to Yaoling softly and sweetly.Overjoyed, she bestowed upon each of her daughters-in-law a hairpin. She treated them all equally, without favoritism. Each hairpin was exquisitely crafted from jade, and...Ayao's ability to see through people still needs improvement.

As soon as he finished speaking, Meng Jinyao instinctively recalled what had happened at the banquet earlier that day. Recalling the actions and behavior of Mrs. Wei and Mrs. Han, it didn't seem like there was anything majorly wrong.

She asked, "My husband, why do you say that"

Gu Jingxi replied, "I'll tell you when we get back."

Upon hearing this, Meng Jin Yao did not ask any further questions.

Back at the Gu Residence, in their quarters known as Qinya Xuan, Gu Jingxi dismissed the maidservant and then brought up the previous topic: "Madam Wei is not as gentle and kind as you saw. What you saw was just a facade. She is ruthless and would not even spare an infant. There are several lives stained by her hands. Regardless of her reasons, what about the innocent children who know nothing If you encounter her again, be careful."

Meng Jinyao was shocked when she heard this, and then she remembered how kind Mrs. Wei had been to Mrs. Han. But Mrs. Han had been polite but distant towards Mrs. Wei. It turned out that she was another person with a kind face but a cruel heart.

Her former stepmother, Mrs. Sun, was also kind on the surface but cruel at heart. However, Mrs. Sun could still spot flaws from subtle details.

But this Mrs. Wei did not seem to notice, her eyes were gentle and clean, and she smiled warmly. She was gentle and meticulous in her work, and she would often hear guests praise Mrs. Wei privately. Even she began to admire her. It was the appreciation of beautiful things.

It can be seen that this person's scheming and cunning are far beyond Sun's.

The next moment, Meng Jinyao felt puzzled again: "Husband, how did you know she had done such a thing"

Gu Jingxi didn't hide anything from her and replied truthfully, "After arriving in Huizhou Prefecture, I had Zhou Yun and Yu Chuan secretly investigate matters related to Lord Wei. This included Lord Wei's family affairs. Lord Wei had three children die at her hands, and his concubine died accidentally by drowning. There were also some who died during childbirth."

Meng Jinyao's face turned grave upon hearing this. Children and women dying in the infighting of a household was common among wealthy families, but she hadn't expected someone who seemed so kind to be capable of such a thing. What shocked her even more was something else: her husband had come to investigate the case. If he could reach Wei Daoren, the magistrate of Huzhou Prefecture, it meant the case was related to him.

Gu Jingxi glanced at her, and said calmly, "I don't believe in such ghost stories. I also had people investigate the previous two county magistrates of Deqing County. They were both good officials who were not corrupt or bribery-prone. Their bizarre deaths must have been because they knew something that someone wanted to silence them. It's unlikely that the perpetrators were commoners, only people within the officialdom. The suspicion points directly at Wei the Elder."

Meng Jinyáo's face grew even more serious, and she asked again, "Husband, are these deaths really related to Lord Wei"

“There’s no evidence yet, so it's too early to say anything. Gu Jingxi paused and then said, “I can’t do anything right now, lest I alarm them. Let Zhou Yun and the others investigate secretly first. Fang Xuan and Fang Ce shouldn’t show their faces for now either.”

Then Meng Jiny Yao continued, "What about Lady Han"

Gu Jingxi replied, "Mrs. Han is indeed kind. When she was in the boudoir, her family environment was simple, and after her marriage, the backyard was also clean. Although Mr. Han had a concubine room, he did not take on any concubines and did not participate in palace intrigues."

Meng Jinyao nodded and then asked, "Husband, how did you know that Han was in Hangzhou"

He is Wei Da's brother-in-law and also his superior. Knowing him well won't be wrong. Gu Jingxi smiled, pursed her lips and said, "To investigate a case, you not only need to investigate the suspect, but also their network of relationships."

Meng Jinyao listened, her heart pounding. If Lord Han was also involved in this matter, it would be a major case with wide-ranging implications. She asked softly, "Husband, how long will this case take to investigate"

Gu Jingxi replied, "After the ancestral rites are completed, we still need to go to Deqing County. There are some things that can only be found out in Deqing County. Your uncle is the new magistrate of Deqing County, isn't he Your aunt treated you quite well before her death. Since we've both come to Huzhou Prefecture, it's only right to visit your uncle in Deqing County. This excuse will also help us cover our tracks."

Meng Jin Yao nodded once again, without continuing to ask. She couldn't help with the investigation, so she treated it as a trip to enjoy the scenery. After finishing, she returned to Beijing.

Gu Jingxi didn't want this kind of thing to bother her, so he changed the subject: "Ayao, let's play a game of chess. Let me see if your skills have improved."

Upon hearing this, Meng Jingyao felt a bit of itching in her skills and readily agreed. She instructed a maidservant to bring over the chessboard.

She was a good chess player, but her husband was even better. He never let up on her, so if she wanted to win, she had to put in a lot of effort and study every move carefully.

At the end of the match, Gu Jingxi won without any suspense.

He saw his little wife looking at the decided outcome with a dejected expression, as if regretting the missed opportunity earlier. He raised his hand to gently touch her head in comfort and said softly: "Ai Yao, I told you before, when opportunities arise, if you hesitate and overthink things, you will miss out on them and end up full of regret."

Meng Jiny Yao refused to give up: "Husband, let's have another round!"

Gu Jingxi also followed her lead, but her chess style stemmed from her personality. This meticulous and forward-thinking approach, ensuring every move is foolproof, was a result of her upbringing and not something that could be changed overnight.

So, unsurprisingly, she lost again.

Gu Jingxi said again: "You were able to seize the first opportunity, logically speaking, seizing the second opportunity would be a draw, but you hesitated at the second time, giving me the chance to win. Let's have another round."

After that, Meng Jinyang lost another round, but she became more determined. She played another round and finally ended the day's battle in a draw. She smiled contentedly, twisted her neck, and glanced out the window to see that it was getting late.

She didn't eat much at the banquet today. She ordered a maid to cook a bowl of noodles for her, ate the noodles and then went to bathe and rest.

However, she wanted to rest, but those around her were restless.

The man, tantalizing her with every taste, was leading her on, tempting her again and again.

When it was over, Meng Jinyao was drenched in sweat and too exhausted to move. Seeing that Gu Jingxi didn't seem tired at all and could still hold her to go to the cleansing room, she couldn't help but ask, "Husband, aren't you tired"

Gu Jingxi looked at her meaningfully and asked back, "A Yao, are you questioning your husband"

Meng Jin Yao blurted out an astonished "Ah", just as she was about to speak, her lips were covered by his.

Next, the clean room was filled with chaos as water from the shower splashed everywhere.

Dressed and about to leave the inner chamber, Meng Jinyao saw the mess everywhere, coupled with the noise they had made earlier. When the maids came in to clean up later, they would definitely know what happened inside. She blushed instantly and glared at the man reproachfully: "Gu Jingxi, you said you were only going to take a bath!"

Gu Jingxi hugged her, soothingly coaxing: "Ayao, calm down. I was wrong. It's all my fault for misunderstanding. I thought you were questioning me, that's why... Ayao, please forgive me this time, okay"

Meng Jin Yao got choked up for a moment, seriously suspecting that this man was intentionally twisting her words and then deliberately bullying her. She even asked her if she preferred to stay in the room or the meditation chamber. She didn't want to answer, but he kept pestering her until she had to say something.

She puffed up her cheeks, her voice firm as she said: "Gu Jingxi, you little scoundrel, you must have done it on purpose!"

Gu Jingxi looked at her with an innocent face, his eyes showing a hint of grievance at being misunderstood: "Ayao, I didn't, you misunderstand me."

Meng Jin Yao knew he was acting pitiful, but she couldn't help but be taken in by it. She glared at him and said irritably, "I'm tired, I don't want to argue with you.

Gu Jingxi, upon hearing this, immediately eagerly scooped her up and carried her out of the clean room, returning to his own quarters. He skillfully rubbed her waist, finally calming her down. He didn't dare to be so bold again tonight.rivate room.Meng Jinyao sat down and glanced lightly at Meng Jin Yu, who was sitting opposite her next to Jing Ning County Princess. With great interest, she asked: "How did the County Princess and th...