Gu Chaodong was still standing outside the window, far more embarrassed than Gu Chaobei. Hearing these words, everyone did not pursue the Fourth Young Master Gu first, but instead turned their eyes toward the First Young Master Gu.
The man who had just married Fifth Miss—on his wedding night no less—why would he appear outside Shen Guiyan’s window?
Madam Shen kept a stern face, her expression full of displeasure as she said, “Young Master Gu, please come inside to speak.”
Gu Chaodong forced the corners of his mouth upward and climbed in through the window, patting the dust off himself. “This nephew… was only passing by to take a look.”
“What is there to look at?” Gu Chaobei smiled cheerfully, reaching out to drape his hand over Gu Chaodong’s shoulder. “Could it be that elder brother finds the bride insufficiently attractive, so he came here to look at Yan’er instead?”
Caught like this, there was no way to explain it away. Gu Chaodong’s body stiffened, and he glared resentfully at Gu Chaobei. “Then what is fourth brother doing here?”
Shen Guiyan on the bed finally snapped out of her spectator state and continued to cover her face in tears.
Gu Chaobei raised an eyebrow, released his elder brother, and sat down on Shen Guiyan’s bed. “Didn’t you all see? The bloodstains on this bed, and Yan’er in her disheveled state—what else could I be here for? I couldn’t bear to see elder brother celebrating his wedding alone, so I came to have my own wedding night early and keep elder brother company. Who knew elder brother would run here and I’d mistake him for a thief?”
This scoundrel spoke without even a hint of shame coloring his face, yet the faces of everyone in the room had already begun cycling through expressions—blue, white, black, purple, every color imaginable.
Fortunately, she was pretending to cry with her face buried in the bedding; otherwise, the fire-red color of her face would surely have been impossible to hide. Shen Guiyan silently cursed Gu Chaobei’s shamelessness, but under the circumstances, she had no choice but to pretend to be violated—at least this way she could maintain some initiative. If it were said that she had secretly met with someone in the middle of the night, that would truly ruin her.
However, Gu Chaobei was truly cooperating well. With his scoundrel appearance, sitting there like that, he needed no explanation to be taken for a flower thief.
Lord Shen took several deep breaths, pointing at Gu Chaobei. “Young Master Gu’s actions are truly… truly too…”
Clutching his chest as if unable to catch his breath, Madam Shen hurriedly stepped forward to support him. “My lord, don’t be too angry, think of your health!”
The concubines nearby also surged forward to help, but Lord Shen seemed unable to draw breath and simply fainted.
“Someone come! Help the lord back to his room!” Madam Shen shouted urgently.
Now things had become serious. The two brothers had angered Lord Shen into unconsciousness in the middle of the night—this was not something that could be smoothed over with a few words.
As dawn approached, Prime Minister Gu arrived at the Shen residence early, and he brought the family discipline rod with him.
Shen Guiya followed behind him with reddened eyes.
Both Gu Chaodong and Gu Chaobei knelt in the Shen family’s main hall. Knowing they had caused great trouble, both maintained excellent attitudes as they knelt for half the night, waiting for Prime Minister Gu to arrive.
“Beasts!” Prime Minister Gu held the four-foot-long discipline rod and, upon entering, struck Gu Chaobei harshly.
Gu Chaobei flinched slightly from the pain but remained kneeling without moving, not making a sound.
Prime Minister Gu was still not satisfied and gave Gu Chaodong a strike as well, then handed the rod to Steward Gu behind him. “Beat these two unfilial sons to death!”
Shen Guiyan sat to the side. Having just finished her morning meal, she witnessed this scene and was so frightened that she quickly stood up. “Prime Minister, please calm your anger.”
Prime Minister Gu looked at her, his eyes full of regret. “Third Miss Shen has been wronged. This is my failure in teaching my sons.”
Shen Guiyan shook her head. In truth, Gu Chaobei had done nothing—rather, she had been the one to stab him.
“Don’t beat Chaodong anymore.” From behind, Shen Guiya watched Gu Chaodong receive two strikes before throwing herself forward, sobbing. “Chaodong was forced to marry me. It’s natural that he cannot let go of Third Sister. He has done nothing wrong. Father-in-law, please see clearly!”
Gu Chaodong’s body shook, and he turned to look at her. “Ya’er…”
Shen Guiya generously shielded him, looking at the Prime Minister. “I knew Chaodong was coming here, and I asked him to give my regards to Third Sister. He would never do anything improper, so father-in-law, please don’t punish him.”
Prime Minister Gu was slightly surprised as well. He had not expected the Shen family’s Fifth Miss to be such a devoted woman. His heart, which had originally held much dissatisfaction, now saw her in a much more favorable light.
He was reluctant to beat his eldest son anyway—always obedient, sensible, and praised by others. Who knew he would do such foolish things?
“Ai.” With his daughter-in-law providing a way out, he took it. “If Dong’er did nothing improper, then we’ll punish him at home. But what about Bei’er? Tell your father—do you dare explain the good deeds you’ve done?”
Lord Shen was still unconscious. In the main hall were only Shen Guiyan and a few concubines—no one dared to interrupt.
Gu Chaobei, having received five or six strikes on his back, grimaced as he spoke. “What I dare to do, why wouldn’t I dare to say? Father, I want to marry Third Miss Shen.”
“Nonsense!” Prime Minister Gu grew angry again. “Even if you want to marry, you need my consent first! You haven’t performed any of the proper matchmaking rituals, yet you ruined the young lady’s reputation first. If this gets out, where will the Gu family’s face be?”
“Does face matter?” Gu Chaobei laughed lightly. “Father places too much importance on face.”
“You!” Prime Minister Gu stood up in anger and took the discipline rod from the steward to strike personally. “You unfilial son!”
“Crack!” The wide, hard bamboo struck his back with a sound that made people shudder. Shen Guiyan stood nearby, watching Gu Chaobei’s ramrod-straight kneeling posture, and couldn’t help but step forward. “Prime Minister, Young Master Gu… there’s no need for such severe punishment.”
After speaking, she regretted it. This wasn’t something a victim should say—why was she sympathizing with this scoundrel?
Prime Minister Gu stopped. Gu Chaobei also raised his head through cold sweat and smiled gently at her. “See? Third Miss actually quite likes me, doesn’t she?”
Gu Chaodong froze and also looked over. The corner of Shen Guiyan’s mouth twitched, and she decisively stepped back. “Better to beat him to death. This young lady spoke out of turn.”
With this interruption, Prime Minister Gu found it difficult to continue striking. Gu Chaobei was still wearing Gu Chaodong’s cloak—fortunately it was black, so even if blood seeped through, it wouldn’t show. As for the clothes underneath, they were probably already stained red.
“How is Lord Shen?” Prime Minister Gu threw down the discipline rod and asked.
Shen Guiyan bowed. “My father is still bedridden.”
Prime Minister Gu sighed and looked at her. “I had originally hoped you would become my daughter-in-law, but I never expected this marriage would have so many complications. Now that things have reached this point… let me first ask you: are you willing to marry Bei’er as his wife?”
Shen Guiyan lowered her eyes. She had already considered this question yesterday—there were no other options, were there? Marrying a genuine scoundrel was still better than a hypocrite.
However, speaking was an art. She couldn’t simply agree right away, so she could only bow respectfully. “Yan’er has failed the Prime Minister’s kind regard. Now that my reputation is damaged, whether I marry or not is no longer for Yan’er to say. As long as Father makes the decision, Yan’er will naturally obey the arrangement.”
Prime Minister Gu breathed a sigh of relief and said in a low voice, “You are a sensible girl after all. If you were unwilling and sought to end your life, I fear the friendship between this old man and Shiqing would end from this day.”
Shen Guiyan lowered her head without speaking. Death was impossible—so many bad people lived perfectly well, so why should she die? Even if she were to die, she’d have to drag them along so at least she’d have company on the road.
As for Gu Chaobei, she glanced sideways at him. That man’s face still wore that fearless, mocking smile, though he was grimacing somewhat from pain. But perhaps because the sun had risen outside, he looked somewhat handsome.
She needed someone to lead her out of her predicament, and he had happened to arrive—perhaps it was fate. Since there was this connection, why not try? As for the hypocrite in her heart, she would always need someone to help her let go.
Prime Minister Gu went to the main courtyard to see Lord Shen, and the young ladies and concubines all followed. The two young masters of the Gu family, having received no orders, could only continue kneeling where they were.
“You’re going to marry him?” Gu Chaodong raised his head to look at Shen Guiyan, his eyes full of anxiety. “Yan’er, how can you marry him!”
Shen Guiyan sat down again to the side and laughed quietly. “Young Master Gu can marry another, so why can’t Yan’er marry someone else? Moreover, Fourth Young Master and I have already shared intimate relations. Whether I want to or not, I must marry him.”
Gu Chaobei groaned and braced his hand against the floor. His back was ablaze with pain, turning his face deathly pale. However, seeing his elder brother’s face looking no better than his own, he cheered up again. “Elder brother, wanting what’s in the pot while eating from the bowl? Your wife is right beside you.”