Chapter 694: 327 Marriage Proposal (Two More Updates) Chapter 694: 327 Marriage Proposal (Two More Updates) Gu Changqing returned to the Marquis Residence.
Gu Chengfeng and Gu Chenglin had gone to the Back Mountain to pick fruits, so he returned to his room alone.
He sat down by his bed.
With no outsiders around, his perennially icy face finally showed a hint of expression. He furrowed his brows and undid his clothes.
His neck, shoulders, even the backs of his hands, and wrists were all covered with startling scratch marks. Some spots even oozed blood which had dried, sticking to his clothes and causing him to gasp from the pain when peeled off.
The manservant entered, clutching freshly laundered clothes. He spotted Gu Changqing’s neck full of scratches, froze in shock, then asked, “Which vixen did this!”
Gu Changqing’s gaze turned icy as he swiftly put on his clothes: “Don’t you know how to knock?”
The manservant stammered, “I didn’t know you were back! I was just tidying up the room and stepped out to fetch the laundry. I didn’t expect you to be back… By the way, what happened to you, Master? Which lady did this to you? Was it someone from outside or from our own residence?”
He didn’t dare to say “vixen” again.
“None of your business.” Gu Changqing stood indifferently, hanging his waist sword on the rack.
“Oh.” The manservant came to the bed, folding the clothes one by one, and hanging the others in the closet.
“Why do you say it was a woman?” Gu Changqing suddenly asked.
The manservant said, “Isn’t it clear? Those are definitely the marks of a woman’s nails, what man keeps his nails long?”
Gu Changqing’s eyes flickered: “No more nonsense.”
The servant muttered, “If Master says not to speak, then I won’t.”
Gu Changqing stood in front of the sword rack, the places on his body that were scratched ached faintly. Unlike the sharp and direct pain of sword and knife wounds, this kind of pain was strange and unfamiliar to him.
The image of her affected by some medication in the carriage crossed his mind. Gu Changqing shut his eyes.
The manservant glanced at him, then cautiously asked, “Master, how did you suddenly see the light?”
Gu Changqing was puzzled: “What do you mean, suddenly see the light?”
The manservant chuckled awkwardly, “Master, you have kept yourself from women for years, there’s not even a maid in the courtyard, and you’re also reluctant to discuss marriage. We… we all guessed… you might prefer men?”
Gu Changqing’s face darkened: “Get out!”
The manservant shivered and left reluctantly.
He then went to inform the old Marquis and Lady Gu about the news- their heir was finally interested in women!
After several hours of treatment, Prince An’s condition finally stabilized during the night.
The palace doctor left after he had taken his medicine.
Prime Minister Zhuang arrived at Prince An’s room. The expression on his face was grave, and the atmosphere between them was heavy.
Prime Minister Zhuang said, “I’ll ask you one last time, was it really you?”
Prince An replied, “Yes, Grandfather. No matter how many more times you ask, the answer will be the same.”
Prime Minister Zhuang was exasperated with his grandson’s utter unteachability. He had previously held high hopes for him. He had seen him as the hope for the family’s prosperous future. But he had destroyed his future, committing such an error.
Suppressing his anger, he said solemnly, “The girl you’ve disrespected today isn’t some ordinary girl from the streets that could be compensated with a little silver or influence. She’s the daughter of the Marquis Residence, regardless of whether she’s an adopted daughter, she’s a member of their family. What’s more, the old Marquis and Gu Changqing themselves are both cherished by the Emperor. You can no longer deny this issue, you need to confer her a status.”
Lying weakly on the bed, Prince An said indifferently, “Arrange as you see fit, Grandfather.”
Regardless, it’s not her. What’s the difference between marrying Miss Yuan and Miss Gu?
The next day, Prime Minister Zhuang sent a steward from the Zhuang Residence to the Marquis Residence, to explain his intentions to the old Marquis and Lady Gu.
“My master is willing to let the Prince take Miss Gu as a concubine.”
Upon hearing this, Lady Gu was delighted. The Marquis Residence had a prestigious position in Capital City, forming a marriage alliance with the Zhuang Family was a lofty aspiration for them. They wouldn’t mind even if the position was that of a concubine for Gu Jinyu.
The old Marquis’ face, however, darkened: “Is this how the Zhuang family gives an account to the Marquis Residence! Humph! Are you looking down on the Marquis Residence just because we no longer have the military power of the Gu family! You believe you can trample us under your feet!”
The steward calmly laughed, “What is Lord Marquis saying? The Prime Minister would never dare to belittle the Marquis Residence. But it’s well-known in the city that Miss Gu is not the biological daughter of Lord Marquis and Madam. Pardon my candor, but our young master is a prince, personally granted by the Emperor. He has served as a hostage in Chen Country for ten years on behalf of the Crown Prince and has made great contributions to Zhan Country. His main wife can’t possibly be a country girl. Moreover, Miss Gu recently brought about a major disaster. I’ve heard that she falsely claimed credit for the bellows and then for the mortar, secretly modified the bellows which led to countless Ministry of Works craftsmen being injured and caused severe damage to the Ministry of Industry’s Yamen. Pardon me for being impudent, but Miss Gu has no blood relation with the young Marquis, so, Lord Marquis, would you be willing to let the young Marquis take such a woman of questionable character as his wife?”