Chapter 28: Breaking the Household Rules

As the charcoal was carried into the mansion, the echoes of maidservants' inquiries filled the air, along with the self-assured words of the young mistress, "Black or white, you'll see for yourselves," and the despondent face of the young master...

It didn't take a few days for the servants of the Duke Zhen's mansion to imagine a young master covered in a dark glow. It was truly heartbreaking, suffocating.

Was the young mistress afraid that the young master would be stolen by other female bandits if he went out, hence her cruel treatment? If the young master was truly so powerless, allowing the young mistress to do as she pleased, they could only hope that after the young master turned into charcoal, he wouldn't go out at night.

It would be best if he didn't go out during the day either. Leave the young mistress alone to enjoy him, the beauty of darkness they couldn't appreciate.

Gu Yunfeng's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot when he saw the sympathetic and pained gazes. Glancing at Ziling, he gritted his teeth. "Don't go too far!"

Ziling looked back at him. "Do you believe them or believe in me?" she asked with a smile.

"I believe them."

"...."

Ziling blinked her eyes, her gaze flowing, as clear as the blue sky.

Gu Yunfeng thought he might be overthinking. She couldn't be that heartless.

However, Ziling changed the subject, remained silent, and said, "You believe they are right."

Gu Yunfeng: "!!!"

Afraid of being extinguished by Gu Yunfeng's gaze, Ziling shrugged her shoulders and turned to enter the mansion.

Just as she took a few steps, a maid came over and respectfully said, "Young Master, Young Mistress, the Old Madam wants you to go to Qihetang."

Ziling had a bad premonition.

She hadn't even had breakfast yet.

She looked at Gu Yunfeng.

It had to be said that the two of them had a bit of unspoken understanding when it came to showing affection. So, Gu Yunfeng ordered, "The young mistress is hungry, bring a few steamed buns."

Although she didn't like eating steamed buns.

Qianqian was behind her, and she licked her lips, saying, "And me, and me, I want some too."

Afraid that the servant would run too far and not hear, Qianqian shouted loudly, "Bring more meat buns!"

In no time, the servant came back with the buns and steamed buns.

Ziling was truly hungry, so she casually took a meat bun and handed it to Gu Yunfeng. "You haven't had breakfast either, eat more."

Gu Yunfeng took the meat bun and noticed two black fingerprints on it.

Ziling took the charcoal from his hand.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw Ziling wiping her hands with a handkerchief, then taking the bun again. Seeing him not moving, she said, "Go ahead, eat, don't be polite."

Gu Yunfeng felt powerless.

"This bun tastes really good."

Taking a bite, Ziling praised.

Qianqian held a tray with a bun stuffed in her mouth, unable to speak, only nodding repeatedly.

After finishing one bun, Ziling looked at Gu Yunfeng again.

"Why aren't you eating? Oh, by the way, don't forget to send the chef my father wanted. I think the one who made these meat buns did a great job."

Gu Yunfeng "..."

Putting down the bun, Gu Yunfeng, who didn't feel like talking, silently picked up a steamed bun and ate it leisurely.

Compared to him, Ziling and the maidservants were gobbling down their food, with no grace at all.

They finished breakfast halfway through.

Inside the Qihetang hall, it was a lively scene.

In addition to the old lady, there were the Nanting County Princess, the second madam, the third madam, and the younger generation like Gu Jinyu.

Seeing them walk in, their eyes were fixed on the bruised eye of Gu Yunfeng, although it no longer hurt, the bruise was still prominent.

Ziling thought everyone would ask who beat up Gu Yunfeng's eye.

But unexpectedly, she was the one being asked. Gu Jinyu curiously asked, "Sister-in-law, I heard that you had someone beat up your eldest brother. Is it true?"

Ziling "..."

Can we not mention that?

Her own elder brother didn't care, but she did.

I'll thank you on behalf of my elder brother.

Ziling didn't answer.

Gu Jinyu changed the question again, "Are all you bandits so quick to turn against your own kin?"

Ziling "..."

Everyone was looking at her, waiting for her answer.

Taking a deep breath, Ziling smiled and said, "I had someone beat up my elder brother. He always said he would protect me and not let anyone hurt me even a hair, so I had my husband, the Prince Jingguo, and the others give him a lesson, let him experience setbacks, and work harder to become capable of protecting me. Is there a problem?"

She asked with a righteous tone.

Gu Yunfeng "..."

If he didn't know the truth of the matter, he might have believed it.

A brother who protected her in exchange for being publicly beaten up by his own younger sister, Gu Yunfeng also felt sympathetic towards Zhou Qingyu.

Seeing everyone silent, Ziling looked at Gu Yunfeng.

"With my elder brother's current martial arts skills, he may not be able to take on four opponents at once, but three should be no problem, right, darling?" Her tone had a hint of pride.

"Yes."

He was adept at fighting two opponents at once, and he could handle three opponents without any issues.

Gu Jinyu felt a bit disappointed. Although Ziling had beaten her older brother to a bruised and swollen state, it was still not a significant advantage for the Jingguo Marquis's heir and his group. If all those injuries were counted on one person, they would probably be lying on the ground unable to get up.

Though defeated, they were still victorious in a way.

Gu Jinyu couldn't see Ziling's miserable state as she had hoped. After she retreated, the Princess of Nanting County immediately confronted them, her gaze cold and stern. "I told you to handle those charcoals at the main gate, and you simply moved them back to Chenxiang Pavilion?"

"Not just move, she not only accepted those charcoals that were used to humiliate her, but she also wants others to continue sending them, and even bamboo charcoal." The Third Madam sneered with a strange tone, her eyes filled with disdain. "You want some charcoals, will my husband's residence, the Duke's Mansion, not give them to you? How big is your face that you need to apply so much charcoal?"

Laughter came from all directions.

Ziling blinked her eyes.

She wasn't angry at all.

"I can't possibly use that much on my own. Good things are meant to be shared. The Old Madam, Mother, the two aunts, and the girls in the mansion, we can also use them for gifts and favors. Those charcoals are really not enough." She looked serious.

Gu Yunfeng rubbed his forehead.

It wasn't enough to find trouble at Chenxiang Pavilion; now she was being insolent at Qihetang as well.

They wouldn't indulge her like he did.

The Princess of Nanting County was so angry that she wanted to slam the table. "You haven't caused enough trouble for the Young Master; now you want to drag us down too?!"

When did she cause trouble for Gu Yunfeng?

Well, she did snatch someone on the street, she couldn't deny that.

But after she entered the mansion, Gu Yunfeng clearly went from near death to lively and energetic again. That was something everyone could see.

"It's a good thing," Ziling argued.

What kind of good thing was this?

A bandit was a bandit. They had no worldly experience, mistaking a fish's eye for a precious pearl.

Gu Jinyu sneered, "Such a good thing, let your sister-in-law keep it for herself and your brother. We don't need it!"

"...Are you really not considering it?" Ziling looked hopeful.

Consider what?

Consider letting her apply the charcoal to their faces?! She couldn't face anyone if these words got out!

The Princess of Nanting County waved her hand in disgust. "Take them to the ancestral temple and reflect for three hours!"

Ziling frowned and looked at Gu Yunfeng. "What did we do wrong?"

Gu Yunfeng didn't say a word.

Over there, a book was thrown and landed right in front of Ziling.

Ziling thought it might have been thrown at her, but it missed.

When she lowered her head, she saw two big characters.

Family rules.

Did they break the family rules?

"Read it carefully! If you make the same mistake again, it won't be as simple as kneeling for three hours!" Princess Nanting's voice was icy cold.

How long does one have to flip through this thick book of rules?

Ziling's eyes flickered.

She lifted her foot.

And kicked the book of rules right next to Gu Yunfeng.

Her movements were fluid and graceful.

Everyone stared in disbelief, unable to react for a while.

The old lady slammed the table and exclaimed, "You dare!"

Ziling quickly picked up the book of rules, dusted it off, and apologized, "Sorry for my impudence. I didn't know we couldn't kick the rules."

After saying that, she tossed the book to Gu Yunfeng.

She threw it too quickly.

Gu Yunfeng didn't react in time, and it fell to the ground, landing exactly where Ziling had kicked it earlier.

Everyone: "...!!!"

Ziling looked at Gu Yunfeng with admiration.

She's good at improvising.

Gu Yunfeng held her forehead.

Who's cooperating with her?

Is she trying to make everyone suffocate with anger so she can dominate the Marquis's mansion with her maidservants?

Princess Nanting was trembling with anger, especially under the reproachful gaze of the old lady. She shouted, "Drag her out! If she dares to resist, make her kneel on the bench and give her a severe beating!"

Two maidservants stepped forward and said, "Please, Young Madam!"

Ziling looked at Gu Yunfeng.

Gu Yunfeng held her hand and indulgently said, "Let's go."

Let's go...

Big brother, that's kneeling for three hours, aren't you struggling?

Gu Yunfeng didn't resist. Her lone struggle was useless. Ziling silently followed her out of the Qihetang.

She believed that Gu Yunfeng wouldn't just give in like this.

After leaving Qihetang, Ziling realized something.

Gu Yunfeng asked for steamed buns from her, not because they had an understanding.

He had an understanding with the people of the Marquis's mansion!

He had anticipated being punished, so he ate to his heart's content!

"Which rule did we actually break?" Ziling asked.

"Not dignified and self-restrained, noble and clean enough," Gu Yunfeng replied.

"...."

She wasn't dignified enough yesterday on the street, but noble and clean enough...

"Because I mentioned smearing charcoal on the face, so now I'm not noble and clean enough?" Ziling was speechless.

Gu Yunfeng "..."

As for being noble, let's not talk about it. Can he honestly say he's very clean?

"If smearing charcoal means kneeling in the ancestral hall, then in the end, it's only our Xie family's ancestors who will see the darkness," Ziling said.

Gu Yunfeng "..."

"Yesterday, you didn't tell me that it was a violation of the rules when we were displaying affection," Ziling said.

Gu Yunfeng glanced at her and said, "I did tell you. But did you stop?"

Ziling fell silent for a moment and said, "I will definitely continue displaying affection, but I can find a way to maintain dignity, self-restraint, and nobility and cleanliness, so that you alone will be punished."

Gu Yunfeng "...!!!"

How could she say something so heartless and unfeeling with such confidence?

I can't help but want to strangle her.

Anyway, she won't kneel for three hours.

"You'll vomit blood and faint later," Ziling said.

Gu Yunfeng felt like he was really going to vomit blood.

He didn't say anything, and Ziling continued, "If you can't vomit it out, I'll help you."

Gu Yunfeng "...!!!"

Taking a deep breath, he asked, "Are you sure you want me to vomit blood?"

Ziling looked at him.

Gu Yunfeng had a look on his face that said, "If you really want me to do that, I'll comply."

Ziling had a sudden realization!

If he vomited blood and fainted now, she would be the only one left kneeling!

Ziling didn't say anything.

Gu Yunfeng assumed she had changed her mind.

Once they entered the ancestral hall, Ziling made up her mind and said, "You should still vomit blood. I can be infected by your blood."

Gu Yunfeng "...".