Chapter 11: Slapping the Scoundrel, Protecting the Family Treasure

Lady Gu snorted coldly. "On her wedding night, the new bride dared to sneak out of the manor, violating the duties of a wife and committing one of the seven grounds for expulsion. Servants! Move all of Lady Bai’s dowry into storage and seal it up. I will go to the Bai family and demand an explanation!"

Gu Yuanhuai’s eyes widened. "Mother, you want to seize my wife’s dowry by force? That cannot be allowed!"

The Marquis of Ruyang bellowed, "You brat, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Seeing the servants rushing toward the garden where the dowry was kept, Gu Yuanhuai could no longer hold back. He grabbed a sturdy wooden stick and dashed to the moon gate, holding it across his chest. Though fear made him tremble, he declared, "This belongs to my wife. If anyone dares touch it, I—I’ll report you to the authorities!"

Chenxiang and Doukou ran to his side, arms outstretched, ready to defend the dowry with their lives.

Lady Gu was furious. "The Bai family is about to be finished, and you would go to the authorities for outsiders? Are you still a son of the Marquis’ manor?"

The Marquis shouted, "You cur! Move, or I’ll have you beaten to death!"

Gu Yuanhuai had never known a father’s love, but he had always tried to keep the family ties alive. Now, hearing his father threaten to kill him, he felt a chill to his very bones. If no one in the family cared about him, he would stand by his wife.

He had promised Bai Huan, and he would keep that promise, even if it cost him his life.

He shed his usual timidity and roared at his father, "Father, I am doing this for the Marquis’ manor! Today Bai Huan made the dowry list public. If you seize it, you’ll lose all honor! I have already lost my mother and only have you left. Would I harm our family?"

The Marquis was taken aback, pondering his son’s words.

Lady Gu saw her husband hesitate and, not wanting to waste time, changed her approach. "My lord, I only want to move it to the manor’s storehouse for safekeeping. You saw the scene earlier—like a house raid! Half the dowry is the Bai family’s entrusted assets. If another raid comes and everything is lost, what will we tell Bai Huan upon her return?"

The Marquis nodded. "Your mother is right. We are doing this for the Bai family’s sake."

Gu Yuanhuai was utterly disappointed. "I will guard my wife’s dowry for her. If anyone tries to take even a single coin, they’ll have to get past my corpse!"

Lady Gu lost her patience and waved at the servants. "What are you waiting for? Move! Anyone who resists, beat them to death!"

"You have no right to touch our lady’s dowry!" Chenxiang shouted, already furious with the Gu family. An hour before, someone from the Bai family had come to say the master had been beaten and taken from the palace. Only then did she realize the Gu manor had done nothing to help.

To claim the Bai family was finished—these people were shameless and vile beyond endurance. She could bear it no longer. Suddenly, she pulled out her hairpin and pressed it to her throat.

"If the bride’s maids die on the wedding day and the dowry is stolen, even if the Bai family is gone, who in the world would let the Marquis’ manor keep its honor? If you dare kill us, then do it!"

The Marquis and Lady Gu were stunned.

Just then, the gatekeeper rushed in, shouting, "My lord, madam, someone is here with a message from His Majesty!"

The two forgot about the dowry and hurried to the front courtyard.

But at the main gate, it was not a eunuch from the palace. Everyone was surprised.

The visitor bowed, holding a dark command token. "I am the personal attendant to the Prefect of the Imperial Treasury, here to deliver a decree from His Majesty: Lady Gu the Fourth assisted the Noble Consort in settling for the night. The Emperor is pleased and grants her immunity from all offenses."

Lady Gu scoffed. "You’re not from the palace. What imperial decree? These days, even pigs and dogs dare pose as messengers at the Marquis’ manor!"

The armored man replied coolly, "This is the Dragon Emblem. Madam, if you do not recognize it, surely the Marquis does?"

The Dragon Emblem was a special token issued by the Emperor, authorizing its bearer to act in his name.

The Marquis was startled and quickly stepped closer to examine it. There, on the unobtrusive iron plaque, a vivid flying dragon was engraved.

Panicked, he pushed Lady Gu behind him.

"You ignorant woman!"

He turned and addressed the armored man respectfully. "How did the Prefect know Lady Bai had entered the palace?"

The armored man tucked the token away. "My lord personally escorted Lady Gu the Fourth into the palace and witnessed her making incense for the Noble Consort, which helped her sleep. His Majesty pronounced the decree in person, and my lord was present. My duty is done. Farewell."

Gu Yuanhuai, standing in the crowd, heard every word and breathed a sigh of relief.

The Marquis glanced at Lady Gu and whispered, "Do not touch the dowry tonight. Wait for Yuanzhou to return—things may change."

The two understood each other. If the Bai family was investigated and imprisoned, Bai Huan’s dowry would eventually belong to the Marquis’ manor. There was no need to rush.

Gu Yuanhuai hurried back to the moon gate and explained everything to the two maids. Chenxiang and Doukou hugged each other, weeping and laughing at once.

Gu Yuanhuai heaved a sigh of relief and plopped down on the stone step, spreading his robe and sitting cross-legged.

"The three of us will guard the gate tonight. Not a single coin must go missing, or we’ll have no face left when your lady returns."

"Yes, young master! Shall I fetch you bedding and wine to keep you warm?" Chenxiang wiped her tears and dragged Doukou off.

Gu Yuanhuai muttered, "Who’s your young master? We’re not really married, so stop shouting nonsense."

He touched his burning ears. "It isn’t cold; my ears are already hot. Who needs bedding and wine? Such busybodies."

Suddenly, he laughed, burying his face in his arms with a bashful smile.

—

It was midnight.

A streak of white split the pitch-dark sky, followed by distant, rumbling thunder.

Soon, heavy rain poured down.

Bai Huan rode through the downpour and reached the Bai manor, only to find it surrounded by the Imperial Guards holding torches. The Bai family wailed as they were driven out, and several servants lay dead at the gate, their blood mingling with the rain.

Her face went pale. Had the guards killed the Bai family’s men for resisting?

She hurriedly searched for her family, when suddenly she heard her mother’s anguished cries. "My lord, my lord is still unconscious! You can’t do this! Let us back inside!"

She saw her mother, supported by servants, being pushed out with her little brother, who struggled fiercely to return inside.

Her seven-year-old brother, sobbing, pummeled the guards with his tiny fists. "Let me save my father! Let go of me!"

A guard shoved the boy aside and, drawing his sword, slashed at those shielding his young master. Screams rang out, and seeing blood, everyone panicked, grabbing the lady and her son and rushing madly for the exit.

"Mother!"

Bai Huan’s heart was in turmoil. She tumbled from her horse, ignored the pain, and rushed forward.

Madam Bai, hearing her daughter’s voice, turned in disbelief to see the girl running through the storm—a daughter who should have been at her wedding. She was stunned. "Qingqing? Qingqing, why are you here? Your forehead is swollen—did something happen at the Marquis’ manor?"

Her little brother clung to Bai Huan’s arm, sobbing. "Sister, sister, father is dying! Save him, please!"

Before Bai Huan could answer, Madam Bai recovered and began pushing her away in a panic. "Qingqing, go! Go now! This is not your concern. You shouldn’t have come!"

Bai Huan, heart aching, embraced her mother tightly, soothing her back. "Mother, don’t worry. I helped the Noble Consort sleep. The imperial physician she sent will arrive soon. Father will be fine, and so will we."

Madam Bai was stunned. Bai Huan gently brushed the rain-soaked hair from her mother’s face and took her icy hand.

"Come."

She led Madam Bai to the lead officer of the Imperial Guards, holding up the Noble Consort’s command token and declared in a firm voice, "I am Bai Huan, legitimate daughter of the Bai family. By order of the Noble Consort, I bring the imperial physician to treat my father and will compound incense for her. You must not kill innocent people!"

The officer frowned, leaned in to inspect the token, then looked at the drenched Bai Huan.

"We are under orders from the Ministry of Justice to investigate the Bai family for forging military supplies—this is a major case of the court. The Noble Consort’s token cannot interfere. Stand aside, or face death!"

Before he could draw his sword, a gray-clad figure flashed between them, thrusting a black iron token into the officer’s face.

"The Dragon Emblem is here! Who dares act rashly!"

The officer froze, and upon recognizing the token, immediately ordered his men to sheathe their swords.

Bai Huan had no time to care who intervened—her attention was seized by a familiar figure hurrying from the main gate, clutching a palm-sized ebony box inlaid with gold.

Blood rushed to her head, her eyes nearly bursting with fury.

Inside that box lay the Bai family’s ancestral treasure!

When Gu Yuanzhou saw Bai Huan, his pupils constricted and his face changed dramatically. Instinctively, he tried to hide the box behind his back.

Bai Huan’s heart was torn as she watched the man she had loved with all her soul, the man she had joyfully married, now leading the raid against her family, framing them, and stealing their ancestral treasure. Her gaze grew venomous as she strode through the rain, step by step closing in.

With a hoarse, furious voice, she shouted, "Gu Yuanzhou, you thief! How dare you steal my family’s treasure!"

Gu Yuanzhou stared at her in shock, barely recognizing the drenched, enraged woman before him. His legs trembled.

He stammered, backing away, "N-no, Huan’er, you misunderstand. I was taking it to protect it from being damaged, to bring it to you!"

Bai Huan rushed forward and slapped him hard across the face. At the same time, she snatched the black box from his hands, clutching it tightly to her chest with a chilling smile. "Thank you, Brother Gu, for personally coming to the Bai family—protecting our treasure for your sister-in-law."

Gu Yuanzhou stared at her in terror, not expecting her to strike him, but he dared not fight back.

Having reclaimed her family’s treasure, Bai Huan no longer looked at him.

Her mind was filled with worry over the account books that had been planted as evidence—those were the things that would doom her family.