Chapter 267 Guiding Xiu Ming
When Madam Kong opened the door, she saw Gu Xiuming standing outside. She immediately glanced warily behind him, and seeing that no one was there, she nodded slightly and said gently, "Xiuming, you're here. Come in quickly."
After Gu Xiuming entered, Madam Kong immediately closed the door to the private room.
Gu Jingze smiled and greeted, "Xiu Ming, come sit down and let's talk."
Gu Xiuming bowed to them as a junior: "Xiuming greets Uncle and Aunt."
Upon hearing this, Kong Shi and Gu Jingze's smiles froze, and their expressions changed slightly. This was clearly their biological son, but now that they met, he was treated as their nephew, and they couldn't even call him father or mother.
Disappointed and dissatisfied with the address, Madam Kong said reproachfully, "Xiu Ming, this isn't the Gu family home, why are you still calling us that?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Xiuming immediately changed his address: "Father, Mother."
Kong and Gu Jingze were satisfied and responded with smiles.
Gu Xiuming sat down. He still had feelings for his biological parents, even though they didn't see each other often. He asked gently, "Father and Mother, what brings you here?"
Madam Kong put aside the important matters for the time being and first inquired about her son's situation: "Xiuming, how are you doing in the Marquis's mansion? How are they treating you? I heard that you ran away from your arranged marriage and were punished several times."
Gu Xiuming's face darkened, and he said with a gloomy expression, "Mother, I think I'm going to lose my position as heir. Gu Jingxi wants to ruin me and raise my fourth brother. I guess she's going to adopt him."
Upon hearing this, the couple were both shocked and looked at him in disbelief, exclaiming in unison, "How is this possible?"
Gu Xiuming gritted his teeth and said resentfully, "I failed the imperial examination because of Gu Jingxi. He never put any effort into teaching me. Now that I've failed, his attitude towards me has become much colder."
Gu Jingze was stunned, and asked with great confusion, "Didn't he treat you quite well before? You are his only son, and he was proud of you for passing the imperial examination. How could he treat you like this?"
Gu Xiuming lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze turning sinister: "He used to treat me fairly well, but he changed after Meng Jinyao married him. That bitch really didn't waste her foxy face; she bewitched Gu Jingxi, and with her pillow talk, Gu Jingxi has become increasingly dissatisfied with me."
Kong was taken aback: "Isn't he in poor health?"
"What do you, a woman, know?"
Gu Jingze glanced at her, his brows furrowing. As a man, he knew better than anyone that men had plenty of tricks up their sleeves when they wanted to play games. It didn't necessarily require him to be capable. Otherwise, how could the eunuchs in the palace, who were clearly rootless, still have relationships with palace maids? The fact that she could be influenced by pillow talk meant that Meng Jinyao could satisfy Gu Jingxi. She seemed gentle and harmless, but he didn't expect her to be so cunning.
The Kong family felt a sense of crisis. Their family still needed their son to inherit the title in the future, and they also needed their son to help their eldest son. If their son could not inherit the title, wouldn't their son have been given away for nothing? He said in a deep voice, "Xiu Ming, you adopted him to be the heir apparent and inherit the title in the future. It has been so many years. Now we can't let the second son of the eldest son's family cut the job off. What are your plans now?"
Gu Xiuming replied truthfully, "Grandmother is sentimental. We've been grandmother and grandson for so many years, and she still has some affection for me. At her age, she loves children the most. I'm thinking of having a great-grandson with Wan'er to win her heart. Then, even if Gu Jingxi wants to change the heir, he'll have to get past Grandmother."
Gu Jingze agreed with his plan: "That's a good idea."
Kong was a little confused and immediately asked, "Wan'er? Which Wan'er?" Before Gu Xiuming could answer, Kong remembered someone and asked, "Is it your concubine who can't be presented to the public?"
Gu Xiuming said in a displeased tone, "Mother, how can you speak of Wan'er like that?"
Kong didn't want to become estranged from her son. Since her son liked that concubine Li, she wouldn't mention her. But she couldn't watch her son make one mistake after another.
Madam Kong said earnestly, "Xiuming, even if you and Consort Li have a child, he will only be a son of a concubine. The difference in status between a son of a concubine and a son of a legitimate wife is like heaven and earth. You also said that your adoptive father's attitude towards you has become much colder because of Meng Jinyao, and even his position as heir apparent may be in jeopardy. At this time, you should marry a wife of equal social standing to help you and solidify your position as heir apparent. Moreover, when you inherit the title, the social interactions between families and the management of the household will all need to be overseen by the principal wife."
Upon hearing this, Gu Xiuming wavered for a moment, but thinking of the simple and gentle Wan'er, he shook his head again: "No, if we have a legal wife, wouldn't Wan'er suffer?"
Gu Jingze was unaware that his son was such a romantic, and said with exasperation, "A young man like you, just beginning to experience love, might think that so-called love is more important than anything else. When you reach my age, you'll know that nothing is more important than power and status. In your heart, is the position of heir apparent less important than a concubine?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Xiuming froze. He loved Wan'er and was even willing to elope for her sake, but he couldn't bring himself to give up his position as heir for her.
Seeing that he seemed to be wavering, Madam Kong continued, "Xiuming, if you like that Concubine Li, then continue to like her. It won't stop you from getting married. If you're worried that Concubine Li will be mistreated, then marry a gentle, kind, and tolerant wife. Once you have children with your legal wife, you can provide for Concubine Li's children. But before your legal wife enters the family, you can't let your eldest son or daughter be born. Taking a concubine before you're married has already affected your reputation. If you have an eldest son or daughter born out of wedlock, girls of equal social standing will be even less likely to marry you."
Gu Xiuming hesitated before saying, "But..."
Gu Jingze didn't want to hear about so-called romantic love stories. In his opinion, these were not worth mentioning. He interrupted Gu Xiuming directly and said sternly, "But what? Your mother and I gave you away for adoption because we wanted you to have a better future. Now you're ruining your future for a woman. Even if you don't regret it now, you will regret it later."
Gu Xiuming fell silent.
Madam Kong softened her tone and said gently, "Xiuming, we are your biological parents. How could we possibly harm you? The best course of action now is for you to marry a girl of equal social standing. I'm sure that if you marry a well-bred lady as your legal wife, the old lady will be very happy. Then, study hard and strive to pass the imperial examination in three years to bring honor to our family. The old lady will like you even more, and even your adoptive father will probably start to value you again."
Gu Xiuming remained silent, his head slightly lowered, as if he were considering the question.
Seeing that he was still hesitating, Gu Jingze was exasperated and wanted to continue speaking, but Kong Shi quickly tugged at her husband's sleeve, signaling him to stop talking so as not to provoke their son's rebellious mentality.
After a long while, Gu Xiuming looked up at them with a firm gaze and solemnly said, "Your son knows what to do."
Mrs. Kong breathed a sigh of relief and smiled with satisfaction. She said gently, "Xiuming, all parents hope for the best for their children. Your father and I would never harm you."
Gu Xiuming nodded: "I understand, son."
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