I have suffered enough in my previous life, my cousin will never marry me

Chapter 171 Study Tour
Seeing her daughter and son's bloodshot eyes, Ye Huaisu felt a pang of heartache, but she couldn't show it in front of her stepson, so she had to swallow her resentment and sorrow.

"I was being too sentimental," Ye Huaisu said, grasping the small hand that rushed towards her. She then instructed Ye Wanshu, "Wanwan, you and your cousins ​​haven't seen each other in a long time. Spend some time with them these next few days, and then send them back to the mountain to continue their studies as soon as possible."

Gu Tingchen was able to bring his cousin back thanks to his younger brother and sister, and he was unwilling to let the siblings leave his side.

He has now found a way to control his cousin.

“My son heard that Mr. Li is about to go on a study tour. Qingmian and Tingji are still so young, how can they endure such hardship?” Gu Tingchen scoffed and quickly offered a kind suggestion: “Why not invite a great scholar to our residence? We can also bring the Qin family’s child who is with Wanwan to keep her company.”

This wishful thinking was something that not only Ye Wanshu, but also Ye Huaisu had seen through.

This unfilial son is now eager to trap everyone Wanwan cares about in the Duke's mansion.

“Young children need to go out and learn from experience even more,” Ye Huaisu said. “What can a spoiled child achieve in the future? It is a blessing for the siblings to be able to travel and study with Mr. Li.”

Ye Wanshu always felt that her aunt's words were strange. In the past, she was very reluctant to send her younger cousins ​​to that mountain to study with Mr. Li, fearing that the siblings would suffer. Now, she was willing to send her two children to study with the old man.

After thinking it over for a while, Ye Wanshu roughly guessed what her aunt was thinking. She was afraid that her cousins ​​would be used as bargaining chips by Gu Tingchen again.

Thinking about her next plans, she also didn't want her younger cousins ​​to stay in Lin'an.

With a tender look, Ye Wanshu gently wiped away the tears from the corners of the two little ones' eyes and asked, "Qingmian, Aji, would you like to go on a study tour with Mr. Li?"

The siblings hadn't seen Mr. Li for a long time and naturally missed him, but they were also a little worried about their cousin.

Gu Tingji glared angrily at Gu Tingchen, but when his gaze returned to Ye Wanshu, his eyes were filled with anxiety: "Cousin, we're leaving, then you..."

Knowing that the siblings were worried about her, Ye Wanshu quickly interrupted him: "I will take good care of myself and your mother."

Seeing the wary expressions on their faces, Gu Tingchen felt even more annoyed. It was bad enough that these two aunt and nephew treated him like an outsider, but they even instigated their younger brother and sister to be wary of him.

"You're not allowed to go anywhere," Gu Tingchen said angrily. "Right now, there are undercurrents between various forces. Our family has finally reunited, why make things worse by separating us?"

"Gu Tingchen, you're so nosy, even interfering with Qingmian and Tingji's studies?" Ye Wanshu bluntly exposed his thoughts: "It's not enough that you've imprisoned me and my aunt in a cage, you also want to ruin Qingmian and Tingji's futures?"

"Wanwan, how could you misunderstand me like this?" Gu Tingchen felt as if his heart was being torn apart. He stepped forward and grabbed her wrist tightly, angrily saying, "I can forgive everything you did before, but now that you've returned to Lin'an, you should behave yourself and marry me honestly. Don't think about having any more wicked ideas."

Ye Wanshu felt a sharp pain from his grip and struggled, saying, "Gu Tingchen, let me go."

"What? That bastard Fu Mingchi can touch you, but I can't?" Gu Tingchen roared.

"You hurt my cousin."

Gu Qingmian and Gu Tingji gritted their teeth and stepped forward to push him. Seeing the fierce look in Gu Tingchen's eyes, Ye Wanshu shouted anxiously, "Gu Tingchen, I have already severed all ties with Prince Yongning. If you continue to be aggressive and do anything to harm Qingmian and Aji, I would rather die than live in dishonor, and I will fight you to the death."

Gu Tingchen was stunned.

After a brief moment of thought, he finally compromised: "Alright, as long as Wanwan stays obediently at the manor, I can agree to let Qingmian and Tingji go on a study tour with Master Li."

As he spoke, he pointed at Ye Huaisu with a vicious look in his eyes: "But if Mother continues to instigate the marriage between her son and Wanwan, don't blame her for not caring about the bond between blood relatives."

Having said that, he left the guards who were still watching the courtyard behind and strode away. Ye Huaisu looked at her niece's wrist, which had been pinched red, and asked with heartache, "Wanwan, did that wretched child hurt you?"

"Auntie, I'm fine." Ye Wanshu smiled and quickly pulled the two little ones over to her, taking out a jade token from her bosom and placing it in Gu Qingmian's hand.

"Qingmian, if you and Tingji are traveling with Master Li and need money, you can use this jade pendant to get it from Tongshun Money Shop."

Ye Wanshu lowered her voice and said, "The maximum withdrawal is two million taels."

Upon hearing this number, the mother and her two children were all stunned.

"Wanwan, where...where did you get such a large sum of money?" Ye Huaisu asked in astonishment.

"It was left to me and my aunt by my maternal grandmother." Fearing that the amount of silver left by her maternal grandmother would be too shocking, Ye Wanshu still held back: "My maternal grandmother was worried that after she passed away, my aunt and I would one day end up like our mother, so she secretly deposited a sum of silver in the bank."

"Mother," Ye Huaisu said, her eyes filled with tears. Her mother always thought of her children, but she herself had failed to protect even her most beloved granddaughter. She felt truly ashamed.

She knew that Wanwan must have her own ideas, and once she had settled her two children, she would have no more worries.

"Qingmian, you must take good care of Aji from now on. The money your cousin gave you is the life's work of your maternal grandmother. You must not squander it. Studying diligently with Mr. Li is the right path," Ye Huaisu solemnly instructed.

Ye Wanshu felt that her aunt was suddenly too sad: "Aunt, don't worry too much, Qingmian and Tingji will be back soon."

Study abroad is a short-lived affair, lasting no more than two or three years. By then, Empress Dowager Gu will likely have lost power, and there shouldn't be any problem bringing the siblings back.

Ye Huaisu smiled in agreement: "Wanwan, your aunt is a little tired. Why don't you take Qingmian and Tingji back to rest?"

"Then I'll come back later with my cousins ​​to serve Auntie her medicine." After helping her lie down again, Ye Wanshu led the two siblings back to Cuiweitang.

After the siblings left, Ye Huaisu forced herself to get out of bed and weakly walked to the door. She called to the old woman who was guarding the door and coldly ordered, "Go and call Tian Fu here."

Grandma looked troubled.

"What, you're going to stop me from reporting on Miss Bao's situation in Yuezhou?" Ye Huaisu shouted angrily, "I'm not dead yet, I'm still the mistress of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion."

"Yes, this old servant will go right away," the old woman replied and left.

When Tian Fu was summoned, Ye Huaisu simply stood in the courtyard and deliberately asked about his niece's affairs in Yuezhou.

Upon hearing that the Duchess was indeed only inquiring about her cousin's affairs in Yuezhou, the maids immediately relaxed their guard and, not wanting to continue monitoring her, withdrew from the courtyard, leaving only the gate as a watchman.

Ye Huaisu listened attentively to Tian Fu's report and smiled with relief upon learning that the Yongning Prince's family treated Wanwan with exceptional kindness.

"Sister, Mother, don't worry, I will definitely bring Wanwan back to the Yongning Prince's Mansion."

She murmured something to herself, then whispered to Tian Fu, "Tomorrow, take the Third Miss and the Fourth Young Master to find Old Master Li. Take them far away from Lin'an and never return to the Rongguo Duke's Mansion."

Tian Fu glanced sideways at the direction of the courtyard gate, nodded heavily, and quietly withdrew.

Seeing the courtyard gate tightly closed, Ye Huaisu coughed incessantly and staggered back into the house.