Gu Shiliu was somewhat surprised.
He had only left for a short while, rushing as fast as he could, who slipped in to make the Marquis unhappy?
Gu Jingjun stretched lazily and said, "I couldn’t hear very clearly, they were talking about an apology, probably because of those two little pests."
After visiting his two sickly daughters, Sixth Master Gu’s paternal love arose again, wishing he could immediately cast Brother Cheng and Sister Yu out, not having good words for them.
Gu Shiliu quickly found a guard to help gather news from the upper room, while he himself waited in the outer courtyard with a bundle in hand.
After a short while, the guard returned with a message saying the Marquis was scolding the pair of twins in the upper room.
Gu Shiliu thought for a moment then headed over with the bundle.
Upon entering the upper room, he saw Old Madam Gu sitting on the Arhat bed with a furrowed brow, looking displeased, while Gu Jinghui sat sternly on the Taishi chair, with two children clutching his legs bawling, as if they had suffered a great injustice.
This scene, Gu Shiliu had not yet seen before.
Marquis Gu always held the two children dearly.
Brother Cheng cried until his face turned red, tears and sweat mingling, looking quite pitiful, repeatedly saying, "Godfather wants me to apologize to a lowly servant, the household servants already mock me for lacking parents, showing us faces, whisper behind our backs, now we have no dignity left."
Sister Yu just continued sobbing endlessly.
Xiao Hong stood nearby, anxious yet angry, unable to intervene.
Marquis Gu patiently reasoned, "Brother Cheng, Sister Yu, you did wrong, you should go to apologize, you’ve been in the military camp before, soldiers are treated equally, anyone who errs faces punishment, you injuring him bedridden, shouldn’t you apologize?"
Brother Cheng shook his head like a drum, "Not going, not going, he blocked me from seeing the outer yard, and threatened to tie us up, shouldn’t he have been beaten? He’s biased, bullying me and my sister, am I not a man, how can I swallow this humiliation."
"He was beaten, injured, isn’t compensation enough? A gentleman can die but not be insulted, if I apologize, what face do I have in the mansion? Those servants and nannies won’t stop mocking us behind our backs. Have we not been punished? Godfather never treated us like this at the Northern Border before."
Brother Cheng usually doesn’t talk much, but now he spoke eloquently.
Sister Yu wept pitifully beside him, her eyes red and swollen.
Seeing Marquis Gu entangled unhappily, Old Madam Gu cleared her throat and said, "Our Dingbei Marquis Mansion has titled nobility for generations, when challenges arise, we bring our people to battle with real swords and guns. That Brother Qi you hit comes from a family that saved the Marquis’ great-grandfather and accomplished great deeds, his father, uncle, brother fought alongside Old Marquis and the Marquis’ brothers and all died, leaving him alone as the only male. I brought him into the mansion to protect him, not to suffer your abuse."
"Many are watching, your father saved the Marquis, Marquis raises you as his own children in the mansion, but you must not use this favor to bully Brother Qi."
"Does his family not die for the mansion more than yours? If you don’t apologize, the Marquis will sadden the mansion’s people, those who serve the Marquis loyally, how can we dishearten them?"
"Everyone is raised by their parents, what makes you nobler than others? When Marquis was young, he also knelt in the shrine, took lashes, apologized when wrong. Brother Qi respects you without fighting back, you if a man should face him fairly in a duel."
Brother Cheng burst into tears, almost lifting the roof.
Sister Yu cried until breathless.
Old Madam Gu frowned without speaking, observing the frustrated Gu Jinghui.
At this moment, the curtain lifted, and the voice of Nanny Rong who was waiting outside came through, "Madam has arrived."
Gu Jinghui instantly felt relieved.
Old Madam Gu’s furrowed brows relaxed slightly.
Qin Yuan came forward with two maidservants, frowning immediately upon entry, "What’s happening now? Crying like this?"
The children’s cries softened considerably.
Gu Jinghui said quickly, "Madam, I asked the kids to take something to apologize to Brother Qi, they are fussing, could you help persuade them?"