Chapter 122 Power Disparity
Wang Heng naturally didn't want to offend Mu Junyan.
He clasped his fists and bowed to Gu Yuan: "Brother-in-law, Gu Huan is really pitiful, but now that things have come to this, in order to prevent the two families from being criticized, it is not convenient to publicize this matter. Why not follow the method I just told you and record Gu Huan as the legitimate daughter of the legitimate mother and enter her in the Gu family tree, okay."
Gu Yuan was thinking this, and nodded quickly: "Great, great, what Uncle said is a good idea."
Gu Huan laughed angrily.
"What my uncle and father mean is that Gu Wanru should still be the eldest daughter of the Gu family?"
Gu Yuan glared at her and gently advised: "Huan'er, you are also a daughter of the Gu family. If this matter gets out, your mother's reputation will be ruined, and it will also ruin the Gu family's unmarried sisters and two brothers. Is this the result you want to see?"
Gu Huan felt so heartbroken that she was speechless for a long time.
Yes, she didn't dare to expose the matter easily before she had evidence.
It's because she cares about her mother.
As a mother chosen by the Wang family of Langya to marry into the Marquis of Wenchang as the principal wife to consolidate the family's prosperity, she bears the glory of both the Gu and Wang families on her shoulders.
Even if Pei died, there was no way to erase Wang's incompetence and the behavior of Wenchang Hou in favoring his concubine and killing his wife.
Gu Wanru said hurriedly, "It's none of my business. I was young and was deceived by Pei. She said that as a concubine's daughter, Gu Huan should pave the way for the legitimate daughter."
Gu Huan looked at Gu Wanru with cold eyes: "Paving the way or taking human life lightly? Sister, there is a murder case involved here."
Gu Wanru was startled, crawled over to her knees, kowtowed hard to Gu Huan, and cried, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I really didn't know. But, sister, no matter if I'm a legitimate daughter or not, I have been praised by the Queen. If I suddenly become a concubine's daughter, those poems were written by you, and we are guilty of deceiving the Queen!"
These words really touched the nerves of Gu Yuan and Wang Heng.
The charges are getting bigger and bigger, and the danger is getting bigger and bigger!
Gu Wanru grabbed Gu Huan's ankle and said, "Sister, I am the young lady of the Duke's Mansion. I want to protect you. I thought you liked Langjun, so I helped you. I wanted to find a good family for you. I did nothing wrong."
Gu Huan raised her foot and kicked her away, broke free from Mu Junyan's hand, and suddenly stepped forward.
Her eyes were bloodshot: "You pushed me to the edge, drugged me and let my son-in-law rape me, is this what you call protection? You want me to consolidate your favor, but you hate that the young master fell in love with my beauty. You burned my hands with a teapot and pierced my nails with a needle. Is this your protection? Gu Wanru, didn't you dream that Jin Kui wanted to kill you when you slept?"
Speaking of Jin Kui, Gu Wanru was terrified.
"Jin Kui, Jin Kui, I am sorry for her. I caused her to be killed by bandits. I sent a hundred taels of silver to her family."
Gu Huan sneered, "Who else is in her family? Who did you give it to? Jin Kui's monthly salary was held by Pei, who threatened her to become your accomplice by threatening her mother who was seriously ill. Her mother was almost killed by Pei, and her younger brother almost starved to death."
Wang was so stunned that she even forgot to cry.
How could the daughter she had raised so carefully do such a thing?
Gu Yuan was so anxious that his face turned blue. He grabbed Wang and said, "Say something. If you keep making trouble like this, I will just divorce you. Look at what you have done. It's useless!"
Wang was stunned and looked at him in disbelief: "You want to divorce me? What did I do wrong? Did I violate the seven reasons for divorce? What gives you the right to divorce me?"
Seeing that she dared to talk back, Gu Yuan's face turned ugly: "You taught Gu Wanru, didn't you? You have the nerve to be the mistress of the Gu family after teaching such a vicious daughter? You can't even control a concubine of the Pei family, do you think you are qualified to be the mistress?"
If Wang was divorced, the Wang family of Langya would lose all face.
Wang Heng was unhappy and stopped calling him brother-in-law: "My Lord, you are wrong to say that. If Pei Shi had not been favored by you and had given the power of managing the family to a concubine, would such a thing have happened? Is it only my sister's fault that the family is in turmoil? Don't you, the head of the family, have anything wrong?"
"What qualifications does she have to be the head of the family?" Pei suddenly burst into laughter.
Pei was so irritated by Gu Wanru's words just now that she ignored everything else.
As if she was crazy, she struggled to break free from the old woman's hand, pointed at Wang and cursed: "The entire Gu Mansion is supported by me, and you can't even take out Ru'er's dowry, what kind of shitty mistress are you!"
Wang was so angry that she was shaking all over.
She adjusted the pearl hairpin on her head and said, "The mistress of the house is not as well dressed as a concubine like me, why is she pretending to be so high and mighty! How much money did the Marquis spend from me to get an official position? Without me, the Wenchang Marquisate would have fallen into ruin long ago."
Gu Yuan already knew whose side he was going to stand on.
No matter who comes to power, she is his daughter.
It’s just that the young lady of the Duke’s Mansion was replaced by the Duke’s concubine.
Besides, Gu Huan is the only woman by the Duke's side.
Judging from the way he is protecting someone now, he must be taking her seriously.
As for Gu Wanru, a daughter who is married off is like water spilled.
Judging from the situation, she is likely to be divorced.
That is a waste.
It's worthless.
Now, the only right thing to do is to let Gu Huan vent her anger and cover up the family shame.
Gu Yuan's expression changed instantly. He looked at Pei with a cold brow and kicked her hard in the stomach, sending her flying and throwing her out.
He cursed angrily, "You vicious woman, you actually did such a heinous thing. You corrupted Ru'er, hurt Huan'er, and even implicated my son Jinwen. You are disrespectful to the principal wife and did such a heinous thing. I will divorce you and send you to the inner prison to correct the family tradition!"
Aunt Pei couldn't believe it. The man who had been coaxing and begging her all day long changed his expression in the blink of an eye.
She gritted her teeth and got up, tears streaming down her face. She covered her stomach which was kicked with one hand, pointed at Gu Yuan with the other and cursed back.
"You blame me? If it weren't for your tacit consent, would I dare to disrespect the principal wife? Can I be the head of the family? You spend my money and trample on my dignity. Why? I should be the principal wife! I am the Jiangling Pei family and I am not easy to bully!"
Money is Gu Yuan's backbone.
Gu Yuan's face turned pale, and he shouted sternly: "You are such a daring sinner, you don't know how to correct your sins. How despicable! Come, tie her up and take her back to the Marquis' Mansion!"
“Wait!”
Gu Huan stepped forward.
"It's not over yet, you can't take people away!"
She knew very well that her father would not really touch her when he took her back.
After all, the Gu family needed the money provided by the Pei family.
There is no way she can let Pei's turn things around!
Gu Yuan held back his anger and said, "Huan'er, this is our family affair. Shall we go back to the Gu Mansion and severely punish the vicious woman? Don't worry, father will invite the elders to come tomorrow to record your name in the family tree, under the name of your legitimate mother. From now on, you will have the title of legitimate daughter."
Gu Huan smiled, tears rolling down from the corners of her eyes.
She really didn't know what to say.
Before, she was just too naive.
How could it be fair to her to be a father who allowed the family home to become like this?
In my father's eyes, the only balance is face.
Grant her the status of a legitimate daughter?
She is just a illegitimate daughter registered under the name of her stepmother!
Does she care about her status as a legitimate daughter?
She just wants fairness!
Wang Heng also said to Mu Junyan, "Duke, although you are a first-rank duke, you are also the son-in-law of the Gu family. Huan'er is married to you by the emperor's order. If there is a big fuss on the first day of the wedding, it will damage Huan'er's reputation."
Before Mu Junyan could speak, Gu Huan shouted, "I'm not afraid."
She has died before, so what is there to be afraid of?
Wang Heng said sternly, "Gu Huan, you will soon be a legitimate daughter. Don't you care about your reputation? You have to walk among the women of prominent families. If everyone knew that you forced your sister and aunt to death and planted a bad reputation, how would people look at you?"
Zhou Zhilan and the others were so angry that they had never seen such an unreasonable person, and he was a close family member.
Zhou Zhilan's eyes turned red when she looked at Gu Huan. Sister Huan was so pitiful.
Gu Huan lowered her eyes.
My heart at this moment hurts more than if Mu An were to push me into the water and drown me.
When he looked up again, his red eyes were filled with coldness, and he spoke word by word: "Pei poisoned my stepmother, and there are at least six lives on her hands. She deserves to die!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole place fell silent.
Mu Junyan looked at the girl's straight back with admiration.
Now Gu Huan is no longer a kitten stretching out her claws, she has transformed into a tiger cub.
Even if there is a huge disparity in power, she is not afraid to extend her claws.
Gu Yuan and Wang Heng both saw that Gu Huan was not willing to give up.
However, Pei's death is a small matter, but the reputation and face of the two families are a big matter.
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