Chapter 225: Chapter 61: Redeem Her Back
"Oh? There is still an embroideress? You keep an eye on everyone, and when I get back, Iâll take them all back! You can use them and keep the ones you need, but donât complain about a lack of hands when Iâve taken them away! By the way, thereâs a lot going on now. Iâll increase your pay to five taels of silver a month. If you do well, there will be rewards at the end of the year. But, if I find out you are betraying me, you know what Iâm capable of."
Gu Chengyu looked sharply at Yu Tuanzi, putting his words at the forefront. As the business expanded, he feared Yu Tuanzi might develop untoward ideas, particularly because everything Gu Chengyu was handling was managed by Yu Tuanzi.
"Young master still doesnât trust me? I really wouldnât dare!" Yu Tuanzi was somewhat aggrieved. He indeed had no other thoughts; his life was still in Gu Chengyuâs hands. Besides, Gu Chengyu had a ruthless heart, and Yu Tuanzi didnât dare hope that Gu Chengyu would be lenient if he did something to betray him.
"Itâs best if there isnât!" Gu Chengyu was still a bit uneasy. Money could tempt people; just because there was no betrayal now didnât mean there wouldnât be in the future. It seemed he needed to hasten the training of Gu Wanqian.
"Is Wan Qian going back with you?" Lately, Yu Tuanzi had been spending a lot of time with Gu Wanqian and found him smart and eager to learn, which made him feel a sense of crisis.
"Of course, I want him to go back and learn well so that in the future, he can help ease some of your workload. Then youâll hire a carriage to take him and those people back together, and for now, stay in the town!"
Gu Wanhua held two hundred taels of silver in his arms, feeling extremely nervous. He often wanted to reach into his pocket and touch the silver, but was pulled along by Huang Ming, quickly walking towards the inn where Huang Ming lived.
"Wanhua! This time, you have to help me no matter what! Iâve also left my fingerprint on the two hundred taels of silver I.O.U. Now, we can only do as Iâve said. If we succeed, it will all be joyous, and you wonât even need to repay the silver. But if you donât help me, you wonât be able to repay that silver either. At that time, Gou, seeing weâre from the same village, might not be too harsh, but it will be different for youâlosing a limb would be the mildest punishment."
Huang Ming was afraid Gu Wanhua wouldnât help him, so he deliberately used this matter to scare him.
"Of course I want to help you, but the interest is too highâone tael of silver a day!" Gu Wanhua planned to borrow for two months. One tael of silver a day meant sixty taels, doubling if overdue. The specifics were determined by the Money Shop, no wonder they said loan sharking was a huge profit!
Those people claimed to run a Money Shop, but it was just an excuse to lend at usurious rates.
"As long as I can marry Gu Wan, are you afraid you wonât be able to repay?" As for Gu Wan being only twelve, he didnât care at all; at worst, they would get engaged first or marry and keep her at home.
Gu Wanhua left Huang Mingâs inn and did not return to his residence but went to Yan Biâs place instead.
"Why are you here in broad daylight? Isnât your little uncle managing you?" Yan Bi opened the courtyard gate and saw Gu Wanhua standing outside, quickly pulling him inside.
"Little Uncle told me to go back today, but I canât bear to leave you!" Gu Wanhua held Yan Bi in his arms, feeling extremely reluctant at the thought of leaving her.
"So, are you leaving? Wonât you come to see me anymore?" Yan Bi held onto Gu Wanhua, coldness glinting in her eyes. She had initially hoped Gu Wanhua could take her away, but it turned out he couldnât.
She must leave this placeâthe people would find her eventually. But the old hag had caught her and forced her to sign a contract of sale, making it impossible for her to leave.
The other day she met the scholar; his family was well-off, and she wanted him to help redeem her, but he turned out to be a heartless man. Now she met Gu Wanhua, who was easy to deceive, but he had no money.
"Silly girl! How could I bear to leave you here? Donât worry; Iâve already gathered the silver. Whereâs your godmother? Once we give her the silver, you can pack up, and weâll leave here together; you can come home with me!" Gu Wanhua stroked Yan Biâs smooth hair, feeling a great sense of satisfactionâit was worth it!
"Really? Youâre not lying to me? Thatâs wonderful! Godmother will be here today; itâs the third day now. Once she arrives, we can leave!"
When Yan Bi mentioned her godmother, her body reflexively shuddered. This godmother was ruthless, with henchmen at her command. She didnât only have Yan Bi; there were many other pitiful people. If anyone got caught trying to escape, they would pray for death as a relief!
"That old hag, donât be afraid. Iâll rescue you out!"
When Gu Chengyu returned to the inn, it was already afternoon, and Ming Mo had arrived long ago.
"Go and bring Gu Wanhua back. Did you see outside the window? If heâs not at this inn, heâs with Huang Ming. Iâll be relieved only when heâs brought back!" Gu Chengyu rubbed his temples, growing annoyed just thinking of Gu Wanhua.
"Young Master, what if he refuses to come back?" Ming Mo found it a bit tricky, as he was just a servant and couldnât go too far.
"Then knock him out and carry him back. I donât care what methods you use, as long as you can safely bring him back!"
"Little Uncle! No need to look for me, Iâve already returned!" Gu Wanhua helped Yan Bi up to the third floor and happened to hear Gu Chengyu ordering him to be knocked out and brought back.
Gu Chengyu was taken aback to hear Gu Wanhuaâs voice and turned to look, utterly shocked.
He saw Gu Wanhua supporting a woman. This woman was delicate and charming, evoking a sense of pity. Wasnât this Yan Bi?
"Why did you bring her back?" Gu Chengyu found it a bit oddâwasnât it said that there was a need for ransom silver? Where did Gu Wanhua get the money? Did Huang Ming lend it to him?
"Didnât Little Uncle tell me to go back? Just in time, I want to go home too! Let Ming Mo send us off this afternoon!" Gu Wanhua, seeing Gu Chengyuâs look of surprise, felt uneasy. He was helping Huang Ming to scheme against his little uncleâs family.
Yan Bi looked at the one Gu Wanhua called Little Uncle and realized Gu Wanhua wasnât lyingâhe was indeed a young lad, but not a simple one. From Gu Wanhuaâs descriptions, it seemed that this young lad was the real head of the Gu Familyâs third branch.
Yan Bi softly bowed and addressed him, "Little Uncle!"
"I have no acquaintance with the young lady, and this term âLittle Uncleâ is something I canât afford to bear." Gu Chengyu naturally couldnât acknowledge it, or else what would Mrs. Xiao from Shangling Village think?
"Hua, where did you get the silver from? Do you really plan to take her back to the village? Donât say I didnât warn you; you are already married. Besides, you still have to take the imperial exams in the future. If word of this gets out, wonât it affect your reputation?"
In any case, Gu Chengyu hoped Gu Wanhua would think it over carefully. When he mentioned Yang, Gu Wanhua was unmoved. So, he brought up future fame and fortune, not believing Gu Wanhua wouldnât be concerned. That woman was no different from a brothel girl; no family would have a brothel girl as a concubine, let alone a wife, which was impossible.