Chapter 29 "Qin Zhengzheng, you big liar..."
When Gu Lin secretly returned to the Duke of Ling's mansion and quickly sent people to control the entire mansion, and immediately searched Gu Yuan's courtyard, Zheng Chunyun was in the small Buddhist hall "copying scriptures to pray for her deceased husband".
However, unlike the tragic situation described by the Goddess of Mystery in her letter, this time it was Zheng Chunyun who took the initiative to bring it up.
The small Buddhist hall is located at the innermost part of the Duke's mansion. It is in a remote and quiet place, undisturbed by anyone.
Moreover, just across a narrow passage was a side gate, which made it convenient for her to arrange some things.
Zheng Chunyun sat by the window, holding a Huzhou purple-haired brush in her hand. With her wrist suspended over the Chengxintang paper, almost without thinking, a string of scriptures written in delicate and neat small regular script flowed onto the paper.
Ever since receiving that divine decree, whenever Zheng Chunyun felt unsettled, she would use scripture copying to clear her mind and calmly consider her next course of action.
In order to get rid of Fan Guangzu, a potential threat, she had no choice but to use her grandfather's past connections, eventually getting through to Prince An.
Prince An was once my grandfather's disciple. He never forgot to send generous gifts to the Zheng family during festivals. Even when my grandfather was dismissed from his post by His Majesty for being involved in a case of treason, and everyone else avoided the Zheng family, Prince An did not take advantage of their misfortune. Instead, he often secretly helped the Zheng family.
Zheng Chunyun had no other choice but to send a letter to the Prince An's residence, hoping to give it a try.
A few days later, it was learned that Fan Guangzu had his legs broken by the victim for stealing property and was imprisoned in the Shuntian Prefecture jail.
When the news reached the Duke of Ling's mansion, the Duchess of Ling was extremely anxious and immediately asked Gu Yuan to do some lobbying at the yamen to get the person out.
Gu Yuan went to the yamen and soon returned with a grim expression.
He told the Duchess of Lingguo, "My cousin has committed a grave offense. He stole the birthday gift that Prince An was going to present to His Majesty. I heard that the treasure is priceless. When my cousin stole it, one corner was chipped, and it's ruined now. It's said that Prince An personally sent a message to the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, ordering that the damned little thief to spend the rest of his life in jail."
This left even the Duchess at a loss.
No matter how low-key Prince An is, he is still a member of the imperial family, and he is known for his charity and benevolence. The common people call him the Great Philanthropist An.
To truly enrage the usually mild-mannered Prince An, and for the Duke's mansion to try and get Fan Guangzu out, is like trying to pick lice off a tiger's head—it's courting death.
Lady Ling immediately changed her tune: "That good-for-nothing! Does our family lack food or supplies? He actually went out to steal things, and even stole from Prince An! A-Yuan, quickly prepare some valuable gifts and send them to Prince An's residence tomorrow to apologize. Don't let him take his anger out on us."
Neither the mother nor the son expected that Zheng Chunyun was involved.
After all, Gu Yuan had not yet considered having Fan Guangzu consummate his marriage with Zheng Chunyun in his place; the two were, on the surface, completely unrelated.
Furthermore, Zheng Chunyun behaved very docilely and modestly after entering the household. Not only did she pay her respects to the deceased Gu Lin every morning and evening, she also volunteered to go to the small Buddhist hall to pray for him. She was as quiet as a shadow floating in the mansion.
Just as the Duchess of Lingguo didn't want to see her, seeing her would remind her of her nominally deceased husband and that troublesome eldest son.
...
It was only after Zheng Chunyun married into the family that she keenly realized that the Duke and Duchess of Lingguo did not seem to like Gu Lin very much.
Not to mention that as the heir of the Duke's mansion, the furnishings and amenities in his courtyard were far inferior to those in Gu Yuan's place, and it was even empty and somewhat shabby.
Moreover, less than a year after Gu Lin's death in battle, the mansion was bustling with activity, and the Duchess was frequently seen attending banquets at various homes, showing no sign of grief over her eldest son's death and the loss of his remains.
Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder, was it really a case of heaven being jealous of talent?
Why was it Gu Lin who died, and not his good-for-nothing brother Gu Yuan?
...
After copying a page of scripture, she set it aside to dry, took a piece of white paper, wrote Fan Guangzu's name on it, marked it with a big X, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it into the brazier.
Fan Guangzu can no longer cause any trouble, but he was just an insignificant pawn. Without him, there might be Wang Guangzu or Li Guangzu.
As long as Gu Yuan's scheming against her persists, she will never have a truly peaceful day.
Zheng Chunyun closed her eyes.
She needed to think carefully again to see if there was any other useful information in the oracle...
Just then, a series of chaotic sounds erupted outside.
The maidservant waiting outside knocked anxiously on the door.
"Miss, please come out and see! They all say... that the young master has returned alive!"
Zheng Chunyun rushed to the front yard, but before she could even say a word to her husband whom she had never met, she was stunned by the truths that Gu Lin revealed one after another.
What shocked her even more was Gu Yuan's shameless and despicable behavior of using his silver tongue to distort the truth and resorting to any means to save his life!
"Gu Yuan, you disgust me... When my grandfather arranged the marriage between your Gu family, he praised the Duke of Ling's ancestors for their unparalleled loyalty and righteousness, and said that the current generation has a young hero, Gu Lin, and the Gu family is full of noble character. He believed that if I married into the family, I would surely have a peaceful and prosperous life... Bah!"
Zheng Chunyun pointed at Gu Yuan, her smile both mocking and sorrowful.
"You were the one who had an affair with someone else without a matchmaker first, and then you broke your promise. On one hand, you didn't want to betray your beloved, and on the other hand, you didn't want to bear the stigma of breaking off the engagement. So you used the banner of morality to force me to marry into this family and live a life of widowhood while holding a memorial tablet!"
Gu Yuan jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, "What do you mean by 'illicit affair'? You're being too rude! Zhengzheng is my savior!"
Zheng Chunyun scoffed, flicked her finger, and pointed it directly at Qin Zhengzheng's stomach, her eyes filled with an all-knowing certainty: "Miss Qin, do you dare say that you conceived the child in your belly after you entered this house? Do you dare let me call a doctor to examine you again?!"
Qin Zhengzheng's expression changed drastically. She took two steps back in fear, her eyes darting around, her guilt and insecurity written all over her face.
She lowered her head, biting her lip, her eyes red-rimmed, tears falling to the ground in a pitiful patter.
Seeing her tears, Gu Yuan seemed to go mad. He stretched out his arms to shield her behind him, glared at Zheng Chunyun, and shouted, "It's because Zhengzheng and I are in love that we couldn't help ourselves... If you have a problem, take it out on me, don't hurt her!"
He frowned and earnestly advised Zheng Chunyun: "Forced marriages are never sweet. Our marriage was arranged by our elders. There is no affection between us. Why do you insist on pestering me?"
"Then you're welcome to come and break off the engagement. When have I ever bothered you?"
Zheng Chunyun clenched her fists, her voice trembling with sobs, “This marriage was arranged by the old Duke himself when he was alive, who personally came to my grandfather’s house to ask him to agree, saying that he believed that a granddaughter raised by my grandfather himself would not be bad… Our Zheng family owes you nothing!”
Even when her grandfather was dismissed from his post and the Zheng family fell into ruin overnight, Zheng Chunyun never thought of asking her fiancé for help.
She had even prepared herself for the engagement to be called off—this was not uncommon in the capital; it's easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow.
Simply observing without kicking someone when they're down is already a great act of kindness. She never imagined that the Duke of Ling's mansion would not only refuse to annul the engagement, but also force her into a fire pit, ultimately driving her and her only family member to their deaths, just as the prophecy foretold!
Zheng Chunyun felt her blood surging in her chest, and for a moment she was so angry at Gu Yuan's shamelessness and hypocrisy that she saw stars and felt dizzy.
Shen Lingyue darted forward to support the person and led them to a chair. She then told the maid to quickly prepare a cup of strong honey water and bring it in.
Lady Ling, the Duchess of Lingguo, had long disliked her. Now, seeing her ordering around servants as if she were in her own home, she couldn't help but sneer, "Second Madam Pei, this is not the Marquis of Changning's residence. You've put on airs in the wrong place!"
Shen Lingyue blinked and looked at Gu Lin with an innocent expression: "Brother Gu, it shouldn't be a problem for me to take care of your wife for you, right?"
Gu Lin looked at Zheng Chunyun, who was being helped to a chair. She seemed to be very angry, her body slumped against the back of the chair, but there was an indomitable spirit in her eyes, like a new sprout struggling to break through the scorched earth after a wildfire.
Her accusations against Gu Yuan in court were piercing and mercilessly tore away the fig leaf between him and Qin Zhengzheng. They were truly resounding and powerful.
He had naturally met the granddaughter of Minister Zheng and his second brother's fiancée.
It was even earlier than before the two were engaged.
In fact, my grandfather originally intended to marry Zheng Chunyun to him, but there was a nearly ten-year age gap between them, and he was the heir of the Duke of Lingguo's mansion, so he needed to get married as soon as possible to have children. He couldn't wait that long, so my grandfather had to settle for second best and marry her to my second brother.
Unexpectedly, before his grandfather could even arrange a marriage for him with other young ladies from the capital, he caught a cold and passed away.
As the eldest grandson, he had to observe a three-year mourning period. After the mourning period ended, he led troops to fight in various places and was away from the capital for many years. As a result, his marriage was delayed year after year.
Perhaps there was another reason why the Duchess was unwilling to take care of things for him, but Gu Lin did not want to think about it in detail.
In any case, he only has his country and family in his heart, and he has no one he loves. He is also a wanderer all year round, so let's not waste the good years of a young woman's life.
He narrowly escaped death in the battle of Yunling and spent half a year recovering before regaining his life. He evaded several assassination attempts and returned to the capital after many hardships, only to find that he was supposed to be Gu Yuan's fiancée, but by a twist of fate, he had become his widow.
Remembering what she had just said about being "living a widow while clinging to a memorial tablet," Gu Lin lowered his eyes, his heart filled with indescribable emotions.
Many thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Gu Lin met Shen Lingyue's clever eyes and nodded seriously.
"Yes, I have difficulty walking, so I'll trouble you to take good care of your sister-in-law."
Okay!
As if she had received a royal decree, Shen Lingyue raised her chin and looked at the Duchess of Lingguo with disdain: "Did you hear that clearly, old lady? Tsk, they are both daughters-in-law, how can you show favoritism to one over the other?"
She also noticed that the Duchess of Lingguo's attitude towards Gu Lin was very strange. It wasn't like she was looking after her son; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she was his enemy.
Shen Lingyue, with a wild imagination, deliberately probed, "Is my Brother Gu really your biological son?"
She'd seen plenty of stories like the real and fake young masters, the substitution of one another, the cuckoo taking the magpie's nest, and the plum replacing the peach...
These words shocked everyone in the room.
Gu Lin almost couldn't control his racing heartbeat, looking over with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation.
He had wanted to ask Shen Lingyue this question for many years.
Even Gu Yuan looked as if he had just realized something, "Mother, so my eldest brother really isn't your biological son?"
No wonder. He was wondering why his elder brother was so good at everything, both in literature and martial arts, and was entrusted with important responsibilities by His Majesty at such a young age, making him the absolute leader among the younger generation in the capital.
He would be laughing in his sleep if he had a son like that!
But from childhood to adulthood, I don't remember my mother ever giving my older brother a kind look...
However, the Duchess was only surprised for a moment. There was no trace of guilt or panic on her face. Instead, she sneered without any attempt to hide it.
"Heh, what nonsense are you spouting?"
She pointed at Gu Lin, gritting her teeth, her eyes blazing with hatred. "I'd rather he wasn't born from my womb after ten months of pregnancy, otherwise I would have drowned him in a basin long ago!"
Lady Ling, her face contorted with madness, gesticulated wildly: "Master is right, you are the reincarnation of the Seven Killings, a jinx, an ominous star, destined to bring misfortune upon your family and die a tragic end. Every victory you win diminishes the fortune of your loved ones! Tell me, how can I not resent you?!"
She still remembers that ever since she became pregnant with Gu Lin, she has never felt comfortable. First, she vomited everything she ate, and then she lost weight rapidly, not even having the strength to get out of bed.
Later, when she was finally able to eat, the midwife who came to examine the fetus said that the baby was in the wrong position and that there was a high chance of a difficult labor, and that if they were not careful, both mother and child would die.
She consulted several midwives, but none of them could help, which frightened her so much that she knelt before the Buddha every day to burn incense and pray.
She had finally managed to outmaneuver her elder sister and marry into the Duke of Ling's mansion, but she hadn't even enjoyed two years of this life of luxury before she was ready to die!
She was willing to offer her unborn child to the Buddha, as long as the Bodhisattva could save her life…
As for the doctor saying she's carrying a boy? So what if it's a boy! As long as she's alive, she can still give her husband more sons!
She begged and begged, kneeling until just before giving birth. Even as she was being wheeled into the delivery room, she clung to her young husband, pleading, "...Save the mother, you must save the mother, husband, remember to save me!"
Fortunately, the midwife whom the old Duke had hired at great expense from another region was a highly skilled doctor who reversed the baby's position at the crucial moment, and the baby was successfully born.
But she lay in bed for more than half a month, with lochia constantly being discharged from her body every day. That nauseating smell still lingers in her nightmares from time to time.
Lady Ling hated this child to the core. Sometimes, when the wet nurse brought little Gu Lin, who was well-fed and quiet, to her, she would feel an urge to strangle him.
The more innocent and naive he smiled at her, the more she couldn't suppress the deep disgust in her heart.
She began to become absent-minded, suffered from insomnia every night, and became completely disoriented. Sometimes she would suddenly shout or cry, her heart filled with an unresolved depression.
Until that day, she finally managed to get rid of the wet nurse and maid, stood in front of the small cradle, picked up a cushion, and pressed it against the sleeping baby...
If it weren't for the old Duchess of Ling's coincidence in wanting to visit her eldest grandson, Gu Lin would have been smothered to death by the old Duchess of Ling.
When the old Duke found out about this, he said nothing, but simply replaced the wet nurses and servants, and then took Gu Lin back to his own courtyard.
Lady Ling was filled with anxiety for a while, but when she realized that the old Duke had no intention of punishing her, she finally felt relieved and from then on acted as if she had never given birth to this son.
A few years later, she became pregnant with Gu Yuan again. This pregnancy went very smoothly from beginning to end, without her having to worry about anything.
From that time on, Lady Lingguo firmly believed that her eldest son was a cursed ghost born of an ominous star, while Ayuan was the true son who came to repay her kindness.
...
“Ah Lin, don’t listen to your mother’s crazy talk. You are the eldest grandson of the Gu family. Only with you can the glory of the Duke’s Mansion be inherited and carried forward. How could you be a jinx?”
The old lady stroked her eldest grandson's thin face with heartache, recalling her husband's words, "You just have a shallow bond with your mother. Your mother is possessed, that's why she sees you as an enemy... You still have me, and your grandfather, we all love you!"
Gu Lin held his grandmother's withered hand, remaining silent.
He had once fantasized that he wasn't his mother's biological son, but perhaps his father had gotten into trouble with other women and brought him back to be raised by his mother. He was also given the title of eldest son and was granted the title of heir apparent, which was why his mother disliked and hated him so much.
The truth has finally come out today: he is indeed his mother's biological son.
She simply didn't love him.
"That's too cruel..."
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi huddled together, whispering among themselves, "How could any parents not love their child?"
Although she lost her parents at a very young age, in her limited memories, she was once the apple of her parents' eye, and they gave her all their love.
It was this small, precious bit of love that sustained her all the way to where she is today. Although she may not be considered a pillar of society, at least she hasn't ended up on legal programs and become one of those so-called pitiful criminals who "want to take revenge on society because of their tragic family background."
Gu Lin grew up in an environment where he was neither loved by his father nor his mother, and had a beloved younger brother as a control group, yet he still managed to become a young general who won many battles. It's truly a blessing that the Duke's family's ancestors' graves are emitting auspicious smoke.
Perhaps we should also thank that old Duke, who saved Changsun's life time and time again and nurtured him into a capable man.
Yan Yi listened to Shen Lingyue's words but did not agree.
She looked down at her hands and said softly, "Children may be born with a natural love for their parents, but not all parents love their children. Their love is often conditional."
When she was a child, she was most afraid of not performing well in exams, because if she didn't get first place, she would see the disappointment in her mother's eyes.
Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder, if she weren't the "perfect daughter" who excelled academically, could draw and play the piano, and brought honor to her parents since childhood, but was just an ordinary child who was unremarkable in every way and blended into the crowd, would her parents still care about her and love her as much as they do now?
She dared not gamble on this possibility, because the truth might be unacceptable.
But as long as you see through it but don't say anything, they are still a harmonious and happy family in the eyes of outsiders.
Yan Yi snapped out of her thoughts, met her best friend's concerned gaze, shook her head, and quickly changed the subject.
"I think the Duchess of Lingguo may be suffering from postpartum depression, but neither she nor those around her are aware of it."
Even now, many people cannot understand depression; they simply say, "That person seems to have gone mad."
After thinking for a moment, Shen Lingyue could only sigh.
This is a huge rift that has existed between the mother and son for more than 20 years, and now it is also mixed with human lives, making it impossible to unravel.
It may be true that the Duchess of the State fell ill, but it is also true that she neglected Gu Lin and favored Gu Yuan since childhood.
She may even have known the truth about the Battle of Yunling all along, but chose to keep it a secret for her brother and son. In order to cover up the secret, she even dragged the innocent Zheng Chunyun into the mire.
Now that I think about it, when Yan Yi saw Zheng Chunyun being mistreated in the Gu family in her dream, wasn't it at the behest of the Duchess of Lingguo?
She was eager to completely erase Gu Lin's traces in the Duke of Ling's mansion, so how could she allow Zheng Chunyun to give birth to a child to carry on the family line?
"This is terrifying." Shen Lingyue shook her head. "Sister Zheng, you'd better get out of this fire pit as soon as possible."
Zheng Chunyun, who was sitting in front of her with her eyes closed and resting, trembled slightly when she heard these words.
"Before I returned to my residence, I had already submitted a memorial to the palace detailing Feng Chun's embezzlement of military supplies, his failure to defend the border, and his murder of his comrades. I expect His Majesty will make a decision soon—"
Before Gu Lin could finish speaking, the Duchess of Lingguo pounced on him like a madwoman.
"That's your own uncle! Are you trying to kill him?! How dare you?!"
Gu Lin was unable to move his legs and couldn't dodge in time. Although the scarred man pushing the wheelchair stepped back in time, a long bloody scratch was still left on his face by the Duchess of Lingguo.
The old lady was knocked to the ground by her, and she held her waist and sighed.
"Feng Tang, wake up! Ah Lin is your biological son!"
Feng Tang was restrained by the maid who rushed in, but she continued to struggle.
"Gu Lin, if anything happens to my brother, I will haunt you even as a ghost!"
"Mother, please don't worry about Uncle. Embezzling military supplies is a capital offense, look at me!"
Gu Yuan tried desperately to win back Feng Tang's favoritism towards him, giving her his eyes every whim.
He didn't embezzle military supplies; at most, he accidentally stabbed Gu Lin on the battlefield... We're all family; there's no need to make a big deal out of this to the emperor, right?
He didn't want to be seen as an accomplice of his uncle!
"Gu Yuan."
Gu Lin suddenly called out to him.
Gu Yuan scrambled over, his smile ingratiating and fawning, "Big brother, big brother, I know I was wrong. Just spare my life, and I'll do anything you ask..."
"real?"
"More real than real gold!" Gu Yuan swore to the heavens.
Gu Lin said in a deep voice, "Then I will ask the clan elders today to open the ancestral hall and expel you from the Gu clan—"
"no!"
Feng Tang snapped out of his daze and glared angrily, saying, "Your father and I are still alive. It's not your place to open an ancestral hall, much less to expel A Yuan from the clan!"
She suddenly broke free from the maid's restraints, reached out and pulled out the gold hairpin from her hair, pressing it against her throat.
"Gu Lin, if you dare to hurt your brother, I'll die right here in front of you today!"
She tilted her head back, her eyes blazing with madness, a hint of certainty in her control over her eldest son.
The Great Ye Kingdom governs the country with filial piety. If Gu Lin dares to force his own mother to her death today, tomorrow the censors' impeachment memorials will drown him!
How can someone who is neither filial nor respectful to his elders be fit for a great responsibility?
Gu Lin suddenly gripped the armrest tightly, his brow twitching violently, his handsome face contorted with pain and struggle.
"Mother, why are you always pushing me..."
"You forced me to do this first!" Feng Tang shouted. "I gave birth to you, I gave you your life, and if I want you to die, you'd better accept it!"
When a guard tried to snatch the hairpin, Feng Tang instead pierced the tip of the hairpin into his skin, causing blood to gush out and meander along the bulging veins on his neck, making him look even more ferocious and terrifying.
She approached Gu Lin step by step, whispering like a demon, "Gu Lin, you've got guts, then watch me die in front of you..."
"Princess Tong'an has arrived!"
A eunuch's shrill voice called out from outside the door.
Feng Tang paused in her hand holding the hairpin, then turned her head in confusion.
Why did Princess Tong'an suddenly come to our house?
As she spoke, Princess Tong'an strode into the main hall with a swift and decisive air. Her gaze swept quickly over the chaotic scene before her, and she gave a slight smirk.
"It's so lively!"
Without even glancing at Feng Tang, who was threatening to commit suicide, she strode towards Gu Lin, her expression concerned. "Father said you came back alive. I couldn't believe it. Lin, where have you been for the past six months? Why didn't you send a message to the capital?"
As she spoke, she quickly lifted the blanket and pressed it twice on his thigh without any politeness.
"Can you feel it?"
Gu Lin shook his head with a wry smile, "Princess, you..."
"Having not seen each other for half a year, you've already become distant from me?" Princess Tong'an raised an eyebrow.
Gu Lin pursed his lips and could only say, "Sister Aying, the situation is complicated and can't be explained in a few words. Why did you come here?"
Princess Tong'an, whose full name was Xiao Zhuoying.
She slapped her forehead. "I'm here to deliver a decree from my father."
She took out a scroll of bright yellow imperial edict from her sleeve, held it high, and declared, "The Duke of Lingguo's residence is hereby granted this decree—"
The room was filled with people kneeling on the floor. Gu Lin couldn't get up, so he bowed his head to show his respect.
Even Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi knelt down with their husbands. For a moment, only Princess Tong'an and Feng Tang, who was standing in the hall with a hairpin pressed against his throat, seemed to have not come to their senses.
Princess Tong'an narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly, a half-smile playing on her lips: "Lady of the Duke of Ling, what are you up to?"
What kind of trouble is this biased shrew threatening Ah Lin to cause now?
Feng Tang dared not offend the emperor's authority and reluctantly knelt down.
Princess Tong'an then presented the imperial edict and began to read it aloud.
"...Now that the Duke is mediocre and cowardly, incompetent in managing his household, and unfit for great responsibilities, the title of Duke is hereby revoked and handed over to the heir apparent, Gu Lin. This is the imperial decree."
She raised an eyebrow at Gu Lin. "Welcome home, Duke Ling."
Gu Lin's father had already collapsed to the ground, looking bewildered, and muttered, "I haven't done anything wrong, why is Your Majesty doing this?"
Isn't the title of duke usually passed down to the son only after the father dies?
He's so young, and His Majesty has already stripped him of his title. How will he face his colleagues in the future?
The former Duke of Ling glanced at Gu Lin with resentment.
What's the use of a son being outstanding if he still drives his own father to the brink of despair?
Princess Tong'an noticed his unwilling expression and gave a light sneer.
Of all the noble families in the capital, the one she looked down on the most was Gu Lin's father. Apart from being born into a good family, he was utterly useless.
He was of mediocre talent, neither good at literature nor martial arts, and he never fought a single battle during the more than ten years of his prime. He relied on his father for the first half of his life and on his son for the second half, truly enjoying a lifetime of blessings.
Useless old things should be cleared out sooner rather than later, so they don't weigh on Gu Lin and prevent him from doing whatever he wants.
Princess Tong'an gave Gu Lin a knowing look.
After the initial shock, Gu Lin calmly said, "According to the Gu family's ancestral precepts, each Duke of Ling automatically becomes the head of the Gu clan. Now I am qualified to open an ancestral hall, right?"
Only then did Feng Tang realize what the change of title meant, and he wanted to use the same trick again to threaten Gu Lin.
However, they did not notice that the scarred man who had been pushing Gu Lin's wheelchair had somehow appeared behind Feng Tang, stretched out his long arm to snatch the hairpin, and then chopped it off the back of her neck, causing Feng Tang to fall down with her eyes rolled back.
The scarred man looked at Gu Lin and said in a gruff voice, "You're so soft-hearted, you should have done it a long time ago."
The woman had been yelling and screaming since earlier, making him almost deaf.
Gu Lin forced a smile and then instructed the maid, "Send Madam back to her room and keep a close watch on her."
She then calmly looked at her father and said, "Mother was overjoyed and furious today, which upset her. I'm sorry to trouble you to take care of her."
However, in the blink of an eye, the Duke of Ling's mansion had a new owner.
Seeing that their only two supporters had left, Gu Yuan and Qin Zhengzheng stood there dejectedly.
Gu Yuan tried to appeal to emotions: "Brother, it's okay if you hate me, but Zhengzheng is carrying my child, who is the flesh and blood of our Gu family!"
His gaze kept drifting to Gu Lin's crippled legs. "You can't have children anymore. Do you want the Duke of Ling's mansion to die out? Once Zhengzheng gives birth to a son, I'll adopt him into your family. Please don't kick us out of the mansion, okay?" "Gu Yuan, how can you speak like that?!"
Pei Jinghuai angrily rushed forward, "Brother Gu just can't move his leg, he's not... Anyway, who wants your son!"
He patted his chest and said, "My son will be Brother Gu's son in the future, and my son will take care of him in his old age and see him off when he dies!"
Shen Lingyue's eyes widened.
No, who told you to make such a ridiculous promise? Can you even give birth?!
Gu Yuan glared back: "Your surname is Pei, not Gu. What right does your son have to inherit our family's title?"
He clapped his hands and exclaimed in sudden realization, "Well done, Pei Er! You can't compete with your elder brother for the title, so you've turned your attention to our Duke Ling's mansion. How despicable!"
"That's still nothing compared to you! You're shameless! You're despicable!"
The two started hurling insults at each other.
Shen Lingyue covered her face and turned her head away, unable to bear to look...
Gu Lin was still talking to Pei Jingyi and Princess Tong'an.
Princess Tong'an patted Pei Jingyi on the shoulder, "Yunzhao discovered the irregularities in the military supplies for the northern battlefield long ago, secretly reported it to the Emperor, and followed the clues to catch several big fish, including Feng Chun. Judging by the days, the Imperial Guards sent to escort him back to the capital should be on their way."
Gu Lin nodded: "It must be that Feng Chun noticed the unusual activity in the capital and suspected that I was still alive, which is why he suddenly increased the search efforts and sent troops to hunt me down."
During the most dangerous time, if it weren't for the Imperial Guards from the capital, he and his brother Chen Hu would definitely not have been able to return to the capital alive.
Thinking of Chen Hu, Gu Lin said, "I was lucky enough to escape with my life this time, all thanks to my savior..."
Shen Lingyue overheard this and her eyes widened instantly before she blurted it out.
"You're not going to do what Gu Yuan did and marry your savior, are you?"
What about Sister Zheng?
No way, Sister Zheng, how could you be so unlucky? And also, are all the young women living on the border so easy to pick up guys? You can't just keep picking on one person!
Gu Lin paused for a moment, then a strange expression appeared on his face.
The next second, the scarred man's rough laughter rang out.
"Hahaha, Brother Gu wants to marry me, but I don't want to get married yet!"
Everyone looked over, and the burly man said matter-of-factly, "What? Brother Gu promised to help me join the army when I returned to the capital, and even find me a wife. Doesn't that count?"
Gu Lin cleared his throat: "Let me formally introduce you. This is Chen Hu, the hunter who saved me. I have recognized him as my sworn brother, and from now on we are family."
Pei Jingyi nodded to Chen Hu, and Pei Jinghuai rushed forward excitedly, punching Chen Hu's broad shoulder, "You're Brother Gu's sworn brother, so I'll call you Brother Hu from now on. You can call me Huaizhou, or Pei Xiaoer, it's fine either way!"
"Okay, let's have a friendly competition sometime."
Chen Hu and Pei Jinghuai hit it off immediately, especially since they were similar in stature, making them seem like family.
"That scared me to death..."
Shen Lingyue, relieved, patted her chest and complained to Yan Yi, "I knew it! What decent person would sleep with their savior..."
Gu Yuan suddenly let out a loud shout.
"I will not allow you to slander my love with Zhengzheng!"
He put on a righteous and awe-inspiring look, "You just don't understand! Zhengzheng endured so much gossip in the village to take care of me. She's an innocent girl who ruined her reputation for me. How can I not take responsibility for her? Would I even be human?!"
Seeing his erratic behavior, as if he were about to have a mental breakdown in the street, Shen Lingyue quickly hid behind Pei Jinghuai, only her head showing.
"Taking care of you means losing your innocence? What, do you need dual cultivation to heal your injuries, or are you going to practice the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra?"
Gu Yuan didn't understand the second half of the sentence, but he knew that Shen Lingyue was mocking him.
“Zhengzheng changed my dressings and cleaned me, she saw me naked, how can I not take responsibility for her?”
Shen Lingyue looked at her with disdain: "So what if you were seen naked? You're a grown man, it won't kill you to be seen... Who's going to rush to marry someone and take responsibility?"
Sister Zheng said that Qin Zhengzheng was pregnant before the wedding.
If there's an affair, so be it. Why all the nonsense? Pshaw!
Chen Hu suddenly leaned over, his copper bell-like eyes staring at Gu Yuan as he sized him up.
Gu Yuan felt a chill run down his spine from being stared at, and said with a fierce but weak tone, "What are you doing? You want to hit me?"
Chen Hu asked him seriously, "Didn't you know she was previously engaged?"
Gu Yuan: ...?
He looked at Qin Zhengzheng behind him in shock, "Really?"
Qin Zhengzheng's face turned deathly pale instantly. A bucket of ice water was poured over her head, unexpectedly revealing her biggest secret.
Her lips trembled as she met Gu Yuan's questioning gaze. She wanted to shake her head and deny it, but her body seemed to be frozen in place, unable to move.
Shen Lingyue was already looking intently at Chen Hu.
Come on, let's talk about this in detail!
"The place where I found Brother Gu is three hills away from the village where he was recuperating. It looks far, but it's common for us hunters to cross mountains and valleys. It only takes two hours to get there."
Chen Hu gestured with his chin towards Gu Yuan.
Gu Lin was unconscious for more than a month. After waking up, he asked Gu Yuan to secretly inquire about the aftermath of the battle of Yunling. As a result, he found Gu Yuan recuperating outside three mountain peaks.
Gu Lin clearly remembered who stabbed him in the back, so naturally he wouldn't rashly try to acknowledge him.
Chen Hu then casually pointed to Qin Zhengzheng, who was no longer moving and could only keep crying, "She had a fiancé in the next village, who was a scholar. In the end, she accepted the dowry that he had worked so hard to save up and used it all to buy him medicine and supplements. Later, she ran away with Gu Lao Er in the middle of the night without saying a word."
The scholar, who usually studied at the county school, had no idea what was happening in the village. When he received the news and rushed back, he found that his fiancée had run away, the bride price was gone, and everything in the house that could be sold had been sold, leaving him with nothing.
As if things weren't going to go wrong, his widowed mother fell ill, and the family had no money to buy medicine. By the time he managed to borrow the money for medical expenses, his mother had already passed away.
After suffering a series of setbacks, and with the villagers mocking him for being cuckolded, the scholar couldn't take it anymore and went insane.
Gu Yuanren was dumbfounded, stammering as he asked Qin Zhengzheng, "You said your aunt and uncle were materialistic and wanted to sell you to a sixty-year-old landlord as his eighteenth concubine, so I took you and sold our belongings to leave overnight... You said you didn't know my true identity and were willing to eat chaff and wild vegetables to stay with me..."
By the end, she had shouted, "Qin Zhengzheng, you big liar!"
...
Gu Yuan and Qin Zhengzheng, along with some of their clothes and belongings in the courtyard, were all thrown onto the street outside the gate by the servants of the Duke's Mansion.
Gu Yuan was still in a state of great confusion from being deceived. Qin Zhengzheng tried to take his hand several times, but he shook her off each time.
He murmured, "My mother won't just stand by and watch me get kicked out of the house. She'll definitely find a way to help me when she wakes up..."
Just then, a graceful figure suddenly walked out of the gate.
Gu Yuan's eyes lit up instantly, and he rushed forward, his expression a mixture of expectation and pleading.
"Chunyun, Chunyun, I know I was wrong. For the sake of our childhood friendship, please plead with my elder brother for me..."
Zheng Chunyun looked at him quietly, "I'm here to bring you something."
"What?"
Zheng Chunyun took out a bright red letter from her sleeve.
Gu Yuan immediately recognized it as the marriage certificate for both heirs and heirs, written on their wedding day.
His pupils contracted, and he nervously took two steps back.
Zheng Chunyun looked at him, then gently raised her hand and slowly tore the marriage certificate to shreds, scattering the pieces like petals onto his face and body.
This talented young lady, who had long been renowned in the capital and was now the newlywed Duchess of Lingguo, smiled at him and gave him a graceful and elegant bow.
"Thank you, Second Young Master Gu, for not marrying me."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Ding-dong! Bonus chapter dropped! [Let me see!]
I estimate I'll have 2500 nutrient solutions by the time I post this chapter, so how about I add an extra chapter for every 500 nutrient solutions I get?
[Heart][Heart] Hope I get plenty of melons today, hahaha
//And a disclaimer (taking the blame): I have absolutely no objection to any story where the protagonist picks up a prince, marquis, crown prince, or emperor, goes through many twists and turns, and ultimately has a happy ending.
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