FBC – Chapter 8 The Duke’ Summons

Gu Hua struggled free and fell to her knees in front of Gu Wanru with a thud. Ignoring the pain in her hands, she yanked off the handkerchiefs wrapped around them and held out her palms.

Tears streaming down her face, she cried, “Elder Sister, you love the young master deeply and were never willing to let me serve him. You had Yinzhi deliberately scald my hands and even made me go serve tea to the Duke. Isn’t that so the Duke would take pity on me and be taken with me?

Elder Sister, now that your wish has come true and the Duke has indeed taken a liking to me, I won’t stand in your and the young master’s way anymore. Please, persuade him to let me go.”

Mu An’s face turned grim as he stared at her hands. Though ointment had been applied, they were still badly swollen and oozing yellow fluid.

He turned to Gu Wanru. “Gu Wanru, you had her serve me tonight—why would you have her hands burned like this?”

Flustered, Gu Wanru explained, “I didn’t do it on purpose! The tea Yinzhi made was too hot, and Gu Hua accidentally scalded herself. I was taking all three of them with me, but on the way, Yinzhi got scalded too when Gu Hua knocked over the teapot. So I sent her back with Jinkui for medicine, and—”

“So both of them got scalded, yet you only took her to meet Father? Were you trying to disgust the old man on purpose?” Mu An’s tone turned sinister.

Gu Hua kept her head down, sobbing pitifully.

She wanted to see—once a seed of doubt was planted in this marriage, could their love remain unshaken?

It was the first time Gu Wanru had seen such a terrifying expression on Mu An’s face. She turned pale and dropped her virtuous facade, grabbing Gu Hua’s hair and yanking her head up.

“Wretched thing! How dare you drive a wedge between my husband and me? Are you trying to seduce Father? Do you have a death wish?”

Despite the pain ripping at her scalp, Gu Hua quickly pulled out a small container of snow lotus face cream and burn ointment from her sleeve.

“This was a gift from the Duke.”

Gu Wanru froze, then released her grip on Gu Hua’s hair and reached for the jar.

But Mu An snatched it away first. “Snow lotus face cream?”

“This is a rare tribute from the Western Regions, worth more than gold. I know the Empress Dowager once gave Father a jar. The other day, Yao Yao burned her finger and I asked Steward Zhou for some, but he said Father was keeping it for himself. And now Father gave it to you?”

That little whore? Unworthy!

Gu Wanru nearly blurted it out in anger.

She stared at Gu Hua with suspicion. “When did Father reward you? Why didn’t I hear about it?”

Gu Hua, still wiping her tears, answered, “After Elder Sister returned from serving tea, you told Dong Mo to deliver it to me.”

“Dong Mo?” Gu Wanru seethed inside, stifling her fury.

Father gave her only two worn bolts of brocade, yet gave this little tramp a Western tribute—and behind her back?

Could it be that Father was taken by this little fox at first glance?

Wasn’t Father supposed to have no interest in women?

Gu Wanru exchanged glances with Mu An, both now uneasy.

This involved inheritance—nothing could be taken lightly.

Gu Wanru’s eyes flickered. “Husband, Father gave her the ointment because her burns were severe. He wasn’t taken with her. The noble daughters of the capital all want to marry Father, yet he’s chosen none of them—how could he fall for a servant-born girl?”

Mu An agreed, glaring coldly at the kneeling Gu Hua. “Tonight I will have you. Father dotes on me—he wouldn’t compete with his own son for a woman.”

Gu Hua gasped and scrambled to flee, but Mu An grabbed her by the collar.

“Trying to run? Someone come—take her away!”

Gu Hua thrashed, crying out desperately, “Young Master, Elder Sister, please spare me! I’ll serve you both like a beast of burden for life!”

Gu Wanru sneered, “Being favored by the young master is your fortune—don’t be blind to your blessings.”

As the chaos peaked, a man entered the courtyard, chuckling, “Oh? Young Master is here too.”

“Steward Zhou,” Gu Wanru’s heart skipped a beat.

She couldn’t let anyone from Father’s side see her mistreating her illegitimate sister. She quickly tugged on Mu An’s sleeve.

Mu An let go of Gu Hua’s collar and forced a smile. “Steward Zhou, what a rare guest.”

Gu Hua’s legs gave out completely, and she collapsed on the ground.

Her clothes were disheveled, hair a mess, and she knelt there weeping—utterly humble.

Zhou Chunyu acted as if he hadn’t seen her and cupped his hands to the couple. “The Duke said it’s rare for him to be home. He’s ordered a banquet and invites the Young Master and Young Madam to dine with him in the front courtyard for some casual conversation.”

Gu Wanru and Mu An both breathed a sigh of relief.

Gu Wanru quickly tried to claim credit. “When I served tea earlier, I mentioned my husband wished to honor his filial duty by dining with Father. And now, Father has agreed.”

Surely her husband would appreciate her now.

“So virtuous,” Mu An said with a smile, gently lifting her chin.

Blushing, Gu Wanru turned away and addressed Steward Zhou politely, “Please go on ahead. My husband and I will change clothes and come right away.”

Mu An glanced at Gu Hua, then said warmly, “You’re injured. Go back and rest.”

Gu Wanru rushed over to help her up. “Silly sister, my husband is thinking of your well-being. He doesn’t want you to suffer. Come now, get up and go rest.”

Gu Hua was just about to protest, but before she could say anything—

Zhou Chunyu suddenly looked at her, as if noticing her for the first time. “Is this the second daughter from the Young Madam’s family? The Duke heard you entered the household and asked that you join us for dinner so he can meet you.”

Gu Wanru froze.

She glanced at Mu An, whose gaze had turned cold and grim.

Forcing a smile, she said, “Steward Zhou, Gu Hua is illegitimate and low-born—not someone worthy of Father’s attention. She’d better not go.”

Zhou Chunyu looked troubled. “Young Madam, the Duke gave the order. I don’t dare disobey. If she doesn’t come, I’ll be punished. Perhaps you could explain it to him yourself?”

Gu Wanru couldn’t be sure whether Father really had taken a liking to Gu Hua. But with Zhou saying this, she dared not refuse.

Under Mu An’s darkening gaze, she forced herself to say, “Such a great honor from Father cannot be declined. Sister, go wash and change—you mustn’t embarrass yourself.”

Gu Hua finally felt a weight lift from her chest.

Her efforts last night… hadn’t been in vain.

She stood up, trembling. Her steps were unsteady, clearly the gait of someone whose legs were overworked.

Zhou Chunyu’s eyes flashed briefly, but his face remained calm as he turned to lead the way.

Gu Hua had been tormented the whole previous night, then manhandled earlier—she had almost no strength left.

Dragging her legs like noodles, she struggled to follow behind them.

The banquet was set up in the Moon-Gazing Pavilion beside the lotus pond in the back garden.

The moment Gu Hua saw the pond, a chill spread through her body.

The suffocating sense of death struck—her legs gave out, and she slumped against a pillar, shivering, breathless.

In her past life, it was here, in the dead of night, that Mu An and Yinzhi had dragged her over and held her down in the frigid waters until she drowned.

Concubine Pei, jealous of the legitimate wife, had switched the daughters at birth, turning the real one into a lowly servant while her own daughter enjoyed a noble life as a fake heiress.

They trained her to be a man’s plaything, paving the way for her half-sister’s rise.

How absurd this world was.

She bore the burden of servitude, abandoned by heaven and earth alike.

Shamed, unloved, parentless—she had once cursed fate for her suffering, for not being born into a kind mother’s arms.

For being too afraid to escape.

She only wanted to survive, yet even that sliver of hope, they crushed.

That wretched couple wallowed in filth and still lived in glory, hand in hand for life.

But all her suffering—it wasn’t fate. It was man-made.

Why?

Resentment and unwillingness surged inside her.

Gu Hua looked up toward the Moon-Gazing Pavilion.

A tall, imposing man in black robes sat upright and stern.

He was her lifeline.

Yet he didn’t even glance her way…

Clutching her robes, Gu Hua’s face turned ashen. Her lips had lost all color, twisted in silent agony.

Gu Wanru noticed her strange behavior and pinched a patch of flesh at her waist hard.

Gu Hua gasped in pain and snapped out of it.

Gu Wanru leaned in and whispered venomously in her ear, “Try another trick, and I’ll break your legs and sell you to a brothel!”

Then she straightened, putting on a gentle smile as she walked forward with Mu An, both bowing to Mu Junyan.

“Your son (and daughter-in-law) greets Father.”

“No need for formalities. Sit,” Mu Junyan said coolly, raising his hand.