"Zao Hua, you’re so young and rich, haven’t you thought of finding another one?" Xu Zaohua continued pouring wine and asked.

Xu Zaohua was furious.

She wanted to find someone, but how could she dare?

Listen, is this the kind of thing an unmarried girl should say? In her opinion, Xu Zaohua hadn’t had proposals and was going crazy thinking about men.

Gu Taohua did it on purpose.

Sure enough, just as Gu Taohua finished speaking, all the young ladies and madams looked at Xu Zaohua.

"Zao Hua, what nonsense are you talking about? Your mother makes so much money in business, why doesn’t she find someone?" Xu Zaohua tossed the ball to Widow Tong, who was also a widow.

Gu Taohua sighed, "My mother is different from you; we have a bunch of kids, who would want to be a father to us siblings?"

Gu Taohua’s blunt words made all the madams and young ladies twitch the corners of their mouths.

But it was understandable, folks in the countryside weren’t as bound by rules as city people, remarrying and second marriages were normal.

Gu Taohua glanced at Xu Zaohua and continued, "But you’re different; you’re only eighteen, in the prime of youth. Your mother even said that with your conditions, matchmakers in Qinghe Bay would wear out your doorstep. Plus, you can give birth to sons; even a second marriage would have dowries like a first marriage. Are you willing to waste away keeping widowed for Mr. Zheng?"

The various looks landed on Xu Zaohua.

Oh my, what kind of mother arranges her daughter’s life like this?

Everyone knew Xu Zaohua married into the Zheng Family as a step up, and even if Mr. Zheng was gone, it didn’t diminish her status as the Eldest Young Madam.

Who would recognize her without the Zheng Family?

Xu Zaohua hated Gu Taohua to death and said, "If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll tear your mouth apart."

Gu Taohua said, "I was just saying, why get upset? You’re already the Eldest Young Madam of the Zheng Family, yet you still seem as unsophisticated as someone from Qinghe Bay. Come on, let me toast you a drink as an apology."

Xu Zaohua hated people saying she was an unsophisticated girl from Qinghe Bay, Gu Taohua really knew how to hit where it hurt.

"Eldest Young Madam Zheng, Sister Taohua doesn’t know any better, she’s already apologized, for my sake, forgive her once," Lian Hengruo, toasting the madams at a nearby table, turned around and said.

Xu Zaohua grudgingly drank the wine Gu Taohua offered.

At this moment, one of the madams, trying to ease the tension, teased Xu Zaohua, "You and Heng Ruo might end up as sisters-in-law in the future."

Everyone smiled, naturally knowing this referred to the proposal between Second Miss Lian and the Second Young Master of the Zheng Family.

While listening to the play, Mrs. Hua hinted that the marriage between the Zheng and Lian families was already certain, otherwise, that madam wouldn’t dare say it.

Both Lian Hengruo and Xu Zaohua were unhappy to hear this.

Lian Hengruo didn’t want to marry the Second Young Master of the Zheng Family, and Xu Zaohua didn’t want Lian Hengruo to come in. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Lian Hengruo had thought about it, she and Xu Zaohua originally had the same goal. If Xu Zaohua came to communicate with her, she would naturally try to ruin the marriage, but Xu Zaohua wanted to use the marriage to manipulate her.

Then she couldn’t blame her for being impolite.

She had been informed that Gu Ruinian was currently hiding with her second brother in their stepmother’s room.

Very good, catch them all in one go.

Gu Taohua continued to play the part of the unsophisticated country girl, sitting in front of Xu Zaohua chattering, from childhood fights to who was prettier as they grew up, ignoring Xu Zaohua’s attempts to chase her away.

Xu Zaohua was furious. Was Gu Taohua pretending not to understand human language?

She wasn’t like this before!

In her view, Gu Taohua was deliberately embarrassing her.

Xu Zaohua was extremely hateful but couldn’t retaliate in front of the ladies and young misses, especially with County Magistrate Liu’s mother at the next table, who was a big supporter of the Gu Family. She feared offending the County Magistrate’s mother by confronting Gu Taohua.

Even without the County Magistrate’s mother, Widow Tong was there, and she was unrestrained, if she exposed her affection for Gu Jingzhe, she would be even more embarrassed.

Gu Taohua was using her persistence, besides talking about trivial matters in Qinghe Bay, continually toasting Xu Zaohua.

Xu Zaohua drank several cups in a row.

"Zao Hua, thinking about how we grew up together, there’s no need to be enemies. Let’s turn swords into plowshares this time," Gu Taohua said, holding a chicken leg while gnawing.

Xu Zaohua thought disdainfully, who wants to turn swords into plowshares with you? We will be enemies until death.

However...

Xu Zaohua rolled her eyes, secretly pleased, a chance delivered on a plate.

Gu Taohua, you can’t blame me, you came to me willingly.

Xu Zaohua filled the wine glass, discreetly dipped and quickly withdrew her fingernails under her sleeve, and smiled sweetly at Gu Taohua, "Taohua, what are you saying? We have no grievances, those were just misunderstandings. I consider you a sister."

Gu Taohua sneered internally, as if, who’s your sister?

But she cheerfully changed her tone, "Sister Zao Hua, let’s say we’re reconciled then."

Who’s not good at acting?

Xu Zaohua handed the wine to Gu Taohua and said, "I also did wrong in the past, let this glass be an apology from me to you."

Gu Taohua took the wine.

Tong Huaqiong had told her, no matter what Xu Zaohua offered, don’t eat or drink it.

But how to proceed if she doesn’t drink?

Just as Gu Taohua was about to put the wine to her lips, Mrs. Han suddenly shouted, "Isn’t that Eldest Young Madam Zheng?"

Xu Zaohua turned around, and Gu Taohua quickly poured the wine into her sleeve.

Tong Huaqiong had prepared by placing a whole sponge in her sleeve.

Then she hastily poured half a glass of wine back into the cup.

Seeing Mrs. Han waving, Xu Zaohua gracefully stood up and walked over.

Mrs. Han held Xu Zaohua’s hand and said, "Eldest Young Madam Zheng is great, so young yet managing it well. I told my son to get you a memorial archway."

Mrs. Han, having been widowed young, felt sympathy for young widows.

Hearing Mrs. Han’s words, Xu Zaohua was delighted.

If she secured a memorial archway granted by the court, her position in the Zheng Family would be even more secure.

Since she couldn’t remarry in this life, she might as well use the court’s memorial archway to suppress everyone in the Zheng Family.

Xu Zaohua was so happy that even sitting next to Tong Huaqiong wasn’t an eyesore, and she even toasted her once.

Tong Huaqiong drank the wine Xu Zaohua offered, thinking this superficial relationship was only worth one cup.

Xu Zaohua chatted briefly with Mrs. Han, returning to her seat after seeing Gu Taohua had drunk more than half of her wine, feeling delighted like having cold mung bean soup in summer.

Gu Taohua had pale skin, naturally flushing with alcohol, and Xu Zaohua couldn’t help but feel pleased seeing her like a rosy sunrise.

It seemed her spiked wine was effective.

Gu Taohua was oblivious, pulling Xu Zaohua and chattering non-stop.

Xu Zaohua, no longer impatient, listened with a smile, thoughtfully offering Gu Taohua food.

Since they had made up, she had to play the part of a good sister, though it was flimsy.

Xu Zaohua glanced over at Lian Hengruo, joining in with Mrs. Hua.

Lian Hengruo was so delicate that any man could overpower her without spiked wine in advance.

This was the result of Xu Zaohua’s discussion with Second Young Master Zheng and Gu Ruinian today.

Lian Hengruo, raised by her stepmother, was skilled in schemes, her use of spiked wine could be more proficient, it wouldn’t work if she found out.

Originally thinking the spiked wine wouldn’t be needed, it was perfectly used on Gu Taohua.

Gu Taohua was strong enough to kill a sow, no regular man could get close.

With the spiked wine, she was drained, let’s see how she manages.

Xu Zaohua felt immensely fortunate to have brought the concoction, just in case.