My Sister Insisted on Swapping Marriages, and I Became a Marchioness Instead

Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Not to Be Trifled With

”What makes them so troublesome?”

Qin Yuan looked up and asked Hong Ye, who had an anxious expression, gently tapping her small hand on the table, her eyes slightly raised, as if she hadn’t taken this matter to heart at all.

Hong Ye replied, ”I’ve heard that the Xu family was originally also of military merit, but unlike our Marquis Mansion, which has hereditary titles, the Xu family’s title has diminished with each generation, and by Miss Zhen’s generation, there’s no title to inherit. The Xu family’s life has been destitute, and they are particularly prolific. There are quite a few legitimate masters, but few with proper careers. They idly pass their days, and some of the Xu family boys earn money by arranging cricket fights, cockfights, and taking a cut from gambling. Sixth Master usually avoids them, disdaining them as bankrupts. It’s said that Sixth Madam secretly supplements them quite a bit, and Old Madam Gu turns a blind eye. If such a family were to make a fuss, they’d definitely want a piece of the Marquis Mansion to be satisfied.”

Qin Yuan replied indifferently, ”Oh?”

Hong Ye continued, ”The trouble stirred up by Sixth Madam, why should you have to deal with it? If you don’t handle it well, wouldn’t it be disadvantageous for you both ways?”

Qin Yuan smiled and said, ”You’re right, but now Sixth Madam can’t see guests, and mother is old. As the current head mistress, shouldn’t I be the one to handle it?”

Hong Ye couldn’t help but complain, ”The Marquis is really something. Even though Sixth Master says the Xu family is troublesome, with just a word, he’s letting you take the lead...”

Before she finished speaking, a young maid’s voice came from the porch, ”Greeting the Marquis.”

Then Gu Jinghui’s cold voice came in, ”All of you, leave.”

Hong Ye fell silent.

Qin Yuan looked at Hong Ye, speechless.

Why is it that every time this girl speaks ill of Marquis Gu behind his back, she always gets caught red-handed?

Qin Yuan hadn’t even had time to stand up and greet him when Gu Jinghui had already let himself in through the curtain. His handsome face was clouded over; he directly asked her, ”Yuan’er, if the Xu family really comes to make a scene, how do you plan to handle it?”

Hong Ye quickly hid behind Qin Yuan.

It was clear that Gu Jinghui had already heard the earlier complaints.

Qin Yuan smiled as she approached him, tugging on Gu Jinghui’s sleeve, and said unhurriedly, ”If the Xu family stirs up trouble at such a time, it’ll be troublesome if they catch smallpox, don’t you think, my husband?”

Gu Jinghui was momentarily taken aback, then asked, ”Yuan’er thinks the Xu family won’t come to make trouble?”

Qin Yuan said, ”Judging by how the Xu family is, it’s likely they will come, but I think, instead of having me relay messages in between, why not have the Xu family go directly outside Sixth Sister-in-law’s yard to ask her in person?”

Hong Ye snorted with laughter, then quickly held it back.

Meeting Qin Yuan’s cunning look, Gu Jinghui’s lips also curled up, quickly smoothing out, as he said sternly, ”I’ll leave everything to you. If the Xu family is difficult, don’t feel obliged to give them much face. Sixth Brother should take responsibility for some matters.”

Meaning he intended to use this opportunity to properly pressure Sixth Master Gu.

Qin Yuan then asked, ”Are you planning to have Sixth Brother deal with the male guests from the Xu family?”

Marquis Gu nodded.

Qin Yuan said, ”I’m afraid Sixth Brother can’t handle it alone.”

Marquis Gu raised an eyebrow and asked, ”Why?”

Qin Yuan said, ”You’ve spent years at the Northern Border; the Marquis Mansion doesn’t have much social interaction. Sixth Brother usually only associates with scholars without much merit. You dislike that he can’t manage Sixth Sister-in-law, so how could he be a match for the Xu family, who have long dealt with the ways of the world?”

After hearing this, Marquis Gu’s brows were tightly furrowed.

Qin Yuan stopped at that and only instructed a young maid to come brew medicinal tea and place it by Gu Jinghui’s hand, softly saying, ”My husband, this is medicinal tea I prepared according to a prescription. Drinking it regularly can prevent epidemics.”

Marquis Gu looked at Qin Yuan with pleasure.

At this moment, she was standing with her back to the window, the tiny beauty mark on the tip of her nose particularly noticeable. Marquis Gu’s Adam’s apple moved involuntarily, and his fingers twitched slightly, wanting to gently touch that small mole, but in the end, he restrained his wandering mind, silently and contentedly accepting his young wife’s care, slowly sipping the tea.

After setting down the teacup, he slowly said, ”Yuan’er is right. I’ve spent years at the Northern Border, so I don’t know much about the family matters. After returning from the Northern Border, I also rarely stay at home. I only felt that Sixth Brother often complains about his hard life, but it’s just his own inefficiency, spending his days in frivolous pursuits, only thinking about marrying a concubine, unable to manage Sixth Sister-in-law, but I never considered these.”

Qin Yuan was slightly surprised.

During the time they spent together, she had come to understand his temperament.

Born into wealth, Marquis Gu set high aspirations. His family had hopes and affection for him, which inevitably fostered his indulgent personality. The death of his father and brothers created his formidable War God reputation, making him cold and tough.

He only thought if he could do it, why couldn’t Sixth Master Gu?

If forced to persevere, Sixth Master Gu could certainly achieve it.

But Sixth Master Gu was not Marquis Gu.

Qin Yuan raised her eyebrows with a light smile and said, ”My husband, Sixth Brother cannot go to the battlefield, nor does he have a title. You’ve been away at the Northern Border for many years, and Mother only hoped for the continuation of the Gu family bloodline.”

If anything happened to Marquis Gu at the Northern Border, the Gu family would be left with only Sixth Master Gu. Since he is physically weak, Old Madam Gu naturally did not dare to push him. Over time, this led to his current temperament.

Gu Jinghui understood her implied meaning and sighed, ”Alright, I will find a way to support Sixth Brother.”

Outside, it was getting warm. Sixth Master Gu had returned to the room to study diligently. The book he was holding, he had already read thoroughly in his childhood, but reading it now brought a different understanding.

Sixth Master Gu exclaimed, ”The Sage said to choose friends wisely. I’ve only known Qin Siyuan for a short time, yet that bond surpasses years spent interacting with others.”

The servant said, ”Sixth Master, the Marquis invites you to join him for a meal.”

”Third Brother invited me to eat together?”

Sixth Master Gu delightedly set down his pen, his face beaming with joy.

The servant said, ”Yes, Sixth Master, you’ve finally waited for the clouds to clear and the moon to appear.”

”You should read more books instead of speaking such nonsense every day,” Sixth Master Gu couldn’t bother to reprimand him, rushing to the dining hall, where Gu Jinghui was already waiting, his stern face revealing no expression.

”Third Brother.”

Sixth Master Gu respectfully called out.

Once he was seated, Marquis Gu’s sharp eyes and eyebrows softened rarely, and he gently pushed the teacup on the table, saying, ”Drink.”

Sixth Master Gu was puzzled.

”This is the medicinal tea prepared by your sister-in-law, said to be from Renhe Hall’s prescription, meant to prevent epidemics.”

Sixth Master Gu, having grown up drinking medicine, avoided it if he could after his health improved. Seeing Third Brother treat him this way, he beamed, saying, ”Alright, I’ll drink it.”

He slowly drank the medicinal tea under Marquis Gu’s gaze, bitterly saying, ”Third Brother is fortunate; Third Sister-in-law treats you very well. This medicinal tea isn’t too hard to swallow.”

Gu Jinghui pushed the box of candied fruit toward him again, saying, ”Eat this.”

Sixth Master Gu’s eyes immediately reddened, and he softly said, ”Third Brother still remembers I loved this when I was little.”

”It’s not something one would forget,” Gu Jinghui said, ”Hurry and eat. After the meal, you should discuss with Housekeeper Cao and Housekeeper Han how to handle it if the Xu family comes to make trouble.”

Sixth Master Gu immediately felt the licorice apricot in his mouth lose its sweetness.