Transmigrated into the fat wife of the future prime minister

Chapter 121 Fallen leaves return to their roots
Although Mrs. He was very worried, she knew she had to go. She kept reminding him not to fall into other people's traps and not to say that he would not participate this year.

Gu Yunyi listened attentively and nodded in assurance before Madam He felt reassured and allowed him to leave.

After Gu Yunyi left, Xu Qingmeng stepped forward to comfort him, saying, "Mother, when have you ever seen Yunyi do anything he wasn't sure of? Just wait patiently, Yunyi has already made all the arrangements."

Madam He nodded. Although Xu Qingmeng spoke so casually, she was also anxious. They waited until the afternoon, only to receive news that Gu Yunyi was in court with someone.

Upon hearing the news, He Shi and Xu Qingmeng rushed over in a hurry.

At this moment, Gu Yunyi stood in the main hall with a gloomy expression, while County Lieutenant Liu sat to the side with his hands behind his back, glancing at Gu Yunyi from time to time, his smile carrying a faint chill.

Rumors circulated widely, but the Gu family never responded to the matter publicly. The rumors were a mix of truth and falsehood, and some were exaggerated, so no one really knew the truth.

County Magistrate Liu spoke directly: "The Gu family's affairs are none of the business of outsiders, but it's hard to silence public opinion. Moreover, the imperial examination is for the court to select talent. Gu Yunyi's father's funeral was only half a month ago, and he has already married and taken the exam in less than three months. He is truly unfilial and disrespectful, and his character is not upright. He is not fit to be a role model for the students of Quan County. His academic qualifications should be revoked to rectify the atmosphere of Quan County. Lord Huang, what do you think?"

Liu, the county magistrate, confirmed the rumors circulating outside with his words.

Immediately, onlookers began to maliciously speculate whether Gu Yunyi was truly so unfilial.

Lord Huang remained unmoved, then looked at County Lieutenant Liu: "County Lieutenant Liu, you should know that the current laws regarding mourning are temporarily set in stone, and the stripping of one's official rank is even more unprecedented..."

"Lord Huang, you are the magistrate of Quan County, and it is your duty to speak up for the people. The laws of the court are important, but we must also consider human ethics and common sense. It is a fact that Gu Yunyi does not observe mourning for his father. Even if he does not violate the laws of the court, it is still inconsistent with traditional customs. Lord Huang, you must not speak up for Gu Yunyi just because you are on good terms with him."

Before Magistrate Huang could finish speaking, County Lieutenant Liu's words blocked Magistrate Huang's path, leaving him with no way to advance or retreat. If he were to say another word in support of Gu Yunyi, it would be seen as deliberate bias.

Suppressing his anger, Lord Huang looked at Gu Yunyi and asked, "What does Young Master Gu have to say about what County Magistrate Liu said?"

Gu Yunyi glanced at County Lieutenant Liu indifferently and said, "May I ask you two gentlemen, and everyone present, what is filial piety? Is it enough to stay at home for three years, not wearing colorful clothes for entertainment, not getting married and having children, and not taking the imperial examinations? I believe that fulfilling the last wishes of the deceased is more in line with the concept of filial piety than those so-called mourning systems."

Suddenly, someone in the crowd said, "Gu family lad, could it be that your fate and marriage were arranged by your father?"

"Exactly. I heard that Gu Hongxin passed away suddenly, and you didn't even get to see him one last time. Now you're using his last wish as an excuse. How ridiculous!"

Gu Yunyi remained calm and composed. "Although I was unable to see my father one last time, he often mentioned three things to me."

County Commandant Liu's face darkened, and he wanted to say something, but Gu Yunyi didn't give him the chance. He looked at him and asked, "What do you two gentlemen think about the idea of ​​returning to one's roots?"

County Magistrate Liu said sternly, "Fallen leaves naturally return to their roots. What do you mean by that?"

"My lord, fellow villagers, this matter is actually a family affair of the Gu family, and should not be brought up in public. However, the rumors circulating outside have affected the reputations of my family, my grandfather, and my father. Since it has come to this court, I have no choice but to stand up and speak to you all." Among the onlookers in the crowd, a man dressed in black frowned, a bad premonition rising within him. Although he did not show it, he felt that things were getting out of his control. If things went wrong, his wife would certainly not let him off the hook.

Before he could come up with a solution, Gu Yunyi said, "My grandfather came from Shiqing Village outside Quan County. My grandfather lost his parents when he was young, leaving him to support the Gu family restaurant alone. When he was eighteen, he married my grandmother, Li. The two of them worked hard. When my grandfather was twenty, my grandmother gave birth to my father, named Gu Hongxin. In the same year, the business of the Gu family restaurant got better and better."

Unfortunately, the good times didn't last long. My grandfather passed away due to overwork in his early years, just when he should have been enjoying his life. My grandmother also passed away because she couldn't bear the grief. Only my father, who was still a young child at the time, was left.

My father didn't give up; instead, he kept the Gu family restaurant afloat. Later, he met my mother, and then I was born. From a young age, my father told me that he had three wishes in his life.

Firstly, fallen leaves return to their roots.

Secondly, to continue the family line.

Thirdly, he hoped that one day he could return to his hometown in glory.

"Although the marriage was a bit rushed, the neighbors all knew about it. At the time, I was seriously ill and I was afraid that I would not live much longer and would not be able to fulfill my father's last wish, so my mother did this."

My father valued the imperial examinations even more. He was unable to return to his hometown in glory while he was alive, but he hoped that I could do it in his place. If he knew that I missed the imperial examinations because I was observing three years of mourning for him, he would definitely blame me.

Of course, we all return to our roots. Not only my father's grave, but also my grandparents' graves are now in the clan cemetery in Shiqing Village. My younger siblings and I are also listed in the family genealogy.

I believe I have done my best to fulfill my father's three wishes. If I am still accused of being unfilial, I wonder if this so-called filial piety is genuine gratitude towards family or just a performance for others.

After Gu Yunyi said this, no one around him dared to utter a sound. The man in black knew that the situation was resolved and that Gu Yunyi no longer posed any threat, so he left.

Standing in the crowd, Xu Qingmeng finally understood what the method that Lord Huang and Gu Yunyi had mentioned was.

The death of one's father is indeed important, but the ancient people's concept of family is also extremely important, especially after experiencing war. Most people were displaced and could not truly find their roots or their own family.

How many elderly people died because of the war, and even on their deathbeds, they still thought about their hometown and clansmen?

Gu Yunyi's actions left even the onlookers speechless, let alone the person behind the scenes.

Lord Huang's expression shifted slightly. He looked at the onlookers, then at County Lieutenant Liu, and asked, "Do any of you have any further objections?"

The crowd had only come to watch the spectacle; the person who had instigated it was no longer there, and the crowd had nothing more to say.

(End of this chapter)