Madam You smiled and said no more.

Empress Lin was unwilling to give up and pursued, "Now that the hardships are over, and there are no worries at the Northern Border, the Dingbei Marquis Mansion has only one daughter like Treasure Bead who has been pampered. Are they really going to let her go to the Northern Border to eat sand? Besides, the marriage alliance between Dingbei Marquis and the Sacrificial Officer was meant to change their ancestral home and abandon martial for literary pursuits. So why does Treasure Bead have to be a sitting duck waiting for a husband?"

What kind of good husband could she attract by doing that?

The Gu Family went to great lengths to avoid getting involved with them.

Old Madam Gu frowned and sighed heavily.

"Since Your Majesty asks, I have no choice but to air our family’s dirty laundry. Treasure Bead never knew her father, the Third is at the Northern Border and hasn’t returned for many years, and it’s already a blessing for the Sixth to be alive. I couldn’t help but spoil her a bit.

There’s a saying that says you can tell a child’s future by age three, their character by age seven. Now that her character is set, it’s hard to change. She can’t tolerate grievances, and if she were to marry, I’m afraid her mother-in-law wouldn’t be able to tolerate her."

The ladies exchanged glances, all with a hint of a smile in their eyes.

Those familiar with the Gu Family all knew what kind of person Gu Baoshu was.

Even if Old Madam Gu hadn’t said it, they would have said it behind her back.

Old Madam Gu seemed resigned, "If it were another family’s young wife, who couldn’t get along with her mother-in-law, she’d at most cry a few times. If she were bolder, she might argue with her mother-in-law, or in the worst-case scenario, cause trouble with her own family. But Treasure Bead knows martial arts and has never been wronged. Her brothers dote on her because she never saw her father. If her mother-in-law can’t take it, she’s unlikely to let it go quietly. Once a marriage turns to enmity, what’s the point? I have no choice, so I think it’s best to keep her at home. The Third’s child... well, her brother’s child is also of Gu Family blood."

Some ladies felt schadenfreude, others were compassionate.

The rumors about the Dingbei Marquis’s infertility might be true, and the Dingbei Marquis Mansion would rely on Gu Baoshu to continue the bloodline.

This hereditary title and unparalleled achievements are not easy to claim.

This enraged Empress Lin.

The Gu Family is really unbelievable, openly saying this without leaving a trace for others to exploit.

No one else spoke, but Madam You smiled and said, "Alright, alright, everyone knows you’re fond of your young daughter. Treasure Bead is still young, perhaps she’ll change her mind when she grows up and meets a suitable match. It’s getting late, the banquet is ready, let’s invite the Empress, the Crown Prince, and the Ninth Princess to proceed to the feast."

The elder gave the word, and everyone followed suit, seating themselves. Gu Baoshu and Qin Yuan were not called to stay by Empress Lin, which made the sister-in-law duo feel relieved.

Gu Baoshu whispered, "I guess I’m off the hook now, right?"

Qin Yuan blinked, "What do you think?"

"What do I think?"

"If you fancied some scholar and he said he didn’t want to marry a martial artist’s daughter, would you never bring it up again?"

"How could I let that happen!"

"Oh?" Qin Yuan raised an eyebrow, smiling, "So what would you do?"

Gu Baoshu seemed a bit uneasy, "Well, well, I’d win him over with sincerity. Yes, that’s right, it’s like that."

"Oh..." Qin Yuan looked at her meaningfully, whispering, "Not everyone is like our Treasure Bead, a true gentleman. Some people will stop at nothing for power; do you think they’ll easily change their ways?"

Gu Baoshu, feeling both guilty and proud, straightened up, "I say, we are the best in the world, only you truly understand my noble character. I get it."

Hong Ye couldn’t help asking, "Seventh Miss, what have you understood?"

Gu Baoshu with a mysterious look, "A dog can’t stop itself from eating its own dung."

Cui Ming: "..."

About to seat themselves, they talk about dog dung.

The Ninth Princess sent someone to invite Gu Baoshu over for a chat. From a distance, all she could see were familiar faces like Miss You and Song Wenyu. Gu Baoshu hesitated.

Qin Yuan said, "It’s alright, just go over, don’t give them a chance to cling onto you."

Gu Baoshu nodded.

As she sat down, Miss You asked, "What were you discussing with your third sister-in-law?"

The Ninth Princess glanced over, with a smile in her eyes, "Your mother and third brother really dote on you, not willing to marry you off. But, who knows what your third sister-in-law thinks."

Gu Baoshu didn’t respond to the Ninth Princess, but said to Miss You, "My third sister-in-law and I were discussing if a dog can stop itself from eating its own dung."

The Ninth Princess felt disgusted.

Miss You was at a loss for words.

Song Wenyu chuckled and helplessly said, "Your third sister-in-law is the daughter of the National Academy Sacrificial Officer. How could she say such things? Must have said ’a mountain may change but nature is hard to change’ or something."

"Yes, yes, that’s exactly what I meant," Gu Baoshu laughed.

The Ninth Princess rolled her eyes.

So vulgar.

Too vulgar.

The Gu Family indeed knows their place, should really stay home and find a matching vulgar person, none would mind.

Qin Yuan conversed with the ladies around her with ease, speaking just enough, quickly bonding with them.

Halfway through the banquet, Yang’er received news from outside and quietly informed Qin Yuan, "The Marquis has arrived."

Qin Yuan nodded.

Marquis Gu had finally finished his business and returned as promised.

Counting the days, it’s been seven days since they last met, not knowing how things progressed.

Suppressing excitement, Qin Yuan was about to toast the lady next to her when a maid’s sleeve swept across, knocking over bowls and chopsticks resting at the table’s edge. Seeing the soup about to splash onto her, Yang’er quickly pulled Qin Yuan’s chair back, her body slightly tilted, catching the bowls and chopsticks with ease. Only some soup splashed, soiling the table screen, but not a drop touched Qin Yuan.

This was already the second time.

Yang’er and Hehua exchanged a glance.

The lady beside Qin Yuan was startled, taking a while to recover, "Thank goodness for your quick reflexes, otherwise, that outfit would have been ruined, surely needing to change."

Qin Yuan remained calm, softly speaking, "Exactly, this is fabric my mother-in-law picked for me, it’d be a shame to ruin it."

The lady commented, "Old Madam Gu is indeed very good to you."

Qin Yuan praised, "Isn’t she? This headpiece and jewelry are gifts from her. My husband, being a man, chose rather outdated ones, but my mother-in-law has such an eye for things."

The lady couldn’t help feeling a tinge of envy.

What’s with this Gu Family?

Mother-in-law praises her daughter-in-law publicly, the husband praises his wife outside, and the wife praises her mother-in-law and husband in public.

They sure do compliment each other excessively.

Then again, this delicate young wife staying alone with Dingbei Marquis’ predicament, not feeling so envious anymore.

As they say, fortune is preordained.

No one can have it all.

The fumbling maid hurried over to apologize, but Qin Yuan didn’t need to intervene. Hehua and Yang’er stayed upfront, and Hong Ye dismissed them with a few words.