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

With the most troublesome issue resolved, everyone's attention turned to Gong Huanyu.

Despite everything that had happened, Gong Huanyu remained calm, showing neither sorrow nor joy.

It was as if all of this had nothing to do with him.

Only when Gong Zishang's gaze fell upon him did he reveal a faint smile.

"Congratulations, Zi Shang. You are definitely better than Gong Ziyu at wielding blades."

His eyes held the purest smile; he genuinely believed that Gong Zishang was better than Gong Ziyu, and he was sincerely congratulating him.

Gong Ziyu looked at Gong Huanyu with a complicated expression. He hadn't expected his brother to look down on him like this.

Gong Zishang pursed her lips, her hands clenching at her sides. She had very complicated feelings towards the people from Yu Gong.

I loathe them, and I loathe even more the self that used to fawn over them.

Gong Huanyu looked at Gong Shangjiao, "In the palace, the person I fear most is you. Only after you are sent away will I dare to make a move."

"I didn't expect to be outmatched again; I lost."

"We lost, so be it. I have nothing to say."

"I only regret one thing: why did I waste those words with Gong Hongyu? I should have just killed him."

"Brother!" Gong Ziyu cried out in utter grief, "Brother, why did you do this?"

Gong Huanyu looked at Gong Ziyu with a mocking expression, "Don't call me brother, I'm not your brother."

"In this palace, the people I hate the most are you and Gong Hongyu."

He suddenly chuckled, his eyes filled with malice as he stared intently at Gong Ziyu.

"Do you know that all those rumors about your mother were spread by me?"

Gong Ziyu stared at Gong Huanyu in astonishment.

Gong Huanyu's malice deepened, and his words seemed to carry a deadly poison.

“Your good father found out it was me, and I just made up an excuse and told him.”

"I'm afraid my position as young master is unstable, I'm afraid you'll take my place."

"He just let the rumors spread in the palace. You've been called a little bastard for so many years, and he completely ignored it."

“He didn’t clarify the rumors until they drove your mother to her death.”

Gong Ziyu felt a cacophony in his ears, as if he couldn't hear anything clearly, yet Gong Huanyu's voice entered his ears with perfect clarity.

His face was pale as he slowly turned his head to look at Gong Hongyu, whom he was protecting tightly.

His eyes were filled with confusion and pain.

"Father...is what he said true...?"

Gong Hongyu's face was ashen, and his eyes were full of guilt as he looked at Gong Ziyu. Now that things had come to this, there was nothing he couldn't say.

He was well aware of his own health; if he didn't speak up now, he might never have another chance.

"Ziyu, I'm so sorry..."

"Back then, I didn't clarify the rumors because of my own selfish reasons..."

"Your mother, she didn't marry me willingly, and she's always been cold and distant towards me..."

"I just want her to give in to me, to treat me nicely, before I..."

"Ziyu, it's my fault, your father..."

Gong Ziyu staggered backward; his body was already weak, and the immense grief nearly made him faint.

The death of his mother was the deepest pain in Gong Ziyu's heart. He always believed that it was the oppressive palace that drove his mother to her death.

Who would have thought that her own father was the culprit who killed her mother?

Just to make his mother bow her head to him...

"Ha ha ha ha......"

Gong Ziyu could no longer contain herself and burst into laughter, losing her balance and swaying precariously.

While laughing, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Jin Fan hurriedly stepped forward to support him, her eyes filled with anger and contempt as she looked at Gong Hongyu.

When he was first asked to disguise himself as a jade guard and stay by Young Master Yu's side, he always thought that Gong Hongyu was acting out of love for his son.

Only now do I realize that all the suffering Young Master Yu has endured is thanks to this old man.

Gong Yuanzheng stepped forward, supported Gong Ziyu's other arm, and felt his pulse. There was nothing serious, just a sudden rush of anger to his heart.

"Take good care of your young master and don't let him get angry again."

After saying that, he stepped behind Gong Shangjiao and looked at Gong Ziyu with a sympathetic expression. "You are so lucky to have a father like that!"

Gong Huanyu burst out laughing, "Gong Hongyu, I thought you were already awful enough, but I didn't expect you could be even worse!"

No one stopped him when he said this. Regardless of whether they were on the front or back of the mountain, or whether they were masters or guards, everyone's thoughts were more aligned than ever before.

This Gong Hongyu is unfit to wield a blade! He is even less fit to be a father!

Gong Hongyu struggled to get up, but due to weakness in his limbs, he was unable to sit up.

Elder Yue couldn't bear it and reached out to help him up.

After all, he had watched the child grow up, and even though he was furious at his son's lack of ambition, he couldn't bear to see him in such a sorry state.

Gong Hongyu, panting, looked at Gong Shangjiao with a sincere expression, "Shangjiao, I know you hate me. I have indeed wronged you, wronged Zheng Gong, wronged the Gong family."

"Even if you take my life right now, I won't say a word."

"But Ziyu is completely unaware of all of this."

"He is indeed a descendant of the palace family. I beg you, protect his life!"

If Gong Ziyu is expelled from the palace, given his current physical condition, falling into Wu Feng's hands would only mean certain death.

Gong Yuanzheng crossed his arms and looked at Gong Hongyu entrusting his son to him on his deathbed with a mocking expression.

If I had known this, why did I have to?

Gong Shangjiao's heart and expression remained calm throughout. After Gong Hongyu finished speaking, he simply said:

"I will protect anyone from the palace."

The blood of the palace guards was already shed enough ten years ago.

Gong Hongyu was completely relieved. He knew Gong Shangjiao's character well; he valued his promises and would always keep his word.

He looked at Gong Huanyu, his eyes filled with grief and confusion, "Although you are not my biological son, I have treated you with more affection and valued you more than Ziyu."

"The position of young master should have belonged to Shangjiao. I gave it to you, so why did you do this?"

Gong Huanyu sneered, "Isn't the position of young master your compensation to me?"

After saying that, he looked at Miyazaki Shoji and asked, "Do you want to think about my story?"

Gong Shangjiao nodded. He was indeed very curious about Gong Huanyu's background, which made Gong Hongyu give away the position of the young master of the Gong family as a favor.

Young Master, you are the only one who can succeed Zhi Ren after his death.

Gong Huanyu stretched her legs and shifted to a more comfortable position.

"Ten years ago, the Lonely Mountain Sect was massacred by Wu Feng. We asked the Palace Gate for help, but we never received any rescue. The entire Lonely Mountain Sect was destroyed."

“I am a descendant of the Lonely Mountain Sect. Gong Hongyu found me, adopted me as his son, and brought me back to the palace.”

"At the same time, I also learned why the palace gate failed to provide timely assistance. The palace gate was also massacred by Wufeng. At that time, I was grateful to Gong Hongyu."

"But later I discovered that Yu Gong was completely unharmed in that massacre."

"As long as half of the Feather Palace's guards are sent, the Lonely Mountain Sect can be preserved."

Gong Huanyu revealed a bitter smile, "Gong Hongyu simply didn't send anyone. He even went to the foot of Lonely Mountain but didn't send anyone up the mountain, watching helplessly as the Lonely Mountain Sect was completely slaughtered by Wufeng."

"This position of young master is my compensation to Gong Hongyu, who felt guilty towards me!"

Gong Hongyu's body trembled slightly, "The palace cannot afford any more deaths..."

"Are you afraid of people dying at the palace gate? No! You're worried that if someone dies in the Feather Palace, it will no longer be able to suppress the Horn Palace and the Zheng Palace!"

Gong Hongyu's body trembled violently, and he opened his mouth but could not utter a word.

His already pale face became even more bloodless.

"I hate it! But I can't get revenge. Later, I discovered the secret of the Boundless Flowing Fire."

"I thought that as long as I killed Wufeng and avenged him, I could pretend that everything else never happened."

“That scoundrel Gong Hongyu still refuses to agree to my request.”

"They even wanted to depose me from my position as young master."

He tilted his head and looked at Gong Shangjiao, "Do you believe it? He actually wants to pass the position of Blade Master to you."

"Unexpectedly, after a lifetime of doing despicable things, he's become quite clear-headed in his old age."

"I know that Gong Ziyu is no match for the great responsibility of wielding the blade."

Gong Shangjiao didn't respond. Gong Huanyu hadn't expected Gong Shangjiao to answer him anyway. He turned his head and continued talking about his plan.

"I had no choice but to send him on his way ahead of schedule."

“The three elders know my background, and I know I cannot inherit the position of Blade Master.”

Miyazaki's expression remained unchanged.

Gong Yuanzheng's sinister gaze immediately swept over the three elders.

Gong Zishang looked at the three of them with a hint of disbelief.

Qi Yan'an even forgot to fan himself. Interesting, there are only a few people in this palace, yet they can still cause such a big commotion.

His gaze swept back and forth between the people at the palace gate, finally settling on Gong Hongyu.

This guy is a genius. Is he genuinely stupid or just pretending? Or is he just plain evil?

"I cannot let Gong Shangjiao inherit the position of Blade Master; I can only let Gong Ziyu inherit it."

"Only if Gong Ziyu inherits can I control him and control the palace."

“I bribed Manager Jia, who was in charge of the prescription, to save his son and force him to switch to Gong Hongyu’s Herbal Extract.”

He then tilted his head to look at Gong Yuanzheng, "I'm sorry, Yuanzheng, the Cloud Lotus you painstakingly cultivated has been given to Steward Jia's son by me."

Gong Yuanzheng rolled his eyes and ignored him.

Gong Huanyu laughed self-deprecatingly, "Look at me, I'm so confused. You've already arrested Steward Jia and his family, how could you not know about this?"

As he laughed, Gong Huanyu coughed up blood again.

Gong Ziyu couldn't bear it, so she moved but immediately stopped.

He really didn't know how to face his older brother, who had always doted on him since childhood.

Gong Huanyu simply looked at Gong Shangjiao and said, "Although you didn't become the Blade Master, I believe you can definitely destroy Wufeng. When that happens, don't forget to come to my grave and tell me."

As soon as he finished speaking, a large gushing of blood gushed from his mouth, and a servant rushed over to check on him.

He then reported with a shocked expression, "Young Master Jiao, he... he bit his tongue and committed suicide!"

Gong Ziyu was startled and jumped up, immediately breaking free from Jin Fan's grasp and lunging towards Gong Huanyu.

"elder brother!"

The pain in her voice was hard to hide.

Gong Hongyu raised his hand, then lowered it weakly. He bowed his head deeply, his clothes crumpled under his hands.

Gong Shangjiao closed his eyes and didn't speak, but just looked at Gong Zishang.

Gong Zishang was still immersed in shock and grief.

When she first took over the business palace, only he offered her a helping hand and helped her through the most difficult period.

Even though he harbored malicious intentions throughout their time together, the sibling bond they shared for ten years was genuine.

Noticing Gong Shangjiao's gaze, Gong Zishang immediately forced back her tears.

The moment their eyes met, Gong Zishang immediately understood Gong Shangjiao's meaning. She steadied her surging emotions and spoke calmly.

"Take him away."

Give him a proper burial.