Chapter Twenty-Seven: This Is Destiny

setbacks came one after another, breaking his once-unrivaled arrogance. He learned to endure and put on a false mask.I wonder how long Gu Xiuming can keep up this act.This looks like an incomplete HTM...Shouantang.

The jade incense burner emitted wisps of fragrant sandalwood, which rose and formed circles of white smoke above it. It resembled a white dragon swirling in mid-air. The aroma of sandalwood filled the room, leaving one feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Old Madam Gu leaned against the soft couch, her brow slightly furrowed. She was fiddling with a sandalwood rosary in her hand and reciting scriptures with her eyes closed.

At this time, Feng Ma Ma, who was beside Old Madam Gu, walked up to her and whispered in her ear: "Old Madam, the Marquis is here."

When Madam Gu heard this, she paused her rosary beads and slowly opened her eyes to look outside. She saw her son walking towards her calmly.

Gu Jingxi walked up to Madam Gu and bowed respectfully: "Son greets Mother."

"Yao Ling, please sit down first," Old Madam Gu looked at the empty seat and motioned for him to sit.

"Yaoling is Gu Jingxi's courtesy name, given to him by his deceased great-uncle, the former Marquis of Changxing. It is said that the former Marquis of Changxing had already chosen his given name and courtesy name for him on the day he was born."

He was born at dawn, as the sun rose, with a gentle breeze and pleasant weather. Elder Chang Xinghou looked at the early morning sunlight and listened to the cries from the delivery room. A line of poetry instantly came to his mind: "Clear yang shines brightly, wind and grace blend together."

But the Gu family's generation name was Jing, so he was named Jing Xi. Xi also means sunshine, and Yao Ling is used as his given name.

Gu Jingxi moved to sit beside Mrs. Gu, seeing her unconsciously fiddling with her rosary beads, clearly troubled. He asked, "Mother, did you hear about what happened today"

"Old Madam Gu glanced at him, helplessly saying, "Such a commotion has happened in the manor, even a blind and deaf person could know. By tomorrow, probably every household will have heard the news."

Gu Jingxi blushed and said, "It's my fault. I disturbed Mother's tranquility."

"Yao Ling, wasn't the punishment for Xiu Ming a bit harsh" Even though Old Madam Gu wasn't there in person, she had heard from others how her son had punished his grandson. Twenty-five lashes, confinement to the ancestral hall for a month, and copying the family rules one hundred times. Now, the man was still inside the ancestral hall. This punishment wasn't light at all.

Gu Jingxi shook his head slightly: "It's not serious. Compared to what that little girl went through, he's only suffering for a short time. How could it be serious"

Old Madam Gu was stunned, and then she looked at her son. Her son was handsome and talented. He was proficient in both literature and martial arts. At a young age, he had already been appointed as one of the Nine Ministers. If it wasn't for the injury he sustained while saving the emperor, leaving him with an ailment, he would have surely had children by now, and there would be no need to adopt Xiu Ming from the side branch. If her son hadn't had this ailment, that little girl Yao would have been a good match for him. But since he has an illness, the girl would have to spend her whole life as a widow, unable to even have children of her own. It was truly unfair to her.

She looked at her exceptionally talented son with heartache, blaming fate for its unfairness. She softly said, "Yao Ling, don't belittle yourself. A Yao married you because she saw your talent and noble character. If you feel our family owes her anything, then treat her well."

Gu Jingxi nodded and replied, "Mother, rest assured. I won't mistreat her."

Old Madam Gu listened to her son's cheerful response, but she felt in her heart that her son didn't understand. She reminded him: "Being good to a woman isn't just about providing for her food, clothing, and shelter. Even if you weren't there, she wouldn't starve. You should also put your heart into it. She is the one who will accompany you as your pillow partner for life."

"The son had better not let Jing Xi point again."

Mrs. Gu glared at him, feeling that he still didn't understand. He was stuck in his case day after day, only thinking about solving it. He wouldn't understand a woman's heart. Well, let him slowly figure it out himself.

Soon, Old Madam Gu asked again, "How is Xiuming now What did the doctor say"

Gu Jingxi said lightly, "I just fainted from the pain. I'll be fine after I recover from my injuries. Don't worry, mother."

“That’s good, that’s good,” Old Madam Gu said, sighing softly, her face betraying a palpable disappointment. “Xiu Ming, that child, has always been so well-behaved and sensible. I’ve always thought he was the most sensible among all my grandchildren. How could he get into such a mess”

The second wife only had one son, who couldn't be adopted. So she chose someone from the collateral branch of the clan. Xiu Ming resembled her son in two or three points. Among that group of children, she picked him at a glance and decided on Xiu Ming so that her son would have an heir to send him off in the future.

Who would have thought that Xiu Ming, this child, would also be such a troublesome one At a critical moment, he caused such an embarrassing incident, truly disappointing her. He clearly had better solutions but chose the worst possible one; it's as if he's lost his mind.

"He's been smooth sailing all these years, and he didn't expect to develop this willful personality. He didn't even think about the consequences his actions would have on others, only caring about his own happiness. Gu Jingxi's voice was faint, with a hint of disappointment."

Old Mrs. Gu sighed and said, "I hope after this lesson, he will think things through carefully before acting. I hope he won't act impulsively without considering the consequences anymore. We elders can't always clean up his messes for him."

Gu Jingxi's face changed slightly, and she nodded faintly: "I hope so."

Mrs. Gu glanced at her son, remembering an old event. A smile appeared on her face, dispelling the gloom that had shrouded her brow, and her expression relaxed.

Upon seeing this, Gu Jingxi questioned, "Mother, why are you smiling"

Remembering something from the past

Grandmother Gu smiled more and more, saying, "Your father and Aunt Yao's grandfather were close friends. Knowing that Aunt Yao's grandfather was worried about his granddaughter, he agreed to the marriage, allowing Aunt Yao to marry into our family so she wouldn't have to be arranged by her stepmother. If it weren't for you being much older than Aunt Yao, it should have been you and Aunt Yao betrothed. I didn't expect that in the end, after all the twists and turns, you ended up marrying Aunt Yao. This must be fate."

Upon hearing this, Gu Jingxi was stunned. "Me"

Mrs. Gu smiled and nodded, her tone tinged with a hint of helplessness: "Yes, your father was hotheaded at the time and told Mr. Yao's grandfather that you were the most promising of his three sons. He arranged a betrothal between you and Yao, saying they would marry when she came of age. However, Mr. Yao's grandfather disapproved because he thought you were too old. Your father was very disappointed and then considered his grandchildren. None of them seemed suitable at the time, so he decided to set the marriage first and discuss it further later.

Gu Jingxi was stunned.

He was unaware of the twists and turns that had taken place in between. He vaguely recalled that the engagement between the Gu family and the Meng family had been set ten years ago, when he was nineteen years old. At that time, he had already been jilted by his fiancée, and Xiu Ming had been adopted into his name.

The father probably thought he was going to have health problems, so he could wait ten or eight years. He could wait until the little girl came of age and then remarry. It's unlikely that the little girl's grandfather would agree.

In the end, two unlikely people came together, and he truly married that young girl. Xiang is also being manipulated."Upon hearing this, everyone realized the gravity of the situation. It was highly likely that someone was trying to frame Xuan Yi, but who would be so sinister as to u...