Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Humiliation Before the Wedding

The Zhao father and daughter began extensively preparing for their shady plans. Meanwhile, Xiaozong hadn’t altogether forgotten about his daughter. Between drinking, making merry, and sleeping with beauties, he was wondering how Third Young Master Gu was supposed to marry his daughter. After all, the court had already searched and confiscated his properties, leaving them without a place to live.

“Jing Zhong,” Xiaozong called for his head eunuch.

Jing Zhong quickly walked over and bowed. “This servant is here.”

“Return the Gu Clan’s estate back to them,” Xiaozong said. “And also the properties that were confiscated before.”

Jing Zhong said, “Your Majesty, Gu Chen has no more rank nor peerage anymore. Right now, they’re as good as commoners. It’s probably not a good idea to move them back into their original estate for nobles.”

Xiaozong didn’t follow Jing Zhong’s line of thinking, but said instead, “How could Zhen’s son-in-law be a commoner? Let him be a general again.”

Jing Zhong hastened to say, “Your Majesty, the Gu Clan was convicted on charges of colluding with the enemy and betraying their country.”

Xiaozong didn’t care. “Right now the world is at peace. Zhen doesn’t need him to lead my troops. Besides, the one who colluded with the enemy was that old man, Gu Chen. As for Gu Xinglang, we can just raise him for now.” In his eyes, a general was nothing more than another official during peacetime.

Jing Zhong asked, “Then what kind of general will Your Majesty make Third Young Master Gu?”

Xiaozong couldn’t remember what Gu Xinglang’s previous rank was, so he asked, “What kind did he used to be?”

Gu Xinglang entered the army at 13 and stepped on the battlefields by 15. However, Gu Chen disciplined his soldiers strictly and was of the mind that young men needed to go through the mill before they matured. Thus, he had only let Gu Xinglang rise to the ranks of adjunct general within the army. Despite his heavy responsibilities, his actual rank was rather low. Jing Zhong didn’t bother bringing up Third Young Master Gu’s merits to the emperor and only mentioned his rank.

“Adjunct general?” Xiaozong couldn’t believe it. Gu Chen’s own grandson was nothing more than an adjunct general?

Jing Zhong said, “Your Majesty, Third Young Master Gu’s just turned 17. He’s still young.”

Xiaozong sighed. His own daughter wasn’t even 14 yet! Wasn’t she even younger? “An adjunct general isn’t enough,” Xiaozong declared after some thought. “Make him a third-rank general and find the Gu Clan a place to live.”

“This servant obeys the decree,” Jing Zhong hastened to accept.

“Zhen is doing this for Linglong,” Xiaozong emphasized.

“Your Majesty is wise and brilliant,” Jing Zhong responded quickly.

As the Gu Clan’s enemy, Head Eunuch Jing Zhong was actually quite happy for Gu Xinglang right now. He’d relied on his wife to become a third-rank general. Being painted as a flower boy who lived off his woman was simply a slap to the face for the third young master!

“Go on,” Xiaozong gestured for Jing Zhong to get to work. He felt that he’d done well for his daughter.

Jing Zhong quickly found a residence for the Gu Clan within the capital. It couldn’t compare to their old estate, but did boast a few compounds and flower gardens that made it better than the rest. Once that was done, he didn’t delay and ran straight to the Gu Clan’s temporary lodgings to issue the decree. As expected, the Gu Clan’s faces turned shades of green and white after the proclamation. They were furious, but afraid to express it in words.

“General Gu,” Jing Zhong looked at Gu Xinglang with a smile. “Come accept the decree.”

Gu Xinglang had his head bowed. A man who lost the use of his legs gained the title of third-rank general through his woman? Such humiliation made it difficult for him to breathe, as if the very air had set on fire to burn his organs alive.

Jing Zhong said, “General Gu, are you planning to defy imperial decree?”

Second Young Master Gu Xingyan indignantly rose from the ground. “A scholar accepts death rather than humiliation! Jing Zhong, don’t give us that bullshit!”

Hearing his brother’s angry outburst, Gu Xinglang’s body trembled before he raised his hands above his head. “This subject accepts the decree. I thank His Majesty for his grace.”

“Xinglang!” Gu Xingyan saw his brother’s shaking hands with flaming eyes. He stepped forward to attack Jing Zhong.

“Xingyan,” Gu Chen barked at his grandson.

“Father!” Gu Xingyan’s youngest son Gu Xu (顾旭), who had just turned two, burst into tears.

His mother née Lin took him by the chubby fingers. Her head was bowed, her face also covered in tears. She knew that Gu Xinglang was being humiliated and didn’t care if she died as the second daughter-in-law, but she didn’t want to see her husband or son dead, too.

Now wasn’t the time to kill the Gu Clan yet, so Jing Zhong magnanimously bowed towards Gu Xinglang and said, “I offer my congratulations to General Gu.”

Meanwhile, Gu Xingnuo strode over, took his third brother in his arms, and placed him on a reclining chair. Jing Zhong next told Gu Chen, “His Majesty has also bestowed an estate for you all. Old Gu should began preparations for General Gu’s wedding.”

Gu Chen’s expression was heavy as he looked at Jing Zhong without a word. Jing Zhong knew the man disliked him, so he lingered longer on purpose to disgust them all before leaving the premises. Once he was gone, Gu Xingyan exploded and kicked over a chair.

“They’re pushing us too far!”

Gu Chen only told his wife in quiet tones, “You bring the wives and children back to their rooms first.”

Once the women and children were gone, the doors to the room in the wings opened to reveal Ying Nianyun and the rest. Gu Xingyan was left crouching silently by the flowerbed with his head in his hands. By his side knelt Gu Xingnuo, his eyes wracked with pain. Their father had died on the battlefields before Gu Xinglang turned one, so he had protected his youngest brother until he grew up. The eldest young master of the Gu Clan was distressed for his little brother’s sake, but couldn’t find any way to step in in his place.

“I’m fine,” Gu Xinglang raised his head to look at his big brother. He even managed to smile. “I’m going to get married, big brother. You should be congratulating me instead.”