Mr. Gushan was only discovered to have left behind works like the Mountain and River Album more than a decade after his death, but by the time everyone finally recognized his brilliance, he had already turned into bones.
In his article, Gu Jinâan stated: A true man should neither greedily seek achievements like the Madman, nor should he abandon his reputation like Mr. Gushan. A person who lives in this world and has talent should enjoy honor and respect, and those who commit grave errors deserve to be condemned by all.
Hearing this, Father Zheng immediately went searching among the legitimate branches of the Zheng Family for a suitable young lady to match with Gu Jinâan.
...
Lady Xia lay weakly on her soft couch, separated by a screen, and feebly said, "Whatâs written on the petition paper is true, please tell Squad Leader Cheng to report back to the Lord Magistrate, asking him to help uphold justice, and let Mrs. Xia Lian and Xia Gu divide their property and get divorced."
The vile deeds of Xia Gu had spread across all of Jinling, so Lady Xiaâs request for property division and divorce seemed quite justified to Squad Leader Cheng.
He merely went through the motions, asked a few questions, and let the brought clerk write a testimony, telling Lady Xia to leave her fingerprint: "This testimony is what you just said. We have recorded it. Madam, please leave a fingerprint, and we will take it back. If the Lord Magistrate sees no issues, he will issue you the divorce papers."
Chunâer emerged from behind the screen and took the testimony inside.
Lady Xia, looking at the divorce testimony, shed tears, unwilling to leave her fingerprint.
Seeing this, Chunâer said, "Madam, please do it quickly, only then can you get what you desire."
Her words had a deeper meaning, only because Lady Xia was unwilling to divorce Xia Gu, and wanted to remain his wife for life, but as Master Hu had said, if Lady Xia wanted to be buried with Xia Gu after death, a divorce was necessary.
Only if Lady Xia divorced Xia Gu would outsiders believe the evil deeds committed by Xia Gu were true.
Lady Xia had no choice but to leave her fingerprint if she wanted to share a grave with Xia Gu after death.
Chunâer took the testimony outside to Squad Leader Cheng, "Thank you for your efforts, sir. Please have the government office expedite our ladyâs divorce. She can no longer stand another day as wife to that Xia beast."
After taking the testimony, Squad Leader Cheng reassured through the screen, "Lady Xia, rest assured, the divorce papers will come soon."
It was almost the New Year, and everyone in the government office was looking forward to the holiday, none wanting to waste too much time on the Xia Familyâs troubles.
Upon hearing this, Lady Xia burst into tears. Squad Leader Cheng just thought she was crying from grievance, didnât think much of it, and soon left with his men.
After Squad Leader Cheng departed, Chunâer returned behind the screen and coldly advised, "Madam, stop crying. What good is Xia Gu? He has harmed you for so many years, you should be fighting him relentlessly, why are you still so reluctant to leave him?"
Mockingly she added, "Second Miss Gu is right, you truly are a dog, a blind dog that canât discern right from wrong, serving only Xia Gu!"
"You..." Lady Xia was extremely angered, but being poisoned, she was already exhausted and didnât have the energy to scold Chunâer. Instead, she pleaded, "Please, go and pass a message to Xiao Yu...let her wait until the divorce papers come down before allowing me to remarry my husband, alright?"
Chunâer was shocked, that beast Xia Gu and yet Lady Xia still contemplating a second marriage: "Mrs. Xia Lian, you really are sick!"
Saying so, she no longer bothered with Lady Xia and called two maids to help Lady Xia into the inner room to rest.
"Keep an eye on Lady Xia; before the divorce document is issued, she must not die," Chunâer instructed.
"Yes," two maids replied.
The divorce document from the government office came quickly; the next afternoon, Squad Leader Cheng brought the divorce document, along with the property division document.
Half of Xia Familyâs property was given to Lady Xia, and half to the three Xia brothers who were the real victims. Though not directly by Xia Gu himself, their parents were killed by him, and the brothers were abused by Xia Gu since childhood; they rightly deserved monetary compensation.
Master Hu divided Xia Familyâs property into two parts, one-tenth each for Xia Er and Xia San, the remaining eighty percent all went to Gu Jinliâs house.
Cheng Feng had already accounted for Xia Familyâs properties upon arrival at Xia Residence and handed the ledger to Master Hu.
Master Hu quickly selected items to distribute to Gu Jinli and Gu Jinâan: "Most have been converted to silver already, but there are two manors, two houses in Jinling Prefecture, and three shops that are extremely valuable. Itâs very difficult to find such properties in Jinling nowadays. I helped you transfer ownership twice and kept them for you. Here are the contracts; you can take them."
Both Gu Jinli and Gu Jinâan are practical people, especially Gu Jinli who is particularly fond of money, naturally, they wouldnât refuse and joyfully accepted, saying, "Youâre a good person, Master, but we need to say some harsh words first. We will interact with the Lu Family due to respect for my motherâs wishes. If the Lu Family doesnât treasure the relationship between our two families, then my family will not care about the Lu Familyâs opinions."
She smiled, "After all, we donât owe the Lu Family anything, and their situation is very dangerous, they still donât dare to show up and only dare to let Xia Gu and his henchmen slap the face of Great Chu. We, the Gu Family People, just want to live well and donât wish to seek death with the Lu Family."
She looked at Master Hu and reiterated, "The Lu Family is the Lu Family; the Gu Family is the Gu Family. The Lu Family has no right to interfere in Gu Familyâs matters. Please convey this message to the Lu Family members. Donât feel bad about our harsh words; itâs Xia Guâs actions that are disgusting, he has diminished all good feelings towards the Lu Family. If the Lu Family wants to settle accounts, they should find Xia Gu."
Finally, she stared at Master Hu and said, "If the Lu Family dares to trouble our family, I will ensure mutual destruction!"
Master Hu knew she wasnât joking; Gu Jinli was not a person to be trifled with. If everyone got along well, things would be peaceful; if the Lu Family tried to completely control the Gu Family, then the Gu Family would go directly to the government to report the issues of the Lu Family, ensuring mutual destruction.
Master Hu didnât want the Lu Family to be destroyed abruptly, he nodded and said, "Rest assured, I will convey your words to the influential people within the Lu Family."
As for who that person was, Master Hu didnât say; the Lu Family Head didnât yet want the Gu Family People to know of his existence.
Seeing that Master Hu agreed, and after taking the contracts and a big box of silver notes, Gu Jinli said, "Weâll leave this matter in your hands, Master; itâs time for us to go home."
Now that it was already the 8th of the twelfth lunar month, they needed to hurry home for the New Year, and because of the despicable acts committed by Xia Gu, every day, people were coming to the gate of Xia Residence to throw manure.
Yes, people of Great Chu are just that direct!
Although the Xia Residence is large, spanning seven sections, Gu Jinli and the others lived in the inner residences, unaffected by outside matters; still, every day Zezi came reporting, "Brother An, Young Master, the main gate has been smeared with manure again."
Who could stay under such conditions? Itâs better to leave quickly.
Master Hu nodded, "Please go ahead."
But before leaving, Gu Jinli, Gu Jinâan, and Luo Wu went to see Xia Gu once more, handing him the divorce document.
Lying in bed, Xia Gu was speechless, holding the divorce paper and squinting for a long time before realizing... this was actually a divorce document between Lady Xia and him; that despicable woman really dared to divorce him!