Chapter 53 Strict Father

As soon as Prime Minister Gu was done, Ye and Gu Zhihua turned around to look at him. He was right, but how could he say that at this moment to hurt Gu Zhihua?

Ye was sulky. She turned around and said to Prime Minister Gu, “Zhihua has always been tender, warm-hearted, and thoughtful since her childhood. Our whole family is proud of her, so she is absolutely worthy of the Third Prince. She can’t be degraded just because she isn’t the first daughter of our family. Don’ you think so?”

Prime Minister Gu turned around to look at Ye. Perhaps too many things happened today, so she was too busy to change her clothes. She and Gu Zhihua were still wearing fancy clothes, but they looked dispirited.

They meant to show off to Gu Qiang during their visit to the palace for the reward, but it went on in a surprising way and thus gave her a chance to watch a good show for free.

Gu Qiang sat nearby and looked calm. Liu Shichu stood by Gu Zhihua this time and gave her the reward, but she didn’t look happy.

It was indeed a good show. Gu Qiang raised her eyebrows and tried to make herself calm in case Ye vented all anger on her.

Prime Minister Gu seemed to think about what Ye said. Realizing what he said to Gu Zhihua and Ye might be too harsh, he sipped his tea embarrassedly. No matter what he said before, Ye didn’t respond. But apparently, she cared much about the difference between a wife and a concubine. So long as the topic was mentioned, she would become emotional.

“Despite that, if Zhihua loves the Third Prince, she has realized her dream now, hasn’t she?” Prime Minister Gu said slowly and gave a little cough as if hiding his embarrassment.

Realizing Prime Minister Gu softened his tone, Ye felt wronged at once. However, Gu Zhihua couldn’t control her mood at all and shouted, “A concubine is different from a wife. After I get married, my child will have a lower status!”

Ye’s face changed instantly. What was Gu Zhihua talking about? The tension could have been eased, but now the situation became embarrassing right away.

Prime Minister Gu sat silently with a cold face. When glancing at Gu Zhihua, he gnashed his teeth tightly as if he wanted to tear her apart. But as a father, he couldn’t do that.

“Then why do you love him? If you love another man, things will be different.” After a long silence, Prime Minister Gu said slowly. His voice was cold, powerful, and seemingly sarcastic.

Gu Zhihua fell into silence finally, which made Ye breathe a sigh of relief. She took Gu Zhihua’s hand and said to Prime Minister Gu, “Zhihua can’t accept it right now. I’ll take her away and educate her. Please don’t worry.”

Then she took Gu Zhihua away quickly. It seemed that Gu Zhihua didn’t want to leave. If she left now, she would lose the chance for the last attempt and thus had to become Shen Zhongbai’s concubine. But if Prime Minister Gu could intercede for her, the result might be different.

However, Ye was determined and took Gu Zhihua away without hesitation.

Prime Minister Gu turned around to look at Gu Qiang who kept silent. He gave a hollow laugh and said, “Your sister is really…the Third Prince is virtuous. Even if she becomes his concubine, she will have the chance to catch his fancy. Then everything is possible for her. Why does she care so much about the title?”

Gu Qiang nodded slightly in approval. Did Gu Zhihua’s business have anything to do with her? She might as well pretend not to hear.

“Zhihua will get married soon. Qiang, you need to think about your marriage, too. Don’t worry, I will find a good husband for you.” Prime Minister sighed with relief and said confidently.

Gu Qiang turned around, met Prime Minister Gu’s eyes, and responded, “I indeed thought about my marriage, father. Now that you mention it, I want to know what you think.”

Gu Qiang loved Shen Zhongbai before, but now she would not choose that man with evil designs. Her purpose was to sound Prime Minister Gu out about her position in his heart.

If he wanted to marry Gu Qiang to an official family for the status of the Gu Family, she would spare no efforts to stop it.

Prime Minister Gu just mentioned it casually, and he didn’t expect that Gu Qiang took it seriously. Therefore, he thought carefully and answered, “When I look for a husband for you, he must be virtuous, outstanding, dashing, and helpful to our family.”

Gu Qiang gave a sarcastic smile. He didn’t emphasize the last standard, but obviously, it was the most important. She was not stupid and could surely understand it.

“Do you know what I think?” Gu Qiang asked. Prime Minister Gu didn’t ask what kind of man she wanted to marry at all.

She knew Prime Minister Gu didn’t care about her. If he did, then why didn’t he show his concern for her when she was badly hurt?

He didn’t bring the poor girl in the backyard of his mansion to his mind until she was old enough for marriage and became influential in the capital recently.

Prime Minister Gu was speechless because of Gu Qiang’s question and looked embarrassed. He touched his nose, lifted his cup, meditated while staring at the tea inside it, and then said, “Do you have your eye on someone?”

Gu Qiang shook her head and kept looking at Prime Minister Gu smilingly.

He breathed a sigh of relief, laughed loudly, and said, “Qiang, if you have your eye on someone, let me know. Though Zhihua fails to become a princess, it is still good enough for people in love to stay together. Do you think so?”

People in love? Gu Qiang sneered in her heart. Shen Zhongbai didn’t love any woman. He was infinitely ambitious. Women were nothing but stepping-stones to his success. Only Gu Zhihua wanted to marry him without an ulterior motive.

“In my opinion, Zhihua loves the Third Prince deeply, but he doesn’t love her, does he?” Gu Qiang said coolly with an expressionless face. It was not sarcasm but the fact.

Prime Minister Gu sighed heavily. Raising his eyes, he found that Ye and Gu Zhihua hadn’t returned to the yard. They seemed to be arguing. Ye lowered her voice deliberately for fear that Prime Minister Gu could hear, but he still noticed them.

“Let’s talk about it later. You can leave now.” He said and waved. Then he rose and walked towards Gu Zhihua. Gu Qiang didn’t care. When she went back to her yard, Gusu Liang stood up from her chair under the tree, walked to her, and whispered, “The Ninth Duke hopes that you can develop the medicine for the plague immediately.”

Gu Qiang responded, “I know little about medicine. I just know that Suxin Grass can cure the plague, but I don’t know how to do it.”

Gusu Liang became nervous instantly and told Gu Qiang, “The Ninth Duke heard that Gu Zhihua took your credit. He said that you lost a chance, but now there was another one. So long as you could develop the medicine, he would take you to the palace to cure the Empress Dowager. He also said that success or failure hinged on this one action.”

Gu Qiang nodded. She was clear that what Liu Shichu did was a terrible blow to her, and she must find a new chance, but how could she figure out the prescription?

Did she need to write to the Empress tonight? But she couldn’t write to her unless something serious happened. It might not be appropriate today.

Gusu Liang stared at Gu Qiang for a while. Finding that she was indeed helpless, Gusu Liang held her hands and told her, “It seemed that the Ninth Duke expected it, so he told you to turn to your brother.”

Gu Qiang was suddenly enlightened. Gu Huaian was good at making medicine. Maybe she was too tired these days, so this idea didn’t occur to her.

Gu Qiang and Gusu Liang got to Gu Huaian’s house in the suburb at dusk. When they entered, they didn’t see him. After looking for a while, they saw him sitting in a pavilion in the backyard. He was lowering his head. The bright candlelight on the desk shone on his face. He looked calm and was absorbed in reading.

Gu Qiang walked to him lightly, sat down, and propped her chin against her hand while staring at him silently.

If Gu Huaian was doomed to leave and she could do nothing about it, she hoped she could spend more time with him. Thus, her future memory would be filled with happiness instead of regret.

Gu Huaian looked up from his book and met Gu Qiang’s eyes. At that moment, he felt that she lit up everything around him. He asked smilingly, “What brought you here? You must be tired. Have you had dinner?”

Gu Qiang shook her head and said in a low voice, “Brother, it’s so nice to look at you like this.”

Gu Huaian didn’t know that what Gu Qiang said was filled with too much emotion, including regret and self-accusation. But she adjusted her mood soon, and her eyes lit up.

“Of course. You can look as long as you like.”

Gu Huaian took an apple from the nearby fruit basket and peeled it carefully for Gu Qiang, but she stopped him and said, “Brother, I come here to discuss something important with you.”

Gu Huaian didn’t stop peeling. Looking at the apple, he said, “The Ninth Duke has sent someone to tell me about it. I have prepared the prescription. In fact, the prescription for the plague is very simple, but Suxin Grass is difficult to get. Don’t forget to take it when you leave.”

He gave the peeled apple to her and said, “Look at you. I haven’t seen you for just a few days, but you’ve become much thinner than before.”