Chapter 505: It Was the Prince Who Nodded

The twenty‑fifth year of Hongwu, May 17th.

Yingtian Prefecture.

Tomorrow is the day Gu Xian and Zhu Huanhuan are to be married; Wu Wang Fu is strung with lanterns and ribbons, Red Silk is hung from the main gate all the way to the back courtyard, and "happiness" characters are pasted on every door and window.

Zhu Huanhuan sits in the boudoir, with a large red wedding dress before her, embroidered with phoenixes in Jin thread, glowing softly in the candlelight.

Tomorrow, she will wear this wedding dress, walk out of Wu Wang Fu, and step into the Gu family's Sedan Chair.

"Sister, are you nervous?" Zhu Qiongwu leans on the table, tilting his head to look at her.

"Not nervous."

"Then why are your hands shaking?"

Zhu Huanhuan lowers her head to glance at her hands, clenches her fists, and pulls her hands into her sleeves.

Zhu Qiongwu grins, showing a mouth missing a front tooth.

"Sister, you're lying."

Zhu Huanhuan shoots him a glare, saying nothing.

At this moment, Jinling, the Gu family.

Gu Xian sits at his desk, with a marriage contract to be taken to Wu Wang Fu tomorrow laid before him; he reads it over and over, folds it carefully, and places it into a rosewood box.

Footsteps come from outside the door; it's his father, Gu Mingyuan.

"Xian'er, go to sleep early; you have to get up early tomorrow," Gu Mingyuan walks in, looking at his son, his eyes slightly red.

"Father, I can't fall asleep," Gu Xian stands up.

"Even if you can't sleep, you still must; tomorrow is your great joyous day, don't show up with two dark circles to meet the princess."

Gu Xian nods, cradles the rosewood box in his arms, and walks out.

At that moment, the courtyard gate is knocked.

Gu Mingyuan opens the door, sees the visitor, and furrows his brows.

It is Gu Mingcheng, and beside him stands a youth in a blue robe, whose appearance is eighty to ninety percent like Gu Xian's.

Gu Mingyuan feels a chill; he obviously knows who this person is—his legitimate second son, Gu Rui.

"Elder brother, it's so late, why are you here?" Gu Mingyuan blocks the doorway.

"Mingyuan, come in and speak," Gu Mingcheng pushes the door open and strides inside.

Gu Rui follows behind, head down, his expression unreadable.

Gu Mingyuan cannot stop him and can only follow behind.

"Xian'er, you go back first," Gu Mingyuan glances at his son.

"No, Father, I'm here," Gu Xian stands beside his father, his back straight.

Gu Mingcheng sits in the main hall, looks at Gu Xian, and remains silent for a moment.

"Xian'er, tomorrow you will go to Wu Wang Fu to receive the bride."

"Yes, elder uncle."

"Do you know what kind of family Wu Wang Fu is?" Gu Mingcheng's tone is neither harsh nor gentle.

"I know..."

"You know, and you still dare to go?"

Gu Xian looks at him, saying nothing.

Gu Mingcheng stands, walks to Gu Xian's front, sizes him up from head to toe, and sneers coldly.

"You, a merchant's son, on what grounds can you marry the princess of Wu Wang Fu? On your dead‑book learning? On your father's few shabby shops?"

Gu Mingyuan's face flushes red, his fists clenching.

Gu Mingcheng turns his head and points at Gu Rui standing in the doorway.

"Look at him, how much he resembles you—more clever, more worldly, more fit for the son‑in‑law role of Wu Wang Fu. On what do you claim to compete with Rui?"

Gu Xian looks at the cousin who looks almost identical to him, his expression calm.

"Elder uncle, I've never competed with anyone; the princess chose me herself, the Prince nodded."

Gu Mingcheng's face changes.

"What does the Prince's nod matter? As long as you don't appear at Wu Wang Fu tomorrow, Rui will go in your place; once the rice is cooked, they can't back out, can they?"

Gu Mingyuan can no longer hold back.

"Elder brother! How can you say such things? Xian'er is your blood nephew!"

"What does a blood nephew matter? What can he bring to the Gu family? If Rui becomes Wu Wang Fu's son‑in‑law, the Gu family will soar, and your shabby shops will also bask in the glory."

Gu Mingcheng pauses, then sneers again: "Mingyuan, haven't you always wanted the Gu family to prosper? This is the best chance; if Xian'er yields this marriage, letting Rui take the spot, the Gu family will become royal kin from then on."

"No!" Gu Mingyuan blocks his son, "This marriage is the Prince's wish; if you do this, you'll harm Xian'er and also harm the Gu family!"

"Harming the Gu family… I'm helping the Gu family!"

Gu Mingcheng waves, and Gu Rui walks in from the doorway, stepping up to Gu Mingyuan.

"Elder uncle, don't blame me; I'm also doing this for the Gu family's good."

Gu Rui looks at Gu Xian, a hint of smile at his corner, gentle and pure, the same smile as Gu Xian's.

"Cousin, rest assured, I will treat the princess better than you do."

Gu Xian watches him, silent for a moment, then suddenly smiles, a smile tinged with bitterness.

"Brother Rui, you think marrying the princess will make the Gu family soar, you think the Prince can't see who you are?"

"The Prince has never seen me; tomorrow I'll wear your clothes, ride your horse, go to Wu Wang Fu to receive the bride—who could recognize me?" Gu Rui says lightly.

"I…" a voice comes from outside the door.

Everyone turns their heads.

A black, thin youth stood at the doorway, dressed in a half‑worn sturdy uniform, a short knife at his waist, and a Wolf Fang Club in his hand.

The fourteen‑year‑old boy was sun‑tanned dark, his arms full of muscle, standing under Moonlight, his whole body exuding a cold, fierce aura.

Behind him followed a squad of Longxiang Army, their iron armor glinting coldly in the Moonlight.

Zhu QiongJiong.

"Y‑you, who are you?" Gu Mingcheng's complexion changed.

"Wu Wang Fu, Zhu QiongJiong." The youth hoisted the Wolf Fang Club and walked in, each step feeling like stepping on Gu Mingcheng's chest.

Wang Gui followed behind, pulled a document from his chest and unfolded it.

"By order of the Prince, the King of the State, investigate Gu Mingcheng, head of the Gu family, for colluding with the Wang, Li, and Zhao families, intending to replace Li with Tao, impersonating Gu Xian, and marrying the county princess; the evidence is conclusive, seize him immediately."

Gu Mingcheng's face turned pale in an instant; he opened his mouth, wanted to say something, but not a single word came out.

Gu Rui stood beside him, his complexion ghastly, his whole body trembling.

"No, impossible, how could you know…"

"Do you think the Brocade Guard lives on dry rice?" Zhu QiongJiong glanced at him.

Gu Rui knelt on the ground, kowtowing as if pounding garlic.

"Prince, spare me, Prince, spare me, it wasn't me, my father made me do it…"

Zhu QiongJiong didn't look at him, and walked up to Gu Xian.

"Brother‑in‑law, we still have the wedding reception tomorrow, go to sleep early."

Gu Xian looked at the black, thin youth and suddenly smiled.

"Fine..."

Gu Mingcheng and Gu Rui were taken away.

Wang Gui led the Brocade Guard to inventory the Gu family's ledgers and letters, moving them out box by box.

Gu Mingyuan stood in the courtyard, watching the boxes, silent for a long while.

"Master Gu, don't worry, the Prince said your family's business may continue as usual, it won't be implicated," Wang Gui said as he approached.

"And Xian'er's wedding…"

"As usual, tomorrow we still have the wedding reception."

Gu Xian stood beside his father, fists clenched, his palms slick with sweat.

He had just seen Zhu QiongJiong carry the Wolf Fang Club into the room, and an indescribable feeling surged in his heart.

That youth was several years younger than him, yet his presence there was stronger than anyone he had ever seen; only someone who had killed on the battlefield could have that look.

He recalled Huan Huan, recalling a sentence she had said.

"My father is a good man, kind to me and kind to others, but when it comes to enemies, he never softens his hand."

Back then he didn't understand; now he does.