My Dearest Sister-In-Law, I've Been Waiting For You To Get A Divorce For A Long Time - Chapter 30

Chapter 30

◎ “Ayao, I treat you as a sister.” ◎

In the Marquis manor, with Gu Wenyao gone, the various affairs of the inner courtyard were handed over to Chunshui, while the front hall remained under the care of the head butler.

For a time, Chunshui became the one in charge and with the final say in the inner manor.

“Lady Chunshui,” a maid from the Third Lady Xu’s courtyard came over with a smile. She bowed to Chunshui, her posture intimate and her tone kind. “My lady recently acquired two bolts of cloud brocade. She said the colors were soft and would suit you perfectly, so she sent me to deliver them.”

Chunshui was a little overwhelmed and said in a soft, quiet voice, “I barely speak with Lady Xu. This brocade is so valuable, how can I accept it?”

The maid playfully chided her, “Oh! Now that you’re in charge of the entire Marquis manor, what is something as valuable as this? Besides, it’s just two bolts of cloud brocade.”

The maid saw Chunshui’s hesitation and immediately understood her concerns. She laughed. “Don’t worry, Lady Chunshui. My lady asks for nothing in return, and there is nothing she needs you to do for her. Just accept this fabric with a clear conscience.”

With that, the maid had her people set down the brocade. She didn’t give Chunshui a chance to refuse and left with her group.

Chunshui sat at the table, looking at the two bolts of fine fabric. She reached out to touch them tentatively. The texture and the pattern—it truly was cloud brocade. It was a fabric that she could only get a few feet of for the New Year. And now, two bolts had been so gracefully delivered right to her.

What’s more, the person who sent it was the Third Lady Xu.

Unlike Chunshui, who had no family or background, Lady Xu was at least the daughter of a sixth-rank civil official. In the past, she wouldn’t have even glanced at Chunshui, let alone send her gifts to curry favor.

In addition to Lady Xu, the other concubines from the other courtyards also sent over extremely valuable gifts before noon.

Chunshui knew that these people were sucking up to her because she was temporarily in charge of the household. But even though she knew, being flattered and fawned over still made her feel like her feet were floating on clouds. She felt as though she could look down on everyone with a condescending gaze.

So this was what it felt like to have power.

If… if I become the principal wife of the Marquis’s manor, replace Mo Shuqing, and marry off Gu Wenyao, wouldn’t this be my life from now on?

After all, in the entire capital, there is no principal wife more timid and uninvolved than Madam Yu of the Gu family. And Gu Wenyao, as a younger sister, will eventually marry out. So my only opponent is the principal wife, Mo Shuqing.

Chunshui thought, Mo Shuqing wasn’t even an opponent, because the young marquis didn’t like her at all.

As long as I can bear the Gu family’s only child and drive Mo Shuqing out of the manor, a day like today will be my normal life from now on.

Chunshui felt something swelling and growing inside her, taking root. She touched each of the gifts and let out a soft sigh. “How wonderful.”

A maid came in. “My lady, the tea from Jiangnan has arrived. Should I send it to the Marquis now?”

Chunshui recalled Gu Wenyao’s usual manner. She suppressed her nervousness, excitement, and uncertainty, and tried to look casual and relaxed. “Send it over.”

The maid replied, “Yes.”

It wasn’t just the tea. Suddenly, all the big and small matters in the manor were brought to her for her to make the final decision.

Chunshui had never received such treatment. Although she was busy, she was even happier. In the afternoon, she tried leaving the manor to buy cosmetics. In the past, someone would always ask her a million questions and restrain her with rules. But today, no one dared to stop her.

Chunshui sat in the carriage, her heart fluttering with the gentle rocking of the carriage. She slowly straightened her back, and even her breathing was trembling slightly.

She swallowed and said to her maid softly, “First, go to the cosmetics shop. Then, go to the pharmacy. You can wait for me at the door. You don’t need to follow me inside.”

The maid replied, “Yes.”

Chunshui was afraid the maid would ask why she was going to the pharmacy. But the maid kept her head down and didn’t dare to say a single word, let alone ask her where she was going or why.

This is what it feels like to be a master.

This is what it truly feels like to be a master.

And in the past, I was just a servant who got to sleep with the young marquis!

It was dusk when she came out of the pharmacy. Chunshui unconsciously touched her lower abdomen, lost in thought.

The maid stepped forward to help her. “My lady, should we go back?”

Chunshui snapped out of her daze. She quickly lowered her hand and smoothed her clothes as if straightening out wrinkles. She nodded absently. “Let’s go back.”

No wonder my appetite has been so poor recently. My period has even been delayed. She realized she was pregnant. It had been less than a month, so the pregnancy symptoms were not yet obvious, and she didn’t have morning sickness.

I’m pregnant.

Chunshui clenched her fingers. She couldn’t tell if she was happy or scared. After thinking about it, her worries outweighed her joy.

Mo Shuqing, the principal wife, hadn’t even consummated her marriage, yet she, a concubine, was pregnant first. If Mo Shuqing found out, she wouldn’t tolerate her just to save face. Furthermore, the Mo family was a scholarly family that valued reputation. The Marquis manor would have to give them an explanation.

How? By getting rid of her, of course.

The most important thing was that with the young marquis not in the manor, no one would protect her. And if she became pregnant, wouldn’t the young marquis have an even better reason to find a new woman?

Thinking about all the female students at the academy, and then about the young marquis, Chunshui couldn’t sit still. “I… I’ll go deliver some clothes to the young marquis tomorrow. He didn’t bring many with him.”

Now that she was in charge of the manor, what she said went.

The maid lowered her head and replied, “Yes.”

“And… and,” Chunshui instructed the maid, “don’t tell anyone about this, including the Second Young Lady.”

The maid replied, “Yes.”

Unfortunately, Chunshui was never truly a master.

…

The Mastermind’s Unveiling

At the hot spring pool in the villa…

Gu Wenyao stood in the pool, smiling as she spoke to Mo Shuqing. “Sister-in-law married into the Marquis manor only to have Brother Qing’an brought back to the capital. Unfortunately, as you know, my father is selfish. Without sufficient leverage, how could he possibly ask the Emperor for leniency for a disgraced official?”

Gu Wenyao ran her fingers through the water in front of her, but her eyes were fixed on Mo Shuqing. “Instead of relying on him, you should rely on me.”

Mo Shuqing looked into the hot spring pool and smiled. Her tone was certain. “Ayao, you’re telling me this today because Chunshui is pregnant.”

Chunshui’s pregnancy was like a chess piece being placed on the board. With that piece in play, the game could officially begin today.

Gu Wenyao was stunned. Her fingers stopped moving. She looked at Mo Shuqing seriously.

Mo Shuqing was still sitting on the stone, tidying her skirt. She said calmly, “Since I can’t rely on the Marquis to plead for my brother on his own, I can only force him to do so.”

“I am the principal wife of the Marquis’s manor. Chunshui is pregnant before I’ve even consummated my marriage. What do you think the Marquis will do? Will he agree to my request, or will he get rid of the child in Chunshui’s belly? That’s Gu Shufeng’s first child.”

“The Marquis wants the Mo family’s connections, and he also wants this child. When he weighs the two, the Marquis will have no choice but to plead with the Emperor and have my brother brought back to the capital.”

This was why Mo Shuqing didn’t bother to curry favor with Gu Shufeng. Relying on a man was not as reliable as weighing one’s interests. She had made this plan after visiting Gu Shufeng last time.

Her attitude today was extremely frank. Even her shady schemes were presented openly and honestly.

Gu Wenyao couldn’t help but look at Mo Shuqing twice. She was a little surprised. She thought her sister-in-law always preferred to be open, using reason and logic to persuade her father-in-law and relying on her dignified family background. Who would have thought she would also use pawns to set up a hidden game?

And she was even using Gu Wenyao’s pawn.

Gu Wenyao felt a sense of awe. “No wonder you never let Chunshui come to pay her respects, and you allowed her to approach my brother. You even specifically told her today that there were female students at Dr. Li’s academy to trigger her sense of crisis.”

As if she had found a fellow traveler in the dark, Gu Wenyao became more excited. Her eyes sparkled. “You’re so calculating, Sister-in-law. Knowing Father’s nature, he will definitely protect this child. After all, this might be Brother’s only child.”

“But, Sister-in-law,” Gu Wenyao said, standing still and letting the ripples in front of her wash over her. She narrowed her eyes slightly, her voice soft and languid. “Using my pawn to carry out your schemes, you have to pay a price.”

Mo Shuqing was intrigued. She raised her eyebrows slightly and asked, “What payment do you want, Ayao?”

Gu Wenyao walked closer.

The water rippled, and the waves washed against the stone edge of the hot spring pool.

Mo Shuqing’s gaze moved from the water to Gu Wenyao.

The spring water had soaked her clothes, and the fabric clung to her body, outlining her graceful figure and delicate curves. Mo Shuqing’s breathing hitched slightly. She discreetly looked away, avoiding the rising curves of Gu Wenyao’s chest.

In the carriage last time, Mo Shuqing’s hand had rested on Gu Wenyao’s chest, and she hadn’t felt anything. But now, just looking at her, she felt it was too much.

Gu Wenyao sat on the bank, raising her wet right hand. Her fingertips rested on Mo Shuqing’s cheek. She tilted her head and looked up at her. “What I want, do you still not understand, Sister-in-law?”

Mo Shuqing looked down at Gu Wenyao and unexpectedly fell into the gaze of her persistent eyes. The springtime in those eyes seemed to want to drag her in and drown her.

Mo Shuqing’s breathing tightened. As if bewitched, she bent down and lowered her head, getting closer to Gu Wenyao.

They were so close that Mo Shuqing could smell the wet mist on Gu Wenyao’s body and the faint scent of tea.

“Sister,” Gu Wenyao’s voice was a soft whisper, almost a murmur. She looked up at Mo Shuqing in a daze. Her throat felt tight, and her heart was pounding in her chest.

Mo Shuqing’s posture looked exactly like she was about to kiss her.

Gu Wenyao’s face flushed. Her eyes trembled.

Mo Shuqing lowered her eyes, her eyelashes hiding the struggle within. In the end, she reached out, and her fingers carefully plucked a fallen leaf from Gu Wenyao’s hair. She let out a soft sigh. “Ayao, I treat you as a sister.”