hotmtlnovel Chapter 6: She kneels in the Ancestral Hall
Chapter 6: She kneels in the Ancestral Hall
Chapter 6
In her previous life, how could she not have seen through the hypocrisy of these people?
Why did the her of the past blindly devote herself wholeheartedly to Da Fang, becoming estranged from her father and brother?
It was probably because in her previous life, it was she, not Gu Jia, who had her reputation tarnished!
Now the tables have turned, and it's their precious Gu Jia who has been wronged. They have all dropped their pretenses!
The room was filled with endless bickering and Gu Jia's cries were ceaseless.
Gu Ying quietly listened to their scoldings and wailings. She did not try to placate Da Fang's family as usual, but calmly went before her grandmother and bowed.
"Grandmother, what do you say about this?"
Gu's old madam was a woman of steady temperament. In her youth, after her husband's early passing, she had single-handedly managed the entire Gu household for the first half of her life, exerting great effort to bring the huge family clan to its present prosperity.
Her eldest son Gu Boyan had inherited his title and obtained a civil position at the Honglu Temple.
Her second son Gu Boqing had gone to the frontier as a military officer to fight battles and wage war.
Although they did not have phenomenal wealth and nobility, they were still a respectable aristocratic household.
She was different from Liu Shi who had married up into the household. She was not a brainless woman.
As expected, Gu's old madam coldly snapped, "Stop crying! What use is there in crying at a time like this?"
Gu Jia choked on her tears. Liu Shi and Gu Boyan also quieted down timidly.
"Mother, look - " Gu Boyan said, "Jia'er can absolutely not marry that Jiang fellow. Ying'er is different. I've heard Jia'er say before that ever since Ying'er met Jiang Yin, she has fallen for him. She has openly and secretly met him many times. Jia'er dotes on her younger sister and has helped her out a few times, sending her things like sachets, purses, and love letters - things that young girls share. Mother, you must agree-"
Gu's old madam's sharp eyes looked towards Gu Ying.
Gu Ying quickly knelt down and said, "Grandmother, Ying'er does not like Jiang Yin. The handkerchief Jiang found was personally embroidered by elder sister. As for the love letters, sachets and purses uncle speaks of, Ying'er has never done such things!"
"How could you not have done them? There are many letters hidden in your room. You just didn't have the chance. Otherwise you would have already given yourself to Young Master Jiang!" Gu Jia was furious. She never imagined that Gu Ying would oppose her like this as if she was possessed!
"Sister, don't you feel ashamed? I still care about my reputation!" Gu Ying coldly sneered, "If grandmother does not believe me, close the doors and order some trusted servant girls to search my room and elder sister's! This way, even if Ying'er dies, I'll die with a clear conscience!"
"Search then! Search!" Gu Jia looked smug.
She had arranged it all long ago to fix Gu Ying and make it impossible for her to survive this.
With one sentence, she condemned Gu Jia to hell.
Gu Jia froze, a chill rising from her feet to her head, leaving her mind buzzing blankly.
That's right, Gu Ying was illiterate. Where did these letters come from?
The letters she had prepared to frame Gu Ying, where did they go?
Could it really be haunted!?
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. Even Gu Ying's expression seemed ghostly to her now.
She pointed a shaking finger at Gu Ying's face, confusion and disbelief naked on her own as she rambled crazily, "Impossible...impossible! It must be haunted...haunted!"
She cried and laughed hysterically as she ran to kneel at Gu's old madam's feet. "Grandmother, it's haunted!"
Liu Shi and Gu Boyan were also shocked speechless for a moment before quickly kneeling to plead for their daughter. "Mother, Jia'er would never do such a thing!"
Gu's old madam's patience was utterly exhausted. She impatiently rubbed her brows and pushed Gu Jia aside.
"Gu Jia, stop making a scene! Today's events have already been disgraceful enough! What do you think you're doing throwing a mad fit? Who would marry you like this?"
The word 'marry' instantly triggered Gu Jia's weak point.
She shot up and slapped Gu's old madam, her sharp nails cutting the old woman's cheek. "Grandmother, I won't marry!"
"Gu Jia, have you gone mad!?" Gu's old madam also shot up, livid.
The atmosphere in the main hall froze. The others were dumbstruck, never imagining that the usually gentle young miss would be so unruly!
Gu Jia stared blankly, not having realized what she'd done.
Seeing that she had lost control and offended her grandmother, Gu Ying's lips curled up imperceptibly as she hurriedly stepped forward seemingly worriedly to pull Gu Jia back. "Grandmother, are you alright?"
"It'll take more than that to kill this old bag of bones!" Gu's old madam was furious, glaring at Gu Boyan. "Gu Jia has always been spoiled. She has no respect for elders and no moral integrity. Exchanging private letters with a man! Since Imperial Concubine Shao has agreed to be the matchmaker, marry her off early for the best! Starting today, she will kneel in the ancestral hall! Anyone who dares plead for her will join her!"
Liu Shi and Gu Boyan dared not speak out in anger. They held the stunned Gu Jia and wept.
In an inconspicuous corner, the edges of Gu Ying's mouth raised slightly.
The ancestral hall was a good place. Many good things happened to her there in her past life.