Lord Gu came to Furong Courtyard with a heavy face.
Mrs. Xie was very surprised. She hesitated for a moment and then stood up to greet him.
"Why is the master here?"
Lord Gu remained silent and just looked at Mrs. Xie.
Xie frowned, "Master, why are you looking at me? Did I do something wrong again and make the master unhappy?"
Master Gu shook his head silently, "I want to tell you something. You'd better be mentally prepared."
Xie's heart skipped a beat and she immediately had a bad feeling.
She asked cautiously, "What does the master want to say to me?"
Lord Gu didn't know how to tell Mrs. Xie the truth.
Because he was really happy inside.
However, as a scholar, I still consider myself a very moral person. At this time, I cannot gloat over other people's misfortunes or rub salt into other people's wounds.
Master Gu struggled and hesitated, and finally said to Mrs. Xie in a heavy tone: "Your eldest brother, Xie Mao, is dead."
Mrs. Xie blinked. "What did the master just say? What happened to my eldest brother?"
After the first time, the second time will be much easier.
Lord Gu blurted out, "Your elder brother, Xie Mao, is dead."
"Dead? Haha..."
Xie laughed, "I know the master doesn't like my eldest brother, but you can't curse him to death."
Master Gu's face was serious, and he emphasized again, "I'm not kidding you. Your eldest brother is indeed dead. I estimate that the Xie family will send someone to announce the death later."
"No, it's impossible. You must be lying to me."
Xie shook her head repeatedly, her face gradually turning paler, with fear flashing in her eyes.
She refused to accept it. How could her eldest brother, Xie Mao, be dead when he was alive and well? The master must be lying to her. It had to be like this.
Lord Gu said, "I wasn't lying. Your eldest brother was out with the East Palace guards on a case when they encountered thieves and were killed."
"Nonsense! You must be talking nonsense. My eldest brother is an official of the Eastern Palace. How could he possibly lead people out to investigate a case? He's not an official in the government office."
Xie angrily rebuked Lord Gu and refused to accept the news.
Lord Gu was silent for a moment. "Your eldest brother died tragically. His face was scratched, so we weren't able to confirm his identity in time. Later, we had to find his personal servant and confirm the birthmark on his body. Only then could we confirm that the body was your eldest brother's."
"Shut up, just shut up."
Xie yelled and screamed, looking terrified, frightened and panicked.
She fell into a chair, shaking like a sieve.
He kept repeating in his mouth: "I don't believe it, it's all fake, all fake."
At this time, the maid Chunhe walked in from outside, her face pale and she looked as if the sky was falling.
She first glanced at Lord Gu, then hurried forward to pay her respects.
Master Gu hummed and asked her, "What's the matter?"
Chun He looked towards Xie, then whispered, "The Xie family sent someone to announce the death."
Lord Gu sighed secretly.
What Chunhe said was heard by Xie.
Xie's neck seemed to be stuck by something. She slowly turned her head and stared at Chunhe.
"What did you say? Who's here to announce the death?"
Chun He hurriedly said, "Madam, the Xie family's housekeeper came to announce the death of Master Xie."
"Really gone?" Xie's face was pale, and her whole body seemed to be drained out, with all her energy and spirit gone.
Chun He said with certainty: "Master Xie is gone."
Xie's whole body collapsed, leaning back in the chair.
His expression was dull and his eyes were blank, as if his soul had left his body.
"Madam? Madam, are you okay? Please don't scare me."
Chunhe was immediately frightened when she saw Xie's appearance.
No matter how she called out, Xie Shi didn't respond. It was as if she was gone, just an empty shell.
"Master, the lady..."
Chunhe was so anxious that she burst into tears.
Master Gu rushed forward, pinched Mrs. Xie's philtrum, and ordered Chunhe, "Bring a bowl of cold water."
"Oh, oh, I'll go right away."
Chunhe hurriedly brought a bowl of cold water.
Lord Gu took a mouthful of cold water and sprayed it all on Xie's face.
After pinching her Ren Zhong and spraying her with water, Xie finally came to her senses.
There were still drops of water on her face, and she looked a little dazed.
She stared at Lord Gu and suddenly burst into tears.
"Master, my eldest brother is gone!"
Xie burst into tears and couldn't control herself.
Lord Gu sighed, "The dead cannot be resurrected, so you should be more open-minded. I will arrange for someone to send a funeral gift. If you feel you can hold on someday, go and pay your respects."
Xie asked tearfully, "Master, won't you go to pay your respects?"
Master Gu said frankly, "I won't go."
Xie was heartbroken. "My eldest brother is dead. Even though he's dead, why can't Master let go of the past grudges..."
"cannot."
Lord Gu interrupted Mrs. Xie decisively.
Xie covered her mouth, unable to believe that Lord Gu was so heartless and unrighteous.
"Big Brother helped us a lot over the years. Master, do you really not care about our friendship?"
Lord Gu said expressionlessly, "Back in the Northwest, I severed all ties with Lord Xie. If you understand me, please don't bring it up again."
I have a lot of things to do at the yamen, so I won't accompany you. If you want to eat or drink anything, tell the maid to make it for you. The Xie family is busy with the funeral, so you should also think more open-mindedly.
Although Lord Gu was dissatisfied with Mrs. Xie, his tone of voice was unusually gentle.
Because of Xie Mao's death, Lord Gu began to look at Xie more favorably.
It is a great relief that Xie Mao, the culprit, is dead.
Without Xie Mao's support, the Xie family would surely settle down and not dare to act recklessly. Presumably, from now on, the inner courtyard of the mansion would also be peaceful.
Lord Gu left contentedly. Fortunately, he was still a bit shrewd and knew how to hide his smile and not rub salt into Mrs. Xie's wounds.
After Lord Gu left, Xie gradually stopped crying.
Chun He brought a cup of tea and said, "Madam, you have been crying for so long, please have a drink of water."
Xie woodenly picked up the teacup and took a sip, then muttered, "He keeps asking me to be understanding of him, but why won't he be understanding of me?"
Chunhe's heart tightened. The "he" that Xie was referring to was naturally Lord Gu.
Chun He advised, "Madam, please be more open-minded. The dead cannot be brought back to life. We must look forward to the future."
Xie sneered, and her eyes gradually became cold.
Dongmei came in to report that the third young lady, the fourth young lady, and the sixth and eighth young masters had come to pay their respects.
Xie wiped the corners of her eyes and said, "Let them in."
After a while, Xie's four children were invited into the main room.
"Mother, we all know about my uncle's affairs. Are you okay?" Gu Yan looked at Xie worriedly.
Mrs. Xie nodded and motioned for her four children to sit down.
"Your uncle was out on a case when he met an accident. He encountered thieves and was killed."
Gu Gong was young and quick-witted, so he spoke first: "My uncle is so miserable. If he dies, what will happen to the Xie family?"
Xie looked towards Gu Gong.
Gu Gong was confused and didn't know what he had said wrong.
Gu Cheng stepped in to smooth things over. "Mother, please take care of yourself. I'll go to the Xie family first to see if there's anything we can do to help. It won't be too late for you to go and pay your respects in a couple of days."
Xie finally felt a little comforted. She looked at Gu Cheng and said, "You are so thoughtful. Go meet your grandparents and comfort them for me. Such a sudden disaster is something no one could have anticipated. As for your uncle's death, I believe the Eastern Palace will definitely give an explanation."
"My son knows."
Gu Yue suddenly said, "I heard that my uncle's death is related to the case my father has been investigating recently."
Gu Cheng frowned slightly, dissatisfied with Gu Yue's irrelevant remarks.
Xie stared at Gu Yue, "Are you telling the truth? Is your uncle's death really related to the case your father is handling?"
"My daughter just listened to a few words for her own good hearing. She doesn't know the specific situation." Gu Yue lowered her head and looked docile.
Mrs. Xie was very excited. "Someone, go get Gao Sanfu. Why didn't he report such a big thing?"
"Mother, calm down first." Gu Cheng advised; "If you want to know something, just ask your son. There's no need to call Gao Sanfu here."
Xie grabbed Gu Cheng by the collar and asked, "You know the truth, but you won't tell me?"
Xie's eyes widened as if she wanted to eat someone.
Gu Cheng's expression was calm. "Because my uncle's death had nothing to do with my father, I didn't tell anyone. Third sister, it's just hearsay, don't take it seriously."
Xie said sternly, "Then tell me what's going on. I'll be able to tell you if it's related to your father's case."
Gu Cheng took a deep breath before saying, "A young eunuch named Fang has disappeared from the palace. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has ordered the prefectural magistrate's office in the capital to work with the Embroidered Uniform Guard to apprehend him. My father has been very busy these past few days because of this matter. But there has been no news of Young Eunuch Fang."
The son heard that the Eastern Palace was also looking for this Fang Shaojian, and his eldest uncle was in charge. Fang Shaojian was once a close confidant of Queen Choi Yeojin, and the Eastern Palace was anxious to find him.
My uncle, perhaps having gotten the news, rushed to a cloth shop in the south of the city, only to be ambushed. All the East Palace guards who had gone with him to the shop were killed; no one survived.
Xie's face turned pale. "Is that really the case?"
Gu Cheng nodded heavily. "My son didn't hide anything. The news spread all over the capital. After receiving the report, the government sent people to the cloth shop. Unfortunately, they were too late. By the time they arrived, my uncle and the guards had been killed. My uncle's face was also scratched, so his identity could not be identified, which delayed the investigation for two days."
Xie let go of Gu Cheng's collar and slumped in the chair. "So, your uncle died for the Eastern Palace?"
"yes!"
Xie's expression was filled with sorrow. "Your uncle is dead. The Xie family is finished, and so am I."
Gu Cheng was puzzled. "Why does mother think so? You still have a son, Gu Gong. Aren't the two of us brothers worthy of mother's support?"
"Yes! I will support you in the future, so don't be sad, mother." Gu Gong echoed Gu Cheng's words.
Xie slowly shook her head, "You don't understand."
Lord Gu respected her in the past not only because she gave birth to four children, but more importantly because she had a good elder brother.
Although Xie Mao's character is not good, his ability is unquestionable.
Mrs. Xie looked at her two sons. Gu Cheng hadn't yet started a family and his future was uncertain. Gu Gong was still a child, lucky enough not to get into trouble. There was nothing she could count on him for now.
If she relies on her son to support her, she will probably have to wait another ten years.
Can she survive for ten years?
It was difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. She was used to being the mistress of the house, calling the shots in the inner courtyard of the Gu Mansion. Now she was asked to be cautious and timid, and the gap in her heart was enough to make her feel miserable.
Xie's heart was filled with sorrow. She solemnly said to Gu Cheng, "Sixth Prince, you must strive to be a good student and make a name for yourself. Your mother's future depends entirely on you."
Gu Cheng nodded heavily, "Don't worry, mother. I will study hard, pass the imperial examinations, and bring honor to our family."
Whether or not he can bring honor to the family is not important. What is important is that Gu Yan must be promising and be her backer.
Mrs. Xie continued, "Today, go to the Xie family for me. I'll rest for the night and go there early tomorrow morning. Tell your grandparents not to be too sad, because the Xie family hasn't collapsed yet."
"Mother?" Gu Yan frowned, feeling worried.
Xie said expressionlessly, "You all go down, I'm tired."
Gu Cheng looked deeply at the Xie family, then said, "Son, I'll take my leave."
As soon as Gu Yan left, the other three siblings also left Furong Courtyard.
After leaving the hospital, Gu Yan turned around and looked at Gu Yue with a serious expression.
"Third sister, what exactly did you mean by those words you said to Mother? Don't you know that your words could easily be misunderstood? If Mother thinks that my uncle's death was related to my father, have you considered the consequences?"
Gu Yue looked timid. "Sixth brother, please don't be mean to me, okay? I didn't mean it. I just said whatever came to my mind without even thinking."
Gu Cheng sighed, "You're getting married soon, and you still have no sense of propriety when it comes to your words. What if you offend someone with your words when you get to the Haixi Marquis's residence?"
Gu Yue asked cautiously, "If I were bullied in the Haixi Marquis's Mansion, would Sixth Brother stand up for me?"
Gu Cheng snorted, "You are my sister. If I don't stand up for you, who will? In short, be more careful with your words in the future and don't say anything you shouldn't say."
"Oh! I'll listen to Sixth Brother."
Gu Cheng had to rush to the Xie family, so he left in a hurry with Gu Gong.
The two sisters, Gu Yue and Gu Shan, looked at each other.
Gu Shan suddenly asked, "Third sister, you deliberately said those ambiguous words in front of mother. Why did you stir up misunderstandings between mother and father? Mother is so good to you, how could you do this?"
Gu Yue sneered, "Being nice to me? That was in the past. Now, the person Mother loves the most is you, Fourth Sister. Are you trying to act cute after getting the advantage?"
Gu Shan was very angry. "All these years, mother has been so kind to you, don't you take it to heart? Mother has taught you a lesson so many times, are you going to keep holding a grudge against her? She's mother, the one who gave birth to you and raised you. Third sister, your behavior is truly disheartening."
Obviously, in Gu Yue's mind, being nice to her was a matter of course and certainly not worthy of gratitude.
If you treat her badly, Gu Yue will bear a grudge forever.
Gu Yue sneered, "Fourth sister, are you trying to lecture me again with your big moral principles? You'd better save your breath. If you really can't stand it, then don't show up in front of me. I find you annoying too."
After saying that, Gu Yue left, leaving Gu Shan with only her back.
Gu Shan was very dissatisfied and angry.
Gu Yue's attitude and the words she said were so cold and ruthless.
Gu Shan bit her lip. She really shouldn't have had such high expectations of Gu Yue.
Zhilan Courtyard.
Qingmei came to Gu Jiu and said in a low voice, "Miss, the news has spread."
Gu Jiu looked up and asked, "Are you talking about the matter with Master Xie?"
Qingmei nodded repeatedly, "The master personally notified the mistress, and I heard that she even cried. The Sixth and Eighth Young Masters will go to the Xie family today to deliver the funeral gifts."
Gu Jiu breathed a sigh of relief; this matter was finally exposed.
Gu Jiu will not feel at ease until the news of Xie Mao’s murder is revealed.
Gu Jiu asked, "What are people saying outside?"
Qingmei hurriedly said, "They say that while Mr. Xie was investigating a case, he encountered thieves and was killed by them."
Gu Jiu frowned, "Did they all say that?"
Qingmei nodded heavily. "That's what Erzhuang heard. He also said that if no clues are found, the government will close the case as a murder."
Gu Jiu frowned slightly. "Didn't they say that the Jinwu Guard took over this case? Didn't they say that any case that falls into the hands of the Jinwu Guard can be solved? When did the Jinwu Guard's ability to handle cases become so poor? They actually want to close the case as a thief. It's ridiculous."
Qingmei was speechless, looking puzzled, "Does the young lady hope that the Jinwu Guards can find out the truth?"
If the truth is found out, the girl will be arrested by the Jinwu Guards as the murderer.
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