Chapter 146

Second Young Master of the Gu Family's murder case quickly pushed the Gu Family into the eye of the storm; Gu Shijie was once again summoned to the palace, and Emperor Longqing nearly beat his head to a pulp with his fan.

Even if Gu Kang were even more foolish, he knew this time he absolutely could not plead guilty; pleading guilty would really mean he couldn't survive.

Several officials of the Ministry of Punishment had already begun torturing Gu Kang, but out of respect for the Prime Minister's manor, they only inflicted superficial injuries, merely trying to scare Gu Kang, without harming his fundamentals.

Even so, Gu Kang could hardly withstand it, he fainted, and was helped into the prison cell.

His whole body ached terribly; he curled up on a filthy pile of straw, gasping for breath.

Footsteps sounded outside the prison cell, and then someone stood still at the door.

With a clatter, the sound of chains opening, the jailer's respectful voice came: "Sir Gu, you also understand this is the Ministry of Punishment's great prison; I have taken great risk to let you in, and I can only say a few words—any more would be impossible."

"Hmm!" a clear, cold voice sounded.

Gu Kang hurriedly propped himself up and looked toward the cell door, his gaze meeting Gu Cheng's icy eyes.

Gu Kang's body involuntarily trembled, yet he kept utmost caution in his eyes as he crawled toward Gu Cheng and grabbed his leg.

"Big Brother! Save me! Save me!"

"I really didn't kill anyone!"

"It's the third younger brother..."

Gu Kang had just said that when he suddenly realized something: at the very least, Third Brother was also Gu Cheng's blood brother. He hurriedly caught his breath and said: "Someone has framed me and Third Brother, Big Brother. Please, for the sake of our years of brotherhood, help me, help me—I don't want to die, I really don't want to die!"

"Blood brothers?" Gu Cheng's eyes flickered, the corner of his mouth curling into a sneer as he lowered his head and glanced down at Gu Kang kneeling before him.

He slowly squatted down, leaned close to Gu Kang's ear, and asked in a low voice: "Gu Kang, I ask you—if you can answer me, I, as your older brother, will settle this matter for you."

"Thank you, Big Brother! Thank you, Big Brother!" Gu Kang repeatedly kowtowed in thanks.

But Gu Cheng seized Gu Kang's collar, leaned to his ear, and whispered: "Back then, your maternal grandfather took so many treasures and left Southern Qi, only to die under mysterious circumstances."

"Rumor has it he went to the Western Tribes; what exactly did he go there to seek? Do you know? Think hard."

Gu Kang stared dumbfounded—how would he know those things?

All these years he's known only how to eat, drink, and have fun; he never thought of his maternal grandfather, let alone his mother who died giving birth to him—he couldn't even recall her.

Gu Kang looked blankly at Gu Cheng: "Big Brother, I… I don't know!"

Gu Cheng's brows knitted tightly as he forced back a laugh: "Think carefully—after your birth mother died, did any survivors of the Du family keep in contact with you?"

Gu Kang was on the verge of tears, looking fearfully at the older brother before him, finally realizing he hadn't come to rescue him tonight—he was here to pump him for information.

But he knew nothing at all—even if he tried to make something up now, he couldn't!

"I… I don't know! Big Brother! My childhood playmates were just you and Third Brother; I haven't been close to anyone else. Right, and Second Sister also gets along well with me! And Mother…"

Gu Cheng's expression gradually turned colder; he slowly stood up, looking down from above at the poor creature kneeling on the ground.

That gaze was as if he were looking at a lifeless corpse.

Gu Cheng took out a plain sheet of paper from his bosom and slowly unfolded it before Gu Kang; to his surprise, it was the Gu family's Gu Zu Pu.

The Gu family was originally a humble rural household with little heritage, but after Gu Shijie became Prime Minister, he forcibly had someone compile the Gu Zu Pu, recording all of the Gu family's near and far relatives.

Because Gu Kang was the eldest son, his position in the Gu Zu Pu was prominent, yet this time someone heavily crossed out those two characters with a red pen.

You… you… Gu Kang's face turned deathly pale as he stared fixedly at Gu Cheng.

Gu Cheng said lightly: "This is Father's intention—to cross you out of the Gu family's Gu Zu Pu; from now on you are no longer a member of the Gu family, expelled from the household, self—born—self—extinction!"

No… no… you can't do this! You can't do this!

Gu Kang burst into tears immediately, but Gu Cheng kicked him away.

Gu Kang cried out: "You can't do this!"

If it weren't for my mother, if it weren't for my maternal grandfather, how could Gu Shijie have attained his present position?

The house you live in, the food, drink, and things you use—all paid for with my mother's silver! You can't treat me like this!

On what grounds? On what grounds!

Gu Cheng smiled faintly: "Just because you are Gu Kang, son of the Du family—that's all."

No! No! Gu Kang lunged at Gu Cheng, but the shackles on his wrists were too heavy, and having been tortured these past days, he was no match for Gu Cheng.

He was kicked to the ground again by Gu Cheng, he crawled up on his knees, Gu Cheng had already left the cell, and the jailer outside relocked the door.

Gu Kang lay at the door, wailing loudly: "Let me out! Let me out! I'm innocent! Innocent!"

Right, and my sister—go find my sister! My sister is the Princess Consort of Rui… my older sister is the Princess Consort of Rui…

The jailer couldn't help but laugh in anger and scolded: "You don't even bother to take a piss and look at yourself?"

Now that you've been driven out by the Gu family, do you still want to live?

Princess Consort of Rui… I heard people say you didn't voluntarily cut off contact with the Princess Consort of Rui—how could she possibly look after you?

Gu Kang collapsed onto the icy ground, his face ashen as death.

In his mind he replayed those farces—how Gu Cheng had instigated and plotted to frame his elder sister, causing her to be thrown into the Imperial Clan Office, where she nearly died.

At the poetry gathering, his elder sister took first place; under Gu Huai's guidance, he deliberately sought trouble for his elder sister.

Later, Bei Di returned the maternal grandfather's treasure, and he also listened to Lady Lin's words, leading to a dispute with his elder sister in front of the Gu family's main hall, nearly knocking her over, and even severing all ties with her over money.

Now where would he have the face to ask his elder sister for help?

He had always regarded Lady Lin as his own mother and Gu Cheng and his siblings as his own blood relatives, never imagining that they had never regarded him as anything.

I'm truly foolish… I'm truly foolish…

Gu Kang slowly covered his face, tears seeping through his fingers; unable to hold back his sorrow, he burst into loud sobs.

On this side, Gu Cheng hadn't gotten anything useful from Gu Kang's mouth, so he could only give up.

The Du family's secrets—he would investigate them slowly, feeling that they involved something important, perhaps also what he wanted to obtain.

He walked to the side alley, clasped his fists in greeting to Vice Minister Chao of the Ministry of Punishment; Vice Minister Chao was someone from the Crown Prince's side and also knew that Gu Cheng's aide was important, so he was courteous on the surface.

He smiled softly at Gu Cheng: "Sir Gu, this case is truly thorny; I, as the official, have no way to shield Second Master Gu, but I will do my best to look after him a bit."

Gu Cheng smiled faintly: "Vice Minister Chao, there's no need to go to such trouble."

Gu Kang deserves his punishment; this case can't be closed, you'll also suffer.

Hehe! Gu Kang has already been removed from the Gu Zu Pu by my father; you don't need to worry about the Gu family's face.

Chao official was stunned on the spot; Gu Cheng took out the Gu Zu Pu and showed it to Chao official, then whispered with a smile: "Gu Kang used to be my brother; I know his weakness—he fears pain the most. If we want him to confess, it's not hard."

Break his legs, use severe punishment!

Chao official had seen too many life-and-death cases in the Ministry of Punishment; hearing Gu Cheng's words, he still couldn't help shivering.

This person... is truly ruthless!