Chapter 50 Fighting to the end
Don't blame Gu Da for being suspicious. He returned early this time because some small trouble occurred in the business. Perhaps, aside from the normal business competition, the opponent also used underhanded ways to distract him.
Thinking till here, his fingers couldn't help but tap on the armrest of the chair.
Seeing his contemplating look, Shu Huan felt that it was funny. Sometimes, it was really not a good thing to think too much. The incident at the restaurant was obviously a simple accident, but when overthinking about it, it would become an intriguing scheme. How tired was it to make your own life so hard?!
It happened that Gu Da felt that his suspicion was very reasonable. He showed a cold and angry look. For the first time, he praised Gu Xihe, "You are right!"
Gu Xihe wasn't very close with this father. He didn't lack love ever since young and also didn't wish for affection. Hence, he didn't feel much at this rare praise. He asked with a mouth full of watermelon, "Then, what is master's plan?"
Gu Da glanced at him and felt that he was spoiled since young and didn't understand the innumerable schemes of the business. It was also time to make him understand a bit, lest he would be fooled when he had grown up. Hence, he said, "We still need to scrutinize who is behind this. The most important task now is to suppress this matter!"
Gu Xihe asked innocently, "How to suppress it? Why don't we carry second big brother to the county magistrate to let him see his fragile look and take down the wanted poster?"
Shu Huan wanted to laugh when she heard that, but she’d suppressed it.
"Idiot!" Gu Da scolded. "How did you come up with such a bad idea? Gu household face had been thrown away by you!"
Gu Xihe pulled back his neck and muttered, "How would it let Gu household lose face?"
"Someone framed your second big brother and you wanted to carry him over to let people take a look at him. Then, if someone framed your mother or your little sister, do you also want to carry them over to let him take a look?" The more Gu Da thought about it, the angrier he got. He slammed the table and said, "Who does Chen Sinian think he is?! He is a muddle-headed and silly old man. I don't even know how much money he’d received from us these past few years. Now, he’d turned his back to deal with us instead!"
As he said that, he called someone to send an invitation to the county magistrate as he was ready to go pay the county magistrate a visit. Looking at his attitude, he seemed to be ready to bring that county magistrate under control. Although Gu household was a family that did business, they also have a backing. Otherwise, it would be impossible to make their business so big!
Seeing that the matter was about to turn big, Gu Xiran cast a glance at Gu Xihe when no one was paying attention.
Gu Xihe scratched his head and suddenly said, "Master, isn't this a bit inappropriate?"
"What is not appropriate?" Gu Da sneered, "He's only a county magistrate. Our Gu household can deal with him."
Gu Xihe blinked as if he was trying to think about what to say, "But…that wanted poster only say to capture a bandit. There's no name nor surname on it…If we make a big issue out of this, then wouldn't it be three hundred taels not hidden here? Moreover…that brother-in-law of the county magistrate seemed to like men…If this was spread, then wouldn't it damage second big brother's reputation?"
After Gu Da heard this, he was stunned. He suddenly stood up and looked at him with stern eyes, "Only the word ‘bandit’ was written on this wanted poster. There was no mention of that hedonistic brother-in-law of Chen Sinian. How did you get to know that?"
They were finished!
He (GXH) just talked about three hundred taels not hidden here! Gu Xihe, this little brat, revealed the three hundred hidden taels!
Gu Xihe was stump with the question.
Shu Huan panicked, but she was powerless and didn't dare to say more. Otherwise, they would even reveal more than three hundred taels!
In the end, it was study companion Ranmo who suddenly knelt down outside the threshold and slapped his face. He said bitterly, "Master, it was this little one who was talkative…This little one heard the rumors outside…and told fourth young master…"
Gu Da's expression turned slightly better, but he still reprimanded Gu Xihe angrily, "You don't know how to study and only kept yourself busy with the rumors of the market. How did I give birth to a thing like you?!"
While talking, he gestured with his hand and shouted, "Get out! Why are you still standing here?"
Gu Xihe was unreconciled in his heart. He looked once at Lin shi who wanted to say something but hesitated. Then, he lowered his head and walked out.
Ranmo saw that Gu Da didn't seem to have the intention of punishing him, so he also retreated. He didn't expect that Gu Da would suddenly shout his name again. He could only kneel with a perturbed mind in the hall.
Gu Da looked at him and asked, "What else did you hear outside?"
Ranmo thought for a moment and said, "The reputation of that brother-in-law of the county magistrate isn't good. He used the name of the county magistrate to commit crimes in the city. In fact, he isn't a proper family of the county magistrate. He is just the brother of a pampered concubine of the county magistrate."
Jingtian City was a typical outer city where the prefectural magistrate was in charge. The prefectural magistrate and the county magistrate were in the same city. Therefore, when Gu Da did business, he would mostly go pay filial piety (a more beautiful way to describe bribe) at the prefectural magistrate's. He didn't take such small official as a county magistrate seriously. However, when there were festive days, he would send someone over with gift just for the gesture. He truly didn't know about the things Ranmo talked about. Hence, he nodded and asked, "Is there still more?"
"There is…," Ranmo hesitated for a moment and looked with the corner of his eyes at Gu Xiran. Only after he saw that Gu Xiran had his eyes lowered and nodded did he continue, "I heard that the county magistrate is afraid of his wife. That pampered concubine was reluctantly taken in for the sake of the next generation. Because of this, the household was all shouts and screams the whole day…"
There was no need to describe some things clearly. If he explained them to clearly, master might get suspicious. Hence, he cleverly stopped at the right moment and didn't continue.
These two sentences were already enough to make Gu Da smile, but he still warned Ranmo, "Retreat. Go to the accountant’s room to receive two silver liang as reward. However, remember, don't always led your fourth young master to play in the future. You should persuade him to put more thoughts on studying. Otherwise, I still have a beating waiting here for you!"
Ranmo promised with lowered head. He respectfully and carefully retired.
Gu Da had things to think about and was impatient to bother with Gu Xiran. He only let Gu Xiran to not think too much and to recuperate peacefully. He then sent them away.
When supporting Gu Xiran out of Glorious Building, Shu Huan took a deep breath and felt that the free and unconstrained freedom was very valuable! She was still not used to this. When she stood in front of those elders from Gu household, she would feel uncomfortable and didn't even dare to breathe out loud.
Concubine Yun saw that there was no one around and asked worried, "Second young master, the person on that wanted poster is truly you?"
Gu Xiran declined to comment and asked a rhetorical question, "What do you think?"
Concubine Yun silently thought about the things and didn't say anything.
Shu Huan tiptoed and whispered in his ear, "You have long colluded with little fourth?"
Otherwise, with that brat's level, how could he led Gu Da into the maze of misunderstanding and making him unable to get out with just a few sentences?
Presumably, Ranmo was also on into this! She caught him sneaking a peak for Gu Xiran's reaction!
This time, Gu Xiran nodded shamelessly. He laughed quietly and said, "When one cut the weeds, doesn't one also have to eliminate the roots? If one mess with a person, shouldn't one also mess completely with him?"
"…"
Shu Huan was very speechless. Surely, he was not someone simple and kind! Those words that Ranmo had said was obviously pointing Gu Da to go rectify (mess with) that fat man! It was just, there was one question that had been in her heart for a long time. She couldn't hold it in anymore and asked, "How…how come you sweated so much just now?"
Gu Xiran didn't answer and only took a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve and let her glance once at it. Then, he put the porcelain bottle back.
This is…
The hot pepper water he used to hurt someone with last time!
Shu Huan felt that her forehead was also beginning to sweat. She couldn't help but swear at him in secret…
Really too mean! Really too shameless!
Concubine Yun followed behind them. Although she didn't know what they were talking about, the way they whispered at each other looked very intimate. She felt sour in her heart looking at it and couldn't help but sigh.