Guxi seemed to have come merely to inform them, for without waiting for the patriarch or Madam Gu to answer, he cupped his hands in salute and took his leave.
The moment he left, Madam Gu could no longer hold herself together. Setting aside all pretense of dignity, she asked hurriedly, “My lord, what should we do?”
Gu Jun stared after Guxi’s retreating figure and said nothing for a long while.
“My lord, you have to make a decision! These people… should we let them go or not!” Madam Gu pressed anxiously.
If they released them, Han Ziqing would certainly insist she had imprisoned the guards, and would use it to completely sever ties with the Gu clan. She’d never be able to wash away that accusation even if she jumped into the Yellow River!
Seeing Gu Jun still silent, Madam Gu grew even more flustered, unable to sit still. “What do we do… what on earth do we do! How could I have been so foolish back then!”
A complicated look flickered through Gu Suying’s eyes, and she said timidly, “Father, I think it’s best we don’t release those two at all. Just find some excuse—say they died out there. Otherwise, once they complain to Han Ziqing, she’ll seize on it and refuse to let it go, just like before. Last time she caught hold of Elder Sister and Brother-in-law’s fault and wouldn’t drop it—this time, she’d be catching hold of Mother’s!”
At these words, Madam Gu fell silent at once. What if Han Ziqing made a scene over this—would she try to take Beiyue away? Or demand something else of her?
The hall masters exchanged uneasy glances as well. Given how unreasonable and arrogant Han Ziqing had shown herself to be yesterday, this really was a thorny matter.
Heaven only knew what outrageous demand that woman might make!
“Father, Beiyue still hasn’t woken, and it’s Han Ziqing tending to him now. Did you see the expression on her face when she first saw him just now? Does that look like a wife’s expression? Forgive me for saying something unpleasant, but… perhaps with her caring for him, he’ll have an even harder time waking up. If we let her get hold of something on Mother as well, then the Gu clan… the Gu clan really will end up being run entirely by her say-so!”
What Gu Suying was really implying was this: Han Ziqing meant to use her status as Jun Beiyue’s wife to usurp power.
At last, Gu Jun, who had been silent all this while, turned and fixed a sharp, scrutinizing gaze on Gu Suying. She flinched slightly under it, one hand gripping her mother’s arm—though she was afraid, she did not look away.
But then, without warning, Gu Jun slammed his palm down on the table with a resounding crack, splitting the table in two, fury boiling over. “Nonsense!”
Gu Suying’s heart leapt with secret delight, and she was about to speak again, when suddenly Gu Jun’s hand swept up—he very nearly struck her across the face. “Second Daughter, stop trying to stir up trouble between us! I know exactly what kind of person you are, being your father!”
Gu Suying froze in shock, instinctively stepping back. Madam Gu, equally stunned that her husband’s anger had turned on Suying, hurried to shield her daughter behind her, saying indignantly, “My lord, unpleasant as Suying’s words may be, it’s not impossible! Han Ziqing is so cold and unfeeling, it’s only natural people would suspect her!”
“Stop shielding her. Second Daughter—that whole affair in the main residence, wasn’t it you who started it? You were the one who spoke out of turn first!” Gu Jun said coldly.
Gu Suying immediately fell silent as though struck mute, not even daring to glance at her father.
“And how was her expression when she saw Beiyue? Do you think everyone has to cry and wail like the two of you whenever they’re grieving?” Gu Jun’s anger flared the moment the subject came up.
“My lord, you know how she is—that remark was only a slip, made without any ill intent!” Madam Gu hurried to defend her daughter. “My lord, there’s no use arguing about this now. Quickly, think of what we should do!”
“My lady…” Gu Jun let out a long breath and said seriously, “When you had Imperial Physician Gu and Guard Yingzi imprisoned, did you ever consider the consequences?”
“I did, I did! I only meant to talk to Meiting first, and then go apologize to them, explain everything clearly. Imperial Physician Gu is an elder too—surely he’d also want the children to get along, for the household to be in harmony! He would understand me!”
Gu Jun snorted coldly. “Then go explain yourself now—go bring Imperial Physician Gu and Yingzi out yourself!”
Madam Gu was immediately at a loss. Things had already spiraled this far—even if she managed to persuade the physician and Yingzi, was there still any room to salvage things with Han Ziqing?
She would forever have this weakness held over her by Han Ziqing! It would directly threaten her position and authority within the Gu clan going forward. And in the future, once Meiting had already moved out and Suying eventually married as well, their standing in their husbands’ households, if they wished to lean on the Gu clan as support, would depend entirely on her!
She could not afford to fall into a position where she herself was vulnerable!
Finally, gritting her teeth, hardening her heart, Madam Gu said flatly, “My lord, right now, you and I are the Gu clan. We cannot afford to let this weakness stand against us.”
With that, she turned and ordered the guard, “Old Li, pass down the order: Guard Yingzi and Imperial Physician Gu encountered a wild beast on Medicine Mountain and died an unnatural death.”
Yet Old Li, who had always obeyed without question, hesitated and did not move.
“What are you standing there for!” Madam Gu snapped. Old Li’s expression told her that her husband, standing behind her, did not agree—but she no longer had the luxury to care about that.
Old Li looked from the storm brewing on his master’s face to the resolve on his mistress’s, utterly caught in the middle. He simply dropped to his knees with a thud, not daring to answer either way.
Gritting her teeth, Madam Gu made to leave, but Gu Jun suddenly seized her shoulder, his anger finally breaking loose upon her. “Yu Meixiang, has shielding your children driven you to senility?”
Madam Gu whirled around, equally furious. “Yes! I’ve gone senile! Better that than letting an outsider come and trample all over us!”
Gu Jun’s face was full of despair. “Yu Meixiang, did you not hear what that guard just said? Han Ziqing has already guessed that you imprisoned them—what’s the use of trying to cover it up now? Do you still want to keep dragging this out?”
“Then what am I supposed to do! Tell me!” Madam Gu cried, covering her mouth, choking on sobs.
Gu Jun sank down into his seat, breathing heavily for a long while before he calmed enough to speak flatly. “If Han Ziqing truly meant to pursue this matter, do you think she’d have merely sent a guard to ask for them back? She would have come herself to demand an accounting, wouldn’t she?”
At these words, Madam Gu’s red-rimmed eyes suddenly lifted, as if struck by sudden clarity. She should have understood—there was no need to even think it through to grasp what Han Ziqing meant by this.
And yet, she had let her fury cloud her judgment so badly!
“My lady, what’s wrong with you? You’re normally such a clever woman—how could you not see it? Han Ziqing sending a guard instead of coming herself is her giving you a way down, a chance to save face!” Gu Jun cried out in anguished frustration.
If anyone here deserved to weep, it should be him—all these years he had indulged his wife’s indulgence of their daughter, and now, even knowing full well right from wrong, he still could not bring himself to be truly harsh, to draw a clear line between the two.
His wife could not bear to part with their daughter—did he not feel the same? But what was done could not be undone; all he could do now was try his best to mend the fold after the sheep had already strayed. Since Han Ziqing had offered his wife a way to step down gracefully, it meant that, at the very least, she had not yet completely given up on the Gu clan.
For now, all they could do was continue avoiding conflict and mend the relationship. At the very least, when Jun Beiyue finally woke, he needed to see a family that was still united and harmonious.
At the very least—both his mother and his sister had once treated him well. Even with the conflict against Han Ziqing, they should still regard him as family, as a true younger brother.
Madam Gu slumped weakly to one side, pressing her head with her hand, her face full of anguish.
Gu Jun, meanwhile, slowly turned his gaze toward Old Li, who knelt trembling off to the side, a glint of dark menace flickering in his eyes.
Old Li had served his wife faithfully for so long—he had long since resigned himself to the fact that this crime of imprisonment would fall on his own shoulders to bear.