Chapter 1 The Bride Serving Tea

Full disclaimer this work is not mine. And should the author ask me to take it down, please contact me and I will take it down.

At dawn, Gu Yun turned over, she didn't sleep all night, and her brain was dizzy. The big red candle has not yet burned out, and from time to time you can hear the crackling sound of the candle.

The red gauze curtain, the red quilt, the big red words "happy" on the screen wall, and the hill made of longan, lotus seeds and peanuts on the table. This was her wedding night, but Gu Yun didn't feel happy at all..

On their wedding night, the groom went out to drink all night and did not return. She was left alone in the wedding room, and the servant  that went out to look for him has not returned, probably he cannot be found.

Although she knew who she was marrying, she still couldn't help but be sad. This is a wedding night in the wedding room, which woman is not looking forward to marrying, to be with her husband.

Gu Yun wondered whether her choice was right or wrong. She is a concubine-born daughter from the Pingyang Hou Mansion, and she is considered marrying up when she is married, but she has been proficient in everything from piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting since she was a child. With this level of status, what is the difference between her and Pei Shu?

Just marry such a playboy who was ignorant, and even runs out to drink on the wedding night.

After maintaining her reputation for several years, she looks forward to marrying a good family and marrying Pei Shu, she does not need Pei Shu to be good to her, but at least there should be decency and respect.

It will be time to get up and serve tea to the elders of the Duke's Mansion in a while. She don't know where Pei Shu is. Thinking about it, if she returns home in the same way in three days, it will be extremely embarrassing.

Gu Yun turned over, the matter has come to this, and it is useless to be sad.

Gu Yun sat up and called Qingyun and Lu Shao to come in, these two are her dowry maids, and they have grown up with her since she was a child. Regardless if Pei Shu comes back or not, she had to serve tea.

The elders of the Pei family also know who Pei Shu is, in short, they are in the wrong this time. Since they are in the wrong, she will not suffer this embarrassing loss in vain.

Qingyun and Lu Shao were about to push the door in to serve Gu Yun to freshen up, and the senior maid of Chengxin Courtyard, Chunyu asked: "Qingyun, can this slaves serve Madame ?" ”

She waited outside all night, and  there was no news of Shizi, (TLnote:it means the heir) it was already time to go to the tea ceremony in a while.

Qingyun said coldly: "Madame only called us in, Aunt Chunyu stay here to wait for the heir, in case  Shizi comes back drunk, there was someone to serve." ”

Chunyu smiled even dryer, she didn't want to say anything more, turned sideways, and watched Qingyun and Lu Shao carry the copper basin filled with hot water.

When the door closed, Chunyu turned around and sighed, telling the little maids under the eaves what to do.

"Prepare the rice in the small kitchen, hot tea, and warm water, go to the front door and guard the side door, if the heir comes back, tell me first." Chunyu's eyebrows were about to wrinkle to death, "Is there no news at all?"

"Aunt Chunyu, I have search all the taverns and gambling houses that the heir frequent, but there are  none."

Chunyu's body trembled. She felt that the sky was about to fall. She thought that the son just liked to play, but he really is ignorant. If it caused them to be hated by the young lady...

"How can this be good."　

　*

Not only did Gu Yun not sleep all night, but the Ying Duke did not sleep this night.

He rubbed his eyebrows, it was bright outside, and the sun would have come out if he waited any longer, he called to the boy outside the door, "People haven't been found yet?"

Soon a voice came from outside the door, "Master, there is no news yet..."

The Ying duke's chest heaved, his eyes were as wide as copper bells, and he pointed at the door and scolded: "This rebel! ”

As soon as the words fell, a pair of slender jade hands touched his chest, and Xu Shi leaned over, and said while assuring him: "Master please calm down, it is not worth being angry for such a thing."

The Ying Duke: "How old is he to do such a thing? Forget about the usual misdeeds, what day was yesterday, he was married, a day of great joy!"

He seemed to be angry, "If it goes on like this, he won't be an heir anymore!"

Xu Shi followed and sighed, "Master is angry, Shizi won't listen to anything that the concubine advises, but Shizi loves to play on weekdays, and there is no one around to persuade, after becoming a couple, it will naturally be fine, don't hurt the relationship between father and son because of a momentary anger." 

The Ying Duke panted heavily, looking at the bed curtain, "...I can't control him, I just hope his wife can cure him."

After lying down all night, there was no result. The Ying Duke got up and out of bed, and Mrs. Xu followed him to help him get dressed. The Ying Duke waved his hand, "Lie down."

Seeing that the Ying father was about to get dressed, Mrs. Xu leaned on the bed, hesitating to speak, the Ying father frowned, "What's wrong?"

"Master, is it because this concubine is not doing well enough, that's why Shizi... I remember that when my sister was here, the son was very motivated."

"It has nothing to do with you, it's because he is lazy and stubborn." After finishing speaking, the Ying Duke went out with the morning dew on his face.

Mrs. Xu looked at the door, and after a while, the her personal nanny came in.

Mother Xu leaned into her ear and said, "Shizi is in the alleys in the south of the city. Most people can't find him. He drank too much and won't wake up before noon"

Then Mrs. Xu felt relieved, "Is there any movement in Chengxinyuan?"

"Someone went to look for him, but they haven't found anyone yet. The young lady will definitely remember this night in her heart, the old slave is afraid that the young lady will go against you." Madam Xu just doesn't quite understand, since Pei Shu has lost his status in the Duke's heart, it is just a matter of time before he loses his position as the heir, so why bother marrying him to the daughter of the Marquis of Pingyang.

It's fine to marry someone mediocre, but Gu Yun is obviously not.

As a servant, she has heard a lot, such as going to the poetry competition to win the first prize, giving alms outside the city, and saving Princess An, a daughter-in-law, who can overwhelm her mother-in-law, how can it be a fuel-efficient lamp.

Mrs. Xu said: "You don't understand this. Pei Shu has been so stubborn all these years. If the Master doesn't say anything, he will suspect that I intend to indulge him. If I arrange a marriage at will, I will not be able to justify it. Which daughter of the aristocratic family wants to marry him? Gu Yun is the only one who is willing to marry him. Gu Yun's temperament is not bad. On the wedding night, her husband didn't come home all night, and the husband and wife were separated. How could she swallow this breath if she wanted to have strong backing? In the future, Pei Shu will lose his position as the son..."

Mrs. Xu smiled, "She married in with the intention of becoming the wife of the eldest son, and she will definitely have resentment towards Pei Shu then."

Nanny Xu suddenly realized, and Mrs. Xu glanced at her lightly, and said, "No matter whether they can be a couple or not, Gu Yun will not let Pei Shu go easily. As for whether she will deal with me, how old is she? The salt I have eaten is more than the rice she eats."

A little girl, she doesn't take it to heart.

So, even if Gu Yun is not easy to provoke, Pei Shu is the one who suffers.

Mother Xu laughed foolishly, "It's still Madam who is thoughtful."

"I can't help it. It's hard to make a successor, and I was brought up by my concubine. Jing'er studies hard and is good at everything. If Pei Shu is the match, what can I say? I can only blame him for not living up to it, let's just wait, master really thinks that he can calm down after being married, and once again disappointed. It will not be far for Pei Shu to be abolished from being the heir."

Mrs. Xu got up and dressed, and drink tea for a while. If Pei Shu couldn't come back, she still had to comfort Gu Yun, "Take out my bracelet at the bottom of the box."

She was reluctant to take it with her on weekdays, and she didn't even give it to her daughter-in-law. Although she was reluctant to give it to Gu Yun, it was considered a wise use.

*

In April, the morning was foggy and extremely cold. Pei Shu got up from the pile of ashes, his head still dizzy.

Surrounded by a gray wall, there are piles of stove ashes and rotten vegetable leaves in the corner, and a tree with a few birds jumping on it.

Why is he here.

He remembered that when he stayed up all night recording data in the laboratory, he suddenly had a heart attack. Before he died, he heard someone calling for an ambulance.

He rubbed his temples, there are a lot of memories in his head that don't belong to him, messy, drinking, gambling, listening to music and watching operas, spending thousands of taels to buy a precious cricket, his brother got a degree in the exam, and looked at him with the eyes of trash, And on the wedding night last night, he put on the veil and went out to drink with the guests. After drinking for three rounds, he was not satisfied. Who knew who said something to continue drinking, and a few people pushed and shoved and went out.

After drinking, he leaned on the wall and walked out for an unknown amount of time. Finally, he fell into the rubbish pile at the entrance of the alley.

Pei Shu sat on the ground in a daze for a while before he realized that he was originally the heir of the Ying Dukedom. His mother died of illness when he was young, and his father adopted his aunt Xu as his stepmother. He was dissatisfied and had troubles every three days. I don't want to go there anymore, I play with cats and dogs, cats hate dogs, not even an eight-year-old child. (TLnote: I don't get this two sentences .-.)

At the age of marriage, no girl was willing to marry him, so her stepmother chose Gu Yun, a concubine-born daughter from the Pingyang Houfu, for him.

This is the only personal matter Xu has done in so many years.

Although Gu Yun is a concubine born, she is extremely beautiful and has a good reputation. Marrying him can be said to be like putting flowers on cow dung.

But the original owner didn't take it seriously, he should have fun. He thought Gu Yun was from Mrs. Xu, so he didn't care about it. He lifted his veil and went to drink.

Because he drank too much, he even lost his life.

Pei Shu sighed. He was good at reading since he was a child, and skipped grades one after another. He finished his Ph.D. at the age of 23 and entered the research institute directly. He began to study day and night and finally died of overwork.

In this era by accident, there is an extra daughter-in-law.

The original owner is in a difficult situation, but at least he is an heir. As long as he doesn't gamble and drink, he can live a good life. Coupled with his research during his lifetime, his life will not be too bad.

Pei Shu patted his face. He had never thought about getting married. Although he wasn't the one who visited the hall last night, he took her body. Gu Yun was his wife.

He doesn't know much about this dynasty, but he also knows how harsh it was to women in ancient times, and feelings can be cultivated. He accepts modern education and only recognizes monogamy.

Originally, scientific researchers like them have little private time. If he gets married in the future, he will probably be on a blind date. Gu Yun is his wife, so he should treat her well.

As for being a dude, who can't read big characters, no one thinks highly of him... Anyway, he doesn't care about such a false name, or how others think of him.

Pei Shu patted his clothes and sat up. He went back first and apologized to Gu Yun.

　　——————

The sun rose, and Gu Jun scared Chunyu as soon as she went out, how did the young lady's eyes be so red, her small face looked aggrieved, a crying look, she felt that the world was not fair, put such a good-looking bride to drink by herself, Chunyu lowered her head and saluted: "Young lady." ”

The gate of Chengxinyuan is open, two cypress trees are planted at the entrance of the courtyard, and red lanterns are hung on it, and the courtyard is very large, three in and three out, and there is a small garden behind it.

At this moment, the courtyard door was silent, the mother-in-law who guarded the door looked at her toes, and under the eaves stood a row of small maids, who looked like quails after saluting.

Gu Yun said, "Hasn't Shizi come back yet?"

Chunyu: "Shizi should be back in a while."

"Let’s not wait, I just entered the door, it's not good to let the elders wait, you go to the door to guard, if the Shizi comes back, let him go directly to the main hall."

Hearing Gu Yun says this, Chunyu hurriedly said: "Young lady, Shizi only went out to drink when he was happy for a while, and he didn't mean to look down on you!"

Gu Yun smiled, like a white flower that had been destroyed by wind and rain, "Is it?"

Gu Jun took the Qingyun and Lu Shao to the main hall, the Ying Mansion is large, there are more than a dozen yards, it takes half a quarter of an hour from the Chengxin courtyard to the main hall, through the hanging gate and the flower hall, and then arrived.

The main hall was full of people.

The head is the Ying duke and stepwife Xu, the Ying duke is blue and black under his eyes, Xu's dress is very plain, and outsiders never said a bad word about this step-wife.

It is said that stepmothers are difficult, and Xu is already good at doing this.

A few years after her marriage, her son Pei Jing passed the imperial exams and became famous. He focused on studying and had no idea about being the heir apparent. His daughter Pei Zhen was pretty and cute, and as a younger sister, she was humble and polite.

On the left sat the Aunt Liu, on the right sat the second son Pei Jing, next to him sat his wife, and a young son, and the two girls sitting behind both lowered their heads and couldn't see clearly.

The decoration of the main hall is simple and elegant, Gu Jun is a bride, so it's not good to look around, she pursed her lower lip and saluted, "The daughter-in-law came to toast tea to her father and mother." ”

The Ying Duke had a cold face, Xu Shi patted his hand, pursed her lips, and smiled: "I wronged you yesterday, and when Pei Shu comes back, I will punish him, he is playful, so you should be more patient."

Xu's eyes are gentle, Pei Shu can't come, being watched by so many people, toasting tea alone, I don't know how embarrassed, looking at Gu Yun's eyes are red like rabbits, I don't know how she cried last night.

She gently tugged at the sleeve of the Ying Duke, "The Shizi has not yet come, Ah Yun has stood for a long time, Master, let Ah Jun toast tea first."

As soon as the words fell, a voice came from outside the hall, "I'm late!"

Welp, that is for the first chapter. If you like it, please consider giving me some ko-fi *winks winks