Union

Chapter 176 Take it home

It is human nature to enjoy watching a spectacle. Even high-ranking officials and virtuous ladies cannot escape this innate love of watching a spectacle.

In just a short while, a large number of people gathered around the two carriages.

Among them were the chief minister and the second chief minister who had come to the palace to discuss important matters with His Majesty, the old princess and the old imperial concubine who had come to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager, and the three generations of women from the Chengen Duke's Mansion who wanted to ask the Empress to arrange a marriage for their nephews...

The number of people increased, and they were all influential and powerful figures. Even the Imperial Guards found it difficult to drive them away.

The imperial guards remained silent, and the nobles, perhaps enjoying the spectacle of this family reunion, also stood around watching in silence.

There were also those who spoke up, such as the most authoritative Grand Secretary, who asked Chen Yanzhou, "What exactly happened?"

Chen Yanzhou bowed in greeting, his face full of bitterness, "Please allow me to speak later."

The Grand Secretary nodded. "Agreed."

Yunying gripped the carriage door tightly, feeling dizzy in waves.

She hovered on the edge of unconsciousness, her mind going black and white in turns.

The grip on her arm was incredibly strong, holding her so tightly that she couldn't even faint.

Yunying was very distressed.

Yunying wanted to speak.

But before she could even utter a sound, she could no longer hold on and fainted.

"Daughter! My daughter!"

Chen Yanzhou reacted quickly to catch Yun Ying, but he was shoved aside as soon as he made a move.

Yunying was held tightly in Gu Wangchen's arms.

The refined and composed man's expression changed drastically, his face filled with shock.

Tears streamed down his face. He held her tightly, wanting to pull closer, but could only move with extreme care. He wanted to check his daughter's breathing, but even this small thing filled him with anxiety and unease.

Finally, Chen Yanzhou spoke up, "Uncle, please don't worry. Yunying has probably fainted due to a relapse of her wound and overexertion. Please hand her over to me, and I will find an imperial physician to treat her."

As Chen Yanzhou spoke, he reached out to take Yunying from Gu Wangchen's hands.

But as you can imagine, that's simply impossible.

For Yunying, Gu Wangchen's feelings for her were not simply about finding his daughter after eighteen years of searching; she was his greatest wish, one of the few missions he had while he was still alive.

He regarded Yunying as a treasure, which was many, many times more precious than his most prized possessions.

At this moment, he feared that if he let go, he would never find his daughter again. He was even more afraid that this was all a figment of his imagination, a dream that would end the moment he let go, and he would wake up still unable to find his beloved daughter!
Gu Wangchen kept shaking his head, not letting go, but instead hugging Yun Ying even tighter.

Suddenly, he stood up, picked up Yunying, and rushed into the palace.

"Imperial physician! Quickly, find the imperial physician! Save my daughter! Please come and save my daughter!"

Breaking into the palace without cause is a serious crime!

To enter the palace, one must submit a formal invitation and obtain permission from the emperor, empress, or empress dowager. At the very least, one must receive a summons from the palace beforehand.

General Pingxi's request to see him was submitted yesterday. He came out of the palace today, and if he wants to go back in, he must get permission from the palace again. Otherwise, his behavior would be no different from breaking into the palace.

Upon seeing this, the imperial guards at the palace gate all stood up to stop them.

"General, please step back!"

"General, please reconsider!"

"This young lady is only temporarily unconscious; it shouldn't be anything serious! General, please take her back to your residence first. We'll report this matter to the authorities immediately, and a royal physician should be on the way soon."

The imperial guards tried to reason with him, but Gu Wangchen's heart was in turmoil. Just looking at his daughter's pale face and bloodless lips made his heart tremble violently.

At this moment, he paid no heed to any rules, taboos, well-intentioned advice, or punitive laws.

His heart and eyes were filled with only Yunying.

Chen Yanzhou took out the invitation from the Rongguo Duke's Mansion, intending to ask someone to deliver it to the palace to summon the imperial physician. Just then, a dignified and elderly voice came from behind the crowd.

"Chen'er, take the child home first. I will go to the palace to ask His Majesty to send some imperial physicians."

Everyone turned around at the sound, only to see a small old man with white hair and beard standing behind them.

The old man was quite old, appearing to be over seventy. His physique also showed signs of aging, and he even looked somewhat hunched over.

Despite his advanced age and hunched posture, his voice was surprisingly loud, like thunder. Looking at the old man's complexion, it was ruddy and full, a clear sign of longevity.

This old man was not good-looking, but if you looked closely at his face, you could tell that he had a nose and eyes, and he was definitely not ugly at all. Moreover, he even looked somewhat similar to Gu Wangchen!
Actually, it's not that the old man resembles Gu Wangchen; it's that Gu Wangchen inherited some of the old man's genes and bears a resemblance to him.

This old man was none other than Gu Wangchen's biological father, the current Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, also known as the current Duke of Xuan, Gu Changchun.

Gu Changchun nodded to the Grand Secretary, the Second Grand Secretary, and several colleagues, then walked past them to Gu Wangchen.

Gu Wangchen held the unconscious Yun Ying in his arms. Yun Ying's face was tilted upwards, revealing her entire face to everyone.

Even with her eyes closed, just seeing that familiar face moved the Duke of Xuan, and his eyes instantly welled up with tears.

Duke Xuan said, "The child has suffered terribly, take her home quickly. There are many rules in the palace, so let's not let the maid enter the palace for now. I will go and invite the imperial physician."

Gu Wangchen looked at his elderly father, his eyes reddening, and called out, "Father!"

Duke Xuan patted his son on the shoulder, "Stop talking, it's terribly cold today, take the child home quickly."

Gu Wangchen was completely flustered at this moment, and he did whatever the Duke of Xuan said.

He replied with a "okay," picked up his daughter, and said to his father, "Your son is leaving now."

"Go quickly, you'll suffer outside."

Gu Wangchen didn't even think to greet his colleagues and superiors around him before carrying Yunying and getting into the carriage to leave.

Before he boarded the carriage, Chen Yanzhou stopped him in time, "Uncle, although it's inappropriate to say this, it's still uncertain whether you and Yunying are father and daughter..."

He brought Yunying here, and he must bring her back safely. How could he allow Yunying to be brought into the Duke of Xuan's mansion in such an ambiguous manner?
Chen Yanzhou had his own principles and stance, but in Gu Wangchen's eyes at this moment, those principles and stances were all bullshit.

What nephew, what promising young talent, what a prodigy? In Gu Wangchen's heart, Chen Yanzhou is now nothing more than a lecherous man who covets his daughter and has ulterior motives!

He actually dared to stop him from bringing his daughter home!

If I don't bring my daughter home, am I supposed to just hand her over to him?
Yunying was abused like this by the young lady of the Marquis of Chang'an's mansion under his protection.

She nearly lost her life! Gu Wangchen felt as if his heart had been ripped out!
He looked at the blood-soaked gauze on his daughter's head, and then thought about the gossip his eldest daughter-in-law and mother had told him a few days ago when he paid his respects to his mother.

At the time, he only listened to it as gossip, but if he had known that Yunying was the daughter he had been searching for for eighteen years, he would have wanted to go back to that day, bring his daughter home, and slaughter the entire Chang'an Marquis's mansion.

Gu Wangchen looked at Chen Yanzhou, "Yanzhou, you brought Yunying to Uncle Shi, and Uncle Shi is grateful to you. But this is my daughter, and I would never mistake her for someone else. My daughter can only be at ease under my protection. You are still too weak, and I am not at ease entrusting my daughter to you."

As Gu Wangchen spoke, he ignored Chen Yanzhou and carried Yunying onto the carriage.

Chen Yanzhou was caught off guard and his uncle struck a nerve.

Fortunately, he quickly regained his senses and tried to stop the man, but the deputy general who was driving the carriage, despite being crippled, was surprisingly strong.

Chen Yanzhou parried twice, then took two steps back.

It would be too undignified for them to start fighting at this time.

Furthermore, Uncle Shi was certain that Yunying was his daughter and refused to let go. If he could fight with a deputy general, would he really fight with his father's closest friend?
Chen Yanzhou pursed his lips and frowned, watching helplessly as the carriage turned the corner and headed towards the Duke of Xuan's residence.

Chen Yanzhou snapped out of his daze and immediately tried to get into the carriage to give chase. But before he could even move, he was struck on the shoulder with great force.

"What's going on? I heard someone say that Yunying is Wangchen's daughter?"

Chen Yanzhou snapped out of his daze and saw Rong Guogong hurriedly walk over and stop beside him.

The middle-aged man, who usually exuded a fierce aura, now had a look of anxiety on his usually stern face, as if he had been stunned by the news he had just heard.

"Hey brat, say something! You used to be so talkative, now you're playing dumb?"

Chen Yanzhou took a deep breath. "Father, you heard right. If nothing unexpected happens, Yunying should be the daughter that Uncle has been searching for for eighteen years."

Duke Rong: "..."

The Duke of Rongguo was completely numb.

No one could have imagined that God would act so unpredictably!

He had previously declared that he would absolutely not allow his son to marry Yunying. If Yanzhou dared to marry Yunying, he would sever all ties with this unfilial son!
If Yunying is indeed Wangchen's daughter, then he won't need to threaten his son against marrying Yunying. In fact, even if his son wanted to marry her, the Duke of Xuan's mansion wouldn't agree.

The Duke of Rongguo scratched his head, a rare occurrence for him, and sighed twice in distress.

What's the matter!

"Stop standing there like an idiot, you brat, are you missing a screw? What time is it? If you keep dawdling, your wife will really leave you."

Chen Yanzhou took a deep breath and decided not to argue with his father.

He was the one who stopped him, and he was the one who urged him on!

He's the boss, so he gets to call the shots!
However, after being reminded by his father, Chen Yanzhou finally remembered the problem that he had been ignoring.

If Yunying is truly Uncle Shi's daughter, would Uncle Shi agree to let him marry Yunying?
Based on the fact that he once married Lin Shuqing and "allowed" Lin Shuqing to hurt Yunying, his impression score with Uncle Shi must already be negative, right?

Chen Yanzhou was even more troubled.

Meanwhile, Chen Yanzhou rushed to the Duke of Xuan's residence without stopping.

As for the farce at the palace gate, the crowd gradually dispersed as the main characters left one after another.

But the excitement was so explosive and so captivating that even after entering the palace gates, people were still whispering among themselves before they saw the emperor, empress, and empress dowager.

"Who would have thought that such a coincidence could happen in the world?"

"If it had been a little earlier or a little later, General Pingxi might never have seen his own daughter."

"Not necessarily, if we're meant to be, we'll meet again."

“Oh dear, speaking of fate, the young man from the Rongguo Duke’s mansion and Yunying must be destined for each other.”

"That's right. They're well-matched in terms of social standing and love each other; they might just become a couple."

"As for the Marquis of Chang'an's mansion, it seems things are really going to get bad this time..."

In truth, the Marquis of Chang'an's family was wronged. They were only bullying a helpless little maid, but who knew they would run into such a formidable opponent.

First, Chen Yanzhou's meddling caused chaos in the manor, leaving everyone in a state of anxiety. Then, Yunying's own status skyrocketed; she became a powerful, well-connected, and influential young lady of the Duke's mansion, with powerful backers, a privileged background, and close relatives...

The world is so unpredictable; things change so much.

Not only were the noblewomen talking about what was happening at the palace gate, but even the court officials entering the palace were subtly congratulating the Duke of Rong and the Duke of Xuan.

Duke Rong glanced at Duke Xuan, who was his uncle. The old man was always slippery and smooth-talking, seemingly tactful and never offending anyone, but in reality, he had his own principles and could be quite ruthless in certain matters.

He was quite willing for the Rongguo Duke's Mansion and the Xuanguo Duke's Mansion to become in-laws... but he didn't know if the father and son from the Xuanguo Duke's Mansion were willing.

Duke Rongguo remained silent, while Duke Xuanguo laughed and joked. He said things like, "The child is still too young," and "The child has suffered, so we need to invite more imperial physicians to examine her and let her stay in the manor for a few more years." He also said, "There are too many men and too few women in the manor, so we really appreciate a girl like this."

It's as if he said nothing, yet it's as if he said everything.

Everyone present was shrewd and discerning; they could easily understand that Duke Xuan did not approve of this marriage.

However, everyone here is a social person, so they just see through it but don't say anything.

As they drew closer to the Dragon Terrace Hall, where His Majesty conducted his business, everyone fell silent, maintaining quiet, adjusting their ceremonial hats, holding their breath, and solemnly awaiting His Majesty's audience.

At this time, news of "General Pingxi recognizing his daughter" spread like wildfire throughout the palace and beyond.

Not only did the important figures in the palace know, but even the common people in the city were saying, "Have you heard? The Duke of Xuan's Mansion... the Duke of Rong's Mansion... the Marquis of Chang'an's Mansion..."

The news quickly went viral among the ordinary people in the city.

Inside the palace, after the emperor received several court officials, he glanced at the Duke of Xuan several times while waiting for them to pay their respects.

Duke Xuan was a reckless and cunning man. Fortunately, he was quick-witted, and whenever His Majesty had any schemes or plans, he would always be the first to charge into battle for His Majesty.

Since he was so sensible, His Majesty liked him even more.

Even though he relied on his age and occasionally did things that were both laughable and absurd, His Majesty treated him with leniency and humility.

His Majesty seems to be somewhat indulgent towards the Duke of Xuan.

After everyone bowed and stood up straight, His Majesty first offered them seats, and then said directly, "Duke of Xuan."

No bug fixes yet, I'll fix them tomorrow! My readers have said I haven't been updating much lately, and it's true, I've been updating much less. Last month I was basically posting one chapter a day, and it's been the same these past few days. That's because I was stockpiling chapters last month, and now, well, it's just after the New Year, but with the kids at home, I simply haven't had time to write. Plus, we moved after the New Year, and recently I've been choosing a new kindergarten for the kids, getting them checked out, preparing things for school, ordering sofa covers, choosing entryway artwork, buying a refrigerator… I'm so busy I feel like I have 48 hours in a day. But it'll be over soon; the kids start kindergarten on the 17th of the first lunar month, and the house will be almost ready, so I'll have some free time then, and I'll try to update more then. Please forgive me, my readers…

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(End of this chapter)