3. Sorry, I Have No Morals

In the Gu family, kneeling in the ancestral hall was tantamount to a death sentence.

If it had been before, just hearing those three words would have terrified Gu Dao to the point of losing his soul, begging on his knees for mercy.

But now, Gu Dao paid it no mind and found a pear blossom chair to sit down in.

He retorted, “I set the fire? Who saw it? Step forward, so I can ask properly—whose eyes witnessed it? Of course, I also need to ask if they’re an accomplice trying to kill my servant?”

At these words, the room fell silent.

The matriarch was stunned, not expecting Gu Dao to be so shameless, attempting to shirk blame and turn the tables.

She immediately scolded, “Stop denying it. If it’s not you who set the fire, then who else could it be?”

Gu Dao replied, “Flooding, maybe? The palace often floods and burns down the halls! Does the matriarch really think someone constantly sets fires in the imperial palace?”

His words struck a painful chord in the matriarch’s heart. “But the fact remains—it was a deliberate act of murder, wasn’t it?”

“Oh, that? Does a mere servant count as a person? Over the years, how many have you had executed? Just notify the government, pay a few taels of silver, and that’s it. Or do you want to go explain it to the authorities with me?”

In this ancient time, slaves held such low status; if the master killed one, a bit of compensation was all it took.

“Nonsense! Don’t slander me. How could the Gu family, such a virtuous household, kill servants at will?” The matriarch said with a stern face.

“Alright, alright, you’re all virtuous, but I’m not! I’m a ruthless villain. What can you do to me?” Gu Dao shrugged.

Hearing this, the matriarch completely lost her composure, just like the night before when she went mad.

She trembled as she pointed at Gu Dao and broke into a violent fit of coughing, nearly losing her breath.

In reality, if you lack morals, no one can morally bind you.

The matriarch coughed harshly, while Mei Sheng and Lady Pang hurried to her side, patting her back and offering tea.

Gu Dao wasn’t worried and calmly drank water, waiting for her to recover before continuing the battle.

He thought to himself that this old lady’s fighting spirit was weak; he hadn’t even unleashed his full force, yet she was already like this.

He forgot this wasn’t his era.

In this world, great families placed immense importance on their reputation. He was the only one brazen enough to admit shamelessness.

It was simply shocking, downright rebellious.

After a long while, the matriarch finally improved slowly.

But after such a coughing fit, her face was deathly pale, as if she had lost half her life. Hopefully, just a few months of her lifespan were shortened.

“Bold and evil beast! To admit your cruelty and savagery yourself! You are vile by nature, your behavior disgusting—unworthy of the status of legitimate son...”

Gu Dao immediately knew what she intended to say and cut her off.

“Matriarch, are you so angry you’ve lost your mind? Whether I’m the legitimate son isn’t a question.”

“I was born the legitimate son! Heaven gave me my place; it’s not something I can help. Are you planning to defy heaven and change fate?”

Gu Dao bit into an apple and said casually.

“You... you... you...” The matriarch was at a loss for words.

To defy heaven and change fate—what a blasphemous, rebellious phrase. It almost made her cough again.

She decided not to argue with him anymore, lest she shorten her life span.

Instead, she struck hard.

“Do you really think I can’t punish you? Someone, bring this rebellious son to the ancestral hall and make him kneel to death there...”

The matriarch had murderous intent, demanding Gu Dao kneel to death, but Gu Dao remained unperturbed.

“What’s the charge?” he took another bite of his apple.

“Disobedience, unfilial conduct!” The matriarch stomped her cane hard on the floor. “Is that charge sufficient?”

“Enough, of course it is. You’re old; what you say goes!”