Chapter 1792 – Friends Turned Foes
古蓁 had tried to resist Jiang Pengji’s methods, but no matter how much she screamed, her voice couldn’t escape the courtyard walls. Unless some unexpected event occurred, she would likely be stuck in this tiny yard, wasting away the rest of her life without freedom.
“I want to see Liu Zhi, that should be fine, right?” In her disheveled state, Gu Zhen looked a bit like a madwoman. Yet, after being pampered for so many years, her skin was as fair as snow, making her look much younger than her actual age. Even with a hint of madness lingering on her face, she still appeared endearing. With a cold laugh, she continued, “This is Liu Zhi’s residence. I am still his Qiqi, so it’s perfectly reasonable for me to see him!”
The courtyard where Gu Zhen lived was monitored closely to prevent her from escaping, going out, or contacting strangers.
Liu Zhi was not a stranger; he was the male master of this household, and as long as he wanted, he had the right to see his wife.
When the servant reported that Gu Zhen wanted to see him, Liu Zhi’s expression showed no surprise; he remained utterly calm, as if he had expected it all along.
“Shall we go take a look?”
Liu Zhao stuffed his cheeks with food, looking rather like a pet hamster Liu Zhi had recently adopted.
Liu Zhi carefully wiped his hands with a napkin and lowered his gaze. “Let’s have a look. After all, we are long-time spouses.”
Even if their marriage was merely for appearances and held no substantive relationship.
“You’ve come,” Gu Zhen’s eyes revealed a hint of surprise, as if a drowning person had grabbed onto a lifeline. She struggled to suppress her uncontrolled emotions, her beautiful eyes shimmering like waves. “Brother-in-law, are you really going to let that monster mistreat me like this?”
As a witness to Liu Zhi’s feelings for Gu Min, Gu Zhen knew better than anyone about the affections this man held for Gu Min, and she even expected that he would love the house as well.
Liu Zhi walked past her and took a seat on the cushion by the tea table, glancing around the room.
This courtyard was originally meant for the noble lady, with decorations that were not poor by any means, but they couldn’t compare to the private residence Jiang Pengji had provided her.
He hadn’t intentionally kept an eye on her, yet Liu Zhi had heard about her life over the years and was often amazed by her luxury during their brief encounters.
At this moment, Gu Zhen was a far cry from the little sister he remembered.
However, perhaps that was truly Gu Zhen’s nature.
“Isn’t it nice here?”
Liu Zhi didn’t look at the pleading in Gu Zhen’s eyes and simply stated the facts.
Gu Zhen’s fists tightened, her beautifully manicured nails digging into her palms, her expression hinted at an impending explosion.
“What’s nice about it?” She still managed to control her emotions, gritting her teeth as she replied, “Does my brother-in-law think it’s good to imprison someone here?”
Liu Zhi countered, “Do you think it’s better to be alive or dead? You’re the only one who survived after poisoning her.”
If it weren’t for the scant bit of affection, Gu Zhen would have already been cold as a corpse.
Liu Zhi did not believe that Jiang Pengji was someone who would care about the reputational implications of maternal murder; if she truly cared, how could she kill her father on the battlefield?
According to historical accounts from Gu Min, it was clear how ruthless Jiang Pengji was; she had slain her father in cold blood.
If she treated her biological father that way, there was no telling how she would treat a stepmother.
Gu Zhen had been fortunate to regain a life; couldn’t she just behave herself?
“Brother-in-law, you’ve changed.” Gu Zhen seemed to suffer a great shock, her pale face reflecting disbelief as she continued, “What’s wrong with me poisoning her? Shouldn’t she die? She killed your beloved sister and my dear sister, the one she took Lan Ting’s identity from, then turned around to scorn it, casting it aside like trash! If Sister knew how her daughter was treated, would her soul find peace in heaven? I just want to take back what was rightfully mine; where’s the fault in that?”
Liu Zhi looked at Gu Zhen with unfamiliar eyes.
“If you truly thought that way, why didn’t you kill her back then? Why wait until she became powerful to spout your high-minded nonsense?”
“I didn’t kill her back then because I believed in what Sister said about the dual souls being one body! I tried hard to think of this demon as Lan Ting, but I just couldn’t.” Gu Zhen replied angrily, “She’s just a demon, the one who murdered your blood daughter! Why can you remain so indifferent?”
Liu Zhi curled his lips in a mocking smile, unwilling to comment on Gu Zhen’s arguments.
“Though you are the most beloved of Sister Min, I must say, in the realm of clever tricks, you surpass her. But outside that, you’re no better than her. If you were in her position, you probably would have known when to pull back, living your days in peace. You wouldn’t need to do anything; you would eventually become the Empress Dowager supported by the world. And now? You’re likely to end up with nothing.”
Liu Zhi had seen how Gu Zhen had squandered a good hand of cards beyond repair.
Liu Zhi understood exactly what Gu Zhen was after; beneath her empty rhetoric lay her pursuit of self-interest.
He could see clearly how she felt about Liu Xi, Shizhong, and her grandchildren.
When Gu Zhen heard the term “bastard sister,” her expression twisted for a moment.
She hated being judged by her “legitimate” and “bastard” status.
When Gu Min was alive, Gu Zhen had to tread carefully, trying to win her favor and maintain Gu Min’s regard for her. The preferential treatment she received, as good as a legitimate daughter, was all thanks to her cautious servitude, not a gift from others.
But now…
Gu Min had been dead for years, and yet some still referred to her with the term “bastard.”
Having such phrases tossed around by Liu Zhi, who had been devoted to Gu Min for over thirty years, increased her negative emotions.
Liu Zhi asked, “Aren’t you satisfied being an Empress Dowager?”
Gu Zhen scoffed, “Why should I be satisfied being an elderly lady with no power, merely supported by others?”
Just like how she had never been satisfied being a bastard daughter and had worked tirelessly for a tiny bit of preferential treatment.
If she hadn’t fought her way up back then, she would have ended up just like many of the other bastard daughters, causing hardly a ripple.
Liu Zhi frowned, seemingly caught off guard by Gu Zhen’s directness.
Gu Zhen continued, “Opportunities are right in front of me. Why should I let others continue to control my life? It used to be Gu Min; now it’s this monster who has taken Liu Xi’s body! Is it fun being an Empress Dowager with no power? In the end, I’d still be living under others’ whims? Brother-in-law, I’m fed up! I’ve had enough of this life! Since I was four or five, I watched Gu Min’s face, trying to please her to live well. If she was angry, I feared being beaten secretly by the old lady, scared that I would upset her precious daughter. It has always been this way; to all of you, I am just the little doll that Gu Min adores!”
Hearing Gu Zhen belittle Gu Min enraged Liu Zhi.
“You’ve gone mad, how can you slander Min like this? Did she ever treat you badly?”
Let alone getting angry, Gu Min had never even raised her voice at her, always treating Gu Zhen like her own daughter.
Gu Zhen retorted, “She treated me well, but didn’t I earn that goodwill by being humble and servile?”
Liu Zhi snapped, “Some things, even if you were to humble yourself to the dust, you wouldn’t have the right to contest them. She did not treat you poorly!”
Gu Zhen’s treatment had drastically declined during the days she was confined by Jiang Pengji; her freedom was restricted, and no one cared to speak with her.
Initially, she lived in fear of being killed, and after a few days of being confined, her emotions sank into depression. Now, with Liu Zhi igniting her anger… her emotions were like a spring under pressure, finally bursting forth and overwhelming her reason.
She exclaimed in fury, “Treat me well? Is that what I get for fetching those marriage matters? Am I to marry Meng Zhan under your suggestion? Liu Zhi, my life has been nearly ruined by you and Gu Min; now this demon is trampling me! Isn’t that splendid?”
Liu Zhi frowned, “Which of the marriages that Sister Min arranged for you was bad?”
Gu Min had gone to great lengths for Gu Zhen’s marriage, meticulously selecting the suitor’s family background, character, looks, and family style… not even a biological mother would be so detailed. For Gu Zhen, Gu Min had racked her brain and sifted through scant historical knowledge, spending months to pick those few options. The only shortcoming was their relatively low status at that time.
This fact was deeply unsettling for Gu Zhen.
The differences in treatment due to legitimate and bastard status had unbalanced Gu Zhen psychologically. With Gu Min presenting her with such low-tier marriage prospects, how could she feel good about it? Yet, Gu Zhen never dared to defy Gu Min openly and pretended to be completely satisfied, constantly saying, “Sister makes the decisions.”
As for her true thoughts, only she knew.
When Meng Zhan took a liking to Gu Zhen’s beauty and hoped Liu Zhi would set them up, Liu Zhi agreed.
He thought Meng Zhan came from a better background and was fitting for his wife’s sister, willingly taking on the role of a matchmaker.
When Liu Zhi hinted at it, Gu Zhen immediately took a fancy to Meng Zhan, and the two hit it off perfectly.
But how did it end with him and Gu Min ruining Gu Zhen’s life?
“Is this truly how you feel?”
Liu Zhi felt sorry for Gu Min.
She had been so sincere and devoted to her sister, yet now she was being so cynical about her.
Gu Zhen felt a chill run through her, but the words had already escaped her lips, making it impossible to take back.
“Yeah, that’s exactly how I feel.” She gritted her teeth and fully committed, continuing, “After Gu Min died and entrusted me to you, why should she still hold me back? You married me as your Qiqi, but all these years, you maintained the same status and relationship as when Gu Min was alive. You’re my nominal husband, yet you’ve never even touched me! What kind of marriage is this?”
Even in death, Gu Min obstructed her, lingering like a haunting spirit between her and Liu Zhi.
“Your thinking is too extreme; you’ve lost your mind! You might as well calm down for a few days before we talk again.”
If they continued this conversation, Liu Zhi worried he wouldn’t control himself and might end up reacting badly to Gu Zhen.
Jiang Pengji had never considered Liu Xi’s interpersonal relationships as her own, while Liu Zhi, who had regained his emotional memories as part of the system, also didn’t regard mortals as his kind. If Liu Zhao weren’t his and his lover’s son, and Gu Zhen weren’t his lover’s sister, he wouldn’t have been so patient.
“Brother-in-law, do you think I’m wrong?”
“I married you back then to ensure your child’s safety and your well-being, rightfully protecting you from the Meng Clan’s poison. Did I ever force you?” Liu Zhi replied, “We laid down our terms beforehand, and you agreed willingly. And now you turn around to criticize how Min and I treated you. Why didn’t you just refuse back then with some backbone? Meng Zhan is certainly scum, but you, Gu Zhen, are not a good person either. Being kind is important, especially when you’re down and out. Learning to wag your tail might help you live a little longer.”
Gu Zhen nearly choked in anger at his words.
“Jiang Pengji does enjoy tearing at people’s hearts, but if you haven’t lost your original intentions, how could she touch you so deeply?” Liu Zhi continued, “For all these years, she treated you well, showering you with all the comforts. Her treatment didn’t fall short of the world treating an Empress Dowager. She was too good to you, making you too comfortable, to the point where your cautious nature was worn down, exposing your true self. Think about it: if it were the old you, could you ever act this way? No, you wouldn’t! You’re not that kind of person, or you wouldn’t have spent over two decades coddling and indulging Gu Min, to the point where she never saw your true colors until her death.”
Putting it bluntly, Gu Zhen had enjoyed too much comfort, and it had caused her intellect to plummet.
It was just like pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger, but eventually turning into a pig herself.
“Do you truly not care about me anymore?”
Gu Zhen felt regret, yet refused to back down.
“A while back in Chongzhou, you and Lady Die thought I had imprisoned you. Lady Die even blurted out that I killed Gu Min with my own hands. Do you remember that?”
Liu Zhi suddenly brought up an old story, leaving Gu Zhen momentarily stunned.
“I remember, but I can’t believe you would kill her.”
Liu Zhi had no reason to do such a thing.
“Perhaps that was a mistake.”
While Gu Min wasn’t directly killed by Liu Zhi, he was part of the system, so in a sense, he was a killer too.
Liu Zhi didn’t bother to clarify, intentionally scaring Gu Zhen into guessing on her own; after all, he wanted a few days of peace.
He stood up and swiftly left the courtyard, not looking back at Gu Zhen’s emotional turmoil.
The next afternoon, two rare guests visited the residence.
“Please, take a seat, my two esteemed nephews.”
Because Gu Zhen was Liu Zhi’s Qiqi, it felt awkward, so Nie Xun and Meng Zhan both steered clear of Liu Zhi.
Now that they were here in person, it was quite a rarity.
The brothers had no other intentions, just saying a few words, hoping Liu Zhi would take care of Gu Zhen and not let her suffer.
Liu Zhi raised an eyebrow, “That’s it?”
Such pleasantries sounded nice but held no substance.
Even if Jiang Pengji were mad, she wouldn’t instruct Liu Zhi to mistreat his Qiqi.
As long as Gu Zhen didn’t mind returning to a normal standard of living, her little life would be better than that of many Noble Ladies.
If the two brothers visited just to say this, then Gu Zhen truly didn’t know how to conduct herself.
She had wise eyes for finding powerful allies, first with Gu Min, then with Liu Zhi, and later Jiang Pengji. Yet she couldn’t bear her fate, offending all three big names at once. When she was busy hugging legs, she never thought about her two sons. Never once did she consider that poisoning would drag them down too.
Now in her downfall, her sons bore her no more than duty and sentiment.
As long as Gu Zhen was well-fed, clothed, and housed, Meng Heng and his brother wouldn’t bother to interfere.
Meng Heng said, “I’ve learned of Mother’s attempt on the Lord’s life. The fault lies with her. It’s already mercy for the Lord to spare her life; I can’t ask for more. I only wish for her later years to be safe and sound; that would be enough for me.”
He never thought to ask Jiang Pengji or Liu Zhi to release Gu Zhen; he didn’t have the face to do so.
Nie Xun felt the same way.
As long as she was alive and provided for, that was good enough.
