Chapter 408: For the Sake of My Cousin

Qin Yuan urgently asked outside the door, "Why did someone from the Yelv Clan attempt to assassinate the Marquis? Is the Marquis injured?"

Even through the door, he could sense his young wife’s deep concern. Gu Jinghui’s heart was touched, but he purposefully remained silent.

Sure enough, Qin Yuan burst in, ignoring any shyness, rushing straight to the bathtub to check on him.

The triumphant Marquis Gu felt a bit awkward yet managed to hide it from her.

Qin Yuan asked anxiously, "Are you... Are you hurt or not?"

Marquis Gu leaned his head back against the tub, lazily shook his head, and lightly parted his lips to say, "No."

"Really? Why didn’t you say so earlier?" Qin Yuan’s gaze was uncontrollably drawn to Marquis Gu’s broad chest and strong, muscular arms, slowly shifting her eyes to the dark brown water...

Marquis Gu chuckled dryly twice and said hoarsely, "I didn’t get a chance as this medicinal bath had me preoccupied, and you just barged in."

As he spoke, he gradually sunk into the water, only leaving his head exposed, with an innocent look in his eyes directed at Qin Yuan, his face flushed as if embarrassed.

Qin Yuan’s face suddenly burned, and she felt uncomfortable.

Marquis Gu gently coaxed, "It’s too humid in here. You can talk to me from outside; I can still hear you. Be good, hurry and go out. Don’t get your hair wet."

Qin Yuan didn’t even know how she managed to leave.

Marquis Gu "hehe" chuckled to himself, quickly stopping.

...

These days, Qin Wan was cold towards Lin Ziqi, treating him unlike before when she was affectionate.

Mrs. Lin murmured to Lady Yu in private, "What does she mean by this? Could it be because your cousin has a head ailment, she’s having second thoughts?"

Lady Yu replied, "How could that be? She refused the marriage with Dingbei Marquis back then, insisting on marrying my cousin."

"But does she look like she’s settled to live peacefully with your cousin now?"

Mrs. Lin sneered, her already deep lines around her mouth deepening even more, looking even more sharp-tongued.

Lady Yu’s eyes rolled.

"Aunt, there’s something I’m not sure I should say."

"Just say it. We’re family, no need for secrets or hesitation. You’re not an outsider."

Lady Yu said, "Cousin’s health is weak, and he suffers from headaches, so let’s be lenient with my cousin-in-law during this period; after all, consulting doctors still depends on her. Once cousin is an Advanced Scholar, will her thoughts matter?"

The implication was for Mrs. Lin to lay off Qin Wan for these days.

Mrs. Lin, frowning, said, "You’re right, we can’t push this little wench too hard. Loosen a bit, tighten a bit; that’s the way to establish rules. Right now, the most important thing is your cousin’s Advanced Scholar exam; other matters can wait."

Lady Yu smiled and said, "That’s true, Aunt is always planning for Cousin, truly his blessing, it’s only right Cousin is filial to you."

Mrs. Lin laughed, "Indeed, I’ve raised him since he was in diapers; it’s no easy task. If my son becomes an Advanced Scholar, then my luck is yet to come."

Laughing, she glanced at Lady Yu, adding, "Including you."

Lady Yu clasped her hands in prayer, "Amitabha Buddha, every day I pray that Buddha keeps my cousin safe and successful; if he can achieve high status, I’d gladly become vegetarian forever."

Mrs. Lin delightedly said, "Oh sweetie, if Ziqi can succeed, it’ll be thanks to your devotion and good fortune as well."

The two were joyfully conversing when Yanhong overheard, feeling unfair for Qin Wan, angrily marched into the inner quarters, saying, "We’ve provided so much dowry silver yet it’s not as valuable as her insincere words for credit."

Qin Wan asked, "What’s happened now?"

Yanhong explained it.

Qin Wan said, "I’m the only outsider in this family, everything the Yu family does smells of incense to them, I’m too tired to be annoyed."

Yanhong kept silent.

After a while, Qin Wan asked, "Is it time for the master to take his medication?"

Yanhong called through the window to the little maid, "Is the master’s medicine ready?"

The little maid replied, "It’s been stewing for a while now."

Yanhong asked, "Miss, shall I deliver the medicine now?"

Qin Wan nodded.

Yanhong instructed, "Go get the medicine, and serve it with the candied fruit we bought last time."

The little maid left briefly but returned, "The medicine was taken by the cousin girl."

Yanhong was furious, "This is outrageous, she’s good at borrowing flowers to pay Buddha, seeking favor from the master, really shameless."

The little maid quivered, not daring to speak.

Qin Wan sneered.

Yanhong fiercely twisted the little maid’s ear, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Servant was wrong, servant will absolutely guard the medicine properly next time, servant dare not again, please spare me, sister Yanhong."

In the small Lin Family, Qin Wan’s punishment of the little maid quickly became known.

Mrs. Lin hurriedly came out and scolded loudly, "What’s going on here? Ziqi needs peaceful rest while ill, yet you’re here tormenting the maid."

Qin Wan came out to respond, "Mother-in-law, I’m disciplining her. I ordered her to prepare the medicine for my husband, yet the medicine disappeared. If it delays my husband’s treatment, what then? If she’s careless like this, it’s better to sell her off."

The little maid was terrified inside, crying loudly.

"Please don’t sell me, I’d rather die here than be sold off, I’m begging you."

Yanhong shrieked, "What use are you, can’t even guard medicine worth a few taels of silver, where on earth did you stew it? Selling you wouldn’t even cover the cost."

Mrs. Lin’s face turned red then white, after quite a while she said, "I saw Xiao Lian doing nothing, so I had her deliver it to Ziqi to drink. I thought it was something important, and you dare to scold servants here. We are a scholarly family; how can we mistreat servants like this? What impression does this give others?"

Lady Yu panickily came out from Lin Ziqi’s study, holding a bowl of medicine, saying, "Cousin-in-law, it was my fault, I saw the medicine stewing too long over the stove, fearing the medicine would lose its efficacy. Without consulting you, I brought it to Cousin. Please don’t blame the little maid."

Qin Wan laughed lightly, "Oh, is that so? Then out of respect for Cousin’s sake, I’ll spare her."

Turning, she shouted inside, "Stop beating her."

Sobbing quieted down.

Qin Wan, with a somewhat sarcastic smile, said, "The Capital City is not like back home. Knowing you’re helping Cousin-in-law, others might say you’re behaving improperly. Ziqi also mentioned once successful, he’ll find you a good match, even if you don’t get it, he should."

Lady Yu’s face paled, almost staggering, leaning against Mrs. Lin, sniffled, "Cousin-in-law’s right, I’ll be more careful in the future."

Mrs. Lin angrily remarked, "You’re always causing trouble, you can find faults with everyone, Xiao Lian and Ziqi are cousins, growing up together, naturally close, it’s just a bowl of medicine."

Lady Yu cried, "Aunt, dear Aunt, please don’t fight with Cousin-in-law because of me, Cousin-in-law is just concerned for Cousin, that’s all. If you quarrel now, how can Cousin peacefully recover?"