Gu Heng knew things had taken a bad turn and stepped back quickly.
At that moment, Ziyun and Qin Momo were still packing in the side room, and Ah Zheng was in the neighboring courtyard. No one could help her in time.
Qin Rou stood to the side, glaring at her with venomous eyes. Her voice was dripping with malice. “Husband, you really raised a fine dog!”
“All these years, we didn’t realize this girl had such skill. She clearly hated us all along but pretended to bear it — just waiting to bite us in front of Chen Junshou.”
Gu Yue had been terrified when she first returned to the manor, thinking her father would follow through on his threats. But when she was met only with medicinal ointment, she knew Gu Heng was finished.
Now, seeing Gu Heng retreat in fear, Gu Yue felt immense satisfaction.
“Yes, Father, it’s all because of Gu Heng! She’s ruined my reputation! What if no one will marry me now?”
Her words hit Gu Changfan right in his sore spot.
To him, sons were for continuing the family line, while daughters were just tools for political marriage.
Gu Yue, his legitimate daughter, was meant to marry into a powerful family.
And although Gu Heng wasn’t his biological child, she was beautiful and thus had some value — which was why he was willing to raise her.
But now, Gu Heng had accused Gu Yue of murder in front of the entire county. No decent family would ever consider her for marriage. All his efforts over the years had gone to waste.
He roared, “Bring the family rod! Today, I will teach this unfilial daughter a lesson she’ll never forget!”
A servant immediately stepped forward, respectfully offering a whip.
Seeing this, the last shred of warmth Gu Heng had toward Gu Changfan vanished completely.
Her eyes turned red, her voice hoarse as she questioned, “Father, I’ve called you that for so many years. Is there really not even a bit of affection between us?”
Gu Changfan sneered. “Affection? If you cared about me, about this family, you would never have said those things today. Now everyone is condemning your mother and sister — and me, saying our family is immoral. Even Chen Junsou is dissatisfied with me. It looks like my official career is finished!”
The more he spoke, the more agitated he became. The veins on his neck bulged with rage. “You’ve destroyed everything I had, and you dare ask if there’s still affection between us?!”
With that, he cracked the whip on the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.
“Today, I will discipline you properly. Beating you to death would not be unjust!”
At that moment, just as the whip was about to strike, Ziyun rushed out from the side room and — enduring the pain — caught the whip with her bare hands!
“My lord, please! Spare the young miss! She’s been frail since birth, and when Yiniang was alive, you both cherished her so much! Have you forgotten?”
Seeing the sincerity in Ziyun’s eyes, Gu Changfan hesitated.
Back when Fu’er was still alive, the three of them had shared warm memories. Though Gu Heng wasn’t his real daughter, he had watched her grow up from the age of one — from a tiny infant to the young lady she was now.
Those once-beautiful times still seemed vividly etched in his mind—now, in this moment, they all replayed before his eyes.
At that moment, Qin Momo also rushed over, falling to her knees and pleading bitterly, “Do you still remember five years ago? You caught a cold and ran a high fever, and Fu Yiniang watched over you night after night until she fell ill herself. When she couldn’t hold on any longer, it was Second Miss who took over your care. She was still so young then, yet she never once complained. Have you forgotten all of that?”
Seeing the wavering expression on Gu Changfan’s face deepen, Qin Rou sensed things were going awry and snapped sternly, “You two insolent servants—do you think this is a place where you’re allowed to speak? If not for your exaggerated gossip on that stage today, none of this would’ve happened!”
Just a few short sentences were enough to drag Gu Changfan out of his memories and back into the present.
Yes, he remembered all of that.
But now that Fu’er was dead, all that warmth and tenderness had scattered with her.
Originally, Fu’er’s death could have been treated as an accident, and they could’ve moved on. If Heng’er had been tactful and pretended not to know, life could have gone on as before.
But she had stubbornly torn away the veil, exposing everything. From the moment she made that choice, she ceased to be his daughter!
Thinking of this, Gu Changfan forcefully yanked back the whip, his eyes turning cold, and swung it down with all his strength!
Crack!
A harsh whistle split the air, and the next second, Gu Heng felt a searing pain.
She instinctively furrowed her brow and let out a hiss, “Tss—”
“Second Miss! No!”
Ziyun and Qin Momo, seeing this, tried to rush forward to block the whip, but were kicked aside by Gu Changfan, unable to even get up.
“You lowly slaves, get out of my sight! I’ll deal with you two after I’ve finished with her—just wait!”
At that moment, Gu Heng gritted her teeth and endured the pain, stubbornly looking straight at Gu Changfan. “Father, this will be the last time I call you that. From now on, our bond as father and daughter is severed. We are strangers.”
Hearing this, Gu Changfan let out a cold laugh. “At this point, do you still think words like that can threaten me? You’ve been entered into the Gu family’s ancestral records. Even if we share no blood, you are still my daughter. A father disciplining his daughter—what could be more proper?”
With that, he lashed the whip down again, drawing a bloody welt on Gu Heng’s body. “Take your beating obediently today. In a few days, you’ll be married off. I’ve already chosen your husband—the wealthiest man in the neighboring county, the Wang family patriarch. He needs a second wife, and you’ll be sent to him.”
Upon hearing this, Qin Momo was utterly shocked.
“My lord, please reconsider! That Wang patriarch is already sixty years old and has had over ten wives—all of whom died miserably. How could you be so heartless?”
Gu Yue was thrilled by this. “A daughter’s marriage is arranged by her parents and matchmakers. Who she marries is, of course, up to Father.”
This little sl*t had ruined her reputation today—this outcome was exactly what she deserved.
It was said that the Wang man not only had inhuman preferences in bed, but he also took pleasure in torturing beautiful women. Someone like Gu Heng would suffer terribly after marrying into that household.
After several lashes, Gu Heng’s body was already covered in blood.
The weather was cold, and though she wore many layers, the force of the whip easily tore through them—those clothes offered no protection.
Gu Changfan wanted to force her to kneel, but she refused. She stood straight, refusing to bend even a little.
“Lord Gu, I am indeed grateful for your years of raising me, but with these lashes, I owe you nothing more. As for marriage—I will never marry. If you try to force me, the only thing the Wang family will receive is a corpse.”
These words ignited even more fury in Gu Changfan. “You still dare talk back? Still so defiant!”
“Who is being defiant now? Everyone here can see it clearly!”
Thoroughly enraged by Gu Heng’s words, Gu Changfan truly meant to beat her to death this time. He raised the whip high, preparing to strike down hard.
If that blow landed, Gu Heng would be either dead or crippled.
Just at that critical moment, the front gate suddenly swung open.
Ah Zheng had just packed up his belongings and happily pushed open the door, ready to leave with her and start a new life together.
But what he saw was Gu Heng surrounded by a group, her so-called father whipping her until she was covered in blood!
At that instant, he could no longer hold back. He rushed forward, kicked Gu Changfan to the ground, and snatched the whip away.
“You beast! A father beating his own daughter—you’re not even fit to live!”
Before Gu Changfan could speak, Ah Zheng punched him square in the face.
The moment he struck, the entire courtyard erupted in screams of terror, descending into chaos.
Qin Rou and Gu Yue were dumbfounded, frozen in place.
In all these years, they had never seen Ah Zheng like this. The aura radiating from him was like a wild beast unchained.
At that moment, Gu Changfan felt complete despair.
Ah Zheng’s punch was brutal—his teeth loosened, blood and broken molars spat out of his mouth.
“Shen Zhengyu! You dare hit me?!”
But Ah Zheng was almost out of control now, punching again and again.
Seeing his frenzied state, Gu Changfan was truly afraid.
This boy was terrifying.
The Shen family had only moved away three or five years ago, and in that short time, this once-delicate scholar had transformed into a killing god.
Who knew where he learned such deadly skills—every move was aimed to kill.
Gu Changfan couldn’t fight back. All he could do was lie there and take the beating. In desperation, he shouted for help, “Rou’er, Yue’er! Save me! Help me!”
Hearing this, Qin Rou and Gu Yue finally came to their senses.
Seeing Gu Changfan covered in blood, they panicked.
Gu Yue rushed forward, trying to grab Ah Zheng’s arm to stop him, but couldn’t even budge him. He flung her aside—her head hit the ground, and she couldn’t get up for a while.
Before, when Gu Changfan was being beaten, Qin Rou hesitated.
But now, seeing Gu Yue hit, blood dripping from her forehead, she could no longer hold back.
Gritting her teeth, she pulled a dagger from her robe.
The blade gleamed coldly, deadly sharp.
But Ah Zheng was so focused on beating Gu Changfan, he didn’t notice what was happening behind him.
Just as Qin Rou lunged forward, Gu Heng shouted in alarm, “Ah Zheng! Dodge!”
Hearing her voice snapped Ah Zheng out of his frenzy—he shifted to the side just in time.
Qin Rou missed her mark and fell to the ground.
Gu Changfan also took advantage of this moment to crawl a few steps away, escaping from under Ah Zheng.
Seeing a new chance, Qin Rou scrambled up again and charged at Ah Zheng with the dagger, her expression utterly crazed.
“Shen Zhengyu! If you’re so h*ll-bent on protecting that little sl*t, then you can die with her! Go to h*ll together!”
