Chapter 75
"Dashun"s father, say something. What should we do?" Zhou shi was so anxious like an ant on a hot pan. If asked who amongst the Gu Family was the worst towards Gu Jiao, the answer would be either Wu shi or her.
Of course, Liu shi wasn’t a good person either, except that Gu Xiaoshun received half of Liu shi’s displeasure, so Liu shi actually beat Gu Xiaoshun fiercely the most.
There was a saying that "anger springs from the heart and evil springs from the gallbladder." People could do anything when in extreme rage. Similarly, when people were in extreme terror, they would do anything to protect themselves.
Gu Changhai made a bold decision at this moment, "Have Yue"e go. "
"What?" Zhou shi was stunned.
Wu shi and Gu Changlu also froze.
Did they hear wrong? Did the first branch’s son want to replace Jiao girl with his own daughter?
"Eldest brother, we mustn’t!" Gu Changlu was the first to object.
Leaving aside his guilt towards the third branch, he was also too timid to do such a terrible thing.
Liu shi wasn"t happy with this decision either. It wasn"t her daughter who was going to be the young miss of the Marquis Estate. Instead of living a happy and prosperous life herself, she would end up following the first branch in fear. No way!
Wu shi and Zhou shi didn"t say a word of objection. One of them was Gu Yue"e"s grandmother while the other was Gu Yue"e"s mother. They could directly benefit from it.
And they also had a lot of guts.
Gu Changhai began to convince the second branch, "Second brother and sister-in-law, don"t think about yourselves, instead why don"t you think about Ershun? Ershun is also a bright child, it’s just that Dashun was born before him and went to the academy first, and because the family can’t afford to pay for two children, Ershun’s studies were delayed. Once Yue"e go to the Marquis Estate, I will definitely let her take Ershun to the capital to study there! With Ershun being bright, can he still not achieve anything?"
These remarks reached Liu shi"s heart.
Liu shi always dreamt of basking in Ershun’s light. She also firmly believed that Ershun was someone who could stand out, it was just that all the opportunities were taken away by Gu Dashun!
Gu Changhai continued to speak, "Third brother"s child isn’t close to us, so we can"t count on her. And maybe the other child would be sent back by the Marquis Estate as well! You can’t expect the Marquis Estate to compensate us with a sum of money. They too have raised a daughter for third brother, so both sides don’t owe each other! Actually, you can say that it’s us who owe them! How much does the Marquis Estate spend on third brother"s daughter every year, and how much do we spend on Jiao girl every year? if you really think about it, it should be us to compensate them, right?"
Hearing about compensation, the expression of the second branch people changed in a swoosh.
Gu Changhai went on, "But as long as Yue"e goes there and puts in more good words for us, can the Marquis Estate still not go along with her wishes? You watched Yue"e grow up. Don"t you still understand her temperament? She is closest to her second aunt!"
Liu shi straightened her back.
In fact, the relationship between Gu Yue"e and Liu shi wasn’t really that close, but Gu Yue"e was obedient, hardworking and soft-tempered. Liu shi didn’t dislike her, and Gu Yue’e had never been displeased with Liu shi either.
Zhou shi hurriedly spoke in support, "That’s right, she always tells me she likes her second aunt best! She even said that her second aunt is really beautiful! Much more than me!"
In the past, Zhou shi would never admit that Liu shi was more beautiful than herself, but right now, wasn’t it necessary to coax Liu shi first?
Liu shi, who was coaxed successfully, smiled sheepishly and said, "Seriously, who wouldn’t like that kid, Yue"e?"
After successfully winning over Liu shi, Gu Changhai turned to Gu Changlu and said, "Second brother ah! Eldest brother knows that you don"t like farming at all and instead want to run a business. When Yue"e goes to the Marquis Estate, I will ask her to buy you the best shop in town, and then you can run whatever business you want!"
Gu Changlu suddenly went silent.
It was true he felt guilty towards the third branch, but... He also really wanted to have a business of his own.
"About Father..." Liu shi said weakly.
Gu Changhai knew his old man very well. His affection towards Gu Jiao was fickle, and his preference for sons wasn’t false either. Even so, he still might not be able to do such a dishonest thing.
"I"ll tell him about it later."
Liu shi pouted and said, "Then say that it has nothing to do with us!"
Gu Changhai grinned, "Don"t worry, second brother and sister-in-law, it was all my idea. If the old man wants to scold someone, he will scold me."
"Will the Marquis Estate not suspect anything?" Gu Changlu suddenly asked.
Gu Changhai smiled and said, "How is that possible? Who would even think that we have so much courage? Also, that man already asked people in the village to find our Gu Family; he likely won"t ask around again."
Zhou shi said, "What about the mixing of blood to recognize relatives? I heard that there’s such a thing."
Gu Changhai smiled even more deeply, "That’s even easier. Yue"e and third brother"s real daughter are related by blood. When the time comes, let Yue"e find a way to replace the drop of blood from the Marquis Estate’s side with the blood of third brother"s daughter. This will naturally cover things up."
The family decided the lives of Gu Jiao and Gu Yue"e just as they decided Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang’s marriage at the beginning. They simply never thought about whether the two people directly involved agreed or not.
Gu Yue"e burst into tears and didn"t want to be other people’s daughter. Zhou shi and Liu shi tried to persuade her with words but it didn’t work at all. Only when Gu Changhai smacked her hard did she become obedient.
Zhou shi helped her daughter change into decent clothes, while Liu shi took out the jewelry she kept in the bottom of the trunk which belonged to Xu shi and put it on Gu Yue"e.
Gu Changhai only smacked Gu Yue"e on the head, leaving no trace on her face. However, she cried so much and her eyes were red and swollen.
About this, the Gu Family people explained that the little girl couldn’t accept the fact, and she felt somewhat sad to part with them.
Huang Zhong thought it was only natural. Being born well wasn’t as good as being raised well. After raising her for so many years, of course she would have some feelings towards them.
It was just that Huang Zhong didn"t expect that his own young miss was the little girl who opened the door for him. Her clothes earlier were shabbier than now, though her expression still looked quite timid, and her every gesture was full of tense unbefitting of a n.o.bility.
Thinking of the dignified and elegant Gu Jinyu again, Huang Zhong couldn"t help sighing.
Gu Yue"e kept crying.
Huang Zhong couldn"t bear to see her crying appearance and said, "Lord Marquis doesn"t plan to take you back immediately. Today, he came here to meet you first. If you really can"t bear to leave..."
Wu shi quickly said, “There’s no such thing! It’s just right for a family to be reunited! There’s no reason she can’t bear to leave, is there? After all, Lord Marquis is her real father!"
Huang Zhong personally opened up the curtain of the carriage, saying, "Young Miss, please get on the carriage."
Gu Yue"e did not move, but Wu shi urged her, "Go, Yue... Cough, Jiao girl."
Zhou shi and Liu shi both helped Gu Yue"e into the carriage.
It could be said that this time was when Gu Yue"e was most valued by her family ever since she was born. The whole family treated her like a Bodhisattva, but this didn’t make Gu Yue"e happy at all.
She didn’t want to go to an unfamiliar place nor leave her real home.
Regardless of Gu Yue’e’s fate from this moment on, each and every member of the family began to have grand dreams.
Gu Changhai urged, "It"s getting late. Go quickly so you can come back early."
If they didn’t leave yet, Old Mister Gu might come back soon, and when that time came, Gu Yue"e wouldn’t be able to leave anymore.
To several people’s surprise, however, the one to meet Huang Zhong and Gu Yue"e wasn’t Old Mister Gu, but Gu Xiaoshun who returned from the academy!
Gu Xiaoshun walked back in a leisurely manner while swinging his book bag back and forth.
Gu Changhai felt a twitch between his eyebrows. He asked, "Why is Xiaoshun back so early?"
Xiao Liulang went to the prefectural capital to take the prefectural exam. With just him alone, Gu Xiaoshun didn"t need to ride Second Uncle Luo’s oxcart and simply make his way home on foot. How could they know his foot was actually much faster than the oxcart?!
At this time, Huang Zhong"s carriage was almost out of the village. Zhou shi said, "It"s all right, he can’t see her anyway."
Gu Yue"e was sitting inside the carriage. Would Gu Xiaoshun really be so rude as to lift the curtain of other people"s carriage?