FBC – Chapter 116 Counterattack

Gu Hua walked out of the main gate of the Wenchang Marquis Manor, holding a bright red round fan. She kept her head lowered, behaving properly and not daring to glance around.

Still, the joyous atmosphere was evident all around: red lanterns lit the way, festive music played, and everything radiated celebration and happiness.

The scene outside the gate was lively and grand. The bridal procession was vast and magnificent. Leading it was a young man on a tall steed, exuding extraordinary bearing.

There was once an emperor who, while fleeing to Mingzhou, was saved by a woman. Unable to find her later to repay the favor, he decreed that any woman from Mingzhou marrying out could be granted half the imperial bridal honor, wearing a phoenix coronet and red robe, and seated in an eight-carried sedan chair.

Since ancient times, an eight-carried bridal sedan symbolized a formal marriage and the rightful position of a principal wife.

Madam Wang felt a sense of comfort.

Regardless of whether Gu Hua was truly her daughter or not, she had indeed neglected and wronged this child for over a decade. Seeing her marry into a good family gave her some solace.

Looking at the bride’s departing figure, Madam Wang suddenly felt overwhelmed with sorrow.

She hadn’t even felt this kind of sadness when Gu Wanru got married.

Behind Gu Hua, a shrill and uncontrollable screech suddenly rang out from Concubine Pei.

“An eight-carried sedan chair? That little slut… how dare a mere concubine-born girl get such treatment!”

“Concubine Pei!” Madam Wang shouted sharply to silence her.

Standing beside Madam Wang, Gu Yuan frowned deeply and shot Concubine Pei a glare.

Didn’t she see what kind of occasion this was? Such nonsense!

Gu Wanru, already feeling disgruntled, felt utterly humiliated by Concubine Pei’s outburst. She quietly stepped aside, not wanting to stand too close to her.

Though unwilling to accept it, Concubine Pei dared not make another sound. Her eyes quickly flicked to the left, where a few men stood in a nearby alley. One of them lazily raised a hand and waved when he noticed her glance.

Before the bride entered the sedan, tradition required the mother to weep and bid farewell. Naturally, Concubine Pei had no interest in putting on such a show, nor did she have the qualifications to step forward.

Madam Wang stepped up, grabbed Gu Hua’s sleeve, and spoke tearfully and loudly:

“Hua’er, once you enter the Duke’s residence, you must respect your mother-in-law and honor the Duke.”

Gu Hua had assumed this so-called mother of hers wouldn’t go through the motions of such ceremonial farewells. But unexpectedly, her birth mother earnestly followed tradition and spoke sincere words filled with emotion.

Tears welled up and streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably. She choked out a response and nodded.

Watching the touching parting between mother and daughter, a flash of hatred gleamed in Concubine Pei’s eyes.

Since Gu Hua had no elder brother to lead her to the sedan, Madam Wang instructed Gu Ruiwen and Gu Jinwen, the two brothers, to escort her—one on each side—into the sedan.

Gu Jinwen’s eyes were red as he looked up at his beloved sister.

“Sister…”

Gu Hua’s tears fell again. “Study hard.”

“Mm!” Gu Jinwen nodded firmly.

People had surrounded the area in thick layers.

This unconventional concubine wedding had spread through Bianjing overnight. At the break of dawn, crowds had gathered to witness the spectacle.

“Heavens, these are the rites of marrying a legitimate wife!”

“Well, she’s an imperial-conferred concubine after all. Though still a concubine, the Duke Yong is willing to give her such honor!”

“No kidding. It was all done in haste, but look at her dowry—it’s not a bit less than that of a noble family’s legitimate eldest daughter.”

“This concubine-born girl is truly blessed. Bestowed by the emperor to marry the Duke Yong as an honored concubine—who would dare try to replace her as the proper wife now?”

“Didn’t the Duke Yong say he would never take another wife?”

“Tsk tsk, then this honored concubine will be the only female head of the household.”

Gu Hua paid no attention and quietly sat inside the carriage.

From outside the curtain, Mu Feng asked in a low voice,

“Second Aunt, are you seated properly?”

The young man’s voice was hoarse, filled with deep affection.

Gu Hua replied calmly, “I’m seated. Thank you, LiuLang.”

Mu Feng’s eyes were red as he stared at the unmoving curtain. He took a deep breath, straightened up, and was about to raise his hand to signal the procession to move—

When suddenly, a jarring voice pierced the air.

“Huh? Isn’t that the bride who was kidnapped by bandits?”

Another voice, sarcastic and mocking, chimed in:

“What nonsense. Wasn’t it the Duke’s young madam who was kidnapped? Have you seen the woman who got taken?”

“Yes, I did, actually. That day, when the patrol and Black Armor Guards raided Xinghua Teahouse, I happened to be watching a play in the front yard. The one the bandits sneaked away with was her.”

A third person gasped in shock:

“What?! I heard she spent the whole night with those thugs. Wouldn’t that mean… everything’s already happened? And the Duke Yong still wants her?”

As soon as those words were spoken, the scene immediately exploded into chaos.

Madam Wang and the others’ expressions changed instantly as they all turned to look at the carriage.

“You see! I told you she was lying—the one who was abducted was her!” Concubine Pei immediately jumped up, pointing at the bridal sedan chair and shouting.

Madam Wang hurriedly scolded her in a low voice, “Shut up! Do you want everyone to laugh at our Gu family?”

Gu Yuan came to his senses and barked, “Get back inside! Don’t embarrass us here!”

Granny Zhou immediately had people drag Concubine Pei back into the residence.

Gu Wanru’s panicked eyes darted around nervously.

Two or three local ruffians stood with their arms crossed, huddled together, shouting and making a fuss.

Could this have been arranged by Mother?

Some in the crowd were displeased and retorted, “Did you even see the bride’s face? Spouting nonsense like this is slandering her purity.”

“Exactly. The Duke Yong’s residence has already rescued the young madam. Are you saying the Duke Yong wouldn’t recognize her?”

“Who dares to spread such rumors in the middle of the street?!”

Mu Feng was furious. He raised his horsewhip and pointed it at the three who were speaking.

“We didn’t make anything up! Isn’t the young madam right here? Young Madam, say something!”

“Yes, Young Madam, if you don’t clear your name now, you won’t have another chance!”

Gu Wanru gritted her teeth and was about to speak up to expose Gu Hua’s true identity—when suddenly, a clear voice rang out from the bridal sedan.

“Did you really see my face?”

The bright red curtain of the sedan chair fluttered, and the bride, holding a round fan, stepped out and stood at the front of the carriage.

The crowd fell silent.

From the spectators’ angle, all they could see was the embroidered phoenix round fan set with pearls and red gauze. Her face was completely obscured.

Gu Hua held the fan steadily, her tone calm and measured: “Just now, the three of you claimed you saw me. Then tell me—what was the abducted woman wearing that day?”

The three men quickly straightened their backs and exchanged nervous glances.

The leader stiffened his neck and said, “She was wearing luxurious ruqun. Xinghua Teahouse is a place where only poor folks go for entertainment. Even though we were watching a play, everyone there wore plain clothes. Your outfit stood out like a sore thumb.”

Gu Hua felt reassured.

These three were impostors.

When she had appeared in public that day, she was dressed in a matchmaker’s costume.

“And what play was being performed that night?” she asked.

The three were dumbfounded. How could they possibly know what was being performed?

Someone had just given them silver to come and make up nonsense.

One of them quickly rolled his eyes and said, “It was a variety show—several short operas performed back to back.”

“Yes, yes, a variety show!” the others chimed in.

Gu Hua’s voice suddenly turned cold. “Dong Mo, arrest these three and take them to the yamen. Ask the magistrate to verify if what they said is true. If Xinghua Teahouse wasn’t performing variety shows that night, then let the magistrate punish them according to the law!”

Dong Mo and his men had been watching the three closely already. At the command, they immediately surrounded them.

The three men were quickly boxed in by guards all half a head taller than them and panicked.

“No—no—it wasn’t me who saw it. I—I only heard about it!”

“Yes, yes, I only heard it from him!” The other two pointed at the first man who spoke.

Behind the round fan, Gu Hua slowly curled her lips into a smile. She turned her face slightly and looked toward Gu Wanru.

“Father, someone clearly wants to bring down both daughters of the Gu family. You must investigate this thoroughly. Who is so vicious that they want to ruin our family’s reputation and disgrace the Duke Yong?”

Gu Yuan immediately guessed that it must have been Concubine Pei who couldn’t let go of her resentment and had schemed to destroy Gu Hua’s name.

But today, the Duke Yong was accepting a concubine by imperial decree!

Was there even a comparison between Mu An and the Duke Yong?

If this marriage was ruined right at the Gu family’s gate, his own career would be truly over.

Suddenly, he grabbed Gu Wanru by the arm and shoved her forward.

“She is my eldest daughter, Gu Wanru. The one who was abducted was her—not my second daughter, Gu Hua!”

“Father!” Gu Wanru shrieked.

“My Lord!” Madam Wang cried out.

Gu Wanru burst into tears, utterly wronged.

Her father had always doted on her and said she was the pride of the Gu family’s daughters. How could he now trample her into the mud in front of everyone?

Madam Wang held her tightly in distress. Even in public, she didn’t dare directly rebuke her husband—doing so would only rub salt into her daughter’s wounds.

Gu Hua remained silent.

She had long known Gu Yuan was selfish and cared only for saving face.

Now that both the Gu family and the Duke Yong’s household had publicly declared that the one abducted was Gu Wanru, this matter was set in stone!