Chapter 786: Not Promised to Sell to You

Wang Jinhe found the village chief’s subtle actions amusing, making her seem like a ferocious beast in a flood.

Gu Jing dared not continue discussing matters with Wang Jinhe and instead turned to the village chief beside her, stating, “I came here today to buy this piece of land. I have already discussed this with the village chief. It seems the royal consort’s trip might have been in vain.”

The sarcastic tone didn’t faze Wang Jinhe at all. She simply looked at the village chief and asked, “Did you agree to sell the land to her?”

The village chief hurriedly shook his head, “No, I never promised to sell the land to you.”

Even if there was an agreement, he would still deny it.

The princess appeared much more agreeable than this lady.

While the princess maintained a calm demeanor, this lady seemed hysterical.

Clearly, it was their own fault, so how could they have the audacity to claim that the princess had taken their child?

Even if they didn’t know the princess personally, they were aware she had two sons and a daughter. With her having a complete family, why would she covet just one child?

“You… You didn’t say that before,” Gu Jing fumed, taken aback by the village chief’s unexpected words.

The village chief, frowning, responded, “Madam, please clarify. What do you mean by ‘you didn’t say that before’?”

“It’s you who lied and didn’t tell me that you abandoned your child. “You were the one who deceived me and used me as a target. Why should I sell the land to you?” The village chief’s response was straightforward and unapologetic.

Gu Jing’s expression soured as she turned to look at Wang Jinhe.

The village chief must have learned about these matters from Wang Jinhe during their conversation.

“You’re quite something, tarnishing my reputation like this,” Gu Jing gritted her teeth.

“Do you even have a reputation in the capital, Gu Jing? Doesn’t everyone in the city already know about your ambitions and selling your child for glory?” The trade between Gu Jing and Su Yu had ceased to be a secret by the end of last year.

Many were aware of the situation, except Gu Jing, who remained in denial.

“Gu Jing, I’ve told you before, once you’ve made a choice, don’t regret it. How presentable do you look now? And do you think you have the right to compete with me?” Wang Jinhe’s words pierced Gu Jing’s heart like a needle.

As a mere commoner, how could she possibly vie with the reigning royal consort?

With the village chief now siding with Wang Jinhe, Gu Jing found herself in an uncomfortable position just thinking about it.

“I have high hopes for this piece of land; hand it over to me,” Gu Jing asserted confidently.

One statement prompted Wang Jinhe to scrutinize Gu Jing from head to toe. “What is your face made of? It seems incredibly thick,” she remarked.

“Wang Jinhe, you…”

“Madam. Zhang, are you asking for a beating?” Before Gu Jing could finish her sentence, Yuan Bao, standing nearby, interjected with a menacing tone.

Gu Jing trembled with anger, glaring at Wang Jinhe, gritting her teeth, “The person by your side is certainly a loyal lapdog of yours.”

Ignoring Gu Jing’s outburst, Wang Jinhe was unfazed. They knew Yuan Bao’s position in their household, and that was sufficient; there was no need for further discussion with such individuals.

However, witnessing their family member being humiliated in such a manner left Wang Jinhe feeling uneasy, prompting a sense of discomfort within her.

“Yuan Bao, she was insulting you. You might want to address that,” Wang Jinhe remarked calmly, as if the situation held little importance to her.

“Thank you, Madam.”

Yuan Bao approached Gu Jing and, under her furious gaze, raised his hand and delivered two resounding slaps to Gu Jing’s face.

“These slaps are from me. You can go and tell Zhang Qin or Old Master Gu about this incident and see if they dare to come and confront me,” Yuan Bao stated boldly.

Gu Jing trembled with anger at Yuan Bao’s audacious words.

How could a mere servant dare to speak to her in such a manner?

“Yuan Bao, your just a mere servant…”

“Even if Yuan Bao is a servant, he is a servant of my Yu Royal Mansion and a lifesaver to my husband. His status in the  Royal Mansion and with the Su family is no different from that of a young master. Anyone who dares to insult him should be prepared to face the consequences. Isn’t this simple principle clear to Madam Zhang?” Wang Jinhe’s tone was firm and unwavering.

For the first time, Gu Jing carefully observed Wang Jinhe, noticing a significant change in her demeanor. This was a side of Wang Jinhe she had never seen before.

This incident led Gu Jing to question the decisions she had made. Ultimately, the outcome showed her that her actions were wrong.

Even if she couldn’t send her child to the Yu Mansion, maintain ties with the Yu Mansion, and even with severed relationship with Xiao Zhi, she was still his biological mother.

In the future, if she wanted Xiao Zhi to do something for her second child, if he refuse, he can be accused of being unfilial. But now, she had nothing.

She realized that even if she spoke up, she would face ridicule. After all, everyone now knew that Xiao Zhi was a child of the Yu Mansion, and their family had become completely irrelevant.

Gu Jing suddenly understood why Su Yu insisted on cutting ties with them. It was because there was a trap waiting for them here.

By severing ties and being removed from the family’s genealogy, she would no longer be able to rely on filial piety to assert her position or even speak of it. If she mentioned it, people would only say that she brought it upon herself.

A perfectly good son she rejected—what connection did she have with him now?

“So, this was your plan.”

Wang Jinhe looked at Gu Jing with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “It seems you’ve realized and perhaps regretted your actions, but regret now serves no purpose. Xiao Zhi is now the young master of our Yu Mansion. No matter how unwilling you are, you cannot change this fact. It’s truly a pity.”

Gu Jing stared at Wang Jinhe, realizing she was right. No amount of regret could alter the reality—Xiao Zhi belonged to the Su family, not theirs.

“Gu Jing, I refrained from confronting you when you went to see Xiao Zhi before. However, if you dare to harass him again from now on, we will handle it according to the rules. For now, I won’t continue to intervene on Xiao’s Zhi’s behalf.  Although someone like you truly doesn’t deserve it,” Wang Jinhe’s tone was firm. Previously, she had been sentimental towards Gu Jing due to their past, but this incident made her see the harsh truth.

“Thank you, Gu Jing, for helping me see reality clearly,” Wang Jinhe concluded, looking directly at Gu Jing.

Gu Jing, pale-faced, gazed at Wang Jinhe, wanting to speak but finding her throat constricted, rendering her unable to utter a word.

She realized they had known all along but chose not to reveal it.

“Gu Jing, take care of yourself. Xiao Zhi is not someone you can harm at will. If you intend to harm him, you’ll have to see if Su Yu and I agree.” Xuan Feiran also held high hopes for Xiao Zhi now and looked forward to his participation in the upcoming exams to assist in court affairs.

If Gu Jing ruined Xiao Zhi, even the Emperor wouldn’t  let it slide. After all, Xiao Zhi was destined to support the Crown Prince in the future.

Gu Jing, feeling defeated, turned away without looking at Wang Jinhe’s expression.