"Yelü Guzha?"

Lord Gu's voice, filled with surprise, anger, and confusion, rang out.

This was clearly far beyond what was expected.

Hongye muttered to herself, "This Yelü Guzha actually dares to come."

Cui Ming said, "Perhaps they've come to demand someone back, which shows that the person captured today is very important to the Yelü family's hostage."

The two of them whispered to each other.

Inside the house, Lord Gu muttered to himself, "He actually dared to come."

Qin Yuan said, "I guess they came because of Yelü Xianyong."

This man was extremely loyal to Yelü Guzha and was also brave and skilled in battle. If it weren't for a coincidence, we really wouldn't have been able to fool him today.

Gu Baozhu shook her head and laughed, "Then we'll have to ask for the lion's share."

Old Madam Gu glared at her.

"Eat your food properly. This is an adult matter, and children shouldn't meddle."

Although she wasn't punished, her discipline became stricter.

Gu Baozhu pouted and reluctantly stuffed a large mouthful of food into her mouth.

Qin Yuan smiled and said, "If my husband is willing to return it to him, he should indeed ask for more benefits."

Lord Gu laughed and said, "Now that I have the upper hand, how could I easily agree to his request? I must find out more about his background."

Upon hearing this, Gu Baozhu looked at Lord Gu and nodded emphatically in agreement.

Madam Gu glared at her, but didn't scold her anymore.

Qin Yuan saw this and couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile.

Sixth Master Gu frowned and said, "Mother and Third Sister-in-law, you must be careful when you go out to socialize in the future. The Yelü clan has bothered us several times without any regard for their own interests, and they have not gained any advantage. They will certainly not let it go."

Gu Baozhu nodded emphatically, then stuffed another big mouthful of rice into her mouth.

Lord Gu said, "Sixth Brother is right. The women should be careful when they go out in the future. He is a barbarian who does not follow the rules or have any sense of righteousness. If he does something, we will regret it."

Madam Gu said, "Don't worry, I've crossed more bridges than you've walked roads, I'll be careful."

Lord Gu then turned to Gu Shiliu and said, "Let him wait."

Gu Shiliu smiled and said, "Okay."

The Marquis intends to have a leisurely meal before meeting with his guests.

Having received the Marquis's permission, Gu Shiliu strolled out leisurely, a stark contrast to his previous anxious demeanor.

Before he had taken more than a few steps, Lord Gu called out to him again.

"Sixteen, come over later and tell the old lady and the madam everything you saw at the ancestral temple."

Gu Shiliu agreed and quickly hurried to get the things.

inside the house.

Old Madam Gu asked, "What happened at the family temple again?"

Sixth Master Gu hesitated for a moment, then looked at the children eating at the small table and said, "Mother, let's talk about it after we finish eating."

Gu Baozhu, unusually, did not interrupt.

The group quickly finished their meal, and the maids and servants rushed in to serve them.

After washing her hands and rinsing her mouth, and having fresh tea served, Qin Yuan went to the living room and told them about finding a skull in the family temple.

Madam Gu was utterly shocked: "Such a thing actually happened?"

"Kang-ge'er, quickly tell your grandmother what happened," Master Gu hurriedly instructed.

Kang Ge'er then recounted how he and his cousin Xu had initially played around, how they had a contest to see who was the bravest, how they sneaked out to play in the dilapidated courtyard, and how he accidentally fell into the dry well and discovered the skull.

Kang Ge'er and Fu Ge'er were not very old, but they were already attending primary school at the Imperial College, so they spoke fluently and in detail without being disorganized.

Hearing this, Old Madam Gu frowned deeply and exclaimed in panic, "Is there some murder hidden here?"

Qin Yuan said solemnly, "That's what I was worried about too. That's why I had the monks chant sutras and perform rituals to keep them calm. I also had Gu Shiliu ask the camp to mobilize troops so that they could thoroughly search and interrogate us after we left. I'm not afraid of anything else, but I'm afraid that someone might turn the ancestral temple into a place for filth and corruption. It would not only tarnish the foundation of our ancestors but also harbor hidden dangers."

Madam Gu gripped Qin Yuan's hand tightly and sighed, "My child, thank goodness for you. The clan's ancestral temples are managed by clan members on a rotating basis, with those who are wealthier and hold higher positions contributing more. The temple's incense money and the monks' expenses are covered annually by each branch of the family according to tradition, except for the portion from the clan's public funds. The Marquis's Mansion has the highest prestige in the clan, so we can speak on matters large and small. But after the old Marquis passed away, the Marquis's Mansion only contributes money and no longer manages affairs. If anyone uses the ancestral temple to cause trouble, no one can escape responsibility."

In all things considered, the Marquis's mansion would also be held responsible for failing to properly supervise its members.

This can be a big or small matter, depending on the emperor's mood.

Some were exiled to the army for this, while others were simply let off the hook and never mentioned again.

Qin Yuan laughed and said, "It was just a coincidence. If the children hadn't been naughty, this wouldn't have happened."

Madam Gu said, "It's thanks to your meticulousness that you kept everyone calm and prevented anything from leaking out. If something had happened, it would have been terrible. Many people in the clan are extremely poor. They keep their coffins in the ancestral temple and farm right next to it to make a living. That land was purchased by our ancestors for ancestral worship, and the produce is used to support them. It's managed by whichever branch of the family is in charge. If a clansman farms this land, they don't have to pay rent; they only pay a share of the produce. I'm just worried that these people might collude with the monks to do something heinous."

Qin Yuan comforted her, "The matter is still unresolved, Mother, there's no need to worry too much. We'll take advantage of this investigation to get to the bottom of things, and then we'll invite the clan elders to discuss it together. Even if nothing's wrong, it's always good to be safe. A little extra money from the household won't be a big deal."

"Good," said Madam Gu with satisfaction.

My daughter-in-law doesn't value money too much, knows what's important and what's urgent, is shrewd in handling things, and has a long-term vision. What more could she possibly want?

The only thing he was dissatisfied with was his son.

Madam Gu gave her third son, who was oblivious to the situation, a subtle glare.

Lord Gu, puzzled, hurriedly said, "Sixteen, what else have you discovered? Come in and tell me quickly."

Gu Shiliu had already rushed back and had been waiting outside for a while. Upon hearing this, he responded and came in.

Madam Gu immediately asked, "Sixteen, what else was found in the family temple?"

Gu Shiliu glanced at the young masters, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

Madam Gu then instructed Rong Mama to take them away.

Gu Shiliu then said, "I followed Madam's orders and arrested several monks and Taoist priests who wandered around the meditation room at night. They were interrogated separately, but so far nothing has been found."

The implication is that these people are all very stubborn.

Qin Yuan waited for the next installment.

Gu Shiliu took out an ornament that looked like a curled gold leaf from his pocket, placed it in his palm, and said, "After General Jin brought his men here, I led them to dig out all the soil from the dry well. We only found some rotten fabric and a few broken bones. We also found this..."

Old Madam Gu stared intently at the gold jewelry in Gu Shiliu's palm, her body trembling slightly, her voice as fleeting as a leaf in the wind.

"...What...what are you holding? Let me see it more closely."

Gu Jinghui also looked closely, his expression gradually becoming serious.