Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 906: They’re Actually Official Young Masters
Gu Chengli saw that Granny Gu ignored him and kept crying to her for help.
Magistrate Gu couldn’t bear to watch any longer, and quickly ordered the forensic doctor to save people.
Although the forensic doctor was not a doctor, he knew a little about medical skills, so he also sent a government official to call for a doctor, as Elder Gu couldn’t be left to die in the public court.
Upon hearing this, the official immediately ran to fetch a doctor, but before he could leave the courtroom, Lord Lai suddenly collapsed to the ground with a thud.
"My lord, my lord!" Lawyer Wu and others were extremely anxious and quickly told the official, "Go to Qingshan Medical Hall to get Doctor Xiao, Lord Lai has fainted!"
The official looked at Magistrate Gu, who nodded and said, "Go get Doctor Xiao."
Lai Zhi is a fifth-rank official and must hold on until the Imperial Court of Judicial Review can reconvict him, otherwise, I myself, as a magistrate, would be embroiled in scandal.
"Alright." The official responded and dashed off.
Granny Gu, upon seeing Lord Lai fainting, became teary-eyed and cried, "Zhi, lang!"
Magistrate Gu wanted to facepalm, thinking how loving and close they seemed.
The case of Granny Gu and Lord Lai plotting against Yuan Jiaman hadn’t been concluded, and the courtroom couldn’t be left in such chaos, so Magistrate Gu said, "Lawyer Wu, take Lord Lai behind the screen to the soft bed, lying here is unsightly to watch."
Lawyer Wu, being a shrewd person, realized that the evidence against Lord Lai for plotting against Yuan Jiaman was solid. Opposing Magistrate Gu would be seeking death for himself, so he quickly called the servants of the Lai Family to carry Lord Lai back to the soft bed behind the screen.
He took advantage of the chaos to exit through the back office, leaving through the back gate of the office, heading straight for the Tong Vice Magistrate, packing up his belongings and leaving before the government officers sealed the Vice Magistrate’s place, after which he wouldn’t be able to leave.
Lady Lai, seeing Lawyer Wu run away, said nothing, merely sneered, as such a rat, seeing his master in trouble, naturally chose to flee as the best option.
Soon thereafter, the forensic doctor managed to stop Elder Gu’s convulsions, but couldn’t wake him up: "My lord, it takes a doctor skilled in acupuncture to wake him."
Magistrate Gu didn’t care about Elder Gu, and upon hearing this, said, "Someone, carry Gu Shengxiang behind the screen as well."
"Mmm-mmm, no, worthy!" Granny Gu was anxious; how could Lao Liu, a mere peasant, be worthy of staying with the young master? Lao Liu should just be thrown out onto the street to fend for himself.
The onlookers were shocked upon hearing this, and some accused Granny Gu, "Granny Gu, Elder Gu is your husband, how could you say such a thing?"
Granny Gu simply ignored them, insisting to Magistrate Gu, "I, also... go!"
She wanted to see Lord Lai, but it was a mere dream.
"Your case hasn’t been finished yet, stay put." Magistrate Gu looked at the court’s clerk, and said, "Is the confession recorded? Have Gu Pan sign it, remember to include her original name, Liu Shiliu."
"Yes." The clerk took the confession for Granny Gu to sign.
"Injustice, grievance!" Granny Gu, shameless as she was, dared still to cry injustice.
The clerk paid her no heed and simply forced her hand to make a handprint.
Seeing this, Granny Gu wept bitterly, not for herself but for Lord Lai, knowing that this signature, unlike the plot against Mrs. Fei, would lead to his death.
She glared angrily at Lady Lai, cursing her, "Wretched, woman... harming, Zhi, lang!"
Lady Lai did not even cast a glance at Granny Gu, finding her not worth the trouble of speaking.
Granny Gu felt offended; how dare Mrs. Lai Tao, this successor, look down on her? What right had she? After all, she had borne two sons for Zhi, lang!
Faced with Granny Gu’s outrage, Lady Lai merely said to Magistrate Gu, "My lord, Lai Zhi has committed many evils and indirectly caused my son’s death out of cowardice. I am truly ashamed to remain with him, and I beseech you to adjudicate a divorce."
She continued, "The Lai Family has scattered due to fleeing famine, and Lai Zhi is the Clan Chief of Lai while I am of a high seniority. A divorce needn’t go through the Lai clan."
As for her family, they would gladly see her divorce Lai Zhi, since the Tao Family wanted an official son-in-law to elevate their status, not a criminal.
Lady Lai had done Magistrate Gu a great favor today; without her bringing witnesses, Magistrate Gu figured he would have been counter-sued by Lord Lai.
Magistrate Gu, mindful of this favor, readily agreed, "According to Great Chu Criminal Law, a woman may divorce her criminal husband; since Lady Lai doesn’t wish to remain with a criminal, this court will naturally grant the divorce."
Lady Lai heard this and handed the pre-written divorce paper to a nearby official.
The official took it to Magistrate Gu, who, along with Judge Tang, reviewed it before stamping it with the trial court’s seal.
This rapid divorce left the onlookers stunned, with some remarking, "Lady Lai, as soon as Lord Lai gets into trouble, you divorce him, isn’t that quite heartless for a couple married for so many years?"
"Yes indeed, shouldn’t you wait until Lord Lai awakens before divorcing?"
Someone else said, "Ha, these intermittent couples are no better than Lady Gu was to Lord Lai."
Faced with such accusations, Lady Lai simply retorted coldly, "If your husband killed your children, would you still stay with him? I have already been benevolent and righteous to Lai Zhi."
Having said this, she ignored these people and, supported by her maid Yao Huang, left with Lai Xiangxiang and Lai Pipa.
Before departing, Lai Pipa glanced back at Granny Gu, as though wanting to say something, but in the end, she said nothing and followed Lady Lai out.
The two sisters had been working for the Lai family since they were a few years old, spending most of their time serving their masters, with familial ties long waning. Separated since their teens and living far apart for over forty years, any remaining feelings had faded long ago.
After Lady Lai left, Doctor Xiao arrived with the attendant and, after examining Lord Lai, said, "Lord Lai is in decent health and won’t suffer anything major, just mustn’t faint again, otherwise he might be in danger."
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Gu pondered for a moment before saying, "Please, Doctor Xiao, perform a round of acupuncture on Lord Lai to let him sleep for a day before considering further."
Doctor Xiao complied, performed acupuncture on Lord Lai to blush his blood and calm him, and then gave him another needle to put him to sleep, before turning to treat Elder Gu.
Elder Gu was in a worse state; he had a stroke, and Doctor Xiao took two hours to finally wake him.
Upon waking, his mouth was twisted, and he mumbled, "Dashan...my son..."
He actually began calling for Gu Dashan, asking Gu Chengli to find Gu Dashan, saying he wished for Gu Dashan’s forgiveness and wanted to live with him and his family, enjoying familial bliss.
Doctor Xiao was speechless, reminding Elder Gu, "Everybody in Prefecture knows your family cut ties with Gu Dashan’s family, and you even helped Granny Gu kill Gu Dashan’s mother; how can you still have the face to seek him?"
Today was Little Xiao Yu’s coming of age, and the last thing needed was Elder Gu creating chaos.
Doctor Xiao knew Gu Jinli and, fearing Elder Gu making trouble, put him to sleep with a needle.
Magistrate Gu, also disinterested in dealing with Elder Gu, saw him faint and ordered two officials to carry him back to Moxiang Street residence, with Gu Chengli following, without a hint of indecision.
As for Lord Lai and Granny Gu’s issues, word had already spread to Moxiang Street’s residence, and the entire Old Gu Family was in an uproar.
Gu Dagu and others were overjoyed beyond measure, not expecting that they were still an official’s son and daughter.
They thought they should quickly acknowledge their real father, as he was an official, after all.
