Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 488

Gu Yin instructed the maid to close the door, then explained, “It’s nothing serious. Xiao Xu brought the Ge family’s belongings, so I took him to the Ge family’s house, and I encountered the woman from Duke Lu’s Mansion. She has been released by the mansion.”

Gu Ye naturally grasped the situation, saying, “That aunt told you about the Feng family, right? I didn’t want to hide it from you, but with you and my uncle about to get married, I didn’t want these unfortunate matters to overshadow our family’s happy event.”

Gu Ye clarified that if he intended to keep it a secret, he would have asked Feng Yu to send Aunt Jiang far away, not just for her safety but also to avoid any disruptions to their impending joyous occasion.

As he spoke, Gu Ye noticed his mother’s contemplation and hesitated. He inquired, “Do you think I’m not handling things well?”

Gu Yin, having pondered throughout the afternoon, responded, “It’s not that you’re not handling it well, but I can’t say you are. Tell me first, what did you do?”

Gu Ye explained, “I let the Emperor Father overhear a conversation between me and my mother. I wanted him to feel guilty and reject any beauty. First, it would solve the root cause of the hidden dangers. Then, I let the Feng family be ‘busy.'”

He continued, “While the Feng family is from another lineage, they have had extensive dealings with our family. I know a bit about their affairs. That aunt named Chun Xing took advantage of Feng Yu’s father being intoxicated in the paddock and caused trouble. I believe she’s restless and has a lot on her mind. She and the new wife of the Feng family hold a deep-seated hatred for each other, and their relationship is like water and fire. I just needed to drop a hint to instigate their conflict. Chun Xing is weaker, and without the old lady of the Feng family’s assistance, she wouldn’t stand a chance against the new lady. So, the hint must revolve around something the old lady cares about. I thought of the fake pregnancy medicine and fabricated an heir.”

Pausing, he continued, “The internal strife within the Feng family will naturally lead to oversights. Later, the Emperor Father discovered many things, and their family faced repercussions. An important point is that while the Feng family engaged in questionable activities, in the final analysis, they hadn’t committed unforgivable deeds. Their actions were limited to internal family matters with some influence, but not far-reaching. When the time comes, Ah Yu will grow up, become Duke Lu, and take over Duke Lu’s Mansion. The mansion won’t become a stain on Ah Yu’s reputation.”

Observing Gu Yin’s continued silence, Gu Ye expressed uncertainty, “But did I make a mistake?”

Gu Yin shook her head and reassured him, “It’s not wrong; it’s just too right. You calculated every step.”

Despite her words, there was no joy on her face. It was evident that his actions did not bring happiness to her. If it were someone else behaving in such a manner, Gu Ye would have plenty of reasons to argue against it. As he had recently learned from “Three Kingdoms”, he recognized the principle of using soldiers, which was attacking the heart first and the city later.

The Feng family had been a persistent challenge, and he occasionally wished to provoke some disturbance. However, due to Lu Xu and Feng Yu’s presence, any actions had to be measured. So, he used a tactic that didn’t directly harm anyone. With clean hands, he provided an introduction that fueled disputes and conflicts within the Feng family, leading them to lose the motivation to cause trouble.

However, because the person across from him was his mother—a sincere, caring individual who was always good to him—Gu Ye refrained from arguing about these reasons. Instead, he approached her earnestly and said, “How do you feel? No, tell me directly. I’ll change it, okay?”

Gu Yin embraced him and lightly patted his back. Instead of continuing the conversation, she shifted the topic, asking, “What do you think of Aunt Zhu as a person? Isn’t she clever?”

Although Gu Ye didn’t fully comprehend, he followed her lead and responded, “Aunt Zhu is naturally intelligent and capable. Since she joined our restaurant, she has shared a lot of responsibilities with you. The guys and female guests in the restaurant don’t think she’s bad.”

Gu Yin continued, “If she’s so smart and capable, why did she lead such a difficult life? Do you think Aunt Zhu couldn’t come up with countermeasures to fight back?”

Gu Ye furrowed his brow in thoughtful consideration.

Gu Yin waited patiently, and after a while, Gu Ye said, “Because Aunt Zhu cares about Ah Yu, and she doesn’t want to become a person as adept at plotting and scheming as the old lady.”

“Yes,” Gu Yin said with a sigh, and then asked, “Do you think that although this is your first time to deal with the Feng family, it doesn’t seem to be difficult?”

Gu Ye furrowed his brow once again and nodded in understanding.

Gu Yin continued, “If today’s incident had originated from Duke Li’s mother, it wouldn’t have surprised me at all. However, I didn’t expect you to use such a method. As you mentioned, your idea is to address the root cause first and then create turmoil within the Feng family, causing their disarray while preserving the strength of Duke Lu and Ah Yu’s future. It’s the best of both worlds. It’s just that your calculation is too precise. It takes into account everyone’s character and potential actions. It’s your talent and ability to discern people’s hearts, but you’re using that talent to manipulate people’s hearts…”

“Success like this, won’t it be too easy to come by?”

Gu Yin clasped his hand tightly once more, “This time it’s His Majesty, and the next time, it could be someone else. Even if you occupy a high position, you’ll face many people and challenges. Will you choose such a simple and effective method every time? That’s why I say this method is powerful, but it’s also like a double-edged sword. You must have a deep understanding of who to use it against and how to use it. You need to be cautious and handle it with care.”

Gu Ye leaned on her shoulder and spoke in a muffled voice, “I understand what you mean. You’re afraid that I’ll start down this path, indulge in the power of manipulating people’s hearts.”

Imagine if there were someone who, by virtue of their talent, could decipher others’ psyches and then use strategies to exploit their weaknesses, easily steering others to follow their own ideas. It was indeed a frightening prospect.

Gu Ye was taken aback. While he had believed his method was effective before, he never wanted to become that kind of person. If that day came, he feared there would be no true allies around him, only individuals who feared him to the core, resulting in profound loneliness.

“Don’t be afraid of me, mother. I really didn’t think that far. I know I was wrong,” Gu Ye softly took her hand and begged in a low voice.

Gu Yin’s heart nearly melted, and tears welled up in her eyes. “Nonsense, why would I be afraid of you? God sent you to me. You’re so intelligent, capable of learning everything. Once you understand, you comprehend it all at once. I’m just afraid that I didn’t teach you well.”

“How didn’t you teach me well? When others say that I am good, it is you who taught me through your words and deeds. This time, I also claimed that I could handle it myself and do it on my own.” Gu Ye picked up the handkerchief, wiped away her tears first, and then wiped his own. He spoke with determination, “This time, I get it. In the future, I’ll discuss things that happen to us. I’ll also ask you to supervise me all the time, so that I don’t become that kind of terrible person.”