The Emperor had held the throne with prestige and authority these years, controlling the country of Daliang. His words carried exceptional weight, and no one dared to defy him. In his mind, naturally, no one would dare to fool him.
Unexpectedly, his beloved Imperial Concubine, whom he had doted on for years, turned out to be a pawn of others. The Pingxi General Residence, that he had trusted, was secretly harboring ulterior motives.
He was so angered that he fainted, becoming seriously ill to his very core, even bedridden.
This came as quite a shock. The person who had seemed robust in health unexpectedly couldn’t withstand such a blow.
The Duchess, unable to bear parting with her son, listened to Zhou Gu’s words and said to him, "If it’s just a delay of two days, then let’s wait two more days."
Zhou Gu nodded his head. He didn’t have any other choice but to wait.
After the two chatted casually for a while, meals were served, and after the Duchess finished her meal, she sat and watched her son eat.
After Zhou Gu finished his meal and the dishes were put away, he wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and rinsed his mouth with tea before asking, "Mother, is there something you want to talk to me about?"
Otherwise, his mother, who usually managed the household chores, was too busy to sit around doing nothing, just waiting for him to finish his meal.
The Duchess shook her head then nodded, "Nothing important. Just that I heard that someone went to the Zhuangzi you received from your grandmother today, it was Second Young Master Ye and..."
"And Su Rong." Zhou Gu nodded, "Yesterday in Dongsi Hutong, Ye Guixue invited Su Rong to enjoy the plum blossoms outside the city. I thought that the plum blossoms outside the city are just budding, unlike in the Zhuangzi that grandmother gave me. The plum blossoms should be in full bloom by now, making it a great place to view them. So, I gave the jade token allowing entry to the mountains to Su Rong and let them go."
The Duchess nodded, "Today in your grandmother’s room, I heard her talking about this with her wet nurse. Your grandmother said you are too kind-hearted. You clearly can’t let go of Su Rong, yet why would you actively create opportunities for them? Don’t you know that among men and women, the more they spend time together, the more their personalities develop compatibility, and the more likely they are to develop feelings for each other? Over time, like a twisted rope, I fear it might become inseparable."
Zhou Gu remained silent.
The Duchess stared at him, "What your grandmother said makes sense to me too. What are your thoughts on this? Weren’t you planning to go to Nanchu? Then why are you still behaving this way? Even if you do nothing, you could never compete with Ye Guixue who has the perfect conditions. Why are you foolishly creating opportunities for them?"
Finally, Zhou Gu responded, "Mother, even if I did not provide a place for them to view the plum blossoms, wouldn’t they still go?"
This retort left the Duchess speechless for a moment.
Zhou Gu continued, "Even if I didn’t give Su Rong the jade token for the Plum Mountain Villa, she would still go to view the plum blossoms with Ye Guixue as planned, just in a different place. Since it’s a foregone conclusion, why should I?" 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚
The Duchess sighed lightly, "What you said makes sense. But have you ever thought that by creating opportunities this way, how would Su Rong see you? Perhaps she is thinking in her heart that you have let go of her, and that’s why you were able to assist her and Ye Guixue without any hesitation."
Zhou Gu shook his head and said softly, "She won’t think like that."
The Duchess stared at him.
Zhou Gu slightly pursed his lips, choosing not to reveal that Su Rong had privately approached him yesterday, nor his confession in front of her, begging her to allow him to go to Nanchu, promising not to interfere with her and Ye Guixue.
He promised not to interfere. This bound him; he had to restrain himself. Going to Nanchu was to help her, not to cause her trouble.
To obstruct her relationship with Ye Guixue would mean causing her trouble. Whether it would be in Daliang or in Nanchu, it wouldn’t be something he could do.
Therefore, providing them a place to view the plum blossoms was a trivial matter, not worth mentioning compared to the much larger things to come.
Seeing Zhou Gu remain silent, the Duchess understood her son’s situation. She knew that anyone in Su Rong’s position would choose Ye Guixue. If anything were to happen to them, Su Rong would lose the support of Ye Guixue and the Ye Xiang Residence. She knew her son couldn’t let go of Su Rong, but he also didn’t want to harm her.
She felt both relief and helplessness, "Your mother understands you have your thoughts, you don’t have to listen to your grandmother’s or my advice. Just follow your heart. After all, we’re not you. What we consider inappropriate may not be inappropriate for you."
She couldn’t reproach her son who refused to wrong others.
Zhou Gu nodded, "Mother, don’t worry, I know what I’m doing, you don’t need to worry too much. If...", he paused, swallowing hard, "if in the future, I ask and do not receive, I won’t lose heart. I’ll accept it."
Even if he had no choice but to accept it, could he really drag Su Rong down to hell in his madness? He wasn’t sure if he would have the courage to see her face when that time came. He could disregard himself, but how could he disregard Su Rong? She had already suffered enough hardships from endless assassination attempts since she was a child. Once she finally assumes the throne in the future, would he pull her down from it?
Would he cause her to lose Ye Guixue and the support of Ye Xiang Residence?
Unless, he were capable enough, possessed enough powerful forces to replace Ye Guixue and Ye Xiang Residence.
The Duchess felt heartbroken, "You just need to always remember that your grandmother and I are your backing. Although your grandfather doesn’t know about your decision, he will also support you in times of need. And, similarly, the Duke Residence will also stand by your side."
Zhou Gu nodded, "I’ll remember that."
The Duchess rose to her feet, "Alright, I won’t disturb you anymore. Don’t exhaust yourself, take a rest for a while."
Zhou Gu responded to her, stood up, and escorted the Duchess to the door.
After the Duchess left, Zhou Gu summoned Ziye and questioned him with a stern expression, "What happened in Plum Mountain Villa? How did grandmother and mother get wind of such a trivial matter so quickly?"
Seeing Zhou Gu’s stern face, Ziye sighed and reminded him, "Young Master, have you forgotten? Ever since the large Princess gave you the Plum Mountain Villa, the people there remained the same. Of course, they are all the servants of the large Princess. It’s been quite a while since anyone went there. Today, when both Second Young Master Ye and Lady Su Qi visited, it shouldn’t surprise you that everyone’s attention was drawn. Their movements naturally could not hide from any eyes, not just the large Princess. By now, people throughout the Capital City are discussing it. They are privately saying that you are too magnanimous."
A former fiancée with her current fiancé visiting the manor of her ex-fiancé, such a story would make anyone sigh, no matter where it was told.
Zhou Gu lost his words and he sighed, "Forget it."
He was about to leave Daliang. It would be pointless to replace his grandmother’s servants now.
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