After being forced into a marriage with a wealthy family, the virtuous wife caused a huge uproar.

"Didn't we already agree on a divorce? What does this have to do with anyone else?" Rong Yingluo found his anger a bit inexplicable.

"We've been married for two months, don't you have any desire to stay with me forever?" Gu Ce looked into her clear eyes and felt that he might have used the wrong approach. She was only sixteen years old and might not have matured yet, perhaps not understanding anything about matters between men and women.

She was forced into marrying him. Perhaps she still harbors resentment.

He himself has never cared about any woman, nor does he know how to make a woman willingly stay by his side.

He had already been quite reckless in pulling her into his arms. But he didn't regret it.

After spending time together these past few days, he has come to accept her as his wife.

"No, I just want to leave the Gu family mansion as soon as possible so I can travel the mountains and rivers with my master." Rong Yinglu blinked her innocent eyes.

She never imagined that Gu Ce would be a part of her life.

Their interaction during this period was solely due to an imperial decree bestowing a marriage upon them.

"Your master is already so old, yet he still travels through mountains and rivers. Do you want to work him to death? This is unfilial. Bring him into the manor, and we'll take care of him in his old age together." Gu Ce was determined to persuade Rong Yingluo to stay in the Gu manor today.

"Impossible," Rong Yingluo said firmly.

"Why?" Gu Ce didn't understand.

"I'll tell you when I have the chance." Rong Yingluo didn't want to say more for the time being. She wanted to wait until her eldest sister and brother-in-law got married before telling Gu Ce about her identity.

He would then understand why she wouldn't stay at the Gu residence.

Gu Ce felt a little relieved. He would tell her later that she didn't want to leave the Gu family, so he still had time to help her understand.

Rong Yingluo tried to get up again, but this time Gu Ce let go.

But when his arms suddenly felt lighter, he felt a strange emptiness.

It seems like I should try hugging her more often; maybe that will help her understand.

Just then, Yinghong came in carrying a food box: "Young master, young lady, dinner is ready."

"Let's set it up." Rong Yingluo and Yinghong set the food on the table together.

"Miss, I heard that the Duchess received a letter from the Zhao family." Yinghong overheard the maids talking about this on her way back.

"Which Zhao family?" Rong Yingluo wasn't very familiar with the various families in the capital.

"It's the Zhao family of the Imperial Tutor's Mansion," Gu Ce continued.

"Is this the Empress and Consort Qi's family?" Upon hearing that it was the Imperial Tutor's residence, Rong Yingluo immediately knew whose family it was.

The Imperial Tutor was actually the Empress's grandfather, who had passed away many years ago. However, the Emperor was a man of deep affection, and the Empress he married was the Imperial Tutor's granddaughter. The two had been in love when they were young, which is why the Zhao family held a prominent position in the capital.

However, because they did not have any great merit and were not qualified to be granted a title, people have been referring to the Zhao family as the Imperial Tutor's Mansion for many years.

"Yes, Her Majesty the Empress's mother will be celebrating her sixtieth birthday in a few days. The Zhao family sent an invitation to the Gu family to attend the banquet," Gu Ce replied.

"I see. Then I can see Sister Ke again." Rong Yingluo felt that she hadn't seen Ke Miaoran for a long time and missed her.

That was her only close friend in the capital. Although Princess Jinyang could also be considered a friend, she lacked the casualness of Sister Ke; after all, she was a princess.

"I'll go with you to the market tomorrow to buy a gift for Old Madam Zhao," Gu Ce suggested.

"Isn't the wedding gift prepared by the household? Why do we need to buy it separately?" Rong Yingluo was a little confused.

"The gifts sent by the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion represent the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. The gifts sent by my husband and I are considered to be from the Prime Minister's mansion," Gu Ce explained.

He wanted to prepare for establishing his own household in the future, as he would have to leave the Duke's mansion sooner or later.

"So from now on, you'll have to help me manage my backyard. You need to be mindful of social interactions. If you don't know how, you can ask me. Don't tell Grandmother and Mother yet," Gu Ce reminded him.

"I understand. You want me to start dealing with people and affairs as the Prime Minister's wife and manage your social interactions?" Rong Yingluo understood.

Gu Ce needs to start preparing to leave the Gu family.

Gu Ce nodded.

"Have you figured out how to reunite with the Emperor?" Rong Yingluo blinked and asked.

"Not yet." Gu Ce hadn't figured out the Duke's true purpose in keeping him, nor how he had come to the Duke's mansion. Therefore, he couldn't take the initiative to acknowledge the Emperor. He had no evidence to prove his identity and could only wait.

Rong Yingluo remembered that Madam Qi had mentioned asking her to take a look at the feng shui of the Zhao family, and perhaps she could make use of it.

"By the way, Aunt Feng poisoned me today," Rong Yingluo said as she sat down at the table, recounting the events of the afternoon.

"What did you say?" Gu Ce was startled and asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"

"Who am I? How could anything be wrong with me? I recognized you immediately."

Then Rong Yingluo recounted the events of the afternoon in detail.

"The Su family is incredibly audacious. They actually dared to try and kill you." Gu Ce was furious.

"Should we just kill her too?" Rong Yingluo originally wanted to let her go for a while because of the Duke, but if Su Shi didn't deal with her, she would keep causing trouble and was very annoying.

Gu Ce took a deep breath, his eyes sharp: "I'll write a letter to Father to see if he can come back for the New Year. We're just speculating about many things. We suspect my second brother might be Uncle's child, but we can't be sure about Qingya. It's best if Father decides Su's fate; let her tell him everything in front of him."

Gu Ce is not capable of repaying kindness with enmity. The Gu family raised him, and his father taught him a great deal.

The poisoning he suffered was caused by the Su family, not his father. His father even specially sent a trustworthy doctor from the border to stay by his side for several years, and arranged for two secret guards to protect his life.

All of this suggests that his father likely harbored no ill will towards him.

"I originally intended to retaliate with this bottle of medicine, but I'll keep it for a while longer." Rong Yingluo put the bottle away.

"What do you think was the purpose of your mother-in-law poisoning Aunt Feng?" Rong Yingluo asked, wanting to hear if Gu Ce shared her thoughts.

"Her purpose in doing this is to prevent my father from having another son. As long as I die, my second brother will be the sole heir of the Duke's mansion. She's really playing a clever game." Gu Ce understood Su's purpose as soon as he thought about it.

If my third sister had been a son back then, she probably wouldn't be alive today.

"I thought you wouldn't have thought of that." Rong Yingluo looked at her with admiration.

"Although I don't quite understand the despicable methods of women in the inner quarters, I can analyze them."

Everyone has a purpose in doing anything.

Aunt Miao came from a humble background, and even if she gave birth to a daughter, her status in the household could not be changed. Moreover, her father did not care about her.

When my father agreed to take her as a concubine, it was because my late wife knew that her days were numbered and wanted to give Concubine Miao a status so that she could take care of me.

Aunt Feng was a concubine of good status; if she gave birth to a son, her status would be different.

The second brother is very likely the child of the second wife. Once this is exposed, the second brother will not be able to inherit the position of heir.

"But if the eldest son has no son, then only the second brother can inherit. In fact, to save face, the father might have to swallow this bitter pill and not reveal that the second brother is the son of the second wife," Gu Ce analyzed.

"You're right, the Su family has a clever plan. By the way, aren't you going shopping with me tomorrow? I'd like to buy a compass." Rong Yingluo picked up her chopsticks, changed the subject, and prepared to start the meal.

"Why did you buy a compass?" Gu Ce asked, puzzled. "Do you really think of yourself as a Taoist priest?"

Thinking back to the day of the chrysanthemum appreciation banquet, the scene of the lady performing a shamanistic ritual is quite amusing.

Fortunately, everyone chose to keep quiet about what happened that day, and no bad rumors spread.