Such a humiliating matter was naturally something Xie shi did not wish to bring up.
What angered her even more was that the Haixi bo furen had actually sent someone to their door, telling her to better restrain Gu Yue. She had even demanded to know why Gu Cheng had dared to hit Zhao erlang.
It was simply outrageous.
Had she not been concerned about appearances yesterday, she would have had that old pozi beaten and thrown out on the spot.
“Er dimei, don’t be angry. Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. As for Gu Yue’s situation, it can only be resolved gradually. Let’s hope the young couple can be more understanding of one another. If there’s a problem, they should discuss it properly. How can they resort to violence after a simple disagreement? That Zhao erlang is truly unreasonable.”
Xie shi replied unhappily, “Thank you for your concern, dasao. I have my own plans regarding Yue’er, so there’s no need for you to trouble yourself over it.”
Zhang shi smiled. “Very well. It seems I’ve once again become the villain and made myself unwelcome. Dimei, I’ll take my leave.”
With that, Zhang shi left Furong Yuan together with Xiao Zhang shi and Gu Jun.
Now only the members of the Second Branch remained in the room.
Bang!
Xie shi slammed her palm onto the table. The teacups rattled violently, producing a sharp, grating sound.
Gu Lin jumped in fright, looking completely at a loss.
Gu Shan tried to comfort her. “Mother, please don’t worry too much. San jiejie got exactly what she wanted. There’s no need to concern yourself.”
Xie shi shot Gu Shan a glare. “Even if Gu Yue is in the wrong, she’s still a daughter of the Gu family. For Haixi bo fu to humiliate her like this is proof they don’t take our Gu family seriously at all.”
Gu Jiu spoke up. “If taitai truly wishes to vent san meimei‘s anger, why not bring people directly to their door and beat them? That would let everyone know the Gu family isn’t one that can be bullied at will.”
“Nonsense! Bringing people to attack their residence? Have you no sense of propriety? No regard for rules?”
Xie shi rebuked her angrily.
Gu Jiu looked at Xie shi with a half-smile.
“So Haixi bo fu is allowed to hit people, but the Gu family isn’t allowed to retaliate? No wonder Zhao erlang acts with such confidence. He’s certain the Gu family won’t truly pursue the matter, which is why he’s become increasingly arrogant.
“If taitai genuinely wants to regain some dignity, bringing people to beat him up would be the fastest and most effective method. What’s the point of arguing back and forth? It’s just a waste of time. Haixi bo fu certainly won’t care about a few harsh words.
“A person like Zhao erlang only learns restraint after he’s been beaten into fear. The only question is whether taitai has the courage and whether she’s willing to stand up for san meimei.”
Gu Shan nervously watched Xie *shi.
Xie shi snorted. “Stop stirring up trouble and coming up with rotten ideas. If you suffer some grievance in the wang fu, will you go around hitting people too?”
Gu Jiu smiled and nodded. “If someone humiliated me like that, why wouldn’t I beat them? Am I supposed to save them for the New Year?”
Pfft!
Gu Lin burst out laughing before hastily covering her mouth and sneaking a glance at Xie *shi, afraid of being punished.
Xie shi glared fiercely at her before turning back to Gu Jiu.
“Er gu nainai certainly has courage. I’ll be waiting for the day you actually do it.”
Gu Jiu smiled. “I naturally won’t disappoint taitai. Please rest. I’ll go take a walk.”
She rose and left.
Gu Lin seized the opportunity to excuse herself as well.
Xie shi fumed. “Does Haixi bo fu think that the Gu family has nobody? As if they can just beat whoever they want?”
Gu Shan said, “Zhao jiefu goes out every few days. If someone truly wanted to deal with him, there would always be opportunities.”
“Ridiculous! Have you also believed Gu Jiu’s nonsense? Do you really think beating Zhao erlang once would solve the problem? The other day your brother led people to intercept Zhao erlang. What happened afterward? The very next day, Haixi bo fu sent people here to demand an explanation. In the end, wasn’t I the one who lost face?”
Gu Shan did not dare speak further, but inwardly she was delighted.
She had merely been testing her mother’s attitude.
Seeing that Xie shi had no intention of standing up for Gu Yue, she felt reassured.
Gu Yue had suffered only this little hardship, how could that possibly be enough?
She wished Gu Yue would spend her entire life trapped under Zhao erlang‘s shadow, never able to rise again.
Xie shi waved her hand.
“I’m tired. You may leave.”
“Please take care of your health, Mother.”
Gu Shan hurried out of Furong Yuan and headed for Zhilan Yuan.
As expected, she found Gu Jiu and Gu Lin there.
“Er jiejie!”
“Si meimei, come quickly. We’ve all been waiting for you.”
Looking around the familiar Zhilan Yuan, Gu Jiu felt a surge of emotion.
She would never return here again. Before long, someone else would move into this courtyard.
Gu Shan took a sip of tea and sat facing Gu Jiu.
“Er jiejie, do you know what happened on your wedding day?”
Gu Jiu smiled.
“I just heard the beginning of it from wu meimei.”
Gu Shan immediately brightened, her eyes curving into crescents. Clearly, she was in an excellent mood.
“After the wedding banquet, Gu Yue was supposed to return to Haixi bo fu. Instead, in front of all the guests, she openly declared that she didn’t want to go back and wanted to continue staying at her maiden home. Mother’s face changed instantly. The guests all began whispering among themselves, wondering what had happened.
“That bastard Zhao erlang is no good at all. He sent people to order Gu Yue back to the manor. When she refused, he personally came into the inner courtyard and started dragging her away. Fortunately, most of the guests had already left by then. Otherwise, it would have been even more humiliating.”
Curious, Gu Jiu asked, “And then? Did Gu Yue obediently go back with him?”
Gu Shan shook her head.
“How could Gu Yue possibly go back obediently? She immediately made a scene, saying Zhao erlang had beaten her. Zhao erlang was furious and actually hit her right in front of us. Liu ge couldn’t stand it.
“Zhao erlang had gone too far, causing trouble in the Gu residence as though the Gu family had no one left to defend it. So liu ge gathered people and surrounded Zhao erlang, beating him up. Had Father and da bofu not intervened in time, liu ge would definitely have broken his legs.”
Gu Jiu said, “After being beaten, Zhao erlang surely wouldn’t let the matter rest.”
Gu Shan sneered. “Zhao erlang was in the wrong. He deserved the beating. Father scolded him harshly. Zhao erlang knew when to back down and swore to the heavens that he would never hit Gu Yue again.
“But I could tell he was only putting on a show. One thing in public, another in private. He’s probably made plenty of oaths before and doesn’t care about them at all. Once Father saw that he admitted his mistake, he didn’t pursue the matter further. Instead, he advised Gu Yue not to make trouble and to return with Zhao erlang.
“Er jiejie didn’t see it. Gu Yue cried so pitifully. She clung to a corridor pillar and refused to let go no matter what. But in the end, Zhao erlang still took her back.”
“Did many people witness it?” Gu Jiu asked.
Gu Shan shook her head. “Not really. But rumors spread quickly. All our relatives and family friends already know about it. The old pozi in our residence chat with the servants from the hou fu every day, gossiping about Gu Yue.”
The old pozi of the household were notorious gossips. Even things that never happened could be told by them as though they were facts. Gu Yue’s affair had a beginning, a process, and a dramatic climax. The servants were undoubtedly excited beyond measure.
The gossip about Gu Yue probably wouldn’t die down until the New Year.
Gu Jiu asked, “I heard da bomu mention that Haixi bo furen sent someone here yesterday?”
Gu Shan nodded. “Zhao erlang got beaten up, and Haixi bo furen felt sorry for her son, so she sent someone here to demand an explanation. Mother was furious because of it.”
Gu Lin let out a surprised cry. “I thought Haixi bo furen had sent someone to apologize for Zhao jiefu hitting san jiejie. I never expected she came to question us instead.”
Gu Jiu let out a cold laugh. “Does Haixi bo fu really think the Gu family has no one left?”
Faced with Haixi bo fu’s aggression, Gu Jiu, as a daughter of the Gu family, naturally shared the family’s outrage.
Setting aside Gu Yue’s mess for the moment, she herself was still a daughter of the Gu family. If the Gu residence was publicly humiliated, it reflected poorly on her as well. It was no different from Haixi bo fu slapping her in the face.
Behind closed doors, her conflict with Xie shi was one thing.
But outwardly, they were all members of the Gu family. They could not act like cowards.
“What is Father’s attitude? Haixi bo fu has gone too far. Is he not even going to question them?”
Gu Shan replied, “Mother kept the matter quiet because she was afraid of losing face.”
Gu Jiu scoffed. “They’ve already come to our door and slapped us in the face, yet she’s still worried about losing face. She avoids embarrassment inside the residence only to be humiliated outside it. I truly don’t understand what taitai is thinking.”
Gu Jiu deeply despised Xie shi‘s decision to swallow the insult.
Xie shi‘s mind simply wasn’t clear. Normally she was all claws and teeth, but when the time came to defend the Gu family’s dignity, she turned timid. As expected, Xie shi only dared to act fierce within her own household. Outside, she didn’t even dare make a sound.
No wonder people looked down on the Xie family.
After hearing Gu Jiu’s words, even Gu Shan suddenly felt that Xie shi‘s decision to endure the humiliation was disgraceful.
Biting her lip, she asked, “Then what should we do? The matter has already passed. What can be done now?”
It didn’t matter that Gu Yue had been beaten. What mattered was the Gu family’s reputation.
One could forgo a steamed bun, but not one’s pride. If the Gu family allowed others to slap them in the face without striking back, more and more people would start riding roughshod over them.
When others heard she was a daughter of the Gu family, they might even look at her with contempt.
The very thought of such a scene threw Gu Shan into turmoil. She didn’t want to be looked down upon. And she certainly didn’t want to be looked down upon because of Gu Yue.
Gu Jiu said, “This matter is simple. Haixi bo furen dares to come to our door and demand answers, then we should hit back directly. If furen doesn’t have the courage to confront them openly, then let liu ge arrange for Zhao erlang to be beaten in secret.”
This wasn’t about avenging Gu Yue. This was about restoring the Gu family’s dignity.
If Haixi bo furen dared to slap the Gu family in the face, then the Gu family would beat up her son.
The bo furen was an imperial-titled noblewoman and couldn’t be touched. But Zhao erlang was a commoner with no official rank. Beating him was simply beating him.
Even if Haixi bo furen came to complain afterward, the answer would remain the same.
At times like this, one could not be a coward.
Gu Shan said, “Liu ge has been suppressing his anger all this time. If Father hadn’t stopped him, he would have broken Zhao erlang‘s legs.”
Lowering her voice, Gu Jiu quietly said to Gu Shan, “If you don’t want Gu Yue to be freed from her suffering, then absolutely don’t break Zhao erlang‘s legs.”
Gu Shan immediately understood and smiled. “Thank you for the reminder, er jiejie.”
Gu Jiu added, “Tell liu ge to protect himself and not lay a hand on Zhao erlang personally.”
After a moment’s thought, she said, “I’ll speak to liu ge myself about this.”
Even beating someone required proper planning and technique.
Gu Shan grew concerned. “Is there a problem?”
Gu Jiu shook her head. “Don’t worry. We just need to take precautions.”
At that moment, a maid arrived to inform them that the banquet was ready.
Gu Jiu stood up. “Let’s go eat first.”
At the banquet, Xie shi‘s expression remained as unpleasant as ever.
Zhang shi tried to persuade her to look on the bright side.
Xie shi kept a stern face. “Dasao hasn’t had to deal with such matters, so naturally you can remain detached.”
Zhang shi laughed. “Er dimei simply worries too much. Today is Xiao Jiu’s homecoming visit after marriage. Everyone should be happy.”
Xie shi insisted on ruining the atmosphere, snorting coldly and displaying her sour expression for all to see.
Gu Jiu paid her no attention whatsoever. She ate when it was time to eat and drank when it was time to drink, completely unaffected.
By now, she thoroughly understood Xie shi‘s true nature.
Xie shi only dared to throw her weight around because she was the mistress of the Second Branch. The moment she encountered someone more overbearing than herself, all she could do was back down and sulk. Beyond that, she had no other methods.
Gu daren truly had poor judgment to elevate Xie shi to the position of principal wife.
No. More accurately, he had been blinded by beauty and manipulated by Xie Mao into doing so.
Ignoring Xie shi‘s sour face, the banquet was actually quite enjoyable.
Everyone chatted and laughed happily.
After the banquet, Gu Jiu used the excuse of wanting to rest and instead headed to the outer courtyard to pay her respects to Gu laoyezi.
The old man was also eating a banquet meal with his concubine.
When the gatekeeper announced Gu Jiu’s arrival, he was genuinely surprised.
Gu laoyezi hurriedly sent the concubine away and wiped his mouth, as if afraid Gu Jiu would criticize him.
“Quick, invite Xiao Jiu in.”
As Gu Jiu entered the main hall, she noticed the wine jug still sitting on the dining table and frowned slightly.
Gu laoyezi laughed awkwardly. “Just a little drink. Just a little.”
Gu Jiu bowed. “Granddaughter greets Grandfather. You should drink less wine and take care of your health.”
Gu laoyezi chuckled. “Don’t worry. This old man is perfectly healthy.”
Gu Jiu asked, “Have you been taking the prescription I gave you?”
“I have. Don’t worry. My health has improved considerably.”
Looking at his half-drunk appearance and the bloodshot veins in his eyes, the claim wasn’t very convincing.
Without wasting words, Gu Jiu stepped forward and took his pulse.
“Hey, hey, hey, “
Gu Jiu glared at him. “Don’t talk.”
Gu laoyezi immediately fell silent.
Inside, however, he grumbled: That damned girl. So fierce. It’s a wonder Gongzi Zhao fell for her and married her.
Gu Jiu’s brows furrowed slightly. His body was extremely weak. A serious illness could easily take his life.
She studied his complexion.
Gu laoyezi rubbed his face. “What? Didn’t I wipe it clean? That can’t be right.”
“Grandfather, do you want to live to a hundred?”
Gu laoyezi snorted. “A hundred years? Nonsense. With a family full of idiots, I’ll be angered to death long before then.”
Gu Jiu lowered her head and smiled. “I’ll write you a new prescription for recuperation. Take it morning and evening every day. Don’t neglect it.”
“Xiao Jiu, you can diagnose illnesses and write prescriptions too?”
Gu Jiu nodded. “Long illness makes a good doctor.”
Gu laoyezi sighed. “You suffered a lot in those years. If we’d kept you in the capital, you wouldn’t have endured so much hardship.”
Smiling, Gu Jiu asked, “Then why didn’t you keep me in the capital?”
“I didn’t know how to raise children. Besides, your health was poor. If anything happened to you, how could I explain it to your father? And winters in the capital are harsh, not suitable for recovering from illness. The south was warmer and better for your health. Who could have predicted that your father would be transferred to the northwest after only a few years?”
Gu Jiu smiled. “I was only teasing you. Everyone had their difficulties back then. I understand.”
Gu laoyezi laughed. “A married woman truly becomes more sensible.”
Gu Jiu picked up a brush and wrote down a prescription, repeatedly instructing him to follow it exactly.
Gu laoyezi agreed readily.
Yet Gu Jiu worried that he would promise now and forget everything the moment she left. So she repeated the instructions several more times.
The old man looked annoyed. “You’re so long-winded. Like an old granny nagging all day.”
Gu Jiu rolled her eyes. “Grandfather, do you have any loyal and reliable people?”
“What are you planning?”
Gu Jiu then told him about Haixi bo furen sending people to demand answers and Xie shi‘s decision to swallow the insult.
The moment Gu laoyezi heard this, he flew into a rage. “That foolish woman Xie! They’ve already come to our doorstep to slap us in the face, and she actually endured it. Disgraceful! In all my years, when have I ever been such a coward? No. I must personally go to Haixi bo fu and reason with them.”
“There is no need for Grandfather to step forward personally. Just send a few loyal and reliable men to teach Zhao erlang a lesson in private first. Afterward, Grandfather can make an appearance.”
Gu laoyezi stroked his beard and nodded repeatedly. “That brat Zhao can’t be let off so easily. I have people available. But first, tell me exactly what you have in mind.”
Gu Jiu whispered a few suggestions.
Gu laoyezi clapped his hands and burst into laughter.
“Excellent. Excellent. That’s a good plan.”
Gu Jiu hesitated. “There is one troublesome issue.”
“What issue? I’ll handle it.”
“I’ve heard Zhao erlang has a lover outside the household, someone of considerable status. If we beat Zhao erlang, I’m worried that noble person won’t let the matter rest and may stand up for him.”
Gu laoyezi chuckled. “It doesn’t matter who that noble person is. They wouldn’t dare openly support Zhao erlang. On this matter, I guarantee it.”
“Really?”
Gu laoyezi smiled broadly. “The fault is entirely theirs. If that noble person dares to show themselves, then I’ll take the matter all the way to the Emperor if necessary. When that happens, both Zhao erlang and his noble patron will be finished. I doubt they have the courage to bring such a case before the throne. So your plan is entirely feasible.”
Only then did Gu Jiu relax.
Though it still benefited Gu Yue.
Teaching Zhao erlang a lesson indirectly meant avenging her as well.
The thought was irritating.
But between the Gu family’s reputation and Gu Yue, Gu Jiu knew perfectly well which mattered more.
First, restore the Gu family’s dignity. There would be plenty of opportunities to deal with Gu Yue in the future.
Leave a Reply