Coercion

The Western Rong envoys packed up and left Ningguan City early in the morning, with Gu Qingshi leading a group to see them off.

Mu Ta'er did not see Si Yunqi, so he asked, "Young General Gu, is Prince Anbei here?"

Gu Qingshi's expression stiffened slightly at the question. He recalled how Yun Yin had barged into the Gu Residence before daybreak and told him, "This subordinate came on the prince's orders to remind Young General Gu to lead a group to see the Western Rong envoys off."

At the time, he had been holding fragrant warmth and soft jade in his arms, and Yun Yin's intrusion had startled his wife. He had finally managed to coax her into looking a little more kindly upon him, only for Yun Yin to make her expression change again. Gu Qingshi felt a pang of frustration.

He gave Yun Yin a hostile look and said, "Wasn't the prince handling this matter himself?"

"An urgent matter has arisen at the prince's residence, and the prince cannot get away, so he can only ask Young General Gu to do it in his stead." Yun Yin wore a solemn expression, as though something really had happened at the prince's residence.

But inwardly, he was thinking, The prince is busy lazing in bed with the princess consort. I really had no other choice.

"Sorry for the trouble, Young General Gu." With that, Yun Yin vanished from sight.

The corner of Gu Qingshi's mouth twitched, but he agreed to the task.

"An urgent matter has come up in the army, and the prince cannot get away."

Mu Ta'er smiled at that and said without much concern, "Then so be it. Sorry to trouble Young General Gu to tell Prince Anbei that I shall be waiting for him in the Capital. When the time comes, I shall surely seek Prince Anbei's guidance."

"I shall certainly pass that on to Prince Anbei," Gu Qingshi said.

Mu Ta'er nodded, seized the reins, and led his party away. Gu Qingshi watched for a while, then took his men back as well.

On the way back to the residence, they happened to pass a jewelry shop. Under his subordinates' astonished gazes, he swung down from his horse and went inside. Less than half a quarter of an hour later, he mounted again as though nothing had happened and galloped away at full speed, looking rather eager.

Gu Qingshi had only just stepped into the residence when he saw Xue'er, who usually attended An Yingying, come running over with an anxious expression. She knelt before him and said, "Young General, please hurry to Old Madam's courtyard and save Young Madam."

"What happened to Young Madam?" Gu Qingshi tightened his grip on the box in his hand, panic showing on his face.

"Boo-hoo... Just after Young Madam finished breakfast, Nanny Fang, who attends Old Madam, brought a few old servants and took her away by force. This servant didn't know what to do, so I went to find Madam. Madam has already gone to Old Madam's courtyard. Before she left, she told me to wait here for Young General."

Xue'er trotted close behind Gu Qingshi as she explained what had happened, hoping with all her heart that he could save her mistress.

In Old Madam Gu's courtyard, the frail, pale-faced An Yingying knelt on the cold, hard floor, swaying as though she might faint at any moment. Old Madam Gu, seemingly blind to her plight, held Bai Lian close and spoke intimately with her as if no one else were there.

"Lian'er, Grandmother will make Qing Shi bring you into the family as an equal wife today." Old Madam Gu swept a vicious, knife-sharp glance at An Yingying. "No one can stop it, no matter how they try."

Bai Lian's eyes were red-rimmed, as though she had been crying. Looking pitiful and helpless, she said, "Grandmother needn't do this. Lian'er doesn't care about status. As long as I can stay by Brother Qing Shi's side, I'll be content."

"That won't do. Even if you don't care, Grandmother must fight for it on your behalf. Today, anyone who disagrees will have to agree. I'd like to see who dares defy me."

"Thank you, Grandmother." Bai Lian wiped her tears with an embroidered handkerchief. "But if you do this... I fear it will hurt the bond between you and Brother Qing Shi."

"Good child, Qing Shi can tell right from wrong and knows what matters."

Madam Gu looked at the affectionate scene between grandmother and granddaughter and gave a cold laugh. She had only just arrived and seen her daughter-in-law being mistreated like this, and anger had already taken hold of her. She instructed the personal maid beside her, "Furong, hurry and help Young Madam up."

The maid called Furong obeyed. "Yes, Madam."

Old Madam Gu roared, glaring at Madam Gu as though she meant to devour her. "Let's see who dares!"

Madam Gu paid Old Madam Gu's anger no heed. Furong helped An Yingying into a chair, and Madam Gu said, "Mother, your health is poor. You would do better not to get so angry."

"You... you..." Old Madam Gu pointed first at Madam Gu, then at An Yingying, beside herself with rage. "Rebellion! Rebellion! You're all rebelling!"

"Oh, heavens! What sin did I commit?" Old Madam Gu spoke so hastily that she sprayed saliva onto Bai Lian's face.

Bai Lian's affected expression stiffened, and she nearly lost the smile on her face. She forced herself not to wipe her face with her handkerchief and gently soothed Old Madam Gu. "Grandmother, please don't anger yourself and harm your health."

Madam Gu looked at Bai Lian with the hint of a smile and a trace of mockery in her eyes. Bai Lian noticed, and her expression stiffened. She forced an obedient smile for Madam Gu.

"Since Mother is feeling unwell, I shall take Yingying back with me."

Madam Gu stepped toward An Yingying. Seeing how pale she looked, her eyes filled with heartache and affection. This child had truly suffered.

Not long after Qing Shi married, she and her husband had washed their hands of their responsibilities. Her husband had long held only a nominal post with nothing important to attend to, so, with time on their hands, they had gone traveling for more than two years. They had only returned home as Old Madam Gu's sixtieth birthday approached.

She had never expected her daughter-in-law to have been mistreated by Old Madam Gu to such an extent. She had thought nothing would happen with Qing Shi there to protect her, yet her foolish son had turned out to be no use at all, unable even to protect his own wife.

Pah! That old thing had also tried to mistreat her when she first entered the household, but her own family was powerful and she knew martial arts, so the old thing had not dared go too far. She could only make a fuss over a few matters that caused no real harm.

Later, Madam Gu had dealt with her, and only then had she settled down. Yet now she was stirring up trouble again.