Happy New Year! Bonus chapters coming up.
“Taitai, ba shaoye was beaten by san shaoye.”
The maid, Dongmei, stood trembling before Xie shi, her voice filled with fear.
Gu Yue and Gu Shan exchanged glances.
Gu Yue said indignantly, “San ge is so overbearing. He hasn’t had enough of fighting outside, so now he comes home to beat ba di. This matter cannot be taken lightly.”
Gu Shan frowned. “Let’s first figure out what happened. I don’t think san ge would hit someone for no reason.”
Xie shi leaned against the headboard, her expression dark and brooding.
She fixed her gaze on Dongmei and asked, “What exactly happened? How did lao san and lao ba end up fighting?”
Dongmei hesitated, her face uncertain.
Xie shi snapped, “Are you mute?”
Startled, Dongmei hurriedly explained, “Ba shaoye went to the Zhilan Yuan, threatening to hit the er guniang. When san shaoye found out, he rushed over and beat ba shaoye.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Yue cursed silently. Ba di is truly useless, incapable of handling even the simplest things.
Gu Shan quickly asked, “Is ba shaoye all right?”
Dongmei shook her head. “Ba shaoye is fine; he’s just too embarrassed to face taitai.”
Gu Shan smiled, “Ba ge is so silly. Doesn’t he realise everyone is worried about him?”
She glanced at Xie shi, who remained silent, her face grim.
Xie shi’s gaze shifted faintly toward the maid Chun He.
Understanding the unspoken command, Chun He quickly said, “Taitai is unwell. I’ll go and ask laoye to come over. San guniang and si guniang, nubi will leave taitai in your care.”
Gu Yue nodded and said, “Chun He jiejie, please hurry. We’ll look after Mother here; you don’t need to worry.”
Chun He rushed out, and Xie shi closed her eyes slightly, her fists clenched within her sleeves.
Could Chun He really bring laoye over?
Chun He arrived at the outer courtyard and encountered Gao Sanfu and his brother Gao Erfu.
“Manager Gao Er, you’ve returned? Why don’t you go and pay respects to taitai?”
Gao Erfu, feeling guilty, avoided facing Xie shi but showed no fear of Chun He.
He replied casually, “Got bored in the countryside, so I came back to the city for a few days. Chun He, don’t tell taitai about this. If she asks, just say you didn’t see me. Next time, I’ll send more grain to your family.”
Chun He smiled slyly. “Manager Gao Er, you said it yourself. If my family doesn’t get any grain in the next few days, I’ll tell taitai about your sneaky return to the city.”
Gao Erfu laughed heartily. “Don’t worry, there will be a grain delivery to your family tomorrow.”
Chun He left, satisfied. Gao Erfu quickly turned to his brother Gao Sanfu. “Do you think there’ll be any trouble?”
Gao Sanfu looked at him disdainfully. “You’d better leave the estate before anyone else sees you. I’ll deliver the contracts for Gui mama and the others later.”
Gao Erfu grinned, unconcerned. “Good brother, I’ll rely on you for this.”
Gao Sanfu, impatient, said, “Stop causing trouble for me. If there’s a next time…”
“I promise there won’t be a next time.”
With that assurance, Gao Erfu left the governor’s fu.
Chun He reached the study in the outer courtyard and requested Gu daren to visit taitai.
“Laoye, taitai is ill. She asks that you go see her.” Chun He spoke meekly.
Gu daren frowned, his expression stern.
Chun He added, “Taitai regrets her actions deeply. She has been unable to eat or sleep these past few days, always thinking of you. Please, laoye, go and see her.”
Gu daren put down the document in his hands, pondered for a moment, and then stood up, walking silently toward the outside.
Chun He was taken aback, not understanding his reaction.
The steward, Gu Quan, reminded her, “Hurry and notify shangfang so taitai can prepare.”
Chun He came to her senses, her heart full of joy and excitement.
Laoye still cared, cherishing the bond formed by years of marriage. It seemed that things would soon return to peace.
Returning to the main room ahead of laoye, Chun He announced, “Taitai, laoye is coming.”
Xie shi was overjoyed. She hurriedly sat up in bed and tidied her clothes.
She asked, “Does my complexion look terrible?”
Gu Yue quickly reassured, “Mother looks beautiful at all times.”
Gu Shan, however, remarked, “Mother looks a bit ill. Father will definitely feel concerned when he sees you.”
Xie shi grabbed Gu Shan’s hand, her voice trembling with excitement. “Really?”
Gu Shan nodded repeatedly. “Really.”
Xie shi smiled in satisfaction.
Gu Yue shot Gu Shan a sidelong glance, annoyed by her cleverness. Gu Shan lowered her head, refusing to engage.
Gu daren entered the room briskly, his imposing presence dimming the light within.
Upon seeing him, Xie shi’s tears fell instantly.
She looked at Gu daren with tear-filled eyes, her expression pitiful, her gaze brimming with endless longing.
After so many days, laoye was finally willing to step into her room to see her.
“Laoye!” Her cry was filled with yearning, regret, self-reproach, and joy.
She gazed at the tall man before her, like a lovestruck girl seeing her beloved.
Gu daren frowned, but inwardly, he felt pleased.
Xie shi’s gentle demeanor and admiring gaze were exactly what he liked.
Feigning sternness, he sat by the bed. “I heard you’re unwell?”
Xie shi smiled through her tears. “Now that laoye has come to see me, I’ll recover quickly.”
“Nonsense. Weifu is not a doctor. If you’re unwell, you need to see one.”
Xie shi nodded obediently. “I’ll follow your instructions. Doctor Xu prescribed some medicine, and I’ve been taking it on time every day.”
Gu daren grunted, seemingly dissatisfied yet somehow pleased.
“What did Doctor Xu say?” he asked sternly.
Xie shi hesitated briefly before replying, “It’s nothing serious.”
Chun He, quick-witted, stepped in. “Doctor Xu said taitai’s body is weak and needs rest. But taitai insists on worrying about the fu and even er guniang. Unfortunately, er guniang doesn’t understand taitai’s good intentions.”
Gu Yue chimed in, “Father, er jiejie has been causing trouble since she returned to the estate, upsetting Mother. She’s so thoughtless.”
Gu daren’s face darkened.
Sensing the danger, Xie shi quickly reprimanded Gu Yue, “Be quiet! Your er jiejie just returned from fulfilling her filial duties at Tianmen Temple and is exhausted. Instead of understanding, you speak ill of her behind her back. Have you forgotten all I’ve taught you about loving your siblings?”
Gu Yue faltered. “Please don’t be angry, Mother. I only spoke out of concern for you and misspoke in the heat of the moment.”
Xie shi scolded, “You still dare to speak…”
“Enough. Don’t blame Yue’er,” Gu daren intervened. “She may have been wrong, but her intentions were good. You should understand her filial piety.”
Xie shi felt a surge of triumph but outwardly expressed gratitude. “Laoye, you’re right. I sometimes get too anxious, wanting the best for er yatou without truly considering what she wants.
“She’s frail and keeps everything bottled up inside. I worry she’ll fall ill from it. Today, she finally spoke with me, even if some words were harsh. I’m happy. It’s not easy to have her open up after all these years.”
Xie shi dabbed at her tears, appearing understanding and tolerant despite the grievances she had endured from her stepdaughter despite being the mistress of the fu.
Gu daren patted her hand. “You’ve worked hard.”
Xie shi, overwhelmed, shook her head. “It’s no hardship to ease laoye’s burdens.”
Gu daren concluded, “Let’s set er yatou’s matters aside for now. Focus on your health. Weifu will visit again another day.”
Xie shi’s heart sank. “Laoye, won’t you stay for dinner?”
“Not today. I still have many official duties to attend to. I’ll rest in the study tonight.”
Perhaps to comfort Xie shi, Gu daren specifically mentioned his plan to stay in the study that night.
Xie shi breathed a sigh of relief. “Laoye must take care of yourself as well.”
“Don’t worry about me. Focus on recovering. Yue’er, Shan’er, look after your mother and don’t upset her.”
“Yes, Father,” Gu Yue and Gu Shan said in unison, standing to bow.
After exchanging a few more reassuring words with Xie shi, Gu daren left the room.
Xie shi relaxed, settling comfortably against the headboard with a satisfied expression. Though laoye didn’t stay for dinner, the meeting had gone surprisingly well. Laoye’s renewed attention and care made her feel triumphant.
Xie shi’s lips curled into a smug smile. Bai yiniang’s good days were over. After this period passed, she would take good care of her.
Returning to the study, Gu daren tapped his desk lightly.
The steward, Gu Quan, stood silently nearby.
Gu daren suddenly asked, “What do you think of er guniang’s behaviour over the past few months?”
Gu Quan pondered before replying succinctly, “Er guniang has grown up.”
Gu daren chuckled. “She has Indeed grown up.”
Clever, resourceful, and cunning.
Although everything that happened at Tianmen Temple seemed orchestrated by Gu Cheng, Gu daren knew Gu Cheng wasn’t that capable. It must have been Gu Jiu’s ideas behind the scenes.
But Gu daren didn’t resent her tactics; on the contrary, he was pleased. Belonging to a marquis house, as the di daughter of a prominent clan, naivety had no place.
What a prestigious family needed was a poised, capable daughter who was skilled and strategic. Not causing trouble at home and after getting married, balancing the interests of her natal and marital families and becoming the link between them was the expectation.
If Gu Jiu had remained the frail, submissive girl she once was, only good at enduring without any other advantages, Gu daren wouldn’t have paid her any attention or supported her repeatedly.
Just like the first time, when Gu Jiu got rid of Tao Hong.
In the case of Li pozi and the others, by the rules, they could have been beaten to death without anyone questioning it.
But Gu daren didn’t take that route; instead, he handed them over to Xie shi for her to deal with.
This move wasn’t just to preserve Xie shi’s dignity. More importantly, at that time, Gu Jiu wasn’t worth Gu daren investing too much attention in.
Later, the second time, when the engagement with the Xie jia was rejected, and the third time, during the Tianmen Temple incident—though Gu Jiu never directly involved herself—Gu daren gradually realised that this daughter was no ordinary girl and was worth nurturing.
This time, though…
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