Chapter 302: with translation of chapter title

Gu Kang's chopsticks fell from his hand to the ground, and he looked in terror at his older brother squatting before him; that gaze was as if he had encountered a vengeful ghost from hell coming to claim his life.

"Old... older brother, I'm not hungry, please, older brother, save me and get me out of here!"

"Older brother..."

Gu Cheng's facial expression showed not the slightest change; instead, a gentle, warm smile spread across his face.

He was just like when they were children, attentively caring for his younger brother.

"How old are you, being so careless?" Gu Cheng bent down, picked up the chopsticks stained with mud from the ground, and placed them into Gu Huai's slightly trembling hand.

Feeling the chopsticks were like red-hot coals, Gu Huai shuddered violently upon taking them.

Gu Cheng smiled as he opened the food container, brought out a bowl of braised meatballs that Gu Huai loved most, and placed it before him.

"Eat, it's your favorite," Gu Cheng directly placed the meatballs before Gu Huai.

Gu Huai recoiled in fright, stepping back repeatedly; Gu Cheng's smile froze a fraction, and he lifted his gaze to his younger brother.

Though his gaze appeared gentle, like scolding a picky child, it made Gu Huai feel as if something were staring at him, cold to the bone.

"Ah Huai, you're all grown up, why do you still need your older brother to feed you?"

"I remember you were spoiled as a child, didn't like eating rice, your body was frail, and Mother ran everywhere seeking doctors."

"Back then, it was your older brother who ate with you; Mother said children's meals must be snatched up to be filling."

Gu Cheng murmured as he slowly lifted the bowl holding the meatballs to Gu Huai's lips, smiling faintly: "Ah Huai, you're this old and still need your older brother to feed you—really a bit mischievous."

Originally gentle words, now flowing from the stern Gu Cheng's lips, actually carried a hint of chill.

With a clatter, the terrified Gu Huai shoved the bowl approaching his face away with his hand.

The bowl fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.

For a moment, the atmosphere between the two brothers grew somewhat heavy.

Gu Cheng's expression froze there; he could no longer keep up the act, and he let out a soft laugh.

Gu Cheng slowly drew from his bosom a handkerchief stained with bloody characters, and also an ink‑jade pendant.

The pendant looked precious, carved from rare ink‑jade.

If this pendant were taken to a pawnshop, it could fetch several thousand taels of silver.

At this moment, seeing the ink‑jade pendant in Gu Cheng's hand, Gu Huai's eyes narrowed slightly, and he collapsed in terror onto the ground.

In an instant, Gu Huai understood.

Earlier, he had handed this ink‑jade pendant to the jailer here, asking the jailer to pass a message out.

Unexpectedly, the message ended up in Gu Cheng's hands, and he suddenly trembled with fear.

Gu Cheng, however, had no intention of sparing his own younger brother; he shook out the handkerchief stained with blood and began to recite it softly.

"Inquire after the Crown Prince's peace..."

Gu Cheng whispered the recitation, while the ashes beside him seemed like countless sharp knives piercing his ears, causing his head to split with pain and panic.

After reciting for a while and finding it boring, Gu Cheng put the handkerchief away, returned it to his bosom, and coldly looked at his own younger brother as he laughed.

"Yes, although I serve the Crown Prince, you also know my nature, Gu Cheng—you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket."

"Otherwise, when the chickens fly and the eggs break, I'll have nothing left and nowhere to seek redress."

"Now the Third Prince has been deposed by Prince Rui; he's basically no longer a concern."

"Among the many princes in the inner palace, probably only the Crown Prince and the Sixth Prince can put up a resistance."

"It's a pity that the Crown Prince ends up isolated and weak. As outstanding as I am, I can't just hang myself on his single person."

"Naturally, I also need to show goodwill to that side."

Gu Cheng spoke all these words openly in front of Gu Huai.

The more candid Gu Cheng was, the more Gu Huai feared in his heart, fear reaching its peak, his whole body trembling incessantly.

He had originally thought the Ministry of Punishments should be within the Crown Prince's sphere of influence.

He had used the jade pendant as a bribe, hoping the jailer would relay a message to the Crown Prince, but instead the message reached Gu Cheng, showing that his older brother had already sidelined the Crown Prince.

Over these years, the older brother has helped the Crown Prince with affairs while quietly building his own power.

All he waits for is the day he has enough capital to negotiate with those princes for a share, and then sit atop the splendid lands of the South Pole.

Gu Cheng also inadvertently learned of the collusion between his older brother and the Sixth Prince; now he intends to tell this to the Crown Prince so that the Crown Prince might help save his life.

Gu Kang actually suspected deep down that the Gu family would no longer waste any time or effort on him, so he took the risky route of betraying his older brother, informing the Crown Prince, and urging the Crown Prince to be wary of his older brother's strength.

Unexpectedly, the extent to which the older brother had infiltrated the Crown Prince's entourage was beyond his imagination; the case was so huge that even the senior officials of the Ministry of Punishments were under the older brother's control. In an instant, Gu Huai was terrified, his face drained of color, and he suddenly fell to his knees before Gu Cheng, kowtowing fiercely.

"Older brother! Older brother! Please spare me this time! I, too, am desperate and grasping at straws from illness; I truly am afraid, and I never imagined Father would strike my name from the clan register."

"Older brother, I too am left with no choice; please, older brother, save me once, I beg you."

Gu Cheng let out a soft laugh, drew near Gu Huai's face, and slowly raised his hand.

Gu Huai felt as if he were entwined by a poisonous snake, frantically trying to push her away and rush out of the cell, but before he could take a few steps Gu Cheng yanked him back hard, instantly pulling the sash from his waist.

Gu Huai, being a scholar by birth, had no martial arts to speak of, only a repertoire of petty, underhanded schemes.

But Gu Cheng is different; he studied literature as well as a few martial techniques, so in front of his older brother, the tricks Gu Kang was pulling seemed like child's play.

Gu Cheng seized the sash he had pulled from Gu Huai and ruthlessly looped it around Gu Huai's neck.

Immediately his shriek cut off, leaving only a low breath; his two hands clutched Gu Cheng's arms tightly, his eyes locked fixedly on his older brother.

Perhaps after a long while, the hurried breathing and the faint sounds from the pinpricks on his shoulder all faded away; finally, the cell held a death‑like stillness, leaving only a story and a faint sigh.

As the saying goes, long nights bring many dreams; Gu Cheng has come this far without allowing any mistake, and when he discovered that his brother, even on the brink of death, still wanted to betray him to the Crown Prince's side for a chance to live, his heart surged with anger.

He dealt with Gu Kang because Gu Kang and he are not born of the same mother.

Between them they must inevitably stand on opposing sides; moreover, Gu Kang holds the Gu family's legitimate heir status, while Gu Cheng, though exceptionally talented, is not the family's legitimate offspring.

During this period they have endured countless scornful looks, each constantly criticized by others, and he has come to hate Gu Kang even more.

What he could not tolerate most was that his own younger brother, Gu Huai, on the verge of death, still tried to drag her down as a stepping stone.

At this moment, the rope he was gripping tightly, until the person before him could no longer move.

Gu Cheng slowly loosened his grip, lowered his eyes to look at his brother whose face was bluish-purple before him, suddenly gave a light laugh, took the rope back, and tiptoed to hang it on the prison's bars.