{"id":3448,"date":"2026-05-18T13:44:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T13:44:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/the-young-mistresss-little-romance-in-the-dukes-mansion-15\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T13:44:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T13:44:31","slug":"the-young-mistresss-little-romance-in-the-dukes-mansion-15","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/de\/chapter\/the-young-mistresss-little-romance-in-the-dukes-mansion-15\/","title":{"rendered":"The Young Mistress’s Little Romance in the Duke’s Mansion 15"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 15


Yingtong barely managed to utter those apologetic words, assuming that Gu Xiyan would respond with a few comforting phrases in return, saying it was not necessary to mind, and she could then conveniently step down from the awkward situation.

They could laugh and talk on the surface, and this matter would be considered resolved, allowing her to go back and report to the Third Master.



But…she waited with her head lowered for a long time, yet Gu Xiyan did not make a move.



She looked over in confusion and saw Gu Xiyan\u2019s face flushed red, hands clenched tightly, his body trembling as if he was extremely angry?



She was startled and hurriedly asked, \u201cIs the young mistress blaming this servant?\u201d Gu Xiyan took a deep breath, letting himself slowly calm down from the agitation, then shook his head weakly, murmuring, \u201cIt has nothing to do with you, I\u2019m just, just\u2014\u201d She was simply angry at that Lu Chenglian!



He really didn’t treat his head maid as an outsider!



Yingtong looked at Gu Xiyan’s demeanor, feeling baffled, thinking she had come to apologize, yet Gu Xiyan put on such airs, and now said such incoherent things.



It seemed she had really misjudged her in the past.



But since the Third Master had given the order, she dared not presume too much.



She had no choice but to humble herself and said in a low voice,



“Madam, was there something inappropriate in what I said that made you so angry?” Gu Xiyan gave a bitter smile, then said,



“Miss Yingtong, you’ve always treated me kindly.



How could I blame you?



It’s just that\u2014” She shook her head and sighed softly,



“Truthfully, it’s quite embarrassing that I’ve made you go out of your way to bring me this white wax.” Yingtong was still puzzled, but after a moment’s thought, it occurred to her: perhaps, as the young mistress of the third household, she considered herself the mistress of the house.



Now that she had to rely on others’ help, she felt her pride was wounded, and that\u2019s why she was upset?



If that were the case, it was rather amusing.



She thought so in her heart but showed no sign of it, naturally offering gentle words of comfort.



Gu Xiyan slowly came back to her senses.



With Yingtong present, she felt embarrassed to say much about Lu Chenglian, so she could only vaguely reply,



“These white wax candles are too precious.



Even if Third Master sent them, I really shouldn\u2019t accept them.” Yingtong quickly responded,



“Madam, there\u2019s no need to worry about it.



Our Third Master receives a constant stream of rewards, and the west wing room is piled high with all sorts of treasures.



Many fine things are just left to rot without any use!



How could something like this even catch his eye?” Upon hearing her mention



“Third Master,” Gu Xiyan felt ashamed, and her tone, which carried an air of superiority, made it seem as though Lu Chenglian had specifically sent her to flaunt his wealth.



She couldn’t help but feel amused and, hardening her heart, decided that since she had already taken some, she might as well accept it all.



The two chatted for a while longer, and just as Yingtong was about to leave, she added a reminder:



“The young mistress is reasonable and understands propriety.



Our third master and the mistress do have certain reservations.



If word gets out and the details become known, it could easily lead to gossip and misunderstandings.



It’s best to be cautious in everything.” She was referring to the matter of the embroidery pattern, yet Gu Xiyan felt a sudden pang in her heart.



Flushing with embarrassment, she immediately frowned and said unhappily,



“What kind of talk is this, Miss Yingtong?



This is my own reputation we’re talking about.



How could I not be aware?



Why would I need Miss Yingtong to remind me of such things?” Seeing her like this, Yingtong felt relieved and smiled,



“Don’t be upset, madam.



It was my fault for speaking inappropriately.



Please forgive me.



It\u2019s getting dark now, so I\u2019ll head back first.



No need to see me off.” After Yingtong left, Gu Xiyan stood there watching until she disappeared into the distance.



Then, she forced herself to return to her room, making it to the edge of the bed before her legs gave way, and she slumped over.



How did things come to this point?



All she wanted was to ask Lu Chenglian for a favor.



So far, they had only exchanged a few words, tugged at each other\u2019s sleeves, and never even held hands.



At most, they had shared a brief scent, yet somehow, it seemed the whole mansion knew about it, and now even a maid was coming to her to make a fuss.



People would think she had already kept a lover on the side!



She covered her burning cheeks, thinking to herself that Yingtong didn’t even bother to hide it and so boldly laid it all out in the open.



Moreover, she didn\u2019t seem the least bit jealous\u2014what on earth was she thinking?



Wasn’t she destined to become Lu Chenglian’s concubine?



And yet here she was, helping him sneak around with a widow?



Lu Chenglian\u2019s senior maid was just too virtuous.



Gu Xiyan buried her blushing face in the silk quilt, her thoughts running wild, and a wave of anxiety washed over her\u2014what if word got out?



How would she ever handle the fallout?



What happens to a widow who loses her reputation?



She knew it well.



At that moment, Qiu Sang pushed the door open and peeked in.



Seeing Gu Xiyan slumped motionless, she grew concerned:



“What\u2019s wrong, madam?



What did Yingtong say just now?” Gu Xiyan replied weakly,



“Nothing…” Qiu Sang grew even more worried and hurried over, placing a hand on Gu Xiyan\u2019s forehead:



“What\u2019s wrong, madam?



Are you ill?



Or did that Qiu Tong say something unpleasant that upset you so much?” She frowned suspiciously and lowered her voice, saying,



“Could it be because of Third Master?



What did Qiutong say?



Who does she think she is, daring to challenge Madam like this!” Gu Xiyan knew she must have gotten the wrong idea and immediately shot her a glare, \u201cWhat nonsense are you talking?



If you keep spouting such rubbish, I\u2019ll tear your mouth apart!\u201d Qiusang saw that she still seemed to be in good spirits and felt relieved, pressing her lips into a smile as she said, \u201cMadam, you never usually scold this servant.



Whenever you do, this servant knows it must be because Madam is either feeling guilty or embarrassed!\u201d Gu Xiyan:



“You\u2014” Amused and annoyed, she found herself at a loss for words.



When she thought back on her entanglement with Lu Chenglian and the words Yingtong had spoken, she felt utterly ashamed.



At that moment, Qiu Sang happened to notice the white wax on the table.



\u201cHuh?



What\u2019s this?\u201d Gu Xiyan said irritably, \u201cYingtong brought it over, said it was for us!



It\u2019s such a big bag!\u201d However, Qiu Sang was delighted.



She quickly opened the silk pouch and, upon seeing the white wax inside, clicked her tongue in amazement.



\u201cAll this was given by her?



To give so much\u2014she really is quite generous!\u201d Gu Xiyan had no intention of paying any attention, but Qiu Sang excitedly began counting the white candles.



To her surprise, there were three full bundles, roughly thirty candles in total!



Counting on her fingers, she made a rough estimate: \u201cAlthough I\u2019m not familiar with market prices, I\u2019d guess that such high-quality white candles would cost at least three hundred coins each.



With this many, it must add up to nearly nine taels of silver, right?\u201d Gu Xiyan muttered under his breath, \u201cThese were bestowed by the imperial palace, far more valuable than those from outside.\u201d Upon his reminder, Qiu\u6851 quickly took a closer look.



Sure enough, each white candle bore a bright yellow seal.



Having spent time with Gu Xiyan, she recognized a few characters and understood that this meant they were crafted by the imperial court.



She gently rubbed the wax seal and sighed,



“I truly wish I could go work at Third Master’s place, even as a humble cleaner would satisfy me!” The gap between maids is even greater than the gap between a maid and a dog!



Gu Xiyan:



“This is getting more and more outrageous!” Qiu Sang muttered,



“What did I say that was wrong?” She had some complaints:



“We’re all from the Duke’s Mansion, and the young mistress is a proper lady, staying here for the Duke’s master.



But look at this\u2014people can’t compare to others without feeling wronged.



The maids in other rooms can casually bring out a whole pack of white wax, but what about our young mistress here?” Gu Xiyan had no choice but to explain,



“She said it was Third Master who asked her to deliver it.” Qiusang was puzzled:



“Huh?” She looked at Gu Xiyan with confusion and asked,



“Mistress, what does that mean?” For a moment, Gu Xiyan didn\u2019t know what to say.



In truth, Qiusang had always been by her side, and there was no hiding anything from her.



Qiusang clearly knew all about her situation.



Knowing is one thing; having it said aloud is another.



She turned her face away and muttered,



“Anyway, that’s what she said.



I don’t really understand what she meant.” Autumn Mulberry nearly jumped.



“How could you be like this!” Gu Xiyan was already troubled, and hearing Qiu Sang’s words only added to his worries:



“Who knows what he’s thinking!” Qiusang was utterly anxious: \u201cIf there\u2019s even a hint of gossip, then, then\u2014\u201d If word truly got out, not only would Gu Xiyan, the young mistress, suffer, but the maids serving by her side would likely be the first to be held accountable\u2014who wouldn\u2019t be afraid?



At this moment, Gu Xiyan calmed down instead and reassured her: \u201cActually, it was never a real matter to begin with\u2014there\u2019s no evidence.



If anyone dares to say anything, we can simply accuse them of throwing dirt on my reputation.



As for the Third Master, he had Yingtong bring these white candles without hiding anything\u2014they were sent openly and properly.



If anyone asks about it later, just say Yingtong asked me to paint a few pictures, and this was a token of thanks.



That\u2019s perfectly reasonable.\u201d Qiusang thought about it and agreed: \u201cRight, right, that\u2019s exactly it.\u201d Gu Xiyan sat up, lowered his head to recall Yingtong’s words, and sneered coldly.



From now on, I must be more careful.



This man may seem quite deep and cunning, but he is actually someone who can\u2019t hide things.



If I ever meet him again, I must not leave any room for gossip in my words.



She looked up, gazing at the white wax on the desk, and said softly,



“As for the Third Master or Yingtong, let them be.



This white wax, after all, is a precious item\u2014something you can’t even buy outside.



Why should we shy away from something so valuable?” In her heart, she calculated that she should give some to Meng Shuhui.



Should anything ever go wrong in the future, white wax could be directly exchanged for silver.



She also thought of giving some to Ye Erxun, after all, scholars need good wax the most.



But then she recalled Lu Chenglian’s words and ultimately abandoned the thought.



Clearly, Lu Chenglian has already noticed Ye Erxun, and these white candles are all engraved with the words



“Made for the Imperial Court.” They are too conspicuous.



If they are seen by someone with ulterior motives and the news reaches Lu Chenglian’s ears, he would certainly be displeased.



She no longer wants to deliberately curry favor with Lu Chenglian, but she absolutely doesn\u2019t want to offend him either.



While lost in these thoughts, Meng Shuhui arrived.



Gu Xiyan quickly pulled herself together and relayed the information she had obtained from Lu Chenglian.



Meng Shuhui listened with a mixture of shock and joy:



“If that’s the case, it truly is wonderful news!” She nearly shed tears:



“My family brother is an honest man, and he has always taken good care of me these past two years.



I only hope he can recover soon.” Looking at Meng Shuhui\u2019s joyful expression, Gu Xiyan suddenly felt that it was all worth it.



All the flattering words she had said to Lu Chenglian were worth it, for at least he could indeed help her get things done.



Her parents were gone, her elder brother was gone as well; now she only had this sister-in-law and her nephew and niece.



They were her closest kin.



For the sake of this mother and her three children, what did it matter if she had to deal with Lu Chenghai for a while?



However, remembering Lu Chenghai’s words, she reminded her:



“Sister-in-law, when you have a chance, could you ask whether Second Master Ye has been helping us inquire about our case?” Meng Shuhui replied,



“He did mention that he would try to help and ask around.



Why, what’s wrong?” Gu Xiyan repeated what Lu Chenghai had said to Meng Shuhui, and Meng Shuhui was also taken aback.



“Then we really shouldn’t trouble him any further.



I’ll go and tell Second Master Ye that there’s no need for him to bother.” Gu Xiyan said,



“Indeed, we absolutely cannot entrust this to two families.” She also spoke with Meng Shuyun about the matter of the coastal defense garrison.



Meng Shuyun was taken aback for a moment, then lowered her head and smiled bitterly,



“If there’s a way to talk it through, that would be good.



We could both feel at ease.” Gu Xiyan felt like crying, but forced herself to hold back,



“Yes, it would be good to get some silver.” As they spoke, she handed the white wax to Meng Shuyun.



Meng Shuyun, naturally puzzled, asked,



“This is from the palace, right?



How come there’s so much of it?



This item is quite expensive.



Why are you suddenly giving this to me?” Gu Xiyan didn’t want to elaborate further and only vaguely replied,



“It was distributed by the mansion; each household received a portion.



I thought you could take it and keep it, Sister-in-Law, so that in case of any urgent need in the future, you could sell it for some silver.” Meng Shuhui said,



“That really isn’t necessary.



I’ve been thinking lately that with a long life ahead, I can’t always rely on your help, especially since there are three mouths to feed.



We must find our own way to make a living.



So, I’ve been asking around, and I’ve actually made some progress.” She then went on to explain in detail.



Originally, she had intended to sell fresh fruits and vegetables, but found the trade too challenging.



So, while continuing with needlework, she also sought out several customers and took on the task of copying books.



With a smile, she added,



“Some of them even needed old paintings to be restored or copied.



I was afraid I couldn’t handle the painting part, so I thought you could help me with that later on.” Gu Xiyan’s eyes lit up:



“That sounds good.



I’ll help you.” Meng Shuyun smiled:



“Alright, for now, you can help me paint.



If it turns out well, later you\u2014” She stopped mid-sentence.



After all, Gu Xiyan\u2019s status was different\u2014she was the young mistress of the Duke\u2019s mansion.



How could she take on such work to earn money?



Helping her now was just a favor.



Gu Xiyan, however, was quite enthusiastic and pulled Meng Shuyun aside for a detailed inquiry, learning that this job would earn her about two taels of silver.



Meng Shuyun smiled and said,



“Usually, it’s not this much silver.



It was Master Ye who helped introduce a good client.



They saw that I write a fine hand, and considering that I am a widow with a child, they took special care and offered this price.



However, this work needs to be copied slowly, so it will likely take one or two months.” Gu Xiyan remarked,



“Two taels of silver\u2014that’s quite a lot!” Meng Shuyun replied,



“Yes, and some parts require tracing old paintings.



If I were to hire someone else to do the painting, it would probably cost another tael of silver.



By helping me paint, you\u2019re actually helping me earn that extra silver.” Earn silver!



One tael!



Gu Xiyan’s heart was about to take flight with excitement.



She eagerly said,



“Sister-in-law, I’ll help you with the painting!



Don’t let an outsider earn that one tael of silver!” Meng Shuhui chuckled at her money-grubbing look, saying,



“Alright, I’m counting on you for this task!”

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