Chapter 171 Question intensely about her whereabouts

The dinner was just set in Pine Crane Hall. Old madam was lying on the couch. Maid Fuling fed her gingko chicken soup. There was another maid in front of the couch who reported that Gu Xiran had returned to the residence.

“Second young master seemed to have returned because of an urgent matter. However, the moment he came back, he went to Plum Flower Pavilion. I don’t know whether he came back because of second young mistress’s matter.”

The whole room was very quiet. Only the light sound of the spoon hitting the bowl could be heard.

Fuling still wanted to continue to feed her, but old madam raised her hand to stop her (F). She let people help her sit up and her thoughts sunk deep.

The maid who came to report saw that old madam didn’t have the meaning to question her; after she stood for a while, she wanted to retreat quietly. She didn’t expect that she just stepped over the threshold when she saw that Gu Xiran rushed into the yard with an expression full of anger.

“Second young master…”

The maids who kept watch outside saw that his expression wasn’t right, they were afraid that he would offend old madam, so, they hurriedly came to stop him.

“Get out of the way!”

Gu Xiran kept walking, bypassed them and rushed inside.

Inside the room, Fuling was stunned for a moment. Then, she quickly put down the bowl and also wanted to come stop him, but she was pushed aside by Gu Xiran. In two steps, he was in front of old madam. The moment he opened his mouth, he asked, “Where is Shu Huan?!”

Old madam frowned. She straightened her spine to face him, “She is now no longer a member of our Gu household. Why do you still ask about her?”

Gu Xiran narrowed his eyes and said, “The letter of announcing divorce wasn’t written by me!”

“The stamp of your seal is on it and it had already been reported to the feudal office.”

“Even if you divorced her, I can still take her back as wife. I only ask about here whereabouts now!”

Old madam saw that he pressed with every sentence, she turned her head and sighed, “Forget her. I already arranged another good marriage for you. It’s your little cousin sister from Zhang household…”

She hasn’t finished speaking when she had been forcibly interrupted by Gu Xiran, “Where is Shu Huan?!”

Old madam had never been forced like this by someone, not to mention that it was her grandchild. In front of so many people, she couldn’t keep her face anymore. She said somewhat angered, “Quickly retreat. Look at you now. Do you still know the rules? Or is it that you want to learn from little Xuan and little third to be disobedient to your elders?”

If she didn’t say this, then forget it. The moment she said it, Gu Xiran immediately sneered,
“Old madam had lived for so long, it couldn’t be that you haven’t heard of the idiom, if the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked, right? So many things had happened at home. Old madam only saw the wrongdoings of the grandchildren, but you have never thought about whether you did something wrong yourself. I will tell you, they had been forced, forced by you and master! Do you also want to force me now?”

• If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked: those below imitate the vices of those in charge.

“Force you?!” Old madam tried to stand up, but her body hadn’t recovered yet. She swayed and fell on the couch again. She said, “Arranging a good marriage for you to let you take a virtuous wife who could assist you, this is a good matter that others couldn’t even ask for; how come it became that I forced you?!”

“Since I don’t want to then it’s forcing me!” Gu Xiran got a bit closer to her. He looked at her in the eyes and said, “Does old madam truly not know my mind? And do you not know what kind of person that little cousin from Zhang household is?”

Old madam was somewhat stumped for words by his questioning. How could she not know Gu Xiran’s mind? As early as Shu Huan cut her wrist, she had saw his nervousness. She also knew that Zhang Hanfang was far away from being a good wife and loving mother. However, she had a selfish motive. She thought that since she raised Gu Xiran and let him grow up to so big, it was a matter of course that he made a little sacrifice for the family and concede slightly on the matter of marriage. No matter what, she didn’t expect him to have a fall out with her because of this matter and that it was such a thorough fall out.

“Since old madam doesn’t answer, let me answer for you!” Gu Xiran raised his chin slightly and stood up with his head highly raised. He said, “You know! You know all about it! Hence, you sent one after another letter to send me far away. You thought that after I came back and feel that since the matter was already to this point, there would be no point of return and that I will accept it silently, right?”

Old madam also got angry. She trembled slightly from anger and said, “Even if it’s true, what about it? Marriages are set by the parents and elders and you have no right to nitpick!”

Gu Xiran was very impatient at the moment. How would he have the patient to argue about these unclear rules and etiquettes with her. He said, “I will ask old madam once more, where is Shu Huan?!”

Although, old madam was angry, she was still confident and said, “The marriage with Zhang household had been set. Even if you find her, she could only become a concubine. There is no place for her at our Gu household!”

Gu Xiran smiled disdainful at her, “What kind of good place? Could it be that one couldn’t stay alive if one left here?”

This sentence stabbed old madam into her heart like an awl. It instantly let her lose all her confidence. She had never expected that Gu Xiran would say such a thing. Her hands trembled slightly and her voice shook as she said, “What…what do you want to do?”

Since the matter had come to this, there was no need to hide anymore. It was the best to say everything clearly.

Gu Xiran only said three words, “Take her away!”

Old madam was a shrewd person. Seeing that Gu Xiran was so stubborn and knowing that even if they continued to talk, he would only ask about Shu Huan’s whereabouts. The best method was for him to lose all hope. Make him lose all hope on Shu Huan was the death ends to all the troubles!

“You don’t have to go look for her anymore,” Once old madam settled her mind, she had calmed down. “Even I don’t know where she is.”

Gu Xiran’s eyes suddenly contracted, “Why do you say this?”

“I gave her money and let her parents take her away from Jingtian City,” Old madam said calmly. “You also know that her family is poor and her parents are people whose eyes would open wide at the sight of profit. As long as I gave them money, they were so eager to agree, how would they say no? Now, they had already gone for more than ten days and I don’t know where they are now.”

• Open one’s eyes wife at the sight of profit: thinking of nothing but personal gain

Gu Xiran was silent for a few second and then coldly said, “Lies!”

“I didn’t lie to you,” Old madam’s eyes revealed some kindness. She looked at him and said, “You are my grandson, I know your mind. Since I want to break the marriage between you, I will naturally break it off cleanly.”

Although, she said that, but in fact, she already regretted it in her heart. She thought that she knew this grandson and knew that he didn’t have the capacity to leave the household, that was why, she broke of his marriage at her will and controlled it. She thought that after she chased Shu Huan out of the residence and ordered her grandson not to look for her again, this matter would be settled. She didn’t expect him to be so persistent as if he had set his mind on not marrying again if not for Shu Huan! If she had known this, she truly should’ve given Shu family money and let Shu couple take their daughter far away.

Gu Xiran still said the same word, “Lies!”

He wasn’t comforting himself. It was because he knew Shu Huan’s origin and he knew that like him, she was not someone who would let others manipulate her. Even if old madam truly gave Shu couple money to let them take Shu Huan away, Shu Huan also needed to be willing. Otherwise, could they make her faint and carry her away? Even if they made her faint, she would have ways to deal with Shu couple and come back to wait for him!

Old madam didn’t want to continue to argue with him. She looked at him and said, “Believe it or not is up to you. You are tired from rushing back home. Go clean up yourself and rest. Even if you don’t give up and want to find her again, you have to wait till tomorrow. As for offending me, taking into consideration that you were anxious, I will not hold you accountable. However, it is only this time. There will be no next time! Retreat!”

Usually when she said this, the sky would clear after the rain. No matter who, they had to respectfully say yes and then retreat. However, this trick was not effective on Gu Xiran. He still sneered, “Go rest for one night to let old madam send people to Shu family at night and give them money to let them move to another place?”

• The sky clears after the rain: the matter would be over

After he said this, he knew that he wouldn’t get anything out of old madam. He brushed away his sleeve, turned and left.