Gu Tingye watched Minglan cherishing the memory of her father with her adorable lips curved, then he hesitated for a while and finally said, “My father... he, he treated me very strictly. I used to be a naughty boy, so my father always disciplined me.”
Minglan was stunned. This was the first time she heard him talking about his deceased father. Then she said gently, “Did he treat you well?”
“... Well, I don’t know.” Gu Tingye paused for a while, then he said in a flat tone, “My father loved to punish me. In the coldest days of the year, my Eldest Brother and Third Brother could warm themselves in the room, but I had to get up early every day to practice my martial skills. But... I was the only one who was taught the martial arts by him personally. He explained the skills to me step by step. But as long as I made any mistakes, he would beat me fiercely no matter who pleaded for mercy for me.”
“What about your Eldest Brother and Third Brother?” Minglan asked softly.
“My Eldest Brother is feeble, so he never needs to learn the martial arts. My Third Brother was taught by the bodyguards in the outer yard.”
Minglan felt reluctant to act against her conscience, then she said in a low voice, “Father has meant good for you. Hmm... What about Old Madam, did she treat you well?” Actually, Gu Tingye was well aware of that, but he still couldn’t have a sense of closure of his past.
“Very well.” Gu Tingye answered her quickly with an irony look on his face, “Every time my Third Brother and I fought for something, she would definitely be partial to me. Every time I was short of money, she would give me silvers right away. I have the largest number of maids in my yard. And they were the prettiest ones in the mansion. When I made any mistake, she would be the first one to protect me. Everyone in Marquis Ningyuan’s mansion praised that she was a kind and generous person.”
Minglan snorted secretly, ‘What an old trick! So boring!’
Gu Tingye chuckled cynically, saying, “It’s nothing new. Most of the people could think of what she has been planning to. As I grew older, I gradually perceived that something was not right. However, by then my father didn’t trust me already. Each of our short conversation would end up in a fight. Then later, Momo Chang came to find me and told me about what had happened to my blood mother...” He was suddenly short of breath with an vaguely indignant look on his face, “It was right at that time I started to hate my father! For all those years, my father knew everything but never told me. He allowed those despicable servants laughing at my mother’s low status! He allowed my Fourth and Fifth Uncles calumniating my mother’s family when they criticized me!”
“... I understand that you are angry.” Minglan sighed.
Since he had already told his true feelings, he then decided to get it all off his chest. Gu Tingye sneered at himself, “After my father knew about the fool acts I have committed, he reproached me fiercely. Then I snorted to him and said, ‘Without my mother’s money, you wouldn’t even be able to keep your title! All the people in this mansion could live a prospering life because of my mother! You can save your high and might airs!’ After that, my father got sick because he was so angry at me, all my families criticized me for my unfilial behavior. But it was not the only time I’ve made my father that angry.”
Minglan rubbed his coarse and bushy hair, staying silent.
“I didn’t even have the chance to meet him for the last time.” Gu Tingye stated that calmly with his head against Minglan’s chest, feeling the softness and the warmness, “For three days, I didn’t dare to close my eyes. Six of my horses ran to death on the road. But I still failed to get home before he died.”
Although he sounded calm, Minglan still felt a bit painful deep down.
Human’s emotion was the most complicated thing in this world due to its lack of logic. Therefore, even the most precise instrument was not able to measure and calculate one’s emotion. Old Master Gu might not love Bai shi, but he must have felt guilty for Gu Tingye. Even so, due to Old Master Gu’s affection toward First Madam Qin and his consideration for his family’s reputation, he couldn’t make it up for Gu Ting overtly.
Minglan didn’t major in psychology, so she didn’t know what to say. Then she could only comfort him in a soft voice, “It has been so many years my father-in-law have died, I never had a chance to give obeisance to him. Why don’t you tell me some of his stories?”
Gu Tingye fell into a daze for a moment. After a while, he said, “... In a morning when large snowflakes fell, I was around seven or eight years old that year, I was shivering with cold and only wanted to go back to bed to warm myself. But my father refused my request. I had to brandish that white spear while cursing inwardly. It snowed very heavily. The snowflakes fell on my father’s head, his eyebrows, his shoulders and at last half of his body. But he still watched me practicing martial skills motionlessly. He said, ‘You are not like your brothers. You have to depend on yourself.’”
Under the dim candle light, his handsome face was covered with a strange sense of depression.
Minglan couldn’t only sigh again. After they sat together for a while, Minglan got a bit drowsy. As she was considering if she should leave him alone for a while, Gu Tingye suddenly chuckled. His laughter sounded quite creepy in the silent room.
A fierce look showed on his face and his chuckle turned into a sardonic grin. Then he said, “Huh, why?!”
He turned to Minglan while saying with a sarcastic voice, “Why did I have to risk my life to earn a living while they could keep their noble title and enjoy a rich life?! All the Gu’s people could only live decently because of Bai’s money. Why did I have to run away with my tails between my leg like a homeless dog!?”
Gu Tingye stood up abruptly. His thick hair hanged down loosely on his green satin robe, which made him look shockingly gloomy. With his handsome face hid in the shadow, he stood straightly, giving out dangerous aura due to his hatred, like a fierce beast which could eat human alive.
Now, he kept snorting loudly and shouted angrily, “Every debt has its debtor! If I became a nobody as they wished, I would never be able to let them pay for what they had done! But now I am a successful man! Even God was telling me to get even with them!”
Minglan shrank herself into the wooden armchair, entirely covered by his tall and big shadow, getting very frightened. She wanted to say, “Perhaps God meant for something else. And you were only mistaken.’ However, she didn’t dare to say it out loud. She knew that he wasn’t greedy for the noble title or the money. But as a pride and stubborn man, he would never swallow all those unfairnesses. However, how many people could tolerate this kind of mistreatment calmly?
At this moment, something suddenly occurred to Minglan’s mind, then she raised her head all of a sudden and asked tentatively, “What are you planning to do?”
Gu Tingye turned his head. The look in his eyes already turned completely calm. Having whisked the forward swing of his robe elegantly, he leaned obliquely on the bedside, seeming graceful and leisured again. He even smiled gently and said, “Honey, don’t worry. I won’t do anything.”
Minglan sat in a trance while looking at the man with distrust. However, she felt at ease in no time-- Humans were all complicated. She still didn’t know him very well, just as he didn’t know her very well.
Author’s Note:
Gu’s family Clan
First Family:
Gu Yankai (The Last Marquis Ningyuan, Gu Tingye’s father) X First Madam Qin (First Wife)/Bai Shi (Second Wife, Gu Tingye’s mother)/Second Madam Qin (Third Wife)
Eldest Legal Son: Gu Tingyu (The Present Marquis Ningyuan, First Madam Qin’s son) X Shao shi = Daughter: Xian
Second Legal Son: Gu Tingye (Bai shi’s son) X Yu Yanhong (First Wife)/Sheng Minglan (Second Wife). Gu Tingye has an illegal son, Chang and anIllegal daughter: Rong (both Manniang’s kids)
Third Legal Son: Gu Tingwei (Second Madam Qin’s son) X Zhu shi (From Earl Chengping’s family) = Xian (Legal son)
Legal daughter: Gu Tingcan (Second Madam Qin’s daughter, unmarried)
Illegal Daughter: Gu Tingyan (Married)
Fourth Family
Fourth Old Master X First Wife Deceased/Fourth Old Madam (Second Wife)=
Eldest Legal Son: Gu Tingxuan (First Wife’s son)
Legal Daughter: Gu Tingying (Second Wife’s daughter, unmarried)
Illegal Son: Gu Tingbing (Concubine Liu’s son)
Illegal Daughter: Gu Tingwen (Concubine Liu’s daughter, unmarried)
Fifth Family
Old Fifth Master X Old Fifth Madam
Eldest Legal Son: Gu Tingyang (First Wife’s son)
Daughter: Hui
Second Legal Son: Gu Tingdi (First Wife’s son)
Illegal Daughter: Gu Tingling
Gu Tingye watched Minglan cherishing the memory of her father with her adorable lips curved, then he hesitated for a while and finally said, “My father... he, he treated me very strictly. I used to be a naughty boy, so my father always disciplined me.”
Minglan was stunned. This was the first time she heard him talking about his deceased father. Then she said gently, “Did he treat you well?”
“... Well, I don’t know.” Gu Tingye paused for a while, then he said in a flat tone, “My father loved to punish me. In the coldest days of the year, my Eldest Brother and Third Brother could warm themselves in the room, but I had to get up early every day to practice my martial skills. But... I was the only one who was taught the martial arts by him personally. He explained the skills to me step by step. But as long as I made any mistakes, he would beat me fiercely no matter who pleaded for mercy for me.”
“What about your Eldest Brother and Third Brother?” Minglan asked softly.
“My Eldest Brother is feeble, so he never needs to learn the martial arts. My Third Brother was taught by the bodyguards in the outer yard.”
Minglan felt reluctant to act against her conscience, then she said in a low voice, “Father has meant good for you. Hmm... What about Old Madam, did she treat you well?” Actually, Gu Tingye was well aware of that, but he still couldn’t have a sense of closure of his past.
“Very well.” Gu Tingye answered her quickly with an irony look on his face, “Every time my Third Brother and I fought for something, she would definitely be partial to me. Every time I was short of money, she would give me silvers right away. I have the largest number of maids in my yard. And they were the prettiest ones in the mansion. When I made any mistake, she would be the first one to protect me. Everyone in Marquis Ningyuan’s mansion praised that she was a kind and generous person.”
Minglan snorted secretly, ‘What an old trick! So boring!’
Gu Tingye chuckled cynically, saying, “It’s nothing new. Most of the people could think of what she has been planning to. As I grew older, I gradually perceived that something was not right. However, by then my father didn’t trust me already. Each of our short conversation would end up in a fight. Then later, Momo Chang came to find me and told me about what had happened to my blood mother...” He was suddenly short of breath with an vaguely indignant look on his face, “It was right at that time I started to hate my father! For all those years, my father knew everything but never told me. He allowed those despicable servants laughing at my mother’s low status! He allowed my Fourth and Fifth Uncles calumniating my mother’s family when they criticized me!”
“... I understand that you are angry.” Minglan sighed.
Since he had already told his true feelings, he then decided to get it all off his chest. Gu Tingye sneered at himself, “After my father knew about the fool acts I have committed, he reproached me fiercely. Then I snorted to him and said, ‘Without my mother’s money, you wouldn’t even be able to keep your title! All the people in this mansion could live a prospering life because of my mother! You can save your high and might airs!’ After that, my father got sick because he was so angry at me, all my families criticized me for my unfilial behavior. But it was not the only time I’ve made my father that angry.”
Minglan rubbed his coarse and bushy hair, staying silent.
“I didn’t even have the chance to meet him for the last time.” Gu Tingye stated that calmly with his head against Minglan’s chest, feeling the softness and the warmness, “For three days, I didn’t dare to close my eyes. Six of my horses ran to death on the road. But I still failed to get home before he died.”
Although he sounded calm, Minglan still felt a bit painful deep down.
Human’s emotion was the most complicated thing in this world due to its lack of logic. Therefore, even the most precise instrument was not able to measure and calculate one’s emotion. Old Master Gu might not love Bai shi, but he must have felt guilty for Gu Tingye. Even so, due to Old Master Gu’s affection toward First Madam Qin and his consideration for his family’s reputation, he couldn’t make it up for Gu Ting overtly.
Minglan didn’t major in psychology, so she didn’t know what to say. Then she could only comfort him in a soft voice, “It has been so many years my father-in-law have died, I never had a chance to give obeisance to him. Why don’t you tell me some of his stories?”
Gu Tingye fell into a daze for a moment. After a while, he said, “... In a morning when large snowflakes fell, I was around seven or eight years old that year, I was shivering with cold and only wanted to go back to bed to warm myself. But my father refused my request. I had to brandish that white spear while cursing inwardly. It snowed very heavily. The snowflakes fell on my father’s head, his eyebrows, his shoulders and at last half of his body. But he still watched me practicing martial skills motionlessly. He said, ‘You are not like your brothers. You have to depend on yourself.’”
Under the dim candle light, his handsome face was covered with a strange sense of depression.
Minglan couldn’t only sigh again. After they sat together for a while, Minglan got a bit drowsy. As she was considering if she should leave him alone for a while, Gu Tingye suddenly chuckled. His laughter sounded quite creepy in the silent room.
A fierce look showed on his face and his chuckle turned into a sardonic grin. Then he said, “Huh, why?!”
He turned to Minglan while saying with a sarcastic voice, “Why did I have to risk my life to earn a living while they could keep their noble title and enjoy a rich life?! All the Gu’s people could only live decently because of Bai’s money. Why did I have to run away with my tails between my leg like a homeless dog!?”
Gu Tingye stood up abruptly. His thick hair hanged down loosely on his green satin robe, which made him look shockingly gloomy. With his handsome face hid in the shadow, he stood straightly, giving out dangerous aura due to his hatred, like a fierce beast which could eat human alive.
Now, he kept snorting loudly and shouted angrily, “Every debt has its debtor! If I became a nobody as they wished, I would never be able to let them pay for what they had done! But now I am a successful man! Even God was telling me to get even with them!”
Minglan shrank herself into the wooden armchair, entirely covered by his tall and big shadow, getting very frightened. She wanted to say, “Perhaps God meant for something else. And you were only mistaken.’ However, she didn’t dare to say it out loud. She knew that he wasn’t greedy for the noble title or the money. But as a pride and stubborn man, he would never swallow all those unfairnesses. However, how many people could tolerate this kind of mistreatment calmly?
At this moment, something suddenly occurred to Minglan’s mind, then she raised her head all of a sudden and asked tentatively, “What are you planning to do?”
Gu Tingye turned his head. The look in his eyes already turned completely calm. Having whisked the forward swing of his robe elegantly, he leaned obliquely on the bedside, seeming graceful and leisured again. He even smiled gently and said, “Honey, don’t worry. I won’t do anything.”
Minglan sat in a trance while looking at the man with distrust. However, she felt at ease in no time-- Humans were all complicated. She still didn’t know him very well, just as he didn’t know her very well.
Author’s Note:
Gu’s family Clan
First Family:
Gu Yankai (The Last Marquis Ningyuan, Gu Tingye’s father) X First Madam Qin (First Wife)/Bai Shi (Second Wife, Gu Tingye’s mother)/Second Madam Qin (Third Wife)
Eldest Legal Son: Gu Tingyu (The Present Marquis Ningyuan, First Madam Qin’s son) X Shao shi = Daughter: Xian
Second Legal Son: Gu Tingye (Bai shi’s son) X Yu Yanhong (First Wife)/Sheng Minglan (Second Wife). Gu Tingye has an illegal son, Chang and anIllegal daughter: Rong (both Manniang’s kids)
Third Legal Son: Gu Tingwei (Second Madam Qin’s son) X Zhu shi (From Earl Chengping’s family) = Xian (Legal son)
Legal daughter: Gu Tingcan (Second Madam Qin’s daughter, unmarried)
Illegal Daughter: Gu Tingyan (Married)
Fourth Family
Fourth Old Master X First Wife Deceased/Fourth Old Madam (Second Wife)=
Eldest Legal Son: Gu Tingxuan (First Wife’s son)
Legal Daughter: Gu Tingying (Second Wife’s daughter, unmarried)
Illegal Son: Gu Tingbing (Concubine Liu’s son)
Illegal Daughter: Gu Tingwen (Concubine Liu’s daughter, unmarried)
Fifth Family
Old Fifth Master X Old Fifth Madam
Eldest Legal Son: Gu Tingyang (First Wife’s son)
Daughter: Hui
Second Legal Son: Gu Tingdi (First Wife’s son)
Illegal Daughter: Gu Tingling
