I just got divorced, and this cold, ruthless, and powerful minister is begging for a third child eve

Gu Mingshuang ignored Song Lanfang and continued walking.

After leaving Shou'an Hall, he handed the jewelry box to Lingxiang and instructed her:

"Find a safe place to hide them, and take them all with you when you leave."

Lingxiang nodded emphatically, hugging the jewelry tightly.

"Miss, I understand!"

Gu Mingshuang glanced at the jewelry box.

Taking back these jewels is only part of what the Marquis's mansion owes her.

In the afternoon, Gu Mingshuang saw Lingxiang return with a smile.

"The midday sun is so strong, why are you still going outside?"

Lingxiang suppressed a laugh and said:

"Miss, you don't know, it's quite a scene at Shou'an Hall. The accountants and stewards have all been called over, and it's causing quite a commotion!"

"The aunt complained that the mistress was biased in distributing the family property, while the mistress vehemently accused the aunt of falsifying accounts!"

"The doctor arrived before I left; I don't know whose illness he'll see first!"

Gu Mingshuang suppressed a laugh and took a sip of tea. Although she hadn't said much at Shou'an Hall today, every word she uttered hit the nail on the head.

They are all selfish people, and they will definitely make a scene if their tails are stepped on.

Soon Song Linyuan was at a loss and sent someone to summon Gu Mingshuang to attend to his illness.

Gu Mingshuang calmly and composedly sent Lingxiang to deliver the reply.

He only said that he had to raise funds to buy medicine for his wife and couldn't spare the time.

For the next three days, Gu Mingshuang continued to travel around the city.

In the end, they bought a three-courtyard house, and the master and servant stood at the door for a long time.

Gu Mingshuang looked at Lingxiang and said gently:

"From now on, I will stay in Kyoto. If you want to return to Qingzhou, I will also prepare a dowry for you."

Lingxiang said with red eyes:

"Wherever you go, young lady, I will accompany you!"

Gu Mingshuang curved her eyebrows into a smile.

"Alright, let's settle down in Kyoto."

She had given up her identity as a architect because of her father's instructions, and later completely abandoned her dreams because of following Song Linyuan.

From now on, she only wants to do what she wants to do.

It was already evening when they returned to the manor.

Gu Mingshuang saw the accountant frown and wink at her.

Soon, she saw Song Linyuan with a gloomy face.

"Mingshuang, I gave you all those jewelry. You promised, but today is your follow-up appointment. Why didn't you invite Doctor Rong? Do you know that Mother couldn't wait for him and fell ill again!"

"If Ayu hadn't taken out the silver, who knows what would have happened to Mother!"

Gu Mingshuang looked up at him and said calmly:

"Your Highness, I only promised to buy the medicine. When did I promise to invite Physician Rong?"

"Besides, Doctor Rong's consultation fee is five hundred taels per session. If we invite him to revise the prescription, we won't have enough money to buy new medicinal herbs. What should we do then?"

Song Linyuan's face stiffened.

"Money, money, money again! The woman lying in that bed is my own mother! The debt of giving me life is greater than heaven! How can you be so heartless to her?"

Gu Mingshuang looked at Song Linyuan with sarcasm.

"Does Your Highness still remember that serious illness in Qingzhou, when I spent all my wealth to save you?"

He was cured and helped pass the imperial examination, which made him famous and even led to his being brought back by the Marquis's mansion. Gu Mingshuang felt a surge of anger in her heart.

Song Linyuan's expression hardened slightly.

"You saved me back then, and I remembered your kindness, which made you the wife of a scholar, and now you are the wife of a prince who brings glory to our family."

"Mingshuang, I haven't mistreated you, so why do you keep bringing up these past events?"

Gu Mingshuang sneered:

"Now that the young master has risen to a position of wealth and status, is he unwilling to face the past?"

"I'd like to ask, after spending so much money on you, what enormous benefits will this position as the Crown Prince's consort bring me?"

Song Linyuan frowned, anger rising on his handsome face.

"You...you actually think that way? A gentleman doesn't accept charity. You imprisoned me for ten years with money. If I could do it all over again, I'd rather you weren't the one who bought me!"

Gu Mingshuang didn't even bother to speak, and looked away, feeling disgusted by that hypocritical face.

If she could do it all over again, she would sell Song Linyuan to a mine as a slave and see if the Marquis's mansion could accept a crude slave who couldn't read a single word!

Perhaps someone as useless as him won't live to see the day the Marquis's mansion finds him!

Unfortunately, there are no second chances in this world!

Seeing that she was silent and seemed frightened, Song Linyuan's expression softened slightly. They had argued before, and she was most afraid of him saying such things.

"Fortunately, nothing serious happened, so let's just let this matter go. My elder sister was wronged today, so when you're preparing the apology gift for the Duke of Anguo's mansion, you should also prepare a birthday gift for her. Don't let my elder sister lose face."

Gu Mingshuang almost burst out laughing and turned to leave.

Song Linyuan quickly stopped her.

"You must not ruin your relationship with the Earl's mansion because of a fit of pique. Only by helping your elder sister gain a foothold in the Earl's mansion will they be willing to help me in the future."

Gu Mingshuang looked at her with amusement.

"The Earl's mansion had already intended for my eldest sister to marry off to his illegitimate son, so what difference would it make if she sent the most expensive birthday gift?"

Song Linyuan said with some displeasure:

"Although there was a misunderstanding before, the Countess eventually saw the potential of the Marquis's mansion. That's why you need to send more gifts and make more visits to the Marquis's mansion to bring the Countess and the Marquis's mansion closer together."

Gu Mingshuang was too lazy to remind her; the Countess simply looked down on the Marquis's mansion.

On the surface, it was she who caused a scene, but in reality, she made a deal with Madam Liang. It was Madam Liang who stepped in and saved Song Lanfang's marriage.

She looked at Song Linyuan, not wanting to say another word, and turned to leave.

"Ming Shuang!"

Seeing her so rude, Song Linyuan's face turned cold. Did she really intend to retaliate like this?

But he quickly realized what was happening.

No wonder she was so cold to him today; tomorrow is the anniversary of her father's death...

Not long after, at Qingwu Garden.

After returning home, Gu Mingshuang wrote several letters, sealed them with wax, and handed them to Lingxiang.

"Be careful, get these out."

Lingxiang took the letter, her fingers clenching slightly, and nodded emphatically.

Lingxiang had just returned when there was another knock on the courtyard gate.

Lingxiang opened the door, saw who had come in, and turned to look at her young mistress.

"Young lady, it is the Crown Prince."

Gu Mingshuang did not look up.

"I have things to do, let him go first..."

Song Linyuan entered the courtyard first, walking very quickly.

"Mingshuang, tomorrow is the anniversary of your father's death. He always treated me like his own son, and I don't want him to have any peace in heaven."

Gu Mingshuang stopped writing the eulogy in her hand, and the coldness in her eyes softened slightly.

Although her father initially chose her as a child husband for her future, he later truly loved and nurtured Song Linyuan as if he were his own son.

Song Linyuan stepped forward and said gently:

"I just sent someone to Bailong Temple to make arrangements for the best possible memorial service for your father. We will set off together early tomorrow morning."

Gu Mingshuang finally raised her eyes.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, falling on his handsome face, gentle and refined, still retaining the scholarly air his father had admired most.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Song Linyuan spoke up urgently:

"No matter what, I remember this kindness. Give me another chance to repay his kindness, and I'll do anything you ask!"

"I'm the one who upset you this time, so please give me a chance to apologize, okay?"

Gu Mingshuang thought of her father, and her heart softened for a moment before she nodded.

"Okay, let's go perform the ritual tomorrow."

Song Linyuan's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward to take her hand.

Gu Mingshuang subtly stepped aside.

"You just said you'd agree to anything?"

Song Linyuan nodded.

"Do you want jewelry or land and shops? Once you've decided, just let me know, and I'll have the contracts ready for you to sign anytime..."

She lowered her eyes.

Let's talk about it tomorrow.

He breathed a sigh of relief, then tentatively took another step towards the threshold and said:

"Mingshuang, it's time for us to consummate our marriage..."

The door slammed shut in front of him, and Gu Mingshuang's voice came through the door.

"I'm not feeling well, Your Highness, please sleep in the study."

Song Linyuan stood outside the door, his smile slowly fading.

He frowned as he looked at the door, a hint of displeasure rising in his heart.

He thought she would take the opportunity to back down.

He's already arranged to go to Bailong Temple to perform a religious ceremony tomorrow, so how can he not appease her?

Thinking about it, Song Linyuan's steps became even more sluggish.

Just then, a flurry of footsteps came from behind.

Then, Ruhua rushed over, crying.

"Your Highness! My young lady is critically ill!"

Song Linyuan's expression changed drastically, and he asked urgently:

"Why did you suddenly get sick?"

Ru Hua cried so hard she could barely breathe.

"The lady is ill, and the young lady is not feeling well but doesn't want to trouble others, so she's been putting it off..."

Song Linyuan didn't ask any more questions and stepped outside.

The servant hurriedly caught up.

"Your Highness! You still need to prepare a memorial text tonight, and you must accompany the Crown Princess to Bailong Temple tomorrow morning..."

Song Linyuan hesitated for a moment, but did not stop walking, and quickly headed towards Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

When they arrived, Xie Lanyu was curled up on a couch in the side courtyard, her face pale, and a small patch of blood seeped from the gauze on her wrist.

Song Linyuan asked urgently:

"Where's the doctor?!"

Ru Hua cried and said:

"The doctor said it was due to a weak heart pulse, prescribed some calming medicine, and then left."

He stood in front of the bed for a while, then sat down on a chair beside it.

He sat for most of the night watching over Xie Lanyu, who was having trouble sleeping.

As dawn approached, he managed to close his eyes for a short while before suddenly waking up to find the sky outside already beginning to lighten.

He got up, straightened his robes, and hurriedly went outside.

A very soft murmur came from behind me.

"Cousin...don't go..."

He stopped in his tracks.

Ru Hua caught up with him, choking back tears, and said:

"Young Master, Miss seems to be delirious with fever; she keeps calling your name..."

Song Linyuan stood by the threshold, one foot already out, but hesitated for a moment and then pulled it back.

Looking back at the pale face on the bed, he frowned with guilt, and finally said to Ruhua:

"Go to Qingwu Garden and tell the Crown Princess to postpone today's matters until tomorrow."

At the entrance of Qingwuyuan.

As dawn broke, Gu Mingshuang changed into white clothes, with only a plain-colored hairband tied around her head.

She stood at the courtyard gate, with Lingxiang anxiously looking around behind her.

"Why hasn't the young master arrived yet? Is something holding him back? I'll go and ask!"

The footsteps approached, and it was Ruhua, the maidservant beside the young lady.

"The young master sent me to deliver a message: he needs to take care of my young lady today, and all other matters will be postponed until tomorrow. Please forgive him, young mistress."

Seeing Ruhua turn and leave after speaking, Lingxiang's face turned pale instantly.

"Postpone it to tomorrow? Today is..."

Gu Mingshuang pressed her hand down and said coldly.

"In one hour, send someone to invite the elders of the Song family. Tell them I have something important to discuss."