I became the God Brother of the Regent King after Transmigration!-Chapter 351 - 269: Even Airheads Have Troubles

When Gu Lan left the capital, it was just after the New Year. Now that she returned, it was early summer, with cicadas chirping and a cool breeze blowing.

The air was filled with the faint scent of magnolia, coming from the magnolia tree blooming at the Xie Family’s ancestral home next to the Marquis Mansion.

Unknowingly, she had been in this world for a year.

Looking at the Marquis Mansion, unchanging under the evening sky, Gu Lan felt a stir within her—this was the home she had claimed.

At home, there were people she wanted to protect.

"I haven’t lost weight, I’m doing well," Gu Lan stepped forward, gently embracing Madam Zhou, "it’s the white color that makes me look thinner."

"How does white make you look thinner?" Madam Zhou could no longer control her restrained emotions, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Mother, you’re the one who’s lost weight. Have you not been eating well?" Gu Lan let her cry on her shoulder, looking up at the others on the steps and smiling with curved eyes, "Grandmother is watching."

Madam Zhou’s face instantly turned red. After releasing her, she hurriedly bowed to Old Madam Gu, "Weren’t you saying it was too late tonight and you wanted to rest?"

Old Madam Gu was still dressed in a festive big floral outfit, with Buddha beads on her wrist, and although they hadn’t met for a long time, her hair was now three shades whiter.

Looking at her frost-touched temples, Gu Lan’s heart trembled as she spoke, "Grandmother, I’m back."

A flood of emotions surged in the old lady’s heart; she lifted the back of her hand and wiped the tears from her wrinkled eyes with a trembling hand:

"A son travels a thousand miles, and a mother worries. As a grandmother, I am also a mother. Now that you’re back, how could I sleep peacefully?"

"It was my fault, Grandson’s fault."

Gu Lan hurriedly stepped forward, and the old lady took one of her hands, gazing deeply at her.

After a while, the old lady showed the expression of a child who’s had their candy taken away and said plaintively:

"I thought you were going to abandon the Gu Family like your aunt."

Gu Lan’s heart shook, and she said nothing more.

It was late, and it took Gu Lan a lot of effort to coax Madam Zhou to sleep. She now called her "mother" with ease because, in her heart, she had already regarded Madam Zhou as her own mother.

Gu Lan didn’t know what it was like to have a mother or the feeling of having one, but she believed her feelings were not wrong.

After returning to lie on the bed in her room at Step Lotus Hall, Gu Lan finally let out a long sigh of relief.

When she returned to the capital from the Southern Border and saw the Marquis Mansion safe and sound, it meant she had finally changed the original storyline, altering the fate of everyone involved.

Suddenly, Gu Lan recalled the old lady’s tear-filled eyes, and she opened her eyes, turned over, and slipped into Old Madam Gu’s room.

She felt it was time to tell the old lady some things; it was a good opportunity to organize her words and practice how to tell others she was a woman.

No one knew what Young Master Gu said to the old lady that night, but the next day, Young Master Gu emerged from the old lady’s room.

Meanwhile, Rong Heng, in his chamber, tossed and turned, unable to sleep until midnight, wondering where Gu Lan had run off to.

*

A few days after Gu Lan returned to the capital, it was the day to attend the court, but she slept in until the sun was high and naturally didn’t participate.

Rong Heng went to Zhang Mansion to visit his master, while Changting came angrily to see her after court, telling her how many officials impeached her that day for being rebellious and immoral.

Gu Lan lay on the rocking chair in Step Lotus Hall, carefully memorizing the names of each official Changting mentioned who impeached her.

A gust of wind blew, and the white magnolia flowers stretched from Xie Yun’s courtyard scattered all over her, the fragrance permeating deeply.

"Unmoral is just unmoral; the more unmoral I am, the happier the Emperor is," Gu Lan picked a magnolia flower, sniffed it, and lazily said, "Changting, have you never heard of a term before?"

"What term?"

"Incompetent fury," Gu Lan responded, "They know their end is near, so they’re in incompetent fury."

"What is ending?" Changting scratched his head in confusion, "The meal?"

Gu Lan: Her brother seemed to be somewhat of an idiot.

At that moment, Xie Yun’s head poked out from the magnolia tree’s branches and leaves.

Changting was shocked, "Xie Jingqi, you, you, you, how are you standing on the tree? When did you secretly learn Qinggong behind my back—"

Xie Yun replied seriously, "I’m standing on a ladder, not on the tree, thank you."

Changting heaved a sigh of relief, "That’s good."

Xie Yun smiled wryly and tossed a scroll to Gu Lan.

Gu Lan caught it, quickly scanned it, and said, "Vice Minister Xie, always so thorough."

On it was evidence against the Su Family, especially the collusion between Li Yuanju and Su Shouli, and Su Shouli following the Empress Dowager’s orders.

Previously, Rong Jing had suppressed these matters, waiting for the war in Yinzhou to end. Now that the war is over and Gu Lan has won a great victory, it’s time to settle accounts with the Su Family and Empress Dowager Su for their backstabbing.

Xie Yun glanced at Gu Changting, not avoiding him, and said blandly:

"Ten days from now, at the grand court assembly, Su Wenzhong will not attend. Without him, the Su Family will be like scattered sand, as you said, just impotent rage."

Gu Lan sat up from the rocking chair, curious, and asked: "How can you make Prime Minister Su not attend court?"

Xie Yun replied gently: "Laxatives."

Gu Changting was stunned, contemplating for two seconds before reacting: "You mean to impeach Prime Minister Su and Su Shoucheng?"

Gu Lan patted his shoulder: "You don’t need to get involved in this matter. I’ll come to eat at your place tonight, remember to tell Second Aunt I want to eat her crispy duck."

Gu Changting nodded: "I’ll tell my mother. Then I’m leaving, you two continue talking."

He never understood the twists and turns of the officialdom, or perhaps he was just naturally unsuited for it, Gu Lan thought it was fine this way, at least the clumsy one can live happily.

"Take care."

Gu Changting paused slightly, suddenly turning back to look at Xie Yun standing on the ladder, amidst the radiant magnolias.

The young man was dressed in white, with the magnolia tree casting mottled floral shadows on him. His features were delicate and handsome, his ink-like eyes calm and pure, exuding a transcendent aura.

Many women in the capital city deeply admired such a Xie Yun.

But Gu Changting knew Xie Yun was quite dispassionate. Though he was gentle and courteous, there was always a layer of cold detachment between him and everyone else. He kept the world in his heart, yet never lowered his gaze to any individual in the populace.

Even after knowing him for many years, Gu Changting didn’t know what he truly cared about. However, Xie Yun was very good to him, no matter how detached or dispassionate, he was still his brother.

This appearance was Xie Yun’s best disguise. Who would have thought that a man so ethereal and untouched by worldly smoke, was in fact as cunning as a fox, holding power over the empire’s finances.

Unknowingly, Xie Yun had become a power minister in court whom people feared and respected.

Gu Changting rarely withdrew his playful smile, speaking seriously:

"Xie Jingqi, everyone knows that Prime Minister Su is your mentor. If you repay kindness with enmity by impeaching him, your reputation as the number one noble son will be ruined overnight... Besides, everyone in court knows Su Zixiao considers you his best brother. Just recently, he was teaching you martial arts, and he is also part of the Su Family. If you do this, the years of friendship between you and Su Zixiao will also..."

Xie Yun’s gentle brows and eyes shone with a cool glow, speaking patiently:

"Some things are not as you see them. Everyone still thinks you and I are mortal enemies, don’t they? Yet, aren’t we brothers?

Su Wenzhong trained me hoping I would help the Su Family in court, but I couldn’t understand why he didn’t eliminate me long ago, before my wings fully developed... I want to find an answer, and I want the Su Family to pay for what they’ve done."

He had his doubts in his heart, and at the same time, he once drank a cup of wine on Prince Rui’s coffin plank, so he must seek justice for his "death."

Gu Changting never expected Xie Yun would patiently explain to him.

He was very surprised: "Xie Jingqi, I didn’t know you considered me a brother, I always thought you just ridicule me."

Xie Yun: "I don’t want to talk to an idiot."

"No matter what, I’ll help you, whether I can or not. I heard the women from the Su Family are all gentle and beautiful. Once you and Brother Lan take down Old Prime Minister Su, I’ll ask to marry a sister or niece of the Empress."

Gu Changting’s first half of the sentence was reasonable, but the latter half made Gu Lan frown.

"Then thank you, Brother Gu. I wish you’ll find a lady you fancy soon, get married and start a career, and then, may that lady not fall for me."

Xie Yun gave a slight smile, stabbing an imaginary knife into Gu Changting’s chest.

Gu Changting: "Xie Yun, you shameless person."

Xie Yun: "Likewise."

A long time ago, when Gu Changting was still an ordinary, naive young man, he fell for a girl. When he finally summoned the courage to confess, the girl said she already had someone in her heart. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

— The girl liked Xie Yun, even though Xie Yun had politely and firmly rejected her, she still declared she would wait for him for five years.

From that day on, Gu Changting grew up abruptly. He ended his easygoing, carefree life and chose to study hard, becoming the pride of the Marquis Mansion.

Gu Lan, watching these two men, couldn’t help but say: "Why don’t... you two become sworn brothers?"

She took out the incense burner kept at Step Lotus Hall: "Hey, I’ve even prepared this."

Gu Changting snorted coldly: "Sworn father and son, I think that works."

Xie Yun: "I’ll be the father, you the son."

Gu Changting angrily left the Marquis Mansion, passing by Xie Family’s gate and encountering the eldest daughter of the Lu Family, Lu Congyun.

Lu Congyun was wearing a moon-white long dress embroidered with magnolia flowers. She looked serene and gentle, with her black hair floating like clouds, her appearance lovely and graceful.

Gu Changting felt a pang in his heart, thinking, how unfortunate.

— This was the girl he once liked, who instead liked Xie Yun.