Chapter 60 Handing the Royal Family a Massive Handle

The Grand Madam Gu’s birthday banquet was barely being held together by sheer pretense.

Now, it had been thoroughly smashed to pieces by Gu Dao.

People in the capital could no longer afford to laugh at the Gu family; everyone was talking exclusively about Gu Dao.

Some called him foolishly sentimental, sacrificing his position as the legitimate heir just for the sake of two lives. Gu Ling, by contrast, was praised for possessing the makings of an ambitious warlord.

Others claimed he was utterly arrogant, actually believing that his own two hands could surpass a millennium of ancestral accumulation.

Then there were those eagerly awaiting the imperial court's reaction, especially since Gu Dao had conjured up a son out of nowhere.

Although everyone knew the child was planted by someone attempting to frame him, it was still a blatant slap to the imperial family’s face.

As for the Gu family itself? Forget it; even mentioning them left a bad taste in one's mouth.

Yuan Cong’s hand trembled as he gripped a rattan switch. He was torn between whether to strike Gu Dao across the head to knock some sense into him, or across the backside to teach him a proper lesson.

"Didn't I send Wen Erya to back you up? What on earth is going on now? Explain yourself clearly."

Gu Dao held a deep respect for this grand-teacher of his, and immediately flashed a wide, cheeky grin.

"Grand-teacher, calm your anger. If you can't bear to hit me, you might as well put that down; it looks rather heavy."

Seeing right through him, Yuan Cong let out a cold huff of annoyance, dropped the switch, and decided to listen to his defense before deciding whether or not to administer a beating.

"Don't say I didn't give you a chance. If you can't give me a reasonable explanation, today you will learn a lesson you won't forget."

Only then did Gu Dao adopt a serious expression to explain.

"Grand-teacher, a while ago the Gu family held a clan council and dealt with Madam Gu and Mei Sheng.

"Yet they let Gu Ling off with a slap on the wrist and didn't mention me, the legitimate eldest son, even once. I knew then that the entire Gu family actually regarded me as a thorn in their side."

Hearing this, Yuan Cong nodded. Xu Jinjia had once put these clan elders through the wringer, so it was entirely possible they harbored resentment toward Gu Dao.

Gu Dao continued:

"Today, the old madam of the Gu family used her birthday as an excuse to force me to hand over the printing techniques and the Qianyuan Publishing House.

"If I didn't sever ties now, they would eventually suck me dry, while I would gain nothing whatsoever from the Gu family.

"The Gu family in its current state offers me a hundred harms and zero benefits. It's better to make a clean break."

As Gu Dao spoke, Yuan Cong's brows furrowed deeply. Hearing that the Gu family's old madam actually had her eyes on Gu Dao's personal assets made his two white eyebrows tremble with fury.

Unable to contain his rage, he blurted out:

"Utterly shameless! With a person like that stirring up trouble in the inner courtyard, it's a wonder the family hasn't gone completely bankrupt."

A moment later, a trace of heartache softened his tone.

"But Xiuzhi, the world places great store by family background. The phrase 'millennium-old noble clan' carries immense weight."

Knowing that logic alone wouldn't suffice right now, Gu Dao quickly offered reassuring words:

"Grand-teacher, I am merely leaving the Gu family, not changing my surname. I get to enjoy the benefits it brings while cutting off their scheming. Why wouldn't I do this?"

Yuan Cong put away the switch and looked at Gu Dao with a pang of pity. This child had endured far too much.

Yet three seconds later, his eyebrows shot right back up.

"I heard you can write with your left hand now, and that your style is precipitous and majestic? Why has old man Yuan never heard of this?"

Hearing this, Gu Dao thought to himself: *Ah, the old man is jealous because someone else found out before him.*

He hurriedly explained in a soothing tone:

"It was merely crude scribbling, and I didn't dare make a fool of myself in front of Grand-teacher. Today, when they bullied me, some sudden inspiration struck me in the heat of the moment. It was sheer serendipity, truly not intentional concealment."

Reluctantly accepting this explanation, Yuan Cong sneered.

"Since the inspiration has struck, you'd better show me something impressive. If it fails to satisfy me..."

Inside Yuan Cong’s study, both Wen Erya and Wang Xie were present.

Yuan Cong was overjoyed that Gu Dao had managed to rope Wang Xie into coming. The moment he stepped into the study, his earlier wrath had completely vanished.

Acting as gentle and benevolent as a completely different person, he exchanged formal greetings with Wang Xie.

Hearing that the Sage of Calligraphy had arrived, Jinse and Wei Qingmei both transformed into eager little followers and squeezed into the study to watch.

A figure as transcendent as the Sage of Calligraphy could look down upon princes and nobles alike. Unless he actively courted death, even the emperor would treat him with indulgence and deference.

Thus, facing Jinse—a mere imperial princess—he simply gave a casual nod before losing interest.

The moment Jinse stepped through the door, her eyes locked onto Gu Dao, using her gaze to silently ask how things had gone.

Gu Dao had been dragged away in a fury by Yuan Cong the moment he returned, causing her no small amount of worry.

Gu Dao shot her a look that clearly meant, *Rest assured.* Only then did Jinse's fluttering heart calm down.

Sensing the silent exchange of glances between the two, Wei Qingmei huffed in petty annoyance and turned her attention to watching the Sage of Calligraphy write.

When it came to the Dao of calligraphy, the Sage of Calligraphy was undeniably the undisputed number one.

Even Yuan Cong could only narrow his gaze and listen with rapt attention. Yuan Cong's calligraphy was seasoned and steady, mirroring his life's approach to conduct.

Yet, in his twilight years, his style had long since hardened, losing its spiritual spark.

Wen Erya's calligraphy was fresh, graceful, and full of harmony—though Wang Xie evaluated it as still having room for progressive ambition.

After critiquing the two men, Wang Xie could no longer restrain himself and urged Gu Dao to write immediately.

He had never heard of either of the two calligraphy styles Gu Dao practiced, and his curiosity was driving him mad.

When Gu Dao took up the Slender Gold script with his left hand and the Liu style with his right, Jinse’s big, watery eyes lit up with dazzling brilliance.

*Brother Xiuzhi can write with his left hand too? And with such razor-sharp, precipitous strokes?* Even Wei Qingmei was struck dumb with astonishment.

Just how many hidden depths did this fellow possess?

Deep within the Imperial Palace.

Emperor Qian was partway through his evening meal when he almost dropped his chopsticks in anger. Once again, it was because of Gu Dao.

"A few days ago, he claimed he wanted to ruin his own reputation. I thought he was just venting in jest, but he actually went through with it."

The Empress sighed as well. She was currently pregnant and forbidden from getting angry, otherwise she would have slammed the table long ago.

"He told me he needed to find a woman to soil his reputation. Who would have guessed he'd be so utterly direct about it? He went all the way in one leap—the child is already six years old."

Seeing the Empress's expression, Emperor Qian quickly reined in his temper and said softly:

"It seems he is utterly determined to break off the engagement with Xianyun. He's practically handing us the leverage on a silver platter."

Following that, the Emperor let out a sigh. Breaking off such an engagement was no simple matter; he still owed far too much to the late Xu Jinjia.

Moreover, every move involving this betrothal would stir the entire imperial court.

He had previously thought Gu Dao was more sensible than his own daughter, at least knowing when to endure in silence, but now it seemed that was utter nonsense.

This kid was even more outrageous when it came to pulling stunts than his own daughter. No wonder the common folk dubbed him "Madman Gu."

Losing her appetite, the Empress set down her chopsticks.

"That old woman of the Gu family is truly beyond saving. Was I really being so subtle when I backed my prospective son-in-law? How dare she take advantage of her own birthday to slander Gu Dao and force him out of the family."

The Emperor suddenly chuckled.

"It might not be a bad thing, after all. Once Gu Dao cuts ties with them, I can employ him without reservation from now on, without worrying about the noble clans growing too powerful. She's actually doing Us a favor, so why vex yourself over it?"

Upon reflection, the Empress realized he had a point. She had taken a minor hit to her pride, but it had provided His Majesty with a capable talent.
It seemed she had come out ahead after all.

Fearing the Empress might lose her appetite from anger, the Emperor swiftly steered the conversation elsewhere.

"The chef in Grand Preceptor Yuan's household is truly remarkable. They're clearly just ordinary ingredients, yet they manage to make Us feel as though we're feasting on delicacies. Especially this fried milk skin."

Hearing this, the Empress smiled radiantly.

"Your Majesty, this entire table is specially prepared for an expectant mother of advanced age, yet you're eating with such relish."

The dishes on the Empress's table were made from recipes copied directly from Yuan Cong's estate.

Though supposedly customized for an expectant mother of advanced age—which Yuan Cong's concubine, Xiangyun, was currently enjoying—they were actually dishes Gu Dao had whipped up using memories of modern cuisine adapted to the ingredients at hand.

Out of filial piety, Jinse had secretly copied the recipes in duplicate, sending one set to Imperial Noble Consort Yuan and the other to the Empress.

Bean sprouts, in particular, had become the Empress's absolute favorite; despite being royalty, fresh green vegetables were impossible to come by during the bitter winter months.

Especially with the Great Qian dynasty facing consecutive years of tight military expenditures, the royal family had been forced to shut down many of their heated greenhouses.

The Emperor swallowed his last bite and motioned for a palace maid to refill his bowl.

"What kind of meal it is doesn't matter; the point is that it's delicious. Besides, We feel this is the true art of turning the mundane into the miraculous, instantly stimulating one's appetite."

"Tell Jinse to copy down more recipes from Grand Preceptor Yuan's estate in the future."

Ever since Li Xianyun had been placed under house arrest, she had been entirely cut off from news of the outside world.

Even the palace maids and eunuchs attending her had been replaced.

Yet paper could never wrap up a fire. After the evening meal, her personal maid sneaked in to whisper the news of Gu Dao acknowledging his son.

"What did you say? He acknowledged an illegitimate son?!" Li Xianyun found it hard to believe.

"Your Highness, it is completely true. Many people witnessed it with their own eyes, and they say the child—" The little maid was about to elaborate, but Li Xianyun cut her off.

Her bright, pretty face instantly swept away its gloomy clouds, and her two delicate eyebrows curved upward in triumph.

She felt like bursting into song; this was the most comforting news imaginable.

"My father and mother won't have any reason to stop me from breaking off the engagement now. This is wonderful!"

"Someone come, I want to see His Majesty! I want to see the Empress!"

Li Xianyun cried out.

At that moment, a small eunuch with a forced smile and a mouthful of gleaming white teeth drifted into the room.

"This humble servant, Xiao Fanzi, pays respects to Her Highness the Princess."

Disliking the look of that face, Li Xianyun furrowed her delicate brows and snapped angrily:

"You wretched slave, didn't you hear me? This Princess wants to see the Empress, and I want to see the Emperor!"

Xiao Fanzi merely split his mouth into a grin and replied unhurriedly:

"Her Empress Mother anticipated long ago that Your Highness would demand an audience upon hearing the news from outside. Therefore, she specifically instructed this servant to relay a message to Your Highness."

Startled, Li Xianyun asked, "What did my mother say?"

Xiao Fanzi straightened his back and cleared his throat.

"Her Majesty the Empress says: What happens outside has nothing to do with you. Dismiss any wild notions and honestly remain confined."

Veins popped on Li Xianyun's forehead. Seizing an ornament from the table, she hurled it across the room.

By then, Xiao Fanzi was already gone, leaving behind only his back, which drifted away like a phantom.

In the dead of night.

Both Wen Erya and Wang Xie had departed. Yuan Cong led Gu Dao into a private room.

Cui Liu collapsed to her knees before the two men with a heavy thud.

"Spare my life! I was only forced into this, please don't kill me, I beg you!"

She was pleading solely for her own survival, showing not the slightest bit of concern for the soundly sleeping toddler. She appeared utterly callous and self-serving.

"Whose child is this?" Gu Dao asked coldly.

Recognizing Gu Dao's voice, Cui Liu hurriedly answered:

"Replying to the Young Master, it—it belongs to that peddler. He ran off after the child was born and never came back."

"Have mercy on me, Young Master, and leave me a way out!

"They were the ones who forced me to do it. If I hadn't obeyed, they would have drowned both mother and son in the river."

Cui Liu's wailing grated harshly on Gu Dao's nerves.

There was no longer any need to ask who had coerced her.

Yuan Cong waited quietly, watching to see how Gu Dao would handle the child and the woman.

"Stop crying. I'm not going to kill you. What's his name?" Gu Dao asked, pointing at the toddler.

"Replying to the Young Master, his milk-name is Goudan," Cui Liu stammered in haste.

"Very well. From now on, no matter who asks, you will say he is my son. From this day forward, his name is Gu Lei—the *Lei* of openness and integrity."

Gu Dao's voice was frigid.

Cui Liu froze in shock, abruptly halting her sobs, though she didn't dare raise her head.

"I'll give you two choices: stay here and take care of him, and I will pay you monthly wages just like any other maid."

"Or, I will give you five taels of silver every month, and from now on, you are never to come looking for him."

Before Gu Dao's voice had even faded, Cui Liu made her choice without a moment's hesitation, blurting out:

"The second one! I choose the second one. Thank you, Young Master, for your grace."

This caused Yuan Cong to frown slightly, though he remained silent, watching Gu Dao's handling of the matter with a steady gaze.

"Accompany him for one more night tonight, and leave at dawn tomorrow. Someone will deliver silver to you every month from now on. You must never see him again."

Cui Liu nodded silently.