Chapter 29 - Ruthless Methods
The Third Steward was recognized by others, and he was left humiliated. He quickly covered his face with his sleeve, supporting the two guards as they left, not daring to stay another moment in front of the courtyard. As for the poison in their bodies, he assumed the Gu family would be able to easily neutralize it. The Third Steward, however, hated Gu Yao and Chi Changye with all his heart. He wished he could torture the two of them to death.
The news spread quickly. Tian Feirong soon learned that the Gu family had once again suffered at Chi Changye’s hands. Knowing how the Gu family had looked when they left, Tian Feirong immediately understood the reason behind it. He treasured the poison and antidote Gu Yao had given him, knowing that they would be incredibly useful in dealing with enemies when the time came.
This kind of underhanded tactic was exactly what he liked.
Two of the guards collapsed halfway, and the Third Steward was in somewhat better condition. He had them carried back.
When the three were brought to the Gu family’s main hall, those who arrived after hearing the news gasped when they saw their condition. The poison was something they had never encountered before. Could it be another of Chi Changye’s tricks?
“Who exactly is this Chi Changye? His methods are so… vicious and cruel!” Gu Zhixiao felt a slight sense of unease. Fortunately, this matter had been handled by his third brother, so he had stayed out of it. As long as he waited calmly for Yan’er to enter the Changxian Sect, he was fine with letting his third brother handle things.
“Could this Chi Changye have come from the Demon Sect?” Gu Yan gave a disgusted glance before stepping back.
The Gu family patriarch personally examined the three of them. He stood up and wiped his hands with a wet cloth before saying, “This is indeed a poison I’ve never seen before. That kid’s methods are truly vicious!” There was a flicker of displeasure in the patriarch’s eyes—he didn’t like anyone challenging his authority or position. “What did you all say to him? How did Gu Yao respond? Tell me everything honestly—don’t add any embellishments. I’ll send someone to investigate.”
The Third Steward’s heart sank, and he quickly recounted the events truthfully. To others, his story sounded like this: Gu Yao never even showed his face, and they were all defeated so terribly by Chi Changye, who had controlled the formation to deal with them. It was a defeat so humiliating it was hard to bear.
“Hmph, fools!” The Gu family patriarch was furious. “No wonder Gu Yao doesn’t want to show himself. The servant has overstepped, and now the underlings have climbed over their masters. Get out! Find someone to cure their poison!”
The Third Steward felt utterly hopeless. Even if the poison was cured, he had likely lost the patriarch’s favor for failing to handle the task properly and bringing them back in such a miserable state.
The people outside dragged the three of them away.
The patriarch’s dislike for Gu Yao also grew. Knowing that the Gu family had sent people, yet Gu Yao still attacked them—he wasn’t just embarrassing a few servants; he was embarrassing the entire Gu family! Even if they returned to the Gu family in the future, it was clear Gu Yao would be a troublemaker, always defiant.
“Has Gu Yao had anyone close to him in the Gu family these years?”
Upon hearing the patriarch’s words, everyone in the hall exchanged looks, unable to answer. Finally, it was Gu Zhicheng who stepped forward and said, “Gu Yao has always stayed in Second Uncle’s courtyard, and we rarely see him come out. I suppose Second Uncle and Second Aunt have been strict with him, making it hard for anyone to get close.”
This shifted all the blame onto Gu Zhicheng and his wife.
“It seems that child has suffered a lot in the Gu family, carrying a lot of resentment. This will take time to resolve. There’s no need to send any more servants today. We don’t want them to further embarrass the family. You all go figure out a way to handle this.” The patriarch paused before speaking.
“Yes, we understand, Father (Patriarch).”
After the people from the main house returned, they quickly forgot about the matter. There was no need for them to interfere—Gu Yao’s not coming back was actually the best thing.
Gu Zhicheng, however, turned his attention to his own children. But as his father had said, this matter had to be handled slowly. It was better to first clarify Gu Yao and Chi Changye’s situation. He hadn’t expected the Third Steward to be so useless. Not only had he failed to complete his task, but he was also at risk of losing his position. Gu Zhicheng decided he would try to find a way to place someone from his side in the position instead.
The news of the Gu family members coming to the door and being poisoned quickly spread throughout Yuanyang Town. It made those who had plans temporarily suppress their thoughts. Especially the Lu family, who now realized that unless a high-level Qi Refining cultivator intervened, anyone else sent would not succeed and would only lose face. It would be much easier to wait until the Gu family left the town before taking action.
If it hadn’t been for the Gu family taking the first step and getting poisoned and injured, it would have been the Lu family instead. After all, like the Gu family, they could also refine pills, and detoxifying wouldn’t be difficult for them.
“Keep an eye on those two boys for now. As soon as they leave the town, send word immediately. Also, find out where those two got the poison from.”
“Yes, Master.”
While others were wondering about the source of the poison in Chi Changye’s possession, few considered Gu Yao’s involvement. However, the key figures in the Tian family were very aware. They had learned from Young Master Tian that the poison was something Gu Yao had concocted for self-defense, and the poisonous herbs had actually been collected and sent by the Tian family. Gu Yao was truly no simple character.
The Tian family head, feeling a sense of schadenfreude, said, “I heard that the poison on those three hasn’t been fully cleared yet. If they can’t cure it, the Gu family will lose face in a big way, being defeated by a mere child from their own family.”