Chapter 730: Chapter 730: Not Looking Good

Early the next morning, upon waking up, the chubby one first went to observe Wang Zichuan’s expression.

"Big Brother, did you not sleep all night?"

Wang Zichuan, with dark black circles under his eyes, stared blankly at the beam of light streaming through the narrow window on the high wall.

"Yes, the words of Young Master Nantang opened my mind, and the words of Mr. Songshan contained much mystery. Yet, I couldn’t figure it out, always feeling that if I pondered further, I would understand. So, I’ve been thinking all night."

The chubby one returned to his spot, whispering to the person beside him, "Oh no, oh no, Big Brother has fallen into the trap of those two demon scholars. What will we do now?"

The person beside him turned over, "Being in a cell, waiting for the last meal before execution, and you’re still thinking of the future? I think you’re just worrying unnecessarily."

The chubby one got anxious, "How can you not understand? We still have brothers outside. Whether they come to break us out of prison or at the execution ground, I hold onto hope. Even if that fails, in eighteen years, I’d still be a hero.

But with Big Brother like this, as if enchanted by mountain spirits and wild creatures, how can I not worry?"

Beside him, the person couldn’t help but laugh mockingly.

"You’re big and plump, apart from eating, drinking, and fighting, have you accomplished anything? Seeing you worry just makes people laugh. Stop dreaming, save your energy."

"You look down on me?" The chubby one got angry, "Come, let’s fight. If I lose, I’ll call you Grandpa, but if you lose, swallow back your words."

"Who’s afraid of whom?"

The two were about to fight.

Brothers watching from the sidelines egged them on, not finding it troublesome.

"Don’t back down!"

"A real man fights ten rounds."

For a moment, they forgot the mysterious Big Brother and their situation in prison, laughing carefree like those idle wanderers in fields and alleys without a penny.

Wang Zichuan also turned his head to watch.

Seeing their Big Brother watching, they got even more enthusiastic, setting up a stance ready to fight.

"What are you doing? What are you doing!"

The jailer came over, the water and fire stick in his hand heavily hitting the bars, making a banging sound.

The two quickly let go of their stance and squatted down on the spot.

The crowd gathered around dispersed, sitting or lying down, as if nothing had happened.

The jailer shouted, "Behave, being hit with the water and fire stick is tough to bear. Just yesterday, someone took twenty hits, don’t think just because it’s autumn and cool that it’s alright, without proper care it can still fester and rot."

Everyone fell silent.

Seeing it was Xue Laoer, Wang Zichuan spoke up, "Second Brother Xue, the brothers don’t know the rules, please bear with us. I’ll treat you to tea later."

Xue Laoer’s expression softened a lot, and he nodded, "Later the prison chief will come to transfer prisoners, passing by here, if he sees this chaos, won’t it cause trouble?"

Wang Zichuan said, "Thank you, thank you, but since entering prison, all our silver taels are gone, we can’t properly thank you today, but we will in the future."

Only then did Xue Laoer leave.

Soon, the rapid sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor.

The crowd didn’t move, their eyes fixed on the bars, watching several people being dragged by jailers, their middle clothes covered in whip marks and bloodstains.

Wang Zichuan stared intently at one of them.

He recognized this person, having seen them not long ago.

That person also saw him.

Their gazes crossed, and in that instant, they recognized each other.

In that fleeting moment, Wang Zichuan read the shock, despair, and desolation in those eyes.

They saw each other here.

And realized it was over, all over, completely over.

Once again, silence fell in the prison until sound returned.

"Fate is high and hard to question," Wang Zichuan suddenly understood, "King Jin, King Jin is truly finished," he suddenly stood up and shouted, "Xue Laoer, Second Brother Xue, I need to see Mr. Songshan and Young Master Nantang urgently."

"It’s over, it’s over," the chubby one lamented, "Big Brother is truly finished, bewitched by those two scholars. It’s only been so short, and he’s so restless already."

...

Qin Yuan was with Old Madam Gu in the upper room, talking, and Gu Baoshu also didn’t go out, joining in for fun.

The aunt and sister-in-law duo coaxed Old Madam Gu into a happy mood.

Mentioning the White Crane Academy, Old Madam Gu asked, "Who did your brother arrange to accompany you?"

Gu Baoshu proudly said, "Gu Shiliu!"

Old Madam Gu asked again, "Just him?"

Gu Baoshu widened her eyes, "Mother, Gu Shiliu alone is enough."

"How can that be!" Old Madam Gu heavily tapped her cane, displeased, "How can your third brother bear to leave you alone at the academy unguarded? Even if the Mountain Master is Mr. Songshan’s friend, there are still places he can’t look after."

Gu Baoshu said, "Gu Shiliu alone is worth ten people, with him by my side, what is there to worry about, Mother?"

"What?" Old Madam Gu was taken aback and asked, "Did your brother give Gu Shiliu to you?"

Gu Baoshu was full of pride, "Third Brother agreed to it himself, a promise is like a nail, he can’t go back on it."

"And Shiliu agreed to this?" Old Madam Gu dissented, "I heard Shiliu is about to marry Hong Ye, taking him to the White Crane Academy, won’t the young couple be separated for two years? And you’re leaving soon, does Shiliu have to wait until you return home for the New Year to marry Hong Ye?"

Gu Baoshu was at a loss.

"What’s wrong, Mother? Weren’t you worried about me before?"

Old Madam Gu said, "Mother thinks you’re thoughtless, your third brother gave you Shiliu and you shouldn’t accept!"

"Mother, how can you say that?" Gu Baoshu was upset, "Do you care for me or not?"

Old Madam Gu was also displeased.

"If I didn’t care, you wouldn’t have been raised like this?"

Gu Baoshu turned to Qin Yuan, pleading, "Good Sister-in-law, see how unreasonable Mother is?"

Knowing the truth, Qin Yuan couldn’t say anything, muttering a few words aimlessly and worrying about how to excuse herself when a young maid came in to report, "Madam, Gu Shiliu is outside, saying by order of the Marquis, he requests Madam and Mr. Songshan to meet the scholar named Wang once again."

"I want to go too," Gu Baoshu immediately said, "Sister-in-law, I’ll go with you."

"Stop meddling, what for," Old Madam Gu quickly stopped her, "Your sister-in-law is clearly going on serious business."

Old Madam Gu was really troubled.

This child has no sense of timing at all.

What will become of her in the future!

Qin Yuan hurriedly got up to take her leave.

Leaving Gu Baoshu with her lips pouting high, sitting in the chair, covering her ears, indicating she did not want to talk with her mother.

Old Madam Gu ignored her.

Nanny Rong rushed in with a somewhat strange expression.

"Old Madam, someone from Duke Zhen’s Mansion has come with a message, Housekeeper Han had a nanny from the secondary gate send the message in, saying that the Old Duke’s wife isn’t doing well and asks Old Madam, out of years of friendship, to talk with her."

Old Madam Gu was quite surprised, "Not doing well? Last time I met the eldest daughter-in-law of the You Family, she said she wasn’t well enough to attend the palace banquet, and I thought it was perhaps out of shame for not attending the birthday feast. It turns out she’s really not doing well."

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