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Madam Xie shi
Translated by atsam
Edited by atsam
Gu Jiu looked at Tao Hong and said nothing. Tao Hong felt uneasy, feeling as if things were getting out of her control.
“Guniang, you
”
“Xiao Cui, what are you in a daze for? Quickly, help me drink the medicine.”
Gu Jiu directly interrupted Tao Hong’s words, reminding the foolish Xiao Cui who was standing still at the side.
Xiao Cui trembled with fear. Mother, what was going on? Guniang seemed to be targeting Tao Hong jie.
But why?
Stretching out her hand, Xiao Cui said, “Tao Hong jie, you have worked hard all morning, so let me serve guniang to drink the medicine.”
Tao Hong’s expression was cold. Taking in two deep breaths, she gave Xiao Cui the bowl of medicine.
“Guniang, drink the medicine!” Xiao Cui looked uneasy.
Gu Jiu smiled at Xiao Cui. “Come closer.”
Xiao Cui approached with the medicine bowl.
Gu Jiu fed herself the medicine with the small silver spoon.
Pff!
Instantly, Gu Jiu spat the medicine out on Tao Hong. Tao Hong jumped up, took her handkerchief and hurriedly cleaned the stain on her clothes.
Xiao Cui was worried and anxious, at her wit’s end. “Guniang, what happened? Why did you spit it out?”
Without speaking, Gu Jiu directly raised her hand and overturned the bowl in Xiao Cui’s hands.
Bang!
The medicine splashed all over the floor and the bowl was smashed into pieces. Both Xiao Cui and Tao Hong couldn’t escape.
“Guniang, what’s wrong with you?” Tao Hong shouted at Gu Jiu. She was truly fed up.
Gu Jiu behaved out of character, throwing herself on the bed and crying loudly.
“I know you all want me to die! Why should I take any medicine?”
Xiao Cui panicked. “Guniang, don’t imagine things. Nubi will prepare the medicine again and come back.”
Tears blurred Gu Jiu’s vision. She raised her head and stared at the two servants. Her small, pale and thin face appeared unbearably weak.
“What medicine will you prepare? I’m going to die. Will it make a difference whether I drink the medicine or not? Xiao Cui, bring me white silk. Today, I will satisfy those cruel and unscrupulous servants! Anyway, I’m a nuisance while I’m alive!”
Bang!
Tao Hong suddenly knelt. Listening to the sound, Gu Jiu felt her knees ache again. Tears flowed from Tao Hong’s eyes, but she didn’t have the slightest panic on her face.
“Guniang, do you want to force nubi to her death? Since nubi has come to Zhilanyuan, nubi has worked her utmost to serve guniang. Where did nubi make a mistake, provoking guniang’s disdain? Young lady is forcing us to die.”
But Gu Jiu unconcernedly cried loudly. “Everyone is hypocritical, making me drink that fatal medicine all day long, then daring to say that they have done their best to serve me. I, this majestic provincial governor’s di daughter, am unexpectedly being killed by my own servants!
“Such a great provincial governor’s fu and unexpectedly, I don’t have a place in it. So why do I even want to live? Xiao Cui, are you dead? Quickly bring the white silk! Today, as I die, I will fulfil your wishes and make Tao Hong the true master of Zhilanyuan!”
“Guniang, you must not do that!” Xiao Cui shouted, intimidated, her face ashen.
Gu Jiu was furious and exasperated, pointing her finger at Xiao Cui. “Even you don’t listen to me! I know that I am only for display in Zhilanyuan! Everyone only listens to Tao Hong and she is your master! Since that’s the case, I ought to die, so I can let you soar to this position!”
Saying so, Gu Jiu knocked her head on the porcelain pillow. Inwardly, she shouted, Xiao Cui, you should work hard! Benguniang’s body is weak. If I truly hit my head, I’m afraid blood will spill today!
Yingyingying

Knocking her head hurt a lot. Pain frightened her the most.
“Guniang
!” Xiao Cui was terrified. She had no time to stop the young lady, so threw herself on the pillow to be the young lady’s pillow.
Gu Jiu hit her head on Xiao Cui’s back. Her eyes filled with golden beads. She covered her forehead with her hand; it hurt so much that she really wanted to die. Her tears fell fast. So painful, so painful.
However, she shouted, “Let me die! Let me die! Each and every one of you can fulfil your heart’s desires, so that you don’t need to think of ways to kill me all day long
!”
“Guniang is hounding nubi to death! Wouldn’t it be better for nubi to die first?” Tao Hong wailed.
Gu Jiu pointed at her. “You drop dead! Are you willing to die?”
Tao Hong’s face turned red. As she knelt, she felt stunned, not knowing what to say or do. It was all because of Gu Jiu who didn’t play cards according to common sense. If a person who was about to die of illness suddenly became noisy, what could be done?
Tao Hong was also filled with despair!
“Not good! Guniang wants to commit suicide! Quickly report to taitai!” Qing Zhu hurriedly stopped working and ran out.
Qing Mei was hurrying being and met Qing Zhu on the way. “Why are you running around in a hurry?”
“Guniang wants to commit suicide, immediately report to taitai!”
“What?” Qing Mei didn’t have time to think. She held the cover of medicinal ingredients and ran to Zhilanyuan.
Taitai Xie shi had an oval face, eyebrows like willow, large, round eyes and fair skin. She wasn’t forty years old yet and seemed to be in her early thirties because she maintained herself very well.
She came from a small family and was initially Gu daren’s concubine. Later, when the original wife Su shi died, she was elevated to the rank of the wife.
At that time, Su jia met with an accident and Father Su was dismissed from his post. In addition, things turned for the better for Xie shi’s elder brother who was recognised by his superiors and took up a post under the crown prince.
Gu daren promoted her to the legitimate wife without hesitation. Since then, Xie jia‘s fortunes skyrocketed and Su jia gradually declined. Xie shi’s position in Gu jia also rose and no one could shake her status.
Also, because she gave birth to two sons and two daughters for Gu daren, she was truly blessed, leading to her obtaining the housekeeping rights.
“It’s so noisy outside. What’s going on?” Xie shi asked.
“Nubi will go out and take a look.” The maid Chun He hurriedly went out. A few seconds later, Chun He came back with a terrified expression. “Taitai, not good! Qing Zhu from Zhilanyuan reported that the er guniang is committing suicide!”
Bang!
Xie shi put down the abacus in her hand. “Are you sure?”
Chun He nodded. “This matter is absolutely true. Qing Zhu saw it with her  own eyes.”
Xie shi frowned. “Did you ask why she wants to commit suicide?”
Chun He said in a low voice, “Er guniang said that someone wanted to harm her so she might as well end things by herself and satisfy the desires of those evil people.”
Xie shi looked stern. “Simply making trouble! Follow me to take a look! I can’t allow second girl to act recklessly.”
“Yes!”
When Xie shi left for Zhilanyuan, Gu daren, Gu Zhili happened to return to the fu from the yamen. The little manservant Li Chuan was waiting respectfully at the gate. “Laoye.”
Gu daren looked at Li Chuan. “Don’t you serve the san shaoye? Has he met with an accident?”
“No, but the er guniang has met with an accident. Er guniang is committing suicide.”
“Acting recklessly and making a scene!” Gu Zhili’s face sank, looking extremely intimidating. Taking large strides, he walked towards Zhilanyuan.
Following at his heels were several male servants. Li Chuan also wanted to follow when the stable master suddenly called him. “Er guniang really wants to commit suicide?”
Li Chuan nodded. “It’s true!”
The stable master muttered to himself. He felt that this matter was strange. A little girl who was usually calm and quiet would not suddenly make trouble for no reason. He told Li Chuan, “Call your shaoye also.”
Li Chuan was surprised.
The stable master glared at him. “Why are you standing stupidly? If his younger sister wants to commit suicide, can this older brother show his face outside? What will daren think?”
Li Chuan understood. “Thank you for your advice, master. I will immediately call my shaoye.”
Xie shi and her servants hurried to Zhilanyuan. To their surprise, they met Gu daren at the door. Xie shi  felt that the situation was turning bad.
“Laoye, how come you are here?”
Gu daren looked grave, not angry but filled with momentum. “Since the er guniang wants to commit suicide, I want to see what she wants to do.”
Saying this, Gu daren flung his sleeves and entered Zhilanyuan. Xie shi hastily followed him.
Gu daren had just arrived at the door when he heard the wailing inside. “Guniang, why are you so foolish? If you die, won’t those black-hearted servants succeed?”
Gu daren’s heart thumped. Wouldn’t the er guniang have already

Without announcing, Gu daren rushed inside the room.