Chapter 16: Calm After the Storm

Madam Gu placed her teacup on the table and wore a worried expression.

“Are you saying that it’s true? This girl wants to escape?”

“Yes, it’s true. And the young miss of the Gu family doesn’t seem to recognize me. My sister used to serve her closely at the estate. Although my sister and I look alike, we’re not so similar that she wouldn’t recognize me at all.”

“After this girl woke up, it was like she was a different person. Could it be that she has some sort of special ability? But it’s hard to believe that she wouldn’t even recognize her wet nurse. Unfortunately, Little Su died early. That’s why I called you here. You need to stay by her side and report to me on her every move.”

Little Su was the real wet nurse who had recently died in a riot. When Madam Gu sent someone to the estate to retrieve Little Su, they found out that she had a younger sister who was collecting her body and taking it back to their hometown.

Madam Gu didn’t waste any time and had Little Su’s younger sister pretend to be Little Su. She wanted to test Gu Yunru, but she never expected that the plan would backfire.

“You look like her, but don’t reveal any flaws. This girl is very cunning.”

Madam Gu repeated her instructions again and again. If this stupid girl really goes to the royal palace, can she guarantee that the Gu family will obtain wealth and status?

“Yes, my sister and I grew up together. I can imitate her manners and way of speaking perfectly. The young miss will never suspect anything.”

“Good. You will be rewarded for your efforts. You can go now, but stay in the garden if you have nothing else to do.”

“Yes, madam.”

Gu Yunru returned to her room to pack her things. She bundled up all the gold, silver, and valuables. She had nothing tying her down here, so she might as well bring some money and live freely!

After packing everything, she suddenly thought of something and paused. She went to the wet nurse’s room and found her sewing. The wet nurse had a gentle and kind smile on her face.

“Wet nurse, why are you still working so late?”

“The young miss is about to get married. I wanted to make some new bellybands for her.”

“You don’t have to do that anymore. The scent is so nice.”

Gu Yunru smelled a scent that was not present in her courtyard and realized that the wet nurse had gone somewhere else.

“It’s nothing, I just applied some spices on this fabric. The silk and satin that the prince sent were of excellent quality, and it’s unlikely that we will find such good fabric elsewhere.”

Gu Yunru sat down at the table and poured a pot of tea. She raised her eyebrows and said, “Wet nurse, I’ve made up my mind. You and Qingxing will leave the capital.”

“What? Miss, it’s about your marriage…”

“What marriage? That’s a matter for the Gu family, and it has nothing to do with me. They want to restrain me, but now my weakness is only you and Qingxing. As long as you two are safe, it’s good enough for me.”

Gu Yunru took her hand seriously and noticed that there were no calluses on it, as if she had never done any heavy work. In the past few years, Xiao Su had been doing heavy and messy work on the farm, so how could there be no calluses on her hands?

Gu Yunru felt that something was wrong when she touched her hands. She saw Xiao Su frowning and looking indecisive.

“This may not be good… it’s a crime of deceiving the emperor. The Gu family will suffer severe punishment.”

Gu Yunru didn’t take her words to heart. Instead, she smelled her clothes and discovered that they were also infused with the scent of ink fragrance brought from the Ink Fragrance Pavilion. This ink fragrance only bloomed in winter, and its roots and soil were fragrant. Gu Yunru felt that she had smelled it before in madam Gu’s room and in the Buddhist hall.

“Wet nurse, did Lady Gu call you today?”

“No… I’ve been in the garden all day and haven’t been anywhere else.”

Seeing the wet nurse’s guilty look, Gu Yunru slammed the table and prepared to intimidate her.

“Liar, look at this. What is it?”

The wet nurse didn’t know what was behind her until Gu Yunru took it out. Her eyes grew more nervous, and she didn’t dare to look at her.

“If I’m not mistaken, these pine needles should have been picked up in front of the first madam’s door. The first madam likes to play with exotic flowers and plants at the door, and the scent on you should also be from her courtyard. Did you not leave the garden today?”

The Garden of Temple Flowers was where Gu Yunru temporarily resided. It was originally an abandoned house, but old Master Gu had it cleaned up and prepared for them. However, it was not as comfortable as the place where Gu Junyao and her sister lived.

“Miss, are you suspecting me?”

The wet nurse’s face was very pale. She wished she could kneel down immediately to prove her innocence.

“It’s not suspicion, it’s a certainty. You are not my wet nurse,” said Gu Yunru, her tone icy and her eyes fixed ahead.

“How could that be? If I am not the young lady’s wet nurse, wouldn’t Qingxing have recognized me at a glance?” Gu Yunru couldn’t be bothered to pretend anymore and spoke with a cold, harsh tone.

Although the wet nurse was anxious, she tried her best to pretend otherwise, thinking of what the lady had instructed her. She mustn’t show her guilty conscience and reveal herself. This young lady was indeed like a spirit.

“I heard from Qingxing that you have a twin sister. After serving diligently in the Gu mansion for so many years, how could you not have left any calluses?” Gu Yunru said, her gaze piercing and cold, quickly grabbing the wet nurse’s hand and holding it high in the air.

“Speak, who sent you to me? Was it Gu Junyao, or was it Gu Junyue?”

The wet nurse trembled with fear. Her lips and jaw were shaking as she desperately shook her head.

“Young Lady…this servant…this servant was sent by Madam Gu to watch over the Young Lady.”

“I knew it. How could Gu Junyao and Gu Junyue have such a brain? You were actually set up by Madam Gu.”

“Young Lady, please don’t blame this servant. This servant’s life is already Madam Gu’s…”

The nanny hung her head, full of guilt.

“Okay, I’m not blaming you, but I can’t keep you by my side.” Gu Yunru dared not keep such a person around, as she had just arrived in this body and was not familiar with her surroundings.

“Young Lady, please let me stay by your side. Madam Gu has already instructed me that if I’m exposed by the Young Lady, she’ll chop me up and feed me to the dogs. I want to keep this worthless life to serve the Young Lady!”

Seeing her kowtowing with such fervor, banging her head until it bled, Gu Yunru said, “Alright, alright, don’t k⁰owtow to me like that. If you want to stay by my side, it’s not impossible, but you can’t tell Madam Gu about what happened today.”

Gu Yunru felt uneasy inside and suddenly flashed with faces in her mind. Rong Zhen, who still had toxins in his body, she didn’t know how he was doing.