RPAGF Chapter 408 Asking for trouble
Chapter 408 Asking for trouble
“Madam Gu,” Granny Liu said with a forced smile, her voice drawn out.
"This old servant has come on the orders of Consort Shu. Her Highness is kind and sent her capable servants to the General's residence, hoping they could share the General's burdens and relieve the Madam's worries. But it seems that the Madam does not appreciate this kindness?"
She paused, her eyes sharpened, and her tone became somewhat questioning.
“Yingyue and Qinghe, those two maids, were clever and capable in the palace, but when they came to the general’s mansion, they were left out in the side courtyard by the madam and couldn’t even see the general.”
"Is Madam acting this way because she is narrow-minded and cannot tolerate the good intentions of Consort Shu?"
Granny Liu's voice suddenly rose, filled with undisguised accusation: "Or is it that Madam is jealous and forbids the General from getting close to other women? This is against the virtues of a woman. If word gets out, wouldn't it dampen the General's spirit of fighting for the country?"
These words were quite impolite, practically a blatant insult to Chu Ruohan, calling her a jealous woman.
Yu Ling stood behind Chu Ruohan, her face pale with anger. If Chu Ruohan hadn't given her a signal, she would have rushed up to argue.
Chu Ruohan seemed to be frightened by Liu Mama's harsh words. Her eyes suddenly reddened, and large tears rolled down her cheeks. Her voice was thick with nasal tone and sobs, and she sounded extremely aggrieved.
"Granny, please understand! It's not that I'm jealous, it's just... it's just that I've been wronged!"
She picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped the corner of her eye, her shoulders trembling slightly.
"I am delighted that my two younger sisters have come to my household. However... however, the general is very busy with official duties and works tirelessly day and night to serve the country. He has no other intentions toward my two younger sisters."
"I have repeatedly advised the General to treat all his women equally and not neglect his sisters, but the General always says..."
“He always says that his heart belongs only to his wife. Now that his wife is pregnant and has difficulty moving around, he is even more unwilling to be distracted by anything else, saying that he is afraid of disturbing his wife’s pregnancy.”
At this point, Chu Ruohan broke down in tears, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
“After my two younger sisters entered the manor, I have provided them with the best food and drink and have never neglected them in the slightest. Their clothing, food, and lodging are all in accordance with the allowances for the noble concubines in the manor.”
"But the general refuses to see them. What can a mere woman like me do? I can't very well tie the general up and send him to my two sisters' room, can I?"
She raised her teary eyes and looked at Granny Liu, her voice tinged with helplessness.
"If you don't believe me, you can ask the General yourself. I... I have my own difficulties!"
Granny Liu was speechless at Chu Ruohan's sudden tearful outburst.
The whole accusatory speech she had prepared was now like a punch hitting cotton; she couldn't muster any strength at all.
Chu Ruohan completely shirked responsibility, her every word revolving around the general.
She put on an act of being virtuous, kind, and understanding, yet helpless, making it impossible for her to find any fault with her.
She had intended to seize the opportunity to lash out and give Chu Ruohan a taste of her power, to let her know how formidable Consort Shu was, but she did not expect the other party to react in this way, cleverly passing the buck to the General of the State.
For a moment, Granny Liu found herself in a dilemma, opening her mouth but not knowing how to respond.
She couldn't very well question the General Zhenguo, who held considerable military power, about why he didn't favor the woman sent by Consort Shu, could she?
Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?
Just as the atmosphere in the hall was tense, and Granny Liu's face turned pale and then red, feeling extremely embarrassed, a steady and powerful footstep came from outside the door.
"What's the fuss about?"
Gu Junze, dressed in a black outfit, strode in with a tall and straight posture.
He had just returned from the military camp, still carrying the chilling aura of battle, and his gaze swept over everyone in the hall.
Finally, the focus shifted to Chu Ruohan, who was on the verge of tears, and Liu Mama, whose face looked grim.
"General!" Upon seeing Gu Junze, Chu Ruohan felt as if she had found her pillar of support. She rushed over to him, crying, and winked at him.
Gu Junze stepped forward, took Chu Ruohan's arm, and helped her sit down again, but his eyes were practically overflowing with laughter.
He turned his head to look at Granny Liu, his face instantly darkening, his tone as cold as the winter wind.
"When did it become anyone else's business to interfere in my family affairs?"
When Liu Mama was stared at by Gu Junze's chilling gaze, her heart skipped a beat, and her previous arrogance immediately diminished by three points. She managed to force a smile.
"General, you misunderstand. This old servant is here on the orders of Consort Shu to visit you..."
"I appreciate Consort Shu's kindness," Gu Junze interrupted her without any politeness, his voice as cold and hard as iron.
"But Gu Junze's backyard doesn't need anyone else to arrange it. My wife is virtuous and kind, and not a jealous person. I know this better than anyone else."
He turned his gaze to Chu Ruohan, his voice softening slightly: "Madam has been wronged."
Then, he looked at Granny Liu again, his eyes sharp as knives: "Yingyue and Qinghe entered the General's Mansion, but instead of keeping to their proper place, they reported the affairs of the mansion to the palace and stirred up trouble."
"Such women are not to be tolerated in my general's mansion."
Gu Junze's tone suddenly changed, carrying an undeniable authority: "Since you've come today, don't let it be a wasted trip. Take both of them back to the palace."
"It will save them from being unhappy living in my general's mansion and constantly thinking about sending messages to the palace, thus ruining the reputation of my general's mansion and my wife!"
Upon hearing this, Granny Liu's face turned deathly pale.
Take the person back?
These two people were spies that Consort Shu had repeatedly instructed her to plant in the General's Mansion. If she were to take them back like this, how could Consort Shu possibly forgive her?
She originally came to show off and put pressure on Chu Ruohan, but she never expected that Gu Junze would be so protective of his wife, even going so far as to kick her out!
This is hardly a visit; it's a direct slap in the face to Consort Shu!
Granny Liu's lips trembled as she tried to say something, but looking at Gu Junze's gloomy face, she couldn't utter a single word.
The eunuchs she brought were now completely silent, not daring to even breathe loudly.
"General... this... how can this be..." Cold sweat beaded on Liu Mama's forehead, and her voice trembled.
Gu Junze snorted coldly: "If I say it's okay, then it's okay! Or do you think that I can't even make this kind of decision?"
Granny Liu dared not utter another word. She had lost all face today, and if she stayed any longer, things would only get worse.
She cursed Yingyue and Qinghe in her heart. If it weren't for those two idiots telling on her, things wouldn't have gotten to this point!
In the end, amidst the sympathetic or disdainful gazes of the servants, Granny Liu, along with the eunuchs, fled the general's mansion in a disheveled and humiliating state.
He didn't even dare to see Yingyue and Qinghe...