Chapter 158: 111 Slap in the Face (Second Update)_3
Gu Jinyu guiltily confessed, “And… Miss Villa thought I was being bullied by my sister, so she argued with her on my behalf, and said a few words about my sister.”
Prince An looked at Miss Villa, “What did you say exactly?”
The look in Miss Villa’s eyes flickered, “I… didn’t say much… just a few words…”
Which words?” Prince An asked seriously.
Miss Villa muttered quietly, “The ones about her being a bastard.”
Prince An looked at the crowd around him and casually pointed to a commoner, “You, come here and tell us.”
The man was led forward by Prince An’s guard, looking terrified. He’d heard this person addressed as the Prince earlier, he was the Prince from Capital City!
“What did she say?” Prince An looked at the commoner, his eyes briefly glancing over his own younger sister.
At first, the man didn’t dare to speak.
“You will be pardoned.” said Prince An, calmly and steadily.
The man glanced at Miss Villa. Even though Miss Villa was threatening him with her eyes and Prince An sounded relaxed, somehow he felt Prince An was more dangerous than Miss Villa.
He admitted, frightened and bowing, “She… she accused the lady of being a bastard… a commoner’s child… insulted the lady’s mother as a fox spirit… and… and insulted another person… saying, ‘The Marquis Residence has a short-lived ghost, aren’t you also a short-lived ghost?'”
Who the ‘other person’ was hardly a matter of concern anymore, everyone knew from her words that she was insulting Gu Yan.
Gu Yan had been ill since his childhood and royal physicians had predicted he wouldn’t survive past fifteen. However, having the physicians make such a prediction was one thing, being publicly ridiculed as a short-lived ghost by someone was another matter altogether.
That lady was indeed the legitimate offspring of Marquis Gu and the Yao family, thus she was Gu Yan’s legitimate older sister.
Insulting someone as a bastard and a commoner’s child, insulting a mother as a fox spirit, and even ridiculing a younger brother as a short-lived ghost, who shouldn’t deserve a slap in return?
Even Marquis Gu remained silent.
Prince An raised his hand, bowing slightly to Marquis Gu and Gu Jiao, “I apologize to the Marquis and Miss Gu for my younger sister’s inappropriate behavior.”
Marquis Gu hurriedly held him, “That’s not necessary! That’s not necessary! This is just some petty quarrel between young girls, Prince shouldn’t take it to heart.”
Prince An vowed sincerely, “I will discipline my younger sister more strictly.”
“You are being overly serious, Prince…” Marquis Gu said awkwardly.
While he was responding, he signaled to Gu Jiao with his eyes. This was the moment she was supposed to apologize for losing her composure and hitting someone.
Instead, Gu Jiao turned a blind eye to the situation, turned around and walked away.
Marquis Gu said under his breath, “…”
Miss Villa shouted angrily, “You…you… I will not let you go! I don’t care if you are the legitimate daughter of the Marquis Residence! You hit me, I will remember you! You better bow and apologize to me right now! Perhaps, I, Miss Villa, will show mercy and spare you! Otherwise, when you return to Capital City, you will pay!”
Marquis Gu’s heart skipped a beat!
Ignoring Miss Villa, Gu Jiao continued her journey towards the private school.
Miss Villa was almost shaking with anger, “This is outrageous! Do you know who I am? The Grand Tutor of Villa is my grandfather! The Empress Dowager is my aunt! Once I return to Capital City, I will ask the Empress Dowager to charge you with a grave crime!”
Marquis Gu started to break out into a cold sweat.
That ruthless Empress Dowager Villa was famous for her ferocious protection of her family. If Gu Jiao offended her, she could actually have her beheaded!
Would it hurt to say one apologetic sentence?
Does she have to lose her head over this?!
“Shut up!” Prince An harshly scolded, then told a guard, “Take Miss Villa back to the Villa!”
Miss Villa stomped her foot with anger, “I won’t go! I refuse! Who are you people, dare to touch me! Cut off your hand!”
The guard took a cloak from a maid and draped it over Miss Villa’s arm. He then “escorted” her onto the carriage, maintaining the propriety by keeping the cloak between them.
Prince An nodded slightly to Marquis Gu, his gaze briefly scanning the face of Gu Jinyu, who lowered his head. Prince An did not say anything else, and also got onto the carriage.
Miss Villa looked at her elder brother and was seething, “You broke your promise! You said you wouldn’t help outsiders bully me again!”
Prince An spoke softly, “Let me look at it.”
Miss Villa turned her back, “Stop it! You don’t care about me at all!”
Prince An started, “I have a gift for you…”
Miss Villa covered her ears, “No, I don’t want it, I don’t want any presents! Don’t think you can win me over! I want to go back to Capital City, I want to see father and mother, I want to see the Empress Dowager! I want to tell them how you colluded with outsiders to bully me!”
Prince An sighed deeply, “I was planning to let you enjoy a few more days in town, but if you insist, we’ll leave for Capital City. It’s time for your fourth uncle to return to the capital. Let him review your studies and see if you’ve progressed?”
Upon the mention of Tutor Villa reviewing her studies, Miss Villa fell silent.
She lowered her hand from her ears and said weakly, “Then… maybe… I’ll stay for a few more days?”
Prince An said, “Then, don’t cause any more trouble.”
“I know, I know!” Miss Villa replied dismissively, but secretly swore that once she was back in Capital City, she’d immediately see the Empress Dowager and make sure she pulled that little hoof from the Marquis Residence out into the open, and slapped her a hundred times in public!