Carrying the little lucky star, leading the villain on the road to exile

The three ladies fell into deep thought, wondering if their lives were any better than theirs.

"That's because there are many rules in wealthy and powerful families," Bai Suihe shook her head with a wry smile. Even the Gu family, which clearly didn't have much wealth, still had to put on such a grand show.

"As a collateral branch and also born out of wedlock, they faced a lot of pressure."

Life in the inner quarters could probably be described as walking on thin ice.

People of their status and position either have to curry favor with their superiors or play dumb.

However, in such a repressive living environment, if one gains the upper hand, the backlash will be even greater.

I think this Mrs. Gu is probably in that situation. Perhaps because they pretended so successfully, they were able to get this lucrative position. Once they got here, with everyone in power, they naturally lost their sense of propriety.

The three ladies nodded. "No wonder. Before, they were putting on airs, showing off, and even speaking in a condescending tone, as if they didn't take us seriously."

At first, everyone was somewhat curious, but the more they listened, the more upset they became. They knew the Gu family was wealthy, but that was their own life; they had no claim to it, so why should they concern themselves with it?

"I'm afraid many people didn't pay attention to what she said after that, and we were standing far away, so we couldn't hear it clearly at all." Madam Jiang said with some regret, "I'll have to ask the ladies sitting in the front to find out exactly what she said."

Bai Suihe and the other two looked at Madam Jiang in disbelief. This was going to bring back painful memories, but they were also very curious and wanted to hear it!
Madam Jiang straightened her chest, saw through the thoughts in her sisters' minds, and assured them that she would receive the news, "Don't worry, I will give you the latest information within an hour at the latest."

Bai Suihe nodded repeatedly, casting expectant glances at everyone, creating a strong emotional impact and making Madam Jiang even more eager to complete the task.

Several people looked out the window at the inn ahead as the last carriage drove away.

"You wait here, I'll go find Madam Liu," Madam Li said, her eyes darting around. She thought of the innkeeper's wife; it seemed they had been staying at her parents' home recently, and her parents' home wasn't far from her own.

"Will it take a long time?" Bai Suihe wanted to go home and be with her dear daughter.

"No need. Their manager and staff are still at the inn; they'll always be better informed than we are."

Bai Suihe and the others waited patiently, since they hadn't planned to go back so early after all.

I asked the waiter at the teahouse for a pot of good tea and some snacks; I couldn't skimp on myself while traveling.

They're having a pretty good time here, but it's a different story at the inn across the street.

Mrs. Gu only came to her senses after the incident had occurred and everyone at the scene had dispersed.

“These people…” At this moment, she was not angry, but rather filled with great panic. The banquet had been ruined.

"What exactly is wrong with that person?" Madam Gu was furious at the lady who had just had her outburst.

The old nanny sighed. As expected, she was an illegitimate child who couldn't be presented to the public. If it weren't for her calm and composed actions to quell the situation, who knows what would have happened to her now.

"Reporting to Madam, that lady has been moved to the inner room and a doctor has been summoned to examine her. The scene is too chaotic for the time being, and there is no way to stop the other ladies from leaving. Today's banquet can only be held as it is."

They've botched the job; who knows how the master will scold them when he gets back. "No, just because they're sick, all this banquet I worked so hard to put together is just going to be a disaster?" This was the first banquet she'd ever hosted, and it was ruined like this?
Anger rose in her heart towards the person who started this. "Why did you even call a doctor for her? Just throw her out and find out which family she works for. How ungrateful!"

The servants standing by all had their heads bowed. Although they were just tools, they weren't stupid. Throwing the person out now would only make things worse and make things even more uncontrollable.

“Madam, you may not understand. The incident happened in our mansion. If we don’t settle the person properly, it will damage our family’s reputation. If we just throw the person out like this, even with Her Majesty the Empress’s backing, we probably won’t be able to settle down here.”

"They're just a bunch of peasants, are we afraid of them?"

The old nanny was almost in tears. She thought she had landed a lucrative job, but instead she ended up serving such a stupid and incompetent master.

She could already see her dark future; wouldn't it have been better for her to live a comfortable life on the estate? Now she's caught in a dilemma, unable to move forward or backward.

"Madam, please don't forget, this is Lingnan."

She had already given such a reminder, but Madam Gu still couldn't understand. "Of course I know. It's just a poor, remote place. I don't know what the direct descendants are thinking. Which place in Jiangnan isn't better than this?"

Since we've entrusted them with important responsibilities and expanding the industry, why not find a better location for them?
"His Majesty has been fond of sending people to Lingnan in recent years. He also granted a general amnesty before the new year. Among those sent were some families who were exiled, and they were not without any background."

Although the Gu family is now the Empress's family, who doesn't know the Empress's situation? The Empress is not favored by His Majesty the Emperor and has no princes. Such wealth is nothing but a fleeting moment.

And these exiled people, even a random relative by marriage might have more say than the Duke's mansion.

"You old codger, stop reminding me of these things. Even if they are, so what? They are just commoners now."

The old nanny wanted to roll her eyes. They kept saying that others were commoners, looking down on this and that. Then what are you? You're just relying on the power of the Duke's mansion.

"By the way, was the one who fainted the Bai family?" When this was mentioned, Madam Gu was filled with hatred and anger. The damned culprit, why did she have to call a doctor for her?

If it is the Bai family, then the rumors are quite different.

"This old servant just asked, and it wasn't Madam Bai or the others." The old nanny was also quite helpless. She had long reminded the madam not to invite so many people at once, not only because she couldn't take care of them, but now she had also messed up all their carefully planned schemes.

"Why isn't it Bai Shi? Wasn't that position specially reserved for her? These damned servants, why didn't they lead her there?"

“These old servants haven’t been questioned yet.”

The scene had been so chaotic, and the lady was standing there, stunned. All she could think of was taking the person to the inner room and calling for a doctor; she had no time to think of anything else.

"Then what use are you to me? You don't know this, you don't know that."

Madam Gu was about to lash out when she heard a commotion from ahead. Just as she was about to rebuke who dared to be so audacious, she heard a voice that was all too familiar to her.

"You damned lot, you can't even manage to organize a proper banquet..." (End of Chapter)