My Sister Insisted on Swapping Marriages, and I Became a Marchioness Instead

Chapter 286: True to One’s Conscience

Marquis Gu was pleased again upon hearing this and turned around, looking deeply at Qin Yuan, saying, "Then tell me."

Qin Yuan said, "My husband and I share the same thought. We only seek to have a clear conscience in the present; there’s no need to worry about how those two will end up in the future."

Marquis Gu was even happier, holding his breath in anticipation of what would be said next.

Qin Yuan continued, "At present, the twins know well that Fake Yang Pozi is Mrs. Zhao’s person, yet they conceal it for her, clearly choosing Mrs. Zhao and abandoning the Gu Family. My husband still carefully chose foster parents for them, seeking to act without bearing grudges, just wanting peace of mind. However, their departure from the Marquis Mansion facilitates their meeting with Mrs. Zhao and also helps us lure Mrs. Zhao, providing an explanation to everyone, which is also an act of a clear conscience. What do you think, my dear husband?"

Marquis Gu remained silent.

Silence was the carved canopy bed in Wutong Garden that night.

Qin Yuan spoke no more and fell asleep on her own.

Early the next morning.

Qin Yuan woke to find Gu Jinghui not there.

Hearing movement, Hong Ye entered to assist her with her morning routine and said, "The Marquis got up early to practice martial arts, saying he wouldn’t have breakfast here. He went to the outer study to wash up and asked me to prepare a change of clothes and sent it over."

Qin Yuan responded lightly, "Alright."

Hong Ye glanced at her expression and asked quietly, "Is the Marquis upset about something?"

Qin Yuan spread her arms to let Hong Ye help her apply incense, and replied coldly, "Leave him be, it’ll pass in a few days."

Hong Ye was a bit anxious and asked again, "Is it because of the twins again?"

Qin Yuan nodded.

Cui Ming came in to comb her hair and said to Hong Ye, "Sixteen is calling for you outside."

Hong Ye muttered, "What is he looking for me at this time?"

Yet she still went out.

She soon returned, holding a small box, and said, "Sixteen said that the Marquis had breakfast at the outer study and this is something Miss likes to eat, so he brought it."

Qin Yuan raised her brows, looked in the mirror, and asked, "What is it?"

Hong Ye happily opened it and inside were a few pieces of fried lotus root cakes.

"When did Miss start liking these?"

Hong Ye was still muttering.

Qin Yuan chuckled lightly.

"The Marquis is implying I have many thoughts, as there are many holes in the lotus root."

Hong Ye set the box down, frustrated, "Why not say he himself has too few thoughts? He knows nothing of the inner residence matters, I think Sixth Master understands it better."

"Only the clever have many thoughts," Cui Ming chimed in while combing hair, "Only fools have none."

Hong Ye couldn’t help but chuckle.

Qin Yuan curved her eyebrows, "Since the Marquis sent it over eagerly, we should share and eat it."

Hong Ye asked, "What should we send to the Marquis in return?"

"Send him a bowl of lotus root starch."

"What does that mean?"

Cui Ming said, "To help clear things up."

Hong Ye hurriedly chased after her.

Qin Yuan got dressed and went to the main house to have breakfast with Old Madam Gu. Without Gu Jinghui there, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law ate well.

Despite a night of frustration, Marquis Gu was still appeased by a bowl of lotus root starch brought back by Gu Shiliu.

It was clear and bright, with a soft color, and was enhanced with osmanthus, honey, and milk crumbs, with some crushed nuts sprinkled on top.

"It tastes good."

Marquis Gu’s anger visibly dissipated quickly.

Even Gu Shiliu, who had been with him for many years, didn’t know that a bowl of lotus root starch could do this.

With his mood improved, Marquis Gu instructed, "Later, have Mr. Songshan come and give a lecture."

Gu Shiliu asked, "Aren’t there guests coming? Listening to a story in parts is uncomfortable."

Marquis Gu then said, "Then let him talk about the Spring and Autumn Annals, as much as he can in one sitting."

Otherwise, he wouldn’t know how to handle his father-in-law.

A last-minute effort is still an effort.

Gu Shiliu had no choice but to seek out Mr. Songshan.

Luckily, Mr. Songshan rose early, had already eaten, and was strolling in the courtyard to aid digestion. Upon hearing that the Marquis wanted to hear about the Spring and Autumn Annals early in the morning, though a bit surprised, he didn’t ask much and just took a gavel and came over.

Gu Shiliu found these two people rather odd.

One wanted to hear storytelling early in the morning.

The other felt the need to carry a gavel even if there were just the two of them.

But they were both quite at ease, one earnestly narrating, the other intently listening, as if speaking to a large crowd, and listening as if immersed among the audience in a theater.

They were both very engaged.

When a servant came in to report that Lord Sacrificial Officer Qin and his family had arrived, Mr. Songshan had already spoken for nearly an hour.

He had talked about the Spring and Autumn Annals for quite some time.

Marquis Gu was very pleased.

If he were to read at home by himself, he probably wouldn’t finish this section in a month.

"Thank you, Mr. Songshan, let’s stop here for now. My father-in-law’s family has arrived and may stay for a while; we’ll invite you again when there’s time."

Marquis Gu found Mr. Songshan increasingly talented, treating him with much more respect.

Mr. Songshan didn’t say much, cupped his hands, and retreated.

By then, Gu Jinghui had already forgotten the morning’s quarrel with his wife and instructed Gu Shiliu, "Quickly invite my wife to welcome the guests, my father-in-law’s family has arrived."

Gu Shiliu hurriedly went to Wutong Garden to fetch Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan had just finished handling daily matters and was surrounded by a group of housekeepers.

These housekeepers had invested money with the Sixth Madam’s faction to buy pepper at a high price. After the mansion opened, they learned the price of pepper had dropped significantly, causing unrest.

"Madam, with pepper prices falling like this, what should we do now?"

"Madam, will the price of pepper drop further?"

Qin Yuan replied helplessly, "It seems the price of pepper will continue to fall."

Those who followed Qin Yuan in investment asked, "Madam, have you bought?"

Qin Yuan said, "I haven’t bought any, I’ll wait for the price to drop further before buying."

"Madam, will pepper prices rise again?"

Qin Yuan stated, "After dropping, they should rise again, but how much they’ll rise, I can’t calculate."

Hong Ye said angrily, "Madam isn’t a fortuneteller. If you don’t want to be part of the investment, you can withdraw. If you want to continue, Madam will naturally inform you after she buys."

Those who invested with Qin Yuan secretly felt relieved.

Those who invested at high prices with the Sixth Madam regretted it deeply.

Seeing Gu Shiliu come to invite her, Hong Ye said, "You all quickly go about your business, madam is going with the Marquis to meet guests; the matter of pepper isn’t urgent for these one or two days."

Qin Yuan headed for the gate, and the housekeepers were still standing in place discussing.

"It’s a pity the Sixth Madam is ill, so we can’t find her to ask."

"Why not find Nanny Zhao by her side to ask for advice and a plan? Surely we can’t just watch our money go down the drain, right?"

"When Madam said initially that it wasn’t guaranteed profit and that we might lose money, but when we bought, pepper prices were rising with no place to buy from, so we bought at high prices, and even paid extra for the Xu family’s pepper, their prices get higher the more we buy. Calculating it, in this short time, I’ve already lost nearly twenty percent of my capital."

"Indeed, I even withdrew from Madam’s and bought into Sixth Madam’s investment, sigh, rushing to lose money."

"Isn’t it so, and offended Madam in the process."

Hong Ye quietly told Qin Yuan, "Serves them right. They wanted to get rich at that time, we explained it clearly, now they come back to find us."

Qin Yuan said, "Regarding money, regardless of the amount, there’s no trivial matter, so explanations must be clear. Actually, just holding onto it wouldn’t necessarily mean loss; at most, it’s just earning less in the future. But even if this is said, they wouldn’t believe it. The ugly words are said up front, let them go on making a fuss."