Gu Chaobei looked completely unreliable, like a child who’d been stepped on and was rushing to stomp back in retaliation, acting impulsively on emotion.

But Yuwen Changqing knew that once he made such a decision, he must already have arrangements in mind. Following what he said would never lead to problems.

“Alright.” Yuwen Changqing agreed, then pretended to handle it officially, relaying the Empress’s words to Gu Chaobei before leaving the Prime Minister’s residence.

The eastern courtyard was still in complete chaos. Gu Chaodong frowned at Madam Gu and said, “We still haven’t determined who actually did it, so why did Mother beat Yan’er so quickly?”

“If it wasn’t her, who else could it be?” Madam Gu was furious. She turned to look at Shen Guiya lying on the bed. “Not only did you fail to protect my grandson, but now that the child is gone, you’re defending the culprit? Hongxian clearly said she saw her push you, so why do you insist you fell on your own?”

Shen Guiya shrank back in fear of the old lady, pursing her lips. “It truly was Guiya who fell on her own. It has nothing to do with Guiyan.”

The beating had already happened, so no matter how angry Gu Chaodong was now, it was useless. He’d been detained in the eastern courtyard writing divorce papers the whole time—how could he have known that the maid he sent would dawdle so much that she failed to stop his mother? He’d originally wanted to reconsider and tear up the divorce papers, but then his mother actually punished Yan’er with two years’ loss of stipend and forbade her from leaving the residence for half a year.

Given Yan’er’s nature of loving to view mountains and waters, not letting her go out for half a year—wouldn’t that drive her mad with boredom? Gu Chaodong was full of heartache. For a moment possessed by romantic devotion, he actually finished writing the divorce papers and gave them to Shen Guiya.

So now Shen Guiya was secretly delighted while looking pitifully at Madam Gu.

She’d profited from this ordeal—not only had she solved the problem in her belly, but she’d also gotten Shen Guiyan beaten with the rod, and Gu Chaodong could never divorce her now. It was truly an excellent move.

“By your account, I should go apologize to her?” Madam Gu laughed coldly. “I won’t go. If you truly don’t want to pursue this matter, then you go yourself. And since the child was lost through your own carelessness, don’t blame me for having Dong’er divorce you!”

Shen Guiya started, looking up at Gu Chaodong.

Gu Chaodong naturally understood her meaning and sighed. “Mother, your son is very fond of Guiya. I cannot divorce her.”

“What did you say?” Madam Gu’s eyes widened. “Didn’t you say earlier that she was unfit to be a wife? How is it you don’t want to divorce her now?”

“A lost child can be conceived again.” Gu Chaodong lowered his eyes. “Matters between Guiya and me as husband and wife need not concern Mother too much.”

“So this old woman is meddling too much?” Madam Gu was furious. She flung her sleeves and stood up. “If that’s the case, then do as you please. I won’t interfere in eastern courtyard affairs anymore!”

“Mother…” Gu Chaodong stepped forward to grasp Madam Gu’s sleeve, but she shook him off forcefully. She looked truly enraged and turned to leave.

Gu Chaodong took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. Looking at the mess throughout the courtyard, he closed his eyes tightly and rubbed his temples.

Madam Gu returned to her room and threw a huge tantrum. After her anger passed, she looked at the rows of antique vases in her room and gradually calmed down.

What she loved most were antiques. The antiques in this room added up to a fortune, enough to ensure her comfort for life. Today she’d lost her composure over the matter of an heir, but looking at these things now made her feel much better. She still needed to rely on Dong’er to enjoy wealth and glory in her remaining years—how could she truly not care just because she said so?

Stroking a red entwined-branch vase, Madam Gu became much more peaceful. The lost child was one thing, but the key now was how to find Dong’er a better position? If his posting after the civil examinations was even lower than Gu Chaobei’s, wouldn’t that be a laughingstock?

She brought over a chair and personally climbed up to take down a silver Three-Phoenix-Seeking-Pearls incense burner from high on the shelf, carefully wiping it with a handkerchief.

It was time for her to enter the palace to see the Empress and present some valuable gifts to get this matter settled properly.

The sky gradually darkened. Out of habit, Madam Gu wiped down all the antiques on the shelf, then placed the Three-Phoenix-Seeking-Pearls incense burner on the table before finally summoning a maid to help her wash and prepare for bed.

Gu Chaobei sat on the roof of the main courtyard.

That’s right—on the roof. Under the dark moonless night, this fellow wore night-travel clothes and waited quietly. From below, unless one looked carefully, no one would know there was a person on the roof.

Yuwen Changqing arrived silently, also dressed in black. He landed beside Gu Chaobei and said softly, “That thing is in the main courtyard?”

“Mm.” Gu Chaobei pointed down below. “It’s in my father’s study. Tear up half of the unimportant parts and say you were discovered, managing to grab only half during the struggle. The Empress won’t blame you.”

“Good.” Yuwen Changqing nodded, looking down below where Prime Minister Gu was just emerging from the study.

It was time! Yuwen Changqing pulled on his face covering and darted toward the study with the lightness of a dragonfly touching water.

Gu Chaobei didn’t move, sitting on the roof waiting awhile. Estimating that Yuwen Changqing had found what he wanted, he picked up a roof tile, took a deep breath, and hurled it toward the study.

“Crack!” A crisp sound—everyone below woke up.

“Who goes there!” The Prime Minister shouted and emerged from the main house. Madam Gu followed out as well, both heading toward the study. The maids and servants in the courtyard all followed, fearing an assassin, surrounding the study until it was completely blocked.

Only then did Gu Chaobei leisurely descend and slip into the main house.

The room was mostly filled with Madam Gu’s things. Gu Chaobei glanced around, tied a thin thread to the leg of the antique-laden shelf, circled around the partition, and pulled it toward the door. He kindly took note of the Three-Phoenix-Seeking-Pearls incense burner sitting on the table and returned it to its proper place high on the shelf. Then he slid under the bed.

The teammate who’d been sold out once again, Yuwen Changqing’s face twisted in distortion. Clutching half a letter, he was chased all the way by household servants, but fortunately his martial skills were good enough that he escaped from the Gu residence without serious incident.

“Gu Chaobei!” Yuwen Changqing was so angry he laughed. “That little bastard!”

Still, his objective had been achieved—the process was just somewhat wretched.

“How could thieves possibly enter the residence!” The Prime Minister walked toward the main house, his voice still furious. “With such strict guards outside, who could know the layout?”

Madam Gu supported him. “Perhaps there’s an inside traitor. I’ve been thinking this residence hasn’t been peaceful—it hasn’t been right since Fourth Daughter-in-law married in…”

Halfway through her words, as she stepped through the door, she somehow tripped on something and pitched forward.

“Madam!” The Prime Minister was startled. He tried to catch her but it was already too late. He watched as Madam Gu’s somewhat plump body fell straight forward, somehow pulling something along with her. The antique shelf she treasured most suddenly toppled down.

“Crash—”

A crisp sound echoed throughout the entire main courtyard. Madam Gu couldn’t care about her own pain from falling and urgently looked up.