Chapter 28 "Gu Yuan, what you're saying... "

This morning, Ping An was lounging around in the gatehouse of the Marquis's mansion, chatting idly with the gatekeeper.

Duh!

A long arrow suddenly shot into the house, a letter stuck in its tip, embedded in the roof beam, its fletching still trembling slightly.

Ping An was so frightened that his soul almost left his body. It took him a lot of effort to pull out the arrow. After taking out the letter and reading it, he ran outside as fast as he could.

"Get the car ready, I need to leave the city!"

...

Pei Jinghuai was stunned for a moment after hearing this, then a bright and surprised smile appeared on his face.

"Brother Gu Lin is still alive?! No, I have to get back to the city immediately—"

Before he could run two steps, he was stopped by Shen Lingyue, who had chased after him.

"Wait, I'll go with you!"

Pei Jinghuai frowned in confusion, "You know Brother Gu Lin too?"

I've never heard her mention this before.

Shen Lingyue had a good reason: "The Shen family and the Zheng family are close friends, so I have to go and see Sister Zheng."

Pei Jinghuai only remembered after she reminded him that Gu Yuan, that scoundrel, had forced his unwanted fiancée onto his older brother Gu Lin as his wife...

On the other side, Yan Yi also looked at Pei Jingyi with a hint of anticipation.

"Miss Zheng and I hit it off immediately. Could you please take me with you?"

Pei Jinghuai said to Shen Lingyue, "I'm going to ride a fast horse back to the city; you won't be able to catch up."

"Then you can take me with you."

Shen Lingyue was determined to get a piece of the action, so she held onto Pei Jinghuai tightly and turned to Pei Jingyi, saying, "Big brother, you should be able to ride a horse with your sister-in-law, right?"

"Since you all want to go, let's go back to the city together."

Pei Jingyi gave the order, and the four of them hurriedly went out, leaving the carriage and horses to the driver to slowly drive back.

Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi each mounted their husbands' horses and sat behind them.

Pei Jingyi suddenly said, "Time is of the essence, Huaizhou, why don't we have a competition to see who can enter the city first?"

"Is there even a need to compete? You're destined to lose!"

Pei Jinghuai spurred his horse and galloped away. Shen Lingyue hugged his waist from behind, her cheerful voice carried on the wind: "...Charge! Charge! Charge! We'll be number one!"

Pei Jingyi's lips curled up almost imperceptibly as he turned to Yan Yi behind him and said, "Madam, sit still and hold me tight."

Before Yan Yi could react to why he suddenly proposed to compete with Pei Jinghuai, she felt a slight sway beneath her, which startled her so much that she quickly wrapped her arms around his waist.

Pei Jingyi's horse was going faster and faster, and Yan Yi became even more nervous. She didn't dare to tell him to slow down, and her hands around his waist tightened involuntarily.

It was the first time the two of them had been so close, and her heart was pounding in her chest.

The wind howled in her ears, shielding her from the gale and the dust it stirred up, creating a small haven for her.

Yan Yi closed her eyes and instinctively pressed her body tightly against his back.

Sight is deprived, while other senses are magnified infinitely.

It turns out that Pei Jingyi only looks weak and frail, like a tall and slender bamboo, but inside he is just as resilient as bamboo, strong and slender yet full of power.

She wrapped her arms around his smooth, lean waist, which hung just in the middle of his lower abdomen. Even through several layers of clothing, she could feel the firmness and flatness of his muscles, which rippled slightly with the swaying of the horse, and seemed to be faintly burning.

His back wasn't thin either; a thin layer of muscle clung to his skin, neither too prominent nor too weak, yet it provided a stable support for her weight.

For some reason, Yan Yi recalled a documentary she had seen before about a snow leopard that lived among bare rocks and shrubs in the high mountains. It was proud, powerful, and solitary. It climbed and leaped lightly among the rugged cliffs, its smooth muscle lines and slender body containing powerful explosive force. It was the undisputed king of the snow mountains.

Suddenly, she felt less nervous and scared. Her arms around Pei Jingyi loosened, and she adjusted her body to a more comfortable position to lean against him.

Pei Jingyi held the reins and controlled the horse, but most of his attention was on Yan Yi.

This horse had been with him for seven or eight years and they were already very well-matched. He could maintain a steady speed that was neither too fast nor too slow without much effort, which was very safe.

Pei Jinghuai and Shen Lingyue had long since run far ahead, and could only be seen as blurry shadows.

But Pei Jingyi never intended to compete for first place.

When he looked down, he could see the hands pressed against his lower abdomen, their ten fingers slender like scallion roots, slightly white from being tightly clasped together, and trembling slightly as if nervously and anxiously.

The reins were given a slight tug, and the horse suddenly sped up.

Pei Jingyi freed one hand, grasped Yan Yi's fingertips, and turned back to explain to her.

"Huaizhou and the others are about to enter the city. We need to hurry. Can you still hold on tight?"

He heard Yan Yi softly respond from behind his back.

Pei Jingyi then did not let go of that hand.

...

Today, Shen Lingyue experienced firsthand what it means to race without a license—no, to race a horse.

All I can say is that Pei Jinghuai really wanted to win.

As soon as the two dismounted in front of the Duke of Ling's mansion, she almost knelt down uncontrollably.

Pei Jinghuai swiftly scooped her up, easily hooking his arm around her waist, and raised an eyebrow triumphantly.

"How about that? I, your master, will never let you starve to death!"

A question mark slowly appeared above Shen Lingyue's head.

What nonsense is this?

She didn't have time to think about any of that. Leaning against Pei Jinghuai, she gasped for breath and asked, "What do we do now? Should we just go up and knock on the door?"

Pei Jinghuai turned his head and looked into the distance in the direction of the city. "What's wrong with Pei Da? He was the one who said he wanted to have a competition, but he's the one who's been dragging his feet."

After waiting a while, Pei Jingyi rode over at a steady trot and pulled on the reins to stop.

Shen Lingyue immediately ran over and reached out her hand to Yan Yi, "Come, let me help you down from your horse."

Yan Yi took her hand and slid limply off the horse, stumbling before regaining her balance.

"Are you alright? Are you dizzy?" Shen Lingyue asked with concern, but also with lingering fear. "I knew I shouldn't have ridden so fast."

What if something bad happens on the way? Falling off a horse is no joke.

She puffed out her cheeks and couldn't help but secretly glare at Pei Jingyi.

He usually seems like a very composed person, so why did he suddenly act so erratically?

Pei Jingyi coughed lightly, seemingly a little guilty, and dared not meet her gaze. He only apologized to Yan Yi, saying, "It's my fault. I was only thinking about getting back as soon as possible and forgot that you are still a beginner and would be scared."

Yan Yi quickly waved her hand and said it was alright, then explained to Shen Lingyue, "He was a little nervous at first, but he rode so fast and steadily that he gradually got used to it."

Pei Jinghuai had been waiting impatiently for a long time. When Pei Jingyi and Yan Yi finally arrived, he immediately went up and knocked on the gate of the Duke of Ling's mansion.

"I am Pei Jinghuai from the Marquis of Changning's residence. I want to see Brother Gu Lin!"

A moment later, the gate opened, and there stood one of Gu Lin's usual attendants. He was very excited to see him, saying, "My young master knew that the second young master would definitely come, so he specially sent me to wait for you at the gate."

Pei Jinghuai pulled Shen Lingyue inside.

Just as the attendant was about to close the door, he noticed Pei Jingyi behind him and asked with a puzzled look, "Young Master Pei, what brings you here as well?"

It seems that his son and Young Master Pei don't have much of a relationship, right?

Pei Jingyi stepped forward and whispered a few words in his attendant's ear.

The attendant's expression changed instantly, and he opened the door a little wider. "Please come in quickly!"

After walking for a while, Pei Jingyi felt someone tugging at his sleeve.

He turned his head to meet Yan Yi's probing gaze: "What did you say to that person just now?"

Why did they suddenly change their attitude and let them in?

Pei Jingyi smiled but did not answer: "You'll find out soon enough."

The group of four was taken directly to the main hall in the front yard.

Pei Jinghuai couldn't contain himself and rushed in first.

"Brother Gu Lin, it's so good to know you're still alive! You—"

His surprised exclamation abruptly stopped as his gaze fell upon the scene.

Because he saw that Gu Lin's chair had a large wheel on each side, and a thick blanket was draped over his legs.

Pei Jinghuai suddenly froze on the spot, feeling a tightness in his chest and as if his throat was blocked with cotton.

He clenched his fists and slowly approached Gu Lin, kneeling on one knee. He stretched out his trembling hand, trying to lift the blanket, but he couldn't muster any strength.

"Brother Gu Lin, your leg..." Her voice choked with emotion.

Gu Lin sat in his wheelchair, his expression gentle, looking at his younger brother who had practically grown up following him around. He took Pei Jinghuai's hand and helped him pull back the blanket.

"See? The legs are still there, it's just that I can't stand up anymore."

Pei Jinghuai let out a sob, quickly wiped his eyes, and grinned at him.

"It's alright, you're already incredibly lucky to have survived the battlefield! We can ask the imperial physician to examine your leg; he'll definitely be able to heal it..."

Pei Jinghuai rambled on incoherently, his words rambling and disjointed, and even he himself didn't know what he was saying.

But he was so happy, so very happy. It was wonderful to see his brother Gu Lin alive again!

Gu Lin patted his back like he was coaxing a child, then looked up and met Shen Lingyue's curious gaze.

He smiled and said, "Huaizhou, I heard you're married now. Won't you introduce me to Brother Gu?"

"Oh, I almost forgot."

Pei Jinghuai slapped his forehead, stood up, pulled Shen Lingyue over, and said earnestly, "Brother Gu Lin, this is my wife, the third young lady of Minister Shen's family. It was His Majesty who bestowed this marriage upon us. She... she is exceptionally good!"

As he finished speaking, Pei Jinghuai's tone became slightly boastful and proud, his face flushed slightly, and he proudly gripped Shen Lingyue's hand tightly.

Shen Lingyue tried to break free but failed. She could only blush and greet Gu Lin: "Young Master Gu, my husband often says that you are the elder brother he admires the most. You have survived this ordeal and will surely be blessed with good fortune in the future."

"Then thank you for your kind words, sister-in-law." Gu Lin nodded to her. "No need to be so formal. You can call me Brother Gu, just like Huai Zhou does."

“Okay, Brother Gu.” Shen Lingyue readily agreed, glancing around with a puzzled look in her eyes.

Gu Lin has returned alive, but why haven't the people from the Duke of Ling's mansion shown up yet?

And what about Sister Zheng?

She is already Gu Lin's wife in name, but will Gu Lin be willing to acknowledge this marriage? If he doesn't, how will Sister Zheng face herself in the future?

Shen Lingyue stood behind Pei Jinghuai, using him as cover, and secretly sized up Gu Lin.

He looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with handsome features, thick eyebrows, bright eyes, and a clear and upright gaze.

Even sitting in a wheelchair, one can imagine how tall and upright he used to be, a figure who struck fear into the hearts of his enemies on the battlefield.

But standing behind him, the man pushing the wheelchair...

Shen Lingyue's gaze fell upon the hideous scar that ran across most of his face, and she involuntarily trembled.

Could he be the trusted subordinate who risked his life to protect Gu Lin from disaster on the battlefield?

If Gu Lin didn't die, why did the battle reports that came back all say with certainty that he had been killed in action?

Also, why didn't Gu Lin send a message to the Duke of Ling's mansion to let them know he was safe, even though he had survived?

She had so many questions, but didn't know who to ask for answers.

Shen Lingyue moved to the side with small, quick steps, and finally reunited with Yan Yi.

She asked in a whisper, "What's going on? I feel something's strange."

And another thing, wasn't it a little too quiet on their way in? Where did all the servants in the Duke of Ling's mansion go?

Yan Yi was also completely baffled, so she patted the back of her hand reassuringly, "Let's wait and see."

As the two whispered in each other's ears, Pei Jingyi stepped forward, half-squatted down, and whispered a few words in Gu Lin's ear.

Gu Lin's eyes shifted, and for a moment his killing intent was revealed, as if the entire main hall had fallen into an ice cave, chilling to the bone.

But he quickly suppressed his aura, his expression returned to normal, and he nodded to Pei Jingyi.

"Thank you, Yunzhao. I owe you a favor this time, and I will repay you in the future."

Pei Jingyi remained calm and gently shook his head.

“Huaizhou used to cling to you when he was little. Prince Gu took on the responsibility of being the eldest brother for me, saving me a lot of trouble. I am just returning the favor.”

Gu Lin frowned slightly.

That's true, but something seems off. There's a hint of sourness in it...

Suddenly a commotion arose outside.

"Ah Lin, is my Ah Lin back?"

Gu Lin's grandmother, the Dowager Lady of the Duke's Mansion, walked over shakily with a cane. Her gray hair was slightly disheveled, and her cloudy eyes were filled with tears as she staggered across the threshold.

Gu Lin gripped the armrest of the wheelchair. "Grandmother, please forgive me for my inconvenience with my legs; I cannot get up to kowtow and pay my respects."

"Ah Lin, what happened to your leg?!"

The old lady was heartbroken and held him, crying incessantly while patting him.

"You heartless wretch! Why didn't you send a letter home sooner? Do you know how your grandmother has been these past six months? I've cried myself blind..."

Following closely behind were the Duke of Ling and his wife.

The Duke kept rubbing his hands, wanting to step forward but seemingly hesitant to approach. In the end, he could only stammer, "You're back. It's good that you're back."

From the moment she entered the room, the Duchess of Lingguo stared intently at Gu Lin, her eyes filled with complex emotions, but there was little joy in them.

When Gu Lin met her gaze, he simply looked away and softly comforted the sobbing Madam.

"Let me go! Let me go! Who do you think you are? Who gave you permission to search the Duke of Ling's mansion? You have audacity!"

The young man's shouts were full of resentment, and before long, Gu Yuan was brought in with his hands tied behind his back.

"Ah Yuan!"

Lady Ling's expression changed instantly. She rushed forward and began to struggle with the two guards, shouting, "Who are you? Let go of my son!"

"My husband!"

Supported by her maid, Qin Zhengzheng, her slightly protruding belly, rushed over. Upon seeing the Duchess of Lingguo, her eyes reddened, and her expression turned distressed. "Mother, what happened at home?"

Why did a group of soldiers suddenly arrive, surround their courtyard, and turn the husband's study upside down?

Qin Zhengzheng was terrified; her whole body was trembling.

She had finally returned to the capital with her husband and was finally able to live such a life of luxury. Was something about to happen to the Duke of Ling's mansion?

Lady Ling's lips trembled, and she suddenly turned around, pointing at Gu Lin and said sternly, "Young Master Gu, you really have a lot of power. You've only just returned, and you're already trying to have our whole family wiped out?"

Prince Gu?

Qin Zhengzheng looked up in disbelief.

She is her husband's elder brother, Gu Lin, who died in the northern desert.

But her husband had solemnly promised her that Gu Lin was dead, and that the future heir apparent, as well as the entire Duke of Ling's mansion, would belong to him and their child...

Qin Zhengzheng subconsciously pressed her lower abdomen, her mind in turmoil.

Gu Lin said calmly, "Mother, you are exaggerating. I only had my second brother's courtyard searched."

Why do you have to pick a fight with your brother?

Lady Ling was so angry that she trembled all over. She glanced outside unintentionally, raised her eyebrows, rushed over and dragged Zheng Chunyun inside.

"I understand. You're not satisfied with A-Yuan's marriage, so you married a wife for him? Then write a letter of divorce and get a divorce from her!"

She vented her anger on Zheng Chunyun, shoving her hard.

"Sister Zheng!"

Zheng Chunyun staggered back a few steps, and was supported by Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi on either side.

Shen Lingyue glared at the Duchess of Lingguo with dissatisfaction, "Hey, it's not like Sister Zheng married into this family willingly, why are you taking your anger out on her?"

Lady Ling was stunned for a moment before she realized what was happening. "What are you doing in my house?!"

Her face turned cold. "This is a family matter for the Gu family, and it's none of our business to interfere."

Gu Lin spoke up: "I invited the two young masters of the Marquis of Changning's mansion to come here, so that they can witness what is to come."

The Duchess of Lingguo's eyes flickered: "What else are you going to cause trouble for?"

Gu Lin took out a sealed letter with the sealing wax removed from his pocket and casually tossed it in front of Gu Yuan, who had been looking like he'd seen a ghost the moment he entered.

"To cover up the truth that you and your uncle embezzled military supplies, lined your own pockets, and used inferior materials, which rendered the border troops unable to resist the enemy and caused heavy casualties, you planned to kill me in Yunling. But you never expected that I would jump off a cliff and survive, did you?"

Gu Yuan watched helplessly as the secret letter fell to the ground. His face turned pale, his legs went weak, and he uncontrollably knelt down.

He murmured, "No, it can't be..."

My uncle said everything was handled so that there was no way to prove anything, and Gu Lin couldn't possibly know any of this!

Lady Ling said sternly, "Gu Lin, have you gone mad? Yes, I know you've always resented my favoritism towards A-Yuan, but to harm him, you're even going so far as to target your own uncle? He's my only elder brother! This is... disobedience and unfilial piety!"

Gu Lin's gaze was calm: "When Feng Chun and Gu Yuan plotted to kill me on the battlefield, they never thought that I was their nephew and brother."

Last winter, he was ordered to go on a campaign. The Duchess insisted that he take Gu Yuan with him, saying that he was the second son and could not inherit the title. This was already a debt that his older brother Gu Lin owed him. He must earn more military merits for Gu Yuan this time. If he could be granted an official position, it would be a way for Gu Lin to compensate him.

Gu Lin agreed, and the general stationed on the northern border was their uncle, Feng Chun. With their uncle and nephew protecting him, Gu Yuan would definitely be able to return from the battlefield unharmed.

What he didn't expect was that the reason the border was invaded by the enemy was because the military supplies and defenses had long been corrupt. Led by his uncle Feng Chun, everyone from top to bottom was embezzling, using the military funds allocated by the court to fatten their bellies.

In the dead of winter, the soldiers' cotton-padded coats were completely stuffed with reeds, with not a single wad of cotton inside. The swords and spears they carried were made of the lowest quality cast iron, and would shatter into pieces after a few thrusts into the enemy.

How can we fight this war?

With a major battle imminent, he earnestly advised his uncle to pull back from the brink, quickly return the embezzled military supplies and funds, arm the army, and repel the enemy.

Unexpectedly, his uncle agreed on the surface, but then burst into tears, saying that he had been bewitched for a moment, and that guarding the border for years was so hard and cold. He said that if he didn't make more money to bribe important officials in the court, would he have to die in this godforsaken place?

Gu Lin believed him. He even said that as long as they worked together to defeat the foreign enemy, he would keep his uncle's secret when he returned to the capital to report back, and would also petition Emperor Qingxi to find a way to transfer his uncle back to the capital.

After all, he was his mother's own brother, and the maternal uncle was the most important person in the family.

From a young age, Gu Lin knew that his mother disliked him and favored his younger brother. The night before he set off for Yunling, he was still thinking that if he could get his uncle transferred back to the capital so that he could reunite with his mother and siblings, his mother would surely be more willing to give him a smile.

But what he encountered in Yunling was a cold arrow from behind and a knife swung at him by Gu Yuan.

His maternal uncle, together with his younger brother, used the position of heir apparent as a bargaining chip to massacre him and his entire army of 50,000!

"Big brother, big brother, I was wrong. It was all Uncle's fault for forcing me to do this!"

Gu Yuan suddenly knelt down, crawled on his knees to Gu Lin's side, and burst into tears.

“You know, I’ve never been a very assertive person, and I’m also a coward… How could I dare to do something so life-threatening! It was my uncle who forced me to do this. He said that if I didn’t lay a hand on you, he would kill me first!”

Gu Yuan clung to Gu Lin's leg, pleading, "Think about it, didn't I miss your vital points back then? I deliberately spared your life!"

"Also, later when you fell off the cliff, it was I who stopped my uncle from sending people down to search. I said you must have died from falling from such a height, there was no need to do anything more..."

Gu Yuan became more and more confident as he spoke, his eyes gleaming with an abnormally excited light.

"I knew you were a lucky guy, brother, and that you would come back alive!"

Shen Lingyue clenched her fists upon hearing this.

What kind of sophistry and illogical reasoning is this?!

So, Prince Gu was forced to jump off a cliff, and he should thank you?

She tried to hold back, but couldn't resist and peeked out from behind Pei Jinghuai.

"Since you firmly believe that Prince Gu is not dead, why do you still want to inherit the family name? Why do you let Sister Zheng carry Prince Gu's memorial tablet into the house? Are you trying to curse him?"

Gu Yuan suddenly turned his head, his gaze shooting towards him with resentment.

Pei Jinghuai immediately stepped forward, "Who are you looking at?"

Gu Yuan: ...

Damn it, he's never been able to beat Pei Er since he was a kid, and now he's getting bullied by his sharp-tongued little wife!

He turned back timidly, trying to persuade Gu Lin again.

"Brother, I have my reasons. I... I did it to deceive Uncle!"

Gu Yuan truly showcased his acting skills today, delivering a moving and tearful performance.

"Think about it, only if your uncle truly believes you are dead will he not seek revenge on me... on our Duke Ling's mansion. And you are the heir of the Duke Ling's mansion, dying on the battlefield before you were even married. The family must leave you an heir, right?"

He turned to look at Zheng Chunyun, "Chunyun is the granddaughter of Minister Zheng. She is intelligent, capable, well-educated, and a well-known lady of high society in the capital... I've given you such a wonderful fiancée, do you still doubt my feelings for you?"

He became increasingly agitated, blurting out incoherently, "Brother, I swear I've never touched Chunyun with a single hair. She's been married into this family for so long and is still a virgin. I just wanted to wait for you to come back..."

"Enough!"

Zheng Chunyun spoke in a trembling voice, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Gu Yuan, don't you find it disgusting to say these things?"

-----------------------

Author's note: I saw in the comments section that everyone was discussing the animal figurine of the eldest brother, some saying it was a Border Collie and some saying it was a cat 0-0 Hehe, you didn't expect that, but in our Yan Yan's heart, he is a leopard!

But whatever you want to portray is fine~ Anyway, Pei Er has already firmly decided on the dog-themed role and won't waver [doge][doge]

//When I was writing the last sentence today, I suddenly realized that Gu Yuan is that guy from Tiny Times... Oh my god, I swear I really haven't watched the Tiny Times tetralogy [crying][crying] I just chose the name so that it would look like he's a brother to Gu Lin... Maybe the lines were too classic, and I unknowingly started smoking and it got stuck in my lungs orz

Tomorrow, let's continue with the Duke's Mansion's melons! [cheering][cheering]