The Young Marquis Regrets Too Late - Chapter 56

Under the weight of their stares, Gu Huaisheng had no choice but to pull out the candied hawthorn skewer and hand it to Jiang Jingchun.

He said, “I bought these on my way back. Why don’t you give it a try?”

He knew that Jiang Jingchun was fond of sweet treats, so when the wind lifted the carriage curtain, and he spotted someone selling them, he’d decided to bring her a candied hawthorn skewer on his way home.

Jiang Jingchun glanced at the treats in his hand, then at Gu Huaisheng. Her gaze carried a trace of bewilderment.

What was he up to now?

The sight of Gu Huaisheng holding a candied hawthorn skewer seemed odd and strange. Everyone there tacitly awaited Jiang Jingchun’s reaction with amused curiosity.

Jiang Jingchun, however, betrayed no particular emotion. After a brief moment of surprise, she quickly regained her composure.

She accepted the candied hawthorn skewer and promptly handed it to Gu Huailang, who had been looking at it with an unblinking, eager gaze.

From the moment the candied hawthorn skewer appeared, Gu Huailang’s eyes had practically sparkled. 

Naturally, Jiang Jingchun wouldn’t compete with a child over a treat—she was an adult, after all, and she was perfectly capable of controlling her cravings. Gu Huailang, on the other hand, was just a kid. He stared openly at the skewer without making any attempt to hide his wish.

Gu Huailang glanced at the skewer Jiang Jingchun offered him but didn’t move to take it. Instead, he snuck a cautious look at Gu Huaisheng. He was clearly aware that his older brother had bought the treat for his sister-in-law. He didn’t quite dare to accept it…

He shook his head and said to Jiang Jingchun, “Sister-in-law, I’m a boy. I don’t really like sweet things. You should have it instead.”

Jiang Jingchun chuckled at that and still placed the skewer in his hand.

“What does being a boy have to do with it? Besides, you’re still a child,” she replied.

Hearing this, Gu Huailang blinked and glanced toward Gu Huaisheng for approval.

Seeing his brother’s look, Gu Huaisheng could only say, “If your sister-in-law is giving it to you, just eat it. Why are you looking at me?”

It was as if he were being stingy—so stingy that he’d hide even a candied hawthorn skewer.

Gu Huailang didn’t say more. Finally, he accepted the skewer from Jiang Jingchun’s hand. After unwrapping the outer sugar coating, he held it up to her mouth and said, “Sister-in-law, you take the first bite.”

Jiang Jingchun didn’t hesitate. Indeed, she felt quite pleased that Gu Huailang thought of her first.

She said, “Thank you, Xiaolang. It’s sweet of you to think of your sister-in-law first.”

Gu Huailang grinned in satisfaction upon hearing this. He then started eating the candied hawthorns himself.

Not long after, the game wrapped up. Jiang Jingchun, who’d hoped to win at least one round, finally got her wish. After clearing the table, the maids brought dinner, and Gu Huailang was escorted back from Cangzhuo Courtyard.

Gu Huaisheng and Jiang Jingchun walked side by side towards the main hall.

In two days, it would be time for the autumn hunt. Gu Huaisheng said, “We’ll have to leave early that morning. The first half of the day will likely be spent on formalities. Make sure to rest early tomorrow; the hunt might be tiring.”

The last autumn hunt had been two years ago. Jiang Jingchun vaguely remembered the process—upon reminiscing, she recalled how exhausting that day had been.

The emperor had led the officials to the imperial hunting grounds with the intention to foster camaraderie between him, as a ruler, and his officials. However, every word exchanged among imperial family members and the family members of the nobles and officials had to be carefully considered. During that hunt, Jiang Jingchun had spent days under Jiang Nan’s watchful eye, on edge and worried about making a mistake.

Jiang Jingchun didn’t say much upon hearing Gu Huaisheng’s reminder.

She simply replied with an ‘Mm.’

Gu Huaisheng added, “Cousin, you’d better stick close to me.”

His sudden remark seemed out of place in the current conversation.

Jiang Jingchun was unsure of his intent and frowned at him. Gu Huaisheng lowered his gaze and echoed what Jiang Jingchun had said before. 

He said, “After all, Wang Shun and I don’t get along very well. Even if you don’t try pulling his beard, he might still find ways to trouble you. Stick with me—I’m worried someone might try to bully you if you’re elsewhere.”

—

Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and soon, it was the day of the autumn hunt.

By late of the tenth month, the chilly winds were already sharp and biting.

That morning, the entire Gu family rose early.

Jiang Jingchun hadn’t planned to sleep in that day, but waking up this early wasn’t easy. She was pulled out of bed half-asleep by Gu Huaisheng. Huayun brought her outfit for the day and placed it nearby.

Without bothering to wake her fully, Gu Huaisheng let her remain in her groggy state as he began dressing her.

Thankfully, she didn’t resist. Though she wasn’t entirely awake, she was docile and didn’t show the usual annoyance of someone dragged out of bed. Gu Huaisheng, with his strength, managed to get her dressed in no time.

Women’s clothing was intricate, but he’d studied it briefly and figured out how it should be worn. Huayun stood watch nearby and ensured he made no mistake as well.

Once she was dressed, Jiang Jingchun finally woke up a bit more. She sat by the table and let Huayun do her hair and makeup.

After finishing her preparations, the group left the residence and headed to the gate to meet Madame Gu and Marquis Gu. Together, they made their way to the Meridian Gate.

The sky was still dim and just beginning to brighten, but many officials and their families had already gathered at the gate. The vermillion palace walls formed an imposing square around them, and the yellow-glazed tiles glimmered faintly in the morning light. The blue stone pathways and red walls created an air of solemnity and grandeur.

The Jiang family had arrived earlier and came over to greet the Gu family upon their arrival.

The elderly Old Madame Jiang, given her age, hadn’t come along—it wasn’t convenient for her to attend the hunt. However, the Jiang family’s second branch had joined. The Jiang and Gu families mingled and stood together upon the latter’s arrival.

Jiang Jingchun listened to their polite exchanges but stayed silent on the side.

At this moment, Jiang Jingfang, who had never gotten along with her, approached. Seeing Jiang Jingchun standing quietly by herself, Jiang Jingfang couldn’t resist stirring up trouble.

“Jiang Jingchun, what should I call you now? Cousin? Or should I respectfully address you as the young marquis’ wife?”

Back when Jiang Jingchun was chasing after Gu Huaisheng, Jiang Jingfang had thought she was foolish and delusional. Who would’ve guessed she’d actually manage to marry him? Was Gu Huaisheng that easy of a catch? If she’d known, she might have given it a shot herself.

She could’ve been a young marquis’ wife by now.

Hearing Jiang Jingfang’s acidic tone, Jiang Jingchun couldn’t help but retort, “What’s your problem? Call me whatever you like.”

Why was she so annoying? Back when Jiang Jingchun lived in the Jiang household, Jiang Jingfang had already been a nuisance. Now that she was married, Jiang Jingfang still had to pester her.

Jiang Jingfang was unwilling to back down. She continued her mockery in a low voice, so it went unnoticed by those busy with their own conversations.

Jiang Jingfang said, “You’re impressive. Back then, it didn’t seem like Cousin cared much for you. What trick did you use in the end? When Jiang Jinghui came back, you suddenly rushed to marry—was it because you were afraid she’d steal your place? You must’ve felt uncomfortable and insecure, huh?”

She deliberately brought up Jiang Jinghui. Clearly, she was trying to provoke Jiang Jingchun into badmouthing Jiang Jinghui.

In truth… Jiang Jingfang disliked Jiang Jinghui even more than Jiang Jingchun.

Not only had Jiang Jinghui’s return bumped her down from the second miss to the third, but Jiang Jinghui was a double-faced person, and her intelligence also far outshone Jiang Jingchun’s.

She thought back to what’d happened last time between her and Jiang Jinghui, and shuddered. 

That day, she went to find Jiang Jinghui and deliberately said some provocative words in front of her. She talked about how kind Li Wanning was to Jiang Jingchun and even implied that Jiang Jinghui’s return wouldn’t change anything. She emphasised that in the past, everyone favoured Jiang Jingchun, and even now, their love for her wouldn’t waver.

Now, Jiang Jingfang deeply regretted saying such things to Jiang Jinghui that day.

At first, Jiang Jinghui didn’t seem to react after hearing her words. She even smiled, but that smile alone made Jiang Jingfang feel an inexplicable chill run down her spine. Later, Jiang Jinghui found an opportunity to lure her into the rear garden. After sending everyone else away, she shoved her into the water.

Jiang Jingfang didn’t know how to swim. She floundered and sank and nearly lost her life. It was only when she was about to sink to the bottom of the lake that Jiang Jinghui finally called for help.

By the time Jiang Jingfang was pulled out, she was barely breathing. At that moment, she’d just been a hair’s breadth away from death.

She pointed an accusing finger at Jiang Jinghui, but the very person who had viciously pushed her into the water was now sobbing pitifully, like a delicate flower trembling in the rain.

While Jiang Jingfang was bedridden, recovering from her illness, Jiang Jinghui even visited her twice. Each time, Jiang Jingfang was so terrified that she couldn’t eat for the rest of the day.

This woman was truly terrifying, yet she was so skilled at pretending. No one believed a word Jiang Jingfang said about her.

Since that incident, Jiang Jingfang never dared provoke Jiang Jinghui again.

In fact, she avoided her at all costs.

While Jiang Jingfang feared Jiang Jinghui, she wasn’t afraid of Jiang Jingchun.

Now, she was dragging Jiang Jingchun into a conversation, hoping to hear her say something negative about Jiang Jinghui. She thought, surely she couldn’t be the only one who despised Jiang Jinghui.

Since Jiang Jinghui had returned, Jiang Jingchun must also feel terrible about it, right? So terrible that she quickly married herself off just to escape the situation.

However, Jiang Jingchun found her words utterly baffling. She was about to respond, but before she could, Gu Huaisheng, who had been standing nearby, calmly reached out and pulled her closer to his side.

He was still conversing with Jiang Runchu and didn’t miss a beat in the discussion with him, but his hand smoothly brought her over. At the same time, his cold gaze swept over Jiang Jingfang.

That icy, indifferent look made Jiang Jingfang shudder inexplicably. She caught every subtle movement, and though Gu Huaisheng hadn’t said a word, she could easily discern his unspoken warning

So cold… Jiang Jingfang felt a chill run through her entire body under that single glance.

Each of these people were so difficult to deal with. After this brief encounter, Jiang Jingfang didn’t dare provoke Jiang Jingchun any further. She shrank back and returned to her mother’s side.

The officials had mostly arrived by now. Around the hour of the Dragon, the gates of the Meridian Gate swung open, and the emperor and empress finally appeared.

The chatter of the crowd instantly died down, replaced by an absolute silence.

Wang Shun also emerged. He followed closely behind the emperor and his entourage.

In the past, when the emperor was still young, Wang Shun had always been at his side, serving as a trusted attendant. Over the years, this bond only grew stronger, and to this day, Wang Shun naturally accompanied the emperor on all important occasions.

He was a manipulative opportunist who thrived on borrowed power and bullied other people with it.

He always stayed close to the emperor and basked in his divine favour.

However, Emperor Taihe didn’t seem to mind it.

When the officials saw the emperor, they bowed and greeted him in unison.

They stood up straight after Emperor Taihe said, “Rise, my loyal subjects.”

Emperor Taihe was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe with a golden crown atop his head. He looked entirely different from the young emperor that he was over a decade ago. Now, he exuded a majestic presence. His every movement was imbued with the dignity and authority of an emperor.

After that, the empress dowager also appeared. Wang Shun shifted to her side and accompanied her.

It was said that the emperor’s close relationship with Wang Shun couldn’t be separated from the empress dowager’s influence.

The late emperor had entrusted his young successor to Wang Shun and to the empress dowager. The two of them had jointly raised and guided Emperor Taihe. When the emperor was younger, Wang Shun had often visited the empress dowager’s palace to discuss matters of state with her.

The empress dowager had followed Wang Shun’s advice in many affairs, including the emperor’s education.

Because of this, rumours began to swirl. Some speculated that there might have been an unspeakable connection between the empress dowager and Wang Shun.

Years ago, Wang Shun had newly achieved the first place in the imperial examinations, he was known for his refined elegance. He was even described as ‘songfeng shuiyue’—’ the pine breeze and moonlit waters’ for his elegance.

The empress dowager was still the empress at that time. Apparently, it was around this time that the two of them had bonded and created their now old story.

But few people knew of those past stories now, and even fewer dared to bring them up. At this point, only a handful of elders were aware of their history.

What was clear, however, was that Wang Shun and the empress dowager shared an unusually close relationship.

The empress dowager was over 50 years old now, but since she’d taken good care of herself, she looked much younger than her actual age. There were only a few strands of silver hair on her head. There were also only a few wrinkles on her skin. One could still faintly discern her youthful beauty from years past on her current appearance.

This dynasty held filial piety in high regard. Emperor Taihe deeply respected the empress dowager. First, in front of all the court officials, he had the empress dowager escorted onto an imperial palanquin. Only after that did he and the empress board the imperial carriage.

The emperor and his officials convened at this location. After setting off, they dispersed. Each returned to their own carriages. The court officials prepared to depart for the imperial hunting grounds, flanked by the Feathered Forest Guards and the Embroidered Uniform Guards for protection.

At this moment, a commandant of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Xiao Lun, walked beside Wang Shun.

He was there to report a matter from the past to Wang Shun. He said, “Sir, someone truly witnessed the young master being drowned back then.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Shun’s eyelids twitched slightly.

It was just the two of them speaking, as no one else was around them.

Years ago, Wang Yu was killed in Jiangnan. He was drowned in the water. His body had been submerged overnight before it was retrieved the following day. After soaking in the water for so long, his corpse had swollen beyond recognition.

Wang Shun had been planning to hold a belated coming-of-age ceremony for Wang Yu after his return, as he missed the original date for the ceremony that year due to the trip to Jiangnan. But how could he have imagined that his son would die the day before he turned 20? Wang Shun rushed overnight to Jiangnan to bring his son’s remains back.

There was no grief greater than the death of one’s heart. The pain of a parent burying their child was unparalleled by anything else.

People said Wang Yu had accidentally fallen into the water and drowned.

But Wang Shun didn’t believe it.

He wanted to investigate, but Jiangnan was vast and filled with many people, and he didn’t know where to begin. Additionally, he was busy arranging Wang Yu’s funeral, which left him no time to pursue the matter.

By the time he tried to investigate again, it had only become more difficult.

He was certain his son had been murdered.

His suspicions naturally turned to Jiang Nan, who was also in the South at that time.

He had heard that before Wang Yu’s death, Jiang Nan had frequent contact with him. In fact, on the day Wang Yu drowned, Jiang Nan had invited him out.

It must have been Jiang Nan.

It couldn’t be anyone else but him.

Back then, the two had been competing for control over that piece of land. Jiang Nan was an ambitious man, who was determined to restore his family’s honor and willing to do whatever it took.

He must have used some underhanded method to kill Wang Yu.

However, Wang Shun had been unable to find any evidence all these years.

Jiang Nan might have influence, but he wasn’t omnipotent. He was merely a relatively powerful official.

An official was just an official. No matter how much power he seized, he’d still remain just an official.

Jiangnan was too vast and too distant. It had taken so many years of searching to finally uncover something. Supporting Xiao Lun had not been in vain after all.

Wang Shun had supported Xiao Lun to make it easier to use the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s resources to investigate the matter.

Wang Shun asked, “How did my son die?”

Xiao Lun leaned in and quietly recounted what had happened that year.

As Wang Shun listened, his pupils trembled uncontrollably.

The daylight was bright, but he felt as though his vision went darker and darker.

He had always known Wang Yu couldn’t have drowned accidentally. When Wang Yu was a child, he had once fallen into water by accident. Ever since then, he had been terrified of bodies of water and avoided them at all costs.

How could someone like that accidentally fall into the water?

Even knowing there was a conspiracy behind Wang Yu’s death, hearing Xiao Lun’s account still caused him indescribable pain.

Xiao Lun revealed… Wang Yu had been drowned alive by a group of people.

Back then, someone had gotten up in the middle of the night to relieve themselves and had stumbled upon the horrifying scene. Years later, recalling the event still made that person shudder uncontrollably.

It had been a moonless, windy night. The sky had been pitch-black and boundless, with not a single star to brighten it.

Wang Yu was at the riverbank, surrounded by a group of civilian people.

They called him a dog official from the capital.

They said he was a fiend sent to steal their land.

They even said he deserved a miserable death.

Wang Yu had gone out at night to meet Jiang Nan but was intercepted by the group along the way.

They hurled the vilest insults at him.

They told him he should die.

At that moment, Wang Yu felt a deep fear and dread.

That was the night Wang Yu realised how dark the world could be.

He had never imagined such a scene could happen.

Those people looked at him with such hatred, as if they wanted to tear the flesh from his bones. Wang Yu tried to explain something to them, but they wouldn’t listen. After all, severing someone’s livelihood was akin to taking their life. Wang Yu had come to promote a switch from rice to mulberry cultivation…

He was there to take away their means of survival, so of course, no one welcomed him.

On the day Wang Yu arrived in Jiangnan, many people had already seen his face. To them, he was the ‘dog official.’

They all recognised him.

So when he went out that night and was caught by them, they wanted his life.

Wang Yu didn’t want to die.

Cen Yin was still waiting for him in the capital.

Wang Yu had planned to bring her home and marry Cen Yin as his legitimate wife, though he feared his father wouldn’t approve. He wanted to finish his business in Jiangnan before introducing her to his father.

His daughter was still waiting for him, too.

His little girl was only a year old. She couldn’t grow up without a father.

He’d never even heard her call him ‘Father’ yet.

He explained to those people that he would not harm them. He said that even if the rice fields were turned into mulberry fields, he would never seize their land. He even promised to bring in grain from other provinces, so they wouldn’t go hungry.

This was indeed what Wang Yu planned, but at that time, he had no idea how nearly impossible it was. So, his one-sided explanation naturally sounded like empty, self-serving arguments to the ears of the rice farmers.

They accused him of lying! After the rice fields turned to mulberry fields, no one would care whether they lived or died! They said he was deceiving them! No official from the capital ever cared about their lives!

In the dead of that night, in that remote area, they’d drown him to his death. Who would know that it was their hands that did it?

They thought that killing him would be enough, and no one would come to take their land again.

Wang Yu saw the vicious looks in their eyes and was truly frightened. He really didn’t want to die.

He’d promised A-Yin that he would go home. He’d promised that he’d take her to meet his father.

In the end, Wang Yu threw away his dignity and knelt down before them. The once noble and distinguished man… knelt and kowtowed to them.

He begged them to spare him. His wife was still waiting for him to return home, and his daughter was only one year old.

If they took him away, they would never survive. His wife and daughter would surely die.

Wang Yu was young and naive. He thought that his tears and his pleading could touch their hearts.

But they said, so what if he had a wife and a child? Didn’t they have families too?

They did, didn’t they?

No matter how much Wang Yu pleaded, it was all in vain.

So, in the end, they held him down and drowned him in the water.

This was how Wang Yu died.

The men who killed him threw his body into the water and then quickly fled. They pretended as if nothing had happened after that.

The cold water of the river washed over Wang Yu’s body. He died in the silence of that night.

He had wanted to live so badly, but despite using all his strength and means, he still died.

This event was simply too horrifying…

Perhaps his pitiful pleading before his death was so heartrending that the witness could never forget it, even after so many years.

He kept this in his heart for more than a decade. He wasn’t foolish enough to reveal the villagers’ identities. His conscience was still intact. He had no reason to stand on the side of crooked officials, too, after all.

But, unexpectedly, even after all these years, someone found him.

After hearing Xiao Lun’s words, Wang Shun was stunned for a long time. He nearly couldn’t breathe.

Wang Fu quickly fed him a pill, but this time, one pill wasn’t enough—he needed two.

After a while, Wang Shun finally caught his breath.

His thoughts were still clouded, and it took him a long time before he finally spoke. “Wife… daughter…?”

He recalled what Xiao Lun had just said: before Wang Yu died, he had said that his wife and daughter were waiting for him.

But why did he not know at all that his A-Yu had a wife and daughter?

He furrowed his eyebrows tightly. His breathing grew more rapid.

So… A-Yu still had a child alive?

He couldn’t believe that his obedient son had secretly gotten a wife and had a daughter without telling him.

The empress dowager had also noticed the situation here and sent someone to call Wang Shun over to ask.

The group had already begun their journey to the hunting grounds when the empress dowager lifted the curtain and looked at Wang Shun outside. She asked, “What’s going on? You looked so ill just now, and you took so many pills.”

Wang Shun had already regained his usual composure, but his face still looked somewhat pale.

He said, “I just remembered some old matters…”

The empress dowager’s eyelids twitched when she heard this.

“Could they be about Qiongzhang?”

She knew that Wang Shun would rarely show his emotions. The only person who could cause such a reaction was Wang Yu.

The empress dowager had been found of Wang Yu since he was a child.

Wang Yu’s mother had passed away when she gave birth to him, so he’d lost his mother at an early age. As he grew up, he often followed Wang Shun to the palace. Perhaps because he was Wang Shun’s son, the empress dowager was even more fond of Wang Yu than her own offspring.

Even when Wang Shun scolded Wang Yu, she’d speak up for him.

She had always treated him like she was her own child.

When Wang Yu wanted to go to Jiangnan, the empress dowager had disagreed. At that time, Jiangnan was a dangerous place, and even someone experienced in handling such matters would have difficulty dealing with it. However, both Wang Yu and Wang Shun refused to listen to her.

Both of them were so stubborn.

Wang Shun thought that his son needed to face hardship to grow. If he continued to stay under protection, then how would he mature?

In the end, the decision proved to be too hasty—it was still too early for Wang Yu, indeed…

The empress dowager sighed and said, “It’s been so many years, and Qiongzhang wouldn’t want to see you like this. It’s time to let it go.”

That kind-hearted child, Wang Yu, wouldn’t want to see his father like this either.

Let it go?

How could he let it go?

He’d lived such a lonely existence all this time. Hadn’t it all been to avenge his son?

He couldn’t let it go.

Especially not after hearing the information Xiao Lun brought. He couldn’t let it go.

As he heard Xiao Lun’s words, he felt as if he could see how Wang Yu had died in despair.

He knew that someone had killed him, but he never imagined it’d happened this way.

And the fact that his wife and daughter existed—he had never known about it.

Yes…

He had always been so strict with Wang Yu, so of course, he wouldn’t want to tell him.

He never expected Wang Yu could hide this for so long. As a father, he hadn’t cared enough to know, and now he found out so late.

Wang Shun instructed Xiao Lun to investigate this matter further.

The empress dowager saw the state that he was in and didn’t say anything more.

The two of them fell silent. As Wang Shun got lost in his thoughts, his heart beat wildly.

Qiongzhang had a child… He seemed to have a granddaughter.

Were she and her mother still alive?