Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 1 - Detention
Chapter 2 - Concubine Yun
Chapter 3 - Encountering Joy Is The Norm Of Happiness
Chapter 4 - Fire
Chapter 5 - The Bath
Chapter 6 - The Bean-Like Plum Flower
Chapter 7 - Dealing With Anger
Chapter 8 - The Scheme
Chapter 9 - Fine Time, Beautiful Scenery
Chapter 10 - Paying Respect
Chapter 11 - The Punishment Of Protracted Kneeling
Chapter 12 - Mischievous Young Master
Chapter 13 - Tease
Chapter 14 - Unexpected Pleading
Chapter 15 - Sunbathing In A Hot Summer Day
Chapter 16 - The Illness Examination
Chapter 17 - Eavesdropping Inadvertently
Chapter 18 - Intimacy
Chapter 19 - Hostility
Chapter 20 - Unfamiliar Father And Mother
Chapter 21 - The Reason Of The Visit
Chapter 22 - Who Is The Little Fat Sheep?
Chapter 23 - The Ins And Outs Of The Matter
Chapter 24 - Losing When Taking It Seriously
Chapter 25 - The Fragrance Of Agarwood
Chapter 26 - The Wonderful Redwood Of Yingge
Chapter 27 - The Carved Rabbit
Chapter 28 - The Sachet
Chapter 29 - To Sympathize
Chapter 30 - The Summoning
Chapter 31 - Opposing Each Other With Equal Harshness
Chapter 32 - Condemning
Chapter 33 - Nothing To Discuss Regarding Kissing You
Chapter 34 - The Birthday
Chapter 35 - Going Out
Chapter 36 - Jingtian City
Chapter 37 - Pay The Money
Chapter 38 - The Idle Man On The Street
Chapter 39 - The Ecstasy Of The Purple Lilac
Chapter 40 - The Man Who Forced A Man
Chapter 41 - Eight Naked Men
Chapter 42 - Can’T Provoke A Black Belly
Chapter 43 - The Pendant
Chapter 44 - The House Of Danqing
Chapter 45 - The Interrogation
Chapter 46 - The Hidden Mind
Chapter 47 - The Warning
Chapter 48 - The Incident At The Restaurant
Chapter 49 - The Discussion
Chapter 50 - Fighting To The End
Chapter 51 - Borrowing A Sword To Hurt People
Chapter 52 - Away On The Summer Holidays
Chapter 53 - The Resort At Mountain
Chapter 54 - The Heavily Scented Building
Chapter 55 - The Scream Of The Small Lotus
Chapter 56 - The Misunderstanding
Chapter 57 - Blackmail
Chapter 58 - Test The Waters
Chapter 59 - The Meaning Of Executing With The Firing Squad
Chapter 60 - Each Person Has His Own Aspiration
Chapter 61 - The Heavy Bundle Wrapped In Cloth
Chapter 62 - The Joy In The Forest
Chapter 63 - The Cliff
Chapter 64 - Little Fourth Flipped Out
Chapter 65 - Ashamed
Chapter 66 - Keep Watch At Night
Chapter 67 - The Mysterious Voice
Chapter 68 - The Starved Girl
Chapter 69 - Inadvertently Peeping At A Bath
Chapter 70 - The Overbearing Maid
Chapter 71 - Hopelessly Entangled
Chapter 72 - The Perfect Coordination
Chapter 73 - Seeking Justice
Chapter 74 - Stealing A Kiss
Chapter 75 - Doesn’T Remember Anything
Chapter 76 - The Resentment
Chapter 77 - Skillfully Deflected
Chapter 78 - The Hidden Meaning Behind The Words
Chapter 79 - A Bag Of Gold
Chapter 80 - Carefree
Chapter 81 - Obsessed
Chapter 82 - Discussing In Private
Chapter 83 - Bewildered
Chapter 84 - The Flowery Bright Moon Was Covered In The Dark Fog
Chapter 85 - Every Night Holding A Handsome Man While Sleeping
Chapter 86 - The Mental Disparity
Chapter 87 - Enemies On A Narrow Road
Chapter 88 - Ream On
Chapter 89 - Identity
Chapter 90 - The Silence
Chapter 91 - The Emotional Outburst
Chapter 92 - The Search
Chapter 93 - The Truth
Chapter 94 - Wife, Don’T Be Angry
Chapter 95 - Concealing The Original Motive
Chapter 96 - Retain
Chapter 97 - The Night Of Gentleness
Chapter 98 - Don’T Want To See
Chapter 99 - I Am Your Mother
Chapter 100 - I Don’T Even Have A Copper Coin
Chapter 101 - Shang Xin
Chapter 102 - The Unspeakable Career
Chapter 103 - The Emerge Of The Feeling
Chapter 104 - Inquiring
Chapter 105 - The Ulterior Motive
Chapter 106 - The Slave Contract
Chapter 107 - Counting One’S Chickens Before They Are Hatched
Chapter 108 - Price Competition
Chapter 109 - Please Sir, Get Into The Boiling Pot
Chapter 110 - Get Out
Chapter 111 - Using Violence Is The Right Way Of The King
Chapter 112 - Mooncake
Chapter 113 - The Banquet Of The Mid-Autumn Festival
Chapter 114 - Ill-Timed Person
Chapter 115 - Little Cousin Sister, Please Conduct Yourself With Dignity
Chapter 116 - The Beggar At The Lantern Market
Chapter 117 - The Strong Love
Chapter 118 - Half-Cooked Rice
Chapter 119 - Bringing Trouble To Oneself
Chapter 120 - Thousand Five Hundred Liang
Chapter 121 - Very Stupid, Very Naive
Chapter 122 - The Sudden Grievous News
Chapter 123 - The Past
Chapter 124 - Absolutely Not
Chapter 125 - Grief
Chapter 126 - A Very Strange Thing
Chapter 127 - Searching For Clues
Chapter 128 - Pregnant
Chapter 129 - Candy
Chapter 130 - Who Is The Real Culprit?
Chapter 131 - Old Madam Is Furious
Chapter 132 - Prefer To Die Than To Admit
Chapter 133 - Why Torture Me By Hellish Means?
Chapter 134 - I Hated Him For A Long Time
Chapter 135 - Old Accumulated Grievances
Chapter 136 - Punishment
Chapter 137 - One Word Sentenced For Life
Chapter 138 - Risking One’S Life To Protect
Chapter 139 - Get Poisoned
Chapter 140 - Miscarriage
Chapter 141 - Old Madam, Save Her
Chapter 142 - Where Did The White Arsenic Come From?
Chapter 143 - Innocence
Chapter 144 - The Method Of Poisoning
Chapter 145 - The Miserable Past
Chapter 146 - Not To Stop Until Death
Chapter 147 - Not Believing At All
Chapter 148 - The Hidden Ugliness
Chapter 149 - Ironclad Evidence
Chapter 150 - Shifting The Misfortune To Someone Else
Chapter 151 - I Will Stay With You Forever
Chapter 152 - Rumor
Chapter 153 - The Sky Was About To Change
Chapter 154 - The Letter Of Announcing Divorce
Chapter 155 - No One Owed The Other
Chapter 156 - Goodbye
Chapter 157 - Shameless
Chapter 158 - Extort
Chapter 159 - Selling Herself To Save Her Mother
Chapter 160 - No Choice But To Suffer In Silence
Chapter 161 - Freeing Herself
Chapter 162 - New Home
Chapter 163 - The Life Outside Of The Residence
Chapter 164 - Tailoring
Chapter 165 - On A Windy Night With A Dark Moon
Chapter 166 - Catching A Thief
Chapter 167 - The Date Of Returning Is Distant
Chapter 168 - False Alarm
Chapter 169 - With One’S Heart Set On Speeding Home
Chapter 170 - Something Is Going To Happen
Chapter 171 - Question Intensely About Her Whereabouts
Chapter 172 - The Break Off Of The Relation
Chapter 173 - Facing An Imminent Catastrophe
Chapter 174 - Fleeing For One’S Life
Chapter 175 - Struggle In The Rain
Chapter 176 - The Reunion
Chapter 177 - An Old Friend That One Doesn’T Want To See
Chapter 178 - Rushing Back To Jingtian City
Chapter 179 - The Desolation In Aftermath Of A Disaster Was Everywhere
Chapter 180 - The Ban
Chapter 181 - Meeting But Doesn’T Know Each Other Yet
Chapter 182 - Locked Up In The Dungeon
Chapter 183 - Visit The Prisoner
Chapter 184 - Provoking Intentionally
Chapter 185 - Mess Less With Him
Chapter 186 - Unreconciled
Chapter 187 - Clear The City To Search For Someone
Chapter 188 - Clues
Chapter 189 - Five Silver Liang
Chapter 190 - Sorry, I’M Late
Chapter 191 - Embracing Indifferently
Chapter 192 - What Kind Of Weirdo?
Chapter 193 - The Most Incurable Poison
Chapter 194 - The Odor
Chapter 195 - Mean And Despicable
Chapter 196 - Revert The Incident By Taking Liberties With A Woman
Chapter 197 - The Marriage
Chapter 198 - Throw Out
Chapter 199 - The Deep Feeling
Chapter 200 - Obituary Notice
Chapter 201 - Backfire
Chapter 202 - The Taboo Feelings
Chapter 203 - Eavesdrop
Chapter 204 - Affectionate Couple
Chapter 205 - The Back Garden In The Middle Of The Night
Chapter 206 - Escape
Chapter 207 - The Discovery Of The Incident
Chapter 208 - Taunting Sarcastically
Chapter 209 - Stealing A Kiss
Chapter 210 - Wait For Me To Deal With A Matter
Chapter 211 - Dressing And Grooming Oneself
Chapter 212 - The Wedding
Chapter 213 - The Dejection Of The Wedding Night
Chapter 214 - The Jade Pendant
Chapter 215 - The Past Fate
Chapter 216 - Decreed By Fate
Chapter 217 - Why Care About Who Wants To Cross The Single-Log Bridge?
Chapter 218 - Do Your Best And Listen To The Mandate Of Heaven
Chapter 219 - Could Die In Peace
Chapter 220 - Arranged Properly
Chapter 221 - Giving You The Cold-Shoulder
Chapter 222 - To Bully Intolerably
Chapter 223 - You Are Something!
Chapter 224 - New Rules
Chapter 225 - Wife, Your Medicine
Chapter 226 - Ten Fingers Intertwined
Chapter 227 - Don’T Turn Your Back On The Good Period Of Time
Chapter 228 - The Happiness Of A Dragon And A Phoenix (Twins)
Chapter 229 - Little Fourth’S Marriage
Chapter 230 - Perish That Thought
Chapter 231 - Loosen The Reins Only To Grasp Them Better
Chapter 232 - Begging Earnestly
Chapter 233 - Ending Part 1 The Happy Occasion Filled The House
Chapter 234 - Ending Part 2 The Happy Occasion Filled The House
Categories Genre: All, Historical, Josei, Ongoing, Romance Status: Ongoing Alternative names: Gazing Huan, Seeking Affection, 顾盼生欢, ______
Total Chapters in book: 235
Estimated words: 424262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2121(@200wpm)___ 1697(@250wpm)___ 1414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 424262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2121(@200wpm)___ 1697(@250wpm)___ 1414(@300wpm)
______
LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 235 Page No. 234 Page No. 233 Page No. 232 Page No. 231 Page No. 230 Page No. 229 Page No. 228 Page No. 227 Page No. 226 Page No. 225 Chapter 8 - The Scheme
Chapter 8 The scheme
There were four kinds of delicate dishes on the table as well as a small pot of porridge.
The porridge was very fragrant. It was just that Shu Huan didn’t seem to have much appetite. She poked with the chopsticks in the bowl of porridge with a frown on her face. Suddenly, she put her face closer to Gu Xiran’s and whispered, “Your excuse was so bad. Would old madam and mistress believe?”
Gu Xiran swept disapprovingly over her and asked, “Do you have a better excuse?”
“No,” Shu Huan shook her head.
“Then, isn’t it enough?” Gu Xiran pushed the empty bowl to her. “Pour another bowl for me.”
Shu Huan looked at the bowl twice but didn’t move.
Gu Xiran looked at her and added a word, “Please.”
Shu Huan was helpless, she could only pick up the bowl and got up to get the porridge for him. She didn’t expect that concubine Yun who was standing at the side would rush over immediately and took the bowl over from her. She smiled slightly, “Second young mistress, be careful of burning your hands. Let me do it.”
Concubines couldn’t sit on the table when the masters are eating. They have to stand on a side and serve. However, if the master likes her very much, an exception could be made.
She didn’t object that someone was willing to do her work. She sat down and continued to eat her porridge. Just now, Gu Xiran had said that they consummated their marriage just out of the blue and didn’t prepare the handkerchief of consummation. What kind of bad excuse was that…?
While she was thinking, her head was knocked by chopsticks, “Still thinking? If they don’t believe it, no matter what you say they won’t believe you. Or are you planning to do it on spot for them to see?”
How could that be?!
Shu Huan’s face got red and glared at him.
Gu Xiran was unconcerned. He picked up a side dish and whispered, “Even if they think I’m lying, what can they do?”
It could only be like this!
However, when old madam left, the gaze she looked at her with was like looking at a fox (temptress). Lin
shi
instructed for her to be more careful since second young master’s body wasn’t well.
Shi: clan
She got blamed for no apparent reason. She really couldn’t accept it. Now, when she recalled the things from last night, everything seemed to have an explanation. He expected she would be in trouble. Was that why he prepared in advance? The maids could also testify and say that she bathed and slept in the main chamber last night.
This kind of careful protection made Shu Huan feel grateful. She whispered, “Thank you.”
Gu Xiran didn’t understand, “Thank me for what?”
“For today’s matter.”
A basin of cold water poured down on her.
“No need to thank me. Whether I divorce my wife or not is my business. I don’t like it when others intervene.”
She mistook his affection.
Shu Huan then lowered her head and silently ate the porridge.
After the two of them finished eating, concubine Yun was able to sit down and eat.
Shu Huan looked at the cumbersome rules of this wealthy family and felt sick and tired. Just when she wanted to go take a walk outside, Xiangqian came in with tea. She was studying what kind of tea it was, when she heard Gu Xiran ask faintly, “Who went out of the yard early in the morning?”
Xiangqian didn’t know and shook her head.
Concubine Yun put down the chopsticks and said awkwardly, “When I woke up in the morning, I found out that there was no more of the bird nest that second young master used to eat, so I sent Qiaoyun out to get some. Is there something wrong?”
Gu Xiran didn’t answer and just put the cup of tea on the table. “Call her.”
Qiaoyun was at the small tea room at the moment to boil medicine. In her heart, she was rejoicing that she was lucky. Originally, old madam was angry and wanted to punish them, she didn’t expect that when second master mentioned the consummation of the marriage, she forgot about the punishment…
While she was thinking, she heard that Gu Xiran called for her. She let a small maid watch over the fire before she went to the main chamber. When she entered, she laughed, “Second master, did you call me?”
Gu Xiran looked at her, “Did you let the matter of last night’s fire out?”
Qiaoyun paled, quickly lowered her head and said, “This slave hasn’t…”
“Hasn’t?” Gu Xiran smiled slightly, “The fire happened at midnight and didn’t broke out. Only the people of this yard knew. If it wasn’t you who let it out, how would old madam have rushed over early in the morning?”
Qiaoyun was stubborn and refuted in a low voice, “There are so many servants in this yard. When there are many people, words get out quickly. Who knows who had spread it…?”
Gu Xiran rubbed his temples tiredly, “Whether it was you or anyone else, listen well. In the future, no one is allowed to let what happens inside of this yard to spread out. If something gets out, I won’t beat nor scold you. I will only deduct one month of your salary. If something gets out again, I will deduct three months. If it continues to happen, I will deduct a year and two years and so on. If one of you think that you have too much salary, you can continue to spread things to the outside world.”
Qiaoyun bit her lips and didn’t dare to say more.
Concubine Yun stood up with a face full of apology, “The matters of this yard are my affairs. I didn’t manage the maids well and let second young master worry.”
She didn’t expect that Gu Xiran didn’t bother with her and only gazed at Shu Huan, “Remember?”
“Ah?” Shu Huan was only a spectator and felt that his gaze was like a torch and his insights were clear. She secretly admired him. However, how could she know that he would suddenly turn to her? She said confusedly, “Remember what?”
“Rules,” Gu Xiran said faintly. “In the future, these are your affairs.”
Shu Huan was speechless and secretly glanced at concubine Yun. Sure enough, her face got red like being so ashamed to show one’s face. She (SH) couldn’t help but sympathize with her. Although she sympathized with her, she didn’t act rashly. She couldn’t defend concubine Yun against injustice and scold Gu Xiran for liking the new and hating the old!
Like the new and hate the old: enamored with a new person and bored with the old one.
What like the new one? Wasn’t a cold basin of water poured over her just now?
Seriously speaking, the face she had lost in these two days were a lot more than concubine Yun. It was just that her face was thicker. She would forget it after the embarrassment and wouldn’t put it in her heart.
Concubine Yun was certainly someone thin-faced. While speaking, her voice sounded like crying, “Yan doesn’t feel that well and will retire first.”
After that, she was even negligent with the etiquettes she always followed. She didn’t wait for Gu Xiran to agree, turned and left hurriedly.
Qiaoyun and Xiangqian also used an excuse to leave after they saw that the atmosphere wasn’t right. Only Gu Xiran still had a face that nothing was the matter. It was as if whether concubine Yun was sad or not had nothing to do with him…
Shu Huan glanced twice at him and couldn’t help but mutter, “Heartless and lacking in feelings.”
Gu Xiran raised an eyebrow, “What?”
“Even if she’s only a concubine, after all she took care of you for a year. You treating her like this really let her feel bitterly disappointed.”
Laughter flashed in Gu Xiran’s eyes, “I didn’t expect that I took someone so highly principled, virtuous, warm and kind as my wife. She even began to fight justice for the concubine.”
Was this sarcasm?
No matter which one, none of the three words virtuous, warm and kind was suitable to describe her!
She sympathized with concubine Yun because she didn’t see Gu Xiran as her husband. As for Gu family, she also didn’t plan to live here for a long time. She was waiting to find out the situation here and think of a way to make a living. Then, she will get out of here. Being on the outside, she naturally wouldn’t take concubine Yun as someone who would threaten her status and love. This was a separate matter from the Confucian moral injunctions for woman which stated to not be jealous!
Confucian moral injunctions for women, namely: obey in turn three men, father, husband and son, plus the four virtues of morality, physical charm, propriety in speech and efficiency in needlework.
It was just, she couldn’t say this out loud. She could only thick-facedly accept it, “If you didn’t take a concubine, then forget it. But since you took one, you should treat her better.”
“And treat you a bit badly?”
Shu Huan choked on her words and retorted strongly, “Are you treating me very well now?”
“Is this still not well enough?”
The topic had a suspicion of changing in the amorous direction.
Shu Huan made the killer move. She stood up and walked towards outside. While she was walking, she said, “I won’t talk with you any longer.”
Gu Xiran didn’t stop her and only said slowly, “Fool! You have been sold by the person and still speak up for her.”
Huh? Shu Huan turned confused, “What do you mean?”
Gu Xiran lowered his head and drank tea. After a while did he say, “Qiaoyun is a maid from my chamber. Xiangqian is the one who usually follows her (Y). Why didn’t she let Xiangqian go get the bird nest early in the morning?”
Because Qiaoyun’s mouth didn’t have a lock and could say everything without hesitation?
Shu Huan recalled the conversation of the maids in front of the room before the fire. Her heart jumped. But she still didn’t believe that concubine Yun, a woman who looked so gentle and kind would also scheme. She couldn’t help but argue for her (Y), “Perhaps Xiangqian was busy with other things at that time and only Qiaoyun was idle!”
“Really?” Gu Xiran laughed, “Qiaoyun isn’t a diligent person. Troubling for half night, presumably she was still sleeping in this morning! Go think about the other things yourself.”
After he said this, he seemed tired. He closed his eyes to rest and no longer spoke.
Shu Huan froze on spot. She thought and thought. In the end, she sighed helplessly.
Total Chapters in book: 235
Estimated words: 424262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2121(@200wpm)___ 1697(@250wpm)___ 1414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 424262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2121(@200wpm)___ 1697(@250wpm)___ 1414(@300wpm)
______