Chapter 85 [VIP]

Yes.

Just now, it seemed that Madam Xu was about to say something, but she was interrupted by Old Madam Gong halfway through her sentence.

There is no closer relationship than that between cousins ​​who share the same surname but live in different branches of the family. It is perfectly proper for a cousin to make a handkerchief for her cousin.

"Madam, this way please."

Gu Zhizhuo spoke with a smile.

As she left the main room, she instructed Qingmei to keep an eye on Granny Sun, who was kneeling there. She knew perfectly well what Granny Sun and Madam Xu had discussed. Granny Sun dragged Madam Xu over, and the servants along the way had already made them avoid her.

The Gong and Xu families wanted to ruin Xu Ying'er's reputation, thinking that this would make the Gu family abandon her and force her to marry.

Even if Gong Hai now wants to marry the princess.

Even if most people don't believe those words, they will inevitably attract criticism in the future, saying that she had ulterior motives towards her cousin before she was recognized by him.

Why should their family-oriented daughters suffer like this?

Granny Sun embarrassed Xu Ying'er in front of so many people.

Then Granny Sun would have to save face for Gu Zhijiao in front of so many people.

A gentle breeze caressed Gu Zhizhuo's veil, and her gaze was somewhat dazed.

Gu Zhijiao.

Before, her name was only engraved on that small tombstone, but now, she stands here alive.

The Grand Secretary's wife was the first to react, and said nonchalantly, "Madam, you chose a very auspicious time. I'm already hungry."

"The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has a dish called Jade Slices and Emerald Soup, which is very delicious. I tried it once many years ago and have been craving it ever since."

Some of the recipes in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion were part of Wang's dowry and have been passed down through generations of the family; you can't find them anywhere else.

Gu Zhizhuo smiled and said, "Then you'll have to try a lot later."

The others chimed in with trivial chatter, and they walked past the two people on the ground, laughing and talking as they went.

The Dowager Lady also arrived at the banquet. After everyone was seated and the meal began, she quietly left, leaving only Gu Liaoliao to entertain the guests.

Xu Shi had not shown up, and Madam Xu and Xu Ying'er had also disappeared. Even Gu Zhiwei sensed that something was amiss.

Several unmarried young women sat at two tables. Gu Zhiwei and Gu Zhinan, the sisters, sat at one table to keep the guests company. When she saw her go over, Gu Zhiwei stood up and quietly asked, "Big sister, where are my mother and cousin? Is it possible that my aunt is trying to take my cousin away?"

Gu Zhizhuo said, "You go ahead and entertain the guests. Don't worry, it's a good thing. You'll know after the banquet."

Gu Zhiwei smiled, sat back down, and familiarly livened up the atmosphere.

Gu Zhizhuo spoke with Xie Danling, offering her a pearl flower as a thank-you gift, and asked her to look after her two cousins ​​while she was at it. He also left Qiongfang behind just in case, and quietly went out with Qingmei.

Walking along the corridor, she casually remarked, "A gift from your master?"

She was referring to the fact that the eldest princess was betrothed to Gong Hai.

Qingmei smiled, her eyes crinkling. Now that she could speak, she whispered, "It was Princess Zhaoyang who instigated Gong Hai to come to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to force him into marriage. The Emperor was still angry about Princess Zhaoyang's matter, and when he found out, he was furious again. So, my mistress persuaded the Emperor to grant the marriage."

There are some things that Qingmei is not comfortable saying later.

That damned Gong Hai actually had his eye on the girl and said some inappropriate things in the brothel.

Wu Shang handed it over while organizing the intelligence...

Just reading those words made her furious.

Gu Zhizhu clapped his hands and laughed, "Your Majesty is wise."

This was the first time she had ever spoken those four words so sincerely.

but……

Shen Xu is vengeful and doesn't like owing favors, but he would never help anyone extra.

She gave him a talisman last time, and he broke the Qin family's hereditary title.

Later, he also told her about the origins of the Ji family in the Qingxin Talisman, so we should be even, right?

Unable to figure it out, she simply stopped thinking about it. As things stood, this man didn't seem to have any ill intentions towards her, and that was enough. She had offended enough people; the fewer people she offended, the better.

As Gu Zhizhuo spoke, she entered the main room. Granny Sun was kneeling in the middle, while Madam Xu was being held down by two old women, half-kneeling and half-prostrate. When Gu Zhizhuo entered, Madam Xu was blushing and shrilly, shouting, "...Does the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion really believe the words of a treacherous servant? Do you still consider the Xu family as relatives by marriage?"

"Grandma, you just watch someone bully your family and you don't dare to say a word?"

"Useless thing, you deserve to guard this place..."

"Block it up."

Xu said expressionlessly.

The old woman holding Mrs. Xu immediately took out a handkerchief and stuffed it into her mouth, putting the word "widow" back in.

Mrs. Xu's face turned red and blue as she sobbed incessantly.

"Go on."

Xu Ying'er... Gu Zhijiao sat next to Xu Shi.

Madam Xu held her hand tightly, her expression cold and hard towards her sister-in-law, Mrs. Xu.

Granny Sun insisted that she had witnessed her daughter die. She believed Granny Sun; she was the only person in the Xu family who had ever truly cared for her, so how could she not believe her?

Now, that complete trust has turned into a sharp dagger, piercing her heart.

She unconsciously increased the pressure on her hands, squeezing Gu Zhijiao until she felt a little pain.

Gu Zhijiao did not cry out in pain. She felt a little more at ease as she experienced the slight pain.

She is her aunt's daughter, a girl from the Gu family?

Is this really not a dream?

After having this wonderful dream, is she going to die...?

Gu Zhijiao's lips curled into a small smile. It didn't matter; even if she died, she wanted to finish this dream.

Gu Zhizhuo walked in quietly and sat down at the lower end of the table.

Granny Sun shrank her neck, not daring to look up at her, and stammered, "...Do you remember when you returned to the capital from the northern frontier that year?"

Of course I remember.

Xu was from the north. After getting married, she and Gu Weiwei lived in the northern frontier.

Until that year, the late emperor transferred Gu Weiwei to Liangzhou as the general.

At that time, a group of remnants of the previous dynasty made a comeback, occupied a large part of Liangzhou, and ascended the throne in Luoyang, proclaiming their intention to revive the Great Xing Dynasty, causing widespread panic throughout the land. This Xing Emperor claimed to be the grandson of the last emperor of the previous dynasty, and used this claim to recruit many people.

During that time, the northern frontier was also frequently plagued by war. Gu Weiwei was really worried, so she had someone send her and Lie Lie back to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion in the capital.

The Xu family also wanted to move to the capital, so they went with her.

Even now, when I think back on those days, everything is still vivid in my mind.

Madam Xu recalled that her husband was rushing to take up his post and had arranged for three hundred soldiers to escort them.

After leaving the northern border, the journey was relatively peaceful until they entered Yizhou, where they encountered a band of over a thousand bandits.

The soldiers told them to hide and use themselves as bait to lure the bandits away.

She went into labor while traveling.

The Xu family was terrified by the bandits. They thought she was a burden and ran away, abandoning her and Lie Lie, who was not even three years old at the time. Later, Granny Sun and several old women took her and hid in the mountains.

She gave birth to her child in the mountains.

In the chaos, she could only vaguely see a small birthmark on the child's shoulder.

Later, something happened in the village at the foot of the mountain, and a fire broke out.

Fires were everywhere, and faint screams could be heard.

She could only carry her child and flee into the deep mountains. Until she lost consciousness, she only remembered lying in a cave covered in blood, with wildfires raging outside, making it unbearably hot.

When she woke up, only Lie Lie and Granny Sun were by her side. Granny Sun told her that the child was dead and even showed her the stillborn baby...

"explain!"

Xu's shoulders trembled slightly, and a storm was brewing in her voice.

"This servant, this servant will tell you..."

Granny Sun pressed her forehead to the ground. She had already said the most difficult things, so the rest were not so difficult.

“At that time, the area below the mountain was full of bandits who were killing and burning. We hid in a cave. The boy was asleep, but the girl cried.”

After the child was born, she kept running away and didn't even get a drop of milk. She cried and whimpered.

Granny Sun was terrified. She looked at the firelight outside and could vaguely hear rustling footsteps all around her. She was terrified that the child's cries would attract bandits, and she was afraid that she would die along with them.

"I covered her mouth to keep her from making a sound, and then I heard someone appear outside the cave. I didn't dare to move. When that person came in, I saw that it was actually Madam."

The Xu family abandoned them on the roadside and they should have gone far away long ago. I never expected them to end up here.

Mrs. Xu said she came specifically to find them, and Granny Sun didn't suspect anything. It wasn't until much later that she learned that they had encountered another group of bandits shortly after they ran away. They couldn't bear the thought that the soldiers would definitely come back for Mrs. Xu, so they simply returned. The bandits down the mountain that day had actually been chasing them.

“Madam saw that I covered the girl’s face with my hands.”

“The mistress said that I wanted to smother the girl. If I don’t give her the girl, she will report me for murdering her mistress.”

Granny Sun was speechless at the time.

"This servant can only give the girl to the madam."

Mrs. Xu's face was ashen, and she made muffled noises, desperately trying to speak.

"Granny Sun, even if she denounces us, I won't believe her." Madam Xu's voice trembled as she exposed her lie. "You were afraid Jiaojiao would cry, afraid the bandits would find us, so you simply gave Jiaojiao to her. Isn't that right!?"

“I…” Granny Sun moved her lips, but in the end she only said one word, “Yes.”

She was afraid.

She was really afraid that her daughter would cry.

“After Madam married into the Xu family, she never conceived a child, and she was afraid of being divorced. As you know, there is a custom in our northern region that if a married woman cannot give birth, she will adopt a child from her husband's sister, so that she can bring a child to her husband's family. You married into the Zhenguo Duke's mansion, and you and the Second Master would definitely not agree to adopt a child. So Madam pretended to be pregnant and asked me to steal the child you gave birth to and give it to her. I did not agree at the time.”

Granny Sun wept uncontrollably, her tears and snot mingling together: "It's true, I originally refused!"

Xu was indeed aware of this custom.

But that requires both parties to be willing; who would steal a child?

She calmed her erratic breathing and finally asked, "Where did that stillborn baby come from?"

Granny Sun stammered, "It was given by the Madam. The Madam's pregnancy was fake. No matter how well she hid it, she couldn't hide it until she gave birth. She took advantage of the time when she got separated from the Master and picked up a stillborn baby in the village."

It was too chaotic at the time, and Granny Sun didn't know how she picked up the stillborn baby.

She kept the stillborn baby for herself and took the girl away.

Granny Sun truly didn't understand why she insisted on carrying around a child who could cry at any moment.

Gu Zhijiao understood everything. Why would such a wicked person steal her away from her parents? She hadn't been able to be with her mother since she was little, and she had barely seen her father, never been able to be by his side to enjoy his company, and never observed mourning for him.

Gu Zhijiao was trembling all over.

The old lady, sitting in the grand chair, finally found her voice: "Ying'er... no, no, is Jiao Jiao our child?"

The second wife was extremely uneasy. In the end, it was her own family, and the nanny she trusted most, who stole the child. She had been blind, she had been blind to the truth. She shouldn't have fainted. If she had just kept a close eye on Jiao Jiao, Jiao Jiao wouldn't have been lost.

For the past thirteen years, she had never known that her beloved Jiaojiao was still alive.

She and her husband had been looking forward to their daughter, Jiaojiao, for a very long time.

Whether her mother-in-law blames her, resents her, or hates her, she deserves it!

Madam Xu said firmly, "Mother, yes. Jiaojiao is a girl from our Gu family..."

The old lady's face immediately lit up. She slapped her thigh and exclaimed happily, "Great! That's wonderful!"

Madam Xu was almost stunned. Gu Zhizhuo noticed her inner turmoil and teased her, saying, "The old lady has always dreamed of having a sweet and gentle granddaughter. Her dream has come true."

"Of course not."

The old lady eagerly took Gu Zhijiao's hand, beaming with joy: "You're the best. From now on, all of Grandmother's good things will be for you, not for your eldest sister."

Xu Ying'er's tears streamed down her face. At that moment, she felt that she would be willing to die even if she died right away.

"For the eldest sister, the eldest sister is the best."

"Okay, you can have them all. You can give them to whomever you want. Is that alright?"

"..."

Xu walked slowly to Mrs. Xu and removed the handkerchief stuffed in her mouth.

"What else do you have to say?"

"If it weren't for me, that wretched girl Ying'er would have been smothered to death by this wicked servant long ago!" Madam Xu glared fiercely at Granny Sun. "Grandma, you should be grateful to me. If it weren't for the need to carry on the Xu family line, why would I bother raising such an ungrateful wretch?"

Xu's voice choked with sobs: "You stole her, why didn't you treat her well?"

"What have I done wrong to her?" Mrs. Xu said in a shrill voice, "I fed her, I clothed her, I raised her from such a tiny baby to adulthood..."

"Does she think she'd go hungry or cold if she stayed with the Gu family?!" Madam Xu angrily grabbed Mrs. Xu by the neck, her voice filled with rage. "You stole her, treated her like dirt, and you call that treating her well? You have your own child now, you don't want her anymore, so why don't you give her back to me? Why?"

Mrs. Xu struggled desperately, kicking her legs, and said with difficulty, "...I'm only doing this to give your Xu family a son...Do you have any conscience? If it weren't for me, your Xu family would be extinct."

"You heartless wretch... Ying'er is truly your own daughter, a complete ingrate."

“You will be letting down the ancestors of the Xu family even if you die.”

Ms. Xu released her hand.

Mrs. Xu was panting heavily.

Xu suddenly laughed, a smile playing on her lips, but her eyes were icy cold: "Thank you? Guess whether my brother is grateful to you for giving him a legitimate son, or whether he would hate you to death."

"Of course... you're grateful to me! Who else would be as heartless and ungrateful as you!"

Madam Xu straightened up and sent someone to fetch Master Xu from the front.

A light suddenly lit up in Mrs. Xu's eyes.

She did it to give birth to a son for the Xu family, so the master will definitely protect her!

Master Xu was at the front of the table, happily drinking and trying to get on the good side of his fellow diners. He was related to the Duke of Zhenguo by marriage, and even the Grand Secretary treated him with kindness. He was feeling quite pleased when someone called him out.

Master Xu only heard that his sister wanted to see him, and the old woman who led him in kept silent about everything else. A strong sense of unease welled up inside him.

When I arrived at Ronghetang and saw the scene inside, I was completely stunned.

"Ying'er isn't my daughter?"

He never doubted this, or rather, he never cared about "Xu Ying'er". A little girl, raising her wouldn't cost much money. As long as she could marry into a high-status family like his sister and pave the way for his son, he wouldn't lose out.

To be betroth him to Gong Hai would be an exceptionally good marriage.

Mrs. Xu screamed hysterically, as if grasping at a straw: "Master, your sister is a traitor! A heartless wretch who only cares about her husband's family. I bore a son for the Xu family... and she dares to treat me like this. Master..."

Mr. Xu's face darkened.

"You old hag!" Old Master Xu rushed over and kicked Mrs. Xu, who was lying on the ground. His kick was extremely powerful, hitting her directly in the chest.

His rise from a wool seller in the north to owning a large mansion in the capital, where high-ranking officials and nobles all look up to him, is certainly not because his wife gave birth to a son.

It's because of my younger sister!

It's not that he can't have a son; he has two sons born out of wedlock. It's that this woman can't have children herself.

"I want a divorce. I want a divorce!"

"Sister, Madam, I really didn't know anything about this." He said ingratiatingly, "It's all this woman's fault. You should send her to the authorities, yes, send her to the authorities."

Forget about handing her over to the authorities; even if the Gu family stabbed her to death, he could still report it as a sudden death.

Mrs. Xu clutched her chest, the metallic taste of blood rising in her throat, and she coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The person she had always protected was now so easily abandoning her, without even a moment's hesitation. If it weren't for giving birth to a son for the Xu family, why would she bother raising someone else's wretched girl?!

The two maids released their grip on her shoulders. Mrs. Xu, filled with resentment, screamed and lunged back, biting his neck hard. She used all her strength in her jaw, almost breaking her teeth.

A note from the author: