By the time Gu Jinghui arrived, everyone had already started talking about other things.
“Mother, my sixth sister-in-law is not in good health right now. I think it would be better to hold the family reunion banquet soon.”
Qin Yuan's words resonated deeply with Gu Jinghui.
He said from outside the window, "Madam is quite right. We should get this done as soon as possible."
Sixth Master Gu, with his head down, followed behind him and immediately said, "Yes, I'm afraid Madam Xu won't last many more days. The head of the academy said that we should try to hold on for as many days as possible."
He was determined to sue the Xu family in return. Xu Shi was not going to live long to begin with, and now she only had a few days left to live.
After hearing what her two sons said, Madam Gu disregarded everything else and hurriedly said to Qin Yuan, "Yuan'er, I'm entrusting this matter entirely to you. This family reunion banquet doesn't really need to be a big affair. The two children aren't under the Third Prince's lineage, nor are they under the Ninth Branch. If it were any other time, it would be fine, but given the current situation, we can only make do."
Just then, Lord Gu and Sixth Master Gu lifted the curtain and came in.
Gu Baozhu raised her striking eyebrows slightly and asked anxiously, "Third Brother, Sixth Brother, have we sued the Xu family?"
Lord Gu looked at Qin Yuan and said, "In my opinion, why don't we have a feast together and consider it a formal recognition of kinship? It would be better if they went there sooner rather than later. It's just a matter of changing courtyards, and there's no difference from usual. Brother Cheng and Sister-in-law Cheng both love children and will treat them well."
Qin Yuan hesitated for a moment and said, "Isn't it a bit too much...? What if others talk about it later...? Sister-in-law Cheng also said that we should ask the Ninth Branch and the clan elders to be witnesses?"
Lord Gu shook his head. “No need. If we were to invite them, wouldn’t we have to make the invitations a few days in advance? Besides, the two children are just being fostered next door. They’re not going to be recorded in the family genealogy. Why invite family members over to participate? If we want to make it more lively, we should invite a few generals who are familiar with Pang Hai to be witnesses.”
Sixth Master Gu interjected, "When Third Brother brought his mother and son into the mansion, he didn't open an ancestral hall or record them in the family genealogy. There's even less need for that now. Just have his colleagues and comrades come and be witnesses."
After saying that, he snorted and added, "In my opinion, even this is unnecessary. Third Brother thinks it's important, but others might think it's disrespectful."
Sixth Master Gu was in a bad mood and spoke in a rather unpleasant manner, showing no regard for his third brother's feelings.
Lord Gu frowned: "What nonsense are you talking about? How could people feel that holding a family reunion banquet is a sign of disrespect?"
Sixth Master Gu took a few steps and sat down next to Gu Baozhu, saying sarcastically, "If you don't hold a banquet, your subordinates will still treat them as the Marquis's adopted sons; but if you hold a banquet, won't they stop? Even though they are children, they can tell, and they might even resent you for making such a big fuss about getting rid of them."
Gu Baozhu immediately chimed in, "Sixth Brother is right. When Third Brother brought them back, no one in the manor knew their identities. They all spread rumors that they were probably Third Brother's children and concubines. Otherwise, Zhao Shi wouldn't have been so powerful."
Those rumors can't be blamed solely on her.
Even if she made a mistake, there were reasons for it.
Lord Gu remained silent, his face grim. He glanced at Qin Yuan and after a long while said, "I was mistaken before. When I adopted these two children in the northern frontier, they were still in mourning. I didn't pay attention to them and only told a few acquaintances around me, which led to all these troubles. Now that they are out of mourning, it's time to hold a ceremony."
Sixth Master Gu smiled sarcastically and said coldly, "Yes, hurry up and do it. It's better for everyone if we declare whose property it is sooner rather than later."
Gu Baozhu wisely refrained from responding.
Qin Yuan chimed in, "What the Marquis says is true. Inviting some comrades-in-arms for a drink is a way to clear the names of the two children and give them an explanation."
Madam Gu nodded, "Then let's do it this way. We'll hold the family reunion banquet tomorrow. If it's recorded in the family genealogy later, we can hold a bigger celebration then. We'll make up for the missing ones tomorrow."
The decision was final.
Gu Baozhu pressed further, "Did Sixth Brother really sue the Xu family?"
Sixth Master Gu said, "Yes."
Gu Baozhu slammed her hand on the table, causing the tea in her cup to spill out, and shouted, "That's how it should be done, otherwise I'll be furious!"
Qin Yuan found it both amusing and infuriating, but didn't want to say anything to her. She simply shook the fan in her hand silently. Lord Gu, sitting beside her, had a cold expression and only slightly lifted his eyelids to glance at her.
Sixth Master Gu also glanced at Gu Baozhu with disdain. Since she was standing up for him, he swallowed the words of reprimand that were on the tip of his tongue and replied, "Isn't that right? If we're not going to fight for our pride, do you think the Xu family thinks the Gu family's face is so easy to trample on? We haven't made them give back their past favors only because of Madam Xu and the children, but they're still not satisfied. Since that's the case, let's all just be shameless."
In the last sentence, Gu Liuye's once handsome and gentle face was now filled with ferocity, and his voice was chillingly cold.
Madam Gu sighed, "You decide what to do. Sixth brother, don't act rashly. Talk to your third brother more. When Kang-ge'er and Fu-ge'er come back, let them move in with me. It's such a tragedy that they have to lose their mother at such a young age."
Sixth Master Gu suppressed his anger and said, "Mother, I will remember this."
Madam Gu then instructed, "When you teach the Xu family a lesson, even if you don't consider the children's feelings, don't go too far. Sixth son, you will have to get married in the future. Don't ruin your reputation. If you can't marry a good woman to manage the household, it will ruin the fortune of your children and grandchildren. You must not be reckless."
Upon hearing this, Sixth Master Gu burst into tears: "Mother, I can't think about that right now. Madam Xu is dead, and I must observe mourning for her. We'll talk about remarrying after the mourning period is over."
The tears that fell quickly soaked the front of the shirt embroidered with cloud patterns.
Looking at her haggard and dejected youngest son, Old Madam Gu said weakly, "I'll do whatever you want, I'll do whatever you want, please stop crying."
The group ate their meal with heavy hearts. After leaving the main room, Gu Jinghui asked Sixth Master Gu, "How long do you plan to stay?"
Without raising his head, Sixth Master Gu slowly uttered, his hands behind his back: "Three years."
"?"
Gu Jinghui and Qin Yuan were both taken aback.
Gu Jinghui pressed further: "Didn't you dislike the Xu family? Why do you still want three years? One year is already considered following the rules."
In ordinary families, a husband would remarry in less than a year. If he waited a full year before remarrying, he would be considered a good husband. If he waited a full three years, everyone would say that the couple had a deep and loving relationship.
If my sixth brother and Mrs. Xu were truly in love, that would be one thing, but they weren't.
Once the word of mourning is spread, one must abstain from women for three years.
If it were me, I'd be willing to do it for ten years.
Sixth brother?
Is he capable?
"I have thought it through. If I were to remarry, I would have to find a good woman. Otherwise, it would be better not to marry at all. The children will have to observe three years of mourning for Xu Shi. I will also study with them. When they take the imperial examinations in the future, I will devote myself to writing poetry and painting and will never hang out with those scholars again."
Upon hearing this, Gu Jinghui and Qin Yuan both stared in astonishment.
After a long pause, Gu Jinghui said, "Sixth brother, a gentleman's word is as good as his bond. Think it over carefully before you speak. If you are determined to do so, your third brother will not stop you."
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