Chapter 8

"Enough," said Madam Gu sternly. "Get in the carriage first. Zhuo'er, come sit with me."

When they arrived, Gu Zhizhuo and Ji Nanke rode in the same carriage.

At this moment, Madam Gu summoned Gu Zhizhuo to her carriage and sent Ji Shi to another carriage.

One carriage after another left the imperial city, crowding the main streets of the capital.

As soon as Madam Gu got into the carriage, she drank several mouthfuls of warm water.

Her mind was in a mess, and she was still a little terrified and hadn't come to her senses. Gu Zhizhuo's commotion in the Imperial Garden had offended both the Empress and the Third Prince. When the Empress was publicly reprimanded at the palace banquet, she was almost scared to death.

Now look what's happened! One is in seclusion, and the other is kneeling for a long time. This granddaughter really knows how to cause trouble!

She rubbed her forehead, still shaken: "What exactly do you want to do?"

"Annecel the engagement."

Gu Zhizhuo answered without hesitation.

She emphasized it again, her tone equally resolute: "Grandmother, it's time to break off the engagement."

Madam Gu was startled for a moment and blurted out, "Nonsense! Do you know what this marriage means to our Duke Zhenguo's mansion?"

"My granddaughter knows."

The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was small in number. After the father died in battle, the only adult male in the Gu family was the uncle who was crippled in both legs, and the elder brother was only ten years old. How could it be easy for these young shoulders to support the Gu family?

The marriage promised by the emperor before his father's spirit was like a rope hanging in the water for the Duke of Zhenguo's family.

In her previous life, Gu Zhizhuo thought the same way.

With his elder brother stripped of his title as heir apparent and his younger brother Gu Yan not yet old enough to begin his formal education, the Gu family line was nearly wiped out.

She could only cling to the marriage contract, desperately holding onto this "lifeline." Even though the world mocked her for being ugly and vicious, unworthy of the Third Prince, and ridiculed her for clinging to him because of her ancestors' achievements.

She was ignorant of court affairs and thought that this would protect the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, but she was wrong.

This marriage agreement cannot protect the Gu family.

It is merely a pawn in the emperor's hands, which will only lead the Gu family step by step toward their predetermined fate.

She had already experienced all of this firsthand.

"grandmother……"

Gu Zhizhuo wanted to have a serious talk with her, but he was interrupted as soon as he started to speak.

Madam Gu said angrily, "You are a daughter of the Gu family. It is because of the Gu family that you can live a life of luxury."

"You're always thinking only about your own momentary likes and dislikes. You're always so willful, selfish, and reckless!"

Gu Zhizhuo sighed, "Grandmother, please listen to me..."

Madam Gu didn't want to hear any of her excuses: "His Highness the Third Prince dislikes you and would rather ruin your appearance than accept this marriage. Aren't you at fault?"

Gu Zhizhuo was stunned for a moment, her eyelids lowered, and a cold laugh escaped her lips.

The mocking laughter left Madam Gu speechless, her face turning red and then pale.

"What did my granddaughter do wrong?" Gu Zhizhuo smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Even if someone tramples on your head, you still have to shamelessly greet them and flatter them to be considered right?"

"Madam."

Gu Zhizhuo simply changed the way he addressed him: "My grandfather taught me: Once your knees are bent and your back is bent, you will never be able to lift your head again in this lifetime."

"My father taught me: Even if the Gu family dies, they must stand tall and upright."

"Nobody ever told me to learn to fawn over people and flatter them."

She said it word by word.

“Every brick and every tile in the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion is stained with the blood of the Gu family.”

"Madam, you want me to be servile and fawn over you? You have to ask Grandfather and the others if they agree!"

"you……"

Madam Gu's suppressed anger surged up again in an instant.

Granny Zhu quickly patted her chest to help her catch her breath, and said with displeasure, "Young lady, if this old servant dares to speak up, where did you get this manners? You're even shouting at the Grand Madam. You've done something wrong, and the Grand Madam is your own grandmother; can't she even say a few words to you?!"

"Yes!" Madam Gu nodded angrily. This girl was simply unruly.

I wonder who he takes after for his stubborn temper!

"Shut up," Gu Zhizhuo sneered. "What right do you, a servant, have to interrupt when we, grandfather and grandson, are talking?"

Granny Zhu stared wide-eyed at her cloudy eyes.

She was an old nanny in the mansion, and served the Grand Madam. It had been many years since she had been scolded like this to her face.

“Grand Madam,” Gu Zhizhuo softened her tone, “Now that even the Emperor has admitted it, the one who is at fault is the Third Prince, not me, his granddaughter.”

"How dare you say such things? Are you dissatisfied with the Emperor's will?"

"You, you..." Madam Gu was furious and embarrassed, her face turning red as she shouted, "Stop the car!"

The coachman, unaware of what had happened, quickly reined in the carriage.

She yelled at Gu Zhizhuo, "Get out!"

"Go back home by yourself. On the way, reflect on your actions and see if you truly know you've made a mistake!"

Gu Zhizhuo's eyes remained calm and unmoved by her fury.

Suddenly she laughed and yanked open the carriage curtain.

She looked outside: "Does Madam still remember the Wuying Marquis's residence in Jiutong Hutong, just past here?"

"The Marquis of Wuying's residence has just been raided."

At that time, in the waterside pavilion, the noble ladies watched helplessly as the daughter of the Marquis of Wuying was taken away. Later, to calm their nerves, someone suggested playing the game of pitch-pot.

"It was a case personally tried by the Eastern Depot. It was said to be a case of treason...the perpetrator was caught red-handed."

Gu Zhizhuo then turned to Madam Gu, his phoenix eyes filled with mockery: "Madam, do you think things will remain the same once the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has no value anymore..."

"Innocent and blameless."

She emphasized those four words.

After saying that, Gu Zhizhuo suddenly stood up and called out, "Qiongfang, let's go."

Without using a footstool, she lifted her skirt and jumped off the carriage, then turned to ask the accompanying guards for a horse.

"Walk!"

Inside the carriage, Madam Gu shouted in exasperation.

The carriage has departed.

Gu Zhizhuo took the reins and mounted the horse first, then reached out and pulled Qiongfang onto the horse as well.

The two men rode away on horseback.

"Ah! Miss!" Qiongfang exclaimed, "The rewards are still in the carriage!"

Gu Zhizhuo smiled and said, "Things bestowed by the emperor cannot be taken away."

That makes sense! Qiongfang immediately stopped worrying and asked, "Miss, where are we going?"

"Go to the village."

Gu Zhizhuo had no intention of returning to the manor. Even if Madam Gu hadn't kicked her off the carriage, she would have found a chance to sneak out after returning. As long as the matter of the bandits remained unresolved, it was like having a sword hanging over her head; she couldn't possibly feel at ease.

Once outside the city, Gu Zhizhuo spurred his horse straight to the manor on the outskirts of the capital.

This was the estate that accompanied her birth mother, Lady Wang, as part of her dowry, and it was less than an hour's drive from the capital.

The tenants of the village saw her from afar and hurriedly went to tell the manager.

Upon hearing the news, the senior executives came out to greet them, their faces crinkling with smiles.

Qiongfang waved happily from her horse and called out, "Father!"

Qiongfang is the daughter of the high-ranking official. Her family were all servants of the Wang family and also served as servants of the Wang family.

It wasn't just this estate; the senior officials managed all of the Wang family's fertile lands and estates in Yizhou and the capital region.

The executive was overjoyed and greeted her with a cheerful smile, "Young lady, what brings you here?"

Looking at the familiar person in front of him, Gu Zhizhuo's expression was somewhat dazed.

In the previous life, after those bandits fled to the capital region, they burned, killed, and looted everywhere. This manor was not spared either, and it was burned to the ground. All of the dozen or so people in the manor, including the head steward's family, perished.

Gu Zhizhuo dismounted, suppressing the surging emotions in his eyes, and greeted with a smile, "Greetings, Senior Manager. Li Si."

"Oh my!" The executive laughed even harder. "You've grown taller in just a few months."

Gu Zhizhuo covered her mouth and laughed: "It's about to rain, let's go inside first and talk."

"Is it going to rain?" The executive looked up at the clear sky. "But the girl must have a reason for saying that!" The executive echoed without any principle, "Yes, yes, it's going to rain soon, miss, please go inside first, don't get wet."

"I'll have someone catch a fish. The fish in the pond are really plump this year. I was just thinking of having someone send them to your residence in a few days so you can have a taste," the steward said cheerfully. "Qiong girl, go tell your mother to make vinegar-braised raw fish for the young lady. She loves it the most."

"I also want to eat braised bamboo shoots."

Thinking about the taste of braised bamboo shoots, Gu Zhizhuo's mouth watered.

The executive readily agreed, "Great! Spring bamboo shoots are at their tenderest right now."

Gu Zhizhuo led the horse and walked forward.

The pond was lush and green, kingfishers sang, and camellias bloomed brilliantly in spring. Everything overlapped with the charred manor in Gu Zhizhuo's memory.

The estate was very large, and Gu Zhizhuo usually lived in the main courtyard on the east side.

Stepping through the hanging flower gate, the century-old wisteria vine hangs overhead, its branches and leaves covered with dense, unopened flower buds.

"Young lady, if you come again next month, the wisteria will be in bloom."

The executives were talking enthusiastically.

"The rainfall has been good this year, so the wisteria flowers will definitely bloom beautifully."

This year, after the young master and young lady finished their mourning period, the head steward, wanting to bring good luck, had been pruning the branches and fertilizing and caring for them more meticulously since last year. Now that spring has just begun, the flower buds are already growing so vigorously; they will surely be beautiful when they bloom.

Gu Zhizhuo said nostalgically, "My mother loved this wisteria the most."

In the past, when the wisteria was in full bloom, my mother would bring my siblings and me to stay here for a while.

Her mother would also make wisteria cakes for her by hand.

In his distant memories, Gu Zhizhuo could still seem to recall the sweetness of wisteria cakes.

She couldn't help but say, "When the flowers bloom, send someone to tell me. I want to eat wisteria cakes."

The executive readily agreed and then said, "Miss, the toon leaves are at their tenderest right now. Would you like some toon cakes?"

Gu Zhizhuo readily agreed.

As we entered the house along the pebbled path, Granny Wan had already instructed the maids to fetch water.

After helping her wash her hands, Qiongfang took a clean white silk handkerchief, removed her veil, and carefully cleaned her face.

Gu Zhizhuo, her face still damp with moisture, sat refreshed in the armchair, the pearl in her hairpin casting a faint reflection on her cheek.

After instructing the head steward to prepare paper and ink, she added, "Head steward, go and fetch another reliable young man. He must know martial arts, be quick-witted, and most importantly, be loyal. I have an important matter that I need him to handle."

A note from the author: