However, these were rumors spread by others, and she hadn't seen them herself, so she shouldn't immediately dismiss Qu Shujie.
"I heard that you're getting engaged tomorrow?" Yun Shu confirmed.
Gu Zhiruo smiled charmingly and nodded, "Yes, the Qu family has already sent the betrothal gifts. Tomorrow is just a formality, to set the wedding date."
Seeing Gu Zhiruo's demeanor as a woman in love, Yun Shu congratulated her with a smile.
Gu Zhiruo, feeling a bit shy from Yun Shu's congratulations, seized the opportunity to ask, "Have you and Prince Ye set a wedding date?"
"It's set for next year," Yun Shu replied, her gaze lowered to the tea in her hands as she lost herself in thought.
Gu Zhiruo was overjoyed. After all, she was getting engaged tomorrow, and she was certain Qu Shujie would not betray her again. She affectionately linked arms with Yun Shu, "Yun Shu, we're both getting married! I'll work hard, and after we're married, I'll have a fair-skinned baby girl as soon as possible. How about we arrange a marriage for her then?"
Looking at Gu Zhiruo, who was already envisioning the future before even being married, Yun Shu smiled faintly and agreed, "Alright."
...
Prince Ning's Manor.
Currently, Prince Ning's Manor was bustling with activity.
After all, it was a newly purchased residence, and having traveled from afar, many things needed to be bought anew.
Amidst the energetic atmosphere, the gatekeeper, holding a wooden sword, hurried to Prince Ning's heir, Zhan Zichen.
Zhan Zichen was engrossed in his reading.
His father strictly required him to read every day, which had gradually formed a habit.
Upon seeing the gatekeeper, Zhan Zichen frowned and angrily exclaimed, "What are you doing? You're disturbing my reading!"
"This servant did not intend to disturb you, my lord. Please do not be angry. This servant is to give this item to you. This item was sent by Prince Ye's heir as a return gift," the gatekeeper, aware of Zhan Zichen's temper, immediately softened his tone to appease him.
Zhan Zichen looked at the wooden sword in the gatekeeper's hand. His eyes widened in anger, and his voice became even more incensed, "A wooden sword? They sent me a wooden sword as a return gift? Do they think I'm still a child like them?!"
The gatekeeper truly didn't know what to say, so he could only wipe his sweat, feeling helpless.
He didn't know about the temperaments of other heirs and young masters, but their lord's temper was always unpredictable.
"Quickly, throw it away! It irritates me just looking at it!" Zhan Zichen shouted at the gatekeeper.
Everyone could see Zhan Zichen's disdain for the small wooden sword.
The gatekeeper hesitated and reminded him, "My lord, this is a return gift from Prince Ye's heir. It might not be good to just throw it away. If Prince Ye finds out, will he...?"
Before he could finish, Zhan Zichen became even more enraged, "So what if they find out? They're just terrible at giving gifts. Couldn't they have someone ask me what I like? They sent me a wooden sword?! Throw it away quickly, don't let me see it."
Seeing this, the gatekeeper dared not persuade him further, "Yes, yes, my lord, please don't be angry. This servant will throw the wooden sword away now."
After the gatekeeper left, Zhan Zichen remained furious, so angry that he couldn't concentrate on his reading. "Three brats who still need their mothers! Just wait until I teach them a good lesson!"
The attendant by his side sighed inwardly.
Calling others wild children.
In fact, many people used to call Zhan Zichen a wild child.
Zhan Zichen's mother was a personal maid who had always stayed by the Prince's side. After giving birth to the heir, she vanished without a trace. The Prince also made no effort to find her, as if she had never existed.
Then the Prince took a concubine, and the concubine doted on Zhan Zichen like her own son. This doting made Zhan Zichen's personality rather arrogant and overbearing, unable to tolerate any negative comments from others.
The attendant felt he wasn't very intelligent, but he vaguely felt that the concubine doting on the heir and allowing him to do as he pleased might not be a good thing.
...
As night fell.
Jing Heng returned.
He brought back the information he had gathered.
"The rumors the master heard are true. Qu Shujie does secretly visit brothels, but he has bribed the people there to keep quiet. Many of the patrons at the brothels recognize Qu Shujie and give him some face, so no rumors have spread. If it weren't for the master's exceptional hearing, those people you encountered today would likely not have overheard this matter."
Yun Shu's expression turned cold, and she sneered, "Indeed, it's easier to change mountains and rivers than human nature."
"Should I ask Ruan Xi to spread this news?" Jing Heng inquired.
"Let me think," Yun Shu mused, her brow furrowed.
Once this matter spread, amidst the ensuing rumors, Gu Zhiruo would certainly find out.
However, in the midst of everyone's gossip, it would be another blow to Gu Zhiruo and Madam Gu.
They were getting engaged tomorrow.
Once engaged, if they were to break off the engagement due to rumors, it might not be so easy. After all, in this era, for men, visiting brothels and sleeping with courtesans was considered a romantic indulgence. Gu Zhiruo had already been engaged once and had it broken off due to an illegitimate child. If she were to break it off again because of visits to a brothel, the people of the capital would likely point fingers at Gu Zhiruo and call her jealous.
She pursed her lips.
She had learned about this matter a little too late.
Suddenly, there was a sound from outside the door.
Jing Heng went to open it and saw Qiu Lu. He then peered to the side and indeed saw Zhan Tianye, so he turned back to Yun Shu and said, "Master, it's Prince Ye."
Yun Shu put away her thoughts and stood up, walking over.
She saw Zhan Tianye at the door.
The moment he saw Yun Shu, Zhan Tianye's cold, sword-like dark eyes gained a touch of worldly warmth, "I ate too much for dinner. Could you accompany me for a walk?"
Yun Shu smiled, "Wait for me."
She then turned and went back into the room to search for some digestive pills.
"Take one, and you won't feel bloated for half an hour," Yun Shu walked out and handed the found digestive pills to Zhan Tianye.
Zhan Tianye took them and swallowed them directly, his gaze on her eyes sparkling with an increased brilliance, "This is the best digestive pill I've ever had."
"Anything made by the master is the best," Jing Heng, having overheard Zhan Tianye, immediately added.
Zhan Tianye glanced at Jing Heng, "Well said."
Yun Shu's lips twitched, "That's enough, no need to flatter me. I won't extort money from you if you need anything."
Then, Yun Shu gently pushed Zhan Tianye towards the garden of the General's Manor.
As they walked, Zhan Tianye brought up the matter, "You went to the Gu residence today. Were you troubled by Gu Zhiruo's situation?"
Yun Shu raised an eyebrow, "How did you know?"
"Most things happening in the capital, if I wish to know, I will know. The Qu family and Qu Shujie, ever since their engagement with the Gu family was broken off last time, have never considered re-engaging with the Gu family. Madam Qu despises Gu Zhiruo to the bone, believing that Gu Zhiruo caused their Qu family to lose face and made Qu Shujie a laughingstock. They kept the illegitimate child's mother outside the city. They set a trap for Gu Zhiruo, and once she fell into it, their Qu family would break off the engagement again." Zhan Tianye's voice was slightly cold, his tone revealing his disgust for the Qu family.