Chapter 1: The Woman Who Blocked the Marriage

  Everyone in the house was shocked. Change clothes? Why change clothes? The eldest son of the Prime Minister's mansion, who had been betrothed to the third young lady for three books and six gifts, why did he want to switch with the fifth young lady?

  Shen Guiyan had not yet recovered from the shock of Qin Niang's affair when she was already dragged away. Bao Shan was pushed to one side, and several maids came up and stripped off her wedding dress, casually throwing a cloak over her shoulders.

  The floral crown and veil were taken away, and Shen Guiya was also helped in, with delicate makeup on her face, her hair bun had been combed long ago, changed into her wedding dress, a picture of elegance.

  Madam Shen followed behind, frowning as she looked at the commotion in the room. She waved her hand and said, "Take Third Miss to one side and have her maid help her get dressed properly. Get Fifth Miss ready and then escort her into the sedan chair."

  The bride was frightened and didn't know how to react for a long time. Mrs. Shen then put some silver in her hand to calm her down, and with a glance, she said, "I'll take charge of everything."

  The matchmaker took over the silver and looked at Shen Guiyan with some unease.

  "Madam, what do you mean?" Shen Guiyan came back to her senses and asked, looking at her.

  Should Shen Guiya marry in her place?

  "Yah has just been found out to be pregnant with Mr. Gu's child." Madame Shen said with a not-so-good expression: "The matter is urgent, so let her get married first and talk about it later. Qin Niangniang seems to be in no condition, and this marriage also hit a snag, so it's better to put it on hold for now."

  Ridiculous! Shen Guiyan's body trembled slightly: "Madam made such a decision, did you ask Father?"

  "Even if the old master knew, he would still be understanding." Madame Shen said: "The time is almost up, even if you want to marry him, this makeup won't be done in time. Wedding attendant, help Ya'er out."

  "Ah..." The bridesmaid softly responded and helped Shen Guiya cover her head with a veil.

  "Sister, don't be sad." Shen Guiya looked at her and sighed helplessly: "Who made the younger sister have a child first? This marriage is beyond criticism. It's all because of fate playing tricks on people."

  After finishing speaking, she lightly laughed and put down her veil, then was supported by others as she left.

  If Shen Guiya had died and was still pestering Gu Zhaodong, that would be fine. Gu Zhaodong didn't like her, so she wouldn't have been able to marry into the Gu family anyway. But now she's actually saying she's pregnant with Gu Zhaodong's child?

  Calculating the days, it's probably around that time too. Two months ago, Najib asked for a gift, and they had already become intimate. In case of a secret pregnancy, it's not impossible either.

  Shen Guiyan was stunned and held down by the maid, unable to cry. Bao Shan anxiously struggled: "Miss, how can you just watch them take your wedding away? You're the one who should be getting married!"

  The maid beside her kicked Bao Shan's belly with one foot, and Bao Shan's face turned pale, in so much pain that she couldn't speak.

  "If you dare to lay a hand on my maid again, don't blame me for being impolite." Shen Guiyan watched as Shen Guiya was taken away, listening to the lively sound of trumpets and drums outside, her voice still surprisingly calm.

  The maid holding the precious fan was startled, but she was from the mistress's courtyard. Just a third young lady, not yet married to the prime minister's family, what could she do? Thinking so, she coldly sneered: "Third young lady has such a big attitude, I am here today on the orders of the mistress. If this maid dares to make another scene, I will kick her as before."

  "Relying on the power of others!" Bao Shan was so angry that she spoke without thinking: "The Prime Minister's mansion will not allow you to come and go as you please, a fish eye is just a fish eye, can it really be mixed with pearls?"

  Madam Shen followed Shen Guiya and the others out of the boudoir, leaving only three maidservants guarding this pair of master and servant. Hearing Bao Shan's words, it was still a 3-to-2 situation, unable to move the master, could they still not move the slave?

  "Stop her!"

  Taking advantage of the fact that there were fewer people around, the scolded maid was not satisfied and insisted on slapping Bao Fan twice before stopping. The other two maids followed her instructions and held down Bao Fan, while Third Miss, who had always been weak-willed, naturally didn't dare to intervene.

  As a result, Shen Guiyan suddenly rushed over and stretched out her face, stubbornly enduring the slap.

  "Bang!"

  The maid who was about to strike froze in shock and quickly withdrew her hand, but Shen Guiyan's face already had a bright red palm print on it.

  "Miss!" Bao Shan was startled and quickly struggled free from the two maids, supporting her as she anxiously looked at her face: "You..."

  Shen Guiyan shook her head, picked up the plum blossom hairpin that had fallen to the ground and put it back on her head, saying lightly: "Let's finish paying our respects and bidding farewell first, then we'll go out and find Father to take charge."

  The maid who was hit knelt down on the ground with a thud: "Third Miss! Slave knows wrong, slave knows wrong!"

  No matter what, a slave is not allowed to beat the master! This is unreasonable no matter how you say it. If the old master finds out, he will surely have her beaten half to death!

  Who would have thought that the third young lady, who usually kept her head down and didn't make a sound, would suddenly rush over and get hit like this?

  Shen Guiyan sat on the edge of the bed, saying nothing. The maid knelt on the ground and didn't dare to get up.

  The noise outside gradually subsided, and some guests stayed behind for dinner, but Mr. Shen should have left by now.

  "Bao Shan, change your clothes." Shen Guiyan said softly.

  Her boudoir, her happiest day, wedding dress was worn away by others, she was blocked in this room, and there was no way out.

  Qin Yiniang's life or death is unknown, and it's unclear what happened. Gu Zhaodong probably thought the person in the flower sedan was her and had already welcomed her back with great joy. Besides Bao Shan, she didn't have anyone to rely on by her side.

  Bao Shan's eyes were red, she changed into a light blue long dress, re-combed her hair bun, and went out to see people.

  In the hall, Mrs. Shen was wiping away tears with her handkerchief, saying sorrowfully: "It's just like that... she's married out..."

  Mr. Shen looked at her with a strange expression: "You're usually the one who doesn't like Swallow, so why are you crying like this today?"

  Madam Shen was taken aback and just as she was about to speak, someone came in from the doorway: "The daughter greets her father and mother."

  Shen Guiyan bowed respectfully and quickly lifted her head to look at Old Man Shen.

  "Swallow?!" Old Master Shen was shocked, pointing his finger at the outside of the door: "You're not..."

  "Returning to Father, the daughter was just about to ask Father about this matter." Shen Guiyan did not beat around the bush and looked at Mrs. Shen, saying word by word: "Today is Yan'er's big happy day, but for some reason, Madam brought Fifth Sister to forcefully enter Yan'er's boudoir, took away Yan'er's wedding dress, and pressed Yan'er in the boudoir so she couldn't move, instead sending Fifth Sister into the bridal sedan chair."

  Mr. Shen's face sank, and he turned his head to look at Mrs. Shen in disbelief: "What are you doing?!"

  Madam Shen wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, glanced at Shen Guiyan and said in a low voice: "Things are urgent, I haven't had time to tell Master yet. Qin Yiniang is gone, she died in Yan'er's boudoir today."

  The sky turned darker, it was supposed to be a good time at dusk, but suddenly it started raining outside.

  Shen Guiyan was shocked and looked up at Mrs. Shen, who calmly said: "The doctor has seen it, saying it's arsenic poisoning, I don't know what Qinshi ate all day. We've tried to save her, but if we can't, then that's just how it is. Since your mother passed away, getting married would be unlucky, so I stopped Yan's marriage and let Ya go instead."

  Pressing her lips, Madame Shen said, "Besides, Ya is pregnant with Mr. Gu's child, so we don't have to worry about the Prime Minister's family gossiping about us. Whatever their son has done, they should be responsible for it."

  Shen Guiyan didn't hear anything else after that, she only heard that Qin Niang had passed away.

  Stumbling and staggering as she got up, Shen Guiyan didn't even blink, her eyes wide open as she ran out.

  The mansion was decorated with red silk and auspicious couplets, but the backyard was deserted. In Qin's courtyard, there were sounds of maids crying. The fine rain had started to fall, and Xiujuan was beside Qin's bed, crying hoarsely.

  "The master was fine this morning, even said he wanted to give the young lady a beautiful hair bun, how could he be gone in the blink of an eye? Someone must have interfered. Arsenic poisoning, how could it be that the master accidentally ingested it?"

  Shen Guiyan knelt beside the bed, her ears filled with the sound of Xiujuan's crying, but she didn't hear it, only seeing the person who was still combing her hair in the mirror today, now lying quietly here, pale and breathless.

  Qin was just a maid, but after giving birth to the second young master, she became a lucky lady. Her hands were very warm, and all the clothes I wore when I was a child were made by her. Every time she was bullied by others without making a sound, Shen Guiyan would get very angry, resenting that she wouldn't protect herself.

  Qin Ayi would smile and say: "I also have people I want to protect, so some things need to be endured."

  Endurance was what she taught him, but now she's dead.

  Shen Guiyan wanted to smile, but her mouth twitched and tears came streaming down instead.