Gu Chengyu was escorting Mrs. Lv back to her own courtyard, but Mrs. Lv seed overwheld with worry.
Gu Chengyu quickly comforted her, "Mother, don’t worry. Let’s see how things are tomorrow! Your son is now an official; surely they wouldn’t dare to act rashly?"
Mrs. Lv smiled knowingly and patted her son’s shoulder, "That’s right! My son is a big official now; let’s see if they still dare to act out?"
Gu Chengyu thought of Mrs. Li’s parents. Old Li was a tough character; causing trouble tomorrow was inevitable.
But Old Li attempting to extort the Gu Family was absolutely impossible.
The next day, with a few stars still lingering in the sky, Gu Chengyu was already at the old residence.
The third son knelt before the mourning hall, burning paper money. Chang sat leaning against Wang Yue on the ground, eyes half-closed and seemingly dozing off.
Wang Yue appeared dazed, lost in thought, yet the second son was nowhere to be seen.
Gu Chengyu glanced around and realized the second son was absent from the mourning hall; could he be off shirking again?
Gu Chengyu couldn’t be bothered with him; the second son even slacked in paying filial devotion to his own father. Though disapproving, it was Gu Chengyi who personally raised him that way.
"Third son! Go freshen up! I’ll keep watch here." Gu Chengyu added so paper money to the brazier.
"Alright, I’ll head over then!" The third son wiped his face, looking fatigued. Washing one’s face might help one appear more spirited.
After the third son left, Gu Chengyu glanced around and spoke to Wang Yue, who was emotionally numb, "Mrs. Li has taken the bla for you! She did use so, but not much. You put in quite a bit, didn’t you?"
Wang Yue quickly lifted her eyes to look at Gu Chengyu, shocked inside, "I didn’t..."
Seeing Wang Yue about to deny it, Gu Chengyu naturally didn’t have the patience to hear her excuses. His purpose in asking wasn’t to make Wang Yue pay for Gu Chengyi’s life.
"Don’t try to deny it. I won’t reveal the truth to others. Mrs. Li used poison, but you did as well. No matter your intentions at the ti, Gu Chengyi’s death has your share in it."
Gu Chengyu looked at Wang Yue, who tightly clung to Chang in terror, and spoke indifferently.
"I’m saying this to urge you to properly raise Chang, teaching him to beco a person of integrity and good character."
Wang Yue seed sowhat dazed; she previously thought she was the only one who acted, but Mrs. Li had acted too?
Gu Chengyi had bought tiger penis powder several tis before; she had been secretly taking the powder for a long ti, accumulating it dose by dose.
She never intended for Gu Chengyi to die; with Gu Chengyi alive, the silver of the second household could remain in Gu Chengyi’s hands.
If Gu Chengyi was bedridden, she naturally had ways to get her hands on the silver.
Now that Gu Chengyi was dead, the division of the silver of the second household was uncertain.
Unexpectedly, she had used poison, and Mrs. Li had used poison too. With so much poison, Gu Chengyi was dood to die!
She sighed deeply; fate played tricks on people, and perhaps King Yan intended to claim him.
The third son hurried back to the mourning hall, and Gu Chengyu, seeing the third son had arrived, started discussing arrangents concerning Mrs. Li with him.
"Little Uncle! When Aunt Li’s family cos later, how should we explain it?"
The third son recalled how they didn’t decide what to do about Mrs. Li’s family last night; now, the thought worried him.
Gu Chengyu pondered for a mont, exposing the truth was obviously not feasible.
It would be used by the Li Family as an excuse for exploitation; this matter was indeed hard to explain clearly. Saying Gu Chengyi died and Mrs. Li followed him in suicide was hard to believe.
"Would the Li Family suspect we forced her to death?"
The third son felt uneasy inside, regardless of whether Mrs. Li hard his father or not; but Mrs. Li committed suicide right under everyone’s noses, and it made him involuntarily nervous.
"She committed suicide and hard your father; what are you afraid of? If the Li Family arrives and wisely refrains from causing a scene, it’s for the best; if they act senselessly, let them go to the governnt to seek justice."
Mrs. Li’s death was indeed an accident, but still, she sought death willingly, unrelated significantly to the Gu Family.
Originally, Mrs. Li attempted to murder Gu Chengyi; even if not sent to the governnt, she should face punishnt.
According to ancestral rules, she should first receive thirty strikes before anything else. The clan has the right to punish clan mbers, and the governnt would not interfere.
Even if the Li Family took it to the governnt, they wouldn’t fear it. Not to ntion County Magistrate Li was quite accommodating to him; let alone the fact that in terms of principle, the Gu Family had the upper hand.
Although the Gu Family would lose face, it was still a matter concerning the second household.
Even if those Imperial Censors were inclined to submit a report against him, the matter wouldn’t weigh on the Emperor’s mind, seeing as it doesn’t significantly relate to him personally.
"Oh, my daughter! How could you leave so young?"
Gu Chengyu was about to continue speaking but was interrupted by a loud cry.
Without needing to think, it was evident that Mrs. Li’s parents had arrived, prompting Gu Chengyu to swiftly turn and ask Ming Mo, "Did you send soone to her family to announce the death?"
Ming Mo looked bewildered; it was now precisely 3 a.m., and the person sent to report the death was likely still on the way.
"Just sent them out; they probably haven’t arrived yet!"
The Li Family lived in Xiasang Village, not too far from Shangling Village, but their arrival seed too swift.
Oh! No, there was also Mrs. Wang present at the ti.
"Did you send soone to buy the coffin?"
Gu Chengyu rembered Mrs. Li was still lying on the door plank, making it look awkward now that the Li Family had arrived.
"Soone’s gone, but only just recently."
In such a short ti, the Li Family had already reached the mourning hall.
"Go check the village and see if soone has one ready; we can buy it for use."
In the village, so elderly people prepare funeral material in advance; those with money should be willing to sell.
"Yes!"
Mr. Gu and the others also heard the cries and hurried to the front courtyard.
A grey-haired woman entered the front courtyard, wiping tears, followed by surprisingly many people.
Gu Chengyu felt sothing was wrong; among them were two old couples and two young n, one of whom had co previously.
A leading man older than Gu Chengli looked Gu Chengyu and the others up and down, then turned to another around the sa age.
Mrs. Wang had initially hidden in a room in the west wing, but hearing the noise, she quickly erged.
"Father! Mother! Shunzi!"
Mrs. Wang wore a relieved smile; she had been uneasy staying alone at the Gu Family.
The Gu Family didn’t welco her; she feared they might send her back just like that.
Gu Chengyu sighed inwardly; it turned out Mrs. Wang’s parents had also co looking.
With the ss Gu Chengyi left after his death, he felt a wave of headaches.
The Gu Family’s main house seed crowded, now with more unfamiliar faces.
"Mrs. Li ended her own life; our family’s second son went, and she always held deep feelings for him and followed him in death."
This was the plan Mr. Gu thought of last night; though such reasoning was flimsy, it was the best explanation.
User Comments
0 comments from readers