Chapter 6: Third Young Master Gu
Wang momo cried bitterly on behalf of her princess before she bolstered her spirits and declared, “Princess, since His Majesty’s already spoken, then we won’t be able to change a thing.”
“Well, what else did you want?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked.
Wang momo dried her tears and said, “The Gu Clan has nothing right now, so this servant will make sure to prepare a good dowry for the princess.”
“Right,” Yu Xiaoxiao hastened to add. “Make good preparations and bring along everything you can from here.” When she was on the run, she’d starve to death all the same unless she had some money. Yu Xiaoxiao would never fall to such a stupid mistake.
Wang mama pounded her chest and promised Yu Xiaoxiao, “Princess need not worry, you still have this servant!”
On the other hand, Consort Zhao was brought back to Morning Skies Palace right after her accident. An imperial physician soon helped her regain consciousness, but she was too weak to do much besides cry and plead, “Your Majesty, esteemed empress couldn’t rest in peace!”
Xiaozong said, “What do you feel about all this, beloved consort?”
“Esteemed Empress once told this consort,” Consort Zhao gasped between sobs, “That Her Royal Highness should wed the third son of the Gu Clan.”
“When did this happen?” Xiaozong was astonished.
“Before the empress died in labor,” Consort Zhao explained. “But by then, the Gu Clan had already met with disaster. This consort could only assume that the empress had momentarily lost her wits, which is why I didn’t tell Your Majesty. This consort deserves to die!”
Xiaozong said, “In other words, Linglong has to marry no matter what? Or else the empress won’t be able to rest in peace?”
Consort Zhao broke into wails. “That’s right, Your Majesty. It’s better if Your Majesty issues the decree quickly, this consort is afraid.”
Xiaozong looked at the skies outside and recalled the sudden strike of lightning. He immediately resolved, “Don’t fear, beloved consort. Zhen will write the decree right away.”
On one side, the imperial physician couldn’t help but fret. The sovereign I pledged loyalty to is an idiot. How am I supposed to cure that?!
Meanwhile, the officials on their way to the Imperial Court of Justice had yet to break the good news. Gu Xinglang (顾星朗), third son of the Gu Clan, was currently lying on a pile of dry thatch. His eyes were narrowed and his face red, while the woman sprawled across his body was gently stroking the scars across his chest.
“Third young master,” she murmured, “The Old Madam told Qingyu to serve you and leave you a heir.”
Gu Xinglang made a low groan with an expression of anguish.
Qingyu (青玉) grit her teeth and placed her hand on the man’s waist. Soon enough, her fingers were moving to undo his inner robes. Because of this, Gu Xinglang’s body shuddered in response; he bit down on his tongue to regain his senses and shoved Qingyu aside with heavy breaths.
“Leave!”
Qingyu tumbled to the ground before crawling up and throwing herself at Gu Xinglang again. Sobbing, she cried, “Despite everything, you still need a heir, third young master!”
Gu Xinglang sucked in a deep breath. Qingyu was the head servant girl for his paternal grandmother. The fact that she could slip into his cell at a time like this meant that his family had exerted all their efforts to make it possible.
“Third young master,” Qingyu had no time to bother with a woman’s usual restraint now. She lowered her lips to kiss him, but he turned aside and avoided the peck.
Once again, he shoved her aside and muttered, “Don’t be a fool. I’m set to die, so how well will you fare following me?”
“Third young master!” Qingyu sat on the dirty, wet floor and cried. “Qingyu is willing, Qingyu wants to give third young master a heir.”
Gu Xinglang only sighed. His military exploits had been stolen, his entire family thrown in jail, and his legs beaten until they were broken. If not for the sake of his family and his own backbone, he would have killed himself long ago.
“Third young master?” Once again, Qingyu moved to his side.
“Was the water just then drugged?” Gu Xinglang asked.
Qingyu’s face flushed before she muttered an affirmative.
Gu Xinglang was sporting heavy injuries from his recent tortures, so the Gu Clan didn’t dare to give him anything too stimulating. Only a faint aphrodisiac was added to his drink, so after talking a while with Qingyu, some of its effects had already begun to fade. “You should leave,” he told her. “It’s not worth it.”
Qingyu hesitated before she reached for him again. This wasn’t just for the sake of begetting Gu Xinglang a heir, but also for herself. The entire Gu Clan had been thrown into prison along with their servants, but eventually they’d be sold off in the markets. As a remarkably pretty girl, Qingyu was likely to be bought off by a brothel. Her jade-like arms would become the pillow of thousands, so no matter what, she’d rather bear Gu Xinglang’s child. At least this way the Gu Clan wouldn’t ignore her fate in the future.
“Qingyu!” Gu Xinglang knocked her hand aside before shouting at the door. “Someone come, someone!”
A jailkeeper opened the door and stepped inside. He saw the two figured partially unclothed, but not done with the deed, and tried to coax Gu Xinglang in a low tone. “Third young master, the news outside speak ill for you. This girl was personally sent here by yours truly on the Old Madam’s orders. You shouldn’t disappoint Old Madam’s intentions.”
Gu Xinglang understood that his military merits had been stolen by Zhao Zuocheng (赵左城) this time. How would the Zhao father and son rest easy unless he was dead? “I’d like to trouble you to send her away,” Gu Xinglang told the jailer. “I’m not willing to do such things.”
The jailer only shook his head and sighed. No help for it now. He couldn’t very well assist the girl in forcing herself on Third Young Master Gu.
At this moment, Head Eunuch Jing Zhong and Head Chancellor Ying arrived at the gates of the Imperial Court of Justice with a few others in tow. The courts were under the Zhao father’s rule, so their men naturally barred passage to Ying Nianyun and his lot. But Jing Zhong was part of Consort Zhao’s faction, so the official rose to welcome him as soon as he arrived while ignoring the rest.
Jing Zhong had the official look at the imperial decree in his hands and said, “Official Lin, His Majesty has a decree. Where are the members of the Gu Clan?”
In the time it took for Jing Zhong and the justice court official to speak, a yamen attendant had already rushed to Gu Xinglang’s cell with an urgent message. “Boss, Head Eunuch Jing Zhong’s here to issue a decree. His Majesty’s made his decision for Supreme Commander Gu and the rest.”
The head jailer stamped his feet. How was Third Young Master Gu supposed to leave any heirs with Jing Zhong here? They couldn’t finish a thing now!
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