I've Got Your Backs

Gu Wanning smiled. "You don't even want to live anymore, yet you're still worried about what will become of me."

First Concubine fell silent.

"You might not care enough about me to live for my sake, but there are still things you want to know, aren't there? I want to know them too," Gu Wanning said. "The Marquis helped me save the corn in the wind and rain last night. I think this man may be fickle when it comes to women, but he isn't a bad person."

"I laughed at you before, saying it was wishful thinking to hope he'd let you go. But now I think perhaps you were right. Someday, perhaps you'll live to see that day. Only this time, don't live for anyone else. Live well for yourself."

Chapter 32: I've Got Your Backs

Gu Wanning left the room.

Fourth Concubine came up to her, her eyes brimming with tears. "Madam, how is eldest sister? Did you persuade her?"

Gu Wanning shook her head. "I did my best."

After the beliefs First Concubine had held for so many years had crumbled, Gu Wanning couldn't claim she could rebuild them with a few words.

She only hoped she had touched First Concubine enough to stop her from seeking death.

"Spend more time with her."

"Yes, yes. I won't leave. I'll stay here with eldest sister and keep her company."

To Fourth Concubine, First Concubine was a sister, but also like a mother.

She had been only thirteen when she entered the residence, alone and without support, a reckless greenhorn who was always getting into trouble. Every time, First Concubine cleaned up after her, patiently taught her, made her good food, and sewed her new clothes...

Fourth Concubine was an

orphan

who had been picked up and taken to the mountain by her master.

Although she was the

darling of everyone in her sect,

she had never known a mother's love.

That was a regret she could never make up for in this lifetime.

But in First Concubine, she had faintly glimpsed traces of a mother's love.

She had thought they could stay together for a long time in the Marquis's Residence, but she had never expected...

Fourth Concubine felt like killing that dog of a man.

"Don't disturb her. Just spend more time with her."

When Gu Wanning returned to her room, she too was preoccupied.

Er Ya couldn't help saying, "She's really so spineless, wanting to die over a man."

"She's rarely had a chance to leave the house in her life. How many people could she have met? It's hard enough for her to live a decent life. When she sees a ray of light, how could she not grasp it? Let's not stand here talking when we don't know the pain."

"Then do we just let her go on like this?"

"It's up to her to come to terms with it herself." Gu Wanning rubbed her temples. "I did my best."

All that remained was to respect her individual fate.

She hadn't expected Xu Weibei to ask her about First Concubine when he returned that evening.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She's caught a chill," Gu Wanning said. "Being sick has made her a little homesick."

"Make whatever arrangements you see fit," Xu Weibei suddenly said.

Gu Wanning: ???

What arrangements was she supposed to make?

Could she send her home?

Oh, no, First Concubine had no home to return to.

"Fourth Concubine can't be moved. Make her behave herself; if she acts up and does something wrong, just discipline her. As for First Concubine, I remember Gao Lan saying before that she was close to a male cousin. If she's willing to marry, give her a dowry and let her go. The same goes for Second Concubine; she can choose whether to stay or leave. Third Concubine was given to me by Grandmother. Ask her what she wants..."

Gu Wanning was utterly shocked. With Xu Weibei suddenly saying all this, why did she feel as though she were listening to his last words?

Pfft, pfft, pfft!

Also, was there anything he didn't know?

Gao Lan looked so honest, with those thick brows and big eyes, so how had he taken to doing the work of the Imperial Guards, digging three feet into the ground to get to the bottom of everything?

"I took them as concubines on a whim back then. Now, if they're willing, they can return to wherever they came from."

In truth, Xu Weibei didn't know why he was telling Gu Wanning all this either.

Perhaps it was because he had learned that Gu Wanning had suffered too, and felt some sympathy for her?

Come to think of it, he had taken Fourth Concubine at someone's request, and Third Concubine had been a gift from Grandmother, so he hadn't investigated either of them.

He had investigated both First Concubine and Second Concubine, but had overlooked his legal wife, Gu Wanning. That was probably because the marriage had been bestowed, leaving him no choice.

"First Concubine has nowhere to go now," Gu Wanning sighed.

If it had been a year earlier, might there still have been a chance for First Concubine and her cousin?

No, there wouldn't have been. In this age, a relationship opposed by one's parents would never come to anything.

"Second Concubine won't leave either. The Marquis should already know what her purpose is."

Seeing her guilty expression, Xu Weibei actually found it a little funny. Why did she look like a little mouse?

"So, for now, there shouldn't be anything we can change."

Unless she left.

But as it happened, Xu Weibei couldn't make that decision.

Still, since they had already gotten this far, Gu Wanning decided to speak frankly.

"I know the Marquis has only my sister in his heart, and that you also have someone outside. You want an amicable divorce, and so do I..."

"You want an amicable divorce?"

"Yes. Didn't we talk about this a long time ago?"

Hadn't both of them already laid their cards on the table?

Why was he pretending to be shocked now?

"You and my father have different political views. That's the main reason you want an amicable divorce, isn't it? Or do you want to bring the person outside into the residence and think I'm a menace? Anyway, whatever the reason, I accept it. Because I don't want to be trapped in the Marquis's Residence either..."

"Are you about to say you just want to farm?"

"Yes."

"If I hadn't helped last night, what would have happened to that corn you treat like treasure? Are you sure you can actually farm well?"

Gu Wanning said, "That was an accident. I'm actually very good at farming..."

Xu Weibei scoffed at that.

Gu Wanning thought, How dare you question my expertise?

Just wait. One day, I'll slap that dog face of yours till it swells!

"I thought you couldn't wait to become the Prince of Qin's concubine."

Gu Wanning flipped the table. Could they have a proper conversation or not?