The original intention was to discuss business, but when Xiao Yuās cousin arrived and tried to talk business with him, he just ignored her. Worse, he seemed to insinuate falling in love at first sight... though he didnāt actually say it. If this gets out and others find out, it could ruin Xiao Yuās cousinās reputation.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Qi Kangping heard the commotion and hurried upstairs to check, knocking on the door and asking, "Sister Le, Xiao Yu, whatās going on? Did something happen?"
"Rest assured, Cousin Ping, nothing happened. Thereās just a dog thatās being too audacious, and Iām cutting him down," said Gu Jinli, showing no mercy as she insulted Young Master Dou by calling him a dog.
Young Master Dou was extremely aggrieved, his face turning green with anger. However, he didnāt dare to retaliate.
He was somewhat apprehensive, knowing this was Qin San Langās woman, so he didnāt dare to go too far. Thatās why he only brought Dou Zhi and Nanny Tang with him. They couldnāt fight, and he only knew some escape tactics, definitely no match for Gu Jinli, leaving him with no choice but to endure it.
"Xiao Ji, open the door," Gu Jinli instructed Xiao Ji.
"Okay." Xiao Ji ran to open the door and hastily shut it again once Qi Kangping entered.
The matter here should be resolved behind closed doors, keeping it from outsiders.
Qi Kangping looked at the dilapidated elegant room and the three main servants of the Dou family, puzzled, and asked, "What on earth happened? You guys started fighting?"
Then he turned to Gu Jinli and Qi Kangle, asking, "Are you two alright?"
Young Master Dou almost shouted out that of course they were alright, it was he who was in trouble, being beaten and nearly losing his life under the knife. How could Qi Kangping not see this?!
Young Master Dou grabbed onto Dou Zhiās hand, trying to stand up, but with a crack, Gu Jinliās long knife cleaved another chair beside him. Staring at him, she coldly said, "Get back down!"
The matter isnāt over yet, and you dream of getting up, you dreamer?
Young Master Dou, who had just half risen, lay back down again.
Seeing this, Qi Kangping felt reassured, realizing that Xiao Yu had the upper hand, and it was Young Master Dou who was being bullied. As long as Xiao Yu and Sister Le werenāt at a disadvantage, it was fine.
After getting married, Qi Kangping was constantly taught by Mo Qinzi and had learned to be protective, knowing to stand by his own people when things went wrong, so he didnāt speak up for Young Master Dou.
Young Master Dou felt utterly humiliated, yet constrained by the large knife in Gu Jinliās hand, he could only plead, "Miss Gu, I was wrong, I was just joking, please put away the knife so we can talk properly, alright?"
"Joking?" Gu Jinli laughed, "Cutting you with the knife is just my way of joking too. What, canāt you take a joke?"
Young Master Dou was almost choked to death by this comment... He suddenly felt great sympathy for Qin San Lang. How could Qin San Lang take a liking to such a shrew? There are so many gentle and beautiful women in the world, marrying any one of them would be better than Gu Jinli.
Young Master Dou knew this matter couldnāt be brushed under the rug today. If he didnāt give Gu Jinli an explanation, this tigress might actually cut him down.
So, after some thought, he told Nanny Tang and Dou Zhi, "You two go out first."
Go out?
Dou Zhi and Nanny Tang were shocked, "Young Master, we canāt leave."
We can at least block the blade for you while weāre here. If we leave and you get hacked to death, then what?
Young Master Dou said, "Donāt worry, Miss Gu isnāt a bandit. She wonāt actually kill me, at most just cut me a couple of times, nothing fatal. Go on, go on, thatās an order!"
Dou Zhi and Nanny Tang hesitated for a moment, looked at Gu Jinli, Qi Kangle, and Qi Kangming, and then got up and left.
Before leaving, Nanny Tang pleaded with Gu Jinli, "Miss Gu, my young master has this temper, please donāt take it seriously, I beg you... donāt strike any vital areas, just an arm will do."
The young master canāt die.
Young Master Douās face was burning with embarrassment as he urged Nanny Tang, "Hurry on, only when I finish speaking with Miss Gu can I get up. The longer you delay, the longer I stay down."
Any more of this, and heād truly be no better than a dog.
Nanny Tang hesitated, then mumbled agreement as Dou Zhi supported her out.
Once they left, Young Master Dou focused on Gu Jinli and said a single word to her.
This word was the name of the Young Marquis Qin. If the Young Marquis Qin was Qin San Lang, and if he truly liked Gu Jinli, he would have told her his real name.
Gu Jinli froze upon hearing it... Young Master Dou indeed suspected Qin San Langās identity; he came for Qin San Lang today.
But her expression did not change at all as she looked at Young Master Dou and said, "What nonsense are you spouting? I canāt understand you. Hurry up and tell me how you want to resolve this. Donāt think you can just walk away from it."
Qi Kangping and Qi Kangle did not know Qin San Langās real name, so hearing the word Young Master Dou said, they were clueless.
With a good-natured temperament, Qi Kangping stepped up to mediate, "Young Master Dou, you were in the wrong today. However, Xiao Yuās cousin is not unreasonable. Apologize, offer compensation, and this matter can be put to rest, no need to complicate it."
No need to complicate it, they wouldnāt understand it anyway.
Gu Jinli nodded, "Cousin Ping is right, apologize quickly and pay up, then this matter can be considered settled."
Young Master Douās mouth twitched. The womanās surname Gu sure loves money!
But what could he do but accept his fate? He nodded in agreement, "Alright, Iāll pay. Miss Gu, what do you think is appropriate? Name your price."
Gu Jinli didnāt bother being polite, directly stating, "Ten thousand taels."
The Dou family is wealthy, and the Dou familyās every auction of ham is a lavish display of money, spending freely, never blinking an eye.
Once, when he took a liking to a certain wild fruit from the mountains, he gave the Granny selling the wild fruits a hundred-tael silver note, buying up all her wild fruits.
That granny was so overwhelmed she fainted on the spot and had to be rushed to Xuanhu Fang for treatment.
From that, he earned himself the nickname "money-spender".
If she didnāt rip him off big-time, it wouldnāt do justice to his "good name".
Moreover, Brother Qin needed money, and this extorted silver could be saved for his future use.
Young Master Dou nearly choked, barely able to catch his breath. Ten thousand taels, she sure dared to ask!
Yet with Gu Jinliās blade still in front of him, Young Master Dou dared not refuse. Swallowing his anger, he handed ten silver notes to Gu Jinli, "Here you go."
Xiao Jiās eyes sparkled at the sight of the silver notes, happily stepping forward to take them. After counting to confirm the amount, he handed the notes to Gu Jinli, "Young Master, ten thousand taels, exactly right."
Gu Jinli nodded, "Hmm, let Erqing keep it."
"Okay." Xiao Ji handed the silver notes to Erqing.
Once Erqing received the silver notes, Gu Jinli sheathed the long knife with a swishing sound, efficiently putting it away, "You can get up now."
Then she said to Qi Kangping, "Cousin Ping, everything is settled here. You can go out first."
Qi Kangping nodded, advising Young Master Dou, "Young Master Dou, Xiao Yuās cousin has a bad temper. Watch your words. If you anger her again, I wonāt be able to save you."