After the Cold and Aloof Husband's Mask Falls - Chapter 1

It was close to the end of the year, and the capital city of Xijing had experienced several days of heavy snow. Today, the weather finally cleared up, and the sun even came out, a rare occurrence.

Residents along the two sides of Imperial City Street were clearing the snow from their doorsteps with brooms while excitedly discussing the major news of the day.

—Gu Wanlan, the daughter of the Duke of Protectorate, Gu Changfeng, who had been presumed dead for eighteen years, was not only alive but had returned to claim her identity!

Eighteen years ago, when the Ruolan people invaded Great Xia and quickly seized three cities, Gu Changfeng, then the heir of the Earl of Wu’an, led the army to counterattack. Just as the Ruolan forces were about to be driven out of Changping Pass, they secretly colluded with a spy inside Gu Changfeng’s residence and kidnapped his newborn daughter, using the infant to threaten Gu Changfeng into retreating. However, Gu Changfeng, prioritizing the nation’s welfare, refused to budge even an inch. In the end, the baby was tragically smashed to death between the two armies, leaving no remains.

“She died so completely, yet she’s back? Maybe someone is impersonating her!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, even if it’s not an impersonation, this is quite a drama! My wife, who went to watch the excitement, said that the spy felt guilty in the end and replaced her with their own infant, which is how she survived. The girl who came to claim her identity not only produced the keepsake the Duke of Protectorate left with the child back then, but her birthmark also matches! It must be true!”

“This is good news! Three months ago, the young General Ji Lin rose out of nowhere, single-handedly entering the enemy camp and decisively defeating the Ruolan. Now the Duke of Protectorate’s daughter is back, too. Heaven truly favors Great Xia, unwilling to let our military stars fade and our talented generals suffer…”

“But the Duke of Protectorate is also in poor health now… Alas…”

The crowd sighed with regret as they discussed the current condition of the Duke of Protectorate, Gu Changfeng.

The Gu family’s situation was somewhat complicated. Their ancestors followed the founding Emperor to establish the nation and were granted the title of Duke of Rong, one of the Four Great Duke titles, unrivaled in prestige for a time. However, their descendants failed to produce capable individuals, and the family gradually became a Duke title in name only. By the generation of the Old Master Gu, the Duke title was stripped due to a battlefield offense, and they were demoted to the rank of Earl of Wu’an.

Old Master Gu and the Old Madam had two sons and one daughter. Although Old Master Gu was not effective, his eldest son, Gu Changfeng, was exceptional. After achieving several military merits, he was directly conferred the title of Duke of Protectorate, along with a separate Duke’s mansion. Since Old Master Gu passed away early, Gu Changfeng, as the legitimate heir, had to support his widowed mother. Thus, the Old Madam Gu and the second branch of the family, Gu Qingyun’s family, currently resided in the Duke’s mansion.

Because Gu Changfeng was injured on the battlefield some years ago and has been confined to his sickbed recently, the management of the household affairs has fallen to the Old Madam Gu and the Second Madam Gu, as the First Madam, Qi Rong, and her husband share a deep, loving relationship, and she personally attends to him in all matters.

At this moment, upon hearing the news, the Second Madam Gu, leaning on the wet nurse, Old Nanny Wang, was hurrying toward the Flower Hall, her face so grim it looked like ink might drip from it.

The Duke of Protectorate was clearly failing; the title and the entire family fortune were about to fall into her family’s hands. Why did a biological daughter who had been dead for over ten years have to show up now?!

“Absurd! Why did you bring her in? Couldn’t you have just chased her away?”

Despite it being winter, Old Nanny Wang was sweating profusely from anxiety, and quickly explained, “That young woman presented the Duke of Protectorate’s keepsake in public and showed her birthmark. With a crowd gathered to watch the commotion, this servant had no choice but to bring her in!”

“What did the Old Madam say?”

Old Nanny Wang had served the Second Madam Gu for over thirty years and naturally understood the Second Madam’s intent. She quickly lowered her voice: “Qiu Gui from the Old Madam’s side sent word that the Old Madam is feeling rather tired and is leaving the matter entirely up to you.”

Hearing this, the Second Madam Gu felt instantly relieved.

If she was completely in charge of the disposition, it meant that whether the girl was truly Gu Changfeng’s daughter was entirely up to her to decide, without needing to go through the First Branch!

Thinking of this, a trace of joy and complacency unconsciously appeared in the Second Madam Gu’s eyes and brow.

“I haven’t shown respect to her all these years for nothing. The Old Madam is indeed favoring our Second Branch.”

“That is natural. After all, the sole heir of our Gu family climbed out of your belly, Madam! The one in the First Branch is just a hen that can’t lay eggs!”

“That’s enough. The First Branch’s woman is merely the daughter of a Jiangnan merchant. She relied on her looks to cling to my elder brother and is inherently unworthy of comparison to me.” The Second Madam Gu sneered, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes. “However, since Mother-in-Law wants me to handle this, I must do it flawlessly. Lean your ear closer…”

Bypassing the screen wall carved with lofty mountains and pine trees, the Second Madam Gu and Old Nanny Wang saw Gu Wanlan standing in the Flower Hall.

The young woman was tall and slender with fair skin. She wore a simple cotton dress, and her hair was casually pulled into a bun secured with a single wooden hairpin. She looked exactly like a village girl who had just arrived in the capital from a remote area.

Before Gu Wanlan could even open her mouth to speak, remembering the Second Madam Gu’s earlier instructions, Old Nanny Wang quickly stepped forward to preempt her: “We appreciate that this young woman found the Duke’s old item. How much silver does the young woman require as a reward? Is five hundred taels of silver sufficient?”

The young woman froze for a moment, then raised her eyelids to look over and let out a soft laugh: “What, the identity of the esteemed legitimate daughter of the Duke of Protectorate is only worth five hundred taels in your eyes, Madam? Then how much is this Madam worth?”

Her voice carried a hint of defiance.

“You—!”

The Second Madam Gu, due to her connection to the Cui family of Qingcheng, always considered herself to be of noble birth and looked down on lowly merchants. This was the first time anyone had assessed her as if she were merchandise to be weighed and priced. Gu Wanlan instantly infuriated her, causing her face to flush crimson, and she pointed at Gu Wanlan, unable to speak for a moment.

Seeing that the woman would likely drag the argument out, Gu Wanlan was not one to suffer in silence. She hiked up her skirt and sat directly on a nearby Huanghuali wooden chair, casually pouring herself a cup of hot tea. “I was originally waiting for the Old Madam Gu, but given your age and your immediate attempt to dismiss me with money without understanding the situation, you must be the Second Madam Gu. For a major event like recognizing a family member, can the Second Madam Gu truly speak for the Old Madam?”

The Second Madam Gu was initially angry, but hearing the village girl’s roundabout way of asking for the Old Madam to decide for her, she started laughing again: “Not just any stray cat or dog can meet the Old Madam. Since I am here, I naturally have the authority to speak for the Old Madam!”

After laughing, the Second Madam Gu immediately lowered her face and said sternly: “You think five hundred taels is too little? I’ll give you a thousand taels! As long as you leave this door and tell the crowd watching outside that you made a mistake and that you are absolutely not the daughter of the Duke of Protectorate!”

“Otherwise…” The Second Madam Gu glanced at Old Nanny Wang, who instantly understood and clapped her hands. A group of household guards carrying wooden sticks quickly emerged from behind the screen wall, blocking Gu Wanlan’s path of retreat. “Little girl, there are many ways to make a person disappear in Xijing.”

Assuming she would immediately see Gu Wanlan kneeling, begging for mercy, and shivering, the Second Madam Gu gracefully sat on the seat of honor in the hall, taking a red wooden box from Old Nanny Wang.

With a “clatter,” the box was opened. The Second Madam Gu, whose hands were painted with bright red nail polish, tilted the box, allowing dozens of silver notes to flutter out dramatically, her expression one of utter arrogance.

“This is the money for you. Take it and go.”

“Tsk, you’re trying to humiliate me.”

Gu Wanlan let out a soft laugh, stood up, and walked toward the Second Madam Gu.

Seeing this, the mockery in the Second Madam Gu’s eyes deepened.

See? These lowly people only need a bone…

With a tremendous crash, “Kuang—,” Gu Wanlan directly kicked a Huanghuali tea table next to the Second Madam Gu.

The Huanghuali tea table instantly shattered completely!

The blood drained from the Second Madam Gu’s face, instantly turning pale. She froze stiffly in her chair.

She actually dared—

How dare she—?!

If that kick had landed on her, she would have—

Old Nanny Wang was the first to react. She quickly moved forward to shield the Second Madam Gu and screamed, “Guards, where are you all?! Drag this insolent bandit out!”

Hiding behind Old Nanny Wang, the Second Madam Gu also snapped back to reality and shouted sharply: “Beat her to death! Drag this bandit out and beat her to death with sticks!”

The household guards behind them instantly brandished their sticks and surged toward Gu Wanlan.

“Hmph, you want to lay a hand on me? You need to see if you have the ability.”

Gu Wanlan sneered, casually picked up a broken leg of the Huanghuali table, and charged to meet them.

Dozens of household guards rushed forward, and Gu Wanlan, in her simple white cotton dress, plunged into the middle, looking like a small skiff caught in a raging storm, about to be utterly torn apart!

The Second Madam Gu’s face was filled with schadenfreude, but the triumphant look froze solid in less than a moment.

There were many guards, but Gu Wanlan’s speed was lightning fast!

The short piece of Huanghuali table leg, wielded by Gu Wanlan, felt like a lethal blade. Wherever the yellow blur went, the guards fell to the ground like rows of cut chives!

The situation was instantly reversed!

Staring at Gu Wanlan, who had finished off the guards and stood amidst the ‘field of chives,’ raising an eyebrow as she looked at her, the Second Madam Gu gasped in shock. She desperately grabbed Old Nanny Wang’s arm and repeatedly backed away: “Impossible, how is this possible…”

Gu Wanlan, however, looked as if she had recalled a difficult matter. She shook her head and sighed.

“Such a grand spectacle. It seems the Old Madam and the Second Madam truly do not wish to acknowledge me. How frustrating.”

“You’re dreaming! If you have the guts, kill me! As long as I am alive, I will never let you enter this household!”

The Second Madam Gu was now hysterical, screaming at Gu Wanlan without any regard for her image.

“Oh, very well. I have received the replies from the Old Madam and the Second Madam. I will convey them on your behalf.”

…Convey them?

Convey them to whom?

The Second Madam Gu paused in confusion for a moment.

“Clap, clap.”

Gu Wanlan tossed away the table leg and casually clapped her hands. A group of men instantly descended from above, rapidly surrounding the entire Flower Hall. Every man wore a black iron mask over his face, and their robes were embroidered with red cloud patterns along the edges!

“Embroidered… Embroidered Uniform Guards (Xiu Yi Shi)?!”

Why were these blood-colored Asuras, who answered directly to the Emperor, monitored all officials, and whose very name could stop a child from crying at night, appearing here?!

The Second Madam Gu involuntarily shrieked the name, then violently widened her eyes as she looked at Gu Wanlan. Her heart pounded frantically in her chest, and blood rushed to her head. Her throat felt clogged with cotton, making it impossible to breathe.

It was as if some ignored, unsettling truth was about to be revealed…

Until Gu Wanlan slowly pulled out a scroll of brilliant yellow Imperial Edict from her sleeve. Her light, cheerful words sounded like the voice of a life-claiming Asura in the Second Madam Gu’s ears.

“I forgot to mention, Second Madam, I have come here to recognize my family member by Imperial Decree.”