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Gu Changqing returned to the Marquis Ding'an Estate.
Gu Chengfeng and Gu Chenglin went to the back hill to pick fruits, while he went straight back to his own room.
He sat down at the edge of the bed.
With no outsiders around, the perpetually cold expression on his face finally showed a hint of emotion. He furrowed his brows and unbuttoned his clothes.
His neck, shoulders, and even the back of his hands and wrists were covered in shocking scratch marks. Some places even had blood oozing out, which had dried and stuck to his clothes, causing him pain when he peeled them off, making him gasp for breath.
"Aiya! Shizi!"
The servant boy carried the clothes that had just been taken down from the clothesline into the room, and immediately noticed the scratch marks all over Gu Changqing's neck. He was startled and asked, "Which little vixen did this?"
Gu Changqing's eyes turned cold, and he quickly pulled up his clothes, saying, "Can't you knock before coming in?"
The servant boy awkwardly responded, "This servant didn't know you are back, shizi! This servant was tidying up the room and went out to get the clothes. Who would have thought that shizi would return so soon... Speaking of which, shizi, what’s the matter with your injuries? Was it caused by someone outside the estate or someone inside?"
He didn't dare to say ‘little vixen’ again.
"It's none of your business." Gu Changqing said indifferently, standing up and hanging his sword on the rack.
"Oh." The servant boy came to the edge of the bed, neatly folding the clothes and putting away the ones that didn't need to be folded.
"Why thought it’s from a woman?" Gu Changqing suddenly asked.
The servant boy replied, "It’s obvious, is it not? It's clearly caused by someone with long nails. Who among men keeps long nails?"
Gu Changqing's eyes flickered, "Don't talk nonsense."
The servant boy muttered, "If shizi doesn't want this servant to speak of it, then this servant won't."
Gu Changqing stood in front of the sword rack, feeling a dull pain in the scratched areas of his body. It was different from the sharp and direct pain of sword and knife wounds. This kind of pain was strange and unfamiliar.
Gu Changqing closed his eyes as his mind flashed back to the memory of when the medicine in her body took effect inside the carriage.
The servant boy's eyes flickered, and he cautiously asked, "But shizi, how did you suddenly come to your senses?"
Gu Changqing was puzzled, "What do you mean, suddenly come to my senses?"
The servant boy smiled awkwardly and said, "This servant won't hide it from you, shizi. You haven't been with a woman all these years, and there isn't even a single servant girl in the courtyard. Shizi isn’t willing to talk about marriage either. This servant... guessed that shizi… might like men instead."
Gu Changqing's face darkened and he shouted, "Get out!"
The servant boy trembled and fled the room bitterly.
Then he immediately turned on his heel and tipped off Old Marquis and Old Madame Gu—— shizi had finally been enlightened, shizi had touched a woman!
……
After several hours of treatment, An Junwang's injuries finally stabilized at night.
After watching him drink the medicine, the physician withdrew.
Grand Preceptor Zhuang came to An Junwang's room. His face did not look good, and neither of them spoke. The atmosphere was somewhat tense.
Grand Preceptor Zhuang opened his mouth, "I'll ask you one last time. Did you really do it?"
An Junwang said weakly, "Yes, grandfather. That's my answer no matter how many times you ask."
Grand Preceptor Zhuang hated that he fell short of his expectations. An Junwang was his most highly valued descendant, and he had placed the hope of the Zhuang Family's prosperity in him. However, he had ruined his own future and committed such a grave mistake.
He suppressed his anger and said sternly, "Today, you didn't take advantage of just any girl from some small family. She is the daughter of the Marquis Ding'an Estate, and even though she is someone mistakenly carried back and raised as their daughter, she was still recorded in the family genealogy and registered as a genuine family member. Not to mention that both Old Marquis Ding'an and Gu Changqing are highly valued by His Majesty. You can't just brush off this matter. You must give her a proper status."
An Junwang lay weakly on the bed and said with a dead heart, "I'll follow grandfather's arrangements."
After all, it still wasn't her. What was the difference between marrying Young Miss Yuan or Second Young Miss Gu?
The next day, Grand Preceptor Zhuang sent his steward to the Marquis Ding'an Estate to express his intentions.
"My Lord said he is willing to let Junwang take Young Miss Gu as his concubine."
Old Madame Gu was overjoyed at this news. For the Marquis Ding'an Estate, being able to marry into the Zhuang Family was a great honor. Even if it was only as a concubine, it would not be a disgrace to Gu Jinyu.
However, Old Marquis's face sank, "Is this the explanation that the Zhuang Family is giving to our Marquis Ding'an Estate? Humph, are you taking advantage of the fact that the Gu Family no longer has an army or military power? You think you can bully and exploit us?"
The steward smiled lightly and said, "Why is Old Marquis Gu saying such words? The Grand Preceptor certainly did not mean to show any disrespect towards the Marquis Ding'an Estate. It's just that the news has spread throughout the capital that Young Miss Gu is not actually the biological child of Marquis Gu and the Marchioness. She was just a child who was mistakenly brought up in the Marquis Estate. Forgive this servant for speaking bluntly, but my young master is a Junwang personally appointed by the Emperor. He served as a hostage prince for ten years in the State of Chen and made great contributions to the State of Zhao. How could his legitimate wife be someone from a peasant family from the countryside? Not to mention that not long ago, Young Miss Gu caused a great disaster. This servant heard that Young Miss Gu claimed credit for the piston bellows, stole credit for the mortar technique, and even secretly modified the bellows, causing countless artisans in the Ministry of Works to suffer huge losses. To speak bluntly, Young Miss Gu and the Marquis Ding'an shizi have no blood relationship. So, would Old Marquis be willing to let his grandson marry a woman of such character as his legitimate wife?"
"That female disaster is not worthy of Changqing!" Old Madame Gu couldn't help but speak up.
As soon as she finished speaking, however, she received a cold gaze from Old Marquis.
Realizing that she had said the wrong thing, she quickly picked up her teacup and took a sip.
The steward knew that he had won the situation and didn't say much. He bowed politely and said, "If Old Marquis and Old Madam Gu have no objections to this marriage, this servant will report back to the Grand Preceptor."
Old Madame Gu wanted to say something, but was silenced by a cold glance from Old Marquis.
The steward left with a sense of triumph.
In fact, he was not entirely happy about it either. A concubine? Was that disreputable woman, Gu Jinyu, even worthy of it?
It was her who benefited from this!
"My Lord..." Old Madame Gu realized that her earlier slip of the tongue had cost them the situation and didn't dare to complain anymore. She said, "In fact, Jinyu is still a thoughtful child. Although she has made many mistakes, she has reformed herself. She even went to the child care residence a few days ago. With My Lord and Imperial Concubine Shu to support her, I don't think the Zhuang Family will mistreat her even if she is just a concubine."
However, Old Marquis could not accept the title of a concubine.
He never thought of using his own children to climb the social ladder, but he had a principle—— he would rather have the Gu Family's daughter to marry a commoner than become a concubine in a family of high status.
Although a concubine sounded more noble than a mistress, she was still not a legitimate wife.
Old Marquis went to Gu Jinyu's courtyard.
Gu Jinyu was resting in her room, her face pale and haggard.
Old Marquis asked her, "Let me ask you, if I can suppress this matter, are you willing to marry someone else?"
Gu Jinyu knelt down before Old Marquis, her eyes red as she said, "Jinyu has already had a physical encounter with Junwang. How can I have the face to marry someone else? If the Zhuang Family does not recognize it, Jinyu will become a nun in a temple."
Old Marquis sighed and frowned.
He might not have familial affection for her, but he would never allow anyone to trample on the dignity of the Marquis Ding’an Estate.
Moreover, to put it plainly, this was the fault of the Zhuang family. They bullied people but didn’t want to take responsibility. Instead, they were forcing the Gu Family's daughter into becoming a nun, which wasn’t reasonable.
Old Marquis immediately went to the palace but was told that the Emperor had left with Eunuch He.
"May I ask when His Majesty will return?" Old Marquis asked Eunuch Wei at the front gate of the palace.
Eunuch Wei said, "This servant doesn’t know. Does Old Marquis have an urgent matter to discuss with His Majesty?"
Old Marquis was worried that Grand Preceptor Zhuang would talk with Empress Dowager Zhuang in advance and have her issue an edict appointing Gu Jinyu as a concubine, making it too late to do anything.
"I do have an urgent matter." Old Marquis said.
"Ah..." Eunuch Wei pondered for a moment and said, "This servant cannot disclose His Majesty's whereabouts, but if Old Marquis trusts me, this servant is willing to convey the message on his behalf."
There was no other choice. Old Marquis cupped his hands and said, "Many thanks, Eunuch Wei."
An hour later, a carriage stopped outside the nunnery, and Eunuch Wei got down from the carriage.
The Emperor was feeding Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing medicine in her quarters. She sat on the bed with a thin blanket covering her body.
"I can do it myself." She said, "It's not a serious illness, just a little cold. Why did Your Majesty rush over here?"
The Emperor frowned and said, "If it weren't for Zhen arranging someone to secretly protect imperial concubine mother, Zhen wouldn't have known that you were sick. You always deceive me like this and keep everything from me."
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