217 As You Wish
Before the emperor sealed the brush, the Ministry of War had sent a transfer order to the Marquis Mansion. They said that Gu Jian’s hand was injured and it was difficult for him to take on his original position, so they transferred him from the deputy commander of the Left Guard Army to the Left Guard Division.
Although the rank hadn’t changed, the Left Guard Army was under one of the five military camps, while the Left Guard Division only protected the imperial mausoleum and didn’t have any real power. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that they were sidelined.
Madam Gu had been distraught for several days because of this transfer order.
If this continued, the Marquis Mansion would probably continue to decline and become a declining Marquis Mansion with no real power.
Now, only Gu Yuan’s job as a guard was considered decent. He had saved the Marquis Mansion’s last layer of face.
At this moment, they definitely could not split up, let alone make the situation irreparable.
The silence lasted so long that the others subconsciously held their breaths, vaguely sensing a pre-storm oppression.
The eldest branch had been suppressed for eight years. Now that Gu Yuan had risen, the situation in the Marquis Mansion seemed to be changing.
In the end, Madam Gu was the first to break the silence. “Yuan’er, what do you want?”
She enunciated each word clearly. Her voice was calm and her words were clear but full of pressure.
“I want our branch to split from the family,” Gu Yuan said coldly.
“Impossible,” Madam Gu objected without hesitation. Her firm tone didn’t allow anyone to question her.
This was her bottom line!
Gu Yuan looked straight at Madam Gu without avoiding her. His pupils were as quiet and cold as a frozen lake.
His stubborn attitude made Madam Gu feel a little uncertain. Gu Yuan had always been stubborn.
Hence, Madam Gu lowered herself and advised kindly, “Yuan’er, your parents are no longer around, but I’m still here.”
“As long as your family is around, we won’t split up. This is an unchanging principle. Which family in the capital isn’t like this?”
“You and your second sister aren’t even of age yet. How can you start your own family?”
Gu Yuan’s eyes were cold, but his gaze remained unmoved. He recalled his father’s teachings when he was still alive.
At that time, his father asked him, “Yuan’er, if you wanted to find someone who doesn’t like you and ask for a sword, what would you do?”
He pumped his fist and replied, “Beat him up.”
His father had chuckled and said, “What if you can’t beat him?”
When he frowned and thought hard, his father taught him with a smile, “Just ask for all the other party’s weapons and bargain step by step. Do you understand?”
At that time, Gu Yuan was only four or five years old and still didn’t understand.
Now, he understood.
With his chin raised slightly in a cold arc, as if he was pondering, Gu Yuan said slowly, “It’s fine if we don’t split up.”
“Then don’t interfere in the matters of the eldest branch in the future.”
“My sister’s marriage will be decided by me, her biological brother, so that Madam won’t casually arrange for my sister to be ‘blessed’ by some random person.”
Gu Yanfei was slightly stunned.
She didn’t expect Big Brother to cause such a scene today just for her.
Marriage was based on the orders of her parents. But since her parents had passed on, logically speaking, Madam was indeed qualified to decide her marriage.
Although to Gu Yanfei, if she was unwilling, no one in this world could force her.
However, Big Brother’s thoughtfulness still warmed her heart. It was sweet, as if she had drunk sweet honey.
Madam Gu slowly looked away and suppressed the displeasure in her heart.
The hall fell silent again. Even a pin drop could be heard.
After thinking about it, Madam Gu forced out a word. “Okay.”
“I promise you.”
She finally managed to nod. She felt uncomfortable, as if something had escaped her palm.
She didn’t like it.
Gu Jian’s eyes widened. He instinctively wanted to object, but he was afraid of Madam Gu and shut his mouth in the end. His expression was as calm as water.
Gu Yuan snapped his fingers loudly. “Words are useless. Madam, please write a letter and sign it.”
The word “rubbish” was already on Madam Gu’s lips, but she still bit the tip of her tongue and swallowed it.
Gu Yuan didn’t care about Madam Gu’s reaction at all. He called his servant, Wu Tong, to fetch a piece of silk paper, brush, and ink and place them on the rosewood table.
“Madam, please.” Gu Yuan extended his hand to Madam Gu for her to write the contract.
Madam Gu didn’t like the feeling of being forced. She wished she could leave with a flick of her sleeve, but since things had already come to this, and she had already given in, she couldn’t let everything go to waste now.
She was now like an arrow on a string that had to be fired.
The parasol tree at the side quickly ground the ink. A faint ink fragrance mixed with the surrounding sandalwood and candle incense.
Madam Gu swallowed and slowly walked to the table. She slowly picked up the brush and wrote.
The others were already dumbfounded by her stiff back.
No one expected things to develop in this direction.
After a while, Madam Gu finished writing the contract. Then, she signed it and printed her thumbprint on it.
Gu Yuan leaned over and looked at the contents of the book contract. He was quite satisfied.
He personally blew dry the ink on the silk paper and handed this book to Gu Yanfei. “Sister, keep it carefully.”
Gu Yanfei nodded obediently and carefully folded the silk paper with a smile.
This was Big Brother’s gift for her. She would keep it well… When she returned, she would frame it up!
Gu Yuan’s smiling gaze shifted from Gu Yanfei to Gu Yunzhen and he said, “There’s also Zhen’er’s marriage…”
A strong dissatisfaction accumulated in Madam Gu’s heart. At this moment, her surging anger finally erupted uncontrollably.
“Gu Yuan, don’t push your luck!”
Madam Gu interrupted Gu Yuan angrily with a burning gaze.
She had already promised the Murong family that she would let Gu Yunzhen marry into the family today. There was no possibility of changing this matter.
Gu Yunzhen didn’t want Gu Yuan to offend Madam Gu for her. She hurriedly tugged at his sleeve and shook her head silently.
“Big Brother,” Gu Yanfei said with a smile, “Grandpa will decide Big Sister’s marriage.”
“Very soon.”
Her words sounded meaningful.
