PNB Chapter 134 Foolish filial piety?
Chapter 134 Foolish filial piety?
"Sir, my son really doesn't know anything; it was all my idea."
Lord Zhang: "Then why did you frame Gu Mingtang? He's your son, and he calls you 'Mother.' If you want money, your two sons can't possibly refuse you."
"Hahahahahahahahaha!" Madam Gu Chen laughed loudly, knowing that as long as her son was out of danger, there was nothing she could say.
“My lord, you are right. The Minister’s family is wealthy, and I certainly do not lack food or clothing and live a comfortable life. However, seeing Gu Mingtang gaining more and more attention in the court while my son can’t catch up no matter what, I am not reconciled.”
"Why should a merchant's daughter be able to sit in this position while my son can't? If Gu Mingtang hadn't been raised under my name, he would be an illegitimate son."
"How can I tolerate a son born of a concubine being more powerful than my legitimate son? Why doesn't he help his brother? Why doesn't he petition the Emperor for an imperial decree to let my son inherit the title of Marquis? He leaves it to his son but not to his brother."
"Haven't I been good enough to him all these years? How has he treated us, mother and son?"
Gu Minghai whispered, "Mother, please stop talking."
"Why shouldn't I say anything? What can't I say now? Gu Mingtang is a heartless ingrate. When he was little, I took care of him and taught him to read and write, but how did he repay me?"
"Look, this tuft of hair on my head is what he cut off."
[Tch, shameless! It's all because you gave my dad the wrong medicine that caused his high fever. If it weren't for Grandfather's orders to personally take care of him, you probably would have thrown him out.]
Chu Jingyan: That's really harsh. I shouldn't envy others so easily in the future!
Lord Zhang shook his head. "Ignorant woman," he said, turning to Gu Mingtang. "What do you have to say?"
Gu Mingtang looked at Gu Chenshi, his heart filled with no paternal affection but only deep hatred.
"You took care of me while you were barely clothed? Don't you ever think about why?"
"It's because you gave me the wrong medicine, which caused my high fever to persist. And it wasn't your choice to take care of me. Without Father's orders, you probably would have strangled me to death, right?"
Madam Gu Chen was so shocked that she took a step back. How...how did he know?
He was delirious with fever at that time, and he didn't remember anything from before, did he?
"If you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place. Over the years, you, Gu Chenshi, have always favored Gu Minghai and Gu Hanyue, neglecting me and Gu Xinyi. Yet I have always respected you and been filial to you without ever complaining. But what have you done?"
"You married my own sister off to a scumbag. You knew perfectly well that my sister's savior was someone else, but you lied to her, causing her to marry the wrong person and suffer for ten years. What more do you want?"
"When you and my wife have disagreements, she always tolerates and gives in to you. What more do you want?"
"You trapped my mother in a dark room and tortured her to death, what more do you want?"
Gu Mingtang's eyes were practically spitting fire, his fists were clenched tightly together, and anger surged within him. He gritted his teeth and controlled himself, determined not to lose his composure in front of the palace.
He thought back on everything that had happened over the years. He was wrong, he was really wrong. Why couldn't he have been more attentive to his family?
The thought of how his biological mother had been tortured to death by her, the wife's forbearance, his sister's youth, his sons' efforts to please this fake grandmother, and how his daughter almost didn't get born made him extremely sad.
He really wanted to kill the person in front of him.
"You...how did you..." How did you know all this?
Madam Gu was speechless after being rebuked; it seemed that Gu Mingtang knew more than she had imagined.
The people below were all sighing with emotion.
"What a vicious woman!"
"Not only did he swindle money under the guise of being the legitimate son, but he also caused the death of someone else's birth mother. He's utterly shameless!"
"Yes, kill this poisonous woman!"
"Kill this poisonous woman!"
"No wonder Lord Gu severed all ties with him."
"Exactly, Lord Gu is truly kind-hearted. He only cut off a lock of hair; if it were me, I would have killed him."
"It would be good to cut off both of her legs."
Gu Minghai: "Sir, my mother was just confused for a moment; she has already repented."
What kind of foolishness did the mother have? In the eyes of outsiders, she was always Gu Mingtang's mother. How could a mother personally expose her son's crimes?
Moreover, the emperor is still here. If the mother is not virtuous, the son will be unfilial. Wouldn't this tarnish his own reputation?
"My lord, my mother has already realized her mistake."
When Madam Gu heard the words "legs will be broken," she trembled. Could it be that Gu Mingtang knew so much but still had a soft spot for her?
Chu Yuan twirled the ring on his finger. What a show! Mother and son, locked in a love-hate relationship. It's a pity Gu Mingtang didn't commit a crime.
He placed his hand on his chest, saying, "You've defeated Chu Yuan, but your loyalty remains unchanged!"
Lord Zhang turned to Chu Yuan and asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, what do you think... how should this be judged?"
Chu Yuan glanced at the people below, thought for a moment, and then said, "Gu Chenshi, because of your own selfish desires, you used the identity of the eldest son to swindle and deceive, and you were too harsh on your servants, showing no sign of being the mistress of the house. Now, all your property is confiscated, and each of the servants present will be compensated fifty taels."
Upon hearing this, Madam Gu breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, it was just about money; that person hadn't lied to her after all.
Chu Yuan paused, then added, "Ten years of imprisonment for reform."
Gu Chenshi's head exploded with a bang.
Imprisoned for...ten...ten years?
At her age, how could she bear it? Having grown accustomed to a comfortable life, Madam Gu felt as if the sky was about to fall.
Ten years in prison would be worse than death; the entire social circle of wealthy women would laugh at her to death.
She pleaded tearfully, "Your Majesty, please have mercy! I was just confused for a moment, I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong!"
Madam Gu then pleaded with Gu Mingtang: "Mingtang, your mother knows she was wrong. Please beg His Majesty to release me, and I promise to treat you well from now on."
Gu Mingtang dodged Gu Chenshi's touch: "You can ask me to plead for you."
Madam Gu was overjoyed; Gu Mingtang was indeed foolishly filial and a simpleton.
"Alright, alright, as long as you plead with His Majesty for me, I promise I will treat you and An'er and the others well from now on, and I will not cause trouble for Xiu Ran, nor will I favor your second brother."
Gu Minghai also came over: "Yes, elder brother, at least we are blood brothers, and my mother will always be your legal mother."
"No way, even after all this, Lord Gu is still pleading for Madam Gu? Has he gone mad from being in jail?"
"This...this...this...this Lord Gu...is truly blindly filial."
Su Xiuran also looked at her master nervously, wondering what he was planning.
Gu Linglong was extremely anxious. [Is my dad out of his mind? Pleading for that poisonous woman? If you plead for her, I don't want you to be my dad anymore, hmph!]
Gu Mingtang looked at Gu Chenshi's pleading expression with a hint of mockery and slowly said, "If you want me to plead for you, you'll have to bring my birth mother back to life."