C3 He Had Protected Her Mother Hen

Everyone in the capital knew about Gu Zhuohua's infatuation with Duke Lin. She had seen her mistress drug the Duke and even helped with it. How could the child not be his?

Gu Zhuohua gave a look, signaling her to stay calm. She was never one to suffer losses, and even though she had just arrived, she didn't care at all who the child's father was.

However, as her gaze swept over the bloody marks on Xiaoxi's face, Gu Zhuohua's expression turned cold, and the atmosphere around her seemed to drop. She might not care about the child's parentage, but that didn't mean others could bully those around her!

Meanwhile, on the street in front of Duke Lin's mansion, a plain-looking carriage slowly approached. The driver sighed as the carriage was forced to stop before the crowd.

"Master, something's happening at Duke Lin's mansion. The people have blocked the street," the driver reported to the person inside the carriage, sounding troubled.

After a long pause, a low, hoarse male voice came through the thick curtains, "Then take another route."

The driver glanced at the growing crowd. The street was packed, and even the road they had come from was filling up. It would be difficult to turn back, not to mention the detour would triple their journey.

"Master, there are too many people. The carriage is stuck," the driver said again, unable to find a solution.

Inside the carriage, velvet cushions lined the interior, making it incredibly soft. The man inside pressed his lips together slightly, his striking face looking a bit pale. Beside him sat a young man in a dark green robe, exuding an extraordinary presence, though most of his face was hidden behind a black mask.

He pulled back the curtain, glanced outside, and said in a deep voice, "It seems something's happened with Duke Lin. I'll go check it out." With that, the man made a move to get out of the car.

The other man nodded, leaned back inside the carriage, and after taking a few breaths, said, "Yun Li, don't reveal your identity."

Yun Li nodded in agreement, and as he stepped out of the car, he transformed into someone with an utterly forgettable face.

In front of Duke Lin Mansion, Gu Zhuohua's reaction left everyone stunned. It was unbelievable—a young lady from such a prestigious family speaking so shamelessly in public. Even the onlookers felt embarrassed for her. Yet, she seemed completely at ease, even smiling.

Gu Zhuohua cast a cold glance at the murmuring crowd, and her fierce gaze silenced them in an instant. When her eyes landed on Yun Li, her pupils contracted slightly before she calmly looked away.

Rong Lin had no idea what she was up to. Just moments ago, she was causing a scene, and now she was saying such unexpected things.

The next moment, the woman parted her lips and spoke slowly, "Since Duke Lin has said so, I won't cling on shamelessly. But..." Her eyes glinted as she looked at the maid beside Shen Yao. "I really don't understand—who was this girl acting on behalf of when she hit my people?"

Her smile faded as she spoke, turning icy enough to make the young maid across from her turn pale and shiver at the corners of her mouth. The maid couldn't comprehend how Gu Zhuohua, who had been so easily manipulated by her mistress just moments ago, could suddenly seem like a completely different person, her gaze chilling to the bone.

But the young maid knew that as Shen Yao's personal attendant, she had no right to lay hands on anyone. After all, Shen Yao was merely the daughter of a minister, while Gu Zhuohua was the daughter of the prime minister!

With no other choice, she braced herself and said, "Of course, I hit her on behalf of the Duke. Insulting the future duchess is disrespectful to him."

As the young maid spoke, she glanced at the Duke's expression. Seeing that he didn't intervene, her demeanor became even more assertive.

Gu Zhuohua smirked, her gaze on the young maid as if she were looking at a dead person. She mocked coldly, "I wasn't aware that we had such customs here. A daughter not yet married can already claim to be part of her future husband's family. The Secretary's household truly knows how to raise their children."

Shen Yao, who had been leaning against the Duke, was taken aback by these words. She hadn't expected Gu Zhuohua to make an issue of this, and she noticed the crowd's shifting glances.