"Your Highness, what does this mean?"
Gu's father was heart - broken. His son had made a mistake, and they could have a good discussion. But His Highness had beaten his son like this without even asking a single question!
If it weren't for the young servant of their son Cheng running back to report the news, they wouldn't even have known about it.
Prince Jin was already angry. With the veiled accusing tones from Gu's father and mother, his face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
It seemed that over the years, out of consideration for the princess, he had been too lenient towards the Gu family. As a result, they had forgotten their duties as court officials!
"Gu Cheng, relying on the princess, has caused such a big commotion outside and made it known to everyone. Thirty cane strokes are already an act of mercy on my part."
If he didn't give the people of Hongzhou City an explanation, there would probably be people throwing rotten vegetables at the Jin Prince's Mansion tomorrow!
"Father - in - law, take Gu Cheng back. Don't let him go out for a while. Let him take this time to recuperate and reflect on his mistakes. That way, he won't cause any more trouble."
"Yes, Your Highness. I will surely discipline Cheng properly when I get back." Master Gu bowed respectfully.
Although he was reluctant, his rationality still prevailed. He knew that Prince Jin was the superior and they were his subordinates.
Moreover, Prince Jin's meaning was quite clear. He beat Gu Cheng not just because he had made a mistake outside, but because he had not only made a mistake but also made it a public outrage.
Gu's father and mother had someone carry Gu Cheng out of the Jin Prince's Mansion and immediately sent someone to call a doctor.
When they got to the Gu family, the doctor had already arrived. The whole family bustled about, and finally managed to clean Gu Cheng's wounds and apply medicine. During the process, Gu Cheng inevitably let out pig - like screams.
Even after everyone had left, Gu Cheng was still weakly howling.
"Stop it," Gu's father said impatiently. "A real man should not howl like this just because he's been beaten. It's so unmanly!"
Gu Cheng was just about to say something when he accidentally tugged at his wound, and his face turned pale from the pain.
On the contrary, Gu's mother glared at her husband with red - rimmed eyes. "Cheng has been beaten like this. Can't you just say less?"
"Look at you! Spoiling your children will only lead to their downfall. Cheng has become so lawless because of you!"
"I... Forget it. I don't want to argue with you."
Looking at her son with lacerated skin from the beating and her daughter under house arrest, Gu's mother felt extremely sad. She couldn't help but wipe away her tears with a handkerchief.
How could things suddenly turn out like this?
At this moment, Gu Cheng propped himself up and said weakly, "Mother... Avenge me..."
Gu's mother knew he was talking about the Lin family. She also thought the Lin family was very ungrateful. Her son Cheng had sincerely wanted to take a concubine, but they had actually driven him away.
Once His Highness the Prince achieved his great cause, Mi'er would become the empress. By then, their Gu family would be relatives of the royal family. For a peasant girl, it would be a blessing that she had cultivated for eight generations to marry into the family of the state uncle.
Not only had the Lin family driven them away, but they had also made such a big fuss. And that scholar who had testified...
Gu's mother nodded. "Don't worry, my son. Mother will have someone teach them a lesson to avenge you."
Gu Cheng was just starting to feel relieved when the next second, his smile faded.
Gu's father said, "No! You're not allowed to go!"
Gu's father looked at his wife and son with a look of disappointment. His son had been spoiled by her!
"You two are so stupid! Don't you think that someone has been deliberately targeting our Gu family recently?"
Gu's mother was stunned and even forgot to wipe away her tears. "My lord, do you mean..."
"If there weren't someone pulling the strings behind the scenes, do you think a mere peasant and a scholar with no background could have made such a big deal out of this?"
"Someone must be fueling the fire."
Gu Cheng muttered, "It must be my rivals. They're jealous that I have a sister who is the princess. When they saw me in trouble, they must have been eager to take advantage of my misfortune. When I recover, I'll show them... Ouch—"
Looking at his son like this, Master Gu somewhat understood why the prince had been so angry just now. If it weren't for his son's injuries, he would have liked to slap him twice.
It seemed that his son hadn't taken a single word he said to heart!
"Behave yourself! The prince has ordered you to stay at home and reflect on your mistakes. Stay at home quietly during this period. I'll send someone to ask for leave from the academy for you. If you dare to run around, I'll break your legs!"
"Got it..."
Gu Cheng didn't dare to contradict his father, but in his heart, he didn't really take it seriously.
Since childhood, his father had said countless times that he would break his legs, but he was still fine up until now.
Except this time. His buttocks were really suffering.
Speaking of this, his brother - in - law, the prince, usually looked like a gentle and elegant gentleman. He didn't expect that when he got angry, he could be so furious.
Gu Cheng originally wanted to ask his sister what was going on. Others might not know, but he did.
His sister was in good health. How could she suddenly fall ill for no reason?
But his buttocks hurt so much, and talking would only make it worse. So he decided not to say anything for the time being. He would go to see his sister in person when he felt better.
After making up his mind, he lay back down again.
Gu's mother said, "My lord, you just said that someone is pulling the strings behind the scenes. Who could it be?"
Gu's father shook his head. "We can't be sure for the time being. For now, the Song family is highly suspect, but we can't rule out the other families either."
After the incident at the birthday banquet last time, quite a few families in Hongzhou City had developed a grudge against their Gu family.
Gu's father gave a few more instructions, telling Gu Cheng to behave himself and not cause any more trouble.
Gu Cheng readily agreed, but his mind was already full of schemes.
As soon as his parents left, he called his personal servant over. "Go and have someone teach the Lin family and that ungrateful fellow a lesson."
The servant shivered and looked embarrassed. "Young master, your father just said not to go. And he told you to behave yourself..."
"My father told me to stay at home. He didn't say you couldn't go out."
Gu Cheng looked at the servant as if he were an idiot. "I'm not asking you... Forget it. Let the Lin family go for now. But as for that Chen Shu, find someone to beat him up in a sack!"
Chen Shu was the scholar who had testified that he had abducted the Lin girl.
The servant was about to kneel in front of Gu Cheng. "Young master, please have mercy. If your father finds out, he'll break my legs!"
But Gu Cheng's expression changed, and he said menacingly, "If you don't go, when I'm able to move in a few days, I'll find someone myself. If my father finds out, I'll say it was you who came up with the idea."
This time, the servant really knelt in front of Gu Cheng. "Young master, no! Your father will kill me. I have an eighty - year - old mother at home..."
Gu Cheng looked impatient. "Are you going or not?"
The servant gritted his teeth. "Yes, young master."
It was better to have his legs broken than to lose his life, right?
Gu Cheng was so eager to get revenge that he ignored his father's warning.
Anyway, if something went wrong, he would just get beaten again.
But if he didn't teach that kid a lesson, he just couldn't swallow this grudge!
Since the case was still ongoing and Chen Shu was a witness, he had been staying in an inn in Hongzhou City for the past few days.
That night, a group of people were lying in ambush on the way he had to take back to the inn. As soon as they saw him appear, they immediately threw a prepared sack over him.
What they didn't know was that their every move had been under someone's surveillance.
Just as they threw the sack over him and before they could start beating him, a large net fell from the sky and trapped them all inside.
The people Gu Cheng had hired: "!!!"