Chapter 261 - 150: Defending in a Domineering Way (Part 2)

The man’s injuries were fatal, and he died.

The woman was left a widow.

Xuanping Marquis pitied her and gave her some silver.

As it happened, the medical practitioner’s relatives were victims of a flood, had brought their family and sought refuge with the practitioner.

The practitioner’s home was now without room, and the Marquis, needing treatment for his injuries, couldn’t travel far.

“If you do not mind, sir, you may stay in my home,” the woman proposed.

From then on, Gu Jiao could piece together what happened without needing the steward Liu to elaborate.

“The Marquis stayed for half a year, until his injuries were fully healed. He asked her if she wanted to go with him to the capital, but she was hesitant. The Marquis, never a man to force others, gave her a token and told her she could come to the capital and find him whenever she was ready.”

Steward Liu sighed, “Oh, the Marquis… He really doesn’t understand women.”

Gu Jiao wasn’t involved, so she didn’t comment.

Steward Liu continued, “Years passed since their farewell. If it weren’t for the young master showing up four years ago with the token and the garments the Marquis had worn those many years ago, the Marquis wouldn’t even have known she was pregnant and had secretly given birth to his son.”

Gu Jiao asked, “So you’re saying that Xiao Liulang came to the capital only four years ago?”

Steward Liu confirmed, “Yes.”

Gu Jiao asked, “Did he stay in the capital for long?”

Steward Liu regretfully shook his head, “No, the young master arrived at a difficult time. The capital had just experienced several murders and the Marquis was busy with the Justice Department and couldn’t return home. When he was finally able to return to the Marquis Residence … another tragedy struck. His only legitimate son died. This greatly affected the Marquis and he refused to see anyone. The young master entrusted the token and garments to a servant in the Marquis Residence. It was a long time before the servant reported it to the Marquis. By then, the young master had already left the capital.”

Gu Jiao paused, “So… he only stayed in the capital for a couple of months?”

Steward Liu recalled, “Probably less than a month.”

Gu Jiao, deep in thought, responded simply, “Oh.”

Steward Liu continued, “On her deathbed, the young master’s mother told him about his real father. The young master and his half-brother from the same mother went together to the capital to find their father. Little did they expect that not only would they fail to find their father, but his brother would also come into contact with a leprosy patient. The young master left the capital quickly with his brother to avoid him being taken to Mafeng Mountain.”

Gu Jiao nodded, “I see.”

“Hmm?” Steward Liu didn’t understand the implications of her response.

Gu Jiao told him, “Please continue.”

Steward Liu went on, “Afterwards, the Marquis had people look for the young master’s whereabouts and only found out last year that the young master was studying at the Tianxiang Academy in a county town. The Marquis wanted me to bring the young master back, but despite my numerous attempts to persuade him, the young master was reluctant to return with me, perhaps due to his inability to forget about the past.”

Gu Jiao believed that part of what he said was true, but whether there was more to the story remained uncertain.

Sometimes, twisting the truth doesn’t require lying, just a deliberate omission of certain facts.

Moreover, no one could guarantee that steward Liu was aware of the complete truth.

She believed that there was indeed a Xiao Liulang who had gone to the capital in search of his father four years ago.

But, was this Xiao Liulang truly the same Xiao Liulang?

Gu Jiao took a sip of tea and spread her hands, “I’m sorry, but if he doesn’t want to return, there’s really nothing I can do.”

What? After all this time, that’s all you have to say?

Shouldn’t you cry in sorrow for your husband’s past, express grief that father and son cannot recognize each other?

Don’t you have any sense as a simple village girl?!

Steward Liu became anxious. If the sympathy card didn’t work, he’d drop the bomb!

He steeled himself and said in a serious tone, “Did you know the young master was bullied at the Guozijian? Do you know what kind of place the Guozijian is? A great many of the students there are privileged children from the capital, and their academic and official connections are extraordinarily powerful. The young master attempting to compete against them on his own is simply impossible! Even if you, young madam, aren’t thinking of yourself, you should please think of the young master! The Marquis doesn’t mind him being crippled and is willing to acknowledge him as his son, he should obediently return. Once he’s the young master of the Marquis Residence of Xuanping, he wouldn’t merely be able to impose himself in the Guozijian – he could do so in the whole capital!”

Finally, some flicker of emotion crossed Gu Jiao’s face, but it wasn’t moved, it was an endless sense of murderous intent and chilliness.

She stood up and, looking down at Liu on the cushion beneath her, said, “Tell your master for me, I will protect my own husband!”

Someone dared to bully her husband?

Excellent, very excellent!

Gu Jiao returned to Bishui Alley.

Xiao Liulang had already washed his soiled clothes, with no trace of humiliation visible on his face.

Gu Jiao gazed at those clothes fluttering in the cold wind, her eyes gradually cooling down.

The next day, Gu Jiao sought out Fen Lin.

Fen Lin was quite surprised, “Xiao Jingkong said you were looking for me. What can I do for you?”

Gu Jiao explained the reason for her visit.

The look in Fen Lin’s eyes became evasive, “Well… Liulang didn’t allow me to tell you what happened at Guozijian.”

Gu Jiao kept silent, gazing at him motionlessly.

As much as Fen Lin used to despise her, he now liked her just as much. It wasn’t a romantic liking, but more like a familial bond.

Eventually, Fen Lin succumbed, sighing heavy-heartedly, “Alright, something did happen. Liulang… has offended Zheng Siye.”

He had no idea how that came about; Few people knew about the incident involving Xiao Jingkong and Qin Chuyu. Liulang didn’t disclose anything, and Fen Lin had no way of finding out.

Xiao Liulang had become a diligent student who no longer disguised his abilities and was accepted into Shuaixin Hall only because of that.

However, during the monthly test, he ranked last. The rumor had it that Zheng Siye was the one grading the exams.

While others might not know Xiao Liulang’s strengths, Fen Lin and Lin Chengye, who had attended his classes, could never believe that his grades would suddenly plummet like this.

Fen Lin said, “Even Lin Chengye has been asking me if Zheng Siye is giving Liulang a hard time. There’s also Wang Qi, Chen Duo, Luo Du, Zhao Hai…”

Fen Lin listed a series of names, all of whom had been picking on Xiao Liulang in recent days.

Gu Jiao jotted down their names in her notebook.

Some of them were victims of coercion. Gu Jiao crossed out their names, leaving only four—Luo Du, Zhao Rui, Zhou Fengping, and Zheng Siye.

Luo Du and Zhao Rui were “jiansheng,” Zhou Fengping was the Chancellor.

Being the head of the six halls, Shuaixin Hall students are typically not bullied at will.

Zhou Fengping was Zheng Siye’s henchman. With Zheng Siye soon to be the new “jijiu,” Zhou Fengping was expected to be the next Chancellor, always at Zheng Siye’s beck and call.

As for Luo Du and Zhao Rui, those two had quite a reputation in Capital City: One was the young master of the Duke Luo Residence, and the other was the youngest son of the Minister of Works, the direct superior of Marquis Gu.

But in Gu Jiao’s eyes, it was no big deal.

No one would bully her husband!

Marquis Gu was in a critical period of annual appraisal, racking his brains every day on how to please his superior.

What he didn’t know was that while he was bestowing generosity upon his superior, his daughter had beaten the latter’s young son into a brutal state of disfigurement!

One beyond the recognition of his own parents!

On the way home, Marquis Gu looked at the sky in bewilderment, wondering why he still felt uneasy after gifting so much, and even had a premonition of impending doom?

This feeling intensified after Gu Jiao gave the young master of Duke Luo Residence a thrashing.

Marquis Gu felt a chill down his spine.

He hadn’t done anything wrong, so why did he feel doomed?

After Gu Jiao beat up Zhou Fengping, the Chancellor of Guozijian, even drinking water got stuck in Marquis Gu’s teeth!

He was overwhelmed with apprehension, really scared.

In the darkness of the alley, Gu Jiao took out her little notebook and crossed off the third name, Zhou Fengping.

Her gaze landed on the last name, and wearing a black dress, Gu Jiao curled her lips into a wicked smile.