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

Gu Ce was also forced to back away by the fumes.

Even with her face covered, Rong Yingluo couldn't stand it and quickly ran to open all the windows.

"I feel much better." Su Jingyi felt like she had been reborn, and she didn't care about the stench in the room.

"Mother, does your stomach still hurt?" Rong Yingluo asked with concern as the smell dissipated.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, it doesn't hurt anymore. Liuli's method really works." At this moment, Su Jingyi had no doubt about Rong Yingluo's method.

She just couldn't understand why she suddenly had a stomachache when she was perfectly fine.

Could someone have poisoned her? But apart from drinking that bowl of medicine to clear heat and calm the nerves, she didn't eat anything else, and that medicine was personally prepared by her dowry maid. It's impossible for her to have poisoned her.

Rong Shi simply took the food from her and fed it to her; she had no opportunity to poison her.

Could there be something wrong with the candied fruit?

Just then, the doctor that Gu Xi had fetched arrived and carefully took Su Jingyi's pulse.

"Madam, you are in good health, but you are a little mentally exhausted. It's probably because you've been working hard to arrange the young master's wedding. You'll recover after a good night's rest." The doctor stopped and stood up, stating the results of his pulse diagnosis.

"How could that be? My mother was in excruciating pain just now." Gu Xi said in disbelief.

"I have been practicing medicine for many years, and this is not the first time I have treated the Duchess. The Duchess has always been in good health, so it is impossible for her to suddenly become seriously ill." The doctor was very confident in his medical skills.

At this moment, Physician Yang, who had been sleeping on the ground, finally woke up.

"Dr. Yang, are you awake?" Gu Ce nudged him.

Doctor Yang was still a little confused; how did he end up in the Duchess's room? Then, turning his head, he saw the doctor from Renyi Hall was also there, and realized that he had been brought here by the Heir Apparent.

Why didn't the prince wake him up and let him walk over on his own? Instead, he knocked him unconscious and brought him here.

"Once she's awake, check her pulse. She was in excruciating abdominal pain just now." Gu Ce bent down and lifted her up from the ground.

Doctor Yang obediently took Su Jingyi's pulse and gave the same result as the doctor from Renyitang.

"Mother, is it still in pain?" Gu Xi asked, somewhat skeptical.

"It doesn't hurt anymore. Let's see the doctor out." Su Jingyi waved her hand.

At this moment, Gu Qingya also woke up, rolled over and sat up, and immediately complained, "Mom, how much did you eat tonight? It stinks!"

"Everyone, leave. A-Ce and Liu-Li, stay." Su Jing-Yi knew that it was already inappropriate to call Gu Ce here tonight under the pretense of being unwell, so she had to think of another way to prevent Gu Ce from returning to the bridal chamber.

Everyone left the inner room.

"Ah Ce, it's all my fault, my body is so weak."

Today is supposed to be your wedding night, and you should be performing the rites of marriage right now.

Actually, your mother is hiding something from you.

You previously caused the deaths of four brides, which is very unlucky. This time, I was worried that Liuli would not live more than a month, so I asked a master to tell your fortune.

Tonight is not auspicious for your wedding night. I originally intended for you to spend the night at the ancestral hall, hoping to seek the protection of the Gu family ancestors and see if we could avoid this and give Liuli a way out.

Over the years, I've shamelessly sought marriage for you, hiding my face in my arms. If something happens to Liuli again, I'll have no face to ask any other girl for you to marry.

"So, for Liuli's sake, you'll kneel in the ancestral hall all night, and then consummate your marriage with Liuli tomorrow night." Su Jingyi spoke earnestly, her love for her son and daughter-in-law evident in every gesture.

Rong Yingluo sneered inwardly. She was afraid that Gu Ce would smell the poison all night in the bridal chamber and go mad the next day, which would be difficult for her to explain.

"Mother, since it's for your own good, let your husband and I kneel before our ancestors together. If I live for another month, I will definitely take good care of you," Rong Yingluo said with a smile.

"You've had a long day, go back to the new house to sleep. You have to get up early tomorrow to meet your relatives and serve tea," Su Jingyi said with concern, her words showing her love for her daughter-in-law.

"Mother, I've heard that you are the most loving stepmother in the capital. It must be a blessing from my past life that I was able to marry into the Gu family and become your daughter-in-law. You are so kind, I must tell the ancestors of the Gu family tonight so that they can bless you with a long and healthy life." Rong Yingluo also played the role of a filial daughter-in-law very well.

"You're such a filial child." Su Jingyi was speechless, and her smile was about to fade.

The merchant's daughter was sharp-tongued. She must have learned a lot of business negotiation skills from her businessman father. She had to find another way.

"Let's go, my husband, let's go and talk to our ancestors." Rong Yingluo pulled Gu Ce away, not waiting for Su Jingyi to say anything to stop her.

"Miss." Yinghong stepped forward with a lantern when she saw her mistress come out.

"Yinghong, go get me a cloak. I want to kneel in the Gu family ancestral hall with the young master for the whole night." Rong Yingluo said it casually, as if kneeling in the ancestral hall was some kind of good thing.

"What? How can this be?" Yinghong was shocked. The young lady had just married into the family and hadn't even had the traditional tea ceremony yet, and she was already kneeling before the Gu family ancestors. This was too unreasonable.

"Go quickly," Rong Yingluo ordered directly.

"Yes, Miss." Yinghong was intimidated by Rong Yingluo's imposing manner and obeyed the order.

Gu Ce's lips curled up again.

This woman is really interesting; she's so fierce to her own personal maid.

And just now, she was able to put on a show of being a dutiful daughter-in-law to her mother-in-law in the inner room.

When facing him, she can take him down without hesitation.

She has a thousand faces.

interesting!

Gu Ce led Rong Yingluo to the Gu family ancestral hall.

This is just a small ancestral hall in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, not the ancestral hall of the entire Gu family. It only enshrines the ancestors of the direct line.

As soon as she stepped inside, Rong Yingluo felt an overwhelming sense of righteousness wash over her.

The title of Duke Zhenguo was held for over forty years, and it was bestowed upon the Duke of that time after he decisively defeated the enemy state.

Rong Yingluo had heard her master say that back then, the Beicang Kingdom invaded the Southern Xia Kingdom, wanting to tear off a large piece of Southern Xia's flesh.

At that time, they had already captured fifteen cities and were about to reach the capital. It was the first Duke, who was traveling, who turned the tide and led a well-trained army of a hundred men to reverse the defeat. He was also ordered by the emperor to lead a large army and drive the Beicang Kingdom out of the Nanxia Kingdom step by step, thus preserving the territory and country of Nanxia.

The emperor at the time was grateful for his unparalleled achievements and wanted to bestow upon him the title of a king of a different surname, but the old duke declined and only accepted the title of Duke of Zhenguo.

The first generation of the old Grand Duke was Gu Ce's great-grandfather, the person whose portrait Rong Yingluo saw on the altar in the wedding hall during the day.

At this time, his portrait was also hanging on the main wall of the ancestral hall.

That sense of righteousness comes from the painting.

Rong Yingluo held her ancestors who protected the country in high esteem. She knelt down respectfully, kowtowed three times earnestly, lit three incense sticks, bowed again, and then placed them in the incense burner.

Gu Ce raised an eyebrow at that devout attitude.

Rong Yingluo then looked at each memorial tablet; the tablets of the two generations of dukes were already there.

The current Duke, Gu Jingsheng, has inherited his father's command to guard the border between the Southern Xia Kingdom and the Northern Cang Kingdom.

There are also the memorial tablets of several of the sons of the Gu family here, followed by their wives.

When Rong Yingluo glanced at the four newer memorial tablets on the far side, her gaze paused.

There were four women, but none of them had a male companion. This indicates that their husbands were still alive.

Those who are allowed to enter the ancestral hall are all the principal wives.

"Are these the four wives you killed?" Rong Yingluo asked directly.

"Yes. You are a newcomer, so you can pay your respects to them as a concubine." Gu Ce was tempted to tease them again.

Rong Yingluo's gaze lingered on the four memorial tablets for a long time, her brows furrowed.

It felt like there was a dark aura surrounding it, and it was trembling.