Gu Chengzhi feared Ms. Zheng would hit him, quickly nodding and responding: "Mmm, mmm, Iâll be good, Mom, donât hit me. Give me some meat to eat and let me have an official position."
A fool like you still wants to be an official?
Ms. Zheng looked at the drooling, foolish-looking Gu Chengzhi with great annoyance.
As for Gu Chengzhiâs issues, she wasnât sure how long they could be concealed. She reckoned that if this continued for two more years, as Gu Chengzhi grew older, others would definitely realize there was something wrong with his mind.
However, since Gu Youlu had contracted venereal disease, he couldnât find other women to have children with. For this life, he only had Brother Zhi as a son. Even if his mind was not sound, she couldnât discard Brother Zhi. She believed she could still live a good life relying on Brother Zhi.
In the mansion, Elder Gu expressed satisfaction for the first time, addressing those present: "Dashanâs family has become successful. You all bear with it a bit longer. Once I return from Tianfu County, we can spend our familyâs silver without having to endure the treatment from the Lai family."
Elder Gu was nothing but a bully, afraid of those stronger than him. When Lord Lai was around, he didnât dare utter a word. Now that Lord Lai had left, he assumed an attitude of looking down on the Lai family.
"Pah!" Granny Gu spat at Elder Gu, showing disdain. Just who do you think you are to be despising the Lai family?
Elder Gu frowned, angrily saying: "Old woman, if you keep being unruly like this, donât blame me for showing you no respect!"
His eldest son had indeed struck gold, and his grandson had become the top scorer in the county examination. As long as Gu Jinâan could become an official in the future, he would be the officialâs grandfather. If this dying wife dared show him any attitude, he would dismiss her.
Granny Gu, initially ignored by Lord Lai and then scolded by Elder Gu, was overwhelmed with sorrow and began to weep.
Elder Gu saw her crying miserably and comforted her, saying: "Alright, stop crying. Once I return from Tianfu County, our family will have endless money to spend. Dashanâs familyâs business and Brother Anâs connections will all bring benefits to our family."
He continued: "I heard Brother An knows noble sons from Jinling as well. Little Sister, Sister Ya, and Sister Rong are all reaching marriageable age. When the time comes, let Brother An find a few noble sons to marry them off to, making them noble ladies even more glorious than the Lai family. You just wait to enjoy the good life."
Gu Rong laughed, thinking her grandfather has the wrong idea about noble sons. How could they want to marry the likes of Little Sister and Gu Ya, who were nothing but riffraff? Just find them two widowers to marry so that nobody finds out the truth and accuses the Old Gu Family of fraudulent marriage.
However, right now she had no time to deal with Gu Ya; she just wanted to quickly follow her grandfather to Tianfu County and cozy up to her uncleâs family.
Gu Youfu and his wife were delighted, urging Elder Gu: "Father, itâs getting late, you should hurry back to your room to rest. You need to take us to Tianfu County for important business tomorrow, and being sleep-deprived condition is not good."
Elder Gu nodded, very pleased, and said: "You all truly care. Come, take your mother back."
Elder Gu instructed Gu Youfuâs family like an old patriarch, ordering them to carry the paralyzed Granny Gu back to her living quarters.
Gu Chengli, though limping, was also feeling a surge of excitementâhaha, Gu Chengxian and Qian Chengcai had contracted venereal disease, and Gu Chengzhi was still young and appeared foolish. Once they acquired Dashanâs familyâs business, it would surely fall into the hands of this grandson.
The more Gu Chengli thought about it, the more excited he became, working diligently. After carrying Granny Gu back to the courtyard, he personally fetched water and attended to Elder Gu, washing his feet.
Having enjoyed the service from Gu Youfuâs family, Elder Gu then dismissed them.
...
Gu Chengxian, standing behind the door, listened to Lai Gaoâs words, and was furious, smashing the arrangements in the room: "That bastard Gu Jinâan actually became the countyâs top scorer! Impossible, he must have cheated, definitely cheated!"
Gu Chengxian had always looked down on Gu Jinâan, but now the person he despised had become the countyâs top scorer, while he had contracted venereal disease and was unable to attend the county examination.
Furious, Gu Chengxian pulled at the door panel, shouting out to Lai Gao outside: "Go, go to the government office and beat the drum to report this, accuse Gu Jinâan of cheating in the exam!"
Lai Gao hesitantly replied: "Young Master Cheng Xian, Lai Zhuangâs housekeeper said that Gu Jinâanâs merit is genuine, and even Lord Magistrate praised his excellent scholarship, claiming his essay was a beneficial piece for the country and its people. Giving him the countyâs top scorer was an injustice."
Bam bam bam!
Sounds of pounding on the door followed, as Gu Chengxian hit the door, roaring: "Shut up, shut up! Gu Jinâan only became the countyâs top scorer by cheating. A person who never attended a private school, what knowledge could he have? Go quickly to the government office to report him for cheating in the exam, hurry!"
Gu Chengxian was shouting so much his voice was about to break; he couldnât bear the fact that Gu Jinâan, whom he bullied since childhood, was now more successful than him.
Lai Zhong was standing in the courtyard, hearing Gu Chengxianâs words, and signaled to Lai Gao.
Seeing the signal, Lai Gao said to Gu Chengxian: "Yes, Young Master Cheng Xian, rest assured, I will handle it right away."
Having said that, he hurriedly slipped away.
Lai Gao and Lai Zhong left the courtyard and quietly cursed: "Pfft, how dare a fool who contracted venereal disease act so arrogantly without any evidence to sue a county top scorerâwhere does his guts come from?"
Lai Zhong coldly laughed, where does his guts come from? Doesnât it come from Lord Lai?
But he didnât say this out loud; instead, he told Lai Gao: "In the future, donât oppose him, just go along with what he says. If you donât comply and he goes mad and runs out, or spits at us, weâll end up contracting venereal disease."
Lai Zhong said this while rubbing his arm covered in goosebumps, secretly cursing their misfortuneâtruly unlucky to be assigned to serve Gu Chengxian.
The two servants muttered as they walked away.
Gu Chengxian, still insane in the room, raged on until midnight before sleeping, leaving the maids in the courtyard very upsetâcursed brat, tomorrow theyâd have to go in and clean up his room again.
Gu Ya didnât have it easy either; she always looked down on Gu Jinxiu and spent the entire night worrying if Gu Jinâan, now the countyâs top scorer, would find a noble son from Jiangnan for Gu Jinxiu.
No way, that vixen Gu Jinxiu absolutely cannot marry better than her!
That night, everyone in the Old Gu Family had their own thoughts.
The next day, as dawn broke, Elder Gu rose and after breakfast, dressed impressively, sat in the guest hall with Gu Youfuâs family, waiting for the Lai familyâs mule carts to arrive.
The Lai familyâs mule carts were punctual, arriving right at dawn. Four mule carts arrived, one loaded with various gifts, clearly showing that Lord Lai had invested heavily for the Old Gu Family to successfully acquire Dashanâs familyâs business.
Zhu Wu was afraid that the Old Gu Family couldnât reach Tianfu County safely, so he specially brought a mule cart full of protectors along, claiming it was to escort Elder Gu.
Elder Gu, feeling quite honored, instructed Gu Dagu, Mrs. Gu, and others in a scolding tone, then set out with Gu Youfuâs family, heading towards the city gate on the mule carts.
Daqing, along with Er Ping and San Ping, kept an eye on the Old Gu Family. Seeing them leave, they only smiled and didnât chase them... You An, You Xi, and You Le had already divided into three teams, lying in wait along the road from Heâan Prefecture to Tianfu County. Even with Zhu Wuâs escort, Elder Gu and his party wouldnât reach Tianfu County; theyâd return crestfallen.
Daqing instructed Er Ping: "Go notify the storytellers to keep spreading the gossip about the Old Gu Family these days. Talk about the evil deeds the Old Gu Family committed in their hometown, Capital, and Lai Mansion, and also include Lord Lai, particularly emphasizing his excessive favor toward Gu Youwen and his son, surpassing even his own son, Second Young Master Lai."
All these matters were entrusted by Young Master before leaving the Prefecture.