Chapter 577: Chapter 577: Resolution
Xiao Yu, how could you just pull Brother Cheng away like that? That’s so rude." Gu Dashan drove the mule cart home, helplessly speaking to Gu Jinli: "What’s gotten into you, child? Did Lady Xia’s temper upset you?"
Gu Jinli didn’t want Gu Dashan to worry, so she lied casually: "Lady Xia is a rich lady; we don’t see eye to eye."
Gu Dashan laughed when he heard this: "It’s not unusual for a rich lady to talk in a way that is hard to understand. If you don’t like Lady Xia, then you don’t have to visit the Xia family in the future, but you can’t throw a tantrum like that, or people will say you lack manners."
And you won’t be able to get married in the future.
Mrs. Cui and he were most worried about Gu Jinli’s bad temper. She already had a fierce reputation in the village, and they were afraid it would make matchmaking difficult for her.
Then he thought of Qin San Lang.
Gu Dashan was fond of Qin San Lang. Even though San Lang’s family had no parents and was considered unlucky and ill-fated by local standards, a child who had lost both parents,
But San Lang had skill, treated Xiao Yu well, and listened to Xiao Yu. Every time he saw the two children working together, he was pleased. He had briefly mentioned it to Mrs. Cui, who also said that since they knew all about San Lang’s family, it would be better than marrying into an unfamiliar family.
But since Xiao Yu was still young, the couple hadn’t explicitly brought it up. They just wanted to wait and see, and in another two or three years, if Xiao Yu had grown up and San Lang was still as good to Xiao Yu, then they would let Third Grandpa go speak with Elder Qin. They reckoned the marriage would certainly be agreed upon.
Gu Jinli nodded and said: "Mm, I understand, Dad."
Master Xia’s status was that of a scholar, so Gu Dashan’s reservations were normal.
Brother Cheng asked, "Second Sister, will I still go to the teacher’s house to study?"
Since Second Sister seemed to have argued with Lady Xia, it wouldn’t be good for him to continue studying at Master Xia’s place, would it? In the village, when adults from two families quarrel, the children would no longer interact.
Gu Jinli looked down at him and asked, "Do you want to go, Brother Cheng?"
Brother Cheng, frowning slightly, was a bit torn: "Master Xia is quite good, but Second Sister is even better. If I stand by Second Sister’s side, it’s a pity about the ten taels of silver."
That’s ten taels of silver. Back in his old home, his nanny said his entire family couldn’t sell for that much.
Brother Cheng was really distressed and then asked, "Second Sister, can we go back to the teacher’s house to get a refund? Even nine taels of silver would do."
The remaining tael could be seen as compensation to Master Xia.
Gu Jinli couldn’t help but laugh when she heard this.
Gu Dashan said from outside: "Brother Cheng, don’t talk nonsense. It was not easy to find a scholar teacher for you. You can’t just stop going because you said so. If your Second Sister doesn’t like Lady Xia, she doesn’t have to go to the Xia family anymore, but you should still go to school. This doesn’t concern you, a child."
A Master Scholar, ah, there are not many in the whole of Tianfu County. Being able to teach Brother Cheng is a blessing for his entire family.
Brother Cheng, holding Gu Jinli’s arm, said in a small voice, "I’ll listen to Second Sister."
Gu Jinli pinched his chubby cheek and said: "Mm, Brother Cheng is the nicest to me. But don’t worry, this matter will be resolved soon."
Indeed, the very next evening, she received a letter, personally written to her by Master Hu.
Master Hu informed her of the identities and origins of Master and Lady Xia, saying that they were here only to provide instruction and had no other intentions.
Master Hu had already written to chastise Master and Lady Xia, telling her not to worry—just to live her family’s life well... They would not interfere too much with her family and she could rest assured.
In the end, Master Hu also promised not to let the affairs of the Lu Family implicate them, nor let them live a difficult life because of the Lu Family’s matters.
The letter also said that their people would not meddle in her family’s affairs, but her family would also not receive much help from them. Master Hu explained this was out of concern that Emperor Chu might once again move to purge the nobility of the former dynasty, which could cause trouble for her family.
Gu Jinli didn’t care one bit whether Master Hu and his group helped her family or not; she disliked the ways of the noble families. It was sufficient for Master and Lady Xia not to cause trouble for her family. She could earn Silver herself, and her eldest brother could achieve his own official position; they did not need them meddling.
As for Mrs. Cui, Master Hu also mentioned that having lived more than half her life as a peasant’s wife, it was better to let her continue in that way. Her nature was too gentle, unsuited to knowing too much.
But the truth was, Mrs. Cui was now spent; pushing her to the fore not only would not be able to bring back the Lu Family’s former glory but would also invite ridicule from other noble families because she had married a rustic farmer, bringing shame upon the Lu Family. Therefore, Master Hu seldom mentioned her, only relieved that she was still alive, and had given birth to four decent children.
Compared to the appeasing letter Gu Jinli received, the letter to Master and Lady Xia was pure reprimand.
Master Hu furiously scolded the couple for being too impatient, despite the agreement that Master Xia was only to tutor Brother Cheng, and only after fostering a relationship with him, bring up the matter of the heir with the Gu Family. But Master and Lady Xia had almost botched the plan.
He also berated Lady Xia for being presumptuous; she was not Sister Xiu’s mother, what right did she have to plan Sister Xiu’s marriage matters? If she really cared for Sister Xiu, she could wait until the relationship between the two families improved and then approach Sister Xiu, slowly guiding her. As for whether she could marry into a high-class family later, that was up to fate.
As for the Lu Family, though they had been distinguished through several dynasties, they were in decline now. With Great Chu currently unstable, what might happen in the future was unknown. If they were to promote the descendants of the Lu Family at this time, whether or not they could revive the Lu Family was uncertain, but it could very likely attract assassination attempts from Emperor Chu.
The Great Chu Royal Family truly disliked the noble families; they had purged the noble families before, with fully half of them falling beneath the Great Chu Royal Family’s blades.
Upon receiving this letter, Lady Xia cried inconsolably, and said to Master Xia, "I had no other intention and never thought to transgress. I just pity the four children, pity Sister Xiu, not wanting her to end up like her mother... Mrs. Cui is now spent, and we can only pin our hopes on the four children, truly none of them can be wasted."
Master Xia, embracing her to comfort her, said, "I understand my wife’s thoughts, but what Master Hu says is not without reason. Presently, pushing the children out is indeed not the best course. Let’s wait. With Emperor Jingyuan’s nature, Great Chu won’t last much longer, and when that time comes, it will be the age for noble families to emerge again. As a premier noble family and Country Pillar Minister across several dynasties, the Lu Family will surely return to its peak!"
Regardless of the grand ambitions of Master and Lady Xia, they were restrained by Master Hu, and it was only on the third day after receiving Master Hu’s letter that Gu Jinli allowed Brother Cheng to continue his lessons at the Xia Family’s home.
Master and Lady Xia heaved a sigh of relief, truly afraid that Gu Jinli would not send Brother Cheng over.
This time, Lady Xia did not dare to meet Gu Jinli again, only sending a nanny over to apologize, saying she was out of her mind last time, and beseeched her to disregard it, promising that it would definitely not happen again.
Gu Jinli just smiled and said, "Tell Lady Xia when you return: live her own life well, how my family lives is not of much concern to her."
She added another sentence: "My family members are not puppets of anyone; what to do is for my family to decide for themselves. Whether it’s well-intentioned or scheming, please rest, we do not need it."
Where were they when her mother was destitute, sold off to be a servant and nearly taken as a concubine? Now that her family’s days are better, they want to meddle and direct—do they think they are someone special? Are noble families so extraordinary?
The nanny relayed these words to Lady Xia, who cried yet another time.
However, Lady Xia continued to treat them well afterwards, cooking delicacies daily for Brother Cheng, and every time Good Brother An went to pick up Brother Cheng, he was also invited into the Xia Family home to sit.
Each day the two brothers came home carrying two bags of treats, either pastries, dried fruits, or jerky; indeed, their household’s snacks multiplied.