When Gu Jiu walked into the room, he smelled a pungent smell of alcohol.
She wrinkled her nose, not accustomed to the smell.
Old Master Gu was half drunk and half awake, his cloudy eyes were bloodshot.
"Xiaojiu is here, please sit down."
Gu Jiu sat down on a clean chair.
She surveyed her surroundings calmly.
The room was luxuriously decorated, yet it had a stale smell.
There was an unknown stain on the carpet, which had dried on.
When he thought about the stains on it, which might be the vomit of the old man after getting drunk, Gu Ji subconsciously frowned.
The house is a good house and the furnishings are all valuable, but the people living in it have ruined these valuable furnishings.
"It's really rare that you would think of coming to pay your respects to this old man."
Old Master Gu laughed.
Gu Jiu ordered Xiao Cui, "Go and make a bowl of strong tea for the old man."
Xiao Cui took the order and left.
Mr. Gu's mind was not clear at the moment and it was not suitable for talking about things.
Gu Jiu hoped that the old man would sober up after drinking the strong tea.
Soon, Xiao Cui brought a bowl of strong tea and placed it in front of the old man.
Old Master Gu narrowed his eyes and stared at Xiao Cui, which frightened Xiao Cui so much that she quickly jumped away and retreated behind Gu Jiu.
Old Master Gu laughed heartily and pointed at Xiao Cui, "You damn girl, why are you running away? Now that you're in my yard, where else can you escape to?"
Gu Jiu said with a stern face, "Old Master, please look carefully, this is my maid."
Mr. Gu was stunned for a moment, and it took him a while to react, "Oh, Xiaojiu is here."
Gu Jiu frowned and winked at Wang Yi and Qingmei.
The two of them understood and stepped forward. Wang Yi hugged Old Man Gu and opened his mouth. Qingmei poured a bowl of strong tea into the old man's mouth.
"You guys...gulp gulp...cough cough..."
After drinking a bowl of strong tea, Mr. Gu felt unwell.
He pointed at Gu Jiu and said, "Second girl, you, you are too presumptuous."
Gu Jiu said expressionlessly, "It's because the old man is disrespectful to his elders that his granddaughter has no choice but to resort to this desperate measure."
Mr. Gu was speechless.
After a while, he snorted twice, "Forget it, forget it, I won't bother with a little girl like you. Tell me, what do you want from me? Forget about paying your respects. I haven't even bothered with your greetings in all these years."
Gu Jiu stood up and said solemnly: "Please, old man, save my father's life."
"What? What the hell?"
Old Master Gu looked confused and said, "Second girl, you are out of your mind. Look at me, how could I possibly save your father? Go away, don't disturb me while I'm drinking. If you want to save someone, go to the Marquis' Mansion next door and find the old Marquis."
Old Master Gu waved his hand, trying to drive Gu Jiu out.
Gu Jiu's face was gloomy. "The only one who can save my father now is the old man."
Old Master Gu chuckled and didn't take Gu Jiu's words to heart at all.
Gu Jiu calmed down and continued, "My granddaughter met Gongzi Zhao today. Gongzi Zhao asked her to tell him to give the things to him."
Mr. Gu's originally playful expression froze on his face.
He twisted his head, his movements stiff, like a zombie.
"What did you say?"
Gu Jiu repeated what he had just said: "...Young Master Zhao asked the old man to hand the things over to him."
"You, you really met Gongzi Zhao?"
Old Master Gu pointed at Gu Jiu, seemingly in disbelief.
Gu Jiu nodded, "Yes! My granddaughter met Master Zhao."
"Did he really tell you that?"
"Yes! This matter concerns my father's life, and I dare not hide anything."
Old Master Gu grabbed his hair and asked, "He didn't tell me what to hand over?"
Gu Jiu shook his head.
Old Master Gu frowned, his beard twitching, and he was obviously very uneasy.
After a long silence, Gu Jiu had to urge again, "Please, old man, save my father."
Old Master Gu looked impatient. "I know, I know. Go back first. I'll think about this matter again."
Gu Jiu said, "Time waits for no one. The longer father stays in the imperial prison, the more dangerous it will be. He is your own son after all, so please be sure to save him."
"You guys are so annoying. I've always said that if your whole family returns to Beijing, it will definitely be bad news. And sure enough, it turned out to be true."
Old Master Gu looked disgusted, waved his hand, and drove Gu Jiu out.
Gu Jiu left in silence.
Qingmei wanted to say something but stopped herself.
Mrs. Fang was still guarding the gate of the courtyard. When she saw Gu Jiu, her face was full of smiles.
"The second young lady has finished her talk with the old man. I have already dealt with those bitches on your behalf."
"Thank you, Auntie."
Gu Jiu gave a wink, and Qingmei gave Fang Pozi another purse.
Mrs. Fang smiled so hard that her teeth showed and her eyes disappeared. "Take care, Second Miss. Come often in the future."
Gu Jiu returned to Zhilan Courtyard and sat in the study practicing calligraphy to vent his inner anger.
Qingmei came in with a bowl of medicine, "Miss, you've been writing for almost an hour, it's time to take a break."
Gu Jiu remained silent.
"Miss, how about I go to the outer courtyard and ask what the old man's attitude is."
Gu Jiu shook his head and suddenly dropped his brush. Ink splattered onto the rice paper, ruining it.
"No need to go see the old man, he will save the old man."
ah?
Qingmei looked confused.
“Since the old man will save the master, why is the girl so angry?”
"I'm just not feeling well."
Gu Jiu said as a matter of course.
She was already full of anger, and when she met Mr. Gu, he had such an attitude that she almost couldn't hold it back.
She couldn't vent her anger on anyone, so she could only practice calligraphy to vent it.
"Girl, it's not good, it's not good."
Xiao Cui hurried in, panting, and said anxiously: "Miss, old man, the old man is making a fuss. He wants to go out, hit the doorman, and rode away on his horse. The doorman couldn't stop him, and they lost the old man. Miss, what should we do now?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Jiu laughed, feeling relieved.
"The master is saved."
Xiao Cui looked confused.
Qingmei seemed to understand, but she also agreed with what Gu Jiu said.
"Thank God, the master is finally saved. All your hard work has paid off."
Gu Jiu laughed, "Qingmei, ask the kitchen to make some chicken soup tonight. I want to drink some chicken soup."
"I will go right away."
Qingmei smiled happily. The girl finally smiled and her appetite improved.
Thank God, God finally opened his eyes.
When Mr. Gu ran out of the mansion, Gu Jiu knew that Mr. Gu was saved. But no one else knew.
The doorman delivered the news to the first wife, Mrs. Zhang, who was furious.
"What's the point of a doorman? With the old man's condition, there were so many of them that they couldn't stop him. They're just a bunch of good-for-nothings."
Shaoyao gently advised, "Madam, please calm down. At that time, the old man led the servants to attack the gatehouse, and the gatehouse was caught off guard, so the old man ran away. Now, the most important thing is to find the old man."
"I know we have to find the old man first. But where can we find him? What if he gets into trouble outside and offends someone? What will happen then? Tell the housekeeper to send more people out to look for the old man. Also, send someone to tell the eldest master to mobilize people from the government to search the whole city for the old man. In short, we must find the old man as soon as possible and never let him do anything wrong."
"I will go right away."
The eldest wife, Mrs. Zhang, sighed deeply.
Mr. Gu has a criminal record.
No one knows what kind of trouble will arise if Mr. Gu runs away.
"Madam, the second wife is here."
The maid came in to report.
The eldest wife, Zhang, sighed and said, "Please invite the second wife in."
Xie was invited into the main house of Songbai Courtyard.
"Sister-in-law, you're not feeling well, why did you come out? If you need anything, just let someone call me."
Mrs. Xie had a pale face and looked sick. Gu Shan helped her sit down.
Mrs. Xie said, "I was worried, so I came to check on him. I heard that the old man ran away. Is it serious? Will it affect my master? What if the old man offends someone outside and harms my master? What should I do?"
Before she finished speaking, Xie started wiping away her tears.
Gu Shan whispered, "Mother, don't cry yet. Listen to what your aunt has to say first."
Xie wiped away her tears and smiled sheepishly, "I'm sorry to have made a fool of myself, sister-in-law."
Zhang shook her head slightly. "I understand my second sister-in-law's feelings. I've already sent more people to look for the old man's whereabouts. I've also sent someone to inform the eldest master. People from the government will help search for the old man. I believe he will be sent back soon."
Xie breathed a sigh of relief.
Then she complained again: "Old Master is really something. He has to make a scene at this critical juncture. Isn't my master his biological son? He has such a cruel heart."
As she spoke, Mrs. Xie started crying again.
Ever since Lord Gu got into trouble, Xie had cried for who knows how long.
She wiped her tears and cried, "I am a woman, there is really nothing I can do. I can only rely on the neighboring marquis's mansion and my elder brother and his wife. If you can't save my master, I, I can't live anymore."
Zhang advised, "Sister-in-law, don't say such depressing words. No matter what happens to your second brother, you have to hold on. Even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about the children. The children's marriages haven't been settled yet, are you really worried?"
Xie cried even more miserably.
Maybe because she cried too much these days, not only were her eyes swollen, but her cheeks were also a little swollen.
Xie covered her eyes and said, "I know I have to think about the children. But when my master gets into trouble, I feel like I've lost my backbone.
These past two days, I've lost my appetite and can't sleep. At night, I toss and turn, thinking about what would happen to us, an orphan and a widow, if our master doesn't come back.
If my master is gone, who will take care of those children? Sister-in-law, I am so scared! "
It was rare for Xie to show her vulnerable side in front of Zhang.
Gu Shan listened and her eyes became red. "Mother, please stop talking. Father will definitely return safely."
Xie patted the back of Gu Shan's hand and said, "I know, I know everything. I also hope that your father can return safely."
Zhang couldn't help but sigh when she saw this scene.
"Sister-in-law, you should relax. You fell ill before your second brother came back."
Xie covered her mouth and nodded repeatedly, "Thank you for your concern, sister-in-law. I can still hold on. For the sake of the children, I have to hold on too."
"Sister-in-law, don't just hold on. If you feel unwell, ask a doctor to come and take your pulse and prescribe medicine. The children are still counting on you, you can't collapse."
Mrs. Xie hummed several times, "Thank you for the reminder, sister-in-law. I will take care of myself. As for the old man..."
"Don't worry about the old man, sister-in-law. With so many people out looking for him, I don't believe we can't find him. Sister-in-law, go back and rest first. I'll send someone to tell you if there's any news."
Mrs. Xie thanked her, "Thank you, sister-in-law. Thank you for taking care of the old man's affairs."
Zhang said, "This is what I should do. Sister-in-law, please don't be so formal with me."
Xie stood up to say goodbye, and Gu Shan and Chunhe helped her out of the room.
Zhang sighed inwardly. Looking at Xie's expression, she thought that if Lord Gu didn't come back, she would probably not be able to bear the blow and would fall seriously ill.
If this happens, the children of the second wife will be in trouble.
A family of equal status would not marry into a family of inferior status. At that time, the sons of the second house could only marry of lower status, and the daughters could also only marry of lower status.
Why!
Regarding Lord Gu's matter, Zhang could only sigh.
Everyone in the Gu family was waiting for news.
When it got dark, we finally got news about the old man.
"Madam, the old man is back. The old man came back on his own."
Zhang suddenly stood up from her chair, "Are you really back?"
The maid nodded repeatedly, "It's absolutely true. He has already entered the gatehouse."
Zhang gritted her teeth and said, "The old man is really ridiculous. Come with me to see him."
The eldest wife, Zhang, took her people to the outer courtyard.
While asking the maid, "You said the old man came back on his own, not by someone?"
The maid nodded, "Exactly. The housekeeper took people out, but they couldn't find the old man. In the end, the old man came back on his own."
Zhang snorted coldly.
The gatekeeper, Fang's wife, was startled when she saw the eldest wife, Zhang. Like a quail, she bowed her head and greeted her submissively, "Greetings, eldest wife. The old man just came back and is drinking inside."
Zhang glared at Mrs. Fang so frightened that her heart almost jumped out of her chest.
"The old man started drinking right after he came back, and you guys don't know how to control him."
"I can't control it." Mrs. Fang complained.
Zhang snorted coldly, "Stop making excuses for me. Do you really think I don't know what you did in private?"
Mrs. Fang smiled awkwardly and said that the eldest wife was too fierce and not as kind as the second young lady.
The second girl was so kind. She gave me a purse when I first arrived. When I left, she gave me another purse. She was generous with her money and spoke calmly.
Zhang said with a stern face, "I'll deal with you later."
After saying that, Zhang walked straight into the courtyard.
Mrs. Fang had a gloomy face and pulled her maid Shaoyao to beg for mercy.
Shaoyao raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Mrs. Fang, you allowed the old man to drink, and you embezzled a lot of money. Don't think we don't know. Once the account books are checked, you will have to give up all the benefits you got."
"Auntie, please keep your voice down. I'm going to tell you something, and you mustn't tell anyone."
"What's up?"
Mrs. Fang looked around and said, "In the afternoon, the second young lady suddenly came to pay her respects to the old man. It was very strange.
The grandfather and grandson chatted behind closed doors for about an hour and a half. After the second girl left, the old man stopped drinking and sat in the room in a daze.
After he was in a daze, he ran out with the servant. I guess the old man's sudden mad escape from the mansion must have something to do with the second girl.
Shaoyao frowned, "Are you telling the truth?"
Mrs. Fang patted her chest and said, "This is absolutely true. If Miss Shaoyao doesn't believe it, you can ask those bitches. For the sake of the second lady, I even gave those bitches a good beating."
Shaoyao nodded, "I will report this to the eldest wife. You will definitely benefit from it then."
Mrs. Fang smiled happily, "Thank you, Miss Shaoyao. I wonder who is worthy of someone as beautiful as Miss Shaoyao."
Shaoyao spat at Mrs. Fang and said, "Stop talking nonsense. Don't spread the news about the second young lady meeting the old man, or I will not forgive you."
"Don't worry, Miss Shaoyao. I know the seriousness of this matter and I promise not to spread it."
Shaoyao wouldn't believe Fang Pozi's assurances. This old slave, whoever feeds her is her mother. Once this was done, she would take this opportunity to teach Fang Pozi a lesson.
Zhang and her men walked into the room and frowned when she saw Mr. Gu drinking.
"Greetings to the old man. I hope you didn't offend anyone this time when you went out."
Old Master Gu squinted at Zhang and said, "Nonsense! When has this old man ever offended anyone? Go away now and don't get in my way."
The eldest wife, Zhang, didn't take it seriously. "Old Master, my second brother's future is in jeopardy. You should at least think about him and not cause trouble at this time. The people in the neighboring mansion are furious when they hear that you ran away. The old lady even threatened that you would only behave if your sister-in-law came to discipline you personally."
When Mr. Gu heard this, his expression changed. "Sister-in-law is really something. She just loves to meddle in other people's business."
Zhang snorted coldly.
Now even the old marquis can't control Mr. Gu, so Mr. Gu can only listen to a few words from his eldest sister-in-law, Madam Wei.
Zhang said, "I don't want the old lady to come to the house and scold you personally. Please be quiet and don't cause trouble for the younger generation. We will be thankful for that."
"I know, I know. You, as a daughter-in-law, are interfering in this old man's affairs. Who gave you the courage? Go, go, go quickly. Don't delay me from drinking."
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