Chapter 42 The Change in King Yong's Attitude

Seeing Gu Nanxiao's utterly unruly behavior—pulling his maidservant to the table and having her sit with his masters—Prince Yong's face darkened, and he angrily rebuked him:

"How dare you! I see you're becoming more and more unruly. In the Prince Yong's mansion, when have I ever been allowed to dine at the same table as my master?"

The princess was also very dissatisfied with this, and she became even more convinced of what Shen Yujiao had said. Ever since this concubine named Yunxi came with her son, Gu Nanxiao had become more and more unruly.

But she couldn't scold her son at this moment, because she couldn't lose face for him in front of Consort Xu and his illegitimate son.

Gu Nanxiao ignored his father's reprimand and the disapproving looks on everyone's faces. He hadn't brought Yunxi here to make the little girl suffer.

Although they had only spent a few months together, the physical and mental pleasure that Yunxi brought him far exceeded that of these so-called family members. He was determined to indulge Yunxi in front of everyone, and no matter who couldn't accept it, it wouldn't matter.

Seeing his son's nonchalant attitude, Prince Yong's anger flared even more. Just as he was about to continue his reprimand, Xu Shulan gently advised him:

"Xiao Lang, you should quickly apologize to the Prince. Don't let a mere servant girl ruin the harmony between you and your son."

Then, with a disdainful look, he looked Yunxi up and down and continued, "After all, she is just a lowly servant girl, yet she sits at the same table as her master. It is indeed against the rules."

Consort Xu then spoke up, her tone earnest, "Lan'er is right. You're about to get married, you can't be like before, so unruly..."

Gu Nanxiao was thoroughly annoyed by Consort Xu's petty tricks of making sweet things that weren't actually sweet and sour things that weren't actually sour. Before she could finish speaking, he retorted, "The rules of this Prince Yong's mansion weren't disrupted by me."

You, a servant girl by your father's side, have been dining with your master at the table for over 20 years, haven't you? Now, what right do you have to criticize others for being unruly?

"Have you been flattered for so long that you've forgotten who you are? I am the eldest son of the royal family. Even if I make mistakes, my father and mother will teach me. Why should you, a mere concubine, interfere?"

Gu Nanxiao was right. Whether it was a concubine, a mistress, or a concubine's wife, they were all servants of their master. Over the years, Concubine Xu, relying on her favor, had repeatedly overstepped her bounds.

The princess had cried and made a scene before, but each time the incompetent prince sided with her and she managed to get away with it. The issue that Gu Nanxiao pointed out today is indeed reasonable no matter where you look at it.

Left with no room for rebuttal, Consort Xu pulled out her handkerchief, covered her face, and began to sob softly.

After Gu Nanxiao made Consort Xu cry, the two brothers, Gu Nanwen and Gu Nanwu, glared at him fiercely, but he completely ignored them.

Gu Nanxiao then turned his gaze to Xu Shulan, his face cold and hard, and asked with disdain, "And who are you to dare to point fingers in the Prince Yong's mansion?"

A cousin visiting someone's home is acting like the lady of the house! Do you really think that just because you have an imperial decree of marriage, you can just walk into the inner chambers? It's utterly absurd!

Seeing that Xu Shulan had been humiliated in public, Yunxi showed no anger whatsoever. She stubbornly remained seated, her face flushed with shame.

Even Yunxi couldn't help but admire her patience. If any man dared to treat her so poorly, even if he were an emperor or nobleman, she wouldn't tolerate it.

It can only be said that women in ancient times, under the influence of feudal ethics, lived truly tragic lives, and tragic ones at that.

The princess usually only knew her son's sharp tongue, which was particularly infuriating. He could always make her laugh so hard she almost fell over, but seeing him argue with others made her feel extremely relieved.

So he snorted coldly and said sarcastically to the Prince Yong: "Xiao'er is right. If this is against the rules, isn't it someone who started it first?"

Don't you know the principle that actions speak louder than words? Everyone says Xiao'er is unruly; shouldn't we first examine whether the person disciplining him can set a good example?

King Yong was already ashen-faced from the rebuke, but he was powerless to refute the sarcastic remarks of the mother and son.

Gu Nanxiao knew this was the reason the family gathered together. So, he impatiently pulled Yunxi to her feet and said to Prince Yong, "Son, it seems no one here is here for a proper meal. Let's just call it a day."

Father, you should hold fewer family banquets in the future. Some people who are only superficially friendly will only cause trouble if they get together.

"Father, please take your servants and eat at the same table. I'll take my servants and go back to my courtyard to eat by myself. And please don't send anyone to invite me to these family banquets again."

Seeing that Gu Nanxiao was really about to leave, Prince Yong immediately suppressed his anger and commanded, "Did I allow you to leave? I only said two words to you, and you have ten to say in return!"

Prince Yong had recently noticed that the relationship between him and his son seemed to be growing increasingly distant. This family banquet was an attempt to salvage the relationship.

Unexpectedly, the father and son had such an unpleasant encounter as soon as they met. At this time, Prince Yong also felt some dislike for Xu Shulan and her excessive talking to Consort Xu.

After all, Xiao'er is the eldest son, and it doesn't matter how he educates him. These two women really shouldn't have said those things, lest they create a rift between father and son.

With a hostile glare, he turned to Consort Xu beside him and said in a cold tone, "How dare you question the eldest son of the Prince Yong's mansion? Apologize to Xiao'er now!"

Consort Xu never expected that the Prince would ask her to apologize to Gu Nanxiao in front of everyone. For a moment, she stood there in disbelief, her eyes immediately filled with tears.

But when she noticed the dangerous yet undeniable look in the Prince's eyes, she finally stood up and said timidly, "I was presumptuous just now. Please forgive me, sir."

Seeing that Consort Xu had obediently apologized, Prince Yong's expression softened. He breathed a sigh of relief and said to Gu Nanxiao:

"Don't be angry. Since it's what you like, your father is willing to indulge you a bit. Bring your concubine and join us at the table."

Gu Nanxiao was quite surprised by the change in Prince Yong's attitude. After all, from childhood to adulthood, his father had always either scolded him or disciplined him according to family rules. Regardless of whether he was right or wrong, as long as he didn't satisfy his father, it was always his fault, and his father would never back down even an inch.

Now that his father has surprisingly softened his stance and even made Consort Xu apologize to him, if he continues to make a scene, it would truly make him seem unreasonable.

So Gu Nanxiao pulled Yunxi back to sit down. He placed Yunxi on his left, separating himself from Xu Shulan, but unfortunately, this meant he could only sit next to Shen Yujiao.

As soon as Gu Nanxiao sat down, Shen Yujiao picked up a piece of food for him with her chopsticks, her eyes shining with hope as she looked at him and said:

“I remember my cousin loved this dish the most. Just now, when he was served, my aunt specially ordered someone to add it.”