Chapter 41

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Kang Wang’s expression visibly darkened, his face stormy with displeasure. It was all too clear that Gu Yan Fei’s calm words were deliberately undermining Gu Yun Rong’s dignity.

A tempest brewed rapidly in his deep, dark eyes, and his sharp, blade-like gaze swept over Gu Yan Fei’s face inch by inch, as though trying to slice through her composure.

He knew about the mix-up regarding the “real and fake daughters” of the Gu family. Gu Yun Rong had confessed it to him immediately, holding nothing back.

To Kang Wang, it didn’t matter whether Gu Yun Rong was a legitimate Gu family member or not. She was the Gu Yun Rong he knew—that was enough for him.

Gu Yan Fei’s return to the Gu family, along with her engagement to the Duke of Ying’s heir, was already an enviable windfall in Kang Wang’s eyes. To him, this was all thanks to Gu Yun Rong’s generosity. Had it been up to him, he would’ve eliminated this “hidden threat” long ago.

And yet, Gu Yan Fei had the gall to gain from this situation and still posture as if she were in the right? Unacceptable!

“How dare you spout nonsense in front of the Empress Dowager!” Kang Wang stepped toward Gu Yan Fei, his presence intimidating, his gaze sharp and oppressive as if trying to overwhelm the slender, delicate-looking girl before him with sheer force of will.

The crowd collectively drew in a sharp breath.

While Kang Wang’s anger radiated like a storm, Empress Dowager Yuan’s lips twitched slightly, almost imperceptibly, into a faint smile.

Her calm, measured voice cut through the tension. “Chu You, step back!”

Her tone was light, yet it carried an undeniable authority that froze Kang Wang in place.

Empress Dowager Yuan was no fool. From Gu Yan Fei’s earlier words, she had discerned that there was more to this situation than met the eye.

Her sharp gaze moved over Gu Yan Fei, and she was startled to realize how composed the young girl remained, even under the fury of Kang Wang, Chu You. Despite her slender, delicate frame, she stood tall and resolute, her posture straight and elegant like bamboo swaying gracefully in the wind.

As she scrutinized her more closely, a flicker of recognition sparked. Gu Yan Fei’s features bore a striking resemblance to the late Lady Xie, the former wife of the Marquis of Dingyuan. Lady Xie had been one of the capital’s most renowned beauties in her time, celebrated for her ethereal elegance and grace.

“You, explain—what is the truth here?” Empress Dowager Yuan’s eyes shifted toward Gu Yun Rong, lingering on her face with a trace of suspicion. Her voice was measured—not too loud, not too soft—but it carried a natural authority that demanded an answer.

Gu Yun Rong, standing poised and graceful, had transitioned from her initial panic and embarrassment to a state of outward calm.

Inwardly, she questioned herself: Since Gu Yan Fei returned to the capital, have I ever wronged her?

She had not fought for anything.

The elder brother had been restored.

The identity of the legitimate daughter of the main branch had been returned.

Even the engagement had been relinquished.

She had retreated time and again, believing that all she had given up was enough to make amends for the misplaced lives of the past fourteen years.

Gu Yun Rong closed her eyes briefly, then reopened them. Her voice was steady, and her enunciation clear as she answered, “In response to Your Majesty, my elder sister, Gu Yan Fei, is the true eldest legitimate daughter of the late Marquis of Dingyuan.”

She forced herself to appear composed, meeting Empress Dowager Yuan’s gaze with apparent calm. Yet, the faint pallor of her fingertips betrayed her inner turmoil.

The crowd was thoroughly confused.

Over the past two years, Gu Yun Rong had been the talk of the capital. Accomplished in the six arts—music, chess, calligraphy, painting, archery, and horseback riding—she was known for her intelligence, charm, and ability to maintain excellent relations with everyone.

Everyone knew her as the legitimate daughter of the late Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, and the younger sister of Gu Yuan. The Marquis of Dingyuan family had few heirs, and after the deaths of Gu Ce and his wife, only this brother and sister remained.

Gu Yan Fei, however, was entirely unfamiliar to them.

For most of the people present, this was their first time seeing her and hearing her name. When Gu Yan Fei had arrived at Jing Wang Manor earlier in the day with Gu Yun Rong and Gu Yun Zhen, several young ladies, including the Princess of Changqing, had privately asked Gu Yun Rong about her identity.

At the time, their curiosity had been casual, and they hadn’t paid much attention to Gu Yun Rong’s vague response: she had merely described Gu Yan Fei as her “cousin” without elaborating further. Now, as they recalled that conversation, her ambiguous explanation seemed increasingly suspicious. If Gu Yan Fei was truly Gu Ce’s only daughter, then who exactly was Gu Yun Rong?

Unable to suppress her curiosity, the straightforward Miss Li blurted out, “Sister Yun, is this young lady your real sister? Why did you say earlier that she’s your cousin?”

Gu Yun Rong’s face flushed with embarrassment, and cold sweat dampened her underarms, joints, and back. It felt as though the last shred of her dignity had been publicly torn away.

Ever since the family’s ancestral hall ceremony, Gu Yan Fei’s and her own origins had been officially clarified within the Marquis of Dingyuan Residence. Gu Yun Rong had always assumed that the Old Madam would eventually find the right moment to announce the truth to the public.

If the Old Madam had handled the matter, it would have been more formal and better received, avoiding unnecessary speculation and rumors. But now, caught off guard, Gu Yun Rong felt as though she’d been thrown directly into the fire.

For a fleeting moment, she even harbored resentment toward the Old Madam for leaving her to face this unprepared.

Kang Wang, Chu You, looked at Gu Yun Rong’s vulnerable state, his heart brimming with both pity and anger. Suppressing the rising urge to lash out at Gu Yan Fei, he spoke loudly and decisively: “Since Gu Yan Fei is Gu Ce’s daughter, then the engagement with the Duke of Ying’s heir naturally belongs to her.”

Turning to Empress Dowager Yuan, his voice grew firm with resolve. “Mother, now that everything is clear, Yun Rong remains unmarried. I ask you to grant me and Yun Rong a marriage decree.”

Chu You held Gu Yun Rong’s hand tightly, his warm palm pressing against her cool skin, silently reassuring her with his gaze that she didn’t need to say anything—he would handle it all.

As a man, it was his duty to protect his woman!

The more protective Chu You was of Gu Yun Rong, the more uncomfortable Empress Dowager Yuan felt. Her expression remained calm, but her voice carried a sharp edge as she asked, “If Gu Yan Fei is Gu Ce’s daughter, then who is Gu Yun Rong?”

Gu Yan Fei simply smiled, saying nothing.

“Yun Rong is—”

Chu You began to answer on her behalf, but this time, Gu Yun Rong interrupted him. Her voice was steady, though her back was drenched with cold sweat.

“In response to Your Majesty,” she said, bowing respectfully, “this humble servant is the daughter of the current Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Jian. Because the eldest legitimate daughter of the main branch was lost in her youth, I was adopted into the main branch. Now that my second elder sister has been found, the elders in the family have decided that we sisters will each return to our rightful place.”

She took a breath before concluding, “In the family records, I am now ranked as the third daughter.”

This explanation was something Gu Yun Rong had improvised on the spot. Though her words were carefully chosen, cold sweat continued to trickle down her back, making her feel both damp and chilled.

Gu Yan Fei allowed her to speak without interruption, her serene demeanor unbroken. Her quiet smile and tranquil expression made her seem even more ethereal and refined, her jet-black eyes bright with a brilliance that captivated all who looked upon her.

The onlookers couldn’t contain their murmurs. The revelation and the calm drama unfolding before them stirred a wave of excitement and disbelief.

To be frank, the question of which cousin was truly the daughter of the Gu family was originally a private matter—something for the Gu household to resolve internally. Had the Empress Dowager and Kang Wang not been present today, most of those listening would have dismissed it as idle gossip, barely worth a second thought.

But under the current circumstances, it was impossible for the crowd not to dwell on it.

Their eyes shifted between the two cousins, scrutinizing their words and expressions. The more they reflected on their statements, the more something seemed off.

If the truth were as simple as Gu Yun Rong claimed, there would have been no reason for her to conceal it. And yet, today, when everyone addressed Gu Yan Fei as “Second Young Lady,” Gu Yun Rong had made no attempt to correct them.

The deliberate vagueness and lack of transparency only made the situation appear more suspicious, as though there was an untold secret lurking beneath the surface—something someone was trying to hide.

The more the crowd considered it, the more their doubts grew.

Chu You paid no mind to what others might think. His sole focus was on securing the Empress Dowager’s approval as quickly as possible. He pressed forward confidently, “Since the sisters have been restored to their rightful places, the engagement naturally belongs to Gu Yan Fei.”

No sooner had his words fallen than a clear and decisive voice rang out:

“I do not want what belongs to someone else. An engagement meant for another is unworthy of me.”

Gu Yan Fei lifted her chin slightly, the curve of her jawline elegant and graceful. A calm yet resolute smile graced her lips, exuding unwavering confidence.

Moments ago, she had appeared as a delicate and gentle young woman, as fragile as a flower in bloom. But now, she seemed transformed—radiant, full of vitality and charisma.

At this moment, in the prime of her youth, she shone like the brightest star in the heavens, her face adorned with a prideful brilliance that swept over those present like a gust of wind, leaving an impression of unshakable superiority.