This is where they want to have a secret meeting.

Hong Mian and the others retreated, closing the doors from outside. The steward and housekeepers standing on the steps also wisely withdrew from the stoop.

Gu Shiliu followed Qin Yuan into the side room, with Hong Ye standing by.

Qin Yuan first sat in the Taishi Chair and instructed, "There are no outsiders here, sit down and speak slowly."

Gu Shiliu sat down slightly below and whispered, "Madam, that Fake Yang was secretly sending messages outside before, acting covertly. After going to Mr. Cheng’s house, perhaps she thought the guards were more relaxed than in the mansion and that no one recognized her, so she made more moves."

Since discovering Fake Yang passing on messages, they had been watching her.

Unfortunately, she acted cautiously, and since that incident, there hadn’t been any movements. She focused on coaxing the Pang siblings into hiding in the courtyard, biding her time.

They thought they would have to wait a while longer, but unexpectedly, she couldn’t hold back the first night she moved to Mr. Cheng’s house.

Hong Ye laughed, "It shows she’s been suffocating these past few months."

Gu Shiliu laughed, "Indeed, recently Young Master Cheng injured Brother Qi, and because of this, the Marquis has distanced himself from them. He even sent people to inquire about Mrs. Zhao’s family, saying he wanted to foster them outside, so these people naturally dare not act rashly."

Qin Yuan twirled the handkerchief in her hand, contemplating for a moment, and said, "Let’s think, if Mrs. Zhao is really connected to the Yelv Family and wants to keep Brother Cheng and Sister Yu in the Marquis Mansion, now that they’ve openly been fostered at Mr. Cheng’s house, what will Mrs. Zhao do next?"

Hong Ye frowned, "Mrs. Zhao might choose to bide her time, waiting for the storm to pass, and then find a way to have the Marquis take them back. Or she might take them away?"

Gu Shiliu nodded in agreement as he glanced at Hong Ye.

Qin Yuan said, "It’s possible; it all depends on Mrs. Zhao’s plans. If she wants Brother Cheng to stay close to the Marquis and secure a good future in the army, she will bide her time. After all, there’s the life-saving grace of Pang Hai, and years of built-up relationships, the Marquis is sentimentally bound. Over time, he naturally won’t blame them anymore, and they could make a comeback then."

Before she could finish, Hong Ye said indignantly, "That can’t happen, who knows what plans that mysterious venomous woman has?"

Gu Shiliu added, "The Marquis shouldn’t be so foolish. If she really has dealings with the Yelv Family, in the eyes of the Marquis, she has betrayed our Daxing and Pang Hai. The gratitude the Marquis owes is to Pang Hai, not to her, Mrs. Zhao."

Qin Yuan nodded, "Exactly, Mrs. Zhao knows nothing of our side’s information, otherwise, her earlier schemes would have succeeded?"

Hong Ye nodded, "Miss is right, without Miss’s support and Doctor Li’s rescue, Mrs. Zhao might have already gained a foothold in the Marquis Mansion."

Gu Shiliu let out a long breath of relief.

Qin Yuan, lost in thought, said, "With Fake Yang passing on messages, Mrs. Zhao should know she can never bring the children back to the Marquis Mansion. Even if the children could return, she absolutely cannot."

Gu Shiliu nodded, "That’s for sure. The Marquis now knows what she’s like, and by placing Young Master Cheng in Sister-in-law Cheng’s care, he has crushed her hopes."

Qin Yuan said, "You’re right. If she only wanted the Marquis to treat the two children well, he has already done so. There’s no need for her to go through all this. If she wanted the Marquis’s favor, to be taken as a concubine, that’s no longer possible. No matter how she plots, she cannot enter the mansion with the children; is there a chance she’ll consider taking the children away if she fails to hit her target?"

Gu Shiliu said, "How would a woman like her settle with two children?"

Qin Yuan said, "Don’t underestimate a woman’s capabilities; many have destroyed houses and countries. Mrs. Zhao nearly destroyed the Dingbei Marquis Mansion on her own, appearing weak and helpless outside but acting sinister and spiteful, and she’s not like ordinary women. You cannot use conventional logic on her."

Having a connection with the Yelv Family, doesn’t she have a way to arrange for the two children?

Evidently, though the Marquis and Gu Shiliu understood Mrs. Zhao’s ruthlessness and actions, they were still deceived by her apparent frailty and subconsciously underestimated her abilities.

Underestimating the enemy would lead to mistakes, and Qin Yuan had to point it out.

Gu Shiliu fell silent.

It’s not only Mrs. Zhao’s background that’s unclear; Pang Hai’s origins are also highly suspicious.

This couple is indeed mysterious.

If Mrs. Zhao were really connected to the Yelv Family, then the previous assumptions... 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The room fell silent for a while.

Qin Yuan asked, "Shiliu, what was the Marquis’s original plan?"

"Initially, he instructed us to monitor Mr. Cheng’s house, waiting for Mrs. Zhao to walk into the trap. Later... the Marquis talked about finding a way to lure Mrs. Zhao out to eliminate future troubles."

Gu Shiliu felt a bit embarrassed, his voice weak, bowing his head for Qin Yuan’s instructions.

Qin Yuan nodded without speaking.

Waiting for her to walk into the trap? Clearly, Marquis Gu hadn’t hardened his heart toward Mrs. Zhao and her children before.

He should now be resolved.

Qin Yuan took a sip of tea and furrowed her brow as she looked at Gu Shiliu.

"The Xu family’s matter is becoming increasingly complicated; it can’t be dragged on any longer. Shiliu, what good plan do you have?"

Gu Shiliu said, "The wounds may be on the child, but the pain is felt by the mother. As Sixth Master said, recognizing kin yesterday, regardless of what outsiders say, Young Master Cheng and his sister must be feeling uneasy. The adopted son of the Marquis became Gu Jingcheng’s foster son. Furthermore, the Marquis has grown cold toward the siblings, gradually distancing himself. There’s talk outside that the Marquis has grown tired of Young Master Cheng and Miss Yu. Let’s put on a few more acts, spread some rumors outside, and if Mrs. Zhao loves her children, she won’t be able to resist taking action."

Qin Yuan thought for a while and said, "Since you already have a plan in mind, I’ll leave it to you to arrange."

Gu Shiliu quickly stood up, "I will surely not disappoint Madam and the Marquis."

Qin Yuan waved her hand, gesturing for him to sit down, and then said calmly, "Brother Qi’s mother is recuperating at Sister-in-law Cheng’s house, you know what she’s capable of."

Gu Shiliu beamed and rubbed his hands, "With his mother there, the odds of success increase by at least twenty percent. It’s fortunate that Madam arranged someone early, this is what the Marquis often says: strategizing in the command tent, winning a thousand miles away."

Hong Ye, who had been silently listening for a while, finally got a chance to speak, "Indeed, Madam is as astute as Zhuge."

Qin Yuan couldn’t help but laugh, "You can’t go a day without flattering people, can you?"

Hong Ye also laughed.

Gu Shiliu immediately flattered, "Madam, please don’t scold Miss Hong Ye; in fact, Miss Hong Ye’s views are quite similar to mine. It’s not just me thinking this way, even Shi Ba thinks so. Who wouldn’t after experiencing Madam’s abilities?"

Hong Ye laughed even more.

Qin Yuan then shooed the two of them out.

"Catch the person first before saying more; don’t alert the enemy."

"Rest assured, Madam, we’re well aware."

Laughing all the way through the second door, Gu Shiliu stopped, unsure whether to return to Marquis Gu. In the end, he decided not to.

"The Marquis is in a bad mood today; I don’t need to be a fool and provoke him."