Chapter 143 - Taking Responsibility

Qi Feng had just woken up and his head was still throbbing and hurting. Despite being scolded by Duke An, he was still confused.

“Cousin, why are you in my bed?” Gu Daiqin woke up and opened her eyes to see Qi Feng sitting by the side. His whole body felt unwell.

“Why...why are you here?” Qi Feng stared at his cousin stuttering. Although he knew that his cousin was a fool, it was impossible for him to not be touched when such a beautiful lady was in front of him.

After Duke An and Qi Zheng walked out of the room, Xiao Gu shrieked, “I should be asking you this. Qi Feng, why are you here? Don’t you know where this place is?!”

“Mother, this...this isn’t my room…” Qi Feng finally saw the arrangements in the room. It was completely different from what he was familiar with.

This was Qi Zheng’s room!

Qi Feng’s face paled.

Gu Daiqin’s beautiful face wore a childish expression contrasting the mature expression she should’ve worn at her age. “I was sleeping well last night when cousin suddenly climbed on top of me and started biting my lips. My entire body hurts…”

“Shut up!” Xiao Gu was shaking in fury. She wanted to rip Gu Daiqin into pieces in order to prevent her from putting her son in an even worse spot.

Nanny Su had a maid quickly help Gu Daiqin wear her clothes.

“Why are you still here? Do you want to anger your father to death?” Seeing that Qi Feng’s gaze was still fixated on Gu Daiqin, she was even more angry.

Qi Feng pulled his blanket and exclaimed, “Mother, please step out for a moment.”

Xiao Gu glared harshly at Gu Daiqin before turning to leave.

Duke An and Qi Zheng were outside. Seeing Xiao Gu coming out, the two wore

different expressions. Duke An hmphed unhappily while Qi Zheng was expressionless, not even looking at her.

This bastard!

He must’ve framed Feng’er. It must be him!

Gu Daiqin clearly slept in his room. How did Feng’er end up there? The maid even personally said that she saw Qi Zheng drink the bowl of hangover tea.

“Look at the son you taught!” Duke An exclaimed angrily. Although he favored Qi Zheng, he also held hope towards Qi Feng. Who knew that he would’ve done such a bastard thing.

“Lord, Feng’er was framed. How could he possibly have slept in another room? If it weren’t that someone wanted to hurt him, how could he possibly have walked into another room?” Xiao Gu glared at Qi Zheng in resentment, clearly implying that Qi Zheng wanted to hurt Qi Feng.

Uncle Qun stood out from the side and respectfully greeted Duke An. “Reporting to the Lord, the second master wanted to celebrate with the eldest master yesterday so he had drank some wine with him. Even after drinking the bowl of hangover tea, he was still drunk. Therefore, the eldest master had this subordinate help the second master rest in the room. When the second master went to rest, this subordinate hadn’t seen Young Miss Gu yet. It was unclear how she had appeared in the room in the middle of the night.”

“Nonsense. Daiqin lives in the inner courtyard. How could she appear here?” Xiao Gu scolded.

“Right. There’s no way Young Miss Gu could appear in the eldest master’s room by herself. Someone must’ve purposely brought her over. It’s unclear what their intention is however. The emperor had just bestowed marriage to the eldest master yesterday and a woman appeared in his room in the middle of the night. They want to ruin the entire Qi Family, not just the eldest master.” Uncle Qun hmphed coldly, giving a sideway glance at Xiao Gu.

Who was in charge of the inner courtyard? Wasn’t it Xiao Gu? Gu Daiqin was also her niece. There was no way Xiao Gu didn’t know the type of person her niece was. Did she not arrange a few extra maids for her? Would she actually allow Gu Daiqin to run out of the courtyard and appear in the eldest master’s room that coincidentally?

Who was she trying to lie to? Did she think everyone was stupid?

Xiao Gu originally found an excuse to explain why Gu Daiqin was here and even more, no one would find any loopholes. Yet, it was her son who slept with Gu Daiqin. She was furious and couldn’t retort for a moment.

In her eyes, Uncle Qun was just an useless servant. She didn’t expect him to exclaim these sharp words.

Seeing the anger on Xiao Gu’s face and how she didn’t seem to hear what Uncle Qun had said, Nanny Su secretly tugged on her.

“If I find out who brought Dai’er out, I won’t let them go.” Xiao Gu snapped out of her trance. She knew that right now, she had to explain the current situation and not figure out who framed Feng’er.

Uncle Qun said, “It’s not that hard to find the person. Just find the servants who were in charge of guarding last night and carefully interrogate them. We’ll find out then.”

“Damned servant, who allowed you to speak? Since you were guarding this place, how come you didn’t have someone notify me that Dai’er had come here? What’s your motive in keeping her here?” Xiao Gu asked sternly.

“After this servant had arranged the second master, this servant went to the study to take care of the eldest master.” Uncle Qun replied calmly.

“Are all the servants in this room dead?...” Xiao Gu was unwilling to give up.

“Shut up!” Duke An slammed the table angrily. He stared furiously at Xiao Gu. “This is all your fault! Don’t think that I don’t know why you called Daiqin over for. If it was Zheng’er in the room last night and not Feng’er, you’ll be giving up your position as the duchess.”

No matter what Xiao Gu was planning, Duke An thought that this woman was stupid and hilarious.

Without the emperor bestowing a marriage to him, did she think that by scheming Zheng’er like this, he’d let him marry a fool as his wife?

At this time, Qi Feng walked inside timidly.

Duke An glared furiously. “Bastard, look at what you’ve done!”

“Father, it’s not my fault. I have no idea what happened either. I was drunk last night. I don’t know anything.” Qi Feng choked out an explanation. He just remembered being drunk. When he laid down, he reached over and felt a smooth and soft body. He hugged the figure without even thinking.

Last night… he felt as if he was burning. The moment he touched the body, he couldn’t control himself.

“Father, someone drugged me. It must be. That wine…”

“Second master, you brought that wine over yourself.” Uncle Qun stated.

Qi Zheng’s gaze was cold as he pursed his lips, clearly staring at this scene impatiently as if it had nothing to do with him.

Qi Feng was thinking about what else he had eaten. He widened his eyes and pointed at Qi Zheng. “That hangover tea...It must be. Qi Zheng, you despicable and shameless person!”

“Madam had someone boil the hangover tea and then she had a servant bring it over.” Uncle Qun continued to respond coldly.

Xiao Gu glared angrily at Uncle Qun.

Qi Feng’s expression turned ashen. He wasn’t stupid. He carefully thought about it before realizing what had happened.

He...he had become the scapegoat?

“Mother, look at what you’ve done to me!” Qi Feng exclaimed loudly.

“Shut up!” Xiao Gu glared at him. She turned to say to Duke An, “Lord, I did have someone boil some hangover tea but I’m sure nothing’s wrong with that. Someone must’ve purposely framed Feng’er…”

“What’s the use in saying this now?” Duke An asked coldly, “Are you going to act like nothing happened after Feng’er slept with someone’s daughter?”

Then what? Xiao Gu looked at Duke An with a pale face.

“Father, I don’t want to marry that fool!” Qi Zheng shouted loudly.

Xiao Gu didn’t have time to settle accounts with Qi Zheng right now. She mustn’t let her son marry Gu Daiqin. “Lord, Feng’er is at least a scholar. How could he have a fool as his wife?”

“You don’t want to marry?” Duke An laughed. “Then what are you going to say to the Gu Family? Even if the Gu Family doesn’t demand an explanation, Qi Feng, you won’t have any face in the capital anymore.”

He tainted a lady but then refused to marry them. Which lady would be willing to marry him in the future then?

Xiao Gu thought as if she had been slashed. “Even if he has to take responsibility...she can’t be the legal wife...she can be a concubine.”

“That depends on whether the Gu Family is willing or not.” Duke An hmphed. He stood up and glanced coldly at Qi Feng. “You’re worse than a bastard!”

Duke An left angrily. Qi Zheng and his servant, as well as the people Xiao Gu brought over, were the only ones left in the lounge.

Qi Feng thought that he would be the laughing stock in the capital if he had to marry a woman like her. He looked painfully at Qi Zheng. “Elder brother, I never thought about hurting you. Why...why do you have to treat me like this?”

“I wasn’t the one that had hurt you.” Xiao Gu did this all to herself!

If looks could kill, Qi Zheng would’ve been killed thousands of times by Xiao Gu’s sinister gaze. “Qi Zheng, don’t be too proud. Don’t think that you’ll be the one in charge of this family after hurting my Feng’er.”

Qi Zheng laughed. He said coldly, “There’s no need to do so in the future. I wouldn’t have known you wanted to frame me if not for your people.”

Xiao Gu’s expression changed. Could it be that Qi Zheng bribed her people?

“Wah—” Suddenly, there was crying inside the room. Gu Daiqin cried, “I’m hungry. I’m so hungry. My whole body hurts and I’m so hungry…”

It was unclear what Qi Feng thought of but he was on the verge of fainting.

“Go get some breakfast for Young Miss Gu.” Qi Zheng ordered a servant with a faint smile.

Xiao Gu thought that she wouldn’t be able to control her anger if she continued to stay here. “Let’s go.”

Qi Feng seemed to be immersed in his pain and he didn’t hear Xiao Gu’s words.

Nanny Su had to drag him away.

The lounge became quiet all of a sudden.

Uncle Qun stood up straight and faintly smiled at Xiao Gu’s rear view. “Now, even if we don’t do anything, Xiao Gu will take care of her own people.”

Qi Zheng exclaimed in a low voice, “While she’s weeding out her people, insert our people to her side. That way, Jiao Jiao wouldn’t need to spend so much effort to deal with those people.”

No matter what, the eldest master was just doing everything for Shen Ziqiao...

“Then what about Young Miss Gu?” Uncle Qun asked.

Qi Zheng curled his lips. “Send her back to the inner courtyard. Whatever she does in the future has to do with Xiao Gu and Qi Feng.