Bai Suihe resigned herself to her fate and got fully dressed. If it weren't for the maids serving her, she truly wouldn't have been able to handle the cumbersome ancient attire on her own. She made a point to carefully memorize every step of the process. Since she had transmigrated here, she needed to adapt slowly. Before long, the family's estate would be confiscated, and her days of living in luxury would come to an end.
The jewelry came in matching sets, and without needing a word from her, Dongmei perfectly coordinated everything. After pinning the final hairpin in place, Bai Suihe stepped out of the room with her two senior maids in tow.
The junior maids and older female servants outside all bowed as she passed by, their attitudes exceptionally respectful. This was a testament to the Old Madam's strict household rules. At the very least, on the surface, all the servants meticulously attended to their own duties, never daring to step out of line.
As she walked, Bai Suihe's mind raced. If the Old Madam dared to make things difficult for her again this time, or forced her to stand for hours as a rule of etiquette, she wouldn't mind putting on another fainting spell.
The Gu Mansion was a massive compound comprised of five successive courtyards. The families of the second and third sons resided in the fourth courtyard. Just as Bai Suihe rounded the corner, she ran into Xu Yulan.
Xu Yulan was the paternal niece of the Old Madam, Xu Huizhen. Within the Gu Mansion, even the eldest sister-in-law had to take a backseat to her. Upon seeing Bai Suihe, Xu Yulan walked right past her with her head held high, completely ignoring her.
Bai Suihe's lips curled into a smirk, paying the slight no mind. Xu Yulan was just another cannon fodder character who would only outlive her by a little while anyway.
When they arrived at the main courtyard, the maids and older servants were moving about in an orderly fashion. Seeing Bai Suihe, they immediately bowed and offered their greetings. Xu Yulan, who had walked ahead of her, was already there. A servant held the door curtain open for her. Before stepping inside, Xu Yulan cast a smug, sidelong glance in Bai Suihe's direction.
Bai Suihe thought she would be made to wait outside again, but to her surprise, just as she reached the door, Nanny Zhou, the Old Madam's personal servant, spoke up. "Third Young Madam, the Old Madam invites you to go right in."
In the past, whenever she arrived here, she had to wait for the servants to announce her presence. Then, depending on Xu Huizhen's mood, she would be left standing outside for an unpredictable amount of time.
There was an exception, of course. During her first three months of pregnancy, she hadn't been forced to observe this standing rule. However, she was still required to visit the main house every morning and evening under the guise of fulfilling her duties as a daughter-in-law. But the moment she hit the three-month mark, this miserable rule was reinstated. They even sugarcoated it, claiming it was for her own good—that pregnant women needed to stand more often to ensure a smooth delivery.
The original owner's husband wasn't too bad. Whenever he was at home, he would help her out and mediate with the Old Madam, giving her some breathing room. However, with numerous matters to handle, he couldn't stay in the mansion all the time. Most of the time, Bai Suihe had to endure it all on her own.
As her pregnancy progressed, her body grew heavier. Yet, every day she had to wait until Xu Huizhen and her other two daughters-in-law finished eating before she was allowed to sit down and have a few bites. Pregnancy was exhausting enough, and combined with an irregular diet, the fact that she had managed to hold on for five months before collapsing was entirely thanks to her inherently strong constitution.
The furnishings in the main courtyard were quite drab, dominated by dark colors. It was hard to tell if this was the Old Madam's taste or Vice Minister Gu's preference. The entire room was heavily decorated in grays and blacks, giving off a stiflingly oppressive vibe the moment one walked in.
The two women sitting on the padded couch truly proved they were aunt and niece. They shared the same appearance, both sporting large, round faces—something considered a sign of good fortune in this era. However, the harsh glare the Old Madam shot in her direction added a sharp layer of meanness to her features.
"Mother, I'd like to visit my maiden home today. Do you have anything you want me to bring back?" Xu Yulan asked affectionately, snuggling up to the Old Madam.
"Did something happen with your father?" The Old Madam's expression turned serious at the mention of her maiden home. "Didn't you just visit a few days ago?"
"Well, Kai Chen bought some game yesterday. He already had some sent to the main kitchen, so I thought I'd bring some back..."
"I see. Then go ahead. Coincidentally, your eldest cousin sent over some bird's nest a few days ago. Take some of that back with you as well."
Both women turned a blind eye to Bai Suihe's arrival, continuing their chat as if she wasn't there.
Turning a deaf ear to their conversation, Bai Suihe simply offered a bow and immediately found a seat for herself. She wasn't foolish enough to stand around all day like a wooden post, the way the original owner used to.
"Ms. Bai," Xu Huizhen snapped. By sitting down without permission, Bai Suihe had already committed a major taboo in the older woman's eyes. "Where are your manners?"
"To answer the Old Madam," Bai Suihe said, resting a hand on her pregnant belly without bothering to stand up. "I am feeling unwell. Furthermore, the doctor said my fainting was caused by extreme exhaustion. If it happens again, it will harm the baby.
"I am simply doing this for the sake of the Gu family's descendants. I have to be careful."
Xu Huizhen narrowed her eyes at Bai Suihe, wondering why her daughter-in-law was suddenly talking back. Could the baby's condition truly be that dangerous?
Moreover, Bai Suihe's words were riddled with traps. Even if Xu Huizhen wanted to assert her dominance over her daughter-in-law, she had to take her own reputation into consideration. Although the mansion was strictly managed, rumors would inevitably leak out. She knew exactly why Bai Suihe had fainted, and judging by her pale face and cold sweats yesterday, she hadn't been faking it.
Forget it. Even though her third son didn't win her favor, he was still an heir of the Gu family. There was no need to cause a rift with him over such trivial matters, lest he stop managing the mansion's affairs wholeheartedly. Besides, the boy had the old man's protection. News of yesterday's incident had probably already reached him, and he just hadn't returned home yet due to his official duties in the court. Otherwise, he would definitely pick a fight with her.
"If that's the case, rest well in your courtyard for the next few days. Don't run around if you don't have to," Xu Huizhen said. She didn't want to see this daughter-in-law either. If she couldn't torment her, there was no point in keeping her around as an eyesore.
Coincidentally, she also had some private matters to discuss with her niece.
"Thank you, Old Madam." Bai Suihe hadn't expected things to go so smoothly today. She had assumed she would have to engage in a battle of wits before she could escape. "I will take my leave now."
Just as she stepped out of the main courtyard, Eldest Young Madam Liu Yun finally arrived. Trailing behind her was a young girl around fourteen or fifteen years old. She possessed a stunning face and wore a striking red dress, her entire outfit looking incredibly expensive. This was the novel's female protagonist, Gu Antong.
Bai Suihe hadn't expected to bump into the female lead on her very first day. It was well known that this girl rarely came to pay her respects; she only visited the main courtyard when she had an ulterior motive.
The two of them spotted Bai Suihe as well. After Bai Suihe and Liu Yun exchanged greetings, Gu Antong reluctantly addressed her. "Greetings, Aunt."
"Suihe, are you heading back? Have you seen the Old Madam yet?" Liu Yun's words carried a hint of malice, but unfortunately for her, she had miscalculated today.
"You must be joking, Liu Yun. Of course I've seen her," Bai Suihe replied. "The Old Madam sympathizes with the hardships of my pregnancy, so she has excused me from my daily greetings. I'm heading back to rest and protect the baby."
"Oh, our mother-in-law truly is kindhearted." Seeing Nanny Zhou standing by the door, Liu Yun covered her mouth and laughed loudly. "Since she is being so considerate, you should go back and rest well. You really gave everyone a fright looking the way you did yesterday."
"That was my fault." Bai Suihe still hadn't fully adapted to her identity as a pregnant woman. After just a short while, she already felt physically and mentally exhausted, and it inevitably showed on her face. "I won't interrupt your greetings with the Old Madam, Liu Yun. I'll be going now."
Noticing her pale complexion, Liu Yun quickly pulled Gu Antong's hand and stepped aside. "Then hurry back, Suihe."