freenovelworld Chapter 661 Yes or no, let's try one more time.
Chapter 661 Yes or no, let's try one more time.
Meizi's face turned deathly pale. She subconsciously took half a step back, her lips trembling, unable to utter a word.
“My father will not let anyone who tries to harm my mother get away with it.”
Meizi seemed to be stung by those words and suddenly raised her head.
“They are not your biological parents!” she said in a low voice, almost spitting out the words through clenched teeth.
“The child in Madam’s belly is the legitimate heir of the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion! Young Master, have you thought about what you will do after that child is born? Is the future that your concubine risked her life for you just going to be ruined?”
Gu Xuan's eyes were as cold as ice.
“I was adopted by my father when I was a little over one year old. As far back as I can remember, they have been my father and my mother.”
He stepped forward, snatched the already cold basin of water from Meizi's hand, and slammed it heavily onto the stone table beside her with a dull thud.
"If you make another move, I will no longer care about you."
Mei Zi was stunned by the coldness in his eyes, her body trembled slightly, but she still refused to give up.
"Young Master, I did all this for your own good!" She knelt down with a thud, crawled to Gu Xuan's feet, looked up, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"This estate of the Duke of Zhenguo can only be yours! And it must be yours!"
Gu Xuan looked down at her, his eyes showing no emotion.
"Put your mind to yourself."
He glanced at her one last time, then turned and went into the house, slamming the door shut and cutting off all of Meizi's cries and pleas.
In the courtyard, only Meizi remained, kneeling on the cold bluestone slab. The cold wind tousled her hair, but it could not dispel the obsession in her eyes.
The candlelight was still burning in the main room, and the empty medicine bowl was taken away.
Chu Ruohan lay in Gu Junze's arms, wide awake.
“We already have Qingchen,” Gu Junze suddenly said. “Tell me, who would be so intolerant of you having another child?”
His words were like a needle, precisely piercing the point that Chu Ruohan was deliberately avoiding.
The next instant, Chu Ruohan sat up abruptly, the blanket slipping off her shoulders.
"Are you doubting Xuan-ge'er?"
Gu Junze did not answer, but just looked at her quietly.
Silence is the best answer.
“It can’t be him.” Chu Ruohan immediately shook her head. “He’s not that kind of kid.”
"We've searched the entire mansion, from top to bottom, and found no one suspicious. Even political enemies in court wouldn't resort to such methods to infiltrate the inner quarters."
Gu Junze's voice was calm, "This doesn't resemble court intrigue; it's more like the intrigues of the inner quarters. And within this household, whose position will be most threatened by the birth of this child?"
Chu Ruohan knew, of course, that Gu Junze's analysis was correct.
The adopted eldest son and the soon-to-be-born legitimate son.
This is a difficult problem in itself.
But that person was Gu Xuan.
She was the child she had raised from childhood, who doted on her younger sister, never uttered a word about the hardships she suffered in the military camp, and who would respectfully call her "Mother."
She didn't want to believe it, and she couldn't believe it.
“But his feelings for me and for Qingchen were genuine.” Chu Ruohan defended him, as if trying to convince herself, “I could feel it, it wasn’t an act.”
"You can't see into someone's heart." Gu Junze also sat up, reached out and pulled the blanket back up, covering her slightly cool shoulders. "Perhaps he was sincere, but when he realized that this unborn child might take everything away from him, how much of that sincerity would be left?"
Chu Ruohan was speechless.
Yes, how could she gamble with the title and fortune of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, and whether the humanity of a teenager could withstand the test?
Neither of them wanted to believe that it was the child they had raised from a young age.
After a long while, Chu Ruohan took a deep breath.
"Whether it is or not, let's try again."
They all hoped they were wrong.
But before the truth is clear, they cannot gamble with her life and the life of the child in her womb.
The next morning, Dr. Qian was invited over again.
Inside the main room, Chu Ruohan looked alright, leaning against the headboard, with Haitang attending to her.
Dr. Qian meticulously completed the procedures, placing his fingers on Chu Ruohan's wrist to take her pulse, and then closed his eyes to concentrate.
A moment later, he opened his eyes, his face first showing surprise, then turning into great joy.
He withdrew his hand, stood up, and bowed deeply to Chu Ruohan and Gu Junze.
"Congratulations, Your Excellency! Congratulations, Your Excellency!"
Confused, Haitang stepped forward and asked, "Dr. Qian, is Madam's health much better?"
Dr. Qian stroked his beard, grinning from ear to ear.
"It's more than just excellent!" He deliberately raised his voice, making sure everyone inside and outside the room could hear him. "The lady's pulse this time is steady and strong, full of vitality! Based on my many years of experience, I judge that... it's almost certainly a boy!"
He paused, then added, "This is the eldest son the Duke of Zhenguo's family has been waiting for for many years! What a joyous occasion, what a joyous occasion!"
Haitang was stunned, then a surge of joy welled up on her face, and she was so excited that she could hardly speak.
"The...the legitimate son? Thank God! Thank God!"
"The lady is carrying a young master!"
The news seemed to have wings, spreading throughout the entire Duke's mansion within half a day.
The servants gathered in twos and threes.
The fear brought by the two incidents a few days ago has been overshadowed by this great joy.
In a corner of the garden, two old women responsible for pruning the flowers whispered among themselves as they worked.
"Now that a proper legitimate son has been born, our household finally has a true pillar of support."
Another old woman glanced around out of the corner of her eye and then spoke in a low voice.
"What about Young Master Xuan? Although he was adopted, the Duke and his wife have been raising him as their own son all these years."
"Shh! Keep your voice down!" The old woman who spoke first glared at her. "What biological son? He's still a child. Once the young master is born, will he, an outsider, still have the title of the eldest son?"
"I think we'll have to move out sooner or later and live separately."
"That's true. There's no reason not to leave the title and the family business to one's own son."
These discussions were overheard by Gu Qingchen, who happened to be passing by.
She rushed forward, pointing at the two old women who were still gossiping, "My brother is the young master of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion! Anyone who dares to talk nonsense again, I'll tear their mouths off!"
The two old women were startled, and the flower shears in their hands fell to the ground with a "clatter." They hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly.
"Miss, spare us! We'll never do it again! We were just being cheeky!"
"Qingchen".
Gu Xuan strode over, pulled his sister back who was about to lash out, and gently patted her back.
He didn't even glance at the two trembling old women, but said softly to Gu Qingchen, "Alright, they're just servants who believe anything they hear. Why are you getting angry with them?"
“But brother, they…” Gu Qingchen’s eyes reddened with anger.
“I know best how our parents treat us, and that’s enough.” Gu Xuan tidied her wind-blown hair. “Let’s go, it’s windy outside. I’ll take you back inside.”
He took his sister's hand, turned and left, never once giving the two old women a second glance.
Gu Qingchen was coaxed by him, and her anger gradually subsided. She obediently followed him.
After escorting his younger sister back to the courtyard and watching her enter the house, Gu Xuan turned around.
The moment he turned around, the smile on his face cracked and disappeared completely, leaving only a cold stiffness.