Chapter 158

Gu Ying gave a soft hmm, really too shy to face anyone. In a muffled voice, she said, “Prince, you get up first, I’ll get up after.”

With so many people present, Zhao Changdu didn’t make things difficult for her either, and got up to go to the washroom.

Other than Gu Ying, he wasn’t used to being waited on by anyone else. No other woman dared to go near him.

But Yin Lan and Yanzhi had come to wait on Gu Ying to get out of bed.

As soon as the Prince left, Yin Lan and Yanzhi heaved a sigh of relief, and busied themselves around the bed.

Gu Ying finally poked her head out from under the quilt. Her little face was like a soaked mountain peach blossom, still with two streaks of tears below her eyes. Even so, there was not a trace of fatigue on her face. On the contrary, she seemed to have been nourished by sweet dew, like a pampered flower.

The corners of Yin Lan's mouth quirked up as she smiled and said, "My lady, it's time to get up, or else people will laugh at you."

Gu Ying made a shy hmm sound, and weakly sat up.

In the eyes of others, she was the epitome of lazy charm.

Yin Lan's eyes were sharp. At a glance, she saw the ambiguous marks on Gu Ying’s body. She quickly took some clothes to dress her in.

The Prince is really too unrestrained...

Gu Ying understood the meaning in her eyes. Blushes spread over her cheeks. Although her mind was still indulging in the afterglow Zhao Changdu had given her, she hadn't forgotten that today she was going to Cheng and the others to serve tea and pay her respects.

After getting dressed, she sat down in front of the bronze mirror to do her makeup.

A few unfamiliar old women had bowed to her, and hurried in saying they were going to tidy up the bed. They casually took away the bloodstained handkerchief that was spread on the bed.

Gu Ying glanced at them, but didn't interfere much. This handkerchief was prepared by the Prince. The blood on it... was also from when he cut his finger. Her face reddened again. After getting ready, the Prince was also prepared.

Today he wore a light purple robe, with a grey fur collar around his neck, setting off his extraordinarily handsome face, making him look even colder.

The jade belt around his robe made the man look tall and straight.

Previously, her understanding of his outstanding appearance had only been superficial. But now, it could be said that she knew this man's body inside and out.

And the smoky purple cropped jacket she wore seemed to be a natural match with him.

"Let's go. It's getting late, I'll take you over to serve them tea."

Zhao Changdu reached out his big hand, looking satisfied, his gaze falling on her face like a hunter eyeing his prey, as if he couldn't look enough.

Gu Ying unhappily placed her little hand in his palm. There were red clouds on her cheeks. "It's this late already. Isn't the Prince worried they'll be angry?"

Zhao Changdu held her hand as they walked out. He personally took the green bamboo umbrella from Yin Lan's hands and held it over Gu Ying's head. His lips curled into a cold smile. "My lady, just follow my lead. I'll dote on you."

Gu Ying was already prepared to move heaven and earth. No matter what Zhao Changdu's feelings were for her, she had promised him she would do it.

Thus, when she arrived at the Chun Shan courtyard and saw the unhappy expressions of the few people inside, Gu Ying immediately put on a bright smile. Pulling Zhao Changdu's hand, she deliberately made a smug expression. "Oh dear, husband, father and mother must have waited anxiously. It's all my fault. I'm to blame for being afraid of the cold this morning and refusing to get out of bed unless my husband coaxed me."

Sitting in the main seat, Zhao Hui and Cheng's faces were black as the bottom of a pot.

While Zhao Changxing and Huo Qiyun sat to one side, the two other unfamiliar faces must be the Prince's aunts.

"This new daughter-in-law is truly ignorant."

"She's only just married and already like this. Who knows what jokes she'll cause in the future. How unfortunate for the Zhao family to have taken in such a woman."

The two aunts' whispered discussion entered her ears.

Cheng didn't stop them either, deliberately letting them talk. After they were done, she smiled hypocritically. "It has always been that new daughters-in-law rise at dawn to pay their respects and serve their husband's parents. Which of them was ever like Miss Gu, on the morning after her wedding, only rising at noon to serve tea to her husband's elders?"

Gu Ying smiled and said with a red face, "I'm really sorry, mother. Ying was truly too tired last night."

That ‘tired’ was said meaningfully. Most of the women sitting there could imagine, silently cursing her shamelessness.

But someone was even more shameless than her.

Zhao Changdu walked up and put his arm around the girl's slender waist, doting eyes falling on her face. "No need to say anything more to them. Last night I tired Ying out. If Ying is truly too tired, we can skip the tea ceremony."

"Wretched child! What nonsense are you saying?!" Zhao Hui was furious beyond control. He had been enduring without losing his temper, but if he didn't express anything, it meant he accepted Gu Ying. Zhao Changdu glanced coldly at him, not putting him in his eyes at all.

Cheng was the best at playing nice. She immediately calmed Zhao Hui down to prevent him from tearing their faces in anger and embarrassment.

Gu Ying naturally also had to keep up appearances, persuading him, "Husband, what are you saying? As the new daughter-in-law, I still have to serve the tea ceremony."

Cheng knew this daughter-in-law came from an unsavory background. She gave an awkward laugh. "Ying is still tactful. With Ying to serve Changdu in the future, I as his mother can rest assured."

Gu Ying smiled obsequiously.

Zhao Changdu's expression was tranquil and cold. "Ying wants to get to know them. Let me introduce you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yin Lan brought over the prepared tea.

Gu Ying served the tea to each person. Zhao Hui was unhappy, but still drank a mouthful to keep up appearances.

When she reached Cheng, a scalding cup of hot tea was clumsily spilt by Gu Ying.

"Oh husband!"

Cheng shrieked, nearly jumping up from her chair. "Ah! Burnt me to death! How could you— "

Gu Ying immediately threw herself into Zhao Changdu's arms, a frightened expression on her face, but it didn't last long.

"Husband, I didn't do it on purpose. The teacup was too hot just now. I didn't hold it steady. Mother, you won't blame me for this right... "

"She is the gentle and virtuous wife of the Duke of the State. How could she blame you?" Zhao Changdu held the soft waist of the girl in his arms, doting on her. "Isn't that right, Mother?"

Being called 'Mother' made Cheng's face turn green and white. Her hand was blistered in several places, yet she still had to pretend to be magnanimous in front of everyone. "It's fine, it's fine... Ying has just arrived. She must have been nervous."

Her mouth said it was fine, but her heart was angrily gnashing teeth, secretly swearing to make Gu Ying pay in the future.

Gu Ying was rather impressed by Cheng's endurance. Before marrying in, she had thought Cheng was just an insignificant character like Mrs. Liu. Now she could see Cheng was much smarter than Liu. At least in front of the Duke she was very good at playing innocent and pitiful.

After being scalded with hot tea, she didn't make a fuss or blame her or her maid.

At her age, she could still pitifully show her blistered hand to the Duke.

The concern on the Duke's face wasn't fake. He immediately ordered someone to fetch medicine for burns.

This move instead won her some sympathy. Counting it out, it was Gu Ying who had