Cui Ming couldn’t find the words either, she merely comfortingly patted the little girl’s head, her eyes filled with anger.

The affair between Hong Ye and Gu Shiliu wasn’t public, and not many people knew about it.

But Hong Mian definitely knew.

If it weren’t for the chance encounter of having a meal with the little girl, they would still be in the dark.

Do they really have to wait for the day when Hong Mian points at Hong Ye’s nose and scolds her for stealing her husband to find out?

That Hong Mian is truly hateful.

Gu Shiliu is really something despicable.

Hong Ye was both angry and anxious, large tears rolling down as she couldn’t even articulate her thoughts.

Usually sharp and feisty, she became a crying mess that would crumble at the slightest breeze.

Cui Ming looked on with a pained heart, suddenly stood up, and angrily said, "I’m going to find Gu Shiliu and get to the bottom of this. What on earth is he doing? He has to give you an explanation."

Hong Ye grabbed Cui Ming’s sleeve, tears streaming like a broken string of pearls: "No, no..."

She couldn’t manage a coherent sentence.

Cui Ming stomped her foot: "My dear girl, will you tolerate this? Gu Shiliu may be a prize, but we’re no less. If he doesn’t want you, he shouldn’t have led you on. And now there’s a Hong Mian in the middle, what’s the meaning of this? Even rabbits don’t eat the grass around their burrow, and yet he’s after two at once, who gives him the audacity?"

Hong Ye cried even harder.

Cui Ming, exasperated, scolded, "And you’ll tolerate this too? How will you interact with Hong Mian in the future, or face Gu Shiliu all the time? I tell you, you can’t be fierce one moment and turn into a pushover the next, letting Hong Mian bite without saying a word. This is who’s face is being slapped? It’s all our lady’s face being slapped."

Before she could free Hong Ye’s hand, inside, Marquis Gu called repeatedly, "Where’s Shi Ba, where’s Shi Ba? Go call Shi Ba for me."

The voice was full of anxiety and impatience.

Cui Ming finally quieted down, stared unblinkingly at Hong Ye.

The little girl cowered to the side, not daring to look at the two of them.

Hong Ye finally managed to stop crying, choked up, "Enough, enough, it’s my fault for not seeing these two for what they are."

Cui Ming, bad-tempered, replied, "Whether or not you regret knowing them doesn’t matter now; you already know them. If others didn’t know about you and Sixteen, that’s one thing, but I don’t believe Hong Mian is unaware. Both you and Sixteen were openly acknowledged in front of the master. Their family’s actions, what does that mean? What kind of status does Gu Shiliu have? Does he plan to take a concubine? Even if he dared, the master wouldn’t allow it, nor would the law tolerate. I knew there was a reason for his hiding whenever he returned with the Marquis. He’s a coward; wait until I see him, I’ll kick his cowardly turtle’s shell."

Before she finished speaking, Gu Shiba cautiously said from outside, "Miss Hong Ye, the Master asked you to go in to speak."

Cui Ming said, "Yes, Hong Ye, you should tell the Master everything exactly as it happened."

Hong Ye still hesitated a bit. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Cui Ming turned to the little girl, "Would you go with Sister Hong Ye and testify for her?"

The little girl, having heard Cui Ming scold Gu Shiliu for a while, roughly understood the situation, and immediately said, "I am willing to testify."

Cui Ming then rebuked Hong Ye, "What are you hesitating for now? Don’t let me look down on you."

Hong Ye stood up, her voice hoarse, "Fine, no more hesitation, even if there’s more to it, I should be told, not shut out and conspired against, what have they taken me for?"

Cui Ming said, "Exactly! That’s the right attitude. Quickly go."

With Gu Shiba waiting outside and Cui Ming urging beside her, Hong Ye couldn’t think much more and, taking the little girl with her, headed for the main room. Her heart was in turmoil, and she didn’t ponder why it was such a coincidence that the Marquis called for her at this moment.

Entering the main room, meeting Qin Yuan’s worried gaze, Hong Ye’s tears flowed again like a breaking dam.

"Come here, don’t cry anymore," Qin Yuan hurried to her, pulling Hong Ye into a comforting embrace.

Hong Ye wailed, completely forgetting Marquis Gu was present.

"My dear lady."

"Alright, alright, don’t cry anymore, tell me what’s wrong and I’ll stand up for you."

Qin Yuan gently patted the weeping figure in her arms.

Marquis Gu, a bit perturbed, turned his gaze, spotting the little girl trembling on the side, her neck shrunk like a quail, and asked, "What’s going on?"

The little girl hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, "Sister Hong Ye found out that Gu Shiliu and Sister Hong Mian’s families are engaged, and she started crying."

Qin Yuan then glared at Marquis Gu, "My people cannot be wronged, what is going on? Didn’t Gu Shiliu tell his family? His parents arranged a marriage without informing him? Why didn’t we hear even a whisper about this?"

Then she soothed Hong Ye, "Don’t cry anymore, Gu Shiba already sent someone to inquire at Sixteen’s house, we’ll see what’s really going on."

Hong Ye gradually calmed down, her frail body heaving with sobs, her face blurred by tears, stray hairs sticking to her cheeks, and her eyes were watery, making her pity-inducing.

Gu Shiba, unable to bear it, said, "Miss Hong Ye, don’t be sad, if Sixteen doesn’t appreciate his blessing, I’ll marry you."

Qin Yuan, both amused and annoyed, said, "Aren’t you worried Sixteen will punch you for this?"

Gu Shiba was completely unperturbed, calmly said, "He’s committed to Miss Hong Ye, yet he went after Miss Hong Mian, he was impolite and untrustworthy first, what face does he have to hit me."

Hong Ye’s just-stopped sobbing began again.

Marquis Gu impatiently furrowed his brow, asking Gu Shiba, "Stop causing trouble, didn’t you send someone to ask? What’s the matter after all?"

Gu Shiba shuffled his feet, replied, "The person hasn’t returned yet, I don’t know either."

Marquis Gu irritably rose and paced the room.

Qin Yuan realized there were still matters awaiting him outside.

Thinking about how, due to Hong Ye’s affair, Marquis Gu only managed a quick bowl of rice, Qin Yuan felt a bit of heartache and said, "Have the small kitchen slice the spiced beef today, pack it into a full food box, pour oil over the seasoning chili powder separately, ready them for the Marquis to take, so he can have it when hungry. And the snacks and fruits, I don’t need to mention, make sure to have them ready for the entourage; it’s not right making people tend to matters on an empty stomach."

Standing outside, Cui Ming promptly responded and turned to instruct these things to the small kitchen.

Marquis Gu’s pacing slowed slightly.

Gu Shiba’s Adam’s apple moved a few times, swallowing his saliva, said, "Marquis, I haven’t had a chance to eat yet, since there’s still some wait, how about letting me eat first?"