Chapter 221
The next day,
The sun shone brightly, and the fragrance of flowers filled the air.
Inside the Gu Mansion's inner courtyard, it was even more lively than outside.
In the front courtyard,
Everyone in the mansion stood in the yard. Madam Han, the two concubines, and other maids, old nannies, and cooks stood together.
Madam Han stood at the very front. Unlike before, Madam Han had an old woman serving her closely. This person's face was full of wrinkles, but the skin on her hands was fair and delicate. Moreover, this person was tall, taller than ordinary women.
On the men's side, Gu Kun led the way. Gu Kun sat in a wheelchair, his illegitimate sons Gu Wen and Gu Yi stood to the side, and behind them were the mansion's guards and young servants.
"Qianying, why have you gathered everyone here? Could it be that you are too happy about marrying into the Ninth Prince's mansion, and that's why you've called everyone together today, wanting to bestow some good things upon us to celebrate and have some fun?"
Madam Han asked knowingly, pretending not to know what was happening. Instead, she deliberately said these words to incite hatred towards Gu Qianying.
Gu Qianying looked at her coldly and smiled, "Madam Han, if you hadn't mentioned it, this Princess Consort would have forgotten. Yesterday was this Princess Consort's return visit. By rights, this Princess Consort should have brought her husband to pay respects to the elders of the family. However, looking at this household, Father's status is not as high as the Ninth Prince, so he certainly wouldn't dare to drink the Ninth Prince's tea. As for you, who got lucky and was promoted from concubine to Madam, you likely don't have the qualifications to drink this Princess Consort's tea. In that case, Madam Han, do you still have the face to ask this Princess Consort for rewards?"
The sarcastic mockery made Madam Han's expression change. The status of a concubine was a thorn in her heart. No matter how noble her current status, it could not compare to the original mother, the First Madam!
She tightly clutched the handkerchief in her hand, then suddenly smiled again, "My status is low, so I naturally don't have the qualifications to drink your Highness's tea. However, if there is anyone qualified, it would probably be Old Master Gu. It's a pity..."
Madam Han's words were left unfinished, and she did this intentionally.
"Heh!"
Gu Qianying chuckled. She looked at Madam Han, a cold glint flashing in her eyes, then turned to instruct the guards, "Earlier, didn't the Prince say he wanted to beat the third sister Gu Ziran to death on the spot? Why are you still standing there? Hurry and carry out the order!"
"Yes, Princess Consort."
Several guards simultaneously took out long sticks.
Gu Qianying's casually spoken words stunned everyone present.
"Wuwuwu, no."
Gu Ziran cried out in fear again.
She ran behind Madam Han and hid.
Madam Han was anxious this time, "Gu Qianying! The matter of you being poisoned has not yet been investigated, and my daughter is innocent. How can you instigate the Ninth Prince to kill innocent people for you?"
"Oh! Madam Han, so you already received the news and know the cause of the matter, yet you pretend to be ignorant. How amusing!"
"I..."
In her words, Madam Han was slapped in the face, making her even more embarrassed.
"Since everyone knows why they were summoned, let's wait for the truth to surface!"
At this moment, Bai Qi and the maid Cai Xia also walked over.
When they arrived, Bai Qi had guards carrying a large chest behind him, while Cai Xia held a black box in her hands.
Seeing this, Gu Kun immediately breathed a sigh of relief, while Madam Han became inexplicably nervous.
She stared intently at the black box in Cai Xia's hands, wishing she could rush forward and snatch it away. It was the old woman beside her who tugged at her sleeve, signaling her to remain calm.
Madam Han was appeased by the old woman. She clenched her handkerchief and stared at Gu Qianying with venomous eyes for a long time. Only when Gu Qianying looked at her did she avert her gaze.
"Princess Consort, your subordinate found a box of gold and silver jewelry in Master Gu's room."
Bai Qi stepped forward and reported his spoils.
Gu Qianying glanced at him, then looked at the box of shining gold and a few gold bars. Looking at this large box, it was worth at least tens of thousands of taels.
Logically, the mansion had a treasury for storing money, and most of the wealth in the treasury was from bribes.
Her father did not deliberately conceal this. There were quite a few people who came to give gifts daily.
Then why would he keep a box of gold and silver jewelry separately in his room?
Thinking this, Gu Qianying turned to look at Cai Xia. Cai Xia nodded at her, and she immediately understood.
The corners of her mouth curved slightly.
It seemed that the item her grandfather asked her to find had been obtained!
"Father is truly wealthy."
In order not to let Gu Kun realize that she had already obtained the item, Gu Qianying used a sarcastic tone to draw everyone's attention to the box of gold and silver jewelry.
"Daughter, if you like these, you can take them. Today, I am also tired. How about we disperse now, alright?"
For Gu Kun, using some money to exchange for peace within the mansion was worth it.
After all, only when these outsiders left could his treasure remain safely in his hands.
"Since Father is so generous," Gu Qianying said, turning to look at Nangong Mo, and then added, "Ninth Imperial Uncle, then let's accept it. Bai Qi and the others have also worked hard today, so it's appropriate to reward them with this."
Since someone was offering it, why would she refuse?
At this moment, Nangong Mo was very cooperative with Gu Qianying. "Mm," his deep eyes looked at Gu Qianying, without speaking, he turned to look at Bai Qi, "In that case, why aren't you quickly thanking us?"
Bai Qi and the others grinned and thanked them, "Thank you, Princess Consort, for the reward."
"Mm, since the reward has been given, then regarding the current matter..." Gu Qianying paused at this point, deliberately looking at Gu Kun. Gu Kun thought Gu Qianying would say, "Then let's disperse," but he didn't expect to hear Gu Qianying slowly say, "Then... we continue."
Hearing this, Gu Kun's face immediately changed. He glared at Gu Qianying through gritted teeth, "Gu Qianying... didn't you promise Father that you would let this matter go?"
Gu Qianying took a small sip of the tea that Cai Xia handed her, and then said, "Father, are you perhaps senile? When did your daughter promise you, and what did she promise you?"
Seeing Gu Qianying go back on her word like this, Gu Kun was choked with anger. He cursed furiously, "Despicable, shameless!"
Nangong Mo's eyes flashed with killing intent, and he said coldly, "Cut off Lord Gu's tongue!"
Bai Qi took a dagger from his boot and walked towards Gu Kun.
Everyone was so scared they covered their faces.
Gu Kun roared, "How dare you! I am an official of the court!" He sat in his wheelchair and wanted to fight. Although his movements were inconvenient, his internal energy was still there, but he was held tightly by two guards, making him unable to move. Before he could exert his palm force, Bai Qi had already walked over.
With a swift movement,
The bloody tongue was cut off. Gu Kun cried out in pain, his mouth full of blood.
Everyone was stunned.
Especially the concubines, young ladies, and maids, who almost fainted.
Gu Yi and Gu Wen, who wanted to beg for their father, saw how cold-blooded and ruthless Ninth Prince Nangong Mo was, and they both closed their mouths.
At this moment, they only hoped that the Ninth Prince would spare them.
Over here.
Gu Qianying did not expect Nangong Mo to have Bai Qi cut off her father's tongue. However, given her father's character, even cutting off his tongue was not excessive. In her past life, she would never forget how her father treated her mother.
In this life, although she often protected her mother when she was in the Gu Mansion, her father's behavior towards her mother was still the same as in her past life, so cold and heartless.
Gu Qianying glanced at Gu Kun and showed no reaction to his tongue being cut off.
The bloody tongue was dealt with.
To prevent Gu Kun from bleeding to death, Nangong Mo still had Bai Qi give him simple treatment.
A moment later,
Gu Qianying asked Cai Xia to open the black box in her hand.
After opening it, it contained a porcelain bottle with a peony pattern carved on it. Cai Xia handed the item to Gu Qianying.
Gu Qianying took it in her hand, opened it, brought it close, and sniffed. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed...