Nine out of ten gamblers lose; I've run into a jerk!

Chapter 189 Thoughts Arise

"What's going on here?"

Tao You had finally seen Guo Canjun yesterday. It was normal for people to change from old to new, and judging from his expression, he figured that General Shen's three major initiatives as a new official would not affect him. He was relieved after being anxious for many days. In his relaxation, he drank a couple more cups, thus delaying the curfew.

After spending the night at the Guo residence, Tao You returned to her home early in the morning and sensed that the atmosphere was somber and something was amiss. Upon entering the back room, she saw Lin Youniang lying on the bed, sobbing softly, with a tattered dress lying at her feet. Tao You recognized it as the new dress she had worn just yesterday.

"My lord is finally back!" Xiu'er felt like she had found her pillar of support when she saw Tao You return. With red eyes, she began to accuse him: "Last night, Qi Lang went on a drunken rampage and tore off the love charm that my wife wore close to her body without saying a word. He even tore off my wife's sash. In front of so many servants, he showed my wife no respect whatsoever!"

Tao You frowned, not immediately believing him. "Although Seventh Brother is young and impetuous, he is not reckless, and his drinking manners are not bad. How could he do something so rude?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Youniang's shoulders trembled. She cried as she took out the broken jade wrapped in a handkerchief and said mournfully, "Seventh Master said that a concubine's son and mistress are not worthy of ceremonial objects!"

The words "illegitimate son" made Tao You's face turn even more unpleasant. Lin Youniang, while wiping away her tears with her handkerchief, secretly glanced at Tao You's expression and then sobbed, "What does my contempt have to do with you, my lord? Why waste this fine jade?"

Xiuer muttered in a low voice, "Father said that a man's status outside the home is determined by his wife at home. Seventh Master clearly doesn't respect me..."

"Shut up!" Lin Youniang snapped.

Tao You sighed silently, bent down to pick up the broken jade, and thought, "Why did such a thing happen to a stone?"

Although jade was used as a ritual object in ancient times, with the collapse of ritual and the change of dynasties, there were no longer so many rules. Why did Anguo and Tao insist on sticking to the old rules and insisting on the old ways of the previous dynasty?

Is Seventh Brother perhaps using the jade as a metaphor to imply that he should keep to his place and not stand out again?

Although he was ambitious, he was raised with family traditions and did not want his brothers to quarrel and cause unrest in the family. He had no intention of competing with his seventh brother. This trip was also arranged by his father to help his seventh brother take over the business affairs of Xuan Guo.

But he's only human, so how could he not have any obsessions after all these years?

If he hadn't seen the scenery outside of Anguo, perhaps he would have been truly willing to be the cornerstone of Tao's prosperity.

But he had witnessed it firsthand: Guo, the military advisor under Commander Lu, and Gao, the prefect of Yongzhou... They were both born out of wedlock, yet they were still able to enter officialdom and secure titles and privileges for their wives and children.

Tao You believed he was no less than anyone else, but despite both being born out of wedlock, their circumstances differed drastically due to the different national conditions.

He thought that after all these years of risking his life and escaping danger, he had at least earned some gratitude, even if he hadn't made any great contributions. But he hadn't expected that he had overestimated himself.

At this moment, he was still in Xuan State territory, and Tao Yang still held the reins of the Tao family business. He had not yet established connections with anyone, yet Tao Yang disregarded his dignity and completely relinquished power to him, so one can imagine what his fate would be like if he returned to An State.

Thinking of this, Tao You recalled her conversation with Guo Canjun yesterday, and her palms gradually tightened. It was time to make some other plans; she couldn't let Youniang suffer with him.

"Don't cry," Tao You comforted Lin Youniang, embracing her. "I will give you an even better piece of jade."

Lin Youniang nestled in Tao You's arms, still sobbing, but there was no trace of sadness in her eyes. She subtly gave Xiu'er a wink.

Xiuer nodded, with another piece of broken jade in her hand behind her back.