Chapter 516: Chapter 516: Asking for Help Without the Attitude of a Supplicant

As soon as Gu Honglian finished speaking, Liu Yueer chimed in.

"No wonder everyone in the clan praises Ruinian for his great abilities, saying that even the promising scholar Jingzhe cannot compare to him. Tsk, tsk, tsk, Jingzhe indeed cannot compare to him. Who else would be so capable as to hook up with a wealthy family’s young mistress in just a few days in Pingchuan? Jingzhe wouldn’t, Dashi wouldn’t, neither would my elder brother. Brother Fengnian, could you do it?"

Liu Yueer asked Gu Fengnian. Gu Fengnian was embarrassed, sweating, feeling at a loss, and for the first time in his life, he absolutely loathed Gu Ruinian.

Without giving Gu Fengnian a chance to reply, Liu Yueer continued her tirade.

"With Ruinian’s abilities, Uncle and Aunt need not worry. A wife will come to him automatically. She might even bring an abundance of dowry. I think Xu Zaohua is great — young and fertile. You might as well go to the Zheng Family and propose. Perhaps they would be willing to let her go, and then Uncle and Aunt would have a daughter-in-law for free. Wouldn’t that be nice?"

"And what if the Zheng Family is generous enough to send their son along with her? Uncle and Aunt would gain a grandson for free. How wonderful!"

"Xu Jin always complained about why their family couldn’t produce a scholar, but if they switch to a son-in-law, won’t they have one then? And without having to train him from scratch, Ruinian could tidy himself up and immediately pass the scholar examination."

Liu Yueer spoke with a tongue that could choke countless people.

Usually, only Tong Huaqiong can hold her back.

Mr. Gu was left speechless by her remarks.

Liu Yueer’s words reminded Mr. Gu that now Gu Ruinian was held up by the Xu Zaohua’s in-laws, and her own family was still unaware.

Even if Ruinian comes back to Qinghe Bay from the Zheng Family, it’s likely the Xu Family will cause trouble.

They would have to deal with the Xu Family then as well.

Mr. Gu closed his eyes; the mess caused by Ruinian was just beginning.

He couldn’t understand why Ruinian, who had always been obedient and well-behaved, had turned out this way after returning to Qinghe Bay.

When he borrowed money from his own brother to support Ruinian’s education, his sister-in-law pointed out publicly that Ruinian’s nature was inherently selfish, always taking care of himself and disregarding the lives of his family.

Even up to the present, Mr. Gu could not believe Gu Ruinian’s nature was bad. He firmly believed Gu Ruinian was being schemed against by Lian Er Gongzi and Xu Zaohua.

After finishing her sarcastic comments, Liu Yueer just proceeded with her meal by herself, plunging the dining table into another spell of silence. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Mrs. Gu couldn’t stand Liu Yueer’s sarcasm.

Her precious golden grandson was not such a person; her golden grandson was being harmed by the indecent Xu Zaohua.

If she could see Xu Zaohua, she would end that miserable woman’s life with one stroke.

The situation couldn’t remain like this; Mr. Gu took a deep breath and instructed Gu Dashi and Gu Baishuang to figure out a way to rescue Ruinian from the Zheng Family.

The siblings ate the tasteless meal but didn’t relent.

"Eldest, eldest, open your eyes and look. You’ve birthed a bunch of ungrateful descendants, only adding to my distress."

"I’m so unfortunate; how did I end up with these grandchildren of mine? Might as well take me away at night with you."

"Why are your hearts so hardened? That’s your own cousin. If you don’t rescue him, I’ll bang my head at the Zheng family gate. You can forget about your business, return to Qinghe Bay, and mourn for me tomorrow."

"Wuuu wuuu wuuu... wuuu wuuu wuuu... why is my life so miserable? I have never enjoyed a day’s fortune, only enduring children and grandchildren’s tempers..."

Seeing that Gu Dashi and Gu Baishuang were difficult to persuade.

Mrs. Gu couldn’t bear it any longer and employed her trump card of wailing, causing a commotion, and threatening to hang herself.

Gu Dashi and Gu Baishuang were already almost overwhelmed by Mr. Gu’s pleading, and with Mrs. Gu’s antics, they finally relented and said they would try to find out more about the Zheng family.

Gu Baishuang thought for a moment and said to Gu Dashi, "Second Brother, leave this matter alone. The business at Jufu is more important. A little sister from the Nie Family is closely acquainted with Mrs. Zheng; I’ll find someone to plead our case and see if that works."

Mrs. Gu’s eyelids twitched, inwardly cursing Gu Baishuang for not mentioning this connection earlier, causing them to grovel for so long.

Asking grandchildren to do things, probably the entire Qinghe Bay couldn’t find a second family like this.

Taking the opportunity, Mr. Gu suggested he personally visit Mr. Zheng of the Zheng Family.

Gu Baishuang pondered for a long time, neither agreeing nor declining, only saying they would observe the situation.

"Fengnian, you take Grandpa and Grandma home and wait for news."

Gu Baishuang waved her hand, sending them away.

Had she known earlier, she would’ve gone to the city with her stepmother, instead of being manipulated here by the two elders.

After all, they were her grandparents, and she couldn’t bear to see them crying in front of her.

With Gu Baishuang’s assurance, Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu followed Gu Fengnian to Wu Ji to wait for news.

Mrs. Jia cried and cursed at the same time.

Cursing Xu Zaohua, cursing Tong Huaqiong.

"Still waiting for news?"

"Tong Dajiao was personally bestowed a noble title by the emperor; using her title to overpower the Zheng Family should suffice, shouldn’t it? I think they’re doing it on purpose; they don’t want Ruinian to be well."

Mr. Gu finally couldn’t contain himself anymore and shouted, "Shut up. What do you women know, only adding trouble? You still want the eldest daughter-in-law to use her noble title to pressure others, just because our nephew implicated their daughter-in-law? Using the noble title to pressure others? Wouldn’t it be ridiculous if this got out?"

"You think the eldest family is slow? That Zheng Family is the local overlord in Pingchuan County; how could it be so easy to step in? Stop crying all the time and wait for news at home. Usually, Ruinian was spoiled by you, a perfectly good child turned bad because of your pampering."

Mrs. Jia was so scared that her tears swirled in her eyes; she swallowed back the curses she wanted to hurl at the eldest household and continued to scold Xu Zaohua.

Mr. Gu shook his head.

How had he failed to notice earlier that his second daughter-in-law was so clueless?

Mr. Gu and the others waited anxiously for the news.

After lunch, Gu Baishuang managed to get some news: Gu Ruinian had been locked up by the Zheng Family but only suffered some superficial injuries and was otherwise fine.

Mr. Gu and the others felt relieved upon hearing the news.

As long as Ruinian was unharmed, that was good.

However, the messenger didn’t agree to Mr. Gu’s request to visit Mr. Zheng at the Zheng Family, saying that Gu Ruinian would be sent out in a few days.

Mr. Gu and the others didn’t think much of it. With such a scandal, the young mistress’s infidelity had been on Pingchuan’s hot topics for days, embarrassing the Zheng Family immensely. They wondered why the Zheng Family didn’t severely punish Gu Ruinian and were releasing him.

Mr. Gu thought perhaps it was due to Gu Baishuang’s connections.

Or maybe Xu Zaohua and Gu Ruinian had been framed and misunderstood; with the truth sorted out, the Zheng Family wouldn’t pursue Ruinian’s responsibility.

In any case, as long as he could return, it was good.

Mr. Gu discussed with Gu Youtian, that once Gu Ruinian was released, he would take him back to Qinghe Bay to study with Mr. Su in the village school, and wouldn’t let him out again until he passed the scholar examination.

Gu Youtian had already given up on this son; he didn’t care how Mr. Gu dealt with him as long as he stayed out of his sight.

Gu Baishuang and Gu Dashi, on the other hand, found the Zheng Family’s actions incomprehensible regarding Gu Ruinian.

Based on the news from Tong Huaqiong and Gu Taohua attending a banquet at the Lian Family, it was impossible for anyone to believe in the innocence of Xu Zaohua and Gu Ruinian, given how entangled they were.

The Zheng Family weren’t pushovers.

Supposedly, the Zheng Family had invoked family law on Xu Zaohua, confined her, and sold off her maids and old servants. It was likely she would be sent away to a family temple soon.

There was no reason for the Zheng Family to be lenient with Gu Ruinian.

Did Gu Ruinian have the ability to expand the Zheng Family’s business and earn them a fortune, or help them earn a noble title or become an official?