{"id":3450,"date":"2026-05-18T13:44:56","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T13:44:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/the-young-mistresss-little-romance-in-the-dukes-mansion-16\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T13:45:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T13:45:07","slug":"the-young-mistresss-little-romance-in-the-dukes-mansion-16","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ko\/chapter\/the-young-mistresss-little-romance-in-the-dukes-mansion-16\/","title":{"rendered":"The Young Mistress’s Little Romance in the Duke’s Mansion 16"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 16


Meng Shuhui then explained in detail what paintings needed to be copied, the brush techniques required, and roughly how long it would take to complete them.

As Gu Xiyan listened, she felt she was fully capable of handling the task and grew increasingly eager.



She urged Meng Shuhui to send in the old paintings that needed to be copied as soon as possible.



Seeing her enthusiasm, Meng Shuhui had no choice but to agree.



So, the next morning, under the pretense of delivering some snacks, she brought in the painting drafts along with a detailed note of the client\u2019s requirements.



Gu Xiyan examined them carefully and realized that earning one tael of silver wasn’t easy\u2014it would indeed require hard work.



Still, the thought of being able to earn money made her eager to get started.



One or two taels isn’t much; it’s nothing in the Duke’s mansion.



An ordinary first-class maid could save up that much in two months, but who would ever turn away extra money?



Thinking about how she could actually earn her own silver, she wished she could finish everything in one go, only regretting that her status limited her, making it unwise for outsiders to know.



She first instructed Qiu Sang and Chun Lan, warning them never to mention it to anyone.



If word got out, who knows how many jokes it might stir up?



As for the other maids, she naturally kept them in the dark.



Fortunately, most of them in her quarters were dutiful and wouldn\u2019t think too much about it.



As for herself, she continued to visit the old lady’s quarters twice daily to pay her respects, rushing back and forth morning and night, doing her best to avoid unnecessary complications so as not to delay her own money-making.



She was also worried about the possibility of running into Lu Chenglian.



She simply didn\u2019t know how to face Lu Chenglian.



She didn\u2019t want to get close\u2014she only wanted to keep her distance.



But now that she needed his help, things had become quite complicated.



Fortunately, over the past few days, there had been no sign of Lu Chenglian\u2014not even Yingtong was to be seen, which spared them all from awkwardness.



Instead, on this day, while attending to the elderly lady, she overheard that someone had been sent from the palace, seemingly to report back to Taihetang.



The elderly lady began to ramble on,



“I often tell Her Highness that our Chenglian is no longer young and should get married.



Her Highness should at least urge him, asking Her Majesty the Empress Dowager in the palace to help look for a suitable match, pick a good one, and settle it as soon as possible.



Otherwise, with each passing day of delay, another year will slip by in the blink of an eye\u2014and just like that, he’ll be held back!” As a mother-in-law, and Princess Ruiqing as a daughter-in-law, yet also as a subject, with Princess Ruiqing being the emperor’s own sister, a noble of the highest status, it was crucial to carefully navigate the balance of respect and caution in their relationship.



Gu Xiyan knew that the old lady had long held grievances against Princess Ruiqing, though she kept them suppressed and unspoken.



At this moment, the second wife couldn’t help but offer some words of comfort.



As they were speaking, a maid from Princess Ruiqing\u2019s side came to deliver a message, saying that the Empress Dowager in the palace had summoned her, and she was to enter the palace after noon.



The old lady hurriedly stood up and asked for the reason.



The maid then whispered a reminder:



“It should be regarding the third master’s marriage.” The old lady immediately felt relieved and ordered someone to reward the maid.



Due to this matter, Gu Xiyan also took his leave first, and as he left, he happened to exit together with the Fifth Young Mistress.



The Fifth Young Mistress whispered,



“It seems this matter is finally going to be settled.



We\u2019re about to have a Third Sister-in-Law.” Gu Xiyan:



“Is that so?” The Fifth Young Mistress:



“You didn\u2019t know?” Gu Xiyan forced a smile.



“How would I have heard of such matters?



It’s only from you, Fifth Sister-in-Law, that I learned of it.” The Fifth Young Mistress then said,



“I heard she’s the legitimate second daughter of the Nanxuan Junwang’s family.



She excels in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and her character and appearance are both top-notch\u2014a perfect match for the Third Master.” Gu Xiyan replied flatly,



“That is indeed wonderful.” As they spoke, Yingtong was seen approaching from the covered walkway, causing Gu Xiyan to feel uneasy all over.



Yingtong was aware of her own tangled affairs with Lu Chenglian.



Now that Lu Chenglian was to be engaged, she truly wished she could vanish into a crack in the ground.



The fifth young mistress greeted Yingtong warmly, taking her hand with a smile,



“I must offer my congratulations to you in advance, young lady.” Once Lu Chenglian’s marriage was settled, it would almost be time to bring someone into the inner chambers.



Yingtong\u2019s position as a concubine would then be secure.



Yingtong listened, her lips curving into a shy smile as she said modestly,



“Please, mistress, do not make fun of a mere servant like me.” Fifth Young Madam:



“You need not worry; I have inquired for you.



That young lady is a kind and generous soul; she will certainly treat the people in your quarters well in the future.” Yingtong stomped her foot in embarrassment.



“Madam, you’re always teasing me!” Fifth Young Madam then covered her lips and laughed.



Watching the two of them banter back and forth, laughing and chatting, Gu Xiyan felt a sense of bewilderment from the sidelines, finding the scene both absurd and amusing.



Even in her heart, a question arises: who am I, why am I here?



In Yu Yingtong’s eyes, what kind of thing am I again?



She stared blankly at Yingtong, watching the bashful expression on Yingtong’s face.



She thought back to that day when Yingtong came to her room and mentioned Lu Chenglian, recalling the tone in which she spoke of the white wax.



She realized she had been wrong, that she had misunderstood.



Yingtong was Lu Chenglian’s head maid, a concubine handpicked by Princess Ruiqing\u2014someone already halfway through the concubine’s threshold would never have spoken to her like that.



She carefully reflected and suddenly understood.



That day, Yingtong’s original words were,



“In the past, this humble servant has often been disrespectful to the mistress, and for the offense caused, I beg for your magnanimity.” Yet, at the time, her mind was wholly fixed on Lu Chenglian, and she had completely overlooked the phrase



“this humble servant.” She had thought Yingtong was speaking for Lu Chenglian, but now she realized it wasn\u2019t the case.



Yingtong was apologizing for her disrespect towards the masters of the mansion.



So, Yingtong knew nothing.



It wasn\u2019t Lu Chenglian who couldn\u2019t keep a secret; she herself was the foolish one.



At that moment, Yingtong noticed the strange expression on Gu Xiyan\u2019s face and asked in confusion, \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Sixth Mistress?\u201d Hearing this, Fifth Mistress looked over and was also surprised.



\u201cIn just a moment, your face has turned as pale as paper.\u201d Gu Xiyan forced down the turbulent emotions swirling in her heart and forced a calm smile.



“It’s probably just my monthly cycle coming on,” she said,



“and I feel a cold, dragging ache in my abdomen.” Yingtong and Fifth Young Mistress quickly urged her,



“Hurry back to your room and rest.



Warm yourself with some hot water.” Gu Xiyan, feeling guilty and afraid Yingtong might see through her true feelings, deliberately shifted blame to Qiusang.



She complained that Qiusang had been careless and caused her abdominal pain.



After putting on quite a show of distress, she hurriedly returned to her quarters.



Once back in her own courtyard, Qiusang trotted quickly behind Gu Xiyan.



“Mistress,” she said,



“I really came in handy today.” She’s practically a master at getting scolded!



Gu Xiyan had no mood for jokes and said softly,



“That goose-yellow silk jacket I just changed out of, you can have it to wear later.” Qiu Sang:



“Huh?



Really?” Gu Xiyan lowered her head and headed straight back to her room.



After closing the door, she threw herself onto the brocade mattress, gripping the silk quilt tightly, grinding her teeth in frustration.



How presumptuous she had been.



She had actually thought he\u2019d told the maids about it, had actually thought Yingtong came to speak on behalf of Lu Chenglian.



She had taken herself far too seriously!



Gu Xiyan gritted her teeth, raised her hand, and slapped herself twice across the face.



\u2014Of course, she didn\u2019t dare to use too much force; she was afraid of the pain.



After slapping herself, she used that slight sting to completely calm down.



So Yingtong doesn’t know, and outsiders won’t know either\u2014she doesn’t have to be afraid anymore.



As for that ambiguous entanglement between Lu Chenglian and herself, let it remain as nothing more than a dream.



Princess Ruiqing is arranging a marriage for him, and this match will be determined by the Empress Dowager and the Emperor in the palace.



Even with Lu Chenglian’s noble status, he wouldn’t dare to slight a daughter of a prince’s household, nor could he disrespect the royal family’s dignity.



So he will undoubtedly get married, and he will undoubtedly treat his new bride well.



Once they’re newlywed and deeply in love, where would he find room for any wandering thoughts?



At this thought, Gu Xiyan felt that the entire world had grown desolate.



In her heart, a flower silently bloomed, then silently withered, leaving the branch bare once more, a scene of utter desolation.



This was precisely what her entire life had been.



She buried her face in the bedding, dejectedly thinking that she should be grateful\u2014grateful that everything had stopped here, and grateful that she had left no incriminating remarks with Yingtong.



A gentle breeze stirred, sending ripples across her heart, but just as swiftly as the wind passed, the water remained unmarred\u2014everything was just right.



*************** In the two or three days that followed, Gu Xiyan seemed to have returned to his former self all at once.



Before dawn had broken, he would rise, tidy himself up, and head to Shou’an Hall to serve the elderly lady as she awoke, tending to her hair and tea, just as in days past.



With the arrival of February, the weather had begun to warm, but a drizzling rain brought back a touch of biting cold.



So, when the wives and young ladies gathered for their morning greetings, they donned their fur coats made from mink or fox pelts once more.



Gu Xiyan’s heavy cloak had long been pawned, so there was nothing suitable to wear at the moment.



She simply put on a light lavender cotton padded jacket close to her skin and covered it with a dark cyan squirrel-fur outer garment.



This way, she wouldn’t feel cold when stepping out in the morning, nor would she lose her dignity.



On the way, they encountered the Fifth Young Mistress, who was draped in a silver-red brocade cloak lined with fur at the edges, appearing fluffy and warm at a glance.



Upon seeing Gu Xiyan, she took her hand and said, \u201cWith all this rain these days, the weather has turned chilly, and the cold is quite penetrating.



How is it that you\u2019re dressed so thinly, sister?\u201d Gu Xiyan naturally felt it too\u2014the fifth young mistress’s hand was soft and warm, and he presumed that in her perception, his own must have been cool.



She smiled, subtly withdrawing her hand:



“Last night, that maid Qiusang actually moved the warming stove right next to the bed, making the night so warm it felt stifling.



This morning, I woke up with a dry mouth and throat.



If I wore any more layers, I’d surely feel irritated.



Dressing like this feels just right.” Upon hearing this, Qiusang couldn’t help but pause, finding the situation rather amusing.



She may hold the title of a maid, but she often ends up shouldering the blame for others.



Ah, never mind.



She\u2019s already grown used to it.



Upon hearing this, the Fifth Mistress pursed her lips into a smile and said nothing more.



Shortly after, as they took their leave from the elderly lady\u2019s chamber, the Fifth Mistress suggested,



“The sky is looking rather gloomy, and returning now seems rather dull.



Why don\u2019t we pay a visit to the Eldest Madame instead, and offer our respects there as well?” Gu Xiyan thought of Lu Chenghai and felt a sense of unease; she truly did not wish to go.



“I\u2019ve been preoccupied with something,” she said.



“Last year, I made a vow to copy the *Amitabha Sutra* and some parts of the *Heart Sutra*, thinking to burn them for Chengyuan during the Qingming Festival as a gesture of devotion.



These past few days, I\u2019ve been trying to finish them quickly, so I\u2019m afraid I won\u2019t have the time just now.



The Eldest Madame has always been generous and accommodating, so when you go, Fifth Sister-in-law, could you please convey my regards on my behalf?” The Fifth Mistress looked at Gu Xiyan with a smile.



“Sister, are you truly not going?” Gu Xiyan lowered her gaze slightly and sighed softly,



“Fifth Sister-in-law, as the widow I am, it’s not really appropriate for me to be moving about so much.” Seeing this, the Fifth Young Mistress didn’t press further; in truth, she was actually quite pleased to go by herself.



Gu Xiyan, accompanied by Qiu Sang, made her way directly back to her own courtyard.



However, as she passed by the courtyard rockery, she overheard voices talking\u2014it seemed like several of the estate’s young masters were passing through.



Naturally, Gu Xiyan didn\u2019t want to run into them, so she turned around and slipped behind the rockery, choosing to take the narrow walkway beneath the mountain trellis instead.



Just after the rain, the area near the bamboo grove was damp and shadowy.



The wind brushed against her face, feeling both wet and chilling.



Gu Xiyan already felt a shiver running through her, and fearing an awkward encounter with the masters of the estate, she kept her head down and quickened her pace.



Little did she expect that, as she passed the rockery by the bamboo grove, she would suddenly see someone approaching from ahead\u2014none other than Lu Chenglian.



Gu Xiyan froze for a moment.



The corridor here was too narrow, the ground beneath her feet slick and wet.



Blocking her path ahead was this formidable figure, leaving her unable to move forward or retreat.



To make matters worse, his expression was grim, his face even darker than the sky.



Gu Xiyan\u2019s heart pounded, feeling as though she had picked an unlucky day to step out.



Yet, since she had already encountered him, she had no choice but to step forward and offer a respectful bow.



Despite her curtsy, he showed no reaction, only staring at her coldly.



Gu Xiyan lightly bit her lip, turned sideways, and thought of heading back the way she came.



He’s blocking the way here, so she’ll go somewhere else!



At that moment, Lu Chenglian’s sinister voice rang out,



\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0“What, have you turned mute?”<\/p>","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-3450","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3450"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3451,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3450\/revisions\/3451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=3450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}