Chapter 62 Back Home

Gu Qiang nodded and answered Prime Minister Gu, “Yes, father.”

He used to be indifferent to whatever happened to her. Did she become the apple of his eye because she was in the good graces of the Empress Dowager now?

Gu Qiang sneered in the heart and looked at his almost sparkling eyes. He held her hand quickly and praised her while laughing proudly, “You are my good girl and live up to my expectation.”

Then he led Gu Qiang into the house.

Ye and Gu Zhihua exchanged their glances and looked sulky. Gu Qiang knew nothing about medicine, and how could she cure the Empress Dowager? How could it be possible that she cured an illness to which many imperial physicians found no solution?

Ye was confused. Because Gu Qiang cured the Empress Dowager, she was certain to get an award. Ye couldn’t predict what it would be.

After leading Gu Qiang to the main hall, Prime Minister Gu sat on the master position and rubbed his hands embarrassedly. He couldn’t help asking finally, “You’ve made such a great contribution. Did the Empress Dowager give you any award?”

Gu Qiang sneered because she had expected he would ask such a question. She raised her cup slowly and asked casually, “Father, what do you want the Empress Dowager to award me? I’ll beg her for it.”

She wanted to see how shameless her father could be.

Hearing what she said, Prime Minister Gu was wild with joy and said at once, “Your sister Zhihua isn’t satisfied with being a concubine of the Third Prince. If you can plead with the Empress Dowager, your sister may be plucked to a princess.”

With her hand pausing in the air, Gu Qiang turned around to look at Prime Minister Gu in disbelief. She thought he would show consideration for her. Anyway, she was the first daughter of the Prime Minister Mansion. Hearing his words, her last love for him was gone.

Ridiculous. She didn’t know what she had expected, but no matter what it was, it disappeared now.

Gu Qiang stopped smiling and said in a cold voice, “My sister was awarded by the Emperor last time. Why didn’t she do anything for my sake?”

Gu Zhihua was not the only daughter in the family. Did the whole family have to serve her interests?

Prime Minister Gu was made speechless by Gu Qiang’s question. Then he realized something and asked with a grim look, “You have asked the Empress Dowager for an award, haven’t you? Tell me what it is.”

Gu Qiang didn’t answer. She could tell him what her award was, but she didn’t. She won the award by herself and it had nothing to do with the whole family.

Ye and Gu Zhihua, sitting next to Prime Minister Gu, were itching to get Gu Qiang’s answer. Unexpectedly, she kept her mouth shut on purpose and tantalized them.

“Are you embarrassed to tell us?” Gu Zhihua sneered. She didn’t believe Gu Qiang could cure the Empress Dowager. She thought that Gu Qiang must be dismissed by the Empress Dowager with an award of sorts. The question implied what Gu Zhihua hoped.

Gu Qiang turned around. She wasn’t intended to respond to Ye and Gu Zhihua, but Gu Zhihua irritated her. She decided to fight back.

Gu Qiang looked Gu Zhihua in the eyes and asked coldly, “I have a question for you. You were not acquainted with Liu Shichu. Why did he credit the great contribution of donating food to you?”

Gu Zhihua was surprised and then raised her head complacently. She said, “Are you envious of such a good chance that has nothing to do with you? The Empress Dowager and the Emperor have awarded me, and nothing can be changed.”

Gu Qiang responded with a sneer. She didn’t intend to expose the truth originally, but no one in the family stood by her now, including Prime Minister Gu. It meant that she was unrelated to any of them, even if she had glory and wealth.

“The so-called award is to be a concubine of the Third Prince, isn’t it? Excuse me, does such an award mean anything?” Gu Qiang sneered.

Gu Zhihua flew into a rage. Gu Qiang was clear that it was Gu Zhihua’s taboo. Whenever it was mentioned, she couldn’t breathe as if her heart were clutched.

As expected, Gu Zhihua swept the tea set on the table to the floor instantly with no consideration of people around. With flaming eyes, she pointed to Gu Qiang and screamed, “What are you talking about? You are excited that I will become a concubine of Shen Zhongbai, aren’t you?”

Prime Minister Gu and Ye were frightened by what Gu Zhihua did. Then Prime Minister Gu became angry. Since Gu Zhihua was granted to be a concubine of the Third Prince, she had seemed to be a different person, becoming indifferent and making a scene easily when something went wrong. She used to be fear Prime Minister Gu. However, now she didn’t respect or fear anyone.

Gu Qiang was not expected to fight back to save Gu Zhihua’s face, but she jumped to her feet, pounded the table, and shouted while pointing at Gu Zhihua, “Are you supposed to talk with your elder sister in this way? Do you think I can be easily bullied as you imagine?”

Gu Zhihua wasn’t afraid of Gu Qiang and thought she was just bluffing.

“Yes, you’re my elder sister, but does that mean you can hurt me and ignore my feelings as you like?” Gu Zhihua quarreled with Gu Qiang. Prime Minister Gu was infuriated by their disrespect for him.

“Shut up! Anyway, you have been awarded. Isn’t that good?” Prime Minister Gu mediated.

He thought these words could make Gu Qiang shut her mouth, but she had changed now. Fixing her eyes on Gu Zhihua, Gu Qiang said coldly, “Do you think I know nothing about it? If I hadn’t spared no efforts to persuade Liu Shichu, could you have the chance? Your award is supposed to be mine.”

Prime Minister Gu opened his mouth but said nothing. He had no idea about it. What surprised him was that the credit could be taken and Gu Qiang was capable enough to handle it. Her dramatic change was unbelievable.

“So what? I’ve got the award. What can you do with me?” Thinking of it, Gu Zhihua stopped raging and provoked Gu Qiang complacently.

Gu Qiang sneered. How happy Gu Zhihua was! Did she think Gu Qiang would be irritated?

“Yes, you should be satisfied with the big award of being a concubine of the Third Prince.” Gu Qiang said and laughed. Then she stood up slowly and headed for her yard.

At this moment, Prime Minister Gu who kept sulky pointed at Gu Qiang and said, “Qiang, do you still have any respect for me?”

Gu Qiang turned around to look him in the eye. Before she said anything, Ye began to fan the flames, “You see how unreasonable Qiang is and we can’t communicate with her.”

Prime Minister Gu was unhappy and said coldly, “Stop talking nonsense. Neither of the two daughters is well-behaved. Lock them in the woodshed for introspection!”

Ye planned to give Gu Qiang a punishment by standing on the side of Prime Minister Gu. Unexpectedly, her daughter was implicated too.

She was itching to lock Gu Qiang in the woodshed, but for the sake of Gu Zhihua, she had to plead with Prime Minister Gu, “They are young and it’s enough to admonish them. Please don’t lock them in the woodshed. Moreover, Zhihua needs to prepare for her marriage with the Third Prince.”

Prime Minister Gu turned around to look at Ye. He was clear what she was thinking about. Though he didn’t adore Gu Qiang, it was improper for Ye to be so partial towards her daughter as the madam of the Prime Minister Mansion.

“Both of you go back to introspect. If you’re in conflict again, I’ll show no mercy to you!” Prime Minister Gu snorted, swung his sleeves, and strode out.

Gu Qiang lifted her eyebrows complacently and then walked out after Prime Minister Gu.

Ye stretched to hold Gu Qiang’s hand, but Gu Qiang shrugged her off and asked coldly, “What do you want? Our relationship has been broken openly. Do you still want to ride roughshod over me?”

Ye and Gu Zhihua put on a great play in the presence of Prime Minister Gu today, but they didn’t gain interests. Instead, they were badly satirized by Gu Qiang. From now on, Gu Qiang didn’t need to consider her relationship with Ye anymore. Even in the presence of Prime Minister Gu, she could vent her anger.

Now that Prime Minister Gu was clear that she was not treated as a daughter by Ye, why should she respect Ye as her mother? Gu Qiang thought they were at daggers drawn.

The moon shed light on the table before the window at night. The rosewood table glimmered in the moonlight. It was obvious that it was made of superior timber.

Sitting on Gu Qiang’s soft bed, Gusu Liang held a book, reading it carefully with the light on the head of the bed. Then she threw it away because she thought it boring. She said casually, “Prime Minister Gu replaced all your old furniture today and threw away your shabby bed. Guess what?”