Chapter 86: Big Brother

“Sister, I’ll go fetch the Marquis right away—we must settle this clearly for the children’s sake,” Bai Shi said.

“Lady Bai, by tomorrow at the latest, I, Gu Tingyu, will give you a proper explanation.”

“Good, Brother Yu, your health comes first—the autumn examinations are paramount.”

After speaking, the three walked out together; they had spent only two qing in the Xu household.

At Anmei’s courtyard, Gu Tingyi and Anmei waved goodbye tearfully, then waved to Li Nu as well, before being carried away by Chang Mama.

At lunchtime, the three Xu brothers learned the outcome and waited only for an explanation over the next two days.

After so much happened, Xu Pingmei had no heart to continue embroidering her dowry; she sat listlessly in the courtyard holding an embroidery pattern.

At this moment, Qingxia urged her:

“Miss, this is all for your own good. If you truly go to the Gu household and their young master is so rude and untrained, we can’t say much—it’s only a servant girl. But they struck your face.”

“Mm, I know. How is Qingzhi now?”

“She cried a few times last night, but made no sound—only tears. This morning her eyes are still swollen.”

“Do you think the Gu household will punish them for me?”

“Miss, it’s their own household that’s corrupt—not because of you! Don’t ever say that again! Xu daughters aren’t unmarriageable. And if the two families truly marry, their little branch’s behavior will hurt you—”

your child with Gu Tingyu will suffer.

Qingxia didn’t continue; the wedding wasn’t yet sealed.

Bai Shi and Gu Tingyu returned to the Ningyuan Marquis House in separate carriages.

Inside the carriage, Gu Tingyu hadn’t slept all night and now couldn’t help dozing off.

About half an hour passed.

The carriage arrived at the second gate of the Ningyuan Marquis House.

Disembarking, Chang Mama took Gu Tingyi’s hand and followed behind Bai Shi.

At the gate, Bai Shi noticed her own maidservants looked uneasy.

Gu Tingyu, yawning and supported by Youqing, also sensed something was off—the household’s atmosphere was strange.

The servants’ glances toward Bai Shi held ambiguous expressions.

Arriving in the back courtyard, Bai Shi understood the cause.

In the main hall sat a woman as frail as willow in the wind.

Bai Shi stepped to the entrance of the main hall.

She looked over—the woman’s features were exquisite, her expression shy, her neck marked with bruise-red marks, her eyes full of allure.

Any woman could tell this woman had been with a man last night—and thoroughly delighted.

Seeing this, Bai Shi’s fury surged, her head spun, her vision blurred.

Seeing Bai Shi approach, the woman quickly rose.

Bai Shi felt a stone crash into her chest.

At the door, Gu Yan Kai’s long-serving attendant Qi Sheng nearly buried his face in his crotch, daring not to look at Bai Shi.

Gu Tingyu followed Bai Shi into the courtyard.

He stared at the woman in the main hall, his gaze sharpened, his eyes filled with memory, then understanding dawned—he recalled something.

Where his father had been last night now had its answer.

He lowered his head, closed his eyes, as if building up his resolve.

Then Gu Tingyu lifted his head—his eyes glinted like needle points, his face flushed, his breathing grew rapid, his throat rattled, his fists clenched and trembled inside his sleeves.

This was the sign of furious rage.

As he stepped toward the main hall, Gu Tingyu’s vision darkened, his throat turned sweet.

Before losing consciousness, Gu Tingyu faintly heard his third sister cry out in anguish: “Big brother!”

Before Bai Shi could react, she heard a thud behind her.

Everyone turned their gaze to the sound.

Qi Sheng reacted fastest, rushing forward and helping Youqing lift Gu Tingyu—but Gu Tingyu’s mouth was full of blood, unconscious.

Youqing cried desperately: “Young Master! Young Master, wake up!”

“Big brother! Big brother, what’s wrong?” Gu Tingyi cried, his small face streaked with tears.

Gu Yan Kai, seated in the main hall, had avoided looking at Bai Shi earlier.

Now, seeing this, he rose instantly, face flushed with rage, stepping out and shouting:

“Yu’er! What happened?! Someone, fetch the Imperial Physician!”

Then he glared at Bai Shi:

“You! You’re how you treat him?! He’s vomiting blood!”

Bai Shi’s eyes flickered with panic at Gu Tingyu’s collapse.

But upon hearing Gu Yan Kai’s words, she closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and said nothing—only her chest rose and fell violently.

They carried Gu Tingyu onto the couch in the main hall; he slowly regained consciousness.

“Yu’er, what happened? Tell me—I’m here,” Gu Yan Kai said anxiously.

Bai Shi watched coldly, still silent—whether stunned or unwilling to speak, no one knew.

She glanced at the young woman in the hall who hadn’t spoken, her lips curled into a faint, mocking sneer.

Seeing Bai Shi’s indifference, Gu Yan Kai’s unnamed rage swelled—he shouted:

“What are you still doing here? Go fetch the Imperial Physician!”

“Father! You can’t yell at Mother!”

Gu Tingyi, the sensible child, cried out, tears falling like pearls.

This shout silenced Gu Yan Kai.

“Miss, the Marquis isn’t yelling at your mother.”

The woman spoke softly, crouched down, reaching to embrace Gu Tingyi.

Seeing this, Bai Shi shouted angrily:

“How dare you touch her? Get out!”

Gu Yan Kai frowned: “How are you speaking?”

“I am the Lady of the Gu household—can’t I speak?”

Chang Mama stepped forward and shoved the woman away, preventing her from soiling Gu Tingyi.

Gu Tingyi ignored the woman.

At that moment, Bai Shi crouched down; Gu Tingyi ran a few steps and threw herself into Bai Shi’s arms.

The mother and daughter said nothing; Bai Shi held her and walked out.

“Where are you going? Don’t you see how Yu’er is?” Gu Yan Kai snapped.

“I’m going to summon the Imperial Physician for the eldest son.”

As they left the main hall, Gu Tingye arrived at the door, panting.

“Mother, what happened?” he asked.

Bai Shi said nothing, pulled him out.

Gu Tingye walked while constantly glancing back at his brother and father in the main hall.

The woman in the hall rose softly and said gently:

“Marquis, the eldest daughter misunderstands me. It’s true—it’s I who brought this trouble upon the Marquis House. I—I’ll leave.”

Seeing this, Gu Tingyu felt sick—he closed his eyes in pain and cried: “Youqing! Youqing!”

“Young Master!”

“Carry me back to Fuyao Courtyard.”

Gu Yan Kai said:

“Why return to Fuyao Courtyard? Wait here for the Imperial Physician.”

“Father… I… want… to… return… to… Fuyao… Courtyard,” Gu Tingyu said, each word deliberate.

“Marquis, the eldest son surely has his own reasons—why must you—” the woman hadn’t finished.

“Shut up!” Gu Tingyu roared at the woman.

“I don’t want to dirty my ears!”

Hearing Gu Tingyu’s roar, the woman looked pitifully at Gu Yan Kai.

At that moment, Youqing entered.

Gu Tingyu extended his hand and was carried away on Youqing’s back, leaving the main hall.

Gu Tingyu had never spoken to Gu Yan Kai this way—it startled him.

Just then, Gu Yan Kai’s fifth brother, Gu Lun, rushed into the courtyard, face anxious.

He shouted:

“Big brother! Big brother! Are you back? Come be my judge! Our Yang boy is being strangled to death! Our Gu household is being crushed! Big brother!”

Behind Gu Lun came his weeping Lady.

He reached the main hall’s entrance, saw the woman inside, his eyes narrowed—he glanced at her, then at his elder brother.

His Lady paused her crying, staring curiously at the woman in the hall.

Then, without further pause, he continued:

“Big brother, yesterday our Yang boy was sent back, said to be drunk. Today when he woke, I learned—he was strangled unconscious!”

“What?!!!”

Gu Yan Kai asked in shock.

Gu Lun Kai said:

“Big brother, yesterday Young Master Yang went to the Xu family’s banquet, and Xu Zaijing, relying on his strength, claimed he was just playing around with Young Master Yang!

He actually choked him until he passed out—what deep grudge could that be?

Today, Young Master Yang woke up but can barely speak. How could anyone treat him so cruelly!”

As he spoke, Gu Lun Kai began to cry.

“I’ve heard rumors in the marketplace about how fierce the Fifth Young Master of the Xu family is, but I never imagined he’d choke someone for sport,” the woman said, her expression troubled.

“I know the Xu Fifth Young Master—he’s a sensible boy. How could he possibly bully our Young Master Yang without cause?” Gu Yan Kai asked.

“Young Master Yang didn’t say, but regardless, we were guests in their home. How could they treat us so?”

“Big brother, please stand up for our minor branch! Our Young Master Yang is a well-behaved, honest boy—he must be bullied by cruel people when he’s out.”

Gu Yan Kai glanced at the woman in the hall, then turned to look at the calligraphy and paintings hanging in the main chamber. “Fine, I understand. I will see justice done for Young Master Yang.”

“Someone, see to this girl’s accommodation.”

“Yes, Marquis. But—”

“What?”

“The Lady has left the estate directly.”

“Where did she go?”

“Likely to the Bai family’s residence in Bianjing. Before leaving, she said the imperial physician had already been summoned.”

Gu Yan Kai waved his hand, and everyone withdrew from the main hall.

Then Gu Yan Kai turned and walked toward Gu Tingyang’s Fuyao Courtyard.

Gu Yan Kai, accustomed to being master of the Gu household, felt uneasy, for Gu Tingyang’s eyes resembled those of the Great Lady Qin—they fixed on him, making him uneasy.

Neither father nor son spoke first.

The courtyard was quiet, save for a few cicadas chirping from somewhere unseen.

Finally, Gu Tingyang spoke:

“Father, you took a woman into the household during mourning—do you know how great a liability that is?”

Gu Yan Kai turned his head away, but his breath quickened.

“Father, isn’t this woman strikingly similar to my mother—in character, attire, even her incense?”

Gu Yan Kai remained silent.

“Do you truly believe such a woman simply grew up in Bianjing on her own?”

As he spoke, Gu Tingyang’s voice trembled, filled with disbelief and accusation.

“Nonsense! Rest properly!”

Saying this, Gu Yan Kai swept his sleeve and left the Fuyao Courtyard.

Outside the courtyard, Gu Yan Kai stopped and said to Qian Sheng behind him:

“Bring the servants who attended Gu Tingbing for detailed interrogation.”

“Yes, Marquis.”

If there are typos or awkward passages, please kindly point them out.

I’m working hard on the posting!





(End of Chapter)