Duanhua was furious, her anger roaring like wildfire, as she glared at Zhou Gu.
Zhou Gu, with a cold face, said, "Stop making a fuss. I have already told you, I cannot love you, not in this life, nor will I ever marry you. If you behave and go back to Capital City, I won’t harm you. Otherwise, I have ways to make you shut up and behave."
Duanhua once more put the hairpin against her throat, its sharp end pressing into her flesh. She sneered, "If you refuse to let me go to Jiangning County, then I’ll die right here in front of you."
"Who are you threatening?" Zhou Gu scoffed, "If you have the courage, commit suicide. I will call Xie Lin to witness it. Even if you die, do you believe it will be your parents who weep for you? The most I’ll suffer is missing the autumn examinations, but there’s no chance I will pay for your life."
He wasn’t planning on participating in the autumn examinations anyway!
Having finished speaking, he called below, "Xie Lin, come up!"
Xie Lin just finished bathing and was looking at the menu with Su Xingze, deciding to order the restaurant’s signature dish. Hearing the commotion from above, he marveled at Duanhua’s ability to cause a stir. He certainly gained some insight. He had not expected Zhou Gu to call for him. He had no choice but to look towards the upper floor, only to see Zhou Gu standing at Duanhua’s doorway, his demeanor icy. Xie Lin asked, "What do you need me for?"
"You come up."
Xie Lin felt there had to be trouble if Zhou Gu was calling him at this moment. However, considering his recent journey to Jiangning, where he had been a guest at his future father-in-law’s home due to Zhou Gu’s influence, he stood up and walked to the stairs, "What is it?"
Zhou Gu said coldly, "Act as a witness. Someone here wants to commit suicide. It isn’t me forcing her, she wants to die on her own."
Xie Lin: "..."
He leaned in to glance into the room, seeing Duanhua in a suicidal state, he was at a loss for words.
Duanhua was nearing her limit, her eyes red and teary. She looked at him with a mix of fury and shock, "Zhou Gu, if I die in front of you, my mother will never let you off."
Zhou Gu was not intimidated, "Princess Qingping might actually thank me. You being her daughter is such an embarrassment to her."
"Impossible! My mother will demand you pay for my death with your life." Duanhua protested defiantly.
Zhou Gu scoffed, "Then go ahead and try. No one here is stopping you."
Duanhua trembled, turning her gaze towards Xie Lin.
Xie Lin felt a chill run down his spine. He tried to dissuade her, "Princess, please, don’t do anything foolish. If you die, he really may not necessarily pay with his life."
Not just ’possibly’, he absolutely won’t.
Though the Duke Residence has always kept a low profile, Zhou Gu has been anything but. He might seem well behaved when in Jiangning County in front of his fiancée, but that’s just a façade. Deep down, he’s the kind of person who recklessly defies authorities. Even the emperor has thought about disciplining him personally. And during all this time, Duanhua was just a young girl who knew nothing but crying.
Many actions that would cost others their heads, Zhou Gu has done, and at most the emperor would just send him to the Eastern Palace for education by Grand Tutor Qin. If Duanhua were to die because of him, regardless of her being the emperor’s niece, the emperor would, for the sake of maintaining stability, never risk antagonizing the Duke Residence, which is considered invaluable. Princess Qingping may be the emperor’s sister, but the elder Princess Sheng An is the emperor’s aunt, and she’s still alive and well.
Moreover, the Crown Prince would protect Zhou Gu. Although Duanhua and the Crown Prince are cousins, the Prince’s relationship with Zhou Gu is closer. Therefore, regardless of the circumstances, if Duanhua commits suicide, Zhou Gu might be severely punished by the emperor and miss the autumn exam, which would be detrimental to his career, but paying for her life with his is out of the question.
Duanhua shouted angrily, "Xie Lin, Zhou Gu is unreasonable. Do you also think his treatment of me is justified? Why should he restrict where I can go?"
Xie Lin coughed. He wanted to say if you want others to be reasonable with you, you have to be reasonable first. Zhou Gu may be arrogant, but he never trifles with women. The fact that he has been brought to this point by you clearly shows your misdeeds.
He could imagine Duanhua’s face as she rushed to Jiangning County to confront Su Rong, enough to make anyone’s skin crawl, let alone Zhou Gu. If she was allowed to run rampant there, what could the Su family do? After all, she is a princess personally appointed by the emperor. How should the Su family treat her then, indulgence or indignation? Either way, if they let her exert her will, she would certainly bully them. If they don’t let her, they will offend Princess Qingping and further the imperial family, which is tantamount to committing an offence against one’s superiors.
Thus, although Xie Lin felt that Zhou Gu was cold-hearted, he did not think he was wrong. Letting someone who would threaten her own life have her way in Jiangning County would be equivalent to feeding her prey.
Seeing Xie Lin silent, Duanhua stared at him and asked, "Do you also agree with him restraining me?"
Even though Xie Lin didn’t wish to offend Duanhua, her antics were driving him crazy. He chose his words carefully, "Princess, you should return to the Capital City! You’ve been away from the capital for so long, the princess must be very worried. Moreover, even if you go to Jiangning County, you won’t be able to meet Lady Su Qi anyway. Su Xu, the governor of Jiangning, recently received an imperial decree, and he has probably already moved with his entire family to Jiangzhou by now, to serve as the inspector there."
The implication was that Governor Su was no longer just a small county governor, but had become the Inspector of Jiangzhou, leaping from a fourth-rank official to a third-rank high official. Even in front of Princess Qingping, he would not lose much face.
Duanhua stiffened her neck, "So what?"
It was her father who had been promoted, not Su Rong, she was still a lowly illegitimate daughter, and she was a princess personally conferred by the emperor’s brother-in-law.
Xie Lin had a headache and didn’t bother to admonish, "If the princess can’t understand and really wants to commit suicide, I can’t stop her."
Aggrieved, Duanhua looked at Zhou Gu again. Zhou Gu was expressionless, seemingly waiting for her to commit suicide so that he could collect her body. Angrily, she threw her hairpin away and said resentfully, "Zhou Gu, just you wait."
Seeing that she had calmed down, Zhou Gu turned and walked away, too lazy to talk to her.
Xie Lin also immediately followed Zhou Gu out.
After the two left, Duanhua wanted to cry, but she swallowed her tears. One wave of resentment after another welled up in her heart. She didn’t believe that she would never meet the illegitimate daughter of Jiangning County in her life. When she did, she would tear her apart.
In the past, no matter how she clung to Zhou Gu, he was indifferent, but he was not as cold and heartless as he is now. At most, he avoided her. But now, Zhou Gu even forbade her to go to Jiangning County for Su Rong.
She was so full of hatred!
Su Xingze was sitting downstairs calmly waiting. He was also surprised. Although he had heard rumors of Princess Duanhua’s obsession with Zhou Gu, and that she had vowed to marry no one else, he hadn’t expected Princess Duanhua herself to be so stubborn and even threaten others with her own life when she got mad.
Looking at the situation, he thought, Princess Duanhua didn’t seem like someone who gives up easily. Luckily his sister had already planned to cancel the marriage with Zhou Gu, or else it would have been a real trouble.
If his sister still wanted to marry Zhou Gu, he couldn’t be sure that he’d be able to sit here as peacefully as he was now.
When Zhou Gu and Xie Lin came downstairs, Zhou Gu glanced at Su Xingze and saw that his face was calm and composed. When he saw him coming, his eyes didn’t flicker at all. He was too calm, which made him stop in his tracks with a strange feeling.
After all, if his sister had an engagement, and he saw another woman so stubbornly and madly clinging to his brother-in-law-to-be, even if he admitted that the man had done the best he could, he would still be annoyed, because after all, the woman was attracted by him.
But Su Xingze was too calm, so calm that he felt that it shouldn’t be so. It was as if he had nothing to do with the matter.
His hand in his sleeve curled slightly and tried to speak calmly, "Elder brother Su, have you ordered the food?"
"It’s been ordered, they’re cooking it in the back." Su Xingze replied calmly.
Zhou Gu felt his heart skip a beat. So, he had the mood to order food, which means he really didn’t care about him and Duanhua. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he didn’t know what to say.
Xie Lin also noticed and was surprised. He looked at Su Xingze a few times more and laughed, "Brother Su, did you order the Fried Crispy Chicken I like?"
Su Xingze nodded, "I did."
Xie Lin didn’t know what to say at this point, so he asked again, "What about the wine?"
"That’s ordered too." Su Xingze laughed, "We’ve been traveling a long way, drink less to relieve some fatigue." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
Xie Lin thought it was a good idea. Noticing Zhou Gu’s slightly tense face, he realized that being Zhou Gu’s brother-in-law seemed to be not an easy job. Having a brother-in-law who was so calm and deep in dealing with everything was certainly enough to make Zhou Gu drink a pot.
But if Zhou Gu was having a difficult time, shouldn’t he be happy?
Once Xie Lin had this thought, he immediately felt better, "Brother Su, when you go to Capital City, why don’t you stay at my place? I’ve been a burden at your place for a long time, let me return the favor."
Before Su Xingze could refuse, Zhou Gu said, "There’s no need for you to return the favor."
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