Chapter 1: The Woman Who Blocked the Marriage

  The emperor came to attend the ceremony and left a calligraphy with the words "A Hundred Years of Good Union" as a gift to Gu Zhaobei and Shen Guiyan before he departed.

  The Grand Preceptor Gu knelt down to thank the emperor, and ordered someone to take the characters and make them into a plaque, which would be hung in the Northern Temple later. The Emperor and the Imperial Concubine did not stay for long, they left together after finishing writing the characters.

  The people in the Gu's mansion had complex emotions. Although Gu Zhaodong's wedding was grand, it did not receive an imperial visit. How could it be acceptable that Gu Zhaobei, a useless and illiterate young master who was despised by others, received an imperial inscription?

  "Fourth brother, let's go ahead and drink now." The only one who could still laugh was Gu Jia's second son, Gu Zhaonan. He warmly pulled Gu Zhaobei forward, and finally turned back to look at Gu Zhaodong: "After all, it's the fourth brother's big happy day, why is the big brother making a face? After we finish drinking, we still have to go make trouble in the bridal chamber."

  Gu Zhaodong forced a slight smile and followed him out. Gu Zhaobei, on the other hand, turned his head to glance at Gu Chengxiang.

  The old man was still sitting quietly with his eyes closed, and it was unclear what he was thinking. Mrs. Gu beside him had a gloomy expression, not even giving a fake smile.

  It seems that since the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine arrived, the atmosphere in the Gu manor has become very eerie.

  He shrugged and followed his second brother to drink with a smile on his face, as if nothing was on his mind.

  "Is Fourth Mistress hungry?" The maid beside her glanced at the apple in Shen Guiyan's hand and asked softly.

  "It's okay, I can still take it."

  After finishing speaking, he continued to take a bite of the apple in his hand.

  Bao Shan cried and laughed at the same time, went to the table and picked up a new one: "If Miss is hungry, please eat this one first, I'll get you another one."

  "Can I finish eating?" Shen Guiyan asked in a low voice.

  "Hmm." Bao Shan nodded.

  Shen Guiyan let out a sigh, one hand covering her head and the other stuffing an apple into her mouth to gnaw on it until it was clean. She was starving to death, from getting up in the morning till now, she hadn't eaten anything at all. Now even if you gave her a whole cow, she could swallow it whole without spitting out any bones!

  The maid next to her stifled a few laughs, Shen Guiyan finished eating an apple and picked up another perfect one to continue holding it, sitting upright as if nothing had happened.

  The wine outside was almost finished, and the people who made a disturbance at the nuptial chamber should have arrived. Gu Zhaobei was forced to drink by several brothers in turn, and he could hardly walk steadily on the road. Gu Zhaodong personally supported him, with no expression on his face, saying: "Fourth brother, can you still lift the veil later?"

  Gu Zhaobei looked up, revealing a charming smile: "How can I not? Even if I'm going to die from drunkenness, I have to lift the veil of Yan'er and make her mine first."

  "Gu Chao Dong coldly snorted: 'You and she are fundamentally incompatible.'"

  One is as muddy as a puddle of water, and the other is as beautiful as a lotus flower. They are not on the same path. This is Gu Zhaodong's view.

  "Big brother and big sister are quite a match." Gu Zhaobei smiled: "They're both the same kind of people."

  "What's going on?" Gu Zhaodong asked with a serious face.

  "It looks good on the surface, but inside it's as dark as a mouse hole." Gu Zhaobei let out a belch and smiled with an innocent face.

  Gu Chao Dong's temples were bulging with rage, but Gu Chao Nan helped Gu Chao Bei up and smiled: "Fourth brother is drunk, big brother doesn't need to be so particular. The new house is just ahead, let's help him in first."

  The maidservants also followed, Shen Guiya excused herself saying she wasn't feeling well and didn't come, Gu Zhaodong didn't force her either. He was thinking of going to take a look at Yan'er anyway, it's better if no one gets in the way.

  The disturbance in the bridal chamber is to eliminate the awkwardness between the newlyweds, but these two have known each other for a long time, so it's just a formality. After lifting the veil and teasing for a while, Mrs. Xu, who was in charge of the etiquette, came with a cup of wine and said with a smile: "The bride and groom come to drink the union wine, the bride takes this cup."

  Shen Guiyan looked at Gu Zhaobei, who was quite drunk, and worried about the wound on his shoulder. She took over the cup from Mrs. Xu without looking at it much, and with one hand supporting Gu Zhaobei, she was about to exchange cups.

  Gu Zhāo Běi narrowed his eyes and took a glance at the wine cup in her hand: "What's this?"

  Shen Guiyan's face turned slightly red: "Wine."

  "Wine?" Gu Zhaobei snatched her wine cup over: "I don't know anything else, but I'm most familiar with wine and women. Who brought this thing up and dared to say it's wine?"

  This pungent smell, Shen Guiyan this fool can't smell it either.

  Mrs. Xu was startled and quickly snatched the wine cup from Gu Zhaobei's hand: "Which maid made a mistake? Don't worry, don't worry, I'll have them change it immediately."

  Shen Guiyan was in a daze, it wasn't the wine, what else could it be? Seeing Gu Zhaobei's face looking somewhat unpleasant, she softly asked: "Are you feeling unwell from drinking?"

  There were still others in the house, Gu Zhaobei was standing unsteadily, leaning on her body and said: "Hmm, it's quite uncomfortable. Let's go rest after drinking."

  "Good." Shen Guiyan supported him and took over the wine that the maid had just poured again. She didn't really touch this thing, nor did she know what was different from the previous cup.

  Xu Paozi was an old hand at the mansion, holding the cup of wine that had just been exchanged, and hesitated.

  Her husband is a gambler, has accumulated a huge debt outside, and has already cut off one of his fingers. If he doesn't pay back the gambling house's money, he might lose his life. Mrs. Tai Lao was willing to give her money, but instead gave her this terrible task.

  This cup isn't anything else, it's vitriol oil. As long as you get Fourth Young Mistress to drink it or splash it on her face, the money will be yours. But her outcome will definitely not be good, and she might even lose her life.

  But she was also really out of options, all the money that could be borrowed had been borrowed, and many things in the house had been sold. If it weren't for being forced into a dead end, this matter would never have been agreed to.

  His hand trembled slightly as he glanced over at Fourth Young Mistress Si, who was drinking with the others. Her face happened to be tilted upwards, presenting a perfect opportunity.

  With a gritted determination, Mrs. Xu closed her eyes and poured the green vitriol oil from the cup over him.

  In this way, they can at least get some credit for Mrs. Si's face, and her money will be in their hands!

  Shen Guiyan was drinking with her eyes closed, when suddenly someone grabbed her waist and pulled hard, spilling the wine in her cup. She spun around to the other side with Gu Zhaobei.

  " Splash——" The liquid in Mrs. Xu's cup splashed onto the canopy behind her, and the canopy quickly corroded into a dark brown color.

  "What are you doing!" Gu Chao Dong was startled, and hastily rushed forward to grab hold of Mrs. Xu. Shen Gui Yan opened her eyes to see the new house in disarray.

  Gu Chao Dong and two family servants pressed down on Mrs. Xu, the cup fell to the ground and shattered, and a piece of the carpet was scorched black.

  "What a vicious heart!" Gu Zhaonan stepped forward, looking at the thing on the ground, and clicked his tongue twice: "Pouring green vitriol oil on Fourth Young Master's wife's face, if not for Fourth Brother bringing his brother-in-law to hide quickly, this face would have been ruined."

  Mrs. Xu was so frightened that her face turned pale, and Gu Chao Dong was even more furious, stomping his foot: "Who gave you such a big nerve?!"

  "Spare my life, young master!" Mrs. Xu repeatedly cried out: "I'm also helpless, I'm also helpless!"

  Shen Guiyan furrowed her brow and touched her face with a lingering fear: "This is too cruel."

  Drunk, Gu Zhaobei glanced at the ground and the canopy, chuckled and said: "This woman will be handed over to Big Brother and Second Brother, I and Yan'er need to rest first, it's fine to investigate again tomorrow."

  "Alright." Gu Zhaonan smiled and said, "Time is short, you shouldn't waste it on this. You all rest first, I'll take this woman to find mother with big brother."

  Having said that, he ordered his servants to take hold of Mrs. Xu and walk out.

  Gu Zhaobei leaned against Shen Guiyan's shoulder, waving his hand towards the door. The remaining bridesmaids in the house also retreated. Bao Shan walked behind and closed the door, looking at her own young lady with concern.

  Just married and was splashed with green vitriol oil, how should I spend the rest of my days?

  Shen Guiyan took a moment to regain her composure before sitting down at the dressing table to remove the floral hairpiece from her head.

  "Are you scared?" Gu Zhaobei sat on the edge of the bed, his voice suddenly clearer as he asked her a sentence.

  The hand holding the comb paused, Shen Guiyan looked at her face in the mirror and sighed: "How can I not be afraid? I never thought there would be such a vicious trick. If this face is ruined, probably my whole life will be ruined."

  "You haven't seen the worst of it yet." Gu Zhaobei chuckled lightly, his voice tinged with resentment. Shen Guiyan turned back in surprise, but only saw Gu Zhaobei's retreating figure.

  He has already turned his back and is ready to take off his clothes.

  Her face turned red, Shen Guiyan felt a bit embarrassed, let down her hair and changed into her nightgown, took a deep breath and lay down on the bed.

  Gu Zhaobei looked at the blush on her face, stifled a smile, and some of the gloom in his heart dissipated. He undressed and lay down on the bed, quietly closing his eyes.

  It was rumored that Fourth Master Gu was quite fond of women, yet on his wedding night, he lay motionless on one side.

  Shen Guiyan was initially very nervous, but later looked at him with some confusion.

  What's up with that?

  Gu Zhaobei turned over and pulled her into his arms, saying: "Sleep, we'll change the nuptial chamber another day, I don't like being listened in on."

  The wedding night is when many people listen at the wall corner.

  Shen Guiyan's mouth twitched slightly, thinking that she wasn't very familiar with this rascal either. She hadn't rashly given in to him, perhaps it was a good thing too. So she didn't think much of it, nodded and leaned against him, quietly falling asleep.

  She would still think of Qin Niang's miserable death, the sudden change in her marriage, and the green vitriol that had been splashed on her.

  It seems that someone has been holding a grudge against her and is determined to make her pay with her life. Shen Guiyan couldn't think of anyone else, only one person came to mind - Shen Guiya.

  She seems to hate her even more than before? Why?

  Shen Guiya lay in bed just like her, listening to the news that Xu Paozi was taken to the main courtyard outside, and let out a cold hum.

  "Useless things, really stupid."

  Gu Zhaodong leaned against the window and drank alone, staring at the red silk in the distance with a dazed expression.