The servant women reacted quickly, rushing to cover Gu Qingzhao’s mouth.
Startled for a moment, Gu Qingzhao’s shock gave way to fury.
Gu Yuande, for Gu Qingjin’s sake, was willing to ruin his own daughter’s reputation. But then again, it wasn’t surprising. In her previous life, he had even taken the lives of her mother and brothers—what else would he not do?
Of all the people, Gu Qingzhao hated Gu Yuande most. Others had entangled interests with her; if she was harmed, it was partly her own weakness. But Gu Yuande was different—he was her father. She had looked up to him, longed for his love and approval. In the end, she had met only a tragic fate.
“Chunlan!” Gu Qingzhao’s voice turned cold and sharp.
Chunlan understood instantly. She seized two of the servant women and flung them aside, then kicked two more away. In moments, the women were piled up like discarded sacks.
Taking advantage of Chunlan’s intervention, Gu Qingzhao’s eyes brimmed with tears as she lifted her gaze to Gu Yuande. She said, “I know Father favors Fourth Sister, treating her more dearly than your own daughter. But you cannot wrong me like this. Why must her pregnancy be blamed on me?”
Her tone carried grievance and helplessness. Even Gu Yuande faltered for a moment, as though realizing he had indeed failed this daughter over the years. But when his eyes fell on Xiao Hongshuang, that rare flicker of emotion vanished. He looked back at Gu Qingzhao, his face clouded with displeasure and disdain. “Silence! If not for you sending medicine and calling doctors, would any of this have happened?”
Gu Qingzhao almost laughed. Was she to blame for delivering medicine? Who had insisted she write to Liaodong for tiger-bone wine to treat Gu Qingjin’s injury?
She opened her mouth to speak, but Gu Yuande had already turned toward Song Chu. “This matter was only my daughter’s foolishness, and my failure as a father. Fortunately, it has not spread, so the Imperial Uncle’s reputation remains untouched.”
“It would be better to dissolve the engagement here and now, and let each of them marry elsewhere.”
This was no time to lecture his daughter—Gu Yuande knew the urgent matter was to explain to the Song family. He consoled himself: the Imperial Uncle was known for his generosity. If he explained carefully, reconciliation between the two families would be the best outcome.
Gu Qingzhao sneered inwardly. Though her father spoke as if he were consulting, his words carried a veiled threat. In the past, perhaps the Imperial Uncle would not have minded. But since returning to the capital, his temper had turned violent—he would not tolerate such threats.
In her previous life, after Prince Yong murdered the Crown Prince, the Imperial Uncle wiped out the entire Yong faction within a year. The capital whispered that his twenty-five years of gentleness had all been an act.
At that moment, Song Chu lifted a teacup to his lips. Hearing Gu Yuande’s words, a cold gleam flashed in his eyes. His gaze sharpened, authority radiating. The next instant, his hand flicked the teacup outward. It struck Gu Yuande squarely on the temple. Scarlet blood trickled down his face, two tea leaves clinging absurdly to the tip of his nose.
Gu Yuande wiped at his temple, shouting in fury: “Imperial Uncle, this is too much! How can you raise your hand against me?”
Xiao Hongshuang stepped forward, reaching to examine his wound, but hesitated and withdrew.
Others did not notice, but Gu Qingzhao saw it clearly.
Song Chu gave a cold snort. “This is nothing. I still intend to kill that adulterous pair. Such humiliation I cannot endure—can you, Duke Ying, endure it?”
Gu Yuande’s forehead throbbed with pain. He forced his expression calmer, searching for words to explain.
Song Chu leaned back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other. In his hand, he toyed idly with a string of beads.
Gu Qingzhao, seeing her father’s embarrassment and Xiao Hongshuang and Gu Qingjin’s fearful faces, felt a surge of satisfaction. Watching the ruthless aura slip from Song Chu, she thought: indeed, power is the only true law.
When Gu Yuande remained silent, Song Chu asked lazily, “Or does Duke Gu believe the Song family has fallen, and may now be insulted at will?”
Just then, a maid entered to serve fresh tea and clear away the shards. Another servant came to apply medicine to Gu Yuande’s wound, but he drove her out.
Song Chu lifted the new cup, his fingers tracing the entwined floral pattern along its rim, his gaze fixed on Gu Yuande.
Gu Yuande hurried to say, “Imperial Uncle, what words are these? The Song family and decline—those two notions do not belong together.”
It was not mere flattery. For though the Crown Prince and Empress were confined, they had not yet been deposed. Today was house arrest; tomorrow might be restoration; the day after, perhaps enthronement.
Affairs at court shifted in an instant—anything was possible.
Suddenly, Song Chu’s cold voice cut through: “Who is the adulterer?”
Instinctively, everyone’s gaze fell on Gu Qingjin. Gu Qingzhao’s lips curved into a knowing smile.
At Song Chu’s question, Gu Qingjin’s heart lurched. Yet when she recalled the child in her womb, she steadied herself. What did it matter that Song Chu was the Imperial Uncle? The child she carried was still a royal grandson. With that thought, a flicker of secret delight rose in her.
Prince Cheng had always forbidden her from revealing their affair. He valued the Xiao clan’s power in Liaodong, so he insisted on marrying Gu Qingzhao. For the sake of his grand ambition, he had even forced Gu Qingjin to wed Song Chu, using her to spy on the Crown Prince’s faction. Though unwilling, she had agreed for the greater cause. Now that both Gu Qingzhao and Song Chu knew of her pregnancy, perhaps this was not disaster but fortune.
Resolute, Gu Qingjin stepped forward and said, “Imperial Uncle, best not to ask. Some things are better left unknown. First, the man is not one you can afford to provoke. Second, if word spreads, it will harm both your reputation and the Song family’s name. Let us dissolve the betrothal here. It will be better for everyone.”
Gu Qingzhao’s smile deepened, her long lashes casting faint shadows beneath her eyes. She had known she needn’t lift a finger—Gu Qingjin would reveal the truth herself.
For Gu Qingjin, marrying Qin Jingming was all that mattered. In a way, their goals were the same.
Gu Yuande’s face changed at her words. He had clung to the hope that the physician had lied. Now it was clear—she truly was pregnant. He shot Xiao Hongshuang a sharp look, as though blaming her for failing to watch over the child.
Song Chu’s expression froze at Gu Qingjin’s reply. His icy face seemed to thaw, only for a cold smile to curl at his lips.
“Reputation? Do you think I fear that?”
“Men! Post notices across the entire capital—offer a reward for capturing the adulterer of the Gu family’s Fourth Young Lady!”
“If the Gu family refuses to give me an explanation, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
Gu Yuande turned and barked at Gu Qingjin, “Silence! Stop spouting nonsense.” Then he addressed Song Chu: “Imperial Uncle, please calm your anger. The Gu family will certainly provide an explanation. There’s no need to let the whole city know.”
Song Chu’s fingers stilled on the beads he was toying with. “An explanation? And how exactly will the Gu family explain? Send her to a temple? Confine her to your ancestral estate for repentance? Or perhaps thirty strokes of the rod, and let fate decide?”
“Duke Gu keeps speaking of an explanation—then spell it out for me, so I can hear.”
Seeing Song Chu unwilling to let the matter rest, Gu Yuande grew uneasy. Why did the Imperial Uncle seem like a different man since returning to the capital? This was not his former demeanor.
Gu Qingjin, sensing the moment was ripe, stepped forward before Gu Yuande and said firmly: “Imperial Uncle, do not trouble my second uncle. This child belongs to Prince Cheng.”
At those words, the room fell silent.
Song Chu’s gaze slid meaningfully across Gu Qingzhao’s stunning face.
Gu Qingzhao feigned shock, then strode up to Gu Qingjin and raised her hand to slap. “How dare you!” she hissed through clenched teeth.
Though she looked as if she were forcing herself to be strong, her strike was anything but weak. The slap sent Gu Qingjin staggering, nearly falling. Those beside her caught and steadied her—only for Gu Qingzhao’s hand to lash out again. “You debased creature!”