Chapter 36: Fragrant Pouch

“Feigning sophistication!” Su Xiaowan muttered under her breath, truly looking down on such a shameless person who couldn’t resist throwing herself at a handsome man!

Tang Chuyao almost laughed out loud; she really liked Su Xiaowan’s personality!

As soon as Gu Huaifeng saw Gu Qingchen, he recalled the punishment from last time. After arriving at the Xuanping Marquis’s residence, he had to stand in horse stance for another two hours, and no one spoke up for him. By the next day, he could hardly lift his legs!

Even now, his legs still hurt a bit.

“Uncle, I know I was wrong!”

Gu Qingchen didn’t even glance at him but turned to Tang Youze, saying, “Uncle, this matter is Gu Huaifeng’s fault!”

“The Xuanping Marquis’s residence will never shirk responsibility!”

Tang Youze didn’t expect Gu Qingchen to be so reasonable!

Mei Xiao’e immediately interjected, “What does the prince mean?”

“This woman has raised a daughter this big, and she’s been ruined like this!”

Gu Huaifeng felt a bit guilty towards Tang Chuying, but hearing Mei Xiao’e’s words made him angry. “Aunt Mei, that’s not right!”

Su Xiaowan took up Gu Huaifeng’s words and continued, “What Young Master Gu said is true; flies don’t buzz around an egg without cracks. Why is only Young Master Gu being blamed? Isn’t Tang Chuying also enjoying it?”

Gu Qingchen coughed lightly, and Su Xiaowan glanced at Gu Huaifeng and Mei Xiao’e, falling silent.

Tang Chuyao praised Su Xiaowan for being truly clever!

Gu Huaifeng looked at Su Xiaowan, feeling she was on his side, yet also not!

“What does Duke Wenyong think of today’s matter?” Gu Qingchen posed the question to Tang Youze.

Tang Youze was surprised to be called upon by Gu Qingchen. After a moment of thought, he immediately clasped his hands and replied, “Your Highness, I feel that although Aunt Mei’s words are unpleasant, they do have some merit.”

“My daughter’s reputation has already been ruined; apart from Young Master Gu, she cannot marry anyone else!”

Gu Qingchen nodded, “What Uncle says is correct!”

“The Xuanping Marquis’s residence will send someone to bring Miss Tang into the residence tomorrow!”

Tang Chuying’s pupils constricted, her face filled with shock; she didn’t want to become a concubine! Even less did she want to marry the scrawny Gu Huaifeng!

Mei Xiao’e panicked instantly; she wanted Tang Chuying to marry into the Xuanping Marquis’s residence, not to become a concubine. She quickly spoke up, “Your Highness, my daughter is also from a respectable family; how can she become a concubine?”

Gu Qingchen seemed to have some patience and looked at Mei Xiao’e, asking, “If she doesn’t want to be a concubine, does she want to be the main wife?”

“But as far as I know, the eldest young lady of your residence is already betrothed to Gu Huaifeng.”

Mei Xiao’e felt that Gu Qingchen was unexpectedly easy to talk to, not as cold as the rumors suggested, and quickly said, “Your Highness, the eldest young lady has also grown up under my watch; both sides are flesh and blood. Why not let Yaoyao and Ying’er marry into the Xuanping Marquis’s residence at the same time?”

Gu Qingchen showed no change in expression but turned to Tang Chuyao, his gaze softening as he asked, “What does Miss Tang think?”

Tang Chuyao stepped forward, disdainfully glancing at Gu Huaifeng, and bowed gently to Gu Qingchen, saying, “I hope Your Highness can help me!”

“I do not wish to marry Young Master Gu!”

Gu Huaifeng became anxious upon hearing this and quickly spoke up, “Tang Chuyao, stop causing a scene! Today’s matter is Young Master’s fault; I’ll explain it to you privately later!”

Gu Huaifeng thought that by saying this, Tang Chuyao would behave as she usually did and listen obediently.

“Your Highness, I want to break off the engagement with Young Master Gu!”

Gu Huaifeng looked at Tang Chuyao in disbelief; today, Tang Chuyao’s expression was indifferent, showing no signs of affection towards him.

“Tang Chuyao! Don’t forget, when you secretly gave Young Master Gu the fragrant pouch, you didn’t say that!”

Gu Qingchen signaled to Night Wind beside him, and Night Wind immediately stepped forward and slapped Gu Huaifeng across the face.

Gu Huaifeng stared at Gu Qingchen in astonishment, his tongue pressed against his cheek. “Uncle, why did you hit me?”

“Disrespectful!” Gu Qingchen said lightly.

This is because he was yelling loudly!

“Young Master Gu, you say I secretly sent you a fragrant pouch. May I ask, do you have any evidence?” Tang Chuyao asked nonchalantly.

Gu Huaifeng looked at Tang Chuyao as if she were a fool. “Tang Chuyao, you don’t seem to remember?”

“You forgot that you sent me the fragrant pouch?”

“Since Young Master Gu says I sent you a fragrant pouch, then where is it?” Tang Chuyao continued to ask.

“I’ll have Laifu find it right now and see what else you have to say!”

After saying this, Gu Huaifeng instructed Laifu to go to the Xuanping Marquis’s residence to retrieve the pouch.

Gu Qingchen felt that Laifu was too slow and signaled Night Wind to take Laifu with him.

Night Wind picked up Laifu and flew away. In less than a quarter of an hour, he returned with the fragrant pouch.

Gu Qingchen glanced at the fragrant pouch in Night Wind’s hand and asked, “Is this it?”

Gu Huaifeng took a look and confirmed it was indeed the same pouch that Mo Zhu had sent last time.

He quickly nodded in agreement.

Tang Chuyao glanced at Gu Huaifeng indifferently. “Your Highness, this is not my fragrant pouch!”

“My fragrant pouch would have my name embroidered on it. The stitching on this pouch is not my handiwork.”

“How is that possible?” Gu Huaifeng looked disbelieving and snatched the fragrant pouch from Night Wind’s hand, examining it closely. He then discovered the character “Ying” stitched at the very bottom of the pouch.

“Impossible!” Gu Huaifeng muttered to himself.

Night Wind presented the pouch to Gu Qingchen for inspection.

“When did the eldest young lady change her name?” Gu Qingchen said lazily.

“Your Highness is joking. I have always had this name!” Tang Chuyao glanced at the pouch and said, “This is clearly my second sister’s pouch, and it even has her name embroidered on it!”

Hearing her name, Tang Chuying immediately stepped forward to examine the pouch, her expression changing dramatically. “How is this possible?”

The stitching and embroidery are clearly her own skill!

But Tang Chuying knew very well that she had never embroidered this pouch!

Tang Chuyao maintained a blank expression while secretly praising Yinghe’s skills!

Aunt Yinghe was the best at imitating embroidery! She had Aunt Yinghe imitate Tang Chuying’s skills to embroider this pouch and then had Night Rain quietly swap her discarded pouch with this one!

Tang Chuyao pulled out a fragrant pouch from her sleeve and held it out in front of Gu Qingchen. “Your Highness, this is the kind of pouch I embroidered!”

A large, bony hand reached out to take the pouch and examined it closely.

Tang Chuyao felt that Gu Qingchen’s long fingers looked very nice, making the pouch appear very small in his hand.

“Mm, not bad! The eldest young lady’s pouch does indeed have her name embroidered on it!”

Afterward, Gu Qingchen tucked the pouch into his sleeve and looked at Gu Huaifeng. “What else do you have to say?”

Tang Chuyao looked at Gu Qingchen in surprise; how could he take her pouch?

Gu Huaifeng looked at Tang Chuyao in frustration. “You definitely swapped the pouches!”

Tang Chuyao was not angry; instead, she calmly asked, “May I ask, Young Master Gu, where did you receive my fragrant pouch?”

“What clothes was I wearing that day? What hairpin was I wearing?”

“Did I have any maidservants with me?”

Gu Huaifeng was left speechless by the questions, as this was simply his scheme to frame Tang Chuyao. Now that he had been exposed, he had no idea how to respond!