This is the section about the Second Wife of the Gu Family.
Back in the territory of the Second Wife, Lady Quan felt a bit more at ease.
The four won sat together, and the servants brought in tea and refreshnts before tactfully retreating to give them space for private conversation.
Once the servants were gone, Gu Zii began to whine and complain to Lady Quan, "Mother, did you see it? I was right, wasn’t I? Wang Yongzhu is the best at flattering people. She’s got such a sweet mouth, she can make Grandmother and Eldest Aunt happy, and who knows how many benefits she’s gained from them!"
"Grandmother and Eldest Aunt are so biased, treating soone from the Wang Family better than our own Gu Family mbers!"
Lady Quan nodded in agreent. Previously, her youngest daughter had complained that Wang Yongzhu, a re cousin, was more favored than the legitimate daughters of the Gu Family. The Old Lady’s eyes hardly looked at her own granddaughters when Yongzhu was around.
She found it hard to believe at first.
But seeing it today, she finally understood.
This cousin, who resembles the Old Lady a little, has a mouth as sweet as honey—easy to see why the Old Lady dotes on her.
Lady Quan’s ancestors also served as officials, but their descendants lacked talent, mostly only passing the Scholar and Graduate exams without advancing further.
By Lady Quan’s generation, the family was dwindling, leaving only her and her brother to rely on each other.
Lady Quan’s brother had quite a talent and was taken as a disciple by the sa ntor as Gu Changji. The two were similar in age and temperant and got along well.
Because of this, Gu Changji t Lady Quan a few tis.
Later, due to an accident, Lady Quan’s brother couldn’t survive, and his dying wish was concern for his sister.
Gu Changji, present at his friend’s final monts, couldn’t bear his friend’s worry and took his hand, promising to care for his sister for life.
Only then did Lady Quan’s brother rest in peace.
The Gu Family initially opposed this marriage; after all, decisions about children’s marriages were made by parents through matchmakers, not settled so arbitrarily.
Furthermore, the Old Madam Gu had already started arranging a marriage for Gu Changji, with several potential candidates lined up.
Now suddenly, she was told her second daughter’s husband was decided, and it was for a girl from a humble background with no parents or brother.
Who would agree to that?
If he really wanted to care for his friend’s sister, adopting her as a daughter of the Gu Family and finding her a good match later, with a dowry, would have sufficed.
Why commit himself for a lifeti?
But Gu Changji was a man who kept his word and insisted he would not go back on his promise.
Because of this, Old Madam Gu had quite a few argunts with her second son.
It wasn’t until Gu Changqing had a talk with Gu Changji that Gu Changji revealed he agreed to marry Lady Quan partly to ease his friend’s mind.
He also genuinely felt sorry for the little girl. He had seen Lady Quan a few tis, knew she was shy, and figured bringing her into the family wouldn’t cause trouble.
Having witnessed the turmoil with Old Master Gu in the past, he had no desire to marry high-ranking won with their many intrigues, preferring soone from a simpler background.
Moreover, as the second son, Gu Changji didn’t have many demands from his wife as everything in the Gu Family was managed by his elder brother and sister-in-law.
Gu Changqing relayed these words to Old Madam Gu.
What could Old Madam Gu say? The events of those years were not only her personal scars but also affected her children.
She had no choice but to reluctantly agree after scolding Old Master Gu for three days.
However, Lady Quan was in mourning, and Old Madam Gu initially intended to send a sister to care for her and give her so basic training.
Even if the second son wouldn’t inherit the family estate, he would still establish his own household eventually, and at the very least, handling visits and etiquette should be learned, no?
Unexpectedly, a distant widowed aunt, with no her own children, returned ho and volunteered to teach all the family girls by herself.
Old Madam Gu couldn’t intervene any further.
Three years later, when Lady Quan officially entered the family, there weren’t any issues initially.
After two or three months, however, it beca apparent that the once shy girl had been shaped by this aunt into an obstinate, high-minded, overly sensitive, and sowhat unapproachable person.
Old Madam Gu was nearly beside herself with anger.
But since Lady Quan was already married into the family, there was no feasible way to divorce her.
All she could do was grudgingly accept it and often think of ways to correct Lady Quan.
Yet, once a temperant is ford, it can’t be easily changed.
Despite all efforts, the best Old Madam Gu could achieve was making sure Lady Quan didn’t say anything too outrageous.
Fortunately, despite her faults, Lady Quan wasn’t inherently bad, and this was why the Gu Family could tolerate her.
Moreover, for all her shortcomings, Lady Quan was truly submissive, honoring her husband above all.
Whatever Gu Changji said, she listened. She knew that if not for Gu Changji, as a lone girl after her brother’s passing, heaven knows what her fate might have been.
Gu Changji was aware of Lady Quan’s flaws after marriage, but being a highly responsible person, he didn’t bla her for them.
Instead, he took ti when they were alone to teach her.
Lady Quan gradually improved, at least appearing respectable in public.
After having children, once they turned three, Gu Changji suggested sending them to his brother’s care to limit Lady Quan’s influence.
Later, while on assignnts, he continued this practice, sending children back to the Capital City at age two or three for education by Lady of the Gu Family.
However, their youngest daughter, Gu Zii, was born when they were in the Capital City, and Gu Changji, feeling soft-hearted, allowed Lady Quan to keep her for a few years, which seed to have affected her disposition.
Gu Changji noticed this but couldn’t directly address it, so he applied for another assignnt elsewhere, taking Lady Quan with him and leaving the child with Lady of the Gu Family, hoping for better upbringing.
For a few years, it seed that Gu Zii was well-taught until it beca apparent that she indeed took after Lady Quan.
Gu Zirou and Gu Zitang overheard their sister’s words and saw Lady Quan nodding in agreent, wishing they could shake all the nonsense out of their mother’s head.
Gu Zirou, the eldest daughter, sighed, glaring at Gu Zii, "What nonsense are you spouting? You were disrespectful in front of Grandmother, and I haven’t even addressed that yet! Where have all your years of learning rules gone? With so many eyes watching, behaving so improperly, aren’t you afraid of being laughed at?"
"Not to ntion, first, Cousin is a guest, and second, Grandmother is happy, and today’s a major New Year celebration, with everyone watching. Even if you tried to stop it, would you want Cousin to be embarrassed? You’d only make a fool of yourself by then!"
"You’re not that young anymore, and soon you’ll be of an age to consider prospects. Reputation is especially important, how can you still be so childish?"
Truly frustrated with her inability to grasp it.
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