The Challenge of a Farmhouse Son-in-Law-Chapter 1658 - 1661: Laying Her to Rest

This night, both the Zhang Residence and the Ningwang Residence were restless.

Gu Shuisheng was stalling and avoiding entering the bridal chamber. When he could no longer delay and finally entered, he found that there was no one in the room.

The Zhang Residence was thrown into chaos, searching everywhere for the bride, until a guard from the Ningwang Residence came running to inform them that Zhang Shiyu had gone to the Ningwang Residence.

Prime Minister Zhang, along with Gu Shuisheng and others, rushed to the Ningwang Residence, only to see Zhang Shiyu, her face covered in blood, already a lifeless corpse.

It was also at this moment that everyone realized just how deep this seemingly capricious young woman’s obsession with Prince Ning was. It was no longer surprising that she would go to such crazy lengths to oppose Gu Youyou.

Prime Minister Zhang fainted on the spot, and Gu Shuisheng, still dressed in the groom’s attire, silently walked to Zhang Shiyu’s side, using his sleeve to wipe the blood from her face before carrying her body back to the Zhang Residence.

Prime Minister Zhang could save Zhang Shiyu’s life through the concept of substitution, but he could not save her heart.

Today the Zhang Residence held a wedding, and tomorrow they would hold a funeral.

When Prime Minister Zhang awoke, his hair, which had just turned grey overnight, became snow white, and he appeared utterly aged, although he wasn’t actually old. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Zhang Shiyu was dead. She remembered her first encounter with Jin Zijin, standing like sunshine before the Dragon Mother Statue, yet she could only see the indifference in his eyes towards her. She remembered Gu Shuisheng at his most destitute, wearing ragged clothes, the most down-and-out beggar, but she could not witness him shining on this day. In her life, she was forever trapped in her first glance.

"I shouldn’t have forced her. She had said she was unwilling, that she’d marry no one but Prince Ning. I thought she was just angry," Prime Minister Zhang weakly spoke while lying in bed, as Gu Shuisheng gently scooped a bowl of thin porridge with a spoon in front of him.

"She was a strong-willed person. Except for conceding to her elder sister, she wouldn’t yield to anyone; least of all to Gu Youyou, whom she had always looked down upon."

Gu Shuisheng paused in his movements and said, "Hasn’t Prince Ning and the Princess long been married? That selection of the concubine was just a facade!"

Prime Minister Zhang gently shook his head and said, "But Shiyu didn’t think so!"

After some thought, he added, "Enough, whether she thought so or not isn’t important. She had long set her eyes on Prince Ning. Whoever became the Princess of Ning was wrong, even if it wasn’t Gu Youyou, it would’ve been someone else."

Zhang Shiyu’s obsession was too deep. Wearing her red wedding dress, she secretly ran out of the residence and killed herself against the rockery at the Ningwang Residence. This incident was a tremendous blow to Prime Minister Zhang. After returning home, he fell ill and took half a month to recover.

With the death of Zhang Shiyu, the marriage between Gu Changsheng and the Zhang Family could no longer proceed.

Gu Shuisheng was transferred to the Ministry of Personnel as an official of moderate rank, obtained his own residence, and was given a salary. After thanking Prime Minister Zhang, he left the Zhang Family.

From then on, the Zhang Family had nothing to do with him. Meeting Prime Minister Zhang again, he would only be an ordinary colleague.

Prime Minister Zhang felt he had failed in teaching his children and, fearing another Zhang Shiyu might appear, decided to take his family, resign, and return to his hometown, far from Beijing.

The Emperor, tossing the resignation letter from Prime Minister Zhang onto the table, rubbed his temple slowly and said, "Beloved Minister Zhang, I know you are heartbroken over losing your beloved daughter, but you also know the court is in dire need of capable people at this time!"

It hadn’t even been a year since the teeth of the Ducal Residence were removed, and the new imperial exam had just concluded. The influx of new blood had just begun and couldn’t really be put to use yet.

This was the reason the Emperor couldn’t let Prime Minister Zhang leave at this time.