The Events After Widowhood Chapter 4

After the big commotion he caused the first time he returned home, Gabriel never returned to Taining Marquis Mansion again.

He was really too busy. The Jinwu Guard had grown rapidly in recent years under the manipulation of Emperor Alexander. There were many people, many things to do, and the most difficult things to deal with. Even though Gabriel had learned from his grandfather how to reorganize an army of tens of thousands when he was at the frontier, he still felt overwhelmed when he took on the job of commander of the Jinwu Guard.

When he took a break from his work late at night, he would occasionally recall the last time he saw Vivian, but even after drinking a cup of strong tea, the thought seemed like an illusion.

---How could he marry Gabriel?

---That's impossible.

Amidst the busy chores, he still felt as if he had not returned to the capital, and most of the time he forgot that he really had to call that person "sister-in-law".

The subordinates did notice something from the commotion that day, but since Gabriel had no other instructions, they kept what happened that day to themselves.

These past few days have not been peaceful. There have been several storms and snowstorms in the capital, several people have died, and several governments have been raided.

After being busy all night the day before, Gabriel came out of the mass grave outside the city at dawn, covered in blood. As soon as he entered the government office, he received news from the marquis's mansion: Taining Marquis Theodore, his father, asked him to return to the mansion.

At that time, Gabriel had just taken off his cloak and had not yet had time to drink the hot tea in his hand. He was wearing a Yuan-colored robe and looked very sinister. If he met a child, he would probably be frightened for half a month at night.

When the man who came to deliver the letter saw Gabriel in such a state, he knelt down on the cold stone floor with trembling legs, not daring to breathe. He was really afraid that the prince would punish this unfortunate and innocent man like he had demolished the eldest son's mourning hall.

But Gabriel just gently put down the teacup in his hand and nodded: "I understand."

Naturally, the man did not dare to ask Gabriel whether he would reply or not. He just conveyed the message and left quickly.

Gabriel leaned back tiredly on the official hat chair, raised his hand and pinched his eyebrows, and couldn't help thinking: After returning to Beijing, the situation is completely different from when I was at the border.

Although life in the frontier was hard and tiring, the people we met every day were comrades who had risked their lives for each other. Although there were differences in official positions and strict military discipline, when we sat together during rest time, no one treated him as a little general, but as a good brother and a family member.

When he returned to Beijing, he turned into the biggest villain in the world.

The news that he had caused a scene in the mourning hall a few days earlier had spread throughout the streets. Emperor Alexander also knew about it, but he pretended not to know. Seeing his attitude, Gabriel did not do anything to control the rumor.

The Jinwu Guards must have seen this kind of scene many times. After all, which Jinwu Guard commander would not be criticized by thousands of people? However, those who followed him back to Beijing from the border were not very comfortable. Several of them ran to Gabriel and said: "There is obviously another hidden story behind this matter. Why don't you suppress it or talk about it?" A real man has some things to endure and some things not to endure. Not whipping Gabriel's corpse was already a consideration for the brotherly relationship.

After listening to this, Gabriel simply replied: "Those who understand me don't need to say much, as for those who don't understand..."

Speaking of this, he couldn't help but wonder, Vivian, does he understand or not?

Many days have passed, but he still can't give himself an answer. The worry in his heart is growing wildly like the lush grass after a wildfire.

That old fellow Theodore was indeed perceptive this time, but why was he perceptive? It was nothing more than a jade invitation.

When he reached the door, he suddenly thought: Forget it, I'd better take a bath, burn incense, and change clothes before going. The main thing is that the smell is really bad. Although I am a rough man, I now hold an important position and I have to consider my face.

In addition, that person has a weak horoscope, and if he goes with this evil spirit, he might get frightened and have a high fever... Of course, this can only be considered as a good deed.

While bathing, he changed his mind: If he rushed back home so quickly, Theodore and Xu might think that he was afraid of them and that he was a person who could be manipulated by them. How could he do that?

So, after coming out of the bathroom, he sat down at his desk again, suppressing the itching urge in his heart, and worked on his official business for another two hours before he got up and went out again.

The coachman was his trusted confidant, and asked one more question while driving: "Why did the commander think of going to the Marquis' Mansion?" It was a filthy place, and going there would bring bad luck for several days.

Gabriel stretched out his hand close to the small yellow clay stove and replied, "My father has ordered me to return home to listen to his teachings. How can I not come back?"

The reason I came back this time was just to see how long Theodore, the smoker of the opium cream, had left to live, not to check on the condition of Vivian, who was weak and suffering from a cold.

*

Theodore had been waiting in the mansion for a long time. The servant reported that the prince only said "I know" but did not say whether he would come or not.

Knowing the grudge between himself and his second son, and thinking of his current status and position, although Theodore coveted the expensive jade pendant, he also knew that the jade pendant would be useless without the jade charm, but he still did not dare to ask anyone to urge him.

---Although his family was completely broke, if people knew that he, the Marquis of Taining, was still asking his son for food, wouldn't everyone in the capital laugh their heads off?

But what if Gabriel really came?

So even though he had something important to do today, he had no intention of going out. He waited from dawn till noon. The kitchen was ready to serve the meal, and he had lost his temper when the doorman came hurriedly to deliver the message: "The prince has returned home!"

Theodore was about to go to the dining room, but he sat down again after hearing this, coughed lightly, and said, "Let Gabriel come here."

He acted like a complete and useless father.

So, as soon as Gabriel entered the room, he saw Theodore leaning on the back of a chair like an old village landlord. He really looked like the same useless guy now as he did in the past. If there was any difference from the past, it was that with the increase of age and the longer time of smoking opium, Theodore's tall and strong body was no longer there, and the handsome face of his youth could not be seen at all.

Now he was leaning against it in a pretentious manner, as if a piece of dry firewood had been thrown on the rosewood armchair.

Gabriel couldn't help but think: If his mother had seen this back then, would she still have rushed into a flame and quickly passed away?

"Here it comes," Theodore raised his eyelids but did not move.

Gabriel didn't move or say a word. It was obvious that he had no intention of either bowing or calling for help. He just stood there stiffly, staring coldly.

Theodore, who wanted to act like a real father, was sweating profusely. "Someone, bring the tea. Qin'er, you sit down first."

Gabriel lifted his robe and sat down, saying, "Not worthy of it."

The only word that Theodore could say "unworthy" was "Qin'er". From childhood to adulthood, the person who could be called so affectionately died a few days ago, and Gabriel had longed for this nickname when he was a child, so since he didn't get it in the first place, he didn't care about it now.

Before the visitor came back from making tea, Gabriel asked, "Want the jade seal?"

This question really touched Theodore's heart, and he immediately got up from his armchair, "Yes, yes, yes, I'm sure you've heard that the family has not been doing well in recent years, and life has become increasingly difficult. There are many holes waiting to be filled with money."

Theodore grew up in a wealthy family and had all the necessary vision. He estimated that Gabriel's jade pendant was worth at least three thousand gold coins, otherwise he would not have been so anxious about it.

Gabriel's grandfather had made many great achievements in recent years. Not to mention the spoils of war, he had received a lot of rewards. His son and daughter both died before him. Although he also had a grandson in name, sooner or later seven or eight out of ten of the family fortune would be given to this only grandson. The property in Gabriel's hands is now immeasurable.

"A hole?" Gabriel sneered, "Is it the hole caused by Xu's schemes to seize the farm but his inability to manage it well and the continuous losses? Is it the hole caused by Ji Qian's trouble-making and brothel-building when he was still alive? Or is it the hole caused by Xu's subsidies to her parents' family and stealing money to exchange for things? Or is it the hole caused by your debauchery and smoking opium? Forgive me for being frank, but your house has too many holes."

Theodore was a loser in every aspect: he killed his first wife, spoiled his mistress, spoiled his son, and emptied his family property. Gabriel felt that he still had some mercy in what he said.

But Theodore was really uncomfortable to hear these words. In the four sentences, he wanted to lose his temper more than forty times, but a penny can make a hero fall, so he endured it in the end, "Yes, with a big family and a big business, it is inevitable that there will be more troubles."

Gabriel took out a paper envelope from his bosom, threw it lightly on the ground, pointed with his chin, and said, "Come and get it."

At this moment, Theodore was torn between his conscience and his desires. Being humiliated to such an extent by his own son, even though no one saw it now, it was still a huge loss of face. He, Theodore, had been rich and powerful in his life and had rarely suffered such injustice.

Gabriel remained calm and observed Theodore quietly, and could clearly see the desire for money that could not be concealed on Theodore's face.

For some reason, he thought of the time when he almost cut off his classmate's tongue and was expelled from the academy. At that time, his biological mother had passed away, his maternal grandfather was thousands of miles away, and there was not even a single person in the huge capital city who could protect him. In a rage, Theodore brought a whip to the academy, and in front of his colleagues, the whip hit him like raindrops.

Gabriel felt that he was going to die that time. He would definitely die in this scene and become a fierce ghost who hated Theodore just like his mother.

Later, he was saved by the Empress Dowager's handwritten order, which stopped Theodore and settled the matter at the academy.

When Theodore almost beat him to death, did he ever think that this would happen today? If he had thought of it, he would have really beaten him to death. Gabriel thought about it and couldn't help but sneer.

Just this moment of reverie was enough for Theodore to figure out. He squatted down and stretched out his hand towards Yu Yin...

In a flash, the door was pushed open, and Xu came in crying and wailing, covering her face with a handkerchief and shouting loudly: "My Lord, my prince is gone. From now on, the only one I can rely on is you..."

Theodore was stunned and stood up quickly.

Gabriel frowned and stepped on the paper seal.

"Penelope," Theodore rubbed his hands and said awkwardly, "Qin Er is back."

Penelope Xu looked at Gabriel and muttered, "I'm not blind."

Gabriel placed his left hand on the armrest of the chair, looking at his biological father and stepmother in front of him leisurely. Thinking of how Xu had occupied the mansion, taking advantage of others' power and bullying others, he pointed his chin at the ground and said, "Do you want it? Xu has to kneel down to take it."

"You're dreaming!" Penelope was extremely sad and angry, and she started cursing without even thinking!

"Oh?" Gabriel raised his foot, pretending to crush the paper seal.

"No, no, no!" Theodore hurriedly stopped him, "Qin'er, Dad will try to persuade her, please wait a moment."

Theodore pulled Penelope aside and whispered something to her. Gabriel vaguely heard some of them, such as "Don't be stingy with the money", "Who can get three thousand taels by kneeling", "Don't you know the situation at home", "How much did Qin'er's funeral cost", "I think you really don't want me to live".

Anyway, Penelope came back soon, closed her eyes, and knelt down. Her movements were so smooth that it was obvious that she was an expert. Gabriel thought: I guess Xu must have had the same posture when she brought her children to the Marquis' Mansion to beg her mother.

Then...for my mother's sake, I should be more lenient---Gabriel moved his foot away and let Xu take the paper envelope. While the two of them were opening the envelope, he walked to the door.

Theodore and Penelope opened the paper envelope and saw that there was no jade note at all. There was only a silver note for five hundred taels!

Penelope went crazy and started swearing at Gabriel.

Gabriel sneered, "This is to teach you and your wife a lesson. Don't even think about taking anything from the Lin family for yourself! This was how mother's dowry was, and this will also be true for all things in the future!"

*

Helena had been waiting in the Qiufeng Courtyard from before dawn until noon, and finally waited for Vivian to return home, feeling cold.

"Come in and have some hot tea. What are you talking about..." Helena welcomed Vivian in, poured the hot tea and then lighted the brazier.

She watched Gabriel grow up, and she could easily tell that the man in front of her was special to the prince. Otherwise, with the prince's current temperament, why would he specifically ask her to "go and see him when you have time"?

After hearing Gabriel's "casual remark", Helena came to the yard almost every day. She finally saw that the doctor hired by the prince at a high price used bitter medicine soup every day to make the doctor's face a little rosy.

But he went out for a walk this morning, and when he came back, his face was as pale as the first day.

Vivian's skin was pale and his expression was real. He was really feeling very uncomfortable at the moment. There was a strong north wind blowing outside and there was even some snow for a while. He went up the mountain in mourning and his body could not bear it any longer.

He himself understood that after so many years of torture, this dilapidated body was like an old spinning wheel that had not been maintained for a long time. Now the good doctors invited by Gabriel and the good medicines used could only tidy up the surface, but they were ultimately useless.

After forcing himself to finish a bowl of hot tea, Vivian nodded to Zhou's mother and thanked her: "Thank you, mother. It's just that I'm not feeling well and want to lie down and rest. I'm afraid I can't entertain you. Please go back."

"Hey, you take a rest first," Helena stood up, "I'll call the doctor to take a look."

Gabriel had been standing under the window for a while. He came over from the Handan Courtyard and happened to see Vivian entering the courtyard alone. He wanted to say that he was just passing by and would just stand for a while and leave. But when he heard what Zhou's mother said, he could not stand still and got up and pushed open the door.

As soon as the door was opened, the wind and snow rushed in, and Vivian shivered before he could even close the tent.

Gabriel frowned, pushed the door shut, and without waiting for anyone to serve him, he sat down and poured himself a cup of tea, then blew on it gently.

Helena bowed, "The prince is here."

"Don't be so polite, mom." Gabriel used his free left hand to support Helena's elbow and help her up.

Vivian sat on the bed without moving, but when he saw Gabriel's movements, he was in a trance for a moment: Adrian has always been very sincere to the people around him...

He was unsure whether he should stand up and salute. In terms of seniority, he deserved Gabriel's "sister-in-law", but in terms of status, he was just a ba5tard's widow and was afraid that he was not even worthy of carrying shoes for a super-first-rank commander.

Looking up again, Vivian exclaimed: "That teacup is..."