Gu Baoshu was startled and asked, "What do you mean by this?"

Qin Yuan replied, "I’ll explain it to you in detail when we get back."

Sixth Master Gu outside said, "You’re now busy chatting with Third Sister-in-law, wouldn’t it be better to think about how to ask for forgiveness from Mother when you return?"

Only then did Gu Baoshu quiet down.

Upon returning to the Marquis Mansion, the main gate opened, and the servants hurriedly removed the threshold. Housekeeper Han, who was guarding the gate, couldn’t be bothered with anything else and first asked, "Is Seventh Miss safe?"

Gu Baoshu hurriedly poked her head out and said with a smile, "Safe, safe."

Housekeeper Han seriously examined her, saying, "With the Marquis and others protecting you, I thought there’d be no problem."

Then he whispered, "Old Madam knows about it and is very worried. Not to speak out of line, but if you get into trouble with the kind of life you lead, not being punished would be unreasonable."

Gu Baoshu sighed, feeling melancholy, "This punishment, I’m afraid I can’t escape. But both Third Brother and I received gifts from the Emperor, and Sixth Brother also showed his face before the Emperor. If my mother knew about this, would she hit me less?"

Housekeeper Han winked and whispered, "Perhaps... But isn’t Nanny Rong always the one handling your beatings?"

Seeing the threshold has been removed, Housekeeper Han moved aside.

The carriage drove straight in.

Gu Baoshu first went back to her own courtyard for a bath and ginger tea.

The Gu Family brothers and Qin Yuan went to the main room.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, Qiujie came up, greeted them, and quickly said, "Old Madam is very worried, please go over quickly!"

Qin Yuan seldom saw Qiujie like this, nodded, and asked, "Has Old Madam had dinner?"

"She has eaten, not much. The young ones have eaten well."

Sixth Master Gu said, "They are being taken care of very well by Mother."

Qiujie had yet to reply.

Marquis Gu said, "Mother has raised so many children, and Nanny Rong is an old servant, not to mention Xiuxiang from the small kitchen is also skilled at cooking, you can rest assured."

As soon as the three entered the main room, several children rushed over.

Brother Kang ran over first, hugged Sixth Master Gu’s leg, and looked up asking, "Dad, is Auntie okay?"

Sixth Master Gu picked him up and quickly put him down, frowning, "No problem, are you okay today?"

After Brother Kang was put down, Fuguo’er came over, also fussing for a hug.

Sixth Master Gu complained, "I almost strained my back hugging him just now, you are too heavy now."

Fuguo’er looked somewhat disappointed.

Qin Yuan, standing by, said, "Sixth Brother, you can squat down to talk to the children, they just want to be close to their father."

Sixth Master Gu looked at Fuguo’er, thought about it, squatted down, hugged him, and asked, "Why are all of you so attached to Father today?"

Fuguo’er buried his head into his father’s embrace, whispering, "Because today I heard bad people were coming, I was a bit worried about Dad and Auntie."

Weak-bodied Sister Lan now slowly came over, didn’t even speak before being pulled into Sixth Master Gu’s arms.

The three children clustered around Sixth Master Gu, speaking softly, making Marquis Gu’s heart twinge a little, causing him to sneak a glance at Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan was too busy discussing today’s events with Old Madam Gu to notice him.

Seeing her son and daughter-in-law enter with smiles, Old Madam Gu felt relieved, and after hearing her daughter-in-law recount the events, her worries further subsided.

"This is a blessing in disguise."

Then she happily asked Gu Jinghui to show the Python Robe and Jade Belt bestowed by the Emperor, saying, "Now Sixth Elder is so diligent, perhaps Brother Kang and Fuguo’er will also make us proud by becoming Advanced Scholars one day."

Sixth Master Gu laughed, "It’d be great if they became Advanced Scholars. If not, I won’t be disappointed, perhaps Sister Lan will bring home an Advanced Scholar son-in-law."

As soon as these words came out, Sixth Master Gu realized something was wrong.

Sure enough, Old Madam Gu’s face sank, and she said, "Nanny Rong, bring the family rules, we must discipline this girl properly."

Nanny Rong glanced at Old Madam Gu’s face and went out without saying much.

Marquis Gu said, "She indeed needs proper discipline, too clueless, without someone’s warning, who knows how she’d end up in trouble. Our Marquis Mansion would be implicated."

Old Madam Gu slapped the table heavily and said, "Isn’t that right! I’ve spoiled her too much, made her think she’s someone remarkable. She can play polo and knows some fancy moves, even tries to mimic the chivalrous heroes from the stories, fighting injustice everywhere. Yet she hopes to marry a scholar, this is truly laughable. I’ve lived all these years and only heard of scholars marrying knowledgeable and understanding wives, never heard of a scholar marrying a chivalrous heroine."

Originally, Qin Yuan had his eyes down. Hearing this, his eyelids moved slightly.

Old Madam Gu noticed that Gu Baoshu was amiss, helping to cover up.

About to say something, Gu Baoshu’s voice was heard from outside, "Is Mother still angry? Haven’t Brother and Sister-in-law managed to calm her yet?"

Old Madam Gu angrily shouted, "Rascal! Come in quickly, still thinking of getting away with it? Do you think the issue you’ve caused can be covered up with just sweet-talk?"

Gu Baoshu hesitated outside for a long time before entering, and Nanny Rong said, "Seventh Miss, come in quickly, since you can’t escape, it’d be better to obey and be hit less."

Only then did Gu Baoshu enter, her face flushing red, her damp hair wrapped in a towel, and her clothes changed.

Old Madam Gu asked upon seeing her, "Bathed? Drank ginger tea?"

"...Yes..."

Seeing her mother ask this way, Gu Baoshu’s nose twitched, choking up as she replied, then burst into tears, "Wah... Mother! If it weren’t for Third Brother, I fear you wouldn’t have seen me."

Qin Yuan was startled by her.

Yet everyone else seemed unsurprised. Old Madam Gu, with a somber face, asked, "What grievance did you suffer? Yelv Guza dared provoke you; I doubt he’ll leave the Capital City alive."

Qin Yuan: "..."

Gu Baoshu threw herself into Old Madam Gu’s arms, sobbing in complaint, "He’s like a mad dog and very sinister, deliberately provoked me, said Sixth Brother’s poems were akin to those scribbled by him at three, said Mr. Qin’s poems aren’t even fit to shine shoes, even criticized Lord Sacrificial Officer’s poetry..."

"The wretched creature! He knows nothing!"

Old Madam Gu got heated hearing this, slapped the table, and angrily asked, "Third Brother, did you properly teach that scoundrel a lesson?"

Gu Jinghui calmly replied, "Can he gain anything from me? Just a defeated opponent."

Seeing Old Madam Gu’s face slightly relax, Qin Yuan praised, "Today Little Sister Baozhu was so fierce, I was beside her feeling my blood boil and my heart ready to jump out."

Gu Baoshu stopped crying, peeked out from her mother’s embrace, and asked, "Really?"

Sixth Master Gu said, "Of course it’s true, Third Sister-in-law and I were so worried, pleading with Third Brother to quickly think of how not to have you beaten. Guess what Third Brother said? He said to see how long you could hold on. Your performance today really brought honor to the Gu family, even Third Brother praised you."