Chapter 275: You’ve Gone Too Far

The world was utterly silent, save for the distant shouts of street vendors.

Gu Qingsong had never thought about this question. When he discovered that Mother Gu and Huaizhi were still alive, Lady Liu’s schemes had erupted all at once, rendering the question irrelevant. As a result, he had never given it any thought.

In previous years, while he had been searching for them, he hadn’t found them, nor had he considered such a scenario.

When she posed the question, Gu Qingsong answered without hesitation: “I would have brought you both to my side. If you couldn’t accept Lady Liu, I would have given her the family property and returned to Great Zhou with you, opening a small shop and living a simple, busy life.”

“At that time, the Liu family held a place of gratitude in my heart. It was my poor judgment and handling of matters. Knowing Lady Liu’s intentions, I failed to act decisively.”

“If I had given them a generous reward from the start, repaying Lady Liu for saving my life, and only stepped in to help later if their lives were in danger or their business faced difficulties, it would have prevented all these mistakes from happening.”

After Liu Mao initially declined his repayment, Gu Qingsong hadn’t taken a firm stance to resolve the matter. Instead, he let it slide. Later, when Liu Mao sent someone to invite him to visit and reminisce after his return to the country, he couldn’t refuse, giving Lady Liu the opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

“Between you and any other woman, I chose you from the very beginning,” Gu Qingsong emphasized. “That has never changed.”

If he had truly chosen Lady Liu, he wouldn’t have avoided touching her all this time.

Two streams of tears rolled down Mother Gu’s face as she choked out, “You are a prince of Xiliang, tasked with safeguarding the peace of its people, bearing great responsibility. If you didn’t have time to come to Great Zhou to find me and our son because of your duty, I can understand. Protecting the nation is a man’s rightful responsibility. Only by ensuring the safety of the larger family can the peace of a smaller family be secured. But…”

“Lady Liu is a wealthy young lady, and given the distance between Xiliang and Great Zhou, you must have had skilled guards by your side, capable of ensuring your safety even if you encountered bandits.

I’ve heard from Wanwan that the one who ambushed you back then was merely a local thug. You could fend him off barehanded on your own, let alone with those guards around.

If they came seeking revenge again, could they really harm you? Wouldn’t that have aligned perfectly with your intentions—reporting them to the authorities, having them arrested, and avenging your family in the process?

Even if we take a step back, if you had entered the village to sort through our belongings, this separation wouldn’t have happened.”

Gu Qingsong felt as though a thousand-pound hammer had struck his chest, leaving him filled with regret that tore at his heart.

“I’m asking you—when did you come to Xinghua Village?”

“The first day of the ninth month.”

“Gu Qingsong, that day is your youngest son’s death anniversary.” Mother Gu’s heart twisted as if it were being cut by knives. The despair from that day came flooding back, overwhelming her completely. She broke into sobs. “You only mentioned that you’ve dealt with Lady Liu. But if her child doesn’t want the two of you to separate, what will you do?”

The word ‘husband and wife’ was enunciated with deliberate emphasis, carrying a tone of bitterness and resentment.

Gu Qingsong remained silent for a long time.

“You don’t know how to decide? Or are you planning to have me raise the child you had with another woman?” Mother Gu’s voice was filled with grief and indignation, laced with true bitterness. “Gu Qingsong, you’ve gone too far!”

If it hadn’t been for Lady Liu, Gu Qingsong would have always been by her side. She wouldn’t have suffered such heartbreak, wouldn’t have exhausted herself searching for him, and their child wouldn’t have died prematurely due to poor care during pregnancy.

Her youngest son was dead, yet Gu Qingsong had devoted himself wholeheartedly to protecting the child of that other woman. He sought medical treatment for him, prayed for him, and even crawled step by step up the hundred-step staircase in devotion. The depth of such fatherly love, so moving to others, was nothing but a cruel irony to her.

Their reunion as husband and wife brought no joy or emotion—only bitterness, pain, and torment.

“Our separation as husband and wife, with all these misunderstandings, only proves that our fate has come to an end,” Mother Gu said, clenching her fists tightly, tears welling in her eyes. “Go back to Xiliang and be the prince you’re meant to be. As for us, just think of me and Huaizhi as no longer alive.”

Gu Qingsong’s expression changed drastically, and he murmured, “Guixiang, this was never my intention. I know there were things I didn’t handle well in the past, but now that I know you’re alive, I’ve resigned from my post and come to Great Zhou. Please, give me a chance.”

Mother Gu wiped away her tears and stared at Gu Qingsong, speaking each word with deliberate clarity: “Give you a chance? Only if my Huaien were still alive.”

Gu Qingsong gripped the carriage curtain tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging as his expression twisted in anguish.

“I held Huaien in my arms, seeking treatment everywhere. The town’s doctor said there was no saving him, but I didn’t believe it. I carried him to the county town, and on the way… he… he was gone.”

“I’m not saying you had to appear before the child passed. But if you had shown up that day, if you had stood before me, I might have forgiven you, perhaps even thanked you.”

“But you didn’t.”

The hardships and struggles of that journey—she had endured them all through gritted teeth.

Her husband was gone, her eldest son was plagued by illness with no hope for his career, and her youngest son, in the eyes of the villagers, was as good as dead. Everyone bullied her, a lone woman, whispering behind her back, mocking her as a bringer of misfortune.

All of that was in the past now.

Her eldest son had become successful, her daughter-in-law was filial, and life had grown better. Each had their own path in life now.

“You don’t need to ruin your future because of me,” Mother Gu said, turning her head away. Her gaze fell on the small table in the carriage, where a pure, flawless white jade cup sat. She calmed her emotions and continued, “Back then, when people came to propose to me, your family was the poorest among them. But you told me that while you had nothing else, you had a heart devoted to me. Whether it was eating coarse grains or savoring rare delicacies, you swore you would never turn to another woman, and if you had ten coins, you would give all ten to me.”

It was because of that one promise that she married him.

Later, when her parents and brothers all perished in a flood, Gu Qingsong took care of everything, handling the funerals single-handedly. He was even more attentive to her afterward, and she believed she had made the right choice. No amount of wealth could compare to having a husband who truly cared for her.

Life was hard, but her heart was full of sweetness.

The Gu Qingsong of today was no longer the man who, when he had ten coins, would give all ten to her.

He hadn’t returned from Xiliang in all these years. While part of it was undoubtedly due to his responsibilities, she refused to believe it wasn’t also because of that “son” of his.

The barrier between them was like a thorn lodged in her heart, making it impossible for her to accept him without reservation.

“Sixteenth, drive the carriage,” Mother Gu said, unwilling to see Gu Qingsong any longer.

Qi Sixteenth snapped the whip, and the carriage sped forward.

Gu Qingsong quickly stepped aside to avoid it.

Inside the carriage, the atmosphere grew heavy and oppressive.

Su Wan looked at Mother Gu, whose eyes were filled with sorrow. She knocked on the carriage wall, signaling Qi Sixteenth to drive back to the Gu residence.

“Wanwan, I must have made a fool of myself in front of you,” Mother Gu said, wiping away her tears, her face etched with bitterness.

“Mother…”

“All these years, I searched for him until I was utterly hopeless. I knew he was gone, but deep down, I still held onto a shred of hope—that one day he would appear before me. But now that he’s really here… I never thought it would have been better if he hadn’t shown up at all.”

Mother Gu tugged at the corners of her mouth, her voice filled with bitterness. “The existence of Lady Liu and that youngest child of his—even though they may not be truly connected to him—still lingers. They lived together for some time, and when I think of how he cared for them so attentively while they were the ones who indirectly caused Huaien’s death, I just can’t forgive him. A woman’s heart can be very small.”