Young General Died in Battle (Part Two)
He urgently walked to the main gate and quickly saw a girl wearing a set of spring clothes with a white gauze veil covering her face quietly waiting at the gate.
Chen ChuXiu happily said: “Miss Yao Yue, why have you come?”
The girl seemed to have something on her mind and was pulled back to the present by his voice. She gently stepped forward and bowed and then removed her veil.
“I would not come and visit if I did not have a request to make. I had no choice but to come and look for young sir Chen. With my status, it is difficult for me to visit a prominent family’s residence, thus I wore a veil. I wouldn’t want people to notice and ruin the reputation of the Chen manor.”
Chen ChuXiu pulled her inside, “What nonsense is this? You are an innocent girl. If you have a problem, just come openly. How could it ruin our manor’s reputation? I am just worried that you wouldn’t come. For you to come, I am all too eager to come out and receive you.”
After saying this, he suddenly realized that he had been improper, hastily letting go of her hand. He cupped his hands and apologized, “Apologies, I was overly emotional just now. Miss Yao Yue, please come inside. We can sit down and slowly discuss matters.”
Yao Yue grabbed a hold of his sleeve, “Young sir Chen, let’s just stay here to speak. There’s no need to go in for tea. I heard that the situation at Marquis Gu’s Manor is really bad. You are senior minister Chen’s eldest young sir, so you should understand the situation, right?”
It turned out that she had come in such a rush because of Marquis Gu’s Manor’s situation.
Chen ChuXiu slightly frowned. He knew that the person whom she was concerned with was still Gu JiuGe, “Yes, Marquis Gu’s Manor’s situation is not too good. Someone is trying to frame Marquis Gu for colluding with Western Kun and betraying the country. They even forged a bunch of evidence. His Majesty ordered the Imperial Court of Justice to carry out an investigation, but they transferred out a talented member of the Imperial Court of Justice for one of Yin Shuo’s henchmen who has a grudge against Marquis Gu’s Manor. The situation is even worse than before.”
“Colluding with an enemy country? How could that be possible?”
Yao Yue vigorously shook her head, “That’s absolutely impossible. Even a clueless girl like me knows that this must be a result of someone framing them. Why does His Majesty not know? Why would he allow others to frame Lord Marquis Gu?”
Yao Yue’s expression froze, “Could it be that His Majesty intended for Marquis Gu’s Manor…”
“Shush! This must not be said!”
Chen ChuXiu covered her mouth and looked around. Fortunately, there were no people passing by.
He grabbed Yao Yue’s hand, “Let’s not speak here. I don’t dare guarantee that our manor is completely clean and won’t have people watching it. Let’s go somewhere quiet to continue speaking. Come with me!”
Chen ChuXiu pulled her into a remote courtyard in the middle of the manor. The courtyard was very quiet, and its furnishings were out of the ordinary. It did not look like it was uninhabited.
Yao Yue was surprised and asked: “What is this place?”
Chen ChuXiu faintly smiled, “This is my courtyard. Everyone knows that I am a playboy, and I tend to be difficult to serve and do not like having people gathering here. That’s why this is the safest place to speak. There’s no need to worry about being overheard here.”
Yao Yue said: “I know that young sir Chen is not a playboy. Just like the time that you bullied young miss Yin, you were actually trying to vent for me. You are a chivalrous and upright person.”
Chen ChuXiu heard this and was happier than he had ever been before, and he hastily said: “Am I as good as you are making me sound? Then why don’t you like me?”
Yao Yue was stunned, as he tightly held her hands, “It’s not like you don’t understand my feelings for you. If you really think so highly of me, how about you marry me?”
Yao Yue subconsciously blushed and lowered her head, only raising her head after a long pause, “You said marry me and not take me in?”
“Yes, as long as you agree, I will marry you and take you as my wife. I will also never take a concubine!”
Chen ChuXiu spoke so earnestly that Yao Yue could not help but feel shocked.
She initially thought that based on Chen ChuXiu’s status, no matter how much he liked her, he would only take her in as a concubine. He could not possibly marry her and make her his wife. When he said this, she would be able to reject him directly.
She did not think that he would actually think so highly of her. Not only did he want to make her his wife, but he also promised that he would not take a concubine…
“Young sir Chen, let’s not talk about such trivial matters and talk about important matters, alright?”
For a while, she did not know how to respond, as she was single-mindedly worried about Marquis Gu’s Manor’s situation. All of her worries were focused on Gu JiuGe.
Chen ChuXiu was a little dejected, letting go of her hands, “In your heart, only second young sir Gu is important, but what of my feelings? Compared to his safety, I am naturally just a ‘trivial matter.'”
Yao Yue hastily said: “No, it’s not like that! I came today to ask young sir Chen for help. I know that the venerable senior minister Chen is the deputy leader of the cabinet, and he would surely have a way to help clear up Marquis Gu’s Manor’s name, right? I know that Marquis Gu’s Manor is in a dire situation, while the eldest young sir, who has thwarted many plots, is currently not in the capital. They are in grave danger!”
The jealousy welling up inside Chen ChuXiu was on the verge of leaking out. In the end, he was still a young man with many emotions, and he hated seeing the girl that he liked show her concern for another man in front of him.
As a result, he angrily said: “My father fell ill from getting mad over His Majesty’s wild actions. Even just earlier, he was asking to die, and it was with great difficulty that he was finally calmed down. You are overestimating our Chen manor. Even if I agreed to help you, my father and I can’t do much. More importantly…”
He jealously looked at Yao Yue, “Why should I help my rival in love? What sort of reasoning is this?”
Yao Yue was stunned. she did not think that her feelings toward Gu JiuGe would make Chen ChuXiu not want to help Marquis Gu’s Manor. She immediately felt guilty, “Young sir Chen, I know that you are a good person and that you wouldn’t just watch Marquis Gu’s Manor suffer for no reason, right? I’m begging you to help, alright?”
Chen ChuXiu saw her tearing up, and he found it extremely unbearable, as he gritted his teeth.
He was afraid that Yao Yue would let out her tears, for he would find that unbearable and agree to anything that she said without thinking.
Yao Yue did not.
She seemed to realize something and kneeled in front of Chen ChuXiu, “As long as young sir Chen is willing to help Marquis Gu’s Manor, I want to agree to young sir Chen’s proposal. Not to mention the position of wife, but even the position of concubine or slave, I will be completely at your disposal.”
Chen ChuXiu tightly furrowed his brow and hastily stepped forward to help her up, “What are you saying? Do you take me to be some sort of villain who would take advantage of others when they’re in danger?”
He helplessly wiped away Yao Yue’s tears and continued: “If I really used this sort of situation to force you to marry me, even if I was given a lifetime, I would never be able to catch up to the second young sir. Everything that I just said was just said out of jealousy. Don’t take it to heart. I will tell you the truth of the situation. In truth, my father has never given up on helping Marquis Gu’s Manor, but… what I said about us being powerless is also true.”
Yao Yue’s eyes became blank, “If even senior minister Chen is unable to help Marquis Gu’s Manor, who else could help? In the end, whom should I ask for help? What should I do?”
Chen ChuXiu supported her weak body, “Don’t panic. I agree to do everything that I can to help Marquis Gu’s Manor. My father will also continue to try and help. You go back and stay home. You must not go anywhere. I won’t let you ask anyone else for help. Do you understand me?”
Yao Yue opened her mouth, wanting to say something else, but Chen ChuXiu covered her mouth, “I know what you want to say. Don’t worry, I will send someone to inform you as soon as I get any news. I won’t let you worry, alright?”
Only now did Yao Yue burst out laughing, as she nodded vigorously. She stood up and bowed, “Thank you. I knew that you are a good person and that you would help me.”
A good person?
Chen ChuXiu smiled bitterly and said: “A good person is a good person. It’s just one step away from being a benevolent person, right?”
…
The spring light was bright, and it was time for the flowers to bloom. The sea of flowers in Marquis Gu’s Manor’s garden was in full bloom.
The person walking through the flowers was not in the mood to appreciate their beauty, as they quickly walked past them with a letter in their hand. They were hastily walking toward the main hall.
“Lord Marquis, someone has come from the Imperial Court of Justice. This is a summons!”
Qi An was incredibly anxious, “Master, what should we do? The attitude of the person from the Imperial Court of Justice was not very good. It’s as if they have already determined our Marquis Gu’s Manor’s guilt.”
“Hmph, the Imperial Court of Justice brought in Liu Zhen to oversee this case. How could their attitude possibly be good?”
Gu JiuGe and the others had also rushed over with solemn expressions on their faces, “Father, you absolutely must not go. Who knows if Liu Zhen will try to carry out a personal grudge through the public office?”
Yu Fu slightly furrowed her brow. Thinking back to Liu RuYi, who had been executed during the new year’s eve banquet. She was a chip that Ning ChengZhi had used to blackmail her. Because she refused to relent, Liu RuYi was executed.
She said: “Yin Shuo pushed Liu Zhen into the Imperial Court of Justice for the sake of having him use the public office to get revenge for a personal grudge. Liu Zhen’s grudge cannot be counted against Marquis Gu’s Manor and can only be placed on me. Head general, let me go to the Imperial Court of Justice for you!”
Just as everyone was about to try and dissuade her, Gu HuaiJiang said: “No, it’s no longer just a matter of getting revenge for a personal grudge through public office.”
“What does father mean by this?”
Gu HuaiJiang gave Qi An a look, and Qi An bowed and reported: “The spy that eldest young sir planted in the prime minister’s manor has already found evidence that Liu Zhen has been taken in by Yin Shuo ever since the new year’s even banquet. It seems that he has already become one of his henchmen. Even if young miss went, it would be pointless. Liu Zhen has received instructions from Yin Shuo, and he will not spare our Marquis Gu’s Manor so easily.”
“So that’s the case.”
Gu JiuGe said: “Father, Marquis Gu’s Manor has never done anything like colluding with an enemy country. I don’t think that they’ll be able to find any solid evidence. At best, it will be some vague and fabricated evidence. There’s absolutely no need for father to go yourself. Just let son go and answer the questions in father’s place!”
Gu HanMo also said: “Let me go! Second brother should stay at the manor to take care of matters here. Let me go in father’s place!”
Gu JiuGe anxiously said: “You can’t go. Liu Zhen will surely be prepared with fake evidence to frame our Marquis Gu’s Manor. You are not good with words, so how will you deal with them in court?”
Gu HanMo thought for a bit and came to the same conclusion, thus he did not continue to argue. Gu WenQing said: “Second brother, third brother, neither of you two should go. Let me go! Even if I can’t win an argument against them and am captured, Marquis Gu’s Manor will still have you guys. You will be able to help father. If you guys were captured and unable to get out, wouldn’t father have lost important help? Eldest brother has already left, so father cannot be without you!”
Gu HuaiJiang said: “Alright, there’s no need for you to argue. Father’s innocence naturally needs to be defended by father.”
Gu JiuGe hastily moved to stop him, kneeling in front of him, “Father, don’t be so rash. Please hear son out!”
Gu HuaiJiang furrowed his brow. After a long silence, he calmly said: “Alright, speak.”
“Father, son is not thinking of going for you on a whim. Father, think about it. You are the backbone of Marquis Gu’s Manor, and you are the core of the Gu family’s army. If you get entangled in this and can’t come back, the Gu family’s army would become lost, and we would suffer a complete defeat. If son goes, even if something happens, father will still be here at the manor. You must stay at the manor to keep things stable. Only like that can our manor and our army be protected. This is the best choice!”
Gu HuaiJiang fell silent once more. He knew that Gu JiuGe’s explanation was reasonable. As the head general of three armies, he should listen to Gu JiuGe’s suggestion.
But as a father, he absolutely could not tolerate the idea of his son taking on this danger for him.
Gu ShuBai being away at the border was already making him feel uneasy. He did not hope for Gu JiuGe to also get arrested.
Everyone fell silent. Regardless of if it was Gu HuaiJiang going or Gu JiuGe going, both would be in grave danger. They did not know what to do.
While those involved were at a loss, observers were able to have a clearer view of the situation. Yue Hu knew that she was needed at a time like this, thus she stepped forward and said: “Lord Marquis Gu, allow the second young sir to go. You clearly know that this is the best choice, and the second young sir has the ability to take your place. He is both smart and eloquent and thus capable of dealing with any plots the other side might have. You are a general and should understand that small plots can lead to grand schemes. If you insist on stopping the second young sir right now, that would be putting Yu Fu’s and your other sons’ lives at risk.”
These words woke everyone up from their stupors, and Gu HuaiJiang let out a long sigh, “This marquis fought on the battlefield for many years, yet this marquis never thought that there would come a day when there would be a need for me to employ tactics in the capital to deal with a situation in court. The battlefield here is even more vicious than the one on the border.”
Gu JiuGe knew that he was agreeing. He immediately stood up and bid farewell before he could change his mind.
The person from the Imperial Court of Justice waited and waited but never received any news from inside. He was on the verge of stepping inside to grab his target, but the guards of Marquis Gu’s Manor were exceptionally strong, which made that idea completely impossible.
The person in charge shouted at the guards: “We are from the Imperial Court of Justice. We have come to interrogate the suspect, so what is the reason for keeping us waiting out here?”
The guards ignored him and continued to stand guard without even looking at him.
That person roared indignantly, “Does your Marquis Gu’s Manor still obey the ruler or not?”
“Shut your mouth! Is Marquis Gu’s Manor an entity that someone as low as you can criticize?”
Gu JiuGe walked out through the gate and scolded the person that had come, “The late emperor personally conferred him the rank of first-rank general and marquis, giving him a golden tiger tally. The sign at Marquis Gu’s Manor’s entrance was also personally written by the late emperor. How could you be allowed to act so presumptuously here?!”
The person who had come was instantly silenced, only stepping forward after a long pause: “You are the second young sir? Second young sir, don’t make things difficult for us. We came with Lord Liu’s orders to come and… invite Lord Marquis Gu to ask some questions. Would second young sir please go in and report.”
Gu JiuGe sneered, “Hmph, is that Lord Liu the official who was unable to teach his daughter properly and allowed her to make a fool of herself in the imperial palace, that Liu Zhen? What can he be considered? Even if he is a member of the Imperial Court of Justice, what qualifications does he have to summon a first-rank marquis? And to question him, is he even worthy?”
The person who had come became pale from Gu JiuGe’s speech, as an embarrassed smile lingered on his face.
Gu JiuGe thought nothing of their chief investigator in the Imperial Court of Justice, so how could he possibly think anything of a lowly messenger like him?
Their expression immediately became respectful, “Second young sir, there’s nothing that can be done about this. His Majesty has ordered the Imperial Court of Justice to help the Imperial Censorate investigate Lord Marquis Gu for colluding with Western Kun. We lowly ones only came to do our jobs.”
“His Majesty told you to come and summon Marquis Gu?”
“Uh…”
The group that had come looked around at each other, “That did not exactly happen. Our chief investigator, Lord Liu, was the one who thought of summoning Marquis Gu.”
Gu JiuGe smiled, “That’s fine. I will go with you. My father’s noble status does not permit him to be summoned by Liu Zhen just because Liu Zhen wants to summon him. But if our Marquis Gu’s Manor does not send someone, it would appear as if we have a guilty conscience. That’s why I will go with you. That way, you can communicate amongst yourselves.”
The person leading the group said: “Second young sir, I’m afraid this would be inappropriate, no? Our Lord Liu wants Lord Marquis Gu. You…”
Gu JiuGe squinted his eyes, “What? Is a dignified fourth-rank cavalry general not enough for your Lord Liu? I will tell you that I can change my mind at any point and have you leave on your own. It would be best for you to quickly go while I’m in a good mood. It will be too late if you wait any longer.”
The group thought about it for a bit. Being able to bring Gu JiuGe back would be better than going back empty-handed. He had a court rank, thus it would not be too much for him to answer questions on Marquis Gu’s behalf.
Thus he said: “Then second young sir, please come along!”
Gu JiuGe mounted their horse and rode off.
Yu Fu and the others watched him leave but could not stop him. Disappointment filled their hearts.
Yue Hu patted her on the shoulder, “Don’t worry. Second young sir is smart. A good man does not suffer immediate losses. He will definitely be fine.”
“Un.”
Yu Fu nodded, “He’s already gone, so worrying about it any further would be pointless. I should go and keep head general company to keep him from worrying too much. While I’m at it, I can see if there’s anything that I can do. In the current situation, my status allows me to do more than Marquis Gu’s Manor can.”
Yue Hu curiously said: “If there’s anything that Immortals Valley can do, just let me know. Master has gone into seclusion, so I am the one making decisions in Immortals Valley and can do anything that I want!”
The fellow disciples exchanged a look and laughed. Just as they were about to head to the main hall, they suddenly heard the sound of hooves racing down the street, and they quickly turned back to take a look.
They saw a soldier in a terrible condition descend from his horse. Yu Fu and Yue Hu stepped forward to investigate, and the soldier held up a letter with great difficulty, “Young miss, it’s an urgent report from the border. The young general died in battle…”
Young General Died in Battle (Part Two)
He urgently walked to the main gate and quickly saw a girl wearing a set of spring clothes with a white gauze veil covering her face quietly waiting at the gate.
Chen ChuXiu happily said: “Miss Yao Yue, why have you come?”
The girl seemed to have something on her mind and was pulled back to the present by his voice. She gently stepped forward and bowed and then removed her veil.
“I would not come and visit if I did not have a request to make. I had no choice but to come and look for young sir Chen. With my status, it is difficult for me to visit a prominent family’s residence, thus I wore a veil. I wouldn’t want people to notice and ruin the reputation of the Chen manor.”
Chen ChuXiu pulled her inside, “What nonsense is this? You are an innocent girl. If you have a problem, just come openly. How could it ruin our manor’s reputation? I am just worried that you wouldn’t come. For you to come, I am all too eager to come out and receive you.”
After saying this, he suddenly realized that he had been improper, hastily letting go of her hand. He cupped his hands and apologized, “Apologies, I was overly emotional just now. Miss Yao Yue, please come inside. We can sit down and slowly discuss matters.”
Yao Yue grabbed a hold of his sleeve, “Young sir Chen, let’s just stay here to speak. There’s no need to go in for tea. I heard that the situation at Marquis Gu’s Manor is really bad. You are senior minister Chen’s eldest young sir, so you should understand the situation, right?”
It turned out that she had come in such a rush because of Marquis Gu’s Manor’s situation.
Chen ChuXiu slightly frowned. He knew that the person whom she was concerned with was still Gu JiuGe, “Yes, Marquis Gu’s Manor’s situation is not too good. Someone is trying to frame Marquis Gu for colluding with Western Kun and betraying the country. They even forged a bunch of evidence. His Majesty ordered the Imperial Court of Justice to carry out an investigation, but they transferred out a talented member of the Imperial Court of Justice for one of Yin Shuo’s henchmen who has a grudge against Marquis Gu’s Manor. The situation is even worse than before.”
“Colluding with an enemy country? How could that be possible?”
Yao Yue vigorously shook her head, “That’s absolutely impossible. Even a clueless girl like me knows that this must be a result of someone framing them. Why does His Majesty not know? Why would he allow others to frame Lord Marquis Gu?”
Yao Yue’s expression froze, “Could it be that His Majesty intended for Marquis Gu’s Manor…”
“Shush! This must not be said!”
Chen ChuXiu covered her mouth and looked around. Fortunately, there were no people passing by.
He grabbed Yao Yue’s hand, “Let’s not speak here. I don’t dare guarantee that our manor is completely clean and won’t have people watching it. Let’s go somewhere quiet to continue speaking. Come with me!”
Chen ChuXiu pulled her into a remote courtyard in the middle of the manor. The courtyard was very quiet, and its furnishings were out of the ordinary. It did not look like it was uninhabited.
Yao Yue was surprised and asked: “What is this place?”
Chen ChuXiu faintly smiled, “This is my courtyard. Everyone knows that I am a playboy, and I tend to be difficult to serve and do not like having people gathering here. That’s why this is the safest place to speak. There’s no need to worry about being overheard here.”
Yao Yue said: “I know that young sir Chen is not a playboy. Just like the time that you bullied young miss Yin, you were actually trying to vent for me. You are a chivalrous and upright person.”
Chen ChuXiu heard this and was happier than he had ever been before, and he hastily said: “Am I as good as you are making me sound? Then why don’t you like me?”
Yao Yue was stunned, as he tightly held her hands, “It’s not like you don’t understand my feelings for you. If you really think so highly of me, how about you marry me?”
Yao Yue subconsciously blushed and lowered her head, only raising her head after a long pause, “You said marry me and not take me in?”
“Yes, as long as you agree, I will marry you and take you as my wife. I will also never take a concubine!”
Chen ChuXiu spoke so earnestly that Yao Yue could not help but feel shocked.
She initially thought that based on Chen ChuXiu’s status, no matter how much he liked her, he would only take her in as a concubine. He could not possibly marry her and make her his wife. When he said this, she would be able to reject him directly.
She did not think that he would actually think so highly of her. Not only did he want to make her his wife, but he also promised that he would not take a concubine…
“Young sir Chen, let’s not talk about such trivial matters and talk about important matters, alright?”
For a while, she did not know how to respond, as she was single-mindedly worried about Marquis Gu’s Manor’s situation. All of her worries were focused on Gu JiuGe.
Chen ChuXiu was a little dejected, letting go of her hands, “In your heart, only second young sir Gu is important, but what of my feelings? Compared to his safety, I am naturally just a ‘trivial matter.'”
Yao Yue hastily said: “No, it’s not like that! I came today to ask young sir Chen for help. I know that the venerable senior minister Chen is the deputy leader of the cabinet, and he would surely have a way to help clear up Marquis Gu’s Manor’s name, right? I know that Marquis Gu’s Manor is in a dire situation, while the eldest young sir, who has thwarted many plots, is currently not in the capital. They are in grave danger!”
The jealousy welling up inside Chen ChuXiu was on the verge of leaking out. In the end, he was still a young man with many emotions, and he hated seeing the girl that he liked show her concern for another man in front of him.
As a result, he angrily said: “My father fell ill from getting mad over His Majesty’s wild actions. Even just earlier, he was asking to die, and it was with great difficulty that he was finally calmed down. You are overestimating our Chen manor. Even if I agreed to help you, my father and I can’t do much. More importantly…”
He jealously looked at Yao Yue, “Why should I help my rival in love? What sort of reasoning is this?”
Yao Yue was stunned. she did not think that her feelings toward Gu JiuGe would make Chen ChuXiu not want to help Marquis Gu’s Manor. She immediately felt guilty, “Young sir Chen, I know that you are a good person and that you wouldn’t just watch Marquis Gu’s Manor suffer for no reason, right? I’m begging you to help, alright?”
Chen ChuXiu saw her tearing up, and he found it extremely unbearable, as he gritted his teeth.
He was afraid that Yao Yue would let out her tears, for he would find that unbearable and agree to anything that she said without thinking.
Yao Yue did not.
She seemed to realize something and kneeled in front of Chen ChuXiu, “As long as young sir Chen is willing to help Marquis Gu’s Manor, I want to agree to young sir Chen’s proposal. Not to mention the position of wife, but even the position of concubine or slave, I will be completely at your disposal.”
Chen ChuXiu tightly furrowed his brow and hastily stepped forward to help her up, “What are you saying? Do you take me to be some sort of villain who would take advantage of others when they’re in danger?”
He helplessly wiped away Yao Yue’s tears and continued: “If I really used this sort of situation to force you to marry me, even if I was given a lifetime, I would never be able to catch up to the second young sir. Everything that I just said was just said out of jealousy. Don’t take it to heart. I will tell you the truth of the situation. In truth, my father has never given up on helping Marquis Gu’s Manor, but… what I said about us being powerless is also true.”
Yao Yue’s eyes became blank, “If even senior minister Chen is unable to help Marquis Gu’s Manor, who else could help? In the end, whom should I ask for help? What should I do?”
Chen ChuXiu supported her weak body, “Don’t panic. I agree to do everything that I can to help Marquis Gu’s Manor. My father will also continue to try and help. You go back and stay home. You must not go anywhere. I won’t let you ask anyone else for help. Do you understand me?”
Yao Yue opened her mouth, wanting to say something else, but Chen ChuXiu covered her mouth, “I know what you want to say. Don’t worry, I will send someone to inform you as soon as I get any news. I won’t let you worry, alright?”
Only now did Yao Yue burst out laughing, as she nodded vigorously. She stood up and bowed, “Thank you. I knew that you are a good person and that you would help me.”
A good person?
Chen ChuXiu smiled bitterly and said: “A good person is a good person. It’s just one step away from being a benevolent person, right?”
…
The spring light was bright, and it was time for the flowers to bloom. The sea of flowers in Marquis Gu’s Manor’s garden was in full bloom.
The person walking through the flowers was not in the mood to appreciate their beauty, as they quickly walked past them with a letter in their hand. They were hastily walking toward the main hall.
“Lord Marquis, someone has come from the Imperial Court of Justice. This is a summons!”
Qi An was incredibly anxious, “Master, what should we do? The attitude of the person from the Imperial Court of Justice was not very good. It’s as if they have already determined our Marquis Gu’s Manor’s guilt.”
“Hmph, the Imperial Court of Justice brought in Liu Zhen to oversee this case. How could their attitude possibly be good?”
Gu JiuGe and the others had also rushed over with solemn expressions on their faces, “Father, you absolutely must not go. Who knows if Liu Zhen will try to carry out a personal grudge through the public office?”
Yu Fu slightly furrowed her brow. Thinking back to Liu RuYi, who had been executed during the new year’s eve banquet. She was a chip that Ning ChengZhi had used to blackmail her. Because she refused to relent, Liu RuYi was executed.
She said: “Yin Shuo pushed Liu Zhen into the Imperial Court of Justice for the sake of having him use the public office to get revenge for a personal grudge. Liu Zhen’s grudge cannot be counted against Marquis Gu’s Manor and can only be placed on me. Head general, let me go to the Imperial Court of Justice for you!”
Just as everyone was about to try and dissuade her, Gu HuaiJiang said: “No, it’s no longer just a matter of getting revenge for a personal grudge through public office.”
“What does father mean by this?”
Gu HuaiJiang gave Qi An a look, and Qi An bowed and reported: “The spy that eldest young sir planted in the prime minister’s manor has already found evidence that Liu Zhen has been taken in by Yin Shuo ever since the new year’s even banquet. It seems that he has already become one of his henchmen. Even if young miss went, it would be pointless. Liu Zhen has received instructions from Yin Shuo, and he will not spare our Marquis Gu’s Manor so easily.”
“So that’s the case.”
Gu JiuGe said: “Father, Marquis Gu’s Manor has never done anything like colluding with an enemy country. I don’t think that they’ll be able to find any solid evidence. At best, it will be some vague and fabricated evidence. There’s absolutely no need for father to go yourself. Just let son go and answer the questions in father’s place!”
Gu HanMo also said: “Let me go! Second brother should stay at the manor to take care of matters here. Let me go in father’s place!”
Gu JiuGe anxiously said: “You can’t go. Liu Zhen will surely be prepared with fake evidence to frame our Marquis Gu’s Manor. You are not good with words, so how will you deal with them in court?”
Gu HanMo thought for a bit and came to the same conclusion, thus he did not continue to argue. Gu WenQing said: “Second brother, third brother, neither of you two should go. Let me go! Even if I can’t win an argument against them and am captured, Marquis Gu’s Manor will still have you guys. You will be able to help father. If you guys were captured and unable to get out, wouldn’t father have lost important help? Eldest brother has already left, so father cannot be without you!”
Gu HuaiJiang said: “Alright, there’s no need for you to argue. Father’s innocence naturally needs to be defended by father.”
Gu JiuGe hastily moved to stop him, kneeling in front of him, “Father, don’t be so rash. Please hear son out!”
Gu HuaiJiang furrowed his brow. After a long silence, he calmly said: “Alright, speak.”
“Father, son is not thinking of going for you on a whim. Father, think about it. You are the backbone of Marquis Gu’s Manor, and you are the core of the Gu family’s army. If you get entangled in this and can’t come back, the Gu family’s army would become lost, and we would suffer a complete defeat. If son goes, even if something happens, father will still be here at the manor. You must stay at the manor to keep things stable. Only like that can our manor and our army be protected. This is the best choice!”
Gu HuaiJiang fell silent once more. He knew that Gu JiuGe’s explanation was reasonable. As the head general of three armies, he should listen to Gu JiuGe’s suggestion.
But as a father, he absolutely could not tolerate the idea of his son taking on this danger for him.
Gu ShuBai being away at the border was already making him feel uneasy. He did not hope for Gu JiuGe to also get arrested.
Everyone fell silent. Regardless of if it was Gu HuaiJiang going or Gu JiuGe going, both would be in grave danger. They did not know what to do.
While those involved were at a loss, observers were able to have a clearer view of the situation. Yue Hu knew that she was needed at a time like this, thus she stepped forward and said: “Lord Marquis Gu, allow the second young sir to go. You clearly know that this is the best choice, and the second young sir has the ability to take your place. He is both smart and eloquent and thus capable of dealing with any plots the other side might have. You are a general and should understand that small plots can lead to grand schemes. If you insist on stopping the second young sir right now, that would be putting Yu Fu’s and your other sons’ lives at risk.”
These words woke everyone up from their stupors, and Gu HuaiJiang let out a long sigh, “This marquis fought on the battlefield for many years, yet this marquis never thought that there would come a day when there would be a need for me to employ tactics in the capital to deal with a situation in court. The battlefield here is even more vicious than the one on the border.”
Gu JiuGe knew that he was agreeing. He immediately stood up and bid farewell before he could change his mind.
The person from the Imperial Court of Justice waited and waited but never received any news from inside. He was on the verge of stepping inside to grab his target, but the guards of Marquis Gu’s Manor were exceptionally strong, which made that idea completely impossible.
The person in charge shouted at the guards: “We are from the Imperial Court of Justice. We have come to interrogate the suspect, so what is the reason for keeping us waiting out here?”
The guards ignored him and continued to stand guard without even looking at him.
That person roared indignantly, “Does your Marquis Gu’s Manor still obey the ruler or not?”
“Shut your mouth! Is Marquis Gu’s Manor an entity that someone as low as you can criticize?”
Gu JiuGe walked out through the gate and scolded the person that had come, “The late emperor personally conferred him the rank of first-rank general and marquis, giving him a golden tiger tally. The sign at Marquis Gu’s Manor’s entrance was also personally written by the late emperor. How could you be allowed to act so presumptuously here?!”
The person who had come was instantly silenced, only stepping forward after a long pause: “You are the second young sir? Second young sir, don’t make things difficult for us. We came with Lord Liu’s orders to come and… invite Lord Marquis Gu to ask some questions. Would second young sir please go in and report.”
Gu JiuGe sneered, “Hmph, is that Lord Liu the official who was unable to teach his daughter properly and allowed her to make a fool of herself in the imperial palace, that Liu Zhen? What can he be considered? Even if he is a member of the Imperial Court of Justice, what qualifications does he have to summon a first-rank marquis? And to question him, is he even worthy?”
The person who had come became pale from Gu JiuGe’s speech, as an embarrassed smile lingered on his face.
Gu JiuGe thought nothing of their chief investigator in the Imperial Court of Justice, so how could he possibly think anything of a lowly messenger like him?
Their expression immediately became respectful, “Second young sir, there’s nothing that can be done about this. His Majesty has ordered the Imperial Court of Justice to help the Imperial Censorate investigate Lord Marquis Gu for colluding with Western Kun. We lowly ones only came to do our jobs.”
“His Majesty told you to come and summon Marquis Gu?”
“Uh…”
The group that had come looked around at each other, “That did not exactly happen. Our chief investigator, Lord Liu, was the one who thought of summoning Marquis Gu.”
Gu JiuGe smiled, “That’s fine. I will go with you. My father’s noble status does not permit him to be summoned by Liu Zhen just because Liu Zhen wants to summon him. But if our Marquis Gu’s Manor does not send someone, it would appear as if we have a guilty conscience. That’s why I will go with you. That way, you can communicate amongst yourselves.”
The person leading the group said: “Second young sir, I’m afraid this would be inappropriate, no? Our Lord Liu wants Lord Marquis Gu. You…”
Gu JiuGe squinted his eyes, “What? Is a dignified fourth-rank cavalry general not enough for your Lord Liu? I will tell you that I can change my mind at any point and have you leave on your own. It would be best for you to quickly go while I’m in a good mood. It will be too late if you wait any longer.”
The group thought about it for a bit. Being able to bring Gu JiuGe back would be better than going back empty-handed. He had a court rank, thus it would not be too much for him to answer questions on Marquis Gu’s behalf.
Thus he said: “Then second young sir, please come along!”
Gu JiuGe mounted their horse and rode off.
Yu Fu and the others watched him leave but could not stop him. Disappointment filled their hearts.
Yue Hu patted her on the shoulder, “Don’t worry. Second young sir is smart. A good man does not suffer immediate losses. He will definitely be fine.”
“Un.”
Yu Fu nodded, “He’s already gone, so worrying about it any further would be pointless. I should go and keep head general company to keep him from worrying too much. While I’m at it, I can see if there’s anything that I can do. In the current situation, my status allows me to do more than Marquis Gu’s Manor can.”
Yue Hu curiously said: “If there’s anything that Immortals Valley can do, just let me know. Master has gone into seclusion, so I am the one making decisions in Immortals Valley and can do anything that I want!”
The fellow disciples exchanged a look and laughed. Just as they were about to head to the main hall, they suddenly heard the sound of hooves racing down the street, and they quickly turned back to take a look.
They saw a soldier in a terrible condition descend from his horse. Yu Fu and Yue Hu stepped forward to investigate, and the soldier held up a letter with great difficulty, “Young miss, it’s an urgent report from the border. The young general died in battle…”
