Translator: Iris
On the way to Marquis Ningyuan’s mansion, Minglan felt ill at ease the whole time. It was like watching the fun of the people whom she had refused to lend the money to. There were already three men of the Gu’s family held in custody. If Minglan and Gu Tingye still swaggered along into their mansion, this couple really might be beaten fiercely. Minglan looked at her small figure and then lifted the curtain to look at the tall and strong man on the horse in front of her sedan.
Then she got relieved and put down the curtain. Luckily this buddy could give her a sense of security.
The atmosphere in the peaceful hall was very gloomy. Every member of the Gu’s family was present.
Gu Tingyu sat in the middle with a pale face. Madam Shao who seemed to be worrying about him stood beside him with a bowl in her hand. Old Madam Qin sat next to Gu Tingyu with her face full of melancholy. Others sat on either side according to their genders. The solemn looks on everyone’s face reminded Minglan of the Mafia.
Fourth Old Madam held a cup in her hand quietly with her head lowered, lost in thought. Second Madam Bing seemed quite scary with her swollen eyes goggling and her teeth gritted. Right now, this woman was glaring at the women of the Fifth family.
First Madam Yang who got used to staying humble didn’t mind the resentful gaze. Once she lowered her head, she didn’t care what others said. However, Fifth Old Madam and Second Madam Di felt quite uncomfortable being glared at like that. Madam Xuan sat next to Zhu shi and was comforting the latter. Zhu shi, with a sad look on her face, leaned close to Madam Xuan and sobbed lightly.
The men of the Gu’s family were sitting across from the women. Only one man of the Fourth family was present today, and that was Gu Tingxuan. However, all the three men of the Fifth family were sitting there with sullen looks on their faces.
The spacious hall which was full of people right now remained quiet all the time with the air filled with the aroma of the herbs, matching the deserted yard outside. Compared with the crowded and bustling scene back in the old days, Marquis Ningyuan’s mansion truly was very cheerless as if sorrow had permeated into this place. Even until Gu Tingye and Minglan sat down, the people of the Gu’s family still didn’t utter a word.
Everyone was looking at Gu Tingyu, waiting for him to say something. However, the man happened to be short of breath and kept coughing slightly. Madam Shao who was concerned about him served him the medicine right away. Since all those people hadn’t said anything, Gu Tingye didn’t want to talk first and only stared at the pink tea cup painted with willow patterns while listening to the clear sound of the cup lid overturning in the cup.
After Minglan sat down, she saw Zhu shi looking utterly miserable with a sallow face. Although Zhu shi’s cheekbones seemed a bit prominent now, her cheeks were actually a little swollen. As Minglan remembered how pretty this woman used to look, she was startled right away. Minglan couldn’t pretend that she hadn’t seen that and said, “Don’t... Don’t get too worried. You have to take care of yourself. You don’t want your husband to see you being like this when he comes back, right?”
Zhu shi sobbed with tears welling up in her eyes, “I don’t even know if he’ll come back.”
When saying this, she fell into Madam Xuan’s arms and started crying in a low voice. Madam Xuan patted on Zhu shi while saying to Minglan gently, “There’s something you don’t know. A few days ago, the doctor said that she has been pregnant for two months.”
Minglan felt awkward right away. Under the circumstances right now, she didn’t know if she should congratulate Zhu shi. So she only muttered, ‘I’ll send you some medicine of highly nutritious value when I go back.”
Before Minglan could finish her sentence, Zhu shi suddenly struggled to sit up from Madam Xuan’s arms and tried to kneel down with tears in her eyes, “Second Brother, I’m begging you. No matter what has happened before, my husband, he, he... he is your brother after all! How can you look on and do nothing! I don’t know how he has been doing... in the hell-like place these days!” On these words, she cried even louder.
Gu Tingye seemed to have expected that she would ask that, so he leaned forward and said, “Sister-in-law, don’t worry, I’ve inquired about my brother’s condition in the Dali Temple as soon as I heard about what had happened to him.”
“What did you learn?” Old Madam Qin raised her head and asked that in an anxious voice.
Gu Tingye nodded to her in order to show respect, saying, “Nothing serious. It’s just that the officials of the Dali Temple have found a few letters from somewhere, on which are the imperial mandate seals of Marquis Ningyuan.”
Hearing that, Madam Shao who had been serving her husband the medicine got shocked right away and said in a trembling voice, “Our seal? It’s impossible. Your eldest brother has been ill abed for the past few years. He didn’t even walk out of the room very often. How could he...” Suddenly, she stopped talking and looked to Old Madam Qin with her lips trembling.
Gu Tingyu tried very hard to breathe steadily and raised his head. As he happened to look into Gu Tingye’s eyes, he found the latter so composed and vigorous, which made him even more annoyed. Then he coughed more fiercely.
Gu Tingye looked away from Gu Tingyu and continued, “After the officials in the Dali temple made a thorough interrogation, they learned that my eldest brother has been laid up with illness over the past few years and my third brother is the one in charge of the family affairs. That’s why they have brought my third brother for interrogation.”
Zhu shi got dazed when hearing his words and then asked in a hurry, “Then... Your third brother...”
“Some prisoners gave different confessions, and some are trying their best to drag more people into misery in order to commute their sentences. But I’ve already put in a good word for my brothers. The officials who take charge of this case are very experienced with sharp eyes. As long as they find out about the facts, my brothers will be fine.”
After that, Gu Tingye said slowly, “Sister-in-law, don’t worry, as long as my third brother never got deeply involved in this case, he would only be accused of ‘being careless’ or ‘playing up to noble people’. As far as they don’t accuse him of forming a clique to pursue selfish interest, he’s going to be fine.”
Zhu shi stopped crying with a confused look on her face. However, Old Madam Qin knew that Gu Tingye’s words meant more than what he had said and asked right away, “What punishment will he receive? Will he be exiled or banished for penal servitude?”
Gy Tingye, with a slight frown, said, “Well... It depends on the result of the investigation.”
Old Madam Qin gazed at Gu Tingye but only found the latter retaining a firm attitude. Then she fell onto her seat dejectedly, suddenly looking old and withered with her head spinning.
Second Madam Bing had been trying to restrain her anger with her teeth gritted the whole time. Hearing that, she suddenly stood up and walked to the three men of the Fifth family. Then she pointed to them and said in a sharp voice, “You! You! Only our own families know that Tingwei has been dealing with the family affairs for his eldest brother. How could the people of the Dali temple learn about that? You cowards must have betrayed Tingwei!”
This furious woman looked at the men of the Fifth family fiercely with her hair dishevelled as if she wanted to bite them.
Translator: Iris
On the way to Marquis Ningyuan’s mansion, Minglan felt ill at ease the whole time. It was like watching the fun of the people whom she had refused to lend the money to. There were already three men of the Gu’s family held in custody. If Minglan and Gu Tingye still swaggered along into their mansion, this couple really might be beaten fiercely. Minglan looked at her small figure and then lifted the curtain to look at the tall and strong man on the horse in front of her sedan.
Then she got relieved and put down the curtain. Luckily this buddy could give her a sense of security.
The atmosphere in the peaceful hall was very gloomy. Every member of the Gu’s family was present.
Gu Tingyu sat in the middle with a pale face. Madam Shao who seemed to be worrying about him stood beside him with a bowl in her hand. Old Madam Qin sat next to Gu Tingyu with her face full of melancholy. Others sat on either side according to their genders. The solemn looks on everyone’s face reminded Minglan of the Mafia.
Fourth Old Madam held a cup in her hand quietly with her head lowered, lost in thought. Second Madam Bing seemed quite scary with her swollen eyes goggling and her teeth gritted. Right now, this woman was glaring at the women of the Fifth family.
First Madam Yang who got used to staying humble didn’t mind the resentful gaze. Once she lowered her head, she didn’t care what others said. However, Fifth Old Madam and Second Madam Di felt quite uncomfortable being glared at like that. Madam Xuan sat next to Zhu shi and was comforting the latter. Zhu shi, with a sad look on her face, leaned close to Madam Xuan and sobbed lightly.
The men of the Gu’s family were sitting across from the women. Only one man of the Fourth family was present today, and that was Gu Tingxuan. However, all the three men of the Fifth family were sitting there with sullen looks on their faces.
The spacious hall which was full of people right now remained quiet all the time with the air filled with the aroma of the herbs, matching the deserted yard outside. Compared with the crowded and bustling scene back in the old days, Marquis Ningyuan’s mansion truly was very cheerless as if sorrow had permeated into this place. Even until Gu Tingye and Minglan sat down, the people of the Gu’s family still didn’t utter a word.
Everyone was looking at Gu Tingyu, waiting for him to say something. However, the man happened to be short of breath and kept coughing slightly. Madam Shao who was concerned about him served him the medicine right away. Since all those people hadn’t said anything, Gu Tingye didn’t want to talk first and only stared at the pink tea cup painted with willow patterns while listening to the clear sound of the cup lid overturning in the cup.
After Minglan sat down, she saw Zhu shi looking utterly miserable with a sallow face. Although Zhu shi’s cheekbones seemed a bit prominent now, her cheeks were actually a little swollen. As Minglan remembered how pretty this woman used to look, she was startled right away. Minglan couldn’t pretend that she hadn’t seen that and said, “Don’t... Don’t get too worried. You have to take care of yourself. You don’t want your husband to see you being like this when he comes back, right?”
Zhu shi sobbed with tears welling up in her eyes, “I don’t even know if he’ll come back.”
When saying this, she fell into Madam Xuan’s arms and started crying in a low voice. Madam Xuan patted on Zhu shi while saying to Minglan gently, “There’s something you don’t know. A few days ago, the doctor said that she has been pregnant for two months.”
Minglan felt awkward right away. Under the circumstances right now, she didn’t know if she should congratulate Zhu shi. So she only muttered, ‘I’ll send you some medicine of highly nutritious value when I go back.”
Before Minglan could finish her sentence, Zhu shi suddenly struggled to sit up from Madam Xuan’s arms and tried to kneel down with tears in her eyes, “Second Brother, I’m begging you. No matter what has happened before, my husband, he, he... he is your brother after all! How can you look on and do nothing! I don’t know how he has been doing... in the hell-like place these days!” On these words, she cried even louder.
Gu Tingye seemed to have expected that she would ask that, so he leaned forward and said, “Sister-in-law, don’t worry, I’ve inquired about my brother’s condition in the Dali Temple as soon as I heard about what had happened to him.”
“What did you learn?” Old Madam Qin raised her head and asked that in an anxious voice.
Gu Tingye nodded to her in order to show respect, saying, “Nothing serious. It’s just that the officials of the Dali Temple have found a few letters from somewhere, on which are the imperial mandate seals of Marquis Ningyuan.”
Hearing that, Madam Shao who had been serving her husband the medicine got shocked right away and said in a trembling voice, “Our seal? It’s impossible. Your eldest brother has been ill abed for the past few years. He didn’t even walk out of the room very often. How could he...” Suddenly, she stopped talking and looked to Old Madam Qin with her lips trembling.
Gu Tingyu tried very hard to breathe steadily and raised his head. As he happened to look into Gu Tingye’s eyes, he found the latter so composed and vigorous, which made him even more annoyed. Then he coughed more fiercely.
Gu Tingye looked away from Gu Tingyu and continued, “After the officials in the Dali temple made a thorough interrogation, they learned that my eldest brother has been laid up with illness over the past few years and my third brother is the one in charge of the family affairs. That’s why they have brought my third brother for interrogation.”
Zhu shi got dazed when hearing his words and then asked in a hurry, “Then... Your third brother...”
“Some prisoners gave different confessions, and some are trying their best to drag more people into misery in order to commute their sentences. But I’ve already put in a good word for my brothers. The officials who take charge of this case are very experienced with sharp eyes. As long as they find out about the facts, my brothers will be fine.”
After that, Gu Tingye said slowly, “Sister-in-law, don’t worry, as long as my third brother never got deeply involved in this case, he would only be accused of ‘being careless’ or ‘playing up to noble people’. As far as they don’t accuse him of forming a clique to pursue selfish interest, he’s going to be fine.”
Zhu shi stopped crying with a confused look on her face. However, Old Madam Qin knew that Gu Tingye’s words meant more than what he had said and asked right away, “What punishment will he receive? Will he be exiled or banished for penal servitude?”
Gy Tingye, with a slight frown, said, “Well... It depends on the result of the investigation.”
Old Madam Qin gazed at Gu Tingye but only found the latter retaining a firm attitude. Then she fell onto her seat dejectedly, suddenly looking old and withered with her head spinning.
Second Madam Bing had been trying to restrain her anger with her teeth gritted the whole time. Hearing that, she suddenly stood up and walked to the three men of the Fifth family. Then she pointed to them and said in a sharp voice, “You! You! Only our own families know that Tingwei has been dealing with the family affairs for his eldest brother. How could the people of the Dali temple learn about that? You cowards must have betrayed Tingwei!”
This furious woman looked at the men of the Fifth family fiercely with her hair dishevelled as if she wanted to bite them.
