Chapter 76: 76 daughter

Perhaps the Gu family has forgotten that Gu Xiaoshun had been notorious for his light fingers since he was a child.

Because of this, he received a fair amount of beatings from the Liao family when he was a child.

As the carriage brushed past Gu Xiaoshun, he casually lifted the curtain. “Oh, Gu Yue’e?”

Gu Yue’e was only two months younger than Gu Jiao, which technically made her Gu Xiaoshun’s older sister, but Gu Xiaoshun always addressed her by her first name.

Gu Yue’e was immediately flustered.

Although she didn’t want to leave home, she feared more to fail and be beaten to a pulp by her father.

Huang Zhong stopped the carriage.

He hopped off the carriage, confronted Gu Xiaoshun, snatched the curtain from his hand, and coldly asked, “Where did this rug rat come from?”

Gu Xiaoshun, in his Tianxiang Academy uniform, didn’t look serious despite his appearance. Each strand of his hair seemed to spell out his notorious reputation.

Reading too many books seemed to make people forget that he was the first-rate scoundrel in the town.

Just now, he had seen Gu Yue’e crying in the carriage.

He suddenly had an ill feeling — Gu Yue’e was of age to be married. Her family was anxious about her marriage. The ones that were not good enough, the Gu family would not accept, and the ones that were good enough, the Gu family could not afford.

Could it be that this old mogul was planning on buying Gu Yue’e to become one of his secondary wives?

Gu Xiaoshun’s temper flared. “So you don’t even recognize your master Xiaoshun, yet you dare to come and snatch people from the Gu family? Yue’e, get out of the carriage!”

Gu Yue’e did not move.

Gu Xiaoshun stepped onto the carriage, intending to pull Gu Yue’e off.

As a person trained in martial arts, Huang Zhong wasn’t going to let a youngster snatch a person from him. He grabbed Gu Xiaoshun’s arm and coldly said, “Kid, let’s talk this out peacefully.”

Gu Xiaoshun retorted, “How much silver did my uncle take from you? Enough to sell off his own daughter?”

“What do you mean ‘your uncle’s daughter’? This is the maid from the third branch of the Gu family, Gu Jiao’s maid! Wait a minute, are you from the Gu family?” Huang Zhong paused, as if something seemed off.

At this moment, Gu Changhai with Zhou and Liao families arrived, panting heavily.

Gu Changhai sternly commanded, “Xiaoshun! Come here!”

Gu Xiaoshun, ignoring Gu Changhai, looked at Huang Zhong strangely, used one hand to pull back the curtain, and pointed at Gu Yue’e with his other hand: “Are you nuts? I don’t recognize my own sister? Open your eyes wide and take a good look, this is the eldest daughter of the Gu family, Gu Yue’e!”

In ye sunny weather, the town’s streets were bustling with people.

Lord Gu sat in the private room on the second floor of the tea house, sipping tea while listening to the coachman’s report.

The window by his side was wide opened, allowing the sunlight and noise to flood into the room. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the capital city, the activity of the town bore more local flavor.

“… went to the village, the household is also surnamed Gu.” The coachman said.

As this matter was of great importance, Lord Gu only trusted his confidants to carry out the task. The coachman was no exception.

The coachman reported everything he found out at the Gu family in detail.

When the coachman mentioned that the other party is also surnamed Gu, Lord Gu’s reaction was not big. However, when he learned that the child was indeed the girl who was mistakenly taken away years ago, his teacup clattered to the table.

The coachman was startled: “Lord, are you okay?”

Lord Gu cleared his throat, and said sternly, “I’m fine, where is the person now?”

The coachman said, “On the way. Guard Huang told me to inform you in advance. He will bring the person over soon.”

Lord Gu nodded, “Got it, you can go.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The coachman left.

He had finally found the child, without too much trouble, as if it was destined by god for him to recognize her.

He wondered who the child would resemble, him or Yao family.

Time seemed to slow down. Lord Gu was gradually becoming impatient sitting upstairs, and decided to go downstairs.

No sooner had he stepped out of the tea house than he bumped into a small dumpling-like child clutching a box of pastries.

The child let out an “Aiyo,” falling face-first onto the ground. The box of pastries in his hand flew out, pastries scattered all over the ground.

The child saw his hard-won pastries gone and was totally dumbfounded.

“What happened, Jingle?”

Seeing him lying stunned on the ground, Gu Jiao quickly ran up to him after buying a candy hawthorn, and picked him up.

Looking at Gu Jiao and then at the scattered osmanthus cakes on the ground, the boy’s lips began to tremble and his big eyes filled with tears: “The osmanthus cakes are gone …”

Today was Jingle’s first time visiting the town, seeing so many people, and lining up for osmanthus cakes for the first time.

He was so precious about them that he hadn’t eaten a single one, and now they were all gone.

Gu Jiao took a look at the osmanthus cakes on the ground, and asked him, “Are you hurt? Did you get injured anywhere?”

Jingle clutched his own little heart, and said pitifully, “I’m hurt here.”

Gu Jiao: “…”

It was an osmanthus cake from Liji. They had queued for more than an hour to buy it. No wonder the kid was so heartbroken.

But was there the need for such dramatics?

Using a handkerchief, Gu Jiao wiped his little hands clean: “Be careful next time.”

“I was very careful! It’s not my fault, he bumped into me!” After Jingle finished speaking, he pointed to Lord Gu who was standing awkwardly to one side.

Strictly speaking, it was indeed his fault because he was moving too quickly. At that time, Jingle had been standing still obediently under the eaves, waiting for Gu Jiao to buy candy hawthorn for him.

However, Lord Gu hadn’t done it purposely. It was just that Jingle was so small that he didn’t see him.

Just as he was about to order someone to pick Jingle up, Gu Jiao appeared.

How come this girl is always around? Lord Gu wondered.

Gu Jiao gave Lord Gu a cold stare. Lord Gu felt somewhat guilty under her piercing gaze, but as a respectful lord, he wasn’t going to apologize to a child.

He cleared his throat and said sternly, “Who told him to block the way? You bring a child out, can’t you look after him properly? Forget it, I’m in a good mood today. I’ll let you off this time. This amount of silver can buy a hundred boxes of osmanthus cake!”

With that said, he took out an ingot, and dropped it on the ground in front of them.

Ordinary people would have been grateful for such a sum of silver, but Gu Jiao and Jingle didn’t react at all.

Lord Gu swept them a cold glance: “Hmph, suit yourselves!”

With that, he briskly walked away.

Given his rich and prestigious appearance, nobody dared to speak up for Gu Jiao and Jingle.

But just as he was about to pass by Gu Jiao, she discreetly stuck out her foot, causing him to trip.

Caught off guard, he was sent sprawling and fell face-first onto the ground!

Enraged, he twisted around and glared at Gu Jiao: “You damn girl, are you looking for death?”

Gu Jiao shot back his own words: “Who told you to stand in the way?”

Having tripped him, Gu Jiao took Jingle and walked away.

Lord Gu was livid this time. Coincidentally, the local magistrate was passing by with his constables.

In his rage, Lord Gu ordered the magistrate to arrest her!