The Young Marquis Regrets Too Late - Chapter 23

Lady Li looked at him and said, “She’s your sister. Even if not by bl00d, she’s still your sister. You may not like her, but there’s no need for you to have such thoughts about her.”

Jiang Runchu clenched his fists and lowered his head, but ultimately said nothing more.

Jiang Jinghui, who was hiding behind a wall nearby, overheard everything. From the beginning to the moment Lady Li slapped Jiang Runchu, she couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

Ha, how kind of her. She was even willing to hit her own son for the sake of that girl.

When Jiang Nan returned and heard about what had happened that evening, he also learned why the two had quarrelled. He went straight to their shared bedchamber to find Lady Li.

Lady Li’s expression still looked troubled. She seemed to still be distressed about the earlier incident. She didn’t even notice Jiang Nan coming into the bedchamber.

It wasn’t until Jiang Nan walked up to her and called her name that she snapped out of her thoughts.

Jiang Nan asked, “You argued with Mingfeng today? You even hit him?”

Mingfeng was Jiang Runchu’s courtesy name.

At the mention of this matter, Lady Li couldn’t hold back her anger. “That brat went too far! How could he say such things about Jingchun? Did we raise him to be like this? To think such vile thoughts and pin them on other people?”

Jiang Nan didn’t argue with her. He only said, “He was just feeling protective of his sister.”

“That’s no excuse for saying such ugly things! Jingchun and he grew up together. Doesn’t he know what kind of person she is by now?”

Jiang Nan didn’t agree or disagree. He sat down in the chair opposite her and suddenly said, “She’s already of age to be married.”

His words came very suddenly and left Lady Li frozen for a moment. Then, she understood what he meant.

She remained silent and turned her head away. It was clear that she didn’t want to reply to his words.

Jiang Nan continued, “This isn’t just about what I think—it’s for her own good. Now that Jinghui is back, her position here is undeniably awkward. Could she ever truly feel at ease while staying in this house? Especially after what happened today. She must feel like she’s living under someone else’s roof now.”

Seeing that Lady Li still didn’t respond, Jiang Nan pressed on. “And let’s be honest, what woman doesn’t marry eventually? She’s sixteen now. This is the perfect time to arrange a match for her. If we wait any longer, finding a suitable marriage might become difficult. Incidents like the one earlier today won’t stop happening until she leaves. For her, this is torment. It would be better for all of us to find her a husband who can treat her well; this way, she’d also get to live a peaceful and comfortable life in the future.”

Lady Li’s expression softened slightly upon hearing these words.

He was right. She would have to marry eventually.

The best path for Jiang Jingchun now was to find a good husband. 

It would also be better for everyone this way.

Lady Li turned to Jiang Nan and asked, “Do you have anyone suitable in mind? You’re a court official. Are there any talented young men with good family backgrounds you’ve come across while at work?”

Jiang Nan was delighted to see Lady Li relent. He had brought this up to her many times, but she had always refused. Now that she finally agreed, he eagerly took on the task. He said, “Don’t worry, I’ll start looking right away. Leave this to me.”

At the Censorate, Gu Huaisheng had just finished his duties. Now that he was free, his thoughts returned to something that had been bothering him lately.

For days, he had been feeling uneasy. At the Jiang family’s formal recognition banquet, he had seen Jiang Jinghui, and something about her struck him as odd.

Gu Huaisheng had always been sharp. Even when there were no clear flaws, his intuition often allowed him to sense when something wasn’t right.

He called for Shuliang, who had been waiting outside his workroom, and instructed, “Find someone to investigate Jiang Jinghui’s background.”

Shuliang asked, “Master, do you feel something is off about her?”

Gu Huaisheng nodded. He couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but his instincts told him something wasn’t right.

Shuliang accepted the task and left. After that, Gu Huaisheng glanced at the sky. The sun had passed its peak, and the heat of the day had waned. A gentle breeze passed the shadows of the courtyard; together, they cast a serene atmosphere on it.

Gu Huaisheng stood and made his way towards the prison within the Censorate.

Not long ago, at Zuixiang Pavilion, he and He Chuan had arrested a left director from the Court of Judicial Review on charges of corruption and bribery.

As they had suspected, there were officials from the Court of Judicial Review who had taken bribes to repeatedly reject the cases submitted by the Censorate, and especially refused to confirm the Tianlu Terrace embezzlement case.

One of those arrested was merely a hired intermediary and had refused to reveal the person behind it all. In the end, he bit off his own tongue in prison and committed suicide.

After the arrest of the director from the Court of Judicial Review, the Tianlu Terrace case was finally settled. The director from the Ministry of Works, who had been found guilty, was scheduled for public execution on the fifteenth day of this month.

This meant his execution was in two days.

The summer heat was sweltering, and the prison was both damp and suffocating. The mixture of bl00d, decay, and mildew created a stench that hung in the air as a constant reminder of death. Only a few rays of sunlight filtered through the small windows at the top. They cast mottled patterns on the dilapidated stone walls.

Gu Huaisheng walked deeper into the prison, where the official in charge of supervising Tianlu Terrace construction, the director from the Ministry of Works, was held.

At that moment, the man lay motionless on a straw mat. He was barely clinging to his life. Whether he would even survive the next two days was uncertain.

Gu Huaisheng called out his name.

“Li Si.”

The figure inside stirred slightly. He recognised Gu Huaisheng’s voice, so he propped himself up and looked in his direction.

“You’re going to die.”

These words sounded light as they came out of Gu Huaisheng’s mouth. He sounded as if he was talking about a simple matter, like the weather.

Li Si gave no reaction to this statement. Perhaps it was because he no longer had the strength to react. 

How long had he been trapped in this prison? He couldn’t remember. Ever since he was locked up, every day had felt like eternal darkness.

He didn’t think he was going to die, at first. After all, he had a backer who could protect him from such an end. However, as time went on, his wounds began to fester and breed maggots. It was then that he realised he wasn’t going to make this out alive.

Well, whose fault was it that this case had been handed to Gu Huaisheng? Had it been handled by anyone else, he might have still had a chance to survive. 

Li Si chuckled, but even that slight movement tugged at his organs and sent pain shooting through him. It made him wince and frown.

So be it. He knew destiny had played its hand, and his fate was sealed.

Even though he knew there was no turning back, he wanted to repulse Gu Huaisheng one last time before his death. He raised his head to look at him and asked with a mocking smile, “So what if you, Young Marquis Gu, went through all this trouble to claim my life?”

After all, he was just a scapegoat at best. Once he was gone, there would be thousands more like him.

His words weren’t wrong, and Gu Huaisheng didn’t bother refuting them. He merely returned Li Si’s gaze.

Li Si couldn’t discern any emotion in Gu Huaisheng’s eyes.

Gu Huaisheng then asked him, “Of the two million taels of silver allocated to the Ministry of Works, how much did you all pocket?”

Li Si, of course, had no intention of answering. Even if he were to die, his family still had elders to care for and children to raise. Did Gu Huaisheng really expect him to talk? Dying was one thing; leaving trouble behind was another.

Seeing his silence, Gu Huaisheng asked again, “Was the person behind you Wang—”

Before Gu Huaisheng could finish the name, Li Si cut him off sharply, his voice rising in anger. “Young Marquis, I have already confessed and accepted my punishment. That should be enough to close the case. The collapse of Tianlu Terrace will be paid for with my life. Why must you press further and drag other people into this? What good does it do you?”

The matter was already settled. The charges were clear, and the sentence had been determined. However, Gu Huaisheng seemed intent on digging up more dirt.

A wave of pent-up anger surged through Li Si’s chest, and he spat out a mouthful of bl00d in his agitation.

Gu Huaisheng clicked his tongue as he took a step back. There was a faint trace of disdain in his expression as he did.

“Looks like I hit the mark,” he remarked.

Li Si had no intention of implicating anyone else, but there was little he could do against Gu Huaisheng’s persistence. He was exhausted now, so he turned to face the wall and refused to speak further.

Gu Huaisheng could talk to himself. If Li Si didn’t respond, then it wouldn’t have anything to do with him.

However, Gu Huaisheng then spoke again. “I brought something with me. It’s a document accusing Wang Shun of embezzlement. Would you be willing to stamp it with your fingerprint?”

Wang Shun, after all, was the current senior grand secretary of the Grand Secretariat and also the current minister of works. He was Li Si’s direct superior.

Li Si thought Gu Huaisheng must be out of his mind. He had already willingly confessed and taken the fall, which meant he dared not implicate those behind him. And now, Gu Huaisheng was asking him to point the finger?

Was he insane?

Li Si didn’t respond. He just dragged himself closer to the wall to further indicate his stance.

Seeing his unwillingness didn’t make Gu Huaisheng angry. He simply said, “You’ve confessed, and the senior grand secretary will protect your family.”

When Li Si was arrested, Wang Shun had tried to rescue him but failed. In the end, Wang Shun allowed Li Si to take the blame but ensured his family would enjoy a lifetime of wealth and glory after his death.

Otherwise, why would Li Si so willingly lay down his life for Wang Shun?

This was but an unspoken rule in such situations.

Wang Shun knew it, Li Si knew it, and Gu Huaisheng certainly knew it too.

Li Si couldn’t understand why Gu Huaisheng was suddenly bringing this up, though. A creeping unease began to stir within him.

Sure enough, Gu Huaisheng continued, “If you don’t stamp this today, I’ll go after your family.”

His unhurried voice reached Li Si’s ears, but Li Si remained still. He was clearly unimpressed by the threat.

If Wang Shun couldn’t even protect Li Si’s family, wouldn’t that discourage others from serving him? Who would work for him anymore in the future?

Gu Huaisheng seemed to know what he was thinking. He chuckled lightly before adding, “I’m not bluffing, and you’d better believe me. Let me put it bluntly: the senior grand secretary is over sixty now. Do you think I can’t outlive him? He has no descendants to continue his legacy. When he’s gone, do you think anyone will remember your family?”

Gu Huaisheng stood tall and radiant even in the stench of this prison. Her voice was as clear as chimes colliding.

However, the words he spoke sent chills through Li Si.

Gu Huaisheng added, “But I’m different. I’m still young and healthy. Even if I can’t touch them now, do you think I won’t be able to after his death? The Wang faction is on the decline, while I, at just 21, am already a fourth-rank official.”

The implication was clear. Wang Shun was fading, but Gu Huaisheng’s star was rising.

Li Si finally turned back. His gaze was filled with fury. His hoarse voice, which was almost hysterical now, questioned, “Must you drag innocent people into this?”

“They’re not innocent,” Gu Huaisheng replied. His smile vanished. “Countless lives were lost when Tianlu Terrace collapsed. Yes, you took the blame for it to ensure your family’s comfort. But what about those who died? Your family’s comfort is built on their deaths.”

Li Si summoned a strength from who knew where and crawled to the bars in rage. He tried to grab Gu Huaisheng, but the distance between them was too great. All he could do was spit at him and curse. “You sanctimonious hypocrite! Stop pretending to be a gentleman and a saint.”

A gentleman? A saint?

Years ago, when he was younger, Gu Huaisheng had wanted to be both.

But now, he no longer cared to try.

Li Si’s outburst didn’t anger him. After all, people would naturally lose their composure when what they cherished most was threatened.

Gu Huaisheng simply asked, “Will you stamp it or not?”

“If not, I’ll leave now.”

As he turned to go, Li Si called out to him.

“I’ll stamp it. I’ll admit I did it under his orders.”

Gu Huaisheng turned back. He pulled a written accusation from his sleeve and handed it to Li Si.

Bl00d still clung to Li Si’s lips as he looked at Gu Huaisheng and asked, “Will you protect them?”

He knew Wang Shun wouldn’t spare his family after this.

Gu Huaisheng replied, “Don’t worry. I’ll outlive him.”

With Li Si’s statement in hand, Gu Huaisheng went straight to the palace.

He entered Qianqing Palace, where the emperor resided.

The eunuch at the entrance announced his arrival, and soon Gu Huaisheng was led inside.

“Shouldn’t you be on duty today? Why have you come to the palace?”

Emperor Taihe was not yet forty. He had ascended the throne as a fifteen-year-old teenager after his father’s brief reign, and two decades had passed since then. 

He was clad in a golden dragon robe and wearing a gold headpiece. His simple question carried an air of authority.

Gu Huaisheng bowed and answered, “Your Majesty, there is a hidden truth behind the Tianlu Terrace case.”

Emperor Taihe showed little reaction to his assertion. He just asked, “Hasn’t that case been resolved some time ago?”

Gu Huaisheng handed the accusation document he’d obtained from Li Si to a eunuch, who placed it on the emperor’s desk.

The emperor didn’t immediately read it. Instead, he instructed the eunuch to just place it on the table for now.

Gu Huaisheng’s gaze lingered on the document. His hand tightened slightly, but he said nothing.

The emperor changed the subject. “It’s rare for you to visit the palace. I heard that Minister Jiang’s family recently found their long-lost daughter. Is that true?”

When Jiang Jingchun had gone missing years ago, it had been a widely discussed affair, one that even the emperor was aware of.

Gu Huaisheng wasn’t sure why the emperor brought this matter up now, but he answered nonetheless. “Yes, she has been found.”

The emperor didn’t react much upon hearing this statement. He only said, “That’s good. After all these years, she’s finally back.”

The two fell silent until another report came in. The senior grand secretary, Wang Shun, had arrived to discuss urgent matters with the emperor.

Gu Huaisheng had only just arrived, and now Wang Shun followed right behind him.

Who would believe this to be a coincidence?

Emperor Taihe tapped his fingers on the table, lightly and absentmindedly. He turned to Gu Huaisheng, then said, “Since the senior grand secretary has come, I’ll discuss state affairs with him first.”

Gu Huaisheng’s gaze remained fixed on the accusation document on the table. He knew all too well that the emperor was unlikely to ever look at it.

His lips pressed into a thin line as he walked out of the hall.

Wang Shun made his way in as Gu Huaisheng exited.

Wang Shun, who was now in his sixties, had completely grey hair and eyebrows. When Wang Shun was young, people called him the ‘elegant-bearded gentleman,’ because his beard extended past his stomach, and his refined demeanour was as graceful as snow-covered peaks. Now, in his old age, he still sported a long white beard on his chin.

Wang Shun had risen to prominence when he was younger. When Emperor Taihe was still a prince, Wang Shun had served as his imperial tutor. Later, when the late emperor, who at that time had just reigned for only a few years at that time, suddenly passed away, the young Emperor Taihe ascended the throne. Wang Shun, as one of his long-time confidants, naturally rose in status alongside him. Eventually, he became the senior grand secretary of the Grand Secretariat, a position which no one could now shake.

As the two passed by each other, Gu Huaisheng noticed Wang Shun flashing him a smile.

On that weathered and aged face, the corners of his mouth lifted in a way that didn’t bring a single wrinkle to the rest of his face.

Gu Huaisheng quickly discerned the meaning behind that smile. It carried a hint of malice and disdain.

The malicious smile disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared. Once they passed each other, Wang Shun’s expression returned to its usual impassiveness.

Still, Gu Huaisheng understood the message behind it.

Wang Shun knew he would come today, and he also knew why.

However, Wang Shun would never take Gu Huaisheng’s concerns seriously. Even if Gu Huaisheng presented all the evidence of wrongdoing to the emperor, what difference would it make?

Gu Huaisheng went straight home from the palace. However, he had still returned later than usual that day.

When Marquis Gu heard of his delayed arrival, he had someone inquire about it and learned that Gu Huaisheng had been at the palace. Upon his return, Marquis Gu summoned him to the study.

The study was already lit with flickering candles. Their light cast wavering shadows on the walls. As Marquis Gu sat at the desk, he seemed to be lost in thought. His figure, silhouetted against the light, carried an air of unexpected desolation. The incessant chirping of cicadas outside filled the night and added to the atmosphere.

Before long, Gu Huaisheng arrived. 

Marquis Gu heard him knocking on the door and returned to his senses. He then called out towards the door, “Come in.”

Gu Huaisheng entered, and Marquis Gu gestured towards the chair across from him. He also said, “Sit.”

Gu Huaisheng gracefully pulled his robes aside and took his seat. 

He remained silent. He rested his hands on the armrests of the carved rosewood chair and lowered his head slightly. In the dim candlelight, his pale complexion appeared even more ashen, and to Marquis Gu, his demeanour, which was usually sharp, now seemed subdued—almost drained, even.

He leaned forward, peered at him closely, and then half-jokingly asked, “Have you been crying?”

This question prompted Gu Huaisheng to finally raise his eyes and look at his father. He seemed caught off guard by the question. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he seemed at a loss for words.

Marquis Gu could sense his son’s bewilderment from the way he was looking at him. He awkwardly scratched his nose and said, “I know you wouldn’t cry. I was just joking.”

He then asked, “You went to the palace today. Was it about the Tianlu Terrace case?”

Marquis Gu was well aware that Gu Huaisheng had been preoccupied with the case. While Li Si’s conviction had concluded the matter, he suspected his son was far from satisfied.

Gu Huaisheng confirmed, “I submitted a formal accusation document to His Majesty. It identifies Wang Shun as complicit in Li Si’s corruption.”

After a brief pause, he added, “But His Majesty didn’t look at it. He just placed it on the table. Then Wang Shun showed up.”

Marquis Gu blinked in surprise. He was impressed that his son had managed to procure such an incriminating document. He sure was capable.

However, upon hearing that Wang Shun had entered the palace, he couldn’t help but laugh aloud. At first, it was a single chuckle, but it soon grew into an uncontrollable laugh that filled the room.

Gu Huaisheng watched his father in confusion. What was so funny?

After finally regaining his composure, Marquis Gu shook his head and said, “You’re doomed.”

Gu Huaisheng looked even more puzzled now.

Marquis Gu explained, “The moment you left, His Majesty likely handed that document straight to Wang Shun.”

That was exactly right. By now, Wang Shun had probably figured out exactly where it came from. He probably didn’t even need to think to figure it out.

Gu Huaisheng wasn’t afraid of Wang Shun. If he had been, he wouldn’t have dared to take such bold steps. Still, he couldn’t understand his father’s certainty.

Still, he couldn’t understand his father’s certainty.

“How can you be so sure, Father?” he asked.

Marquis Gu spoke with a casual air, “What a coincidence. I’ve done something similar to what you’re doing now. And our good emperor… Well, he turned right around and handed that little piece of work over to our senior grand secretary for a thorough review.”

Gu Huaisheng was rendered speechless.

So, it turned out this was a long-standing trap. 

He said nothing further, and the two fell into a prolonged silence. It was only much later that Marquis Gu broke it. This time, his tone was no longer tinged with jest but carried a rare gravity.

He said, “I think you should stop involving yourself in this mess. It’s already been resolved in the best way possible, with a few scapegoats taking the fall. There’s no point in digging deeper. I know you can’t stand Wang Shun’s way of doing things, but don’t worry—he won’t last more than a few more years anyway.”

Gu Huaisheng lowered his head and said nothing. It was hard to tell whether he had taken Marquis Gu’s words to heart or not.

Seeing his son like this, Marquis Gu knew there was no point in pushing further. He himself had once been young, headstrong, and unwilling to listen to other people’s nagging advice.

Suddenly, he remembered something else and said, “By the way, did you know your uncle’s been matchmaking for Jingchun recently?”

“Matchmaking?”

Suddenly, Gu Huaisheng’s expression shifted. He raised his head to look at Marquis Gu. His eyebrows furrowed as confusion flickered in his dark eyes.

When did this happen, and why hadn’t he known about it?

“With whom?”

His tone rose slightly and betrayed a hint of anxiety.

Marquis Gu found his reaction rather perplexing. “What’s got you so worked up?”

Gu Huaisheng gripped the armrest beside him. His knuckles tightened as he suppressed his emotions. In a calm voice, he said, “I just find it odd. Why the sudden interest in matchmaking?”

‘Sudden’? 

Marquis Gu replied, “She’s sixteen this year. Frankly, it’s already past time for her to be considering marriage. For years, she’s been hovering around you, although you’ve never seemed particularly fond of her. Given how you dislike her lively, mischievous nature, it’s clear there was never any real possibility between you two. Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law probably saw that they can’t afford to delay this any longer, so they’ve started looking for a match.”

Even Marquis Gu had been aware of how Jiang Jingchun used to follow Gu Huaisheng around. However, his son never showed the slightest interest in romantic matters. He presumed that Jiang Jingchun had already given up on Gu Huaisheng by now.

As Marquis Gu continued talking, he failed to notice the subtle changes in Gu Huaisheng’s expression.

“Your uncle even asked me to look around the court for any suitable young men. There are a few promising ones in my yamen, and I’ve already mentioned them to him.”

The more Gu Huaisheng listened, the tighter his grip on the chair became. Without him even realising it, he had pressed his lips into a thin line, and his jaw had become taut with tension.

Finally, Marquis Gu noticed something was off. He said, “What are you so tense about?”

Gu Huaisheng snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look at Marquis Gu. “Father, your judgment has always been… questionable. I think it’s best if you refrain from meddling in the matchmaking process.”

Marquis Gu was momentarily stunned. He was certain he must have misheard. What kind of remark was that?

Before he could process it fully, he felt the need to defend himself. “What do you mean, my judgment is questionable? Hey, hey, don’t go spouting nonsense—”

However, Gu Huaisheng wasn’t in the mood to keep listening to him. He stood abruptly and left.

By the time he exited Marquis Gu’s study, night had already fallen. As he walked back to his courtyard, Marquis Gu’s words uncontrollably replayed in his mind.

She was sixteen now.

And they had started discussing marriage prospects for her.

It was perfectly normal. He himself had once gone through the same process of meeting potential matches.

Yes, it was just matchmaking. It wasn’t like they would be finalising a betrothal right away.

Yet things didn’t unfold as Gu Huaisheng imagined. He assumed Jiang Jingchun’s marriage wouldn’t be decided so easily. However, within just a few days, her parents had already chosen someone for her.