Coming Kingly Son-in-Law: Don't Provoke the First Daughter - Chapter 146

Chapter 146 The Emperor Is Dying
“No, my lady, the imperial palace is not a place where you can visit anytime you want. Besides… The Emperor got seriously ill because of Mr. Gu,” said Gusu Liang in a firm voice, her hand seizing Gu Qiang’s arms.

Nonsense! The Emperor’s health had been deteriorating long before he met her brother! How could they make Gu Huaian the scapegoat? She should have never expected any decent doings from the imperial family.

Or did the Emperor know he was beyond help, so he put her brother in prison out of rage?

It was only because he didn’t get what he wanted?

“How could you also blame him? Haven’t you noticed that the Emperor was already in poor health? How could they think it’s my brother’s fault?” snapped Gu Qiang as she walked out of the yard, trying hard to steady her trembling.

With all guests gone, maids were cleaning the garden in the backyard. This was a grand place, and all the people here were radiant with joy, being happy for their lady’s marriage with the Ninth Duke.

But it was obtained at the cost of her brother’s life. She couldn’t help feeling outrageous whenever she thought of this.

At this moment, a group of people carrying another batch of presents walked into the yard.

They were led by Shen Qianshan who was also beaming with happiness. His cold face that once seemed to have been frozen for thousands of years was finally melted and became warm.

Behind him were no doubt the betrothal presents he prepared for Gu Qiang.

However, before he walked any nearer, Gu Qiang rushed straight into him and slapped all the things he held in his hands. “I don’t want this marriage anymore,” she said it slowly, and her eyes reddened.

Shen Qianshan froze up. The next second, he quickly exchanged a look with Gusu Liang and learned that something must have gone wrong, or Gu Qiang wouldn’t have said this no matter how agitated she was.

“Chill, Qiang. No matter what happened, let me deal with it, okay?” said Shen Qianshan as he dragged Gu Qiang into his arms, coaxing her like she was a baby. But it didn’t work.

“Let’s go to the imperial palace and get my brother out, or I will not marry you,” said Gu Qiang in a dejected voice. But Gusu Liang who was watching her quietly by her side thought it was not a wise idea.

Hadn’t her brother brought up the idea to marry her to Shen Qianshan, the Emperor wouldn’t have asked him to serve in the imperial palace, nor would they get to where they were now.

Shen Qianshan turned his head, signaling Jin Ye and Su Ge to leave. Then he continued to comfort Gu Qiang, “Well, Qiang, I got it. I will think of a way to save your brother. Don’t worry.”

Finally, Gu Qiang turned to be calm. Knowing she had been too extreme, she got up, and said to Shen Qianshan, “Anyway, I need to get into the palace and take my brother out.”

However, when she finished her words, there were two huge sounds coming from the palace that shook the entire capital. Everyone was shocked, but they quickly understood what had happened.

It was the sound of the death knell, which would ring up whenever an Emperor passed away.

Was the Emperor… dead?

All people dropped to their knees, and Shen Qianshan dragged Gu Qiang into doing the same.

The sound of the knells was so gigantic that all the surroundings seemed to have been shaken by it, even the time. Imperial blood was different. Even though the Emperor hadn’t done anything worth remembering, his death still created a kind of solemn atmosphere where everyone couldn’t help sensing a deep sorrow rising from their hearts.

However, all men would turn into skeletons one day, no matter how powerful they once were.

Two hours later, the knell finally stopped, and people in the yard all got back on their feet. Without any hesitation, Shen Qianshan left the yard, with Prime Minister Gu following him.

Gusu Liang escorted Gu Qiang back to Qingshui House. Closing the door, she said, “My lady, don’t worry. Master will take Mr. Gu back.”

Gu Qiang didn’t reply; she was in dreadful and scary silence, with her hair flowing in the morning breeze from the window.

All hopes were dashed into pieces. Even wind seemed to have felt her despair.

Soon, a rain that nobody had ever expected started to fall, pattering in the outside. Gu Qiang looked out of the window and found the leaves of the pear tree were blown into the sky, dancing in the air like it was the last of their performance before they died.

“Brother has nothing to do with the Emperor’s death. I need to save my brother’s life before everything gets more complicated.”

Gusu Liang raised her eyebrows; she didn’t know why Gu Qiang wanted to protect Gu Huaian so much, even if it meant risking her own life. She hadn’t changed her mind even after she lost her memory, as though it was the final goal for which she was fighting. But Gu Huaian hadn’t faced any death threat yet, nor was anyone trying to kill him.

The reason why Gu Huaian chose to serve in the palace was that he hoped Gu Qiang could have the life she wanted. But what did Gu Qiang do? She was now giving up her life to save Gu Huaian’s, which Gusu Liang couldn’t understand. One step wrong and she could get them both killed.

“You can’t go. Now that the Emperor passed away, all the courtiers with some powers are in the imperial palace, and the imperial family is targeting Mr. Gu. Visiting there now should be the last thing you do. So second thought, please, my lady,” said Gusu Liang.

Gusu Liang always thought she could take an objective view towards major issues, and Gu Qiang should have known better than her even if she didn’t warn her. But apparently, she failed this time.

Biting her lips, Gu Qiang didn’t say anything. At this moment, Ye and Gu Zhihua walked through the door, holding oil papered lamp in their hands. Shaking off the rainwater on her clothes, Gu Zhihua looked cured, her face was ruddy and healthy-looking, even though she hadn’t got the love from Shen Zhongbai.

Ye walked straight into Gu Qiang’s bedroom and helped herself into a seat, “Qiang, there’s a message from the palace. As an Infanta, you should observe mourning for the late Emperor. Now get packed, someone will pick you up later.”

Then she gave a glance to the old maid standing behind, who seemed to have been waiting for her order, and started looking for something in Gu Qiang’s room.

Before Gu Qiang said anything, Gusu Liang spoke up, “What are you doing here? How dare you do this in the Infanta’s place?”

Ting Feng who stood nearby also made two steps forward, trying to stop the old maid.

The room was a bit crowded with so many people here. Failing to keep her calm presence anymore, Ye looked up to Gu Qiang and explained, “You are not married yet, so all the things here belonged to the family. I am just taking stock of them so that they can be recorded in the account book. You know, everything in the family must be recorded.”

Gu Qiang kept sitting still in quietness as if she had had nothing to say. Then Ye carried on, “I am the hostess of this family, and managing family affairs is never an easy work to do. I do hope you can think in my shoes, Qiang.”

Gu Qiang knew what Ye’s true purpose was: her betrothal presents and rewards.

The presents she received were worth a great deal of money. But they didn’t belong to Ye, nor the Gu Family.

Gu Qiang was still in silence. Then, Ting Feng, the maid in charge of this house, spoke up in a firm voice, “My lady, these are gifts for the Infanta, not the Gu Family. Otherwise, they would have been put in the accounting room instead of Qingshui House. Besides, with all the treasures you have, why can’t you even let go of what my lady has got? It’s really not much.”

Ting Feng said it in a graceful and reassuring tone that nobody could ignore.

Ye’s face turned grim; she looked at Ting Feng coldly, and slapped on the table, “Who are you? How dare you speak to me in this way? Qiang is the Infanta, not you!”

While she was talking, the old nanny behind her stepped forward, as though she wanted to teach Ting Feng a lesson.

At this moment, Gu Qiang who had kept in silence finally opened her mouth, her voice was plain with no emotions, “I have no time to play this game with you. You know what kind of person I am. I suggest that you behave. You can target anyone in the Gu Family, but not me, nor the people from Qingshui House. If you insist, let’s wait and see.”

The calmer she was, the more Ye felt challenged.

“Was that a threat to me, Qiang? I also have a piece of advice for you since you are getting married. Now that His Majesty is gone with no son left behind, don’t you want to know who the next emperor will be? Your fiance Shen Qianshan, or Shen Zhongbai, my son-in-law?” said Ye, smiling. As they had come to an open break of pretended harmony, she didn’t mind putting everything on the table.

When the Emperor was still alive, Shen Zhongbai and Shen Qianshan were no different in the level of their positions, only except that Shen Zhongbai was a prince, while Shen Qianshan was a duke.

Being a duke meant Shen Qianshan could enjoy the title, lands, and the mansion coming with it, but never the crown.

Being a prince was entirely different as all princes were entitled to the crown. But Empress Su had never been able to conceive a baby. Perhaps it was because the Emperor had been too weak to get her pregnant.

This was why all the courtiers were summoned right after the Emperor’s death, to mourn and to discuss the matters of the new Emperor.

A country must always have a leader. And everyone knew that Shen Zhongbai would be the next Emperor.

Following this logic, Gu Zhihua, Shen Zhongbai’s consort, would finally find her good days to come.

This explained why Ye was bloated with pride today, even Gu Zhihua, who used to be pinched and weak, was in quite a high spirit, as though she was confident in becoming an imperial consort.

Gu Qiang made a sneer in her heart. What’s in there for Gu Zhihua to look forward to? Shen Zhongbai wouldn’t like her simply because he became the Emperor.

“What’s the difference? I don’t care who the next Emperor will be. But don’t you forget, I am the only duchess for the duke! While Gu Zhihua is not the only consort for Shen Zhongbai!” snapped Gu Qiang.

Standing aside, Gusu Liang felt her blood burning in her vessels. This was the coolest thing she had heard from Gu Qiang these days.