Chapter 67 Go Home

Prime Minister Gu and Gu Huaian were both embarrassed.

“Qiang, why did you invite him? He said he would never be one of the Gu Family, didn’t he? Why does he come here shamelessly?” Prime Minister Gu looked at Gu Qiang in the beginning and then turned to Gu Huaian.

Gu Huaian sneered. He didn’t expect his father would still hold a grudge after such a long time.

Prime Minister Gu had unique insights into what happened in the country and was thought to be a magnanimous and righteous official. However, he was abnormally strict with his son.

Gu Huaian was controlled completely by Prime Minister Gu like a puppet. If going astray, he would be crushed by his father with the so-called expectation, which was extremely heavy.

Prime Minister Gu never asked if he liked it, or if he hoped to live a life as planned. The blueprint drawn by Prime Minister Gu was darkness in the eyes of Gu Huaian.

Gu Huaian stood silently and looked at his father in the eye. He looked calm. After being away from the Prime Minister Mansion for so many years, he had figured out many things. He was determined to give his children what he couldn’t get from his father.

Gu Qiang turned around as well calmly and casually. She smiled, “Father, my brother didn’t say he was a member of the Gu Family. He comes to congratulate me specially. Though he is not one of the Gu Family, he is my brother. So many people come here, but not all of them are our family members.”

If not for the sake of Gu Qiang, why would Gu Huaian come back to give his congratulation? He was more and more competent so that he succeeded in running his medicine shop and earned more and more money. He didn’t need to rely on the Prime Minister Mansion.

Prime Minister Gu always had a sense of superiority over Gu Huaian. Perhaps that was because he thought Gu Huaian was his son no matter how outstanding he was. It was an unchangeable fact even if Gu Huaian didn’t admit it.

“Qiang, do you think it’s fun to talk that to me on this occasion? Are you happy to see me worry about him?” Prime Minister Gu was tolerant towards Gu Qiang these days due to her status. However, he couldn’t be tolerant anymore. If she was not given a lesson, she would certainly not respect him in the future.

Gu Qiang was clear about what Prime Minister Gu was thinking. She wanted to tell Prime Minister Gu that it was impossible for him to control everybody and everything. It was a mistake that he was eager to control all his children and force them to lead a life as he planned.

“Father, my brother has cut ties with Gu Family. Why are you so angry? It is unnecessary to worry about him.” Gu Qiang looked calm, but the unconscious pride in her eyes made Prime Minister Gu uneasy.

He flew into a rage and scolded Gu Qiang, “I think you have grown up and will be sensible. Unexpectedly, you are still so wayward. Do you know how many efforts I’ve made to cultivate him? But he gave up that for medicine at last. What’s the point? I am a prime minister while my son is a businessman. How humiliating! You are extremely selfish and only seek for your own interests, without caring about your parents. We have done everything we can for you!”

Prime Minister Gu seemed to be heartbroken and intended to leave. Gu Huaian stood as straight as a tree. It was hard to read what he was thinking from his face, but he controlled his mood.

It was thought that Prime Minister Gu would leave, but he was stopped and grabbed by Gu Qiang. He looked at her in surprise. He never thought his daughter would humiliate him in public today.

“What do you want? Challenge me? Even though you are an infanta, don’t forget I am your father!” Prime Minister Gu raised his voice suddenly and wanted to throw off Gu Qiang’s hand, but he was held firmly.

“Father, why are you angry today? Are you sad because your son and daughter don’t obey you? Why do you insist that your children should obey you? Have they done anything wrong?”

Usually, Gu Qiang didn’t admire or respect Prime Minister Gu. She didn’t get angry, but he described her and her brother to be unfilial and despicable in public.

Prime Minister Gu tried to control his temper once again, but finally, he couldn’t help saying, “What do you want to say? You have to consider the consequence of your rash words even if your status is different now.”

Gu Qiang bit her lips. A skeleton in the closet was made public to the guests. Today the party was held specially for Gu Qiang, but it ended in this way. She felt embarrassed.

She was clear that she should choose her brother rather than her father, because his brother was the only one she could rely on.

“Father, I’m an infanta now. I have a higher status than before. It is earned by myself. You have done nothing for me. It proves that we can live a good or even better life without your help or intervention. If you insist that only the way you choose is right, I have to say you need to change your thought and the desire for control.” Then she smiled. How hostile her words were! But her smile seemed pure and kind.

Prime Minister Gu was shocked. Guests looked across silently while making tacit eye contact privately as if they had a common secret.

When Gu Huaian came back, all guests knew their visit would be well worthwhile. Pleasure-seekers were not rare in that party.

Prime Minister Gu was excited originally today. Unexpectedly, he was disgraced by Gu Qiang. He was too embarrassed to hear whatever Gu Qiang said.

Guests were curious if Prime Minister Gu would beat Gu Qiang who just became an infanta. At this moment, Old Lady Gu, followed by servants and grannies, came here slowly. Her grey hair glimmered in the sun with bead flowers unsightly. Though looked common, they were invaluable.

Old Lady wore thick rouge and looked extremely pale like a ghost.

On her pale face, only her pupils were black like bottomless ponds. The guests looked at Old Lady. She failed to win public praise in the capital, but the guests still stood up and saluted her to show their respect.

Through a quick glance, Gu Qiang found that Old Lady was incurably sick. Despite the thick rouge, her face looked black, much worse than last time when Gu Qiang met her.

Perhaps Old Lady knew that she would die. Before death, she became more reluctant to leave the world. The more eager she was to hold something, the more disappointed she became.

Gu Qiang and Gu Huaian saluted Old Lady respectfully. After looking up and down at Gu Huaian, Old Lady sat down on a nearby chair without turning around.

The presence of the elder woman made the guests unrelaxed.

After seated, Old Lady waved at Gu Qiang and it seemed that she tried to avoid eye contact with Gu Qiang.

Gu Qiang had a bad feeling. Old Lady signaled her to go over, and nothing pleasant would happen. But she didn’t dare to defy the old woman. She walked over slowly and saluted.

Old Lady was holding a cup with her hands which were as dry as branches. She blew lightly and then began to drink as if she didn’t see Gu Qiang in front of her. She ignored Gu Qiang on purpose. Others looked complacently at the girl.

Recently Gu Qiang was in the limelight, and someone was expected to crop her feathers. These guests came here to congratulate her apparently, but a person in a high position was liable to be attacked. Gu Qiang was the envy of numerous people in the capital.

Old Lady kept silent to overwhelm Gu Qiang with her power, but Gu Qiang just stood there and lowered her head respectfully. She wore a smile, which was as calm as the lake surface.

Old Lady became impatient finally. She looked up and asked, “I heard that you’ve become an infanta. No matter what position you are in, you must respect your father and be sensible. You don’t seem good enough.”

She stroked her cup casually with her dry hands. Then she paid her attention to the delicate cup again.

Yes, Old Lady wanted to remind Gu Qiang that her mother was a humble girl born of a concubine. If Prime Minister Gu had been powerful at that time, her mother couldn’t have married him.

Thinking of it, Old Lady was more disgusted with the girl before her and even didn’t want to hide her expression.

She said that with no emotion at all. Gu Qiang looked at Old Lady in the eye. It seemed that she didn’t want to hide the pity for her, either. Yes, pity. The old woman was about to die, but she still meddled in others’ affairs.

“Grandma, I can’t follow you. I always respect my father and you. I don’t think I did anything wrong today.” Gu Qiang said.

She had thought Ye insisted on holding the party to make more friends. Now she realized that Ye wanted to humiliate her in public. She deliberately gave guests a chance to witness that she was unfilial and arrogant and showed no respect for elders.

Old Lady sneered and put her cup on the table. She didn’t want to join the party because it was popular among young people. After she came here, everyone became unrelaxed. She could notice that, but she still came here to crop Gu Qiang’s feathers.