Chapter 13: Covered in Filth

Chapter 13

Second Madam only had one daughter, Gu Ying, as her mother Madam Ye had passed away early. All the dowries the Ye Family prepared for her were locked in Second Madam's private treasury. Gu Ying's maternal Ye Family was a real century-old prominent clan. The pearls, jades, gold, silver, antiques, and paintings in that private treasury were countless.

Second Madam was just worried there was no way to cheat some stuff out from there, yet such an opportunity just came knocking on the door! This was really heaven helping her!

"Alright then, I'll be magnanimous and forgive you for today's matter for now. If you treat me better, I naturally won't speak of this upstairs."

Gu Ying aggrievedly pursed her lips and spoke deferentially, "I understand, dear sister."

"I'll take my leave first, you go see your crippled younger brother yourself."

Cui Ling distastefully squeezed her eyes, contemptuously spat, then turned and left the yard.

"Miss, you're being too bullied like this!"

Yanzhi was so angry her teeth itched. She stamped her feet, feeling so aggrieved she wished she could bite off Cui Ling's stinky face!

A smile was brewing at the corners of Gu Ying's lips, and her deep, fathomless pretty eyes contained nothing but gloomy, icy light.

"To destroy someone, one must first make them insane. Yanzhi, wait and see, I'll make her know the consequences of harming A Ning."

Yanzhi blinked. For a time, she couldn't wrap her head around it. What? The young miss would kill now?

She wasn't afraid of killing or not killing. If the young miss truly wanted to go on a slaughter, she'd be more than happy to pass the knife!

But—

"Young Miss, just what are you saying? This slave truly doesn't understand." The more Yanzhi thought about it, the less she could make sense of it. "Are we just going to let a cheap maid walk all over us?"

Gu Ying's expression was tranquil. A flash of gentle laughter passed through her eyes. "Just wait and see. From now on, if Cui Ling comes to bother you, endure it for the time being. Whatever jewelry she wants, take it out of my private treasury for her."

Indulging someone is the fastest way to kill them.

In her previous life, that was how Madam Liu and Gu Jia treated her, indulging her until she became foolish and brainless.

That made her thoughtlessly offend a mysterious figure she didn't even dare imagine at a palace banquet—the Heir Apparent of the Prince's Residence, Zhao Changdu.

Although in the end, that young master...didn't even let her see his appearance.

Gu Ning's body shuddered once. His teeth chattered, emitting cracking sounds, but he still didn't say a word.

"Young miss, how could the young master be so—"

Yanzhi didn't say the word "miserable".

She was conflicted, swallowing her saliva. Her gaze swept over the filth on the brocade bed and the ruqun that was clearly left behind by Cui Ling. She couldn't help but frown. "Young miss—"

Gu Ying coldly clenched her fists, her fingertips digging into her flesh. "Yanzhi, go boil some water and prepare clean towels and such."

Yanzhi murmured her assent and left to have people prepare hot water, clean towels, etc.

Gu Ying quietly sat at the bedside, slowly lifting the blankets covering her brother. The filth beneath was appalling... Her brother's emaciated legs were left in the middle of that disgusting filth.

The only son of a famed general actually reduced to this state... How could Gu Ying not feel heartache and distress!

She carefully examined him. Not only were there marks from being habitually pinched and grabbed, there was also a rouge stain on his face from a woman, and bloodstains between his fingers—clearly from when he scratched Cui Ling while resisting.

No wonder Cui Ling had stormily left earlier.

Connecting it to what would happen next... As Madam Liu's beloved, how could Cui Ling be willing to serve a disfavored cripple?

It wasn't hard to guess. From the start, Cui Ling must have been sent to Shufeng Studio with ulterior motives.

It was to make the brother touch her and get her pregnant with the Gu bloodline. Then as a mother, she could ascend to become the main madam of the Marquis Residence.

Yet she also hadn't expected the brother's legs to deteriorate more year after year...

"A Ning..." Gu Ying's nose soured. She couldn't help but gently ask, "You deliberately did this so that evil woman wouldn't touch you, right?"

Deliberately pulling filth onto the bed to disgust Cui Ling and make her unwilling to make a move.

Gu Ning finally rolled over to look at Gu Ying, his reddened eyes brimming with tears.

That gaze contained the deepest despair and the most helpless desperation.

Gu Ying smiled through her tears, caressing his gaunt cheeks with her small hand. "Don't grit your teeth and deal with the villains alone anymore. From now on, sister will protect you."