Remarried to a top-tier playboy, her reborn ex-husband is filled with regret.

Gu Jinghuai's chest, where Xiao Fang had just kicked him, was still throbbing with pain.

Faced with her father's fury, she moved her lips but ultimately dared not talk back.

"say!"

Gu Yan's voice rose another three points, startling everyone.

"Your mother's good niece, that impoverished family of the Su family whose property was confiscated and who was exiled, a lowly slave who entered the brothel!"

You dare to marry her back?

"Are you saying our Marquis's mansion hasn't lost all face yet?"

Su Yuyan, standing next to Gu Jinghuai, turned pale and clenched her handkerchief tightly.

She was wearing that slightly worn red dress, and the pearl hairpin in her hair was something Gu Jinghuai had temporarily put on her.

At this moment, under the gaze of everyone in the hall, he looked like a joke.

She tried to hide behind Gu Jinghuai, but the man reached out and pressed down on her shoulder with such force that it hurt.

"Stand still."

Gu Jinghuai's voice was low and carried an undeniable coldness.

"Listen carefully to your father's words of advice."

Su Yuyan looked up at him in disbelief, tears streaming down her face.

Just now at the entrance of the brothel, he held her hand and said, "Don't be afraid, I'm here," but then he turned around and pushed her out to be humiliated.

"And you!"

Gu Yan's gaze suddenly swept towards the Lady of the Marquis. If it weren't for the celebration at the Marquis's residence today, she would never have been released.

The first thing she did after she came out was to stir up trouble.

If it weren't for her instigation, how could Gu Jinghuai have dared to abandon the main wife of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and audaciously go to the brothel to redeem her?

"Su Shi! Your scheming brother has ended up having his property confiscated and being exiled."

Now you're trying to get your son to marry his daughter? Do you think I haven't squandered enough money on the family business?

When Su saw the look in Gu Yan's eyes that seemed to want to kill her, she turned as white as paper in fear.

She also felt extremely uneasy about her position as the wife of a marquis.

If Jinghuai could marry Yuyan, wouldn't she be the one in charge of the Marquis's mansion in the future?

After a long pause, Su finally spoke, her lips trembling.

"Sir, I didn't..."

Yun Shuyao came to me first and told me privately that Jing Huai should marry Yu Yan as a concubine, and I just went along with it...

"Go with the flow?"

Gu Yan sneered and walked step by step to her, his voice piercing like a knife.

"Does someone who has entered the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution) deserve to be a concubine?"

Let me tell you, with her status as a slave, let alone being a wife, she wouldn't even be worthy of being Jing Huai's concubine!

You've been a matriarch for all these years, and you don't even understand this basic etiquette?

As for Yun Shuyao, don't you have any idea how she's been making things difficult for the Marquis's mansion lately?

What good advice could she possibly give?

If she truly cared about the Marquis's family and agreed to Gu Jinghuai marrying a concubine, then why did she resist the marriage?

Why did you leave with Xiao Fang?

"Don't you understand now? We've all been played by her!"

Gu Yan paused, his gaze sweeping over the guests and servants in the hall. His tone was somewhat tired, but very resolute.

"When I'm looking for a wife, even if she comes from a less prestigious family, she must be a respectable and virtuous young lady!"

"Does someone from the Jiaofangsi (a type of entertainment institution) even deserve to step on the threshold of my Marquis's mansion?"

Lady Hou swayed, and only managed to stand steadily with the help of the maid beside her. The light in her eyes gradually faded.

She had been married into the Marquis's household for thirty years and had never been so publicly humiliated by her husband, which also dragged her family into the mud.

"master……"

Her voice was as thin as a whisper, tinged with sobs.

"Don't call me 'Master'!"

Gu Yan abruptly interrupted her.

"I must have been blind to marry such a spendthrift!"

"Your brother ruined the Su family, so you're going to ruin my Gu family?!" These words were like the last straw, completely breaking Lady Hou's spirit.

Her vision went black, and she fell straight backward. The maids screamed and rushed to help her, creating chaos.

"Mother!"

Gu Jinghuai's expression finally changed. When he rushed over, he saw that Su's eyes were closed and her lips were purple.

"Quickly, fetch a doctor! Go and get Dr. Mu from Jishetang!"

He roared, his voice filled with an unprecedented panic.

The guests in the hall could no longer sit still; they stood up in twos and threes, their faces showing awkward and disdainful smiles.

"My lord, young master, we have other matters to attend to, so we must take our leave now..."

"Yes, I have some things to take care of at home. I'll visit another day..."

They came to witness the marriage of two noble families, but unexpectedly stumbled upon this family scandal, and each of them thoroughly enjoyed the gossip.

The servants kept their heads down, but their eyes kept glancing at Su Yuyan, the contempt in their eyes piercing like needles.

Su Yuyan bit her lip tightly, her tears ruining her makeup, but she dared not cry out.

She didn't understand. Her cousin had brought her back to save her, so why had he thrown her into an even more unbearable hell?

"Why are you crying?"

Gu Yan had nowhere to vent his anger, and when he turned around and saw her crying, he became even angrier.

"You jinx! If it weren't for you, how could Jinghuai have disobeyed me? How could the Lady of the Marquis have fainted from anger?!" Gu Yan pointed at Gu Jinghuai again, his words as sharp as knives.

"Let me tell you, this lowly servant girl is not worthy of calling me 'father' at all."

I will never acknowledge this daughter-in-law!

"If you dare to make her bow in this hall today, then don't acknowledge me as your father!"

Gu Jinghuai held his unconscious mother, his back stiffening for a moment.

He looked at Su Yuyan and saw his cousin looking at him with teary eyes, her eyes full of pleading.

But he only closed his eyes briefly and said in a hoarse voice:

"First... first, take Mother back to her room."

No one mentioned the wedding ceremony again.

Su Yuyan stood there all alone, watching Gu Jinghuai carry the Lady Hou away in a hurry.

She watched as the guests left in a disheveled state, and the servants looked at her with disdain.

Watching Gu Yan pace back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back, every step felt like it was stepping on her heart.

The wind blew in through the open door, making the red silk on the beam tremble as if it were crying for her.

She finally couldn't hold back anymore, squatted down, covered her face, and sobbed silently.

What she thought was a miraculous escape turned out to be just falling from one quagmire into another icy abyss.

As the scattered guests walked out of the Marquis's mansion, they couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

"Tsk tsk, the Marquis's mansion is doomed..."

"Marrying a courtesan from a brothel and causing the mistress to faint—it's unheard of..."

"Miss Yun from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion is clever; she escaped early on..."

These words drifted into the hall, like salt rubbed into Gu Yan's wounds.

He turned around abruptly, glaring fiercely at Su Yuyan, who was still crying, his eyes filled with disgust that was almost overflowing.

This family has been completely thrown into chaos by those two, the aunt and niece.

Zhenbei Palace.

The wedding banquet ended very early; Xiao Fang had already dismissed all the young men.

When Xiao Fang returned to the bridal chamber, he was only slightly tipsy. He wanted to save his best condition for his princess consort.

As he entered the bridal chamber, a light drizzle began to fall outside the window, pattering against the banana leaves, rustling like someone whispering in his ear.

Xiao Fang walked to the bedside and gently lifted Yun Shuyao's red veil, revealing a face with a hint of shyness.

He felt that Yun Shuyao was exceptionally different today; her softened features made her appear extremely charming.

When the nuptial wine was first served, Yun Shuyao's fingertips were still burning hot.

He smiled and brought the wine glass to her lips. He drank half of it himself, then leaned in and brushed his lips against the rim of her glass before finishing the rest of the wine.

The wine slid down his throat, spreading a faint red hue in the candlelight.

"It's time for a haircut."

He took out a small pair of silver scissors from his makeup box, picked up a strand of her hair, and gently twisted it half an inch.

He then cut off a strand of his own hair, tied it into a knot with red string, and stuffed it into her hand.

"We became husband and wife, and our love is unwavering."

Yun Shuyao held the warm clump of hair in her hands, her fingertips trembling slightly.

He had already turned and gone to the outer room, where he brought back a plate of hibiscus cake:

I didn't eat much this afternoon, just something to tide me over.

She took a bite of the cake, and as the sweetness spread, he suddenly bent down and picked her up in his arms.

Yun Shuyao exclaimed in surprise, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck, her nose bumping against his collarbone, and smelling the cool scent of wine on his neck.

"Don't be afraid."

His voice came from above, with a low, husky laugh.

"I will be very gentle..."