The Cloud Feather of the Red Chamber: A Marriage Arranged with Gong Yuanzheng at the Start

As they were talking, a figure reeking of alcohol stumbled into the house.

"Father! Father! What's wrong with Father!"

Seeing that Gong Hongyu was pale and weak on the soft couch, Gong Ziyu scrambled to his feet and tightly grasped his father's hand.

"Dad, are you alright? How are you feeling?"

Elder Hua's dissatisfaction lessened slightly. Although Gong Ziyu was somewhat absurd, he was still a kind and filial person.

Gong Hongyu simply tightened his grip on his son's hand and gave him a forced smile.

Right now, he's preoccupied with a lot of things and has no mood to comfort his son.

Seeing Gong Yuanzheng standing to the side with his arms crossed, Gong Ziyu was furious. "Gong Yuanzheng, why don't you come over here right now!"

Gong Yuanzheng looked at him with a mocking smile and let out a sneer.

"Gong Yuanzheng!" Gong Ziyu suddenly stood up and rushed towards Gong Yuanzheng.

Gong Yuanzheng was not afraid at all. He loosened his arms around Gong Ziyu's chest, took a few steps forward, and waited to give Gong Ziyu a good beating.

Before Gong Ziyu could get close, Jin Fan stopped him.

Gong Ziyu hadn't noticed anything unusual yet, but he sensed something was wrong as soon as he entered.

Lady Wu Ji and the young master are both in the hands of Gong Shangjiao's personal guards.

"Young Master Yu, calm down." Jin Fan whispered to him, while winking at him.

Gong Ziyu then noticed the strange atmosphere in the room. At the same time, following Jin Fan's gaze, he immediately saw Mingwu Ji and Gong Huanyu being forced to kneel on the ground.

"Gong Shangjiao! What did you do to my brother and my aunt! Let them go!"

Gong Shangjiao ignored Gong Ziyu and looked directly at Gong Hongyu.

"Zhi Ren, I only have one question: Did you know that Ming Wu Ji is a bladeless assassin?"

Upon hearing this, Gong Ziyu immediately exploded, "Gong Shangjiao, what do you mean! How dare you slander my aunt like this!"

Gong Hongyu looked utterly defeated. He sighed softly, "I thought this would be a secret forever, but I didn't expect it couldn't be kept hidden after all..."

Gong Ziyu looked at Gong Hongyu in shock, "Father, what are you saying? How could Auntie be Wufeng...?"

"Gong Ziyu, do you really not understand, or are you just pretending to be confused?" Gong Yuanzheng looked at Gong Ziyu with disdain.

Gong Ziyu glared at him angrily. He wasn't stupid; of course he understood what Bai Hongyu meant, but he just couldn't accept it for the moment.

Gong Yuanzheng moved a few steps closer to Gong Hongyu. "Gong Hongyu, I only have one question: ten years ago, when Wufeng invaded the palace gates, was it related to your Yu Palace?"

Gong Hongyu's lips trembled, and he closed his eyes, not daring to meet Gong Yuanzheng's gaze.

He didn't answer, but he gave all the answers.

Gong Ziyu was so shocked that she took several steps back until she fell to the ground.

Jin Fan even forgot to help him up; he himself was still in shock and hadn't recovered.

The three elders, Hua, Xue, and Yue, along with the people in the back mountain, were also filled with disbelief.

Even when Young Master Lianyue looked at Gong Hongyu, his eyes were filled with disbelief. He only dared to help Yun Que fake her death and escape, but he dared not collude with Wu Feng to attack the back mountain.

"What happened ten years ago has nothing to do with Zhi Ren," Ming Wu Ji said quietly. "I stole the defense map eighteen years ago. We didn't know that Wu Feng would suddenly attack the palace gates eight years later."

Gong Yuanzheng laughed in anger. He drew his long sword and pointed it at Gong Hongyu on the soft couch. "Eighteen years ago, Wufeng obtained the defense map. As the guard of the palace gate, you should immediately change the palace gate's defenses!"

"Don't tell me you only found out about Mingwu Princess's identity ten years ago!"

Gong Hongyu was filled with shame. "It was my fault. I changed the defenses rashly. I can't explain it to you."

"I saw that Wu Feng hadn't made any move, so I assumed they wouldn't attack rashly."

"Yes, because of your one self-righteous idea, my parents, my brother's parents, and my younger brother are all dead!"

"What a formidable force at the palace gates! The Horn Palace and the Zheng Palace are almost wiped out! The Shang Palace is severely weakened! And your Feather Palace is completely unscathed!"

"You, Gong Hongyu, are the greatest disgrace to the Gong family!"

Gong Yuanzheng gritted his teeth, his anger finally bursting forth, and slashed his long sword straight at Gong Hongyu.

"No!" Gong Ziyu tried to stop him, but it was too late.

"Qiang!"

Elder Yue blocked the flying blade.

Gong Ziyu took the opportunity to shield Gong Hongyu behind him, who looked at Gong Yuanzheng with a look of fear.

Gong Yuanzheng really wanted to kill his father. If Elder Yue hadn't stopped him, his father would have been dead without a doubt.

"What do you mean?" Gong Yuanzheng stared at Elder Yue with a sinister look, his long sword slowly pointing at him, his smile sinister. "You think I wouldn't dare to kill you?"

Elder Yue sighed deeply, "Yuanzheng, I know your anger, but Gong Hongyu shouldn't have died at your hands. The palace has its rules, and we..."

"So you want to protect him?" Gong Yuanzheng interrupted him impatiently.

Elder Yue shook his head, "According to palace rules, he deserves the death penalty."

Gong Yuanzheng's expression softened slightly, while Gong Ziyu's eyes reddened with anxiety, "Elder Yue!"

The Moon Elder ignored Gong Ziyu for the first time.

Gong Ziyu looked anxiously at the other two elders, but neither of them paid any attention to him.

Jin Fan felt a mix of emotions; the kind and wise wielder he once knew had vanished.

He had personally experienced that great battle ten years ago, and he knew all too well how brutal it was.

He understood Gong Yuanzheng's anger.

Gong Shangjiao stepped forward and pressed down on Gong Yuanzheng's hand that was holding up the knife. "Gong Hongyu is not worthy to be a blade wielder."

Elder Yue nodded, "Indeed, then let Ziyu inherit it..."

Gong Yuanzheng let out a sneer, "Does Gong Ziyu even deserve it?"

Elder Yue frowned. "Yu Gong is in charge of internal affairs. Gong Huanyu murdered his father and cannot inherit the throne. Now only Ziyu remains..."

"Elder Yue may not have understood what I meant," Gong Shangjiao interrupted him. "What I meant was that Yu Gong is no longer suitable to be in charge of internal affairs."

"The Palace Master of Yu Palace has been protecting the Wufeng assassins for more than ten years. No one can guarantee how many Wufeng spies Yu Palace has."

"All the servants of Yu Palace must be taken to the dungeon for interrogation, including Gong Ziyu."

"After all, he was raised by Wu Feng."

That last sentence completely dispelled Elder Yue's desire to continue persuading him.

Yes, will the children raised by Wu Feng truly have their hearts set on the palace?

Didn't you hear that Gong Ziyu always says he doesn't want to stay at the palace gate?

If we let him become the wielder, wouldn't that be like inviting a wolf into the house?

"After saying all this, isn't it just that you want to be the Blade Master yourself?" Gong Ziyu said with a disdainful look.

"I have no interest in the position of Blade Master."

"If you don't take the position, are you suggesting that Gong Yuanzheng take it instead?"

Gong Ziyu's words made Elder Yue frown. Gong Yuanzheng was still a minor, had an impatient personality, and had not passed the trial in the back mountain, so he was not suitable to be the Blade Master.

“I’m not an adult yet,” Gong Yuanzheng replied with a laugh, his tone laced with obvious sarcasm. “Besides, I know my place. I know I’m not worthy.”

One sentence nearly made Gong Ziyu jump up.

"Then what do you mean, Shangjiao?" Elder Xue asked.

“Apart from Sister Zi Shang, no one is suitable to be the Blade Master.”

"The Shang Palace is developing weapons that can be used to defend the palace gates."

As soon as Gong Shangjiao finished speaking, Gong Zishang walked up to the three elders and curtsied.

Gong Ziyu stared at Gong Zishang in disbelief. He was not stupid, and he could see through this whole situation. Gong Zishang had probably already colluded with Gong Shangjiao and Gong Yuanzheng.

Gong Zishang must have known about Gong Shangjiao's plan long ago!

But she deliberately kept it from him and wouldn't tell him!

A feeling of being deceived and betrayed welled up inside her. "Sister, how could you..."

Gong Yuanzheng interrupted Gong Ziyu, "I also think that Sister Zishang can be the Blade Master."

"If Sister can manage the Shang Palace so well, managing the palace gates will naturally be a piece of cake!"

Elder Yue was the first to jump up: "No, no! How can a woman be the Blade Master?"

Gong Zishang smiled and said, "If a woman can be an emperor, why can't she be a blade-wielder?"

Qi Yan'an, who had been watching the play with great interest, suddenly frowned, and the folding fan in his hand suddenly stopped moving.

Elder Yue glanced at Qi Yan'an with suspicion, then looked at Gong Zishang.

Did Elder Yue not know how Emperor Wu became emperor? Although it was a matter of the previous dynasty, he dared not casually comment on the previous dynasty's royal family in front of them.

What if the thirteenth prince thinks he is subtly criticizing the current court? How can he explain himself?

Elder Xue stepped forward to help Elder Yue out of the predicament, "It's not that we're deliberately making things difficult for Zi Shang, it's just that Zhi Ren needs to have the palace gate's secret inscription tattooed on his back, and Zi Shang is a woman, how can the three of us tattoo her?"

Gong Zishang's expression froze. She hadn't expected this reason, but the thought of the benefits of becoming a Blade Master immediately ignited her fighting spirit.

Go ahead and get the tattoo, she doesn't mind!

Gong Shangjiao caught a glimpse of Gong Zishang's expression out of the corner of his eye, and his heart skipped a beat. Fearing that she would say something shocking, he immediately spoke up to refute her.

“Wuming and Gong Hongyu have shared a bed for over ten years. Do you still think this secret is a secret?”

One sentence silenced the three elders once again.

“Elders, one should not be too rigid. Writing secrets down on paper and storing them in the back mountain may be safer than tattooing them on your body.” Gong Yuanzheng calmly put away his knife.

The attitudes of Gong Shangjiao and Gong Yuanzheng made the three elders understand completely.

They genuinely do not want to inherit the position of Blade Master.

Gong Ziyu is not suitable, so now the only option is for Gong Zishang to inherit the position.

Elder Xue shook her head helplessly, "So be it, let Zi Shang inherit the position of Blade Master."