Chapter 2: He Was Nowhere to Be Found in the Family Records

Hearing that voice, Gu Chen lifted his eyes towards the figure, his gaze growing colder.

“A punishment of kneeling for a whole day and night? Are you worthy of that?” Gu Chen said with a face full of indifference. “To me, you have never fulfilled a single day of a father's duty, so don't act like the head of the family in front of me.”

“And what about your so-called ‘no choice’? The second son is kept close and carefully nurtured, dressed in fine clothes and served luxuriously, while the first son is left to roam freely, neglected for eighteen years.”

“Is that what you call thinking of me? For my own good?”

“Nonsense! You...” Gu Qingfeng’s face darkened with fury, but he was at a loss for words.

He never imagined this child would dare to defy him.

He even felt envy toward his half-brother by the same father.

Short-sighted and petty, Gu Qingfeng, a man who had stood tall all his life, could not fathom having such an unworthy son.

Rage burned within Gu Qingfeng’s heart. “Nonsense! Even so, that is no excuse for your self-destruction!”

“Look at you—unmotivated at school, wasting your days with those disreputable scoundrels, not even a professional now, yet you have the audacity to compare yourself with your brother? What makes you better than him?”

Gu Chen sneered coldly. “Yes, he’s precious and cherished—that’s your true son!”

“Raised without worry from childhood, always accompanied by guards, transferred to a rare profession, admitted to the capital’s top academy. If your son is so perfect, then why come looking for me?”

“Just as you see, I’m a country bumpkin, covered in dirt, a self-degrading rogue who only knows how to hang out with worthless friends. Since you’ve built a new family, why come to me?”

Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng’s breath grew rapid, his face filled with anger, his chest aflame.

As the father and son’s argument intensified, Qin Yun finally spoke calmly.

“Gu Chen, how can you speak to your father like that? Do you know how much hope he has placed on you? Kneel and apologize to your father immediately.”

With that, she fixed her eyes on Gu Chen, a faint, hidden mockery flickering in their depths.

The proud eldest son of a royal family, unable to return home for eighteen years, suffering hardship and humiliation in a rural town, reduced to a hooligan.

All because of this stepmother.

After all, the Gu family was the royal house of the Northern Territory. As long as this legitimate eldest son existed, her own son would never see the light of day.

Therefore, she had to ruin Gu Chen, turning the royal heir into a lowly scoundrel in the eyes of the nobility.

Letting him grow up in the countryside, mingling with disreputable people, uneducated, lacking manners, and corrupted by bad habits.

She whispered poison into Gu Qingfeng’s ear, claiming that such harsh conditions would temper the heir’s character, preparing him to inherit the throne.

The key was that Gu Qingfeng was always busy with war and had no idea how Gu Chen was living, and he believed her lies.

Over the years, under Qin Yun’s sweet words, Gu Qingfeng devoted all care and resources to his younger son, keeping him close, indulging him with everything he desired.

Attended to daily, equipped with the finest gear and tools at a moment’s notice, accompanied by royal commanders even for monster hunts and leveling up, praised wherever he went.

Not only had he transferred early to a rare profession, but he was also admitted to the empire’s top academy in the capital.

The eldest and second sons were like heaven and earth.

“High hopes for me? Ha! I think the real favorite is your younger son!” Gu Chen sneered, disdain written all over his face.

“What kind of attitude is that?” Gu Qingfeng glared angrily. “Disrespecting your parents, showing no reverence to your elders—is there any difference between you and those street thugs?”

“Your talent is abysmal, you failed your profession transfer—how dare you compare yourself to your brother? What makes you better than him?”

“Yes, he is the favored one by heaven. How could I possibly compare?”

Gu Chen spoke mercilessly, “From the moment you first saw me, you looked down on me. You never cared about me except to scold and criticize. You never asked if I was living well.”

“In your eyes, your son should be like him—a genius admired by all, not a useless failure like me.”

“I’m just a country bumpkin, a rogue, unworthy of your noble identity as the Northern War King. From now on, just pretend I’m not your son, alright?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the entire hall fell into silence. Gu Qingfeng’s tiger-like eyes blazed with fury.

A satisfied glint flashed in Qin Yun’s eyes as she sharply reprimanded, “Gu Chen, who allowed you to speak to your father like that? Kneel and apologize at once!”

Seeing the mockery in Qin Yun’s eyes, Gu Chen remained indifferent.

Kneel?

This was a move to suppress him and consolidate Qin Yun’s status as matriarch.

If he knelt, it meant the legitimate heir feared his stepmother. From then on, even servants would look down on him.

“Haha... you want me to kneel? Who do you think you are? Even if I’m not worthy, I’m still the legitimate eldest son of the Northern royal family. What right do you have as a concubine to boss me around?”

At those words, Qin Yun’s expression darkened instantly. The term “concubine” was a thorn in her heart.

No one had dared to call her that all these years.

Now, humiliated publicly by Gu Chen, her dignity as princess vanished.

Her almond-shaped eyes widened, murderous intent flashing, but with Gu Qingfeng present, she had to suppress her fury.

“Chen, no matter what, I am your stepmother. How can you—”

“Enough! Stop pretending here!” Gu Chen interrupted coldly. “You never looked me in the eye from the start, and now you act as if you care? Who are you putting on a show for?”

“Nonsense...” Gu Qingfeng shouted, ready to scold.

“Nonsense!” Gu Chen retorted fiercely, with no trace of fear. “If you can’t stand me, just kill me outright. After all, I’m worthless.”

“But remember this: for eighteen years, you have shown me no care. No matter how useless I am, you have no right to insult me.”

“If you think I’ve disgraced you, then from today on, consider me cut off from the Gu family. No ties, no relations.”

“Dead to each other, no contact ever again!”

At these words, a sudden surprise flashed in Qin Yun’s eyes, quickly replaced by wild joy.

Then her expression shifted subtly, as if she had made a decision deep within.

“Chen, no!” Qin Yun stepped forward and knelt with a thud.

“Chen, auntie kneels to you! You are the legitimate eldest son of the Gu family and the future heir of the Northern royal family. How can you sever ties with the Gu family?”

A mother kneeling before a son is a grave disgrace, a betrayal that would implicate him unjustly.

If this spread, his reputation would be utterly ruined.

Gu Chen coldly watched this scene, recalling the rumors he heard on his first day at the Gu estate.

“Who in the entire Northern city doesn’t say that young Lady Qin is an excellent stepmother?”

This kneel would mean the Northern royal family would have no place for him.

This kneel would mean the heirship would be transferred.

This kneel would leave him utterly alone.

The python swallowing the sparrow!

This was the python swallowing the sparrow!

The stepmother was the python, and the genius younger brother was the sparrow.

Seeing this scene, Gu Qingfeng’s fury surged uncontrollably.

Rebellion!

Utter rebellion!

“Damn brat! I am your father—don’t you dare insult me!”

“Publicly humiliating your stepmother? Severing ties with the Gu family? Do you not know what kind of disgrace that is? Without my protection, what are you worth?”

“Ha! Your protection?” Gu Chen sneered. “Rest assured, your status as Northern War King is eminent. I wouldn’t dare sully your reputation outside!”

With a cold laugh, Gu Chen turned without looking back and left.

“Get out! Let him leave! From now on, I will pretend I never had such a son!”

After Gu Chen left, Qin Yun slowly stood, a look of triumph flickering in her eyes.

Having driven Gu Chen away today, from now on, her son could rightfully claim the heirship of the Northern royal family!

Gu Qingfeng’s fury enveloped the entire Gu household, all the servants fell silent, trembling.

The Northern War King had a fearsome reputation; even the abyssal tribes retreated at the mention of his name.

After venting his anger, Gu Qingfeng finally calmed down.

At the same time, his gaze grew complex.

How had his legitimate eldest son become like this?

He had only given more care to the younger son—so what?

Just because his younger son was better, did that mean his eldest son should rebel, insult his stepmother, and leave home?

“Hmph, this ungrateful son is ignorant and doesn’t appreciate his parents. I shouldn’t have recognized him in the first place.”

Gu Qingfeng glared angrily at a servant in the hall.

“Butler!”

“Your Majesty, please command.”

“From today, remove Gu Chen’s name from the family registry.”

Upon hearing this, the butler’s expression changed slightly, showing reluctance.

“What? You still want to plead for that rebellious son?”

The butler trembled, shaking his head repeatedly. “No, Your Majesty, it’s just that...”

“Just what?”

“Master Gu Chen’s name was never listed in the family registry to begin with.”