Chapter 8

Mental Demon

Dou Family’s Pawnshop?! Granny Xu’s expression darkened and she almost jumped out of her chair.

“Go quickly to the pawnshop and redeem the earrings.”

After instructing Granny Feng, Granny Xu brought four to five old women to look for Gu Yanfei in a fit of fury.

The sun was high in the sky, and the courtyard was covered in fallen leaves. From time to time, they would be swept up by the autumn wind. It was as lonely and desolate as yesterday.

Juan Bi, who had gone out, had yet to return. There was no one else in the courtyard. Granny Xu barged into Gu Yanfei’s boudoir angrily.

Gu Yanfei sat leisurely by the window, her right arm leaning lazily against the window frame.

“Second Lady, are you crazy? You actually let Juan Bi pawn things at a pawnshop!” As soon as Granny Xu saw Gu Yanfei, she questioned her.

She looked imposing on the surface, but she was actually afraid.

The Dou Family’s Pawnshop was one of the most famous pawnshops in the Great Jin Dynasty. It opened branches all over the country and also had branches in the capital. If the news of the Second Lady selling her jewelry spread to the capital, the entire Marquis Mansion would be embarrassed!

If things got to this point, Madam would definitely vent her anger on her. Then, her fate would be obvious.

Thinking of this, Granny Xu felt suffocated and clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly.

Compared to the outwardly strong but inwardly weak Granny Xu, Gu Yanfei was so calm and relaxed. She casually grabbed a handful of fish food from the box and sprinkled it on the pond outside the window.

As the fish food rained down, the goldfish in the pond caught the scent and swam over. The clear water rippled and sparkled in the sunlight.

In Granny Xu’s eyes, this was equivalent to adding fuel to the fire.

She said angrily, “Second Lady, don’t be ungrateful. I’m doing this for your own good.”

“Our Dingyuan Marquis Household is a century-old noble household. The rules of the Marquis Mansion are strict. All the young masters and ladies are knowledgeable and prudent.”

As she spoke, Granny Xu’s eyes swept disdainfully across the stack of paper in the corner of the desk.

On the paper was a copy of ‘Female Training’. Every stroke was stiff and rigid. This handwriting could only barely be considered proper.

A country girl who could not read was not presentable at all.

“How are you going to return to the Marquis Mansion in this state?!” Granny Xu raised her voice and looked down at Gu Yanfei.

Gu Yanfei grabbed some fish food from the box and scattered it into the pond. She finally gave Granny Xu a look and said casually, “Didn’t I say that I’m not going back?”

The sunlight from the window gave her a pale golden glow and a dreamlike quality.

Granny Xu was speechless.

Granny Xu seemed to have choked on something. Her face turned green, and she could not continue with the excuse she had thought of.

Indeed, the Second Lady had said in public that she would not return to the Marquis Mansion last night, but Granny Xu did not take her words seriously. She felt that the Second Lady was just being spiteful.

What she did not expect was that she was still being stubborn after the night had passed.

The veins on Granny Xu’s forehead twitched. She instinctively wanted to flare up, but she suppressed it.

Since the hard way didn’t work, she had to do it the easy way.

Granny Xu took a deep breath and raised her hand to gesture to the old women behind her.

The old women behind her tactfully left, leaving Gu Yanfei and Granny Xu alone in the room.

The surroundings became much quieter. Occasionally, a few goldfish would jump out of the pond and fall back into the water. Only the sound of splashing water could be heard.

Granny Xu revealed a seemingly amiable smile. Her smile did not reach her eyes as she said patiently, “Second Lady, you grew up outside and there are many things you don’t know. Originally, Madam should have told you about this. Today, I’ll overstep my boundaries to tell you.”

“Second Lady, your grandfather is an old friend of the British Monarchy. As early as when you were born, the two of them had made an agreement to betroth the girl to the eldest grandson of the British Mansion. The two families became even closer.”

As Granny Xu spoke, she observed the change in Gu Yanfei’s expression. Gu Yanfei took a plain white handkerchief and slowly wiped her fair fingers.

Seeing that Gu Yanfei was listening, the corners of Granny Xu’s lips curled up smugly. She thought to herself, ‘This wild girl has become a phoenix by marrying into a family like the British Monarchy.’

A girl’s life was nothing more than a good marriage. As long as she wanted something, she would naturally be subject to herself.

The smile on Granny Xu’s face deepened as she continued, “Second Lady, the Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng, is 17 years old this year. He’s a famous young talent in the capital. Not only is he from a noble background, but he’s also talented in martial arts. Even the current emperor has praised him personally.”

“When you go to the capital in the future and see Crown Prince Fang with your own eyes, you will definitely…”

“We’ve already met.” Gu Yanfei suddenly interrupted Granny Xu.

Granny Xu was speechless.

She was stunned and her first reaction was that it was impossible!

Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and commented calmly, “He’s just so-so, not a very good match.”

A few words summed up her evaluation of Fang Mingfeng.

Granny Xu’s old eyes suddenly widened and she scolded angrily, “Second Lady, don’t talk nonsense! If this matter spreads to the British public…”

This time, there was no need for Gu Yanfei to speak. Another clear female voice interrupted.

“What My Lady said is true!”

Juan Bi hurried in, sweating from the run and unable to hide her weariness.

Yesterday evening, after she went to the Dou Family’s Pawnshop to pawn jewelry, she immediately hired someone to go out of the city to collect the corpses of the coachman, Old Wang and Old Madam Zhang. She had been busy until now before returning to the residence.

Juan Bi strode to Gu Yanfei’s side and stood with her head held high. Then, she roughly explained how they had met Fang Mingfeng at the city gate yesterday.

Granny Xu listened to Juan Bi’s explanation and felt that given Juan Bi’s half-witted personality, she could not make up such a story. Thinking of this, her heart was in chaos.

Her mouth opened and closed without making a single sound. She wanted to say that the Second Lady must have hit her head. It was impossible to find such a good marriage. No matter how many young ladies in the capital begged for it, they could not get it. However, the Second Lady actually shamelessly said that she did not like the heir!

Mad. This country girl must be mad!

Granny Xu’s chest heaved a few times before she recovered after a while. She said stiffly, “So, Second Lady, are you determined not to return to the capital?”

“If you want me to go back, fine.” Gu Yanfei raised her hand and caught a red maple that flew into the house. She said casually, “Get Madam to pick me up personally.”

...

“Second Lady, do you know what you’re saying?” Granny Xu’s voice forced its way through her teeth.

The Second Lady actually dared to put on airs in front of Madam. Wasn’t she afraid of hurting her back?

How could Madam lower herself to pick her up in Danyang City!!

“Granny, remember, it’s not me who wants to go back. It’s the Marquis Household who begged me to go back.” Gu Yanfei gently waved her hand and ordered her to leave. “Granny still has to hurry, so I won’t keep you back.”

Gu Yanfei smiled faintly, her eyes as cold as ice.

Of course she would return to the capital and face all the causes of her mental demons in her previous life.

Only then could she break through her mental demons and be reborn.