Chapter 33

Gu Qiancheng and the Concubine of Prince Zhao had a smooth conversation, but the men in the front courtyard were not as happy, and there was even a hint of tension.

Originally, the matter of marriage and taking concubines should be the concern of the women in the back courtyard, but the affair between the Gu family and the Zhao王府 (Prince Zhao's residence) had become too big. If it was not handled well, both families would lose face.

Moreover, the two daughters of the Gu family had been wronged. No matter how noble Prince Zhao was, he could not pretend to know nothing at this time.

Last night, Prince Zhao invited Qin Jiyi to intervene. Although Qin Jiyi and Qin Yunchu were of the same generation, their status was on par with Prince Zhao. It was thought that with these two coming to apologize, the matter would be settled. However, last night, another incident occurred at the Gu residence.

When Qin Yunchu returned to the Zhao王府 (Prince Zhao's residence), the effects of the drug in his body had not completely subsided, and the imperial physician discovered it. Qin Jiyi did not reveal that he had also been affected, but his sudden departure without a word clearly indicated that something had happened.

With these two incidents, Prince Zhao, who was initially at a disadvantage, now had the upper hand.

Lord Gu and Lady Gu originally planned to discuss the matter with the old master today, but they did not expect Prince Zhao to get there first. The old master only learned of the disgraceful incident at the Gu residence last night at this moment.

The old master could hardly believe what he heard. Turning to look at his son, he saw him lower his head, unable to argue, and knew that every word Prince Zhao said was true.

"Truly a misfortune, a great misfortune. How could I have such a son?" The old master was so angry that his whole body trembled, his blood surged, and a bitter taste rose in his throat, almost making him vomit.

The old master quickly took a deep breath and swallowed the blood back down.

He could not collapse now; if he did, the reputation of the Gu family would be ruined.

"Father..." Lord Gu called out softly, but it was not an admission of guilt. It seemed he was blaming the old master for taking the blame onto himself, which would make it impossible to discuss the marriage between Qianxue and Prince Zhao.

"Unfilial son..." The old master was very disappointed. His son still did not understand the situation and was still thinking of using Qianxue to climb higher into the Zhao王府 (Prince Zhao's residence).

The Gu family was now in a bind with Prince Zhao. It was not a matter of negotiating terms with the Zhao王府 (Prince Zhao's residence), but whether Prince Zhao would let the Gu family off.

A flash of sorrow crossed the old master's eyes, but he quickly regained his resolve.

He could not rely on such a foolish son. Suppressing his anger, the old master turned and bowed deeply to Prince Zhao, lifting the hem of his robe and kneeling down with a thud.

"Your Highness, I have failed to educate my children and have caused trouble for you and the young master. Whatever punishment you wish to inflict, I will accept without a word." Thud... The old master bowed heavily before Prince Zhao.

"Father..." Lord Gu was confused. Seeing his father kneel, he naturally did not dare to remain seated and hurriedly knelt before Prince Zhao, his face filled with unease.

The old master, who had accompanied the emperor in battles and held significant weight in the emperor's heart, had not bowed so formally to anyone for many years. This time, he truly had no other choice.

His foolish son did not understand, but the old master was very clear. If the royal family pursued this matter, it would be a capital offense for plotting against the royal grandson, a crime the Gu family could not bear.

Prince Zhao nodded lightly, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. The Gu family, at least, had someone who understood the situation.

The matter of the aphrodisiac had no real evidence, and since the victim was a Gu family daughter, Qin Jiyi did not reveal it, nor did Prince Zhao intend to pursue it. He only used it to warn the Gu family not to overstep their bounds.

With the old master making a concession, Prince Zhao naturally did not press further. He stood up and personally helped the old master to his feet: "Old master, you are too kind. Please rise. It was just a misunderstanding between the children. Once it is explained, it will be fine."

Prince Zhao, in his early forties, was a man who had led troops and fought in battles. He was resolute and generous, more like a fierce general on the battlefield than a pampered prince. His eyes were fierce, and his strength far exceeded that of the old master.

The old master was forcibly pulled up by Prince Zhao and could only tremble as he thanked him: "Thank you, Your Highness, for your leniency."

In an instant, the old master seemed to have aged by decades. At this moment, he had none of the excitement and joy he felt when he obtained the "Yi Guo Zhi" (Records of the Yi State) yesterday.

The Gu family's descendants were incompetent. Even if they had great wealth and status, they might not be able to maintain it.

"The children are ignorant, old master, do not take it to heart." The effect was achieved, and Prince Zhao became more courteous. However, the old master had no mood to play along with Prince Zhao.

Such a disgraceful incident made the old master both ashamed and angry. He wished he could beat his disgraceful son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter to death.

When Prince Zhao mentioned that he would take Gu Qianxue into his residence in two months, the old master did not dare to make any requests. Lord Gu, however, had not yet grasped the situation and was eager to secure the position of concubine for Gu Qianxue. Fortunately, the old master discovered this early and did not let Lord Gu say anything embarrassing.

Before leaving, Prince Zhao gave Lord Gu a half-smile: "Rest assured, the dowry your family sent will be returned by my men tomorrow. A secondary wife does not need such an elaborate dowry." "Changyuan" was Lord Gu's courtesy name. By saying this, Prince Zhao indicated that he was fully aware of the events at the wedding yesterday.

Of course, the Gu family had not expected to keep the matter a secret. They had already lost face, and Lord Gu did not care. Seeing Prince Zhao about to leave, Lord Gu hurriedly stood up, wanting to chase after him: "Your Highness..."

Fortunately, the old master reacted quickly and pulled him back: "Your subject respectfully sees you off, Your Highness."

"Hmph..." Prince Zhao originally intended to give the Gu family some face, but seeing Lord Gu's lack of respect, he sneered. He flicked his sleeve, which struck Lord Gu's face, leaving a bloody mark, clearly showing that although he had allowed Gu Qianxue to enter his residence, he was extremely dissatisfied with the Gu family.

The words Gu Qiancheng said at the wedding yesterday not only disgraced the Gu family but also the Zhao王府 (Prince Zhao's residence).

"Slap..."

Before Lord Gu could react, the old master slapped him, pointing at his nose and scolding: "Unfilial son, unfilial son. How could I have such a son? Do you know that you almost ruined the Gu family and endangered the lives of hundreds of people in our family?"

To say he was not disappointed would be a lie. Lord Gu was the heir to the title. With his inability to distinguish right from wrong, did the Gu family have a future?

"Father, what did I do wrong? Everything I did was for the Gu family. When did I ever harm the Gu family?" Lord Gu, holding his face, was very不服 (unconvinced). At forty, he had always been pampered and was about to become a grandfather. Being slapped by his own father, Lord Gu was furious.

"You still don't know, you... pfft." The old master could no longer hold back and spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes rolling back as he fainted.

The Gu residence was in chaos, but Gu Qiancheng's courtyard was unusually quiet. Having resolved the marriage with Qin Yunchu, Gu Qiancheng felt much lighter. Now, hearing that the old master had fainted from anger, she felt even more relieved.

It was not that she was unfilial, but she needed time to think about how to get through this crisis. The old master fainting meant she could delay for two more days, giving her time to come up with a perfect plan...