Chapter 88

Old Master had only been away from home for three days, yet everything that was supposed to happen had already happened. No matter how capable Old Master was, he could not change anything...

"Qiancheng, why?" Old Master could not believe it; Qiancheng could not be unaware of the gravity of the situation.

Did she even consider the Gu family in her actions?

"Grandfather, do you believe me when I say I did it for the good of the Gu family?" Gu Qiancheng remained calm, not taking Old Master's anger to heart.

She never acted on a whim; she had already planned her retreat before taking action.

Of course, the most important thing was that she did not ask for much...

"How can I believe you?" The Zhao Wang's reputation was tarnished, and the Gu family's reputation was not improved.

"Grandfather..." Gu Qiancheng sighed softly, "Do you think the matter with Prince Chu can be kept secret for long?"

"This..." Old Master was momentarily at a loss for words. Such a matter could not be hidden forever. Unless Qin Yunchu never saw a doctor, the moment he did, the news would spread.

"If I were you, Grandfather, I would go to the Zhao Wang's palace at this moment." Taking the initiative, whether it was justified or not, was not important at all.

"What would you do at the Zhao Wang's palace?" Old Master had a vague understanding but still felt that Qiancheng was too self-centered. There was no need for the Gu family to get involved in this matter.

"Of course, I would go to question why the news of Prince Chu's illness was kept secret. At the same time, I would seek justice for Qianxue." See, how loving and caring she was to her sister, almost like a saint.

"What benefit would this bring to our Gu family?" Old Master's gaze darkened, making it hard to read his thoughts.

Gu Qiancheng did not care what Old Master was thinking and continued, "Though there may be no direct benefit, there is no harm either. However, if we handle it properly, Qianxue's position as a secondary consort is secure, and she might even become the primary consort."

Given Qin Yunchu's condition, no family would be willing to marry their daughter to him, even if they wanted to use their daughter to climb the social ladder, they would have to consider their fate.

"In his current state, can Prince Chu still maintain his position as the heir?" Old Master narrowed his eyes, growing increasingly impatient.

A cripple was not worth his efforts.

Gu Qiancheng smiled mysteriously, "Grandfather, what do you think would happen if our Gu family supported Prince Chu to secure his position as the heir?"

What would happen?

Of course, Prince Chu would be eternally grateful to the Gu family, but...

"What method do you have to ensure Prince Chu's position as the heir?" Old Master did not notice that he was being led by Qiancheng again, forgetting to ask why she had initiated this matter.

"Grandfather, you flatter me. I have no such method. It is King Qin who has the means. King Qin and Prince Chu have a deep brotherly bond, but there are some matters he cannot handle himself, which is why he needs our Gu family to step in."

Gu Qiancheng lowered her head, speaking softly, but her words made Old Master pause. If it were King Qin, then everything made sense.

Recently, the Zhou Wang, Zhao Wang, and Rong Wang had formed an alliance against Qin Jiyu. If Rong Wang spread this news, the three would surely fall into chaos, and King Qin would benefit.

"Young heroes emerge." Old Master could not help but praise her, a smile appearing on his face. However, he quickly realized something was amiss.

"If it is King Qin's intention, why did he not discuss it with you beforehand?" For something beneficial to the Gu family, he would not refuse.

Gu Qiancheng revealed a bitter smile, "I intended to wait for your return before making a decision, but... Lady led people to seize my dowry. I was afraid the items would not be safe, and King Qin would be displeased. In a moment of panic, I had to reveal Qianxue's matter."

"Is that so?" Old Master clearly did not believe her.

Gu Qiancheng stood up and knelt straight, "I acted rashly, please punish me, Grandfather."

Old Master did not respond, but stared at Gu Qiancheng...

Qiancheng's calculations were as good as any man's. There was no reason for her to lose her composure. However, Old Master also thought that although Qiancheng was clever, she had learned from books without guidance, and her actions might not always be thorough.

Her performance at the wedding ceremony showed that while she had many options, she chose the one that would cause the most damage to both sides, indicating that although she was clever, she still had some shortcomings.

Well, well, more guidance in the future would suffice.

"Stand up, let's put this matter aside. In the future, do not act rashly." Old Master could not bear to punish Gu Qiancheng. Her face flushed, and she responded softly, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Seeing Qiancheng's blushing face, Old Master could not help but laugh, teasing her, "You usually handle everything so well, like a young man. It's rare to see you show such a delicate and girlish side."

"Grandfather, please don't tease me. My rash actions have caused you great trouble, I'm almost too ashamed to face anyone." Gu Qiancheng sounded gloomy, seemingly regretting her actions, but only she knew the truth...

Blushing meant shyness? Embarrassment?

What a joke. As long as she lowered her head and held her breath, any girl could make herself blush...

Successfully placating Old Master and secretly outmaneuvering the Duke of Gu, Gu Qiancheng felt quite pleased.

No matter how well the Duke of Gu handled things, he could not completely cover his tracks. Besides, to make the Zhao Wang distrust the Duke of Gu, no solid evidence was needed; just some rumors would suffice.

How convenient!

The Gu family sent an old woman to visit Qianxue, and soon after, the news of Prince Chu's illness spread. How could the Zhao Wang believe there was no connection?

As for ensuring Qin Yunchu's position as the heir?

This was a decision made after careful consideration by Gu Qiancheng, and it was currently the most beneficial choice for her.

From what she knew, Qin Yunchu's younger brothers were not easy to deal with. Qin Yunchu was only the eldest legitimate son of the Zhao Wang, which was why he was chosen as the heir. In terms of ability, he could not compare to his brothers...

Having a muddled heir like Qin Yunchu in the Zhao Wang's palace was better than having a capable one. She did not want to be on the receiving end of the Zhao Wang's revenge.

After all, Qin Yunchu's current state was partly due to the Gu family. He never visited brothels before, but after being frightened at the Gu family, he developed a problem and started frequenting them, leading to his illness.

If Qin Yunchu were to be deposed, the Zhao Wang and his consort would surely blame the Gu family, and even her.

People can be strange. Even if she did nothing, the Zhao Wang and his consort might think that if she had not been so strong at the wedding, things might not have happened.

Without those events, Qin Yunchu would not have been so frightened, and he would not have frequented brothels, leading to his illness.

Not to mention, she had appeared at the Chunyi Tower, even if it was after the fact, the Zhao Wang and his consort might still have suspicions.

Though it was only a possibility, Gu Qiancheng did not dare to take the risk. Although the illness was hard to cure, with his status, Qin Yunchu could receive the best medical care and might not die within ten years.

Instead of leaving an unkillable enemy, it was better to make that enemy owe her a favor.

Gu Qiancheng believed that after this incident, the beautiful love between Qin Yunchu and Qianxue would be easily shattered.

As for her?

The benefits were even greater. She would gain the gratitude of the Zhao Wang's consort, earn the favor of the Zhao Wang, and strengthen her position in the Gu family, making Old Master trust her even more...

Living for oneself, stepping on Qin Yunchu to rise, Gu Qiancheng felt no pressure at all!