Chapter 192: Bastard

The plaque of the Duke of Su's Mansion was taken down and thrown on the ground. All the valuable things in the mansion were also moved away. Gradually, only an empty shell was left.

Tang Song was arrested and imprisoned, leaving Tang Yuan alone, watching with a numb expression as the glory of his clan was destroyed.

"Madam, let Suzhou accompany you to Qingyun Lake later. The scenery there is quite nice."

Su Cheng's voice came from behind. Tang Yuan slowly turned around and looked back. When he saw Gu Yunchang's figure, his expression changed slightly.

"Just call me Aunt Gu." Gu Yunchang pursed her lips and smiled, her eyes filled with unwavering fondness. "I have some fine fabrics. I'll have them sent to the Zhao family so that the embroiderer in your house can make you some nice clothes. Your clothes are like your life. You are so pretty, bright and charming, how can you wear such plain clothes?"

Su Cheng smiled gently and spoke softly, "I'm used to wearing plain clothes. They make it easy for me to do anything. If I put on some tassels and a scarf, I'm afraid I won't be able to walk."

Gu Yunchang was amused by her words. When she looked up, she saw Tang Yuan standing in front of the mansion gate, staring at her intently. She suddenly felt unlucky and turned to leave with Su Cheng. "We came at an inopportune time. I'll take you to buy some jewelry first and come back later."

"Gu Yunchang."

A voice from behind called her. Gu Yunchang turned her head and caught a glimpse of the man walking towards her out of the corner of her eye.

Tang Yuan walked around to her, glaring at her with cold eyes, a sarcastic smile on his lips, "Are you satisfied now?"

Gu Yunchang found it funny and asked with a curled lip, "What should I be satisfied with? Did I tear this family apart?"

"Song'er is in prison, Wanqing is missing, and you're so proud of yourself, but you don't realize you've lived half your life without even knowing who you spent your wedding night with."

Gu Yunchang's face changed in shock, and even Su Cheng beside her was stunned for a moment.

"What do you mean?" Gu Yunchang stared at the man in front of her, her face frozen.

"Don't you understand?" Tang Yuan sneered and approached her. Seeing Su Cheng nervously protecting her behind her, he suddenly smiled, "If Xie Suzhou is really my son, how could I not acknowledge him?"

Gu Yunchang's body completely froze, his words kept echoing in her mind, and for a moment she forgot to react.

"I pursued you for so long, all because I coveted your mother's family's wealth and your good looks. Finally, your father relented and allowed us to get married. On our wedding night, I hurried back after sending off the guests, only to find you lying on the bed in disarray, your blood staining the mattress."

Tang Yuan sneered, his tone unabashedly malicious. "How can a woman with a dirty body be the mistress of the Duke's Mansion? Although Wanqing was married and had children before, her heart was pure. She was devoted to her husband and remained a widow for eighteen years even after his death."

"Look at you again." Tang Yuan looked her up and down, his gaze almost devouring her. "You committed adultery with someone else on your wedding night, and the next day you were able to greet and serve tea as if nothing had happened. This is how you behave as a rich lady."

"Ever since I saw you in that filthy state, I've felt utterly disgusted. I haven't even touched you, so how could we have a child?" Tang Yuan saw her face pale as paper, and a desire for revenge rose in his heart. "Tang Chen... no, it's Xie Suzhou. No matter how many times he changes his name, he can't escape the fact that he's a bastard."

"I was the one who ordered the fire eighteen years ago, but so what? That bastard is still alive, and you have no evidence, so what can you do to me?"

Gu Yunchang felt as if she had fallen into an icy cave. She froze in place and couldn't come back to her senses for a long time.

She actually had no memory of her wedding night.

"No wonder."

Su Cheng suddenly spoke, bringing Gu Yunchang back to consciousness.

Tang Yuan's face turned cold, and he glanced at Su Cheng who had just spoken, "No wonder what's wrong?"

"From the beginning, I felt that you and Suzhou were not even slightly alike. If you think about it carefully, Suzhou's appearance is outstanding, one in a thousand, while you are ordinary-looking, hard to find in a crowd. Suzhou is knowledgeable and talented. Even if he hadn't studied properly for three years, he could still pass the imperial examination and become the top scholar. But you, who were said to be the top scholar that year, stopped there. Not only did you do nothing in the court, but even the title of Duke of Su was planned for you by Grand Tutor Gu."

"If you really are Suzhou's biological father, it must be hard to be forever dominated by your son, right?"

The smug look on Tang Yuan's face gradually turned stiff, "You——"

"Duke Su, your methods are too low." Su Cheng shrugged, a look of helplessness on his face. "You mocked Aunt Gu's figure after giving birth and belittled her character. It's just because you are really inferior to her. You think that knowing these insignificant little secrets will allow you to suppress Aunt Gu forever."

"It's really pathetic for a man to live by devaluing his wife and elevating himself all day long."

Tang Yuan sneered, not caring at all about her words. "Even if you're being sarcastic, it doesn't change the fact that Xie Suzhou is a bastard."

“What do we need to change?”

Su Cheng smiled instead of getting angry, and asked softly, "When a person stands high enough, who would still cling to his background? Aunt Gu has the most outstanding and capable son in the world, why would she care about the past? She has no parents-in-law or husband now, all she has is countless wealth, parents who love her, and her own son who follows her around to show his filial piety."

"But you, you've lost the legacy built by your ancestors, and you're all alone." Su Cheng tutted twice, with undisguised mockery in his eyes, "You're too shabby."

"Bitch, you're looking for death!" Tang Yuan was extremely angry and raised his hand high, but before it fell, someone grabbed his wrist tightly.

Tang Yuan was startled, and looked up along his arm, meeting the cold-faced Xie Suzhou's gaze.

"Creating trouble in the street? Do you think your crimes are not enough?" Xie Suzhou shook off his hand and said calmly, "Be smart, take the remaining silver you have and disappear from their sight."

Tang Yuan sneered and said nonchalantly, "You guys don't own this street, do you? Why shouldn't I stand here?"

Gu Yunchang pulled herself out of her memories, raised her eyes to look at him, and asked in a low voice, "Tang Yuan, do you think I don't have any evidence against you?"

Tang Yuan was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "I'm honest and upright, what can I use against you?"

Gu Yunchang lowered her head and smiled, without refuting his words, "The gift I prepared for you will arrive tonight at the earliest, tomorrow night at the latest."

"When that happens, don't come to me crying and begging me, making me miss the love we once had as husband and wife."

Seeing her calm and composed, with a look of confidence, Tang Yuan couldn't help but feel a little nervous. He glared at her hatefully and walked into the Duke's Mansion in dejection.

"Suzhou, where did you go?" Gu Yunchang put on a smile and looked at him lovingly. "I just came out of the Censorate and suddenly couldn't find you. Ah Cheng and I were still thinking about you."

Xie Suzhou lowered his eyes and looked at her, a flicker of reluctance flashed in his eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "There is something, but it has been resolved."

Only Su Cheng noticed the scattered bloodstains on the corners of his clothes.