Year, but I didn't expect it to anger Mother."

Nie Mingyuan said, "This general's mansion belongs to the Nie family. I can send whoever I want. It's none of her business."

Nie Xiaofeng said, "Sister-in-law, you're overthinking it. My mother and grandmother are business partners and were discussing things at my grandmother's house. They didn't stay at the Gu family's house because my uncle came. Besides, it's not wrong for her to stay at the Gu family's house to catch up with my uncle. We're family and can see each other anytime, but my mother and uncle can't see each other anytime, anywhere."

These words left the eldest daughter-in-law of the Nie family looking embarrassed.

Nie Xiaofeng then turned to Nie Mingyuan and said, "Father, Mother is busy with her shop in Shengjing, and even at the end of the year, she is too busy to come home. It is precisely because you are her husband that she knows you won't blame her, so she doesn't have to put aside her business to come home to see you."

Gu Baishuang has been here for quite a while.

Standing under the eaves and looking into the house, I saw the Nie family sitting together talking, and my eyes felt a sharp pain.

She naturally overheard what Nie Mingyuan and his two sons and daughters-in-law were saying.

Gu Baishuang brushed the snow off her clothes and stepped into the house.

The chill it brought made Nie Mingyuan and the others shiver.

"Mother, you've arrived. Oh dear, why didn't you let someone announce your arrival? I could have come out to greet you. I was so worried about you with all this snow." The eldest daughter-in-law said eagerly, stepping forward to take the shawl that Gu Baishuang had taken off.

Gu Baishuang handed the shawl to the old woman, and the eldest daughter-in-law missed, her face showing embarrassment.

She suspected that Gu Baishuang had overheard her words, and she was so frightened that she didn't dare to utter a sound.

Seeing that her eldest daughter-in-law had been given the cold shoulder by Gu Baishuang, the second daughter-in-law knew that Gu Baishuang had overheard her sister-in-law's provocative words. She secretly gloated that her sister-in-law had offended her stepmother-in-law. With a forced smile, she offered Gu Baishuang hot tea, saying, "Mother, have a cup of tea to warm yourself."

Gu Baishuang didn't stand on ceremony. She sat down, took a sip of the hot tea, and then looked around at everyone in the room.

Nie Mingyuan felt extremely uncomfortable.

Ever since Gu Baishuang had a fight with him three years ago during the first month of the lunar calendar, she has been indifferent to him. Even when he takes the initiative to lower himself to talk to her, she remains cold.

Nie Mingyuan wanted to teach Gu Baishuang a lesson, but he was overwhelmed by Gu Baishuang's powerful aura.

Instead, I didn't know how to start the conversation.

He deeply regretted listening to Tong Huaqiong years ago and entrusting his capital to Gu Baishuang to invest in the Lu family's merchant ships, which allowed Gu Baishuang to gain access to the Nie family's business from within the inner quarters.

Now, the lifeline of the Nie family's business is in Gu Baishuang's hands.

It puts us in a very passive position.

"You brought your sons with you?"

After a long time, Gu Baishuang finally spoke up with these words.