Husband, Be A Gentleman - Chapter 16-2

Chapter 16-2

Chapter Sixteen (Part 2 of 2)


Huang Guo was a healthy seventy-year-old man .

Huang Guo’s white hair was brushed smoothly . His white hair combined with his dark blue clothes made him look intimidating .

Yan Shi Ning thought the rumor about Huang Guo’s strong aura was true .

Pei Jin felt Yan Shi Ning’s back tensed and he discreetly stroked her hand .

Huang Guo’s guests were seated around two banquet tables . Huang Guo’s sons, daughter-in-laws and grandchildren were all gathered in the imperial city .

Huang Guo had three sons and one daughter who were scholars and a beautiful phoenix . His daughter was Consort Chen, his three sons were magistrates and married women from prominent families . It was a pity Consort Chen died while pregnant and ruined Huang Guo’s chance of having a grandson become emperor .

After Huang Guo resigned from the imperial court there was an assassination attempt on his life . Two off his guards were killed by poisoned arrows . Afterward for a period, his manor was isolated and he was recovering from an illness .

After the banquet Yan Shi Ning was forced to listen to a group of women gossip . In the past she met them at banquets in the palace, but never talked to them and didn’t expect to be related to them through marriage . It was hard for her to tolerate their endless gossip . But she answered their questions in a friendly manner and smiled politely .

Yan Shi Ning praised third aunt’s white soft skin and for raising young intelligent children who would grow up to be successful adults . Then she turned to the ordinary second aunt and struggled for a while to think of a praise . ‘I heard second aunt is also from a Yan household . Five hundred years ago we would have been in the same tribe . ’

While Yan Shi Ning was being a courteous guest she glanced often at the locked door of a nearby chamber .

Pei Jin was detained in the locked chamber for a long time . Incense sticks were burning inside the quiet chamber . He sat opposite Huang Guo who looked at him with complex eyes . He lowered his head, blew on a cup of tea but didn’t sip the tea . Neither of them wanted to open their mouths first .

Pei Jin wasn’t impatient . He believed little lion was coping against the group of women . After a long silence, Huang Guo conceded .

‘Don’t you want to change your position?’ Huang Guo asked .

Pei Jin smiled and knocked on the wooden chair he sat on . ‘This is a good position . ’

‘Did you wanted to deal with Su Yue long ago?’ Huang Guo asked .

‘Su Yue is uncle Fan’s niece,’ Pei Jin said . ‘Uncle Fan is good to me . I thought in the future she would become my second wife, but she…’ He feigned anger and regret . ‘But she is still uncle Fan’s niece . In the past uncle Fan once saved me… besides, nothing bad happened so I forgave the offence . ’

Huang Guo’s face darkened . Last night Su Yue was chased back to his manor and she explained what happened in Pei Jin’s manor . He understood that Pei Jin saw through his careful scheme and realised he underestimated the unfavored prince . But he knew Pei Jin wouldn’t retaliate because Gentleman Fan had once saved Pei Jin’s life .

‘It was indeed a good scheme,’ Huang Guo praised grudgingly .

Pei Jin didn’t deny Huang Guo’s words and he quietly drank tea . Some things were better kept inside the heart . If they were voiced, it’d lose its beauty .

‘Except, don’t you want to avenge your mother Consort Chen?’ Huang Guo asked triumphantly .

Pei Jin felt like his heart jumped out of his chest . He didn’t know why Huang Guo suddenly asked about Consort Chen . He didn’t expose Huang Guo’s scheme to conceal his own scheme and the blame was poured over a maid with a cruel conscience .

Huang Guo pulled out a note from his sleeve and passed it to Pei Jin . ‘This afternoon, I discovered this in front of the calligraphy room . ’

Pei Jin opened the folded note and his body trembled with anger, ‘the empress killed Consort Chen . ’

Pei Jin immediately thought of the impatient MF Bei Dou .

Pei Jin suppressed his anger and feigned shock . ‘This… this…’

‘Long ago I thought Xiao Chen’s death was suspicious,’ Huang Guo said . ‘I couldn’t find evidence to confirm my suspicions, but I didn’t expect this! Your mother was good to you, you need to avenge her!’

Pei Jin fisted his hands . He thought one failed scheme birth a new scheme, and Huang Guo found a way to force him to deal with the empress .

‘I’ll investigate this thoroughly,’ Pei Jin said .

Huang Guo assessed Pei Jin’s expression as though he wanted to see through Pei Jin’s bones . ’Don’t become an ungrateful and unfilial person!’

Pei Jin felt like he swallowed fleas, stood and left the chamber .

After Pei Jin left, Huang Guo’s third son Fan Min Xian stepped out from behind a screen .

‘Father, can we use Pei Jin?’ Fan Min Xian asked .

Huang Guo shook his head .

‘Do we need to…’ Fan Min Xian said in a dangerous tone .

‘No, he knows our scheme but didn’t expose us to warn us not to do anything reckless,’ Huang Guo said . ‘Also, that there’s no hope for us to use him . He truly doesn’t want to become emperor . ’

‘What should we do now?’ Fan Min Xian asked,

‘We can only silently follow his activities,’ Huang Guo said .

***

End of Chapter Sixteen (Part 2 of 2)