On the Day of the Grand Wedding, My Wife Was Acting Strange - Chapter 35:

Chapter 35: What a Pity About Those Two Maids

Gu Yunting was in an exceptionally good mood. 

The Emperor hadn’t pursued the matter of the street brawl and even ordered Lin Zhen to open the casino so he could move things out himself. 

He wondered what expression Lin Zhen would have as he watched him haul box after box of treasure out of the casino. It would surely be more unbearable than swallowing a fly. Lin Zhen would surely regret his decision today.

“Hahahaha.” Gu Yunting laughed heartily at the thought.

As he stepped into the courtyard, he saw Gu Beichen sitting at the stone table in the pavilion drinking tea, and only then remembered he hadn’t reported his son’s poisoning to the Emperor. Never mind, judging by the Emperor’s demeanor today, she had probably already noticed something was wrong with his son. There was no need to say anything—mutual understanding between sovereign and minister was the highest state.

The courtyard was quiet, even the wind rustling through the flowers and grass seemed to have quieted.

Gu Yunting sat down at the stone table. Gu Beichen paid him no attention, nor did he pour tea, merely gazing coldly at the flowers along the wall.

“Did you have the doctor check you?”

His father spoke first, and only then did Gu Beichen withdraw his gaze and nod. “Yes, the doctor said it’s nothing serious. A few days of rest will suffice. Sorry to have worried you, Father.”

“In the court, striving for power and influence, occasional setbacks are inevitable. This time we stumbled because of an insider traitor in the family. You need not blame yourself.”

“I’m not blaming myself.” Gu Beichen replied indifferently. “I was just thinking, after all these years living in the Gu family, why would Qingzhu suddenly poison me?”

“Hmph, what else could it be? Bribed with heavy gold, of course! That treacherous bitch, I will never let her go!”

Gu Beichen looked haggard, like a red-eyed rat, his eyes dark with exhaustion—this was the consequence of overindulgence. It’s true what they say: young men should guard against lust.

He shook his head. “No, it shouldn’t be that simple. I could feel Qingzhu’s affection for me. She must have had some reason to do this.”

“My son, failing once is nothing to be ashamed of. Let it go. I have some good news for you.”

Gu Beichen sneered. “Heh, I, Gu Beichen, will never be defeated. Not by Lin Zhen, not by anyone. Even this vast empire will one day be mine!”

“Oh? So you think it was Lin Zhen who poisoned you?”

“Who else could it be? Those petty followers of the Lin family wouldn’t dare act directly against us. It must be that despicable Lin Zhen! He’s trying to sabotage the relationship between the Gu family and the Emperor. That’s why he resorted to such a low trick. But I never expected they could actually bribe Qingzhu.”

Gu Yunting said viciously, “I’ve already sent people to Handan to find Qingzhu’s parents. In a few days, we’ll have their heads to make you feel better!”

There were so many people in the Great Qian Nation, a few deaths meant nothing.

Gu Beichen didn’t care whether Qingzhu’s parents lived or died. What he couldn’t accept was that such a beautiful girl would betray him and work for the Lin family.

“What about those two maids?”

“Don’t worry. The two maids you killed have been buried, and their families will receive compensation. The other maids will stay by your side. It’s good enough to have them warm your bed and serve you tea.”

Gu Beichen nodded.

He still felt a twinge of guilt for the two dead maids. They were so young, their lives just beginning. But this guilt wouldn’t last long. Soon, he changed the topic. “Didn’t Father say there was good news? What is it?”

“Hahahaha, speaking of this makes me happy. This morning, I sent Mao Mengji to the casino…” Gu Yunting recounted everything that happened today in detail. When he spoke of the confrontation in the palace, even Gu Beichen became tense, unconsciously clenching his fists.

Lin Zhen spoke flawlessly, leaving no loopholes, making it impossible to refute. If the Emperor hadn’t been biased today, the outcome would have been uncertain.

When did that brat become so formidable? Wasn’t he supposed to be a useless playboy? A good-for-nothing? An ignoramus?

Gu Beichen couldn’t figure out how a person could change so drastically overnight.

Gu Yunting laughed, “Hahaha, just thinking about it excites me! Tomorrow, we’ll move all the treasures from the casino right in front of Lin Zhen. Let’s see how he reacts!”

“I bet he’ll cry. The Lin family is just a bunch of paupers!”

“Hahahaha. Now that we have the Emperor’s support, Beichen, you can do whatever you want. There’s no need to fear anything!”

“Good!” Gu Beichen stood up, his gaze sinister and ruthless. “Lin Zhen, this game… let’s start over from the casino!”

…

Meanwhile, Lin Zhen was more anxious than anyone, clutching the imperial decree as he rushed to the casino.

He was certain the big secret Zhang Li wanted to tell him was about the casino. It must also be the reason why Gu Yunting was willing to brawl on the streets, risking imperial wrath, just to reclaim it.

This plot wasn’t even in the original novel.

Damn author, if I ever cross over to your world, I’ll send you half a ton of razor blades.

When he returned to the casino, he saw Zhang Li sitting by the gambling table, discussing business with a group of poorly dressed carpenters.

In these times, artisans struggled to make a living. Demand was low, the economy was bad, and ordinary folks had no money. Even the wealthy households had their own craftsmen.

It was nearly impossible for them to get a job. Even if they did, it was barely enough to survive. Many had already gone back to farming.

This time, however, they had secured a huge order—hundreds of carriages! And they had to be spacious, luxurious, and elegant, capable of seating at least four people.

They had already discussed the details and were about to sign the contract.

At this moment, the old carpenter Han Dali stood up and said to Zhang Li, “Thank you, Boss Zhang, for your great kindness. This order will let my family eat well for several years at least!”

With his lead, the other carpenters also stood up and spoke politely.

“Yes, Boss Zhang, you are truly our savior!”

“You’re like a living Buddha come to rescue us from suffering!”

“I, Old Li, swear to heaven, from now on I will only take your orders. I won’t work for anyone else!”

“Boss Zhang, I can’t write. Is a handprint okay?”

Zhang Li was flattered by their praises, her face beaming with joy.

“Of course, it’s fine. But you might have to work extra hard these next few days. This batch of carriages is urgent, and the quality must be guaranteed.”

“Don’t worry, Boss Zhang. I, Old Zhang, will finish them even if I have to go without food, drink, or sleep!”

“My craftsmanship is well-known throughout the capital. No one can find a fault in it. You can rest easy!”

“Boss Zhang, we’re off to work now!”

“We’re going too!”

Over a dozen carpenters left to start the job.

They still had many colleagues and apprentices under them. Within five days, they would definitely complete the five hundred carriages.

Moreover, Zhang Li had already given them an advance payment so they wouldn’t have to work on an empty stomach, which motivated them even more.