like pearl and jade

14

As the two siblings stepped through the gates of their home, they were surrounded by their family members. Gu Cun Jing was pulled by his father and brother to the side and asked about the situation of the racecourse. Gu Ru Jiu was hurried into the room by her mother and sisters-in-law. She was made to drink calming tea and arranged to bathe and change her clothes.

Based on tradition, when one encountered an accident, everyone would try to avoid being touched by unlucky energy. They would bathe in incense and ask their ancestors for protection from illness and calamity.

Gu Ru Jiu could not refuse the concern of her family and allowed her mother and sisters-in-law to move her round and round.

Seeing his daughter being led away by his wife, Gu Chang Ling sighed and called for his two sons to sit. “The Sima and Li families will have animosity due to this matter. You two, do not be pulled in. In any case, we do not have much of a relationship with these two families.”

He had a gentle personality but he knew what was important. The Gu Family would not be a pawn in the fight between the Sima and Li families.

Gu Zhi Yu and Gu Cun Jing knew what Father worried about. The two nodded and said, “Father, do not worry; we will act with caution.”

“Yes.” Gu Chang Ling nodded. He was not worried about the conduct of his two sons. His eldest son was a reliable person, and his second son was clever and good at talking. None of them were ones to cause trouble.

“Today, at the race course, I sensed something was wrong.” Gu Cun Jing frowned. “Li Wu shi seems to have some conflict within the Li Family. I saw that her attitude did not seem to be right.” He originally thought that Li Wu shi was unstable due to having just lost her daughter, but when he thought back to it, her gaze when she looked at the Li family members did not seem like that of a matriarch looking at her family members.
Since he could not figure this out, he would discuss it with his father and brother. It was better than pondering it on his own.

After Gu Chang Ling heard Gu Cun Jing narrate this, he felt that as a male elder, it was not appropriate to discuss the private matters of women from other families. He only shook his head, sighed, and said, “You should not investigate the internal matters of the Li Family.”

Hearing this, Gu Cun Jing knew that there was definitely some past matter involved. But Father visibly did not want to discuss it and Li Wu shi had just lost her daughter, so it was not a gentleman’s action to discuss someone behind their backs. He suppressed his curiosity to ask.

Gu Zhi Yu originally worried that his younger brother would speak and was relieved when the other did not continue asking.

“The Sima and Li families have inter-married within the last century, but two tigers cannot coexist on one mountain. Even though they are top-tier aristocratic families, there is a division of relative superiority.” Gu Chang Ling gently rubbed the teacup in his hand. His gaze seemed emotional but also relieved. “But the present is not several centuries ago.”

The glory of aristocratic families would gradually fade, and imperial power would be above all.

Thousands of years ago, masters were so glorious and could kill slaves with a word. But due to the collision between culture and privilege of different social stratas, this land became the world for the aristocratic families and the kings. A thousand years ago, when the first emperor conquered the eleven countries to found the imperial dynasty, the relationship between the aristocratic families and the imperial house had been one of mutual restraint.

The progress of history could not be changed. Then, as someone who had predicted this, he could only do his best to find a path for him and his descendants.