My younger sister insisted on marrying me and made me the Marquis' wife.

Chapter 647 Encourage
Before Qin Yuan could answer, Mr. Songshan muttered to himself, "Could it be that Empress Lin is unwilling to accept the amnesty of Black Wind Stronghold? Or perhaps one group within Black Wind Stronghold is secretly in contact with Empress Lin, while another group wants to accept the amnesty? Ugh, this is really a headache."

Gu Baozhu smiled again: "Why don't you do some quick calculations and see which one it is?"

“Nonsense,” Lord Gu scolded. Seeing Gu Baozhu shrink back, he said to Mr. Songshan, “We can’t figure this out by ourselves here. In any case, we shouldn’t refuse the credit that’s offered to us.”

Qin Yuan smiled and said, "Has the Marquis made up his mind?"

Lord Gu nodded and then shook his head.

"Isn't this something we can discuss together?"

Gu Baozhu was so happy that she scratched her head and said, "Yes, yes, yes, let's discuss it together."

She's someone who can sit at the table and discuss important matters.

If Qin Heng knew this, he'd be green with envy.

Xiao Hong came in, lit the silver candles, and then cleared away the bowls and chopsticks before leaving. Lord Gu smiled and said, "Well, Xiao Hong has now been accepted into the Wutong Garden to serve you."

Xiao Hong said with a smile, "Thanks to the Marquis, I can now serve the Marquis and his wife closely."

Lord Gu took out some loose silver from his pocket and tossed it to Xiao Hong, saying, "Work hard here, and you'll have a bright future."

Xiao Hong was overjoyed, but seeing that everyone was discussing matters, she didn't say much. She looked up and smiled, saying, "Thank you for the reward, Lord Marquis. I will definitely do my job well in the future and live up to the expectations of the Marquis's wife."

After Xiao Hong left, Qin Yuan placed the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table, beckoned everyone over, and said softly, "I have a plan, but I don't know if it's appropriate."

……

Because of Lord Gu's triumphant return to the court, the Gu family, which had been dormant for many years, was able to hold their heads high and had a series of happy events. Therefore, the Mid-Autumn Festival ancestral worship became the most important event.

The clan chief and elders had made plans well in advance, and the clan members dared not slack off. They set off for the ancestral hall at the crack of dawn to prepare for slaughtering cattle, pigs, and sheep.

Gu Baozhu dared not attend the palace banquet but dared not skip the ancestral worship ceremony. After leaving the polo field, she said to the polo players who had gathered around her, "Something came up at home today, so I'm afraid I can't stay long."

Dark-skinned Hong looked troubled: "We won by luck today, but I'm afraid tomorrow..."

Qin Heng also said, "We've been able to win a lot these days thanks to you. Today's victory was hard-won. Tomorrow's opponent is the football club controlled by Fu Yanei. I heard that they've recruited many good players to win the championship. If we rely on just you, I'm afraid it won't be enough."

Gu Baozhu shook her head and waved her hand helplessly: "It really won't work. I only got to play today because I begged my mother for a long time. Didn't we say before that it would be enough if we could get into the top three?"

The crowd said, "We can't afford to lose too badly. Today we heard people booing us from the sidelines, saying we're dragging you down and that we're just decorations."

As they were talking, Yuan Da and Brother Ximen approached and asked, "Brother Qi, are you free? We've won quite a bit of money today, how about we go out and have some fun together?"

Qin Heng said happily, "Brothers, you've arrived. Please help us persuade Young Master Qi. The finals are tomorrow. We won by a narrow margin today, and the Emperor might come to watch the game tomorrow. We can't afford to lose too badly. We'd like to rehearse together, and he'll be indispensable."

Yuan laughed and said, "Brother Qi has really stolen the show today. I saw young women and wives all calling your name and asking about your family background."

Brother Ximen also said, "That's right. After the competition tomorrow, I'm afraid there won't be any left to sell your clothes in the silk shops. Everyone says they look very stylish." Qin Heng proudly shook his clothes and flicked the hair ribbon behind his head, laughing, "Luckily, I had foreseen this and prepared a set in advance."

Besides Gu Baozhu, he was the most handsome boy in the crowd.

Gu Baozhu immediately squeezed through the crowd and grabbed Brother Ximen: "Brother Ximen, we are good brothers. There is no reason for you to stand by and do nothing when your brother is in trouble, right? I have an urgent matter at home, and I begged my mother for a long time before she allowed me to play this game. I really can't stay any longer, so please help me, Brother Ximen."

He then bowed down.

Dark-skinned Brother Hong squeezed through the crowd and asked, "Young Master Qi, who is this...?"

Qin Heng said from the side, "This is my brother Ximen. There's no street performance he's not good at, and he also has a beautiful tattoo. So naturally, he's an excellent polo player."

Dark-skinned Little Hong immediately made a drooling face: "Then why don't you beg your good brother to play polo with us? We're just amateurs on the field, and I've heard that everyone on Fu Yanei's side is an amazing expert. I don't ask for anything else, I just hope we don't lose so badly and become a laughing stock in the capital."

Then he said to Brother Ximen, "Brother, you have such fine embroidery. If you show it off tomorrow, you'll be incredibly dashing, and it might even dazzle everyone around you."

“Yes, yes,” the others chimed in, saying, “I heard that the expert that Young Master Fu hired also has embroidery skills and is a master of hand-to-hand combat. He’s from the same lineage as Xu Tang, who was injured earlier. If we rely solely on Young Master Qi, I’m afraid…”

Brother Ximen's competitive spirit was immediately aroused: "What's so difficult about that? I'll play along with you guys."

Gu Baozhu and Qin Heng exchanged a glance and smiled, "Thank you, Brother Ximen."

Black-skinned Little Hong thanked him profusely: "Thank you for gracing us with your presence, Young Master Ximen. Let's practice together today so that we don't look sloppy tomorrow."

"It's easy to talk about."

Brother Ximen got excited and stopped dragging Gu Baozhu along to play. He chatted enthusiastically with the others.

Gu Baozhu then slipped out of the crowd, went to a secluded spot, mounted her horse, and rode straight out of the city.

By the time we arrived at the ancestral hall, it was nearly dusk.

The sacrificial offerings were already prepared, and the clan chief's wife, along with the women of the clan, personally prepared the sacrificial dishes. The aroma of the food mingled with the scent of candlelight and incense in the courtyard.

The white stone path was filled with people arranged according to the ancestral order, and red palace lanterns hung from the pines and cypresses on both sides, all lit. On the platform stood a large bronze tripod, with sandalwood incense burning inside, crackling and adding to the solemn atmosphere.

Xiao Hong, who was guarding the courtyard gate, jumped up and waved when she saw Gu Baozhu: "Seventh Miss, over here, over here."

"What are you doing here? Why aren't you with Third Sister-in-law?"

Xiao Hong whispered, "Madam told me to stay here and keep watch. The clothes have been placed in the west wing. Miss Seven, hurry up and change. If you stay any longer, Madam won't be able to cover you up."

Gu Baozhu hurriedly went into the west wing to change her clothes and headdress. Xiao Hong carefully examined her and nodded, saying, "Very good, no mistakes. Madam asked me to take the Seventh Miss in through the small door. The women of the clan are all there packing their things. It's almost time for the sacrificial ceremony, so it's a bit chaotic and no one is paying attention."

Gu Baozhu thought Xiao Hong was too slow, so she sneaked into the backyard through a small door and followed the women coming and going into the main kitchen.

The sacrificial animals and dishes used in the sacrifices are traditionally cooked by the women of the clan. Several daughters-in-law elected by the clan are busy at the stove, while other women wash vegetables, cut chops, wash dishes and pots.