Gu Yannian hadn’t expected him to strike so suddenly. Luckily, the chair he sat on wasn’t high. As he was shoved off, he quickly braced himself with both hands against the cold, rough floor, narrowly avoiding smashing his head. The impact sent a dull ache shooting up his arms, and soon his palms burned with sharp, stinging pain.
“Ah! That hurts!” He looked around—his mother wasn’t there.
Just then, Gu Yuande entered the hall. Gu Yannian’s eyes lit up with hope at the sight of his father, but the feeling quickly faded. From as far back as he could remember, whenever he clashed with Gu Yantong, his father had never once taken his side.
“What happened? Let me see your hands.” Gu Qingzhao crouched beside him and lifted him gently. Her face darkened at the sight of his bloodied palms. She hurriedly ordered the maids to fetch medicine and cloth to bandage the wounds.
Though Gu Yannian carried himself with a maturity beyond his years, he was still just a child. Seeing his father stirred up a wave of grievance in his heart. Nestled against Gu Qingzhao’s shoulder, he began to sob silently, tears streaming down his cheeks. To anyone watching, he looked utterly wronged.
Gu Yantong, catching sight of the blood and his cousin’s pitiful expression, grew uneasy. Moments later, Gu Yuande also noticed the commotion and came over.
Gu Yantong quickly covered his face and said, “Second Uncle, I greeted Third Brother, but he slapped me. I panicked and pushed him, and he fell.”
Gu Yuande crouched to inspect Gu Yantong’s face. Though there was no mark, the boy’s aggrieved look seemed genuine. He turned sharply toward Gu Yannian and barked, “What’s the matter with you? You’ve barely returned and already caused trouble. Tong is your younger brother—can’t you show him some patience?”
Gu Qingzhao’s fingers trembled with anger at his words. Gu Yannian buried his head deeper into her neck, his muffled sobs echoing in her ear.
Heart aching for her brother, Gu Qingzhao patted his back and said firmly, “Father, did you even ask what really happened? I saw it clearly—Yannian never touched Tong. They’re both Gu family children. You can’t be so biased.”
Her voice rose with indignation. Everyone in the capital knew Gu Yuande favored the third branch’s children. Outwardly, people praised him for treating his late brother’s sons kindly, but in truth, she and her brother suffered for it.
The memory of her past life surged—this scene had played out before. Without her protection, Gu Yannian had been punished. Later, their mother had quarreled bitterly with Gu Yuande over it. Guilt welled up in Gu Qingzhao’s chest, and she held her brother even more tenderly.
Gu Yuande frowned, clearly unconvinced. “Tong wouldn’t lie. Why would he falsely accuse Yannian? Perhaps you were too far away and didn’t see clearly. Since you both insist on your version, let’s drop it. Just be more careful in the future.”
Gu Qingzhao’s eyes flashed. “Drop it? How can that be? If Yannian struck first, he should be punished. But if Tong lied, he mustn’t be let off lightly either.”
“These two children are still young. If they aren’t taught now, what will happen when they grow up?”
As father and daughter argued, the servants froze in fear. Even as they carried in dishes, they dared not make a sound.
Moments later, word reached Xiao Hongshuang of the third branch, and she hurried in. She pulled Gu Yantong into her arms and inspected him from head to toe. When she heard he had been slapped by Gu Yannian, her eyes brimmed with tears. Holding her son close, she said, “Tong, remember—Yannian is the heir. In this household, you must understand rank and respect.”
At this, Gu Yuande’s face darkened with fury. “So what if he’s the heir? Does that mean he can strike others at will? If this happens again, I’ll strip him of the title myself!”
Gu Qingzhao looked at her father’s grim expression, and once again the memory of her brother’s death in her past life surged up. To her, this father was the true executioner.
“I have a few questions for Tong,” Gu Qingzhao said, drawing a deep breath. She intended to interrogate the matter like a case, to prove publicly that her brother hadn’t struck anyone.
The servants in the room were witnesses, but she knew that with her father siding with Gu Yantong, none would dare speak. Pressed too hard, they would claim they hadn’t seen.
After speaking, she gestured for Xiahe to take Gu Yannian, but the boy clung to her like a pendant, refusing to look at anyone or let go. Gu Qingzhao sighed and held him tighter.
Hearing that she meant to question him, Xiao Hongshuang tightened her embrace around her son, eyeing Gu Qingzhao warily. “What does Third Miss want to ask? He’s only a child—you mustn’t frighten him. From now on, I’ll tell him not to provoke Yannian. We’ll simply keep our distance, isn’t that enough?”
Xiao Hongshuang managed her look of grievance just right, so that Gu Qingzhao’s cold, stern face made her seem like she was bullying a helpless widow and orphan.
“Third Aunt, don’t say that yet. If it turns out Tong lied, wouldn’t that be a slap in your face?”
Xiao Hongshuang glared at Gu Qingzhao through clenched teeth, just about to retort when the Old Madam and Xiao Tingyun, having heard the commotion, hurried in.
The moment the Old Madam entered, everyone in the room straightened at once and bowed in greeting. “What’s all this noise? Such a lack of decorum.”
Xiao Hongshuang wanted to lodge her complaint, but under the Old Madam’s calm gaze, she swallowed it back.
Gu Yuande stepped forward and bowed. “Mother, it is your son’s failure to keep the household in order.”
The Old Madam swept her eyes across the room, then took her seat at the head. Her gaze fell on Gu Yannian’s freshly bandaged hands. “What happened to Brother Nian? How did he get hurt?”
Seizing the chance, Gu Qingzhao recounted what had just transpired. Then she added, “Grandmother, your granddaughter wishes to ask Brother Tong a few questions. Please grant permission.”
The Old Madam gave a soft “Mm,” neither opposing nor forbidding.
Xiao Tingyun moved to set her son down, but Gu Yannian clung fast.
Gu Qingzhao turned and whispered, “Mother, don’t worry. Holding him doesn’t tire me. This matter doesn’t need your hand—I’ll get to the truth, and Brother Tong will be punished and apologize to his younger brother.”
Hearing this, Xiao Tingyun nodded and said no more. Since her daughter had spoken, she trusted her and stood by her.
After that, Gu Yuande and several of the ladies sat down, while Gu Qingzhao and Gu Yantong faced each other.
Gu Qingzhao spoke gently: “Brother Tong, don’t be afraid. Third Sister will only ask a few questions. Just answer truthfully.”
Gu Yantong looked at his mother, then at his second uncle, and finally nodded.
Gu Qingzhao’s earlier severity had frightened him, and now her questioning made him terribly nervous.
She began: “You said Brother Nian slapped you first. Suppose I were Brother Nian—would I have used my right hand to strike your left cheek?”
As she spoke, she raised her right hand in a mock slap.
Gu Yantong nodded. “Yes.”
Gu Qingzhao then asked several ordinary questions—his age, what books he had read, what he ate for breakfast. She asked about his posture when struck, whether Brother Nian had stood up. After six or seven such questions, she pressed further: “You said he hit your right cheek. Does it still hurt?”
As she asked, she lightly touched his right cheek.
Gu Yantong, only seven years old, focused hard on her questions. When she asked if it hurt, he worried his act might not be convincing. “Ow—Big Sister, be gentle; it still hurts a little.” He clutched his right cheek, pulling an exaggerated grimace.