Bai yiniang sat in front of the dressing table, drawing her eyebrows carefully.
Gu Lin sat next to her, “Yiniang, why are you so happy?”
Bai yiniang laughed. “Your father is coming tonight.”
Gu Lin was happy for Bai yiniang. “Congratulations, yiniang.”
Bai yiniang smiled and said, “Now you know what I mean.”
“Yiniang is talking about er jiejie?”
Bai yiniang nodded. “When er guniang suddenly attacked and Li pozi suffer, I knew er guniang couldn’t bear it anymore.
“Er guniang and taitai are fighting with each other. This is a great opportunity for the two of us. While focusing on dealing with er guniang, taitai didn’t pay attention to other matters and made laoye unhappy. And so, the opportunity came for us today.”
Gu Lin whispered, “Taitai is definitely cursing er jiejie to die. Should I continue interacting with er jiejie? Will it not irritate taitai?”
Bai yiniang said with certainty, “You must continue to interact with her. You are sisters. You should definitely not be estranged. Don’t worry about taitai and er guniang’s fight. On the surface, everyone is polite and gives each other face.”
Bai yiniang straightened Gu Lin’s dress and inserted a gold hairpin on her head. Then, she continued, “I don’t know what means er guniang used this time. She made taitai so angry that I heard she was smashing things in her yard.
“I had told you earlier that er guniang was good at forbearing. A person like her has a deeper mind. Once she makes up her mind, she is difficult to deal with.
“Taitai made the mistake of underestimating the enemy, thinking that er guniang was still like before, willing to endure everything, and she was defeated.
“I can see that er guniang isn’t simple at all. This fu will be very lively in the coming days. Lin’er, you have to be alert and learn more from er guniang.
“Take a look at your er jiejie’s methods. She isn’t even in the fu and she can make taitai so angry that she is still swearing and smashing things.”
Saying so, Bai yiniang laughed, clearly ridiculing Xie shi, thinking that she also had to face such a day.
Usually, Xie shi put on airs, pretending to be dignified and magnanimous.
But after being provoked by Gu Jiu, she immediately revealed her true colours.
A qie was always a qie!
Even if she was raised to the wife’s status, even if she learned to look dignified and magnanimous, the narrow-minded nature in her bones hadn’t changed.
Bai yiniang played with rouge. “It’s a pity that taitai has a strong natal family. Laoye is just teaching them a small lesson and won’t punish her seriously. I truly hope there comes a day where Xie jia falls. At that time, taitai won’t even be as good as us.”
Gu Lin suddenly asked, “If taitai falls, can yiniang be raised to a wife?”
Bai yiniang’s expression changed drastically. She sternly scolded, “What nonsense! How dare you say such things? You’re courting death!”
Bai yiniang stood up hurriedly walked to the window and looked around.
Fortunately, no one had heard these words.
She walked towards Gu Lin, looking serious and even a little fierce. “You are not allowed to speak such words again. You cannot even think those words. Understood?
“Don’t look at taitai’s misfortune today, that laoye hasn’t given her face. Don’t forget, taitai has given birth to two sons and two daughters for laoye. Liu shaoye studies well and has good prospects. Considering liu shaoye’s career, even if Xie jia falls one day, laoye will not do anything to taitai.
“If the words you just said spread to laoye and taitai’s ears, do you know the consequences? I was nearly killed by you.”
Gu Lin nodded repeatedly, her small face deathly pale. She really regretted it. Her mind was so confused to suddenly say such things.
“Yiniang, don’t worry. I’ll never speak so casually again.”
Bai yiniang relaxed, exhaling. “Don’t rely on you being young and shoot your mouth off. Be careful, a loose tongue causes trouble. Our young ladies’ lives are getting better. At this time, you must definitely not make any mistakes. As long as your father is happy, he will find a good marriage for you in the future.”
Gu Lin looked up and asked, “Will father truly find a good marriage for me?”
Bai yiniang nodded with certainty. “He will. Yiniang will definitely marry you to a prestigious family as an honourable young lady.”
Gu Lin laughed, her cheeks flushed. She couldn’t help but fantasise what kind of man she would marry.
Inside Tianmen Temple
After the ritual, Qing Mei helped Gu Jiu return to the room to rest.
Gu Jiu slumped back on the chair, her body feeling weak.
This body really couldn’t stand the slightest exertion.
Gu Ting followed her in, saying excitedly, “Meimei is truly powerful, simply able to foretell the future. Knowing the truth of the matter, father was furious as expected. He has already sent men to seize all of Xie jia’s assets in Jinzhou.
“Even the businesses that taitai invested haven’t been let off. Also, all of Xie Xian’s manservants have been imprisoned. They shouldn’t even think about returning to Xie jia in this life.”
Gu Jiu smiled, and just asked, “Is Xie Xian dead?”
“No. I remember all the words of warning you gave me. On the way back to the city, I secretly applied medicine on his wound, afraid he would die on the road.”
Gu Jiu’s brows bent as she said with a smile, “It’s good that he didn’t die.”
If Xie Xian wasn’t dead, she and her brother were the victims. Father would stand up for them. If Xie Xian died, then Xie jia would turn into the victims. The nature of the incident would immediately change.
“Meimei, what do we do next?” Gu Ting moved closer to Gu Jiu’s side in high spirits, as if wanting to do even bigger things.
Gu Jiu pursed her lips and smiled, saying, “Next, we need to first complete the ritual. Then, according to what father said, we’ll continue staying at Tianmen Temple. Then, once the fu calms down, we will return.”
Gu Ting was a bit unwilling. “That’s all?”
Gu Jiu looked at Gu Ting. “Right! Does gege still want to beat up Xie Xian?”
“No, I mean, should we just watch and do nothing? In case father becomes softhearted…?”
“Father won’t be softhearted this time.” Gu Jiu shook her head. “Although I don’t know the real reason why Xie er laoye came to Jinzhou, I know father is someone who loves to save face. This time, Xie jia was truly provocative and didn’t pay any attention father’s prestige as an official, still thinking that Gu jia was something they could take advantage of as they pleased.
“Xie Xian lusted after me and conspired to take advantage of me. But the conspiracy was revealed, and he even left behind evidence.
“Presented with such an opportunity, with father’s character, how can he let this pass easily? If he doesn’t take advantage of the situation and not peel a layer of Xie jia’s skin, his family name won’t be Gu.
“Gege, guess what is the safest and most effective method to get rich as a government official?”
“Yi?” The topic changed so quickly that Gu Ting was unable to keep up with Gu Jiu’s train of thought.
Gu Jiu smiled mysteriously. “To search the house and confiscate possessions.”
Gu Ting mouth opened wide as he suddenly understood. “Whether a government official or the one sitting on the dragon throne, everyone likes to search mansions and confiscate their possessions naturally to seize others’ businesses. Chaojia zhifu (to become rich by searching and seizing houses) is indeed a wise saying. Since ancient times till now, there has been no exception.”
Gu Jiu sipped from the teacup with a smile on her lips.
Gu Ting carefully digested her words and finally understood what Gu Jiu’s implication.
“Meimei means that father wants to search and seize Xia jia’s businesses?”
Gu Jiu nodded. “In just over ten years, Xie jia has accummulated a great amount of wealth. Just Jinzhou’s businesses brings Xie jia a profit of several tens of thousands of taels every year.
“All the property deeds, mines and the goods piled up in their warehouses adds up to enormous wealth. Father cannot bring people to Xizhou to search and seize Xia jia’s businesses, but he certainly can seize their businesses in Jinzhou.
“Since gege personally gave this opportunity to father, he certainly won’t let it slip by.”
Gu Ting was stunned. “How can I have such ability? It was obviously meimei who gave father this opportunity.”
Gu Jiu smiled. “Gege need not care about these details.”
Gu Ting still had some questions. “But I heard that taitai has also invested in Xie jia’s business. So, isn’t seizing Xie jia’s business equal to seizing taitai’s wealth?”
Gu Jiu smiled faintly. “Taitai’s wealth is ultimately taitai’s. It is neither father’s nor Gu jia’s, at least for now. Leaving this wealth in taitai’s hands is not comparable to controlling it in one’s own hands.
“Father wants to return to the capital, so he is spending a lot of money. He must be looking for a way to increase income and reduce expenses. It is rare that Xie jia’s father and son are contributing so generously, so it’s only natural that father will not be polite and accept it.”
“Meimei calculated everything from the start till now?”
Gu Jiu smiled, not saying a word.
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