Chapter Ten: A Family

The petite figure that dashed out was none other than the young mistress of the Prince’s estate—Gu Lianqian—a vibrant and beautiful girl with a complexion like peach blossoms. It was clear from the way the servants around her hurriedly lowered their heads in salute that she was the one who, until now, had been the most vocal—or perhaps the most openly expressive—in her hatred for Gu Fangchen.

Gu Lianqian possessed a simple and straightforward character, much like a blank sheet of paper; she wore her heart on her sleeve, making her likes and dislikes perfectly transparent. Having always despised Gu Fangchen’s various villainous acts, she made it her mission to oppose him at every turn. When Gu Fangchen bullied an orphan girl, she had doused him with a kettle of boiling water, nearly leaving him heirless. When he broke someone’s bones, she secretly hired thugs to ambush him in the dead of night. When Gu Fangchen ran to Ning Caiyong to complain, she would immediately rush to Gu Yuye to report him.

To the original Gu Fangchen, this younger sister was the most loathsome existence, his true nemesis in life. After all, when others crossed him, he could scheme against them in the dark and then play the victim to garner sympathy later. But Gu Lianqian was different; if she complained to Gu Yuye, Gu Fangchen would be strictly confined. Yet, in his twisted arrogance, the original Gu Fangchen never believed her actions were born of kindness, but rather that this headstrong girl was simply trying to step on him to gain attention.

"Qianqian, speak slowly." Seeing his radiant young daughter, Gu Yuye’s eyes softened, and the stern lines of his face seemed to ease. Aside from his two direct disciples, Gu Lianqian had received the most of his tutelage, effectively making her his closing student. His eldest daughter had chosen to study under the Imperial Preceptor, the "Saint of Fate" Xu Fu—a decision Gu Yuye had welcomed, even though it meant her path diverged from his own. But Gu Lianqian was a natural prodigy of the martial way. At only sixteen, she had already attained the Sixth-Rank Martial Courage Realm—a talent only slightly inferior to the legendary Martial Saint of the past.

In truth, had the Martial Saint not vanished years ago—and had the circumstances of that time not displeased the Emperor—having him as a master would have been the best outcome for Gu Lianqian. After all, Gu Yuye’s own martial cultivation was only at the Third Rank; he was known as the "Sage of War" primarily due to his mastery of military formations and strategy. Though Gu Lianqian was a delicate young lady and lacked the temperament to be a general leading armies, Gu Yuye was certain that if the Martial Saint had seen her talent, he would have gladly taken her as a student. If that had happened, his eldest daughter would be the disciple of the Imperial Preceptor, his youngest the student of the Martial Saint, and his only son the true successor to a Sage. That was the vision Gu Yuye held for the Gu family.

As for the stains and errors he had intentionally created... he had returned today to set everything right. He would return what was misplaced to its rightful place. After today, the world would recognize an entirely new Prince of Zhenbei’s estate.

Gu Lianqian stuck out her tongue and rattled off the sequence of events that had occurred after Gu Fangchen locked himself away. Finally, she added indignantly, "Mother clearly knows she has been raising a stranger, so why does she continue to protect such a beast like Gu Fangchen?"

She had long felt that this useless fop, who did nothing but eat, drink, and play, was not one of them. Now that it was confirmed, she was overjoyed. Without the protection of the estate, the crimes Gu Fangchen had committed over the years would naturally be brought to account; at the very least, he would face severe punishment. It would be a service to humanity to be rid of such a pest!

Gu Yuye smiled faintly and patted his daughter’s head. "A decade of affection is not easily cast aside. Your mother is a sentimental woman; if she could let go in an instant, she wouldn't be your mother. She just hasn't come to terms with it yet." He turned to look at Gu Yuandao and said in a low voice, "Once she sees her true son, the bond of blood will stir within her, and she will surely awaken."

Gu Lianqian noticed the handsome young man standing to the side, but her anxiety over Gu Fangchen’s disappearance had kept her focused on her grievances. Realizing her previous outburst, her cheeks flushed, and she quickly assumed a demure posture. "G-good evening, Second Brother."

Heaven have mercy! The last time she had used that term was perhaps when she was two or three years old, coaxed by her mother to address Gu Fangchen. As she grew older, she had been at constant war with him; they were truly enemies from a past life.

Gu Yuandao offered a gentle smile. "I have long heard of the young mistress’s grace, though I never expected the fate to call you sister." He took out a short sword. "This is a Mysterious-grade blade I obtained from the Forest of Strange Swords, called 'Evil-Repelling.' It is nothing rare, but the name is auspicious. I came in such a hurry; please accept this as a token of our first meeting."

Gu Lianqian’s face reddened further. She took it and exclaimed, "I love it, I love it!" She examined the blade with treasure-like care, her affection for it clear to all. From a distance, the scene looked harmonious—this was exactly how a family should be.

"Father." Gu Youren stepped out, her ribbons fluttering in the wind, looking like a cold, ethereal fairy under the moonlight. She had met Gu Yuandao once before and simply nodded to him. "Gu Fangchen is currently at the White Horse Temple."

Gu Yuye frowned. Why would they go to the White Horse Temple? This was not in his calculations, though it remained within his control. He had waited many years to ensure that by this day, no matter where Gu Fangchen fled, he would never escape his grasp.

Gu Youren spoke calmly, "It seems Gu Fangchen, in his folly, mistakenly believed that Princess Banruo would be at the White Horse Temple today and insisted on begging Mother to take him to visit her." A flash of disgust and disdain crossed her eyes. Gu Fangchen had always been lecherous, and there was only one reason he would want to see Princess Banruo. She had not expected that, even with his end approaching, he would remain so shallow and ridiculous. He was truly beyond saving!

"Hah!" Gu Yuandao could not help but chuckle. "I never imagined that the one who replaced me would be such a 'character'." The irony in his words was unmistakable—he meant, of course, that the man was a fool. He shook his head. "What kind of person is Princess Banruo? Why would she see a good-for-nothing drunkard?" Even Gu Yuandao himself, a top scholar and successor to a Sage, was considered a brilliant talent among his peers, yet he knew that if he were to request an audience with the Princess, he would likely be turned away. Even the current Emperor, when wishing to see her, had to bathe and fast for three days just to receive a single aphorism. To think that Gu Fangchen, a man with no brains at all, would be so arrogant.

"In that case, Yuandao and I will go. Let us finish this tonight." Gu Yuye patted Gu Yuandao’s shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Go and see your mother; she will listen to you. Gu Fangchen is merely the son of a lowly groom. The Demonic Sect used the Art of Causal Fate to sever our blood connection, causing our family to suffer the pain of separation. Now, it is time to set things right!"

...

"Granny Cui! Chen'er!" Ning Caiyong lifted her skirts and stumbled forward to steady Granny Cui, ignoring her torn sleeves as she frantically searched for Gu Fangchen.

Gu Fangchen jumped onto the bank, waving his hand with a grin. "Mother, I'm fine! I just met an acquaintance and chatted for a moment!"

Ning Caiyong exhaled in relief, reaching out to Gu Fangchen with a gentle smile that illuminated the night. "Come here quickly. Honestly, wandering off in the middle of the night—aren't you afraid of running into bad people?"

Just as Gu Fangchen moved to support Ning Caiyong, two streaks of light descended, blocking her path. Gu Yuye stood with his hands behind his back, staring coldly at Gu Fangchen, who instinctively stopped in his tracks.

The brilliant young scholar knelt before Ning Caiyong, bowed deeply, and declared in a clear, ringing voice: "Mother, I am your true son!" Gu Yuandao looked up, meeting the stunned gaze of Ning Caiyong, and shook his head: "Do not be deceived by this beast. He has known about the switch for three years!"