Third Madam Han, upon receiving news that Madam Sun and Madam Bai had been beaten, immediately had the good news spread.
Rumors of Miss Gu's arrogance and her beating of the concubines within the manor began to circulate.
When Old General Gu heard about the matter, he did not find Gu Qianying's actions to be wrong.
His granddaughter had her reasons for doing things and was never one to cause trouble without cause; this incident must have been the fault of the concubines in the manor.
Gu Kun learned of this and was furious.
"Unfilial daughter! How dare you be so presumptuous, do you really think of me, your father, as a paper tiger?"
Madam Sun knelt on the ground, crying profusely, "Master, you must uphold justice for your concubine. This eldest miss almost beat me to death."
Madam Bai knelt on the ground with Madam Sun. Unlike Madam Sun, she did not sob and wail, but simply knelt quietly on the ground, saying nothing, tears glistening in her eyes. She wore a simple pale yellow dress, her face bare of makeup, and her hair, devoid of any ornaments, was tied back with a white jade belt.
Her pitiful appearance was more convincing than Madam Sun's.
Beside them, Third Madam Han, who was peeling walnuts for Gu Kun with tweezers, glanced at Madam Bai.
This woman is not simple!
It seems I need to guard against her.
"Someone, go tell that scoundrel to hurry over and obediently apologize to the two concubines, otherwise, family law will be served!"
Gu Kun sent someone to the Garden Pavilion to deliver the message.
However, the person sent did not bring the eldest miss back, but only delivered a message: "Master, the eldest miss says that the two concubines disrespected the First Madam, the matriarch of the household. She has already punished them on your behalf, Master. You do not need to specifically send someone to the Garden Pavilion to praise her."
"Presumptuous!" Gu Kun smashed the teacup on the table.
"Master, look at what the eldest miss is saying. She bullied your concubine and is now twisting the facts! Master, if you don't uphold justice for your concubine, I will not live, sob sob."
Madam Sun said, getting up from the ground and heading towards a pillar to bang her head.
Her maid quickly stopped her.
Compared to Madam Sun's tantrums, Gu Kun preferred Madam Bai's quiet demeanor.
"Enough, enough, stop howling," Gu Kun ordered a servant to push Madam Bai forward, and personally pulled Madam Bai up. "This master knows that you have both been wronged. Rest assured, this master will not stand idly by."
Madam Bai looked up at Gu Kun with tear-filled eyes and said, "Master, your concubine is fine. The eldest miss dislikes me, and I can understand that. I know my status is low and I naturally cannot catch the eldest miss's eye."
"Nonsense! What low status or not. Although you are a woman from a troupe, since this master has brought you into the household, you are this master's most beloved concubine. In this manor, I want to see who dares to look down on you!"
"Thank you, Master. Master, you are so kind."
Madam Bai curtsied to Gu Kun.
Beside them, Third Madam Han watched this scene, her feelings towards someone like Madam Bai growing even more "attentive."
Since Gu Kun had promised Madam Bai and Madam Sun that he would uphold justice for them, and since he could not summon Gu Qianying, he took a few servants and the two concubines, Madam Bai and Madam Sun, to the Garden Pavilion to personally settle the score with Gu Qianying.
"Gu Qianying, get out here."
Before they could even step into the Garden Pavilion, Gu Kun shouted loudly into it.
When Han Shi pushed him, he had specifically brought a few servants who knew martial arts.
That day, when Gu Qianying sparred with the Grand Tutor Ouyang Qinglin, he had noticed that Gu Qianying knew martial arts.
When did Gu Qianying learn martial arts? After thinking for a long time, he concluded: his eldest daughter's martial arts must have been taught by his father, no doubt!
His biased father had always wanted Gu Qianying to be a female general, so it was perfectly normal for him to teach her some martial arts from a young age.
A long time after Gu Kun finished speaking, Gu Qianying did not appear.
"Look at this, this master has been waiting outside for a long time, and my daughter still refuses to appear. She truly disregards me, her father, and is utterly rebellious. If I were to beat her to death today, it would not be my fault even in front of my father."
Saying this, Gu Kun looked at the servants, "What are you all standing there for? Go into the house and bring that little beast out to me. If she resists, feel free to beat her; if she gets injured, so be it."
"Yes, Master."
The three servants obeyed, each taking their sticks and heading into the house.
Inside, Lu Zhu was about to rush out with a wooden stick, but was pulled back by a jade hand.
Bang!
The three servants who charged in were beaten out. They fell to the ground, clutching their injured parts and crying out in pain.
"Father, your daughter is unwell and cannot attend. Your daughter thanks you for your praise at the front courtyard, yet you personally brought people to ask your daughter to come out. If your daughter doesn't come out, you want to have her beaten out. What is the reason for this?"
Gu Qianying walked out.
As she emerged, she deliberately held the stick she had just snatched from one of the three servants and threw it at the wheels of Gu Kun's wheelchair, as a gesture of provocation.
Gu Kun was furious, "You rebellious child, don't think you can be lawless just because your grandfather dotes on you. You had your people beat your two concubines. This is utterly rebellious. If I, as your father, do not discipline you properly today, I am unfit. Someone, bring the whip, family law will be served!"
The whip was brought.
Gu Kun also found several more servants with martial arts backgrounds.
Although Gu Qianying knew martial arts, she was outnumbered. He did not believe that he, as her father, could not properly discipline his rebellious daughter today!
"Seize her, I will beat her until her skin is torn and her flesh is rotten today!"
Gu Kun made a fierce declaration.
The servants who had arrived later all surrounded Gu Qianying.
"Heh! It seems that if Father doesn't leave some marks on Daughter today, he won't stop. Since that's the case, don't blame Daughter for tearing down the pretense with Father..."
As the surrounding servants were about to grab her, she spun around a few times, her hands and feet striking. Silver needles shot out from her sleeves.
Swish! Swish!
"Ah!"
Screams followed one after another.
It was seen that those servants fell to the ground, swaying and staggering.
Some were paralyzed on the ground, unable to move.
Some knelt on the ground, clutching their stomachs, unable to get up.
Everyone present was stunned.
"Father, look, your men are too weak to fight."
Gu Qianying stood before Gu Kun, looking at him with a cold sneer.
Suddenly, she walked towards Gu Kun.
She pushed Madam Sun, who was beside him, to the ground.
Madam Sun already had injuries, and being pushed to the ground by Gu Qianying caused her old wounds to flare up, with blood seeping from the injured area.
She cried out in pain, clutching her buttocks.
Gu Kun glared at Gu Qianying, "You scoundrel, what are you doing? Don't... don't come any closer!"
"Father, you have one leg broken and are now in a wheelchair. It truly demeans this wheelchair. Why don't Daughter help you!"
As she spoke, Gu Qianying's hand, holding a silver needle, darted towards Gu Kun's other, unbroken leg.
"Ah, Gu Qianying, you!"
A numb sensation spread through his body.
Gu Kun's other leg instantly lost all feeling. As he cried out and opened his mouth, Gu Qianying quickly took a black pill from her purse and stuffed it into his mouth.