FBC – Chapter 113 Peeling Off the Skins of Concubine Pei and Her Daughter!

Tears welled in Concubine Pei’s eyes, her face full of guilt. “It was clearly Gu Hua who was kidnapped yesterday, yet the outside world is saying it was our legitimate eldest young miss. Her reputation is being sullied, and our marquis household will become the target of everyone’s gossip.”

Gu Yuan’s eyes widened. “It was Ru’er who was kidnapped?”

Madam Wang also gasped.

She had originally thought it was already tragic enough that her Ru’er lost her child, and now she had to suffer a kidnapping—how could she go on living?

But if it was Gu Hua who was kidnapped, then the situation was different.

All four pairs of eyes stared at Gu Hua, as if willing her to admit she was the one kidnapped.

Even her own birth mother looked at her with such cold eyes that it chilled her to the bone.

These were supposedly her closest kin, yet when something happened, they didn’t hesitate to throw her into the fire, caring not whether she lived or died.

There is no greater sorrow than a heart that has died. And yet, Gu Hua grew ever more calm.

Since they could lie without shame, why should she uphold any moral code?

Mu Junyan had already taken the blame on her behalf and blackened Gu Wanru’s name. She could only follow his lead.

Gu Hua looked shocked. “I’m just a lowly, worthless concubine-born daughter. What good would it do to kidnap me? Besides, last night, it was the Duke himself who led the Black Armor Guards in the rescue. Everyone in the Duke’s household knows it was Elder Sister Gu who was taken. The kidnappers were targeting her. If they took me, then it must’ve been because I was pushed out to be a scapegoat.”

She tilted her head toward Gu Wanru, whose gaze was panicked. “Jinkui was stabbed to death by the kidnappers trying to save elder sister. Sister, didn’t you witness it yourself? I was too timid, clinging to Biyu and not daring to make a sound—that’s how I survived.”

Her voice choked with sobs. “Biyu has always disliked you and wished you were taken. She held me back with all her strength. I was too weak to save you.”

Gu Wanru was so stunned by Gu Hua’s shamelessness that she forgot to cry. She rushed forward and raised her hand to slap her, but Gu Hua lifted her arm to block, then pushed her aside effortlessly.

“Elder sister, don’t use your hands when you speak. If you hurt my face, what will you do tomorrow when His Majesty bestows the marriage, and the Duke’s household receives me as the concubine? What if the guests notice something? How will you explain it to your father-in-law?”

Zhou Zhilian, standing by the window, had been about to rush in, but when she saw that Gu Hua hadn’t suffered a loss, she stopped in her tracks.

Concubine Pei rushed to help Gu Wanru up, shielding her in her arms. Pointing at Gu Hua, she roared, “Gu Hua, do you dare swear to the heavens that it wasn’t you who was kidnapped?”

It’s said that three feet above our heads, the gods bear witness.

But she had never once felt their presence.

Gu Hua slowly raised her hand toward the sky and said clearly, word by word, “I swear, the one who was kidnapped was Gu. Wan. Ru.”

Gu Wanru and Concubine Pei were dumbfounded.

When did this little wretch learn how to lie so skillfully?

Gu Hua lowered her hand and gave a self-mocking smile. “Concubine Pei, you always throw your biological daughter into the fire and protect the legitimate daughter like she’s the apple of your eye. Those who know say you respect the main wife and preserve the bloodline of the legitimate branch. Those who don’t might think Gu Wanru is actually your real daughter.”

Her words were like pouring a bowl of ice water into a pot of boiling oil—an instant explosion, muddying the entire pond.

Madam Wang looked at Concubine Pei, who seemed more anxious about Ru’er than she was, and frowned. Then she looked toward her daughter, who was clinging tightly to Pei’s embrace…

Concubine Pei had never shown her respect before, so why was she so particularly affectionate toward her daughter—more so than the birth mother herself?

Gu Yuan also looked over in surprise.

Gu Wanru’s eyes were filled with panic as she forcefully pushed Concubine Pei away and rushed into Madam Wang’s arms. “Mother… Mother, don’t listen to her nonsense. She just hates that my life is better than hers. She wants me dead!”

Concubine Pei was caught off guard by the push and stumbled, landing heavily on the stone floor with a loud thud.

The pain nearly shattered her backside.

Madam Wang looked thoughtfully at the daughter in her arms.

Just now… she called her mother?

Gu Hua, watching Gu Wanru burrow into her mother’s arms, smiled coldly and fanned the flames.

“When Elder sister was getting married, and Concubine Pei gave her a generous amount of private money—plus the four most profitable shops. Oh, and the monthly silver from the Pei family to our marquis household? Most of it went to elder sister. Just this month alone, she received a full hundred thousand taels. And me, her real daughter, hasn’t had a new piece of clothing in two years.”

She sighed. “Father, do you know? Concubine Pei said that since I’m just a servant in the Duke’s household, I should wear a maid’s uniform. No need for new clothes. I don’t get the maid’s monthly allowance, and the silver meant for the young misses is all kept by the concubine. I truly have not a single coin to my name.”

Gu Yuan was speechless. This was far too much!

The other concubine-born daughters in the household received three sets of seasonal clothing every year, and a monthly allowance of five taels.

Concubine Pei ignored her aching backside and scrambled to her feet. “You wretched—”

Gu Hua raised an eyebrow. “Mother, I am your biological daughter. If I’m a little wretch, what does that make you?”

The insult caught in Concubine Pei’s throat like old blood, almost choking her.

Gu Hua turned and gave her father an apologetic look.

“Concubine Pei just insulted even you, Father. The concubine-born daughters of our marquis household are still misses. Concubines are still servants. A servant calling their mistress a wretch—what will outsiders think of our household?”

“Previously, Concubine Pei stole the main wife’s seal and forced a young miss into servitude. People already say our Wenchang Marquis Household lacks hierarchy, is full of chaos, with unkind mothers and unfilial daughters.”

“Father, our family comes from a long line of upright scholars. Grandfather was a Grand Academician, and you were a top-ranked Tanhua. I wonder if our ancestors would slam their coffins in outrage if they knew. Would they visit you in dreams at night to scold you?”

Gu Yuan choked on his own saliva in fury and burst into a painful coughing fit.

Concubine Pei, holding her aching back, pointed at Gu Hua with trembling hands. “You—you…!”

The word “wretch” nearly slipped out again, but was forcefully swallowed when she met Gu Hua’s smiling yet razor-sharp gaze—almost causing her to suffocate.

“You… you’ve grown so sharp-tongued and disrespectful to your elders!”

Gu Hua walked right up to her. “Only Mother and Father deserve to be called elders. You are a concubine—a servant. Concubine Pei, don’t forget your place.”

Concubine Pei wished she could rip off that smug face of hers.

“Enough! What a disgrace on such a joyful day.”

Madam Wang suddenly spoke.

She looked gently at Gu Yuan. “Marquis, you’ll have to host many important guests tomorrow. Why don’t you rest early and leave this to me?”

Her suggestion suited Gu Yuan perfectly.

He had no interest in meddling in women’s squabbles. Tomorrow’s wedding was his chance to regain dignity.

“Very well.”

He cast one last glance at Gu Hua, standing proudly.

It was only today he realized that this daughter of his had grown into a graceful young woman. Beneath her gentle facade was a backbone of steel—not unlike Madam Wang when he first met her.

He suddenly had the thought that this inconspicuous concubine-born daughter might just outshine the legitimate Gu Wanru.

“Concubine Pei, have you prepared the dowry I ordered for Gu Hua? It mustn’t be less than Ru’er’s. After all, she’s marrying into the Duke’s family. We don’t want to be laughed at.”

This time, Concubine Pei almost spat blood. She had no way to explain herself.

Madam Wang looked at her, Gu Hua’s words still echoing in her mind.

If Concubine Pei had only shown affection to Gu Wanru for appearances, that was understandable.

But to give the most valuable shops from her own dowry to Wanru, and to pass on the Pei family’s tribute to her as well—that was far from normal.

Concubine Pei had always wanted to replace her and become the official wife.

What did she hope to gain from showering Wanru with such favor?

Concubine Pei watched helplessly as Gu Yuan left. With no one to back her up, it was pointless to keep arguing.

What’s more, she noticed both Madam Wang and Gu Yuan were beginning to suspect something.

She reluctantly curtsied to Madam Wang. “Madam, I shall go inventory Hua’er’s dowry.”

Gu Hua also bowed. “Mother, your daughter takes her leave.”

She didn’t care how big or small the dowry was.

She only wanted to peel off the skins of Concubine Pei and her daughter!

Gu Wanru was helped away. Granny Zhou, seeing how exhausted Madam Wang looked, supported her with a heart full of pity.

Back in her courtyard, Madam Wang dismissed the servants and suddenly grabbed Granny Zhou’s arm.

“Last time, you mentioned a rumor going around the servants. Could it… be true?”

Granny Zhou was startled by the sudden redness in her mistress’s eyes. “Madam, don’t listen to that servant gossip. They just want to stir up trouble. How could the young lady possibly be Concubine Pei’s daughter?”

Madam Wang shook her head, struggling to recall the events of her childbirth…