The Return of the King: A Generation of Prodigies

"It doesn't matter. His son is still young, and my fourth aunt is also indecisive."

"Now that they are gone, as long as we give them more money to appease them, they won't cause any trouble."

Gong Jianzhou naturally knew what Shen Tingzhi was worried about, and he was still capable of solving these problems.

"You should be careful, after all, no matter how young your son is, he will eventually grow up. If he makes trouble again when he grows up, that would be a real problem."

Wolves are scary, but wolf cubs are scarier than wolves. If wolf cubs grow up, they will be more ferocious than old wolves.

"Well, I know, I will take care of it." Gong Jianzhou nodded and said to Shen Tingzhi: "Tingzhi, I'm going back."

"Okay, if you need anything, send someone over and let me know."

The Duke of Tang's Mansion is now in the spotlight, and Shen Tingzhi cannot participate, lest he be criticized. However, he cannot do it openly, but he can do it secretly.

As long as you don't do it openly, no one can interfere with what you do in secret. Even if someone finds out, it doesn't matter.

"Well, okay." Gong Jianzhou left in a hurry and returned to Duke Tang's Mansion.

At this time, the Duke of Tang's Mansion was shrouded in dark clouds.

As soon as the angel announcing the decree left, everyone in the palace knew that Gong Chenghai's title of Duke of Tang had been revoked because of Gong Chengyu's crime of colluding with the Western Rong people and treasonous behavior.

Seeing Gong Jianzhou coming back, Second Aunt Liu came over to greet him, "Young Master, you're back."

Liu was a good person to begin with, and she had lived in the inner house all year round, so it was inevitable that she had a weak temper and would panic and get scared when encountering problems.

"Second Mother, it's okay." Gong Jianzhou smiled at Liu and said to her soothingly, "You and Third Mother take your two sisters to pack your things first. When you're done, I'll take you all away."

After getting Gong Jianzhou's promise, Liu's panicked heart was soothed and she calmed down.

"Okay, I'll go back and pack up." Liu turned and was about to leave when Gong Jianzhou called her back, "Second Mother, where's my father?"

"The Duke, oh, no, it's the Master. The Master just came back with the angel who announced the decree."

"After receiving the order, he lay down in the room and gave instructions not to see anyone."

Mrs. Liu looked at Gong Jianzhou with some concern and said, "The master is in a bad mood right now, so the eldest son should not seek bad luck."

Ever since the engagement was broken off, Liu had witnessed with her own eyes how the father and son had been fighting over the years.

Liu was not afraid that Gong Chenghai would be angry, she was afraid that Gong Jianzhou would be wronged.

Although their identities are different, Liu has always treated the brothers Gong Jianzhou and Gong Jianzhi as her own children over the years.

How can I not love my own child?

Watching Gong Jianzhou being wronged over the years, and turning a good child who was ambitious, hardworking and studious into a listless and unmotivated child, Liu felt not only pain in her heart, but also hatred.

I hate Gong Chenghai for being cowardly and incompetent, and I also hate Gong Chenghai for being ruthless and ungrateful. In his eyes, he only cares about fame, wealth and status, and has no love for his child at all.

"Nothing." Gong Jianzhou smiled at Liu and said, "Don't worry, Second Mother. I'll go see him today, and he won't lose his temper with me."

Gong Jianzhou naturally knew what Liu was worried about, but things were different now.

Not to mention that he now has the title of Earl of Changyuan, even if he didn't have the title of Earl of Changyuan, his father wouldn't do anything to him.

"Second Mother, call the housekeeper over later. You, Third Mother, and the housekeeper, the three of you should sort out the accounts and financial matters of the mansion."

"We need to get rid of all the people who need to be dismissed from the mansion. In the future, there will be no Duke Tang's mansion, and we won't be able to support so many people."

"Divide your belongings with them, and we can part ways amicably."

"Young Master..." Before Liu could finish her words, Gong Jianzhou stopped her, "This is also what my father wanted. Second Mother, just do as you are told."

"Okay, got it. I'll send someone to call the butler."

Ever since Gong Jianzhou's mother passed away, the household affairs of the mansion have been managed by the second concubine Liu, the third concubine Hui, and the housekeeper Old Wu.

After explaining everything to Liu, Gong Jianzhou strode to Gong Chenghai's yard.

When they arrived at Gong Chenghai's yard, the gatekeeper saw that it was Gong Jianzhou who came. After hesitating for a moment, he took the initiative to make way and let Gong Jianzhou in.

After all, this young master was still walking in front of him that morning, holding a sword and looking furious.

Now that the Duke has been stripped of his title, he is no different from an ordinary citizen. From now on, the eldest son will have to be the head of the mansion, so no matter who you offend, you must not offend him.

Gong Jianzhou stepped in. He didn't know why the courtyard, which was magnificent the day before, looked the same today, but it seemed a bit decadent and dilapidated.

When he heard the footsteps, Gong Chenghai didn't even open his eyelids, he knew who was coming.

Now, except Gong Jianzhou, no one in this mansion would be so brazen as to disturb him at this time.

"Father, I have just instructed the housekeeper to liquidate the family's belongings."

"I'll have to ask my father to come out and divide up all this property. Now that the Duke of Tang's Mansion is gone, everyone has to find their own way out."

Looking at Gong Chenghai lying on the recliner without a trace of life, Gong Jianzhou felt an indescribable pleasure in his heart.

The man in front of him was his father, but this father had not fulfilled the responsibilities that a father should fulfill.

In all of Gong Jianzhou's memories, Gong Chenghai was always the one who was superior and had the final say in this family.

Ruthlessness, selfishness, arrogance, and cruelty are all synonymous with Gong Chenghai.

Gong Jianzhou had wanted countless times to leave this cage-like home, get rid of his father, and find his own place.

However, his status as the eldest son meant that even if he became a waste, he had to stay in the Gong family and fulfill his mission and obligations.

So a few years ago when his younger brother Gong Jianzhi wanted to leave home, Gong Jianzhou spared no effort to help his younger brother Gong Jianzhi.

If I can't spread my wings and fly to the sky I want, then I'll let my brother go there for me.

Gong Jianzhou had hoped that the Duke of Tang's Mansion would disappear, and now it was really going to disappear, but in such an undignified way.

Looking at the man curled up in the recliner without moving, Gong Jianzhou suddenly felt relieved. He knew that the shackles that bound him had completely fallen off at this moment, and he was free.

"Dad, you'd better get up and do what you should do."

"Because a second imperial edict will arrive from the palace soon. When my father fainted in the hall, the Empress had already decreed that her son be granted the title of Earl of Changyuan."

"The Changyuan Marquis's Mansion is not big and cannot support so many people. Daddy should take action quickly, otherwise there will be no place for Daddy to live in the Changyuan Marquis' Mansion."

"My son not only doesn't want those who don't want to work to live in the Changyuan Marquis's mansion, but also doesn't want my father's concubines to go there."

"After all, my son doesn't want to stay in the Marquis's Mansion for a long time. It's not peaceful and humid like the Duke of Tang's Mansion."

"The Empress bestowed the title of Earl of Changyuan upon her son. That was a favor, and as a subject, I should be grateful for it."

"After all, grace is not always available. If you don't cherish it and lose it, you will never get it again."

Although he was threatened by his own son, Gong Chenghai was not angry at all. He suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Gong Jianzhou with inquiry, confusion and doubt in his eyes.

But Gong Jianzhou turned and left without stopping to explain anything to him. Gong Jianzhou still had a lot of things to do.

Moving house in three days was a big challenge. Even if the Duke Tang's Mansion was in trouble, it was still a Duke's Mansion after all, and there were too many things that needed to be packed and sorted.

Not only that, there are still many things to deal with later, and these things are not trivial.

I don't have time to stay and deal with Gong Chenghai.

Anyway, everything that needs to be said has been said. As for what to do, it depends on each person.

Although Gong Jianzhou didn't mind having another father living in his Changyuan Mansion, he would rather not have his father living in it.

Looking at Gong Jianzhou's departing back, Gong Chenghai quickly thought about what Gong Jianzhou had just said in his mind.

That is to say, during the time when he fainted after hearing that he was stripped of the title of Duke of Tang, his son Gong Jianzhou was given the title of Earl of Changyuan by the empress.

So even though the Gong family no longer has the title of Duke of Tang, they still have the title of Earl of Changyuan.

No matter how big or small the title is, as long as they have the title, the Gong family will still be a family of nobles, not ordinary people.

What else is there to say? As long as I am not an ordinary citizen, anything is fine.

This way, when he meets his ancestors in the underworld in the future, he will have an explanation.

Gong Chenghai, who had figured it out, was instantly energized as if by a shot of chicken blood. His fighting spirit was restored to its former high. He began to order people to change his clothes and wash up, and prepare to go out to take charge of the matter.

Gong Jianzhou left Gong Chenghai's yard and went to the side yard where Liu lived.

"Brother." As soon as Gong Jianzhou entered the door, Hui's youngest daughter Wan Niang ran over.

Wan Niang was only eight or nine years old at this time, still a little girl. She threw herself into Gong Jianzhou's arms, looked up at him with red eyes from crying, and asked, "Brother, will we have no home in the future?"

"Silly girl, your brother is here, how could he let you be homeless?" Touching the little girl's head in his arms, Gong Jianzhou felt both relieved and scared.

He was glad that he had a friend like Shen Tingzhi, who saved his family from being implicated and exiled. What he feared was that if he were really exiled to the frontier, his two younger sisters would be the first to suffer.

"Wanniang, don't bother Big Brother. He still has things to do."

The one who was speaking at this moment was Liu's daughter named Rong Niang. Rong Niang was thirteen years old now. She was much older than Wan Niang, so she was much more sensible than Wan Niang.

When something happened at home, she was also worried and scared, but she could keep all these in her heart and not express them, because she knew that if she expressed them, the adults in the family would be even more worried.

"It's okay, big brother is not busy right now." Looking at his sister who was standing in front of him and was obviously scared but trying hard to pretend to be a little adult, Gong Jianzhou felt heartbroken.

As the eldest son of the family, he was not valued enough, let alone his two illegitimate sisters born to concubines.

The first thing they learned from birth was how to read other people's faces and rely on others in order to survive.

Moreover, their fate has been determined since they were born. Once they reach adulthood, they will be used as pawns to pave the way for the family.

She was arranged to marry into a family that was beneficial to the family, either as a wife or a concubine, and spent her life moving from one cage to another.

But now, Gong Jianzhou has established himself, and he will never let his younger brothers and sisters repeat the same mistakes and become people who cannot control their own destiny.

Gong Jianzhou also held Rong Niang in his arms and said, "Don't worry, as long as big brother is here, everyone in our family will be fine."

"We're going to move into a new place soon, and when we get there you won't have to worry about anyone's opinion."

"Would you mind hiring a female teacher to teach you how to read and write?"

"Really?" Wan Niang raised her head from Gong Jianzhou's arms and looked at him with shining eyes.

"Yes, really." Gong Jianzhou patted Wan Niang's head and said, "Okay, we're about to leave here. There are still many things to sort out."

"You are not allowed to play around anymore. Go and help your sister pack the things we need to take away."

"If you behave well, I'll have my servant buy some jujube paste cakes from Wang's Bakery later and bring them back for you and your sister."

"Yeah, okay." After hearing Gong Jianzhou's promise, Wan Niang immediately forgot about those bad things, happily took Rong Niang's hand and left.

Hearing the voices outside, Liu came out of the room in a hurry. Seeing Gong Jianzhou, she saluted and called out, "Young Master."

"Second Mother, you don't have to call me Young Master anymore. Just call me Jianzhou."

From now on, no one will live in the Duke of Tang's Mansion anymore, so some rules should be abolished. It will always be uncomfortable for a family to be restrained together.

"That won't do. We still have to follow the rules." Liu has been well-behaved all her life and there is no way she would cross the line.

Gong Jianzhou smiled and didn't say anything else. People's concepts cannot be changed overnight. There is plenty of time in the future to take it slowly.

"I came to see how you guys were doing."

"There are only three days left, I'm afraid we can't finish it." Liu looked embarrassed, the accounts of the Duke of Tang's Mansion were a mess.

Although it was usually managed by himself, Huishi and the housekeeper, there were many masters in the mansion and the expenses were high. Over time, the accounts could not be kept clear.