Xie was not nervous about meeting Gu Jiu.
She was very calm and seemed to be able to accept any outcome.
"Sit down and talk."
Xie sat down calmly without saying thank you.
Xu Yousi yelled, but was stopped by Gu Jiu.
She smiled and said, "Today is the most pleasing time I've seen you in all these years."
Xie said, "If you don't worry about gains and losses, people will become more pleasing to the eye."
"That makes sense." Gu Jiu invited her to have tea.
For the first time in so many years, the two of them sat together calmly to drink tea and talk.
Gu Jiu put down the teacup and said, "I have a few questions. I hope you can tell me everything you know."
"Excuse me, Your Majesty." Xie's face was calm.
Gu Jiu asked, "Before you entered the Gu family, did your elder brother Xie Mao say anything to you?"
Xie recalled those years, "He told me not to worry, that he would take care of everything."
"Did he say anything before my mother died?"
"He told me to be patient and not to act on my own."
"Gu Zhili promoted you to be his wife. Was it your elder brother Xie Mao who orchestrated this?"
"I guess so! At that time, we lived in the capital, and our two families lived close to each other. My eldest brother often sent people to visit me and bring me messages. He told me that I would marry into the Marquis's mansion, and later I did. He told me that my life was precious and I would not be a concubine forever, and later I did become his wife."
Gu Jiu understood, "Since returning to Beijing from the northwest, you fell out with Xie Mao because of Gu Zhili. Do you regret it?"
Xie laughed at himself, "It seems a little late to talk about regrets now."
It seems that he regrets it.
Gu Jiu tapped the table lightly and said after a moment of silence, "You can go back."
Xie was surprised, "Is that all?"
Gu Jiu smiled faintly, "I have several questions in my mind, and they have been answered. You can take care of yourself."
Xu Yousi personally escorted Xie back to her room.
Xie was feeling uneasy and lost the calmness she had at the beginning.
She thought that Gu Jiu would be ruthless with her, straightforward and tell her everything.
She never expected that the other party simply asked her a few questions and then sent her away.
"Eunuch Xu, what exactly is the Queen's intention?" Xie asked timidly.
Xu Yousi looked down at the gray-haired Xie and said coldly, "You are so smart, how come you didn't understand the Queen's implication?"
Xie was bewildered. "What's the implication? I didn't get it!"
Xu Yousi pointed out, "It's all over now, understand?"
Xie was confused at first, then her face changed and her expression became tense.
She trembled, holding onto the door frame, "Is it over?"
Xu Yousi said disdainfully, "You've gained everything that wasn't yours, enjoying a life of wealth and luxury you shouldn't have. Your children have also achieved a future and wealth that others can only envy. It's time to settle all this and pay off the debt."
Mrs. Xie nodded with difficulty. "Tell the Queen that I won't let her down. I will personally pay off this debt. But my children...what is the Queen's attitude? Please don't take your anger out on them because of me."
Xu Yousi sneered, "Whatever the Queen wants to do, you won't be allowed to do it! Mind your own business and don't interfere. Otherwise, your children might really be the target of her wrath."
Mrs. Xie burst into tears and cried.
Seeing Xu Yousi's disdain, she hurriedly wiped away her tears and said, "I know my own limitations and I will give the Empress a satisfactory explanation."
"That's great!"
Xu Yousi turned around and left, waiting for Gu Jiu to return to the Prince of Qin's Mansion.
…
The palace has been renovated and Gu Jiu plans to move in in the spring.
She leaned lazily on the couch, feeling completely exhausted.
Liu Zhao deliberately ended the court meeting early, left the government affairs to his ministers, and rushed back to the Prince of Qin's Mansion to comfort her.
"Feeling unwell? Do you want to go to Xiaozhu to soak in the hot springs?" Liu Zhao asked.
Gu Jiu shook his head, "I don't have the energy to do anything right now."
"Are you feeling uncomfortable?" Liu Zhao was a little worried.
Gu Jiu nodded, then shook his head. "The evil in people's hearts is chilling. I always hear people say that my grandfather, the old man of the Su family, is a very powerful person. Then why did he betroth my mother to Gu Zhili?"
Liu Zhao thought for a moment and said, "The young master of the Marquis's Mansion is handsome, polite, well-mannered, and well-educated. Taking the imperial examination as a young master of a Marquis's Mansion, rather than relying solely on his family, is a rare gem among the nobles. He has no bad habits, so he must be highly regarded by the public. It's no surprise that Old Master Su made a mistake in selecting such a 'young talent'."
Gu Jiu nodded. "You have a point. Although I look down on him and dislike him, objectively speaking, he was indeed very good when he was young, and he was definitely considered a perfect son-in-law in the eyes of many people. Just by taking the imperial examination as a son of a noble family and passing it, he was able to win people's favor and establish a positive and motivated personality. Mr. Su likes motivated people, so it's not surprising that he betrothed his daughter to him. But who would have thought that this outwardly positive person could be so dark and filthy on the inside."
Liu Zhao considered it for a moment, "If you can't make a decision, I will be the bad guy."
Gu Jiu shook his head. "I can make decisions, and I can be the bad guy. I'm just disgusted by him, and it'll take me a while to recover. My brother's problem is worse than mine. He has self-doubt, denial, disgust, and loathing... Anyway, he just feels that he doesn't deserve it. He feels that he inherited Gu Zhili's selfishness and his dark side, and he's struggling and conflicted. I plan to send him to the south for training in advance, and I hope he can get over it soon."
Liu Zhao raised his eyebrows, "Brother-in-law is still too fragile. He can't even think about such a thing."
Gu Jiu rolled his eyes at Liu Zhao and said, "Do you think everyone is as strong as you?"
Liu Zhao laughed, "Actually, I have a soft heart."
"Everyone says you have a heart of stone. If you say you have a soft heart, I'm afraid no one will believe you." Gu Jiu teased him.
Liu Zhao laughed, "Are you feeling better now?"
Gu Jiu leaned in his arms, "It's okay, not that bad. I just feel sorry for my mother. If she had a healthy body, with her intelligence and talent, she would have been able to turn the situation around and not die at the hands of that filthy villain Gu Zhili."
It is so sad, pitiful and lamentable that such an intelligent woman died at the hands of a villain.
Gu Jiu had no feelings for Su, but that didn't stop her from feeling sorry for her, unwilling, and dissatisfied.
It’s the time and the fate!
…
Two days later, news of death came from the Gu family.
Xie is dead!
He passed away in the middle of the night and was not discovered until the morning.
She committed suicide by burning charcoal and disguised it as an accident.
Those who knew the inside story knew that she committed suicide.
People who don’t know the inside story will just think it’s an accident.
When Mrs. Xie passed away, all members of the Gu family had to observe mourning.
Gu Ting refused, even refusing to tie a hemp rope around himself, much less wear mourning clothes.
He doesn't care what the outside world thinks of him or how they judge him. He sticks to his own way and remains unwavering.
These days, the Gu family, such as the Marquis' Mansion and my uncle's family, have more or less heard some rumors about what happened in the mansion.
Gu Jiu secretly returned to the Chengping Marquis' Mansion, but he couldn't hide it from the Marquis' Mansion and his uncle's family.
After all, the three families were adjacent to each other, and Gu Jiu's carriage entering and leaving the Earl's Mansion was bound to be seen by others.
Since Gu Ting refused to wear mourning clothes and Gu Zhili never showed up, the two families had their own speculations.
Great uncle Gu Zhiming patted Gu Ting on the shoulder and asked, "Have you thought it through?"
In name, Xie was the mistress and Gu Ting was her stepson, so he should observe mourning for Xie.
Gu Ting's expression was resolute. "Thank you for your concern, uncle. I have thought it through."
Even if he would be burdened with all kinds of criticism, impeached by the censor, looked down upon, or even have his career affected, he didn't care.
He was an unfilial son, and now he just wants to hold on to the purity in his heart.
He could not kill his father to avenge his mother, and he could no longer be forced to observe mourning for Xie.
Great uncle Gu Zhiming sighed, "Just think it through. We, the elders, won't force you."
After a pause, he sighed again, "I'm old, and my brain isn't working very well. I don't know when I'll be gone. I hope you guys are doing well, and the Gu family is doing well. Even if you die tomorrow, I can rest in peace."
Gu Ting felt upset, "Uncle, take care of yourself and live a long life."
Great uncle Gu Zhiming shook his head repeatedly. "After a lifetime of military service, how can I expect to have a good body? I've lived to this day, longer than most of my comrades, and I have no regrets. You, take care of yourself. Take your time and walk the path ahead carefully."
"Thank you for your teachings, uncle."
"Have you informed Gu Cheng and the others?"
"I've written a letter and sent it out. Sanhe Express said the roads are difficult to travel in the winter, and most of the river sections are frozen. It will probably take more than half a month for the letter to reach them. I'll wait until the first month of the lunar year for them to return. I plan to place the coffin in the ancestral temple after the seventh day and have someone guard it. I'll make plans after Gu Yan and the others return."
"That's fine! She should be buried by her own son."
Great uncle Gu Zhiming had no objection to Gu Ting's arrangement.
Then he asked in a low voice, "Has the palace expressed anything?"
Gu Ting shook his head.
Xie is dead, how could my sister say anything?
Against the rules?
The Queen should set an example for the world and respect her elders?
hehe!
My sister's will is the rule.
She doesn't need to set an example for anyone, she just needs to be herself and follow her heart.
Xie was not worthy of his sister's appreciation, nor was she worthy of his respect.
"Since the palace has not expressed any opinion, the funeral cannot be a grand one. Let's keep it simple!" Uncle Gu Zhiming said straightforwardly.
The servant reported that the Xie family came to offer condolences.
Gu Ting said without hesitation, "Kick them out! No one from the Xie family is allowed to set foot inside the Gu family's gate! If anyone from the Xie family dares to cause trouble, report them to the police and have them arrested."
The servant took the order and left.
My great uncle Gu Zhiming advised, "It's a bit inhumane to do this. The Xie family is here to offer their condolences, so it's really nothing to let them in."
"I find them disgusting." Gu Ting said coldly.
If the culprit Xie Mao had not died, he would have done more than just kicking the person out.
"Uncle, there's no need to persuade me anymore. I know the consequences of doing this, and I can bear it."
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