Gu Mingyue and Gu Yumei’s faces were pale.
Gu Yumei reacted swiftly, turning to run to Gu Kun’s side, crying as she reported, “Father, Eldest Sister hit me, sob.”
Gu Kun had arrived with Third Concubine Han Shi and Gu Mingyue. Old General Gu was also rushing over.
Gu Kun had naturally heard what Gu Mingyue and Gu Yumei were saying.
“Qianying, your fourth sister was merely speaking the truth. What wrong has she done that you would hit your sisters?”
Gu Yumei was currently Gu Kun’s most favored daughter, so he naturally sided with her.
As soon as he spoke, before Gu Qianying could reply, Gu Yefeng coldly rebuked Gu Kun, “Father, you truly are muddled in your old age, to believe the words of such fools!”
Crack.
A branch snapped nearby.
Purple robes fluttered in the wind.
Gu Yefeng’s eyes were filled with murderous intent.
Gu Yumei was too scared to speak.
Gu Kun’s expression turned angry, “Presumptuous! I am your father. How dare you speak to me like that?”
Gu Kun wanted to establish his authority in front of everyone.
“Heh, Father, do you deserve it?”
Gu Yefeng had never feared him.
“You…”
Gu Kun was furious.
“Guards, guards! Seize Gu Yefeng, this unfilial son, and administer the family law!”
In terms of martial arts, he was no match for Gu Yefeng, but he was still Gu Yefeng’s father. If his son was unfilial, he had the duty to discipline him properly!
Three household servants rushed forward.
“What are you doing? Get out of my way, all of you!”
Old General Gu arrived with the old steward.
The three servants who were about to seize Gu Yefeng immediately retreated, intimidated.
As soon as Old General Gu arrived, Gu Kun’s attitude changed. He twisted the facts, vividly describing Gu Yefeng’s unfilial behavior and Gu Qianying’s ruthlessness in secretly executing the village chief who had offended her.
As soon as he finished speaking, Old General Gu slapped him. “Don’t you understand the principle of shared honor and disgrace? Gu Kun clutched his chest, enraged, glared at him, and kicked him to the ground, shouting, “You scoundrel! Go, go, kneel in the ancestral hall! You are not to come out without my command!”
Gu Kun, unwillingly, was escorted away by the old steward.
With Gu Kun gone, Third Concubine Han Shi found a pretext, paid her respects to Old General Gu, and hastily left with Gu Ziran.
She understood that only when Old General Gu was present could Gu Qianying not suffer any loss, and then the show could not continue.
As for who killed the village chief, she was not interested.
When Third Concubine and Gu Ziran left, Gu Yumei and Gu Mingyue also wanted to find an excuse to leave, but Gu Qianying stopped them.
“Second Sister, Fourth Sister, Grandfather said that if I, your Eldest Sister, were involved in a murder case, then everyone in our Gu Manor would be implicated, and that naturally includes you, Third Sister and Fourth Sister.
Of course, although I, your Eldest Sister, am usually a bit bold, I would never dare to kill anyone. Therefore, to prove my innocence, my brother has found a coroner to examine the body and ascertain the true cause of the village chief’s death, and also to find some favorable evidence for me, an innocent person.
Second Sister, Fourth Sister, why don’t you stay and accompany Eldest Sister, and help Brother and the coroner with the examination? It would be a small contribution to our Gu Manor.”
After Gu Qianying finished speaking, both Gu Mingyue and Gu Yumei’s faces changed.
“Eldest Sister, you jest. Examining a body with a coroner is not something we young ladies have the courage to do.”
“Yes, Eldest Sister. If Eldest Sister wishes to stay, you may stay alone. Fourth Sister has matters in her room and will take her leave first.”
As Gu Yumei and Gu Mingyue turned to leave, Gu Qianying stopped them both simultaneously.
She first looked at Gu Yumei and said calmly, “Fourth Sister, didn’t Grandfather say that we share honor and disgrace? Fourth Sister surely wishes that the murderer is me.”
Gu Yumei followed her words, saying, “Naturally.”
“Therefore, Fourth Sister should stay and accompany Eldest Sister. Firstly, to give Eldest Sister some courage, and secondly, with Fourth Sister and Brother’s help, the coroner can examine the body faster.”
“Eldest Sister, I…”
Gu Yumei tried to break free from Gu Qianying, but then heard Gu Qianying say, “Fourth Sister, the children of our Gu Manor should have courage as vast as the sky, worthy of Grandfather’s usual cultivation.” Gu Qianying looked at Old General Gu, “Isn’t that right, Grandfather? Having more courage, seeing dead bodies, will be good for them to become generals like you in the future, leading troops in battle, and not be timid, right, Grandfather?”
Old General Gu strongly agreed with what Gu Qianying said.
“Yes, Little Ying speaks the truth. In that case, the three sisters shall stay together and learn from your brother.”
In Old General Gu’s eyes, it would be best if all the children of the Gu Manor became generals. If not, they were not allowed to be like the daughters of other families, timid and cowardly, lacking the demeanor of descendants of generals.
Since Old General Gu had spoken, Gu Yumei and Gu Mingyue dared not refuse any further.
They could only grit their teeth and stay, accompanying Gu Qianying.
Gu Yefeng, who had originally intended not to have the coroner come to the manor, brought the coroner after seeing Gu Qianying signal him.
As the coroner examined the body, Gu Yumei and Gu Mingyue watched. When the scalpel cut into the body, “Ah”! Gu Yumei was so scared she fainted.
Gu Mingyue beside her remained relatively calm, but her complexion was not good.
Gu Qianying walked up to her and said calmly, “I truly didn’t expect Second Sister to be so courageous, not fainting. Oh, well, after all, Second Sister has already seen what dead bodies look like, so she’s not so afraid.”
Gu Mingyue’s body stiffened. She suddenly looked at Gu Qianying, “Eldest Sister, what do you mean?”
Gu Qianying suddenly leaned closer to her, her voice slightly lowered, “Second Sister is a smart person, you naturally understand what Eldest Sister means. Oh, right, there’s one more thing I forgot to tell Second Sister. Before Second Sister arrived, Brother picked something up from the corpse. I think it looks like Second Sister’s. Second Sister, tell me, what would happen if I handed this little thing over to the yamen?”
Gu Mingyue’s face gradually turned pale, and the panic in her eyes was evident.
She feigned fear and disgust, pretending to be unwell, and tearfully pleaded with Old General Gu, “Grandfather, your granddaughter is feeling unwell. Please allow your granddaughter to return and rest.”
Gu Mingyue had managed to hold on until now, and Old General Gu’s attitude towards her improved considerably. “Granted. Go back. Your performance is very satisfactory to Grandfather. You can practice more later.”
As Gu Mingyue left with her maid, she glanced quickly in Gu Yefeng’s direction.
And this glance was fully captured by Gu Qianying.
A moment later.
Yangchun Pavilion.
“Miss, Miss, what are you doing?”
The maid saw Gu Mingyue packing a bundle and panicked, chasing after her to ask.
Gu Mingyue slapped her, furious, “Why are you still standing there foolishly? Hurry and pack my luggage for me. We’re leaving tonight to hide.”
Gu Qianying already had evidence of her killing the village chief. If she continued to stay in the manor and it was discovered, she would be in dire straits.
The maid, covering half her face, cried and knelt at Gu Mingyue’s feet, “Miss, this is absolutely not allowed! You are the Second Young Lady of the Gu Manor.”
The maid’s words made Gu Mingyue collapse onto the ground.
Yes, she was the Second Young Lady of the Gu Manor. Where could she go?
At this moment, Gu Mingyue, unsure what to do, suddenly remembered the brocade box her mother had left her before being imprisoned.
She kicked the maid, “Hurry and find the brocade box my mother left for me, quickly!”
The maid scrambled to find the brocade box.
After obtaining the brocade box, Gu Mingyue hurriedly opened it.
Looking at the contents of the brocade box, her panicked heart gradually calmed down.
“Dress me up. I’m going to pay my respects to Third Concubine.”