Guo Xinyue saw that she had reached the door in the blink of an eye. She couldn't help getting anxious and stammered as she spoke, "You... you can't... After all, she's your cousin... How can you be so cruel?"
"She's also your sister - in - law."
Li Wanming turned around, smiling at her. "The Guo family is quite ruthless when it comes to sacrificing a pawn to save the king. I'm still far behind you all."
"You..."
"Enough, Xinyue."
A steady male voice came from outside the door, interrupting Guo Xinyue who was still about to speak.
"Lady Cheng is intelligent and insightful. In terms of scheming and means, you're no match for her."
Guo Wei, the head of the Guo family, finally made his appearance.
Li Wanming had heard of this man a long time ago.
At that time, just when there was a hint of a marriage negotiation between Sun Miaoqing and Guo Ziyan, He Shi couldn't wait to come to the Li family to show off. She said that Minister Guo was both virtuous and talented, with outstanding learning. At a young age, he had already served as a minister and was highly regarded by the emperor.
Although the Guo family came from a humble background and was not a noble family, with the emperor's favor, they were bound to have a bright future.
Sun Miaoqing would surely enjoy great fortune after marrying into the Guo family. Maybe she would even be granted the title of a noble lady in the future.
After that, Sun Miaoqing tried her best to get close to the Guo family and find ways to please Guo Xinyue. Finally, she got what she wanted and became the young mistress of the Guo family.
At that time, Li Wanming felt a bit strange.
If the Guo family valued the Sun family because there was General Li Rusong, a fourth - rank general, behind the Sun family... wouldn't it be better for them to come and propose marriage to her directly?
After all, she was still unmarried and unwanted...
It wasn't that she cared about Guo Ziyan, but this matter didn't make sense logically.
She mentioned this to her mother. Yuan Jinqiu frowned and glanced at her, with a strong warning in her eyes.
"What on earth are you thinking about all day long? Huh? Haven't you seen enough of the hardships in noble families?"
"No, mother. It's just that this matter doesn't make sense..."
Yuan Jinqiu interrupted her. "Who do you think benefits from the Guo family's marriage to Sun Miaoqing?"
"Of course, it's Sun Miaoqing who benefits." Li Wanming answered without hesitation.
Yuan Jinqiu sneered. "If you can figure this out, do you think Guo Wei, a man who has been in the officialdom for many years, can't? Would he let others take such a big advantage? Is Guo Wei the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva who saves all sentient beings?"
Li Wanming was stunned for a while and wanted to ask more, but was impatiently driven away by Yuan Jinqiu.
"Get out of here! I told you to learn some needlework and women's handicrafts, but you always claim to have this pain or that pain and never want to learn. Now you have time to mind other people's business?"
"Whomever that girl from the Sun family wants to marry is up to her. As long as it's not my own daughter who jumps into the fire pit!"
"I'm telling you, you just need to remember one thing: when something seems abnormal, there must be a demon. If you can't figure out what kind of demon it is, it must be a big one!"
...
At that time, Li Wanming didn't quite understand her mother's words.
How could the family of a minister of the Ministry of Personnel be a fire pit?
She thought her mother had seen that her two elder sisters' lives were not going well, so she regarded all noble families as fierce beasts.
It wasn't until Xiao Jingnan's in - depth analysis that she understood that there were so many hidden motives behind the Guo family's proposal to marry Sun Miaoqing.
At that time, Yuan Jinqiu had just come to the capital not long ago. She couldn't understand the situation as thoroughly as Xiao Jingnan, but she instinctively sensed something was wrong and conveyed this idea to Li Wanming in her simple words.
When something seems abnormal, there must be a demon. If you can't figure it out, it's a big one!
...
Now, the so - called "big demon" himself was standing in front of her, which made her a bit dazed.
Guo Wei was wearing a dark blue long robe. His hair was neatly combed. There was a bit of frost on his temples, but it didn't make him look old. Instead, it added a touch of steady charm.
He had a high nose and deep - set eyes, with a handsome face. He looked about 70% similar to Guo Ziyan, but without that bit of sinister and violent air.
There was a shallow vertical wrinkle between his eyebrows, as if caused by years of hard work. But this also made him look more amiable.
He could almost be described as gentle and elegant, with a refined manner.
Even though Li Wanming had reservations in her heart, she couldn't help secretly admiring him: among all the middle - aged handsome men, Lord Guo must be one of the best - looking!
No wonder his son could catch the eye of the princess...
Ahem.
...
"Xinyue, you go out first. I need to have a few words with Lady Cheng." Guo Wei spoke, his voice gentle and low.
Guo Xinyue looked at her father. She seemed reluctant to leave but didn't dare to disobey. She just glared at Li Wanming hatefully, then got up and left.
Guo Wei walked over slowly and sat down. He coughed lightly twice, and a bitter and helpless smile appeared on his lips.
"I'm ashamed of my family's misfortune. Lady Cheng must be laughing at us."
"Ah... Ah?" His good attitude left Li Wanming at a loss. "No, no. Lord Guo, you're being too polite..."
She was always the kind of person who would stand up to those who were overbearing, but would be at a loss when facing those who were polite.
"Speaking of which, Lady Cheng is also a relative. So I won't hide it from you." Guo Wei pondered for a moment and then slowly said, "My son was ignorant. Back then, he fell in love with the princess at first sight and swore to marry her.
"But the Guo family is poor. How could we ever be worthy of a noble princess like her? His mother and I firmly disagreed. Unexpectedly, it drove him to run away from home and even move into the princess's mansion."
These few words hit Li Wanming like a thunderbolt.
What!
Guo Ziyan fell in love with the princess at first sight?
He even wanted to marry the princess?
He even defied his parents and left home for this?
The two of them... were actually in love...
Guo Ziyan and the princess were not adulterers or adulteresses, but a pair of star - crossed lovers... the pure - love warriors?
Li Wanming felt that her brain wasn't working properly at that moment.
The naked figures on Banshi Mountain flashed through her mind... Damn it, he must be lying to her! Which pure - love warrior is naked!
Guo Wei didn't notice her expression and continued slowly, "Later, rumors spread outside... They were extremely filthy. They not only dirtied my son's reputation but also damaged the princess's good name."
Li Wanming gradually came to her senses.
Something was wrong.
Guo Wei... probably thought she had never seen the princess.
In fact, she had not only seen the princess but also seen her clearly.
Moreover, the princess always avoided the topic of keeping male favorites. Even in front of the emperor, she admitted it frankly and said that she didn't just accept anyone. She even seemed proud of it.
Such a person... would have true love with Guo Ziyan?
Or rather, would Guo Ziyan be a star - crossed lover with such a woman?
...
Lord Guo was clearly taking her for a fool!