Chapter 1158: The Tea-Aired Wen Wen Qingqing

PS: My computer suddenly broke down. I'm a bit late today.

The bevy of beauties before him was a feast for the eyes.

Fortunately, Gu Gu Hanyuan had seen his share of grand occasions.

So he didn't get lost in it.

He smiled warmly and said:

"The two Ladies have washed off the dust of travel — truly a sight to behold."

Lady Hu was one thing.

She could indeed live up to such praise.

But the Third Young Madam of the Zhuang family fell a little short.

So the words came across as slightly flattering.

Yet the effect was surprisingly good.

Ever since Lady Hu had married Hu Yidao,

it had been a long time since she'd heard such praise.

Especially coming from a young, handsome man.

It stirred the imagination all the more.

A faint blush rose on her cool, beautiful face.

But such feelings came quickly and faded just as fast.

She only gave Gu Gu Hanyuan a slightly reproachful glare.

The Third Young Madam of the Zhuang family, however, had a harder time with it.

She had been raised as a lady of a noble house since childhood.

The Zhuang family she married into was also a local scholarly household.

No one had ever praised her so directly.

For a moment, she blushed so shyly that even the roots of her ears turned red.

As the saying goes, a woman adorns herself for one who appreciates her.

She pretended to cover it up by tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

At this moment, the Third Young Madam of the Zhuang family did not use her identity as a widow to refuse the compliment.

She smiled modestly and said:

"Young Master Gu, you flatter me."

Gu Gu Hanyuan chuckled and said:

"Lady, please don't take it amiss — I simply enjoy speaking the truth."

In truth, this line could only fool the unsuspecting Third Young Madam of the Zhuang family.

Even Lady Hu wouldn't be taken in by it.

Under her oddly expressioned gaze,

Gu Gu Hanyuan soon had the Third Young Madam of the Zhuang family giggling again and again.

Gu Gu Hanyuan suddenly turned his gaze to Shuang'er, who had been watching silently from the side.

He put on a look of surprise and said:

"And this Miss is?"

The Third Young Madam of the Zhuang family smiled gently and said:

"This is our maid, Shuang'er."

When Shuang'er felt Gu Gu Hanyuan's gaze turn toward her,

her pretty face flushed slightly.

She curtsied softly and said:

"Shuang'er greets Young Master Gu."

Gu Gu Hanyuan said approvingly:

"Miss Shuang'er is gentle and lovely — the Lady is blessed."

At those words, a flicker passed through the Third Young Madam of the Zhuang family's eyes.

She sighed softly:

"Shuang'er truly is to my liking. It's a pity she's suffered along with me."

Gu Gu Hanyuan offered comfort:

"There will come a day when hardship ends and sweetness begins."

Gu Gu Hanyuan did not deliberately seek out Lady Hu for conversation.

In fact, comparatively speaking, he spoke with her very little.

After all, her vigilance was heavy now.

Trying to get close too abruptly would only backfire.

Still, he didn't neglect her either.

The few of them chatted casually.

From Lady Hu, he learned that Hu Fei, being far too exhausted,

had already gone to sleep.

After all, Hu Fei was still young.

Sleeping rough for days on end, fighting the enemy again and again.

It's perfectly normal not to be able to hold on.

Not long after.

A servant walked in and said deferentially:

"Young Master Gu, our Master invites you to a banquet."

Gu Gu Hanyuan's brow arched.

He was somewhat surprised that the Five Elders of the Wen family were so impatient.

It seemed he had still underestimated their greed.

He asked in a low voice:

"What about those two Ladies?"

Sure enough.

That servant said apologetically:

"The Master didn't say, only that it was an invitation for Young Master Gu."

The two women exchanged a glance.

Both saw wariness in each other's eyes.

The Five Elders of the Wen family had previously led people to surround and attack them.

And had pressed Lady Hu for the whereabouts of the King-Challenging Treasure.