Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity-Chapter 401 - 237: The Disliked 4th Prince

The Marquis Mansion has not split the family yet, and with four branches and numerous members, just counting the legitimate and illegitimate grandsons, there are already fourteen. In such a situation where the old master and madam are still alive, the illegitimate sons are certainly not favored.

When the mansion eventually splits, that fourth branch will be nothing. Zheng Lun’s father is just a scholar without any official position. The eldest brother only likes playing with swords and spears, wanting to take the military examination, but Zheng Lun’s father does not allow it, looking down upon those who practice martial arts. So, up until now, he has achieved nothing.

Zheng Lun’s father can only pin his hopes on Zheng Lun, and fortunately, Zheng Lun has decent aptitude and will be able to take the Imperial Examination next year.

"Speaking of the Eldest Prince, I thought of the Fourth Prince. The incident with the Fourth Prince the other day was truly disgraceful." Unsure whether to change the subject, Zhu Pang started talking about the Fourth Prince.

"Alas! He is also a poor soul!" Zheng Lun sighed, a bit of empathy in his tone.

Gu Chengyu also felt that as a prince, it was pitiable that the Fourth Prince was so disdained by others, not even as well-off as common people like them.

"Do you think the Emperor would be happy with people behaving like this?" Gu Chengyu thought to himself that if his son were disdained by others, the Emperor’s dignity would also be compromised, although this son was never favored. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Sun Xian and others had also heard about the matter, how a while ago, the Emperor suddenly remembered that the Fourth Prince was already twenty-one, yet he didn’t have a Prince Consort, not even a concubine. So, he intended to find a noble girl for him to marry.

Apparently, just mentioning it in court had already stirred up a storm in the Capital.

Eligible daughters of third-rank officials and aristocratic families all hurriedly got themselves matched, causing the official matchmakers in the Capital to laugh heartily and run about tirelessly.

"Of course, he wasn’t happy. I heard he threw a big fit during the morning court a few days ago!" Zhu Pang took a bite of the pastry on the table, finding it so delicious he almost wanted to swallow his tongue.

After learning about this, the Emperor was furious. How dare these ministers disdain a Dragon Son, a Phoenix Grandson? He rebuked them vehemently in court, supporting the Fourth Prince for once and caused the aristocratic families to restrain themselves a lot, only settling down the Capital in the last couple of days.

Gu Chengyu actually understood the Emperor’s intent. No matter how unfavored, whether the Emperor values him or not, he is still a true Dragon Son; can a royal’s bloodline be looked down upon by these ministers?

"The Fourth Prince, having been informed, felt melancholic again, and it’s said he has not been feeling well, staying in his residence and not coming out,"

Zheng Lun truly felt sorry for the Fourth Prince, lacking powerful external support, not favored by his father, truly living a stifled life.

The title he has, but no fief, still residing at the Capital’s mansion, his status exceedingly awkward.

"Alright then! After all, he is a prince, living more freely than us ordinary folks. Once he gets a fief, moves there, and without restrictions, won’t the good days begin? Free to do as he wishes with no one to manage him."

Zhu Pang envied the days without restriction; his father constantly supervised him, making him study. But Zhu Pang did not like dealing with literature at all, finding it unbearably painful.

Gu Chengyu faintly smiled; Zhu Pang did not realize his blessing. As a prince, knowing early the throne was not associated with him, afflicted with ailments, whose life might be taken unexpectedly.

Without a mother, with a father who doesn’t care, being looked down upon by others, to endure such days and not have his character twisted is already fortunate enough.

"Master! All the ingredients are ready, shall we bring the dishes in?" Ming Yan entered the curtain, seeking instructions from Gu Chengyu.

"Bring them all in! It’s getting late, and everyone must be hungry by now!"

As soon as Gu Chengyu finished speaking, Zhu Pang called out, "Hurry up! I’m starving!"

Ming Mo directed the servant girls to tally up the ingredients one by one into the pavilion, placing coals into the grill, and started skewering and roasting for them.

Given the number of people and the fact that everyone was hungry, if they were to do it themselves, it would undoubtedly take a long time.

"Come, come, this is a novel way to eat, doing it yourself makes it more aromatic, I’ll demonstrate first!" Gu Chengyu demonstrated by grilling a few skewers first.

"This barbeque method is interesting! I’ll give it a try too!" Zheng Lun eagerly grabbed a skewer, ready to try it himself.

"Having meat without wine won’t do! Where’s that homemade Bamboo Leaf Green of yours? Quickly bring it out for us to taste!"

Zhu Pang had long coveted the Bamboo Leaf Green brewed at Gu Chengyu’s mansion, feeling it was no less than the daughter’s red wine served in the palace.

Gu Chengyu chuckled, "Ming Yan! Go fetch it!"

After Ming Yan had gone to fetch it, Gu Chengyu said to everyone, "The wine I brew is strong! Everyone, drink moderately, don’t get drunk, or you’ll have quite a headache the next day!"

The wines during the Dayan Dynasty were mostly low-alcohol, while fine wines existed, they were quite expensive. The Bamboo Leaf Green Gu Chengyu brewed used distillation, making it much stronger than regular wines.

"We haven’t even drunk yet! And you’re being stingy? Anyway, we’re staying at your estate today, so let’s just have a good drink and enjoy ourselves!"

Zhu Pang was fond of food, had a particular love for wine, and with the chance to taste the long-coveted fine wine, he was naturally going to drink to his heart’s content.

"It’s not that I’m being stingy; if you all get drunk, you’ll be having quite the headache tomorrow. I’ve said my piece, so don’t blame me for not warning you when the time comes!"

Gu Chengyu was somewhat helpless; it seemed that the few jars of wine he had treasured were in for some trouble today.

Once the wine was brought, Zhu Pang eagerly opened it, deeply inhaled from the opened wine jar, and repeatedly exclaimed, "Good wine, good wine! You should have brought it out sooner!"

"It does smell wonderful indeed, Chengyu, you’ve been quite secretive, hoarding it for so long?" Sun Xian, being rare to have a drink, couldn’t resist the craving gnawing inside after smelling the wine.

"Ming Mo! Serve the masters!" As Gu Chengyu was about to call Ming Mo to serve, he noticed Sun Xian and the others had already poured themselves a bowl each.

Outside the pavilion, snowflakes began to drift down. Lifting the curtain to look out, Gu Chengyu saw a layer of snow had accumulated on the plum branches, burying the originally blood-red plum blossoms under a blanket of white snow.

"Master! The second masters have drunk too much, should they be carried to the side rooms?" Looking at the tipsy and collapsed group, Ming Mo was a bit at a loss.

Fortunately, his master had good tolerance for alcohol, not easily getting drunk, and consumed little. The master was exceptionally restrained regarding alcohol and indulgence.

As for indulgence, he never partook. Compared to other frivolous noble sons who at thirteen or fourteen already had concubines, his master maintained a chastity that was hard to believe.

"Take them to the side rooms to rest! Send someone to inform the second mistresses and the Ye Family, tell them that the second masters and Mr. Ye are resting here at the estate today."

Gu Chengyu looked back at the drunken and unconscious group, letting out a long sigh of relief.

It wasn’t that Gu Chengyu was stingy, unwilling to bring people to the estate to soak in the hot spring.

But he wasn’t accustomed to bathing naked with others; though having lived as a man for over a decade now and accustomed to certain anatomical differences, watching others parade around was still rather unacceptable to him.