Chapter 229: Not Like a Man

Chapter 229: Not Like a Man

Xie Yan lowered his gaze and remained silent.

He was not a benevolent man.

The remains of the Xie family were scattered, buried haphazardly on the western hills outside the capital.

No tombstones, no incense, no paper offerings.

Those who dug the pits and filled them couldn't tell which head belonged to which body.

His second brother's head was impaled on a flagpole, exposed to the elements, pecked at by birds.

He too wished for the Xie family to rest in peace.

But they could not.

Until the great vengeance was fulfilled, the Xie family would not rest in peace.

He knew this.

The jailer glanced sideways and saw that Xie Yan's calm eyes were pitch black, like a bottomless, dry well. He dared not speak further and quietly awaited further instructions.

Who didn't know that Mr. Xie and his wife were esteemed guests of the county magistrate, and that the magistrate's son was close friends with Xie Lu Shi's brother?

As long as he curried favor, good days were just around the corner, weren't they?

Xie Yan took a deep breath, reining in his increasingly scattered thoughts.

Then, he hired some men to carry the coffin, swaying as they made their way toward the outskirts of the city.

At the posthouse.

Gu Huai slammed his palm on the wooden table, furious. "He's the kind one?!"

"What a hypocrite!"

"He was the one who wished for Sun Zhiye's death, yet he's also the one arranging the burial."

"Is A Chao blind? How could she fall for someone like Xie Yan, who's so hypocritical and two-faced?"

Bu Yan shivered involuntarily, seeing the hidden bitterness in his Young Master's eyes, and couldn't help but sigh.

Heaven's retribution can be avoided, but self-inflicted suffering is inevitable.

It was clearly the Young Master who repeatedly trampled on and ignored Miss Lu's affections. Now that Miss Lu had finally come to her senses and turned away, the Young Master couldn't accept it.

Bu Yan really wanted to ask if the Young Master had eaten too much salt and was just looking for trouble.

Gu Huai shot a glance at Bu Yan. "What kind of look is that?!"

Bu Yan quickly averted his gaze.

What look?

A truthful look.

"A look of righteous anger for the Young Master."

Gu Huai rubbed his slightly swollen palm, raised an eyebrow, and said, "This Young Master must find a way to make A Chao see Xie Yan's true colors, come to her senses early, and willingly be hidden away by this Young Master."

Bu Yan sighed, "Young Master, Miss Lu is headstrong."

"For so many years, Miss Lu's close friends have often told her that you are like an unattainable ideal, only to be admired from afar, not a good match, and advised her to give up and seek another relationship."

"But Miss Lu has always been bent on winning your favor."

"Unless Miss Lu has a change of heart, no one's advice will be effective."

The implication was that this infatuation had now shifted to Xie Yan.

Young Master, it's best not to waste your time.

Gu Huai suddenly fell silent, his eyes lowered, his face unclear, his entire demeanor exuding gloom.

After a moment, he frowned and studied Bu Yan, his eyes as dark as ink.

The flickering sunlight fell on him, casting a dappled pattern.

"Not a good match?" Gu Huai murmured word by word.

Reflecting inwardly, in terms of talent, family background, and reputation, he was not inferior to any noble young master in the capital.

If he was not a good match, why would the Yongning Marquis seek his favor?

He and A Chao grew up together, and he was willing to be patient with A Chao.

Bu Yan flinched, "They are just jokes not to be taken seriously."

Gu Huai sneered and averted his eyes.

"Bu Yan, this Young Master wants a gold ring."

Bu Yan grimaced, "Didn't you despise gold ornaments as vulgar?"

"Am I the Young Master or are you?" Gu Huai raised an eyebrow.

Bu Yan wearied, "You are."

If he were the Young Master, he would have gone through with the marriage and married Miss Lu long ago.

It is no exaggeration to say that the person who longs for Miss Lu the most is not the Young Master, but the maids and servants of Qishan Courtyard.

Since rumors spread that the young lady of Yongning Marquis has a habit of abusing and mistreating servants at the slightest disagreement, the maids and servants of Qishan Courtyard have been praying day and night for the Young Master to successfully break off the engagement.

The lives of servants are inherently fragile, and they all want to meet a kind and generous master, so that their fragile lives can last longer.

He is the Young Master's personal servant boy, although he does not have to rely on the Young Master's wife to live, he can still understand their plight.

"Young Master." Bu Yan's lips quivered, hesitating to speak.

Gu Huai, "What is it?"

Bu Yan braced himself, "Before you left the capital, the Duke specifically called me over to instruct me to remind you at all times to act with caution and discretion, and never to disregard the law and make mistakes again."

"The Duke said that if you make another mistake, he will ask the Emperor to send you to the military camp, and only bring you back when you have been molded into a proper man."

Gu Huai's expression turned grim.

What does it mean to "temper him into a man" before bringing him back?

How is he not manly enough!

Bu Yan sensed the intense pressure and dropped to his knees with a thud, "Young Master, kidnapping a virtuous woman is a grave offense under Daqian law. If the censors find out, they’ll impeach you relentlessly."

Gu Huai was seething with irritation.

Kidnapping?

Do I look like someone who’d resort to kidnapping?

"Don’t worry, I know my limits."

He wouldn’t kidnap; he’d just use coercion, bribes, and schemes.

Bu Yan was still on edge.

After Gu Huai’s relentless attempts to 'accidentally' run into Lu Mingchao, recalling their deep past affection to no avail, he flew into a rage and decided to put Lu Mingchao in her place.

To show Lu Mingchao that, against absolute power, Xie Yan, that lowly hunter, is as fragile as paper.

"Young Master, think carefully about this."

"Lu Yao has repeatedly won the debate championships at Yicheng’s Shouzhan Pavilion, gaining a reputation that has attracted the attention of many great scholars."

"One wrong move could upset everything."

Gu Huai slightly pursed his thin lips, his expression cold and stern, adding a murderous aura, "The Shouzhan Pavilion in Yicheng is a disgrace, allowing Lu Yao, who doesn’t even have the status of a provincial graduate, to repeatedly win the championship, truly tarnishing the reputation of the Shouzhan Pavilion."

"Enough, I’ll go and crush Lu Yao’s arrogance."

Bu Yan, nearly in tears, grabbed Gu Huai, "Young Master, do you even know who Lu Yao beat in his first debate?"

"Chu Hanyu of the Ningcheng Chu Family, Young Master Bright Moon."

"You yourself once called Young Master Bright Moon a brilliant scholar, whose knowledge and insights are on par with yours."

"If Lu Yao could leave Young Master Bright Moon speechless, then..."

Then you’d just be asking for humiliation!

Bu Yan didn’t dare say 'humiliate yourself' out loud.

Gu Huai paused his hand that was shaking the folding fan, "Can I destroy Lu Yao’s reputation?"

Raised in a world of power and privilege, he knew all about ruthless schemes.

"No."

In an instant, Gu Huai dismissed his own thought.

He couldn’t pull a Sun Zhiye, stirring up life-and-death drama while clinging to the past.

He’s here to marry, not to start a feud.

"Send Lu Yao an invitation from me, the Young Master, requesting a meeting."

Isn’t it better to have the Duke’s son as a brother-in-law than some hunter?

While Gu Huai was plotting his next move, Princess Pingning in the capital was already taking action.

The Emperor summoned the Duke, and the Duke’s family kept the details of their discipline tightly under wraps...

Two women sharing one husband.