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CHAPTER 44: TO BULLY INTOLERABLY
PUBLISHED ON NOVEMBER 26, 2022BY NAVAKELSA
Li Chuan knelt inside the outer yard study, trembling with fear.
Gu daren sat on the chair, his expression cloudy that it could drip water.
“Did you just say that er guniang stabbed Xie Xian because he misbehaved with her?”
“Yes! Xiaode doesn’t dare to speak false words.”
Gu daren ground his teeth, scolding angrily, “Xie Xian has the gall to use such despicable means to deal with benguan’s daughter. When has benguan been so easy to bully?”
Li Chuan said hurriedly, “Fortunately, er guniang wasn’t wronged. It’s just that san shaoye stabbed him so many times out of rage that although Xie Xian isn’t dead, he is seriously injured.
“Er guniang said that if Xie jia demands an explanation, she will take full responsibility and that san shaoye must not be implicated.”
Gu daren rebuked, “Impudent! Can’t benguan protect his own daughter? Who gave Xie jia the guts to demand an explanation? This time, if benguan doesn’t deal with Xie jia, they will continue to think that benguan can be easily deceived.”
Li Chuan kowtowed. “Laoye, please give er guniang and san shaoye justice.”
Gu daren was outwardly serious but inwardly boiling with rage. “You said that Xie Xian’s servant was detained, but Xie Xian was thrown at Xie jia’s door?”
Li Chuan nodded. “Yes!”
“Where is that servant?”
“He is in the ruined temple, five miles outside the city.”
Gu daren snorted coldly and told the butler Gu Quan, “Take that person and throw all those manservants into prison to serve their sentence. Let them understand their situation thoroughly.”
“Xiaode obeys.”
Gu daren reminded, “Hide any information related to er guniang and san shaoye.”
Gu Quan pondered for a few seconds and suggested, “It would be better to say that they are thieves; that Xie Xian sent his servants to Tianmen Temple to steal Buddhist treasures.”
Gu daren nodded. “This is a good idea. You must handle this matter well. Also, warn the gatehouse to not allow anyone from Xie jia to enter.”
“Yes!” Gu Quan bowed and left the room with a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes.
Gu daren told Li Chuan, “Return to Tianmen Temple and tell er guniang and san shaoye to not return to the fu for now and stay at the temple for a few more days.
“In addition, benguan will send ten more guards to protect both of them.”
“Xiaode obeys.”
Gu daren waved his hand and Li Chuan hurriedly left the study.
Gu daren didn’t calm down but became even more furious.
Xie jia was truly bullying intolerably. Once marriage talks fell through, they were unexpectedly delusional enough to use such despicable methods to achieve their purpose.
Facing such humiliation, if he didn’t retaliate appropriately, they would behave more aggressively in the future and ride on him like a saddlehorse.
Gu Yu stood at the door. “Daren, there’s a letter from the capital.”
Gu daren restrained his emotions. His expression relaxed and he said, “Is it Gu Yu? Come in.”
Gu Yu walked inside holding the letter.
Gu daren asked, “Is it from the hou fu?”
Gu Yu nodded. “Yes.”
Gu daren took the letter and tore open the envelope. Drawing the paper out, he read it carefully.
As he read it, his brows began to crease.
No wonder Xie er laoye dared to be this rampant and dared to disturb the wind and rain in Jinzhou. It turned out to be because of the one supporting Xie Mao.
Xie Mao, the crown prince, donggong… did he really treat him as donggong’s chess piece?
Xie Mao was bullying people intolerably.
Gu daren’s anger rose so high that he had already cut Xie Mao and Xie er laoye into eight pieces in his mind.
He shouted, “Gu Yu!”
“This nephew is here. What instructions does daren have?”
Gu daren said sternly, “Take benguan’s order and immediately seal up all of Xie jia’s businesses in Jinzhou. Also, send someone to invite Xie er laoye into the yamen. Benguan invites him to have tea.”
Gu Yu didn’t ask him for the reason and bowed. “Yes, this nephew will carry out the order at once.”
The more Gu daren thought about the matter, the angrier he got. What did Xie jia think of him? A chess piece? A pawn? A stepping stone?
Did they really think he was dead, to do whatever they pleased on his territory?
In his 10 years as an official, he had never met such shameless people.
“Come!”
A servant walked into the study, responding to the summon. “What order does laoye have?”
Gu daren said with a dark face, “Tell furen that benguan wants to have a meal with her at shang fang at noon. Let her prepare a table of food and drink.”
“Yes!”
Xie shi was very happy to hear that Gu daren wanted to have a meal at her place.
She drew up the menu in excitement and gave it to Dong Mei. “Tell the kitchen that these are all for laoye. Tell them to prepare carefully.”
“Yes!”
Dong Mei took the menu and went to the kitchen.
Xie shi leaned against the couch, looking satisfied. Gu Jiu and Gu Ting, these two irritating presences, weren’t in the fu, so her days were really comfortable.
Taking a sip of the nutritional soup, she asked Chun He, “Is there any news from jiu laoye’s side?”
Chun He shook her head.
“There is no news yet. Should nubi go to the gate and ask?”
Xie shi waved her hand. “It’s still early. Xie Xian must not have returned yet.”
Saying so, Xie shi’s expression turned proud. No matter how clever Gu Jiu was, it was impossible to escape from her clutches this time.
…
At noon, Xie shi had prepared the food and drink for Gu daren, and accompanied him to the table.
Gu daren sat at the main seat with an unsmiling face.
Xie shi smiled softly and personally poured wine for Gu daren. “Laoye, have you encountered any trouble?”
Gu daren looked at Xie shi and said expressionlessly, “I’ve indeed run into some trouble. Some flies have been buzzing around my ears all day long and they don’t die no matter how much I beat them.”
Xie shi covered her mouth and laughed. “Laoye really likes to joke. Then qieshen will make a flyswatter for laoye, then the flies will definitely be beaten to death.”
Gu daren smiled meaningfully, “Furen is considerate.” Saying so, took a sip of the wine.
“Laoye, this the lotus-leaf chicken, your favourite dish. I had the kitchen make it for you especially.”
Gu daren waved his hand, stopping her. She looked at him, puzzled.
Staring at her, Gu daren asked, “Is furen very satisfied with Xie Xian?”
Xie shi was guilty in her heart and didn’t dodge his sight. “Why did laoye suddenly mention Xie Xian?”
Gu daren said, “Since just a while ago furen wanted to marry er yatou to him, it is important to ask.”
“Why does laoye think so much? Since that affair of Xie Xian staying at a brothel overnight happened, qieshen has given up on this marriage.”
Gu daren stared at Xie shi with a complex expression. “Really?”
Xie shi nodded. “Qieshen doesn’t dare to deceive laoye.”
Gu daren smiled, but the smile never reached his eyes. “I hope that furen hasn’t lied to me.”
Xie shi felt uneasy in her heart and her expression was a little unnatural. “Laoye, you think too much. How can qieshen deceive you?”
Gu daren nodded. “Having said this, no matter what happens in the future, furen should never raise the matter of Xie and Gu jia marrying in the future.”
Xie shi’s thoughts were in chaos. This… how could she agree to this? Er ge was still waiting for her to facilitate the marriage between Xie Xian and Gu Jiu.
If she promised laoye, how could she open her mouth in the future?
Xie shi spoke cautiously, “Laoye, there are exceptions to everything. Perhaps the fates of the children are predestined. As parents, shouldn’t we also think from their perspective?”
Gu daren sneered. “How can benguan’s daughter take a fancy to a dissolute thing like Xie Xian? Although er yatou is physically unwell, a shameless thing like Xie Xian can’t afford to climb that high. In short, furen should not bring up the matter of marriage between Xie and Gu jia again. If anyone dares to bring up the subject again, don’t blame benguan for not remembering old affection.”
The words were filled with murderous intent.
Xie shi’s heart shivered, her eyes trembled and her complexion turned pale. She opened her mouth but no words came out.
Gu daren said with a piercing gaze, “From now on, furen should not get involved in Xie jia’s business. Gu jia does not lack that bit of money.”
Xie shi turned pale with fright. “Laoye, why?”
Not marrying is understandable. But not being allowed to participate in the business was too sudden. There had to be a reason for this.
With unprecedented seriousness, Gu daren said sternly, “There’s no reason. In a word, this husband doesn’t allow you to participate in Xie jia’s business. Do you understand?”
“Understand, I understand.”
Xie shi replied feebly, her heart filled with doubts and anxiety.