Refusal

Madam Gu stroked the prayer beads in her hand and raised her hand to gesture to Granny Li.

Granny Li approached Gu Yanfei with a smile, planning to bring her down to settle down. Then, she heard Gu Yanfei say calmly,

"I don't want this marriage."

Her voice was neutral, her tone flat, but to the others, it was like a bolt from the blue. Shocked eyes turned to her.

"Nonsense!" Madam Gu flew into a rage and reprimanded loudly, "Marriage is a big deal. It's the order of our parents. It's not up to a girl like you to decide."

She did not have a good impression of Gu Yanfei to begin with. She felt that this girl was inferior to Gu Yunrong in every aspect, especially after her trip to Danyang City.

During the few days in Danyang City, she had only seen Gu Yanfei twice. On the day she arrived and the day she left, she had deliberately spared her a few days of greetings to give her the cold shoulder.

She saw that Gu Yanfei had been behaving herself these few days and did not cause any more trouble. She thought that she had learned her lesson, and did not expect this girl to be such a troublemaker.

The atmosphere froze.

"Grandma, calm down. Take care of yourself." Gu Yunrong's delicate voice was like a spring breeze blowing through the willow branches.

She caressed Madam Gu's back to calm her down.

After Madam Gu's breathing calmed down a little, Gu Yunrong looked at Gu Yanfei again. Her eyes were clear as she tactfully advised, "It's inevitable that my Second Sister will feel uneasy when she comes home for the first time. However, filial piety is of utmost importance. Grandma is old and has headaches. The doctor said that Grandma can't be angry and asked us to follow her orders."

Gu Yunrong kindly advised Gu Yanfei.

In the Marquis Mansion, Madam Gu was the law. As a junior, Gu Yanfei's fate was in Madam Gu's hands. It was not good to be too stubborn.

Besides, the marriage between the Gu and Fang families originally belonged to Gu Feiyan. Now, it was just "returning to its rightful owner".

Gu Yanfei mulled over Gu Yunrong's words in his heart. In a daze, distant memories came flooding back.

In her previous life, she had never learned to say no. Whatever Madam said, she did.

She had agreed to this marriage according to her family's arrangements, but what had she gotten in return?

The British Monarchy said that she was undisciplined and had been lost in Danyang City for a night. They used this as an excuse to break off the engagement and publicized it, making it difficult for her to take a step in the capital later.

At that time, as her biological grandmother, Madam Gu did not defend her and even sent her to live in the nunnery for a year.

Later on, her eldest brother died on the battlefield, but he was accused by Kang Wang of "being unrealistic and greedy" and "acting brave". In order to cut ties with her eldest brother, Madam Gu not only did not help collect his corpse, but also removed her eldest brother from the household.

Her father and brother had fought on the battlefield and made countless contributions to the Great Jin Dynasty. In the end, they only ended up with a tombless corpse and infamy.

And later…

One by one, every single incident was engraved in her heart. These past events had become mental demons that had haunted her for 200 years and were deeply engraved in her soul.

Gu Yanfei was in a daze and did not speak for a while.

However, in Madam Gu's eyes, her silence meant that she had given in.

The strong beats the weak. It was only natural.

A sharp glint flashed across Madam Gu's eyes as she instructed, "Granny Li, go and teach the Second Lady some manners."

"Yes, Madam." Granny Li hurriedly bowed and accepted the order.

Madam Gu stroked her sleeves and looked at Gu Yanfei with her cold gaze again. She said, "Prepare well these few days. When the British Monarchy comes to settle things, don't spout nonsense."

After a pause, Madam Gu added warningly, "Don't do what you did last time…"

Every time she thought about how Gu Yanfei had actually said something to Fang Mingfeng about calling off the marriage, Madam Gu would feel her temples throbbing.

She was halfway through her sentence when Gu Yanfei suddenly stood up. Her eyes were cold, distant, and deep.

"Madam, my parents are dead. The Gu family has neither raised me nor helped me. What right do you have to make decisions for me?!" Gu Yanfei asked indifferently.

Madam Gu was like a big white goose that had its neck stuck. She fell silent, and her face darkened visibly, turning purple from anger.

There was a breathless silence in the house. Even the drop of a pin could be heard.

Madam Gu was furious. She slammed her palm on the coffee table and her face turned green.

"Men, take the family law!"

In a short while, a stout old woman respectfully brought the family law. It was an inch and a half wide bamboo ruler, thick and heavy.

"Beat her up and teach this unfilial descendant a lesson!"

Madam Gu ordered coldly. The old woman expressionlessly approached Gu Yanfei with the bamboo ruler.

The kitten, who was sleeping soundly, was woken up by Madam Gu's sharp voice. It opened its sleepy green eyes and swept its gaze across Madam Gu and the old woman.

"Meow!" it meowed unhappily.

The kitten's cry was still soft and cute even though it was a threatening roar.

Madam Gu and the old woman's bodies went numb and they broke out in cold sweat. Their clothes were wet, and the old woman felt that the ruler in her hand was as heavy as a mountain.

Madam Gu's mouth opened and closed, and her throat felt bitter. The word "hit" was already on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't say it.

She raised her hand and pointed at Gu Yanfei. Her hand was trembling, and her eyes were filled with fear and confusion.

At this moment, the curtain was lifted and a tall figure strode in, looking travel-worn.

"Stop!"

The newcomer saw the ruler in the old woman's hand and shouted coldly, his clear voice as sharp as a sword.

It was a handsome young man of 17 or 18 years old. He was wearing a slim blue brocade robe, and there was a black belt embroidered with flames on his thin waist. It made his figure look even taller and more handsome, like green bamboo and pine trees.

A ponytail was tied high behind his head. It swayed in high spirits as he walked.

"…" Gu Yanfei looked at the young man in blue in a daze. Her eyes stung slightly, and she was unwilling to look away.

In this life, she returned to this cage-like Dingyuan Marquis Household not only to resolve her mental demons, but also to see—

Her oldest brother.

The kitten, still sleepy, looked at its owner and yawned. Seeing that there was nothing more for it, it went back to sleep with its eyes closed and curled into a three-colored ball of fur.

In the next moment, Madam Gu shuddered and finally came back to her senses. Her heart turned cold. The cat Gu Yanfei picked up was very strange.

Her fingers gripped the prayer beads tightly. She composed herself and asked unnaturally, "Yuan'er, why are you back?"

It was the eldest son of the Gu family, Gu Yuan.

Madam Gu did not expect Gu Yuan to suddenly return to the residence.

Ever since Gu Yuan entered the West Mountain Camp a year ago, he had been staying in the camp all year round. Usually, he could only return to the Marquis Mansion on days of rest.

Half a year ago, when the truth of the fake daughter's swap was revealed, Madam Gu had instructed the various families to hide it from Gu Yuan first. She was afraid that she would disappoint him if she could not find his sister, so she decided to tell Gu Yuan in detail after they brought her back to the Marquis Mansion.

This concealment had lasted until now.