Watching Xiao Fuguang leave, the group felt unwilling but utterly helpless.
Zhuang Linan hurriedly bandaged Gu Chuan’s wound.
“Chuan’er, you’ve lost so much blood.”
“Sister-in-law’s attack was too vicious.”
“You are her husband—how could she be so ruthless?”
Recalling the earlier scene, Madam Gu still felt a lingering fear in her heart.
Gnashing her teeth, she said, “That little wretch Xiao Fuguang actually dared to attack in the Gu family. Chuan’er, divorce her. Our Gu family wants no part of such a shrew.”
Hearing this, Zhuang Linan felt a surge of joy. Without Xiao Fuguang, Gu Chuan would be hers alone.
“Mother, Chuan’er, Sister-in-law might have lashed out because of me. If a woman is divorced, she might not survive afterward. Perhaps we should let it go.”
Madam Gu’s face was filled with rage. “I want her to be unable to survive. How dare she threaten me? That little wretch—her father and brother are both dead. Once she’s divorced by the Gu family, she’ll be nothing but a discarded woman, hiding in the Xiao family, too afraid to show her face.”
Gu Chuan did not immediately agree. Instead, he thought for a moment and persuaded Madam Gu.
“She indeed went too far today, but she still has some use. She has a considerable dowry, and over the years, she has managed the household quite well.”
“Once Elder Brother’s funeral is over, she’ll come to understand the Xiao family’s situation. By then, she’ll naturally come crying and begging the Gu family. We can make her kneel and apologize to Mother and Sister-in-law, then hand over her dowry for Sister-in-law to manage. I might even give her a concubine’s position.”
At the thought of the money in Xiao Fuguang’s hands, a flash of greed appeared in Madam Gu’s eyes.
“Then, considering how well she has served me over the years, we can give her a concubine’s position.”
Zhuang Linan chimed in sweetly, “Chuan’er, once Sister-in-law understands the Xiao family’s situation, she’ll naturally return. It’s truly kind of you to worry about her having nowhere to go. I only hope that when she returns, she’ll take good care of you and live peacefully with you, without causing any more trouble.”
Since both the Gu and Xiao family members had died in battle, the emperor had ordered the Minister of Rites to preside over the funeral arrangements, making it a grand ceremony.
On the day of the funeral, the capital was enveloped in solemnity.
The mansions of the Xiao and Gu families were draped in white banners, with mourners arriving in an endless stream.
On the day of the burial procession,
Xiao Fuguang wore mourning attire, her face pale and cold without a trace of makeup, yet carrying a hint of frostiness. The Gu family finally saw Xiao Fuguang appear.
Madam Gu sneered, “So you finally remembered to return. I’ve never seen a daughter-in-law who neglects her family’s funeral to go enjoy herself at her parents’ home.”
Zhuang Linan wiped her tears. “Sister-in-law, you’ve returned. Thank you for coming to see my husband off. You’ve been absent from the Gu family’s funeral for so long—I thought you wouldn’t come back.”
Noticing the murmurs among the mourners who had come to bid farewell to Gu Shan, Xiao Fuguang thought, “Hah! The Gu family truly excels at smearing others’ reputations.” She picked up a handkerchief to wipe the corners of her eyes.
“Mother, Sister-in-law,” she began, her voice choked with sobs. “Are you trying to wrong me to death?”
“My heart aches deeply for Elder Brother’s death in battle, but my father and brother also died on the battlefield. I am the daughter of the Xiao family and the daughter-in-law of the Gu family, yet I am torn between both. I had no choice but to attend to both sides. It was never my intention to neglect the Gu family.”
Madam Gu and Zhuang Linan were stunned upon hearing this.
The surrounding discussions abruptly ceased as everyone turned to look at Xiao Fuguang, their eyes filled with sympathy.
Could it be that the Gu family intended to embarrass their daughter-in-law? Her father and brothers had died in battle—could she not even return to see them?
Some even whispered among themselves.
Xiao Fuguang pricked up her ears to listen to those murmurs.
“This Miss Xiao is truly pitiful.”
“Indeed, her father and brothers died in battle, yet she’s scolded by her mother-in-law for wanting to return.”
“Alas, a married daughter must rely on her in-laws’ understanding, no matter how grave the matters of her natal family are. Otherwise, she’ll always have to endure her mother-in-law’s displeasure.”
Madam Gu also overheard these remarks, her face darkening with anger.
Xiao Fuguang raised her hand to wipe the tear stains from the corner of her eye, a faint, cold smile curling at her lips.
Angered by such trivial gossip?
I wonder if she’ll be driven to the point of vomiting blood later.
The time for the funeral procession arrived, and an official from the Ministry of Rites announced loudly:
“General of Martial Virtue Gu Shan’s funeral procession begins…”
Suddenly, a voice rang out.
“Wait… the procession cannot proceed.”
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.
A deputy general clad in armor stood at the entrance of the Gu residence, holding a letter aloft.
“Gu Chuan and Zhuang Linan, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, committed adultery and conspired to murder the General of Martial Virtue. Their crimes are punishable by death.”
These words struck like a bolt from the blue, exploding at the entrance of the Gu residence and shocking everyone present.
Zhuang Linan’s face turned pale, and her legs gave way, nearly causing her to collapse. How could it be Lin Fan? Could he have discovered something? Fortunately, a maid beside her quickly steadied her.
Madam Gu stood dumbfounded, unable to believe her ears.
“How is this possible?”
Gu Chuan was startled at first but quickly regained his composure, shouting angrily:
“How dare you! Today is the day of the General of Martial Virtue’s funeral procession. How dare anyone disrupt his final journey? I suspect this person is a spy from an enemy state, deliberately sowing chaos in Xuanyuan. Guards, seize him immediately and detain him. I will interrogate him after sending off the General of Martial Virtue.”
His reaction was swift. Xiao Fuguang glanced briefly at Gu Chuan before quickly averting her gaze.
Facing the guards who moved to apprehend him, the deputy general showed no fear. He took a step back, revealing a noticeable limp, yet his voice remained firm and resolute.
“Who dares? Gu Chuan, do you pretend not to know me and think you can deceive the entire world? I am Lin Fan, the deputy general who served beside the General of Martial Virtue. Countless people at the border know me, and even in the imperial city, many soldiers familiar with the General of Martial Virtue recognize me. You murdered your elder brother and seized his wife. Today, I have rushed back from the border specifically to expose your true nature.”
The crowd of commoners who had come to bid farewell to the General of Martial Virtue grew restless, whispering and murmuring among themselves.
“What is going on?”
“Heavens, Gu Chuan is truly inhuman.”
“I have a relative who works for the Gu family. I’ve heard some of this. It’s said that Gu Chuan returned with his widowed sister-in-law and insisted on a dual-household marriage, forcing Madam Gu the Second back to her natal home.”
“So, Gu Chuan was truly blinded by lust, murdering his elder brother to take his wife? But wasn’t the General of Martial Virtue killed in battle?”
The officials who had come to offer condolences looked at Gu Chuan and his family with suspicion.
Seeing this, Gu Chuan’s heart sank. Though he didn’t know why his elder brother’s deputy general, Lin Fan, had appeared in the imperial city, he absolutely could not allow him to continue speaking. Otherwise, the Gu family’s reputation would be ruined.
“I do not know any Lin Fan, and my elder brother never had a deputy general named Lin Fan by his side. How dare you impersonate a border guard—such a crime is punishable by death. Guards, execute this spy.”
Xiao Fuguang stepped forward, handkerchief in hand. “Wait.”
Gu Chuan looked at the approaching Xiao Fuguang with a warning in his eyes.
Xiao Fuguang walked to his side, adopting a placating manner.
“Husband, today is our elder brother’s funeral. So many court officials and commoners have come to see him off. This soldier must have misunderstood something, which led him to slander you. Everyone here has heard it. If we don’t let this soldier finish speaking today, I fear it will only stir suspicion among the crowd.”
“You and elder brother have always been harmonious, and you treated his children as your own. How could you possibly have murdered your own brother?”
“Fuguang believes in your character. You could never have betrayed elder brother, nor could you have betrayed me.”
Hearing Xiao Fuguang’s words, someone in the crowd spoke up.
“General Gu, your wife is right. There must be some misunderstanding here. We should let this man finish speaking. Otherwise, leaving things so ambiguous will only make everyone doubt.”