Legend of Concubine's Daughter Minglan

Chapter 246: Grudge (3)

Translator: Iris

“My father has been in the army for twenty years and garrisoned the frontier for ten years. Although he didn’t take charge of the affairs afterwards, most of the people he has promoted still became significant officials afterwards. Those people worked in different camps and military bases with different posts. The most important thing is, have any of them joined the mutiny? Has anyone from our family helped the guilty prince recruit those people? If that really happened, our family would be accused of colluding with the guilty prince.”

The look in Gu Tingye’s eyes was strangely cold. As he glanced at all the people in the room, they only felt desperate as if their hearts were sinking in the cold water-- helping the guilty prince recruit some people can be something serious or not. They could say they had only introduced someone to the former Fourth Prince. However, it was very likely that some of the people had joined the mutiny because of the Gu’s introduction.

“This, this...” Old Madam Qin finally realized how serious this thing was. Then she said in a trembling voice, “You knew about your father, he wouldn’t do something like that!”

Gu Tingye didn’t reply to her and only glimpsed at others. Then he spoke even more slowly as if he was trying to use every word to torture them, “I was occupied in the military camp at the countryside, but I have sent a letter to Liu Zhengjie. He couldn’t disclose too many things to me. But he did have mentioned one thing, which was that someone in our family has bought a few groups of women from south of the Yangtze River for the guilty prince.”

“This... will also be considered a crime?” Gu Tingyang who had been absent-minded the whole time suddenly asked that in shock.

Gu Tingye put down his tea cup and said in a flat tone, “Later on, most of these women were sent to the civil officials or generals, in order to draw them to the guilty prince’s side.”

Fifth Old Master looked at Fourth Old Master and then lowered his head to ponder. With the look on Gu Tingwei’s face turning anxious, he took a glance at Gu Tingbing who sat beside him, finding the latter’s face turning deadly pale and the sweats on his forehead running down like raindrops.

Minglan was deeply absorbed in the story. Suddenly someone pinched her on the hand. Then she turned around and saw Madam Xuan showing a scornful look. Madam Xuan said in an extremely low voice and snorted, “They never think of us when they make a fortune. We will never be implicated in their crimes.”

Minglan smiled in a daze, not knowing what to say. Now everything was pretty clear. Old Master Gu was a prudent person who would never collude with the guilty prince. Gu Tingyu was feeble and sick, so he wouldn’t have the strength to collaborate with anyone. Gu Tingwei had been kept on a short leash by his mother, so he wouldn’t do anything absurd. As for the other men in the Gu Family, it was hard to say what kind of things they would do.

Minglan had studied the ancient criminal laws before. Moreover, with the influence of her father and brother, she was actually aware of the situation now. According to what Gu Tingye had said, even if Gu’s Family was convicted of colluding with the guilty prince, the people in the Gu Family might not be sentenced to death or sent into exile since the ancestor of the Gu Family had been one of the founders of this country and Gu Tingye was trusted by the emperor now. So, what would be the worst situation?

Minglan looked to those men in the hall. Everyone was panicky, scared, anxious except for Gu Tingye who was drinking his tea calmly.

The thing that the First Family feared most was that their family property(the estates granted by His Majesty) would be confiscated because they failed to manage the family. The thing that the Fourth and Fifth Family feared most was that as long as any member of their family was convicted, they would be punished, reformed through labor, put into jail, or sent to exile. Those punishments were all hard to endure. So, what did Gu Tingye want?

Minglan couldn’t help but raise her head to look at Gu Tingye who was sitting upright. Did he only want to see the guys who had bullied him suffering?

“My second nephew, did you say all those things only to evade your responsibility?!” Fifth Old Master, teeth gritted, stared at Gu Tingye straightly and said, “Are you going to feel at ease watching your uncles and brothers being tortured? Just tell us, will you help us or not?”

“Tell me this, Fifth Uncle, is what I have said true? Has anyone in our family colluded with the guilty prince?” Gu Tingye said leisurely.

Fifth Old Master was speechless. He couldn’t deny that. However, he was not willing to admit that either since he was afraid that Gu Tingye would lecture him with the words ‘One should always be patriotic and loyal to the throne.’ After all, Fifth Old Master was a scholar who was keen on keeping up his appearance.

Fourth Old Madam hadn’t wanted to chime in before. However, if anything bad happened to Fourth Old Master, her daughter wouldn’t marry into a prestigious family. Then she said gently, “Tingye, everyone will make mistakes. Even if your uncles and brothers made mistakes, you should still help them. After all, we are all families, right?”

Gu Tingye took a glance at her and said, “Of course I won’t stand by.”

Minglan tried to figure out the meaning of his ambiguous words. Well, everything was back to the beginning.

Fourth Old Master took out his handkerchief to wipe the sweats on his forehead. Then he raised his head and said to Gu Tingye, “Tingye, you are the only capable man in our family. Your eldest brother’s weak and sick, and he couldn’t undertake anything. We need you to keep our noble title and take our family’s responsibility. You are the backbone of our family...”

Hearing that, Old Madam Qin suddenly raised her head to gaze at Fourth Old Master with an indignant look in her eyes.

“Careful with your words, Fourth Uncle!” Gu Tingye showed a straight face right away and said seriously, “We should always respect our seniors. Please don’t say that. Your words are disrespectful to our family rules and will harm the relationships between me and my brothers. You shouldn’t have said that!”

Fourth Old master sat back embarrassedly.

Minglan frowned. Fourth Old Master had spoken too undisguisedly. How shameful! Also, none of the Gu’s people had figured out what Gu Tingye was thinking. He didn’t want the noble title because he needed a title. He wanted to be Marquis Ningyuan because he needed to vent his anger, take revenge for his blood mother and allay his grievances for all those years. From this point of view, the people of the Fourth and Fifth Family were more hateful than others.

“Tingye, say something.” Old Madam Qin, seeing the situation getting worse, asked straightly, “How can we bring this thing to an end?”

Gu Tingye stared at her anxious face and said slowly, “If the investigation shows that the people of our family are innocent, it’ll be the best. If...” He smiled with a helpless look and stopped saying anything.

Fifth Old Master stared at Gu Tingye coldly, saying in a grim voice, “The only thing I want is that everyone in our family could be safe. I don’t want to see anyone being harmed in this!”

-- ‘Bah! You call that ‘the only you want’? What a simple request!’ Minglan sneered.

Gu Tingye also stared at Fifth Old Master calmly while saying in a cold voice, “Since you want safety, why have some of you done those things? Fifth Uncle, don’t be angry. Tell me, what if I am still wandering outside, what would you do now?”

Hearing that, everyone in the hall was astonished. When Gu Tingye left the Gu family, all the Gu’s family members surrounded Old Master Gu’s sickbed. Fourth Old Master and Fifth Old Master comforted Old Master Gu, “Just assume that boy never exists in our family!”

The people of the Gu Family didn’t know what to say. Old Madam Qin said with tears covering her face, “Tingye, it’s all my fault. I have wronged you before. I know you are angry. Just vent all your anger on me. I’m the one that hasn’t taken good care of you. I’m the one that let you run away from home in a rage...”

After all, Old Madam Qin was Gu Tingye’s stepmother. It seemed not appropriate to let her cry so bitterly. Minglan was wondering if she should persuade Old Madam Qin.

Meanwhile, Gu Tingye, having turned around, stepped forward to help Old Madam Qin while saying gently, “Even if something happens, I’ll try my best to help.”

“Will we be fine?” Old Madam Qin still insisted on asking.

Gu Tingye said shortly, “Nothing is clear right now. It’s hard to say.”

The conversation ended there. Since Gu Tingye had already promised to help, what else could Old Madam Qin say? The other people in the hall gazed at each other at a loss, feeling quite helpless. Today, Gu Tingye wasn’t moved by tough attitudes or soft persuasion and only passed the buck.

“Well,” Gu Tingye smiled while looking at the people around him, “I can’t promise lots of things, but I will assure you that no one’s life will be taken.”

His meaningful words shocked lots of people present.