Chapter 335

Sun Mammy's fingers clenched tightly, paused for a moment, and said, "It was a scholar who lived next door at that time... Because the Duke was rarely with the Madam back then, the Madam had no choice but to think of a despicable trick. She took advantage of the scholar's absence and became pregnant with his child, then deliberately claimed it was the Duke's... The Duke had no choice. He originally wanted to make the Madam miscarry with an abortion decoction, but the Madam had already anticipated this scene and threw a fit in front of the old Duke beforehand... That's how the child survived. The old Duke was adamant not to let the Madam enter the mansion at the time, let alone make her the official Madam. So he arranged the marriage between the Duke and Mrs. Lin..."

Gu Ying couldn't believe it. She twitched her lips in disbelief. She could hardly believe Cheng was so shameless that she could do something like this - letting the Duke's mansion raise her son while trying to use Zhao Changxing to usurp the Duke's title. She was simply audacious!

Sun Mammy continued, "After Mrs. Lin married into the Zhao family, the Madam spent every day plotting how to marry into the Duke's mansion... Although Mrs. Lin was not from a prominent family, she came from a scholarly lineage and was gentle, virtuous, chaste, and beautiful. She knew nothing about the Duke having a concubine and child before marrying into the family... If the Madam had not spread the news far and wide, and kept showing up with her child to flaunt in front of Mrs. Lin, Mrs. Lin would not have become depressed during pregnancy and developed heart problems... After Mrs. Lin became pregnant, the Duke warned the Madam to stop for a period of time, so she laid low for a while. But then after Mrs. Lin gave birth to the current Heir Apparent, the Madam could no longer sit still... So she came up with a way..."

Sun Mammy choked up with tears welling in her eyes. Still, she continued word for word, each sentence stabbing Gu Ying's heart like a knife.

As an outsider who had never met Mrs. Lin, Gu Ying already felt Cheng was vicious, sinister, and ruthless. How would the Heir Apparent feel if he heard this? He was just a child who lost his mother back then, tortured by his stepmother into something no longer human. It was a miracle he survived in the Duke's mansion at all. If not for the old Duke, who knows what would have become of him...

Cheng was too despicable, too petty, too vicious!

How could someone like her still sit proudly in the position of the Duke's Madam?!

...

It was a deep spring in April, with birds singing and flowers blooming all over Bianjing.

Zhao Changdu came out of Prince Duan's manor in dark gray robes, elegant and aloof.

The night was pitch black, with a light drizzle that started in the evening and continued until now.

Prince Duan saw him off at the back door, still wearing a heavy padded coat in late spring. He gathered his sleeves, his fair complexion still somewhat sickly. "Take an umbrella. I'll have someone send you back to the Duke's mansion." "No need. Riding back will be faster." Zhao Changdu signaled to Huai'an to bring his horse over.

Li Hao's handsome face revealed a hint of yearning. The corners of his pale lips curved up slightly. "Brother Du's feelings for Second Miss Gu really makes one envious."

Zhao Changdu stood by his side, glancing at him from the corner of his eyes. "When do you plan to release Ning Si?"

Li Hao's eyes turned cold. "As long as she refuses to agree to marry Zhou Yan, I won't let her go."

"Aren't you afraid of provoking General Ning?"

Li Hao sneered, though his eyes turned icy. "I'm afraid General Ning would be happy to marry his daughter to me."

Zhao Changdu made no comment. His exquisite cold eyes were pure and aloof, seemingly without any ripples. "Let me give Your Highness a word of advice. Don't overdo it and hurt Ning Si's heart. It will be harder than reaching heaven to win her back then."

Li Hao's heart tensed. His fists tucked in his wide sleeves tightened. His gaze darkened slightly. "She's pregnant with Zhou Yan's child."

It would be one thing before, when he didn't have long to live. He could have generously let her fly off with Zhou Yan. But now that his health was gradually recovering and he had a brighter future ahead, why did she have to be with Zhou Yan at this time?

He could accept them getting engaged, but why did she have to give herself to Zhou Yan in Yueyang?

In just a few months, she transferred her feelings to another man?

Her love for him was too cheap!

The day he brought her back to the manor, he nearly lost his senses and aborted the bastard child in her belly!

He hated her heartlessness, her fickleness, her ability to stop loving in an instant... The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't let her go.

Zhao Changdu understood his pain, but didn't agree with his current approach - illegally detaining her in the manor and coercing her like this would only drive Ning Si to desperation.

"Don't let this become an excuse for Li Yang to attack you." After a long silence, Li Hao replied coldly, "Don't worry, brother Du. I know what to do."

Zhao Changdu took one last look at him. Seeing that he had calmed down, he mounted his horse and left the manor.

...

Returning to Changfeng Pavilion, lamps were lit everywhere.

Just seeing the lit corridor and knowing Ying was inside waiting for him, no matter how tired he felt after a long day out, it would all melt away as soon as he got home.

In high spirits, he strode down the corridor and into the room.

"The Heir Apparent is back!"

The maids waiting in the corridor called out as he arrived.

Gu Ying sat under the banana tree by the south window, spacing out while listening to the light patter of rain on banana leaves. Though not heavy, the rain cast a gloomy mood.

"What are you thinking about?"

The man's sexy, low voice sounded by her ear, jolting Gu Ying back to her senses. She looked up at the depth of his phoenix eyes.

She pressed her lips tightly together and silently threw herself into his arms.

Surprised by her actions, Zhao Changdu immediately embraced her and adjusted to a more comfortable position, letting her sit comfortably in his lap.

Gu Ying naturally draped her arms around his slender neck, resting her chin on his shoulder, and complained in a muffled voice, "Changdu, have you ever thought about your mother?"

Zhao Changdu's back stiffened slightly, realizing she meant not Lady Baomo Hall but that woman. He was silent for a moment before replying vaguely with a faint smile, "Why bring this up all of a sudden?"

Gu Ying hugged him tightly. She knew the heir's discord with the Duke was because of Mrs. Lin's death. Thinking of him losing his mother so young and struggling alone in this mansion with an uncaring father and vicious stepmother, it pained her deeply.

But she didn't plan on keeping the truth about Mrs Lin's murder by Cheng from the heir either. He deserved to know.