Legend of Concubine's Daughter Minglan-Part Two

C212. You Don't Know Me (3)

Gu Tingye watched Minglan cherishing the memory of her father with her adorable lips curved, then he hesitated for a while and finally said, "My father... he, he treated me very strictly. I used to be a naughty boy, so my father always disciplined me."

Minglan was stunned. This was the first time she heard him talking about his deceased father. Then she said gently, "Did he treat you well?"

"... Well, I don't know." Gu Tingye paused for a while, then he said in a flat tone, "My father loved to punish me. In the coldest days of the year, my Eldest Brother and Third Brother could warm themselves in the room, but I had to get up early every day to practice my martial skills. But... I was the only one who was taught the martial arts by him personally. He explained the skills to me step by step. But as long as I made any mistakes, he would beat me fiercely no matter who pleaded for mercy for me."

"What about your Eldest Brother and Third Brother?" Minglan asked softly.

"My Eldest Brother is feeble, so he never needs to learn the martial arts. My Third Brother was taught by the bodyguards in the outer yard."

Minglan felt reluctant to act against her conscience, then she said in a low voice, "Father has meant good for you. Hmm... What about Old Madam, did she treat you well?" Actually, Gu Tingye was well aware of that, but he still couldn't have a sense of closure of his past.

"Very well." Gu Tingye answered her quickly with an irony look on his face, "Every time my Third Brother and I fought for something, she would definitely be partial to me. Every time I was short of money, she would give me silvers right away. I have the largest number of maids in my yard. And they were the prettiest ones in the mansion. When I made any mistake, she would be the first one to protect me. Everyone in Marquis Ningyuan's mansion praised that she was a kind and generous person."

Minglan snorted secretly, 'What an old trick! So boring!'

Gu Tingye chuckled cynically, saying, "It's nothing new. Most of the people could think of what she has been planning to. As I grew older, I gradually perceived that something was not right. However, by then my father didn't trust me already. Each of our short conversation would end up in a fight. Then later, Momo Chang came to find me and told me about what had happened to my blood mother..." He was suddenly short of breath with an vaguely indignant look on his face, "It was right at that time I started to hate my father! For all those years, my father knew everything but never told me. He allowed those despicable servants laughing at my mother's low status! He allowed my Fourth and Fifth Uncles calumniating my mother's family when they criticized me!"

"... I understand that you are angry." Minglan sighed.

Since he had already told his true feelings, he then decided to get it all off his chest. Gu Tingye sneered at himself, "After my father knew about the fool acts I have committed, he reproached me fiercely. Then I snorted to him and said, 'Without my mother's money, you wouldn't even be able to keep your title! All the people in this mansion could live a prospering life because of my mother! You can save your high and might airs!' After that, my father got sick because he was so angry at me, all my families criticized me for my unfilial behavior. But it was not the only time I've made my father that angry."

Minglan rubbed his coarse and bushy hair, staying silent.

"I didn't even have the chance to meet him for the last time." Gu Tingye stated that calmly with his head against Minglan's chest, feeling the softness and the warmness, "For three days, I didn't dare to close my eyes. Six of my horses ran to death on the road. But I still failed to get home before he died."

Although he sounded calm, Minglan still felt a bit painful deep down.

Human's emotion was the most complicated thing in this world due to its lack of logic. Therefore, even the most precise instrument was not able to measure and calculate one's emotion. Old Master Gu might not love Bai shi, but he must have felt guilty for Gu Tingye. Even so, due to Old Master Gu's affection toward First Madam Qin and his consideration for his family's reputation, he couldn't make it up for Gu Ting overtly.