Chapter 761 - 763: Adding Burdens
Chapter 761: Chapter 763: Adding Burdens
Even terrified as he was, Gu Le Ping didn’t dare answer right now. He could only stand rooted to the spot, shaking his head incessantly.
Jin Qianqian didn’t know what was wrong with the boys of the Gu family. Whenever they saw Gu Wenheng, they would scatter like mice spotting a cat, avoiding him at all costs.
"Don’t scare him," Jin Qianqian laughed, stepping in to smooth things over. "You’re always walking around with such a stern face. We’re at home, not the government office.
"Never mind the children being afraid of you—sometimes when I see you like this, even I don’t want to talk to you."
Gu Wenheng quickly rubbed his face with both hands. "Really? Am I being too serious?"
However, he quickly shifted the blame. "It’s all because of those troublesome people at the government office. They can’t even handle a single minor task properly. If I didn’t keep a stern face, they wouldn’t know fear.
"It seems they’ve gotten a bit too comfortable lately. It’s time to put more of a burden on them."
Gu Le Ping was speechless. The brothers working under Gu Wenheng had been complaining incessantly these days. If more burdens were added to them, there was no telling how they would wail.
This really had nothing to do with him; it was all Seventh Uncle’s sudden idea.
Gu Le Ping comforted himself inwardly, not daring to take the blame for this.
"A real man’s ambitions lie far and wide. How can you be so homesick?" Gu Wenheng glanced at his nephew. "With all the traveling back and forth, you’d be delayed on the road for months. Can you really bear to leave those shops of yours behind?"
Gu Le Ping shrank his neck, not daring to speak again. He cast a pitiful, pleading look at Jin Qianqian.
Compared to Seventh Uncle, Seventh Aunt was much easier to get along with. Whenever the brothers needed anything, they tried their best to bypass Gu Wenheng and ask the amiable Aunt Seven for help.
Jin Qianqian was already used to these silent pleas. She smiled and said, "The children are still young. Isn’t it perfectly normal to miss home?
"I’m sure his parents and his aunts back home miss the children too. Everyone else is tied up with their official posts, so Le Ping is the most free among them. Let him go back on our behalf to send our regards, and to ease the elders’ yearning."
"You always spoil them," Gu Wenheng said. "These boys know exactly who to go to when they need something."
"Listen to your Seventh Uncle sounding so sour. He’s just upset that you boys aren’t close enough to him," Jin Qianqian said to Gu Le Ping with a smile. "If you need anything in the future, just go straight to your Seventh Uncle. He might have a tough exterior, but he has a warm heart."
Gu Le Ping was at a loss for words. Did Seventh Aunt have some sort of misunderstanding about the phrase ’tough exterior, warm heart’?
When Seventh Uncle tormented them brothers, he never held back.
He had even been ruthless to his cousin Luo Luo on several occasions.
"That’s right," Gu Wenheng said. "Come to me if you need anything from now on. Don’t always bother your Seventh Aunt.
"She’s already busy enough managing both the household and outside affairs. You need to learn how to be considerate of your elders."
Jin Qianqian didn’t know what to say.
Gu Le Ping was equally speechless.
By the time Gu Le Ping returned to the courtyard he shared with his brothers, it took him a long while to snap out of his daze.
"Weren’t you going to ask Seventh Aunt how Uncle Yi did on his exams? Why are you back with that expression?" Gule Shun stopped writing and looked at him nervously. "Did Uncle Yi not do well?"
"PFFT, PFFT, PFFT, PFFT, PFFT! What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" Gu Le Ping imitated the old madam’s posture, putting his hands on his hips. "Uncle Yi worked so hard; he definitely did fine.
"I was just thinking about something else. You’re just a kid, don’t go making wild guesses."
Gule Shun felt wronged. "Brother Le Ping, if you don’t want people to guess, then don’t make such a face.
"Did you run into some difficult problem? Tell me, and we can figure out a solution together."
Gu Le Ping naturally didn’t want to bring up what he had just been through. He turned his head and said, "The year is almost over. I was just wondering if I should find a chance to go back for a visit."
"Go back?" Gule Shun pursed his lips. "Part of me wants to go back, but another part of me doesn’t."
Thinking of all the foolish things Aunt Five had done in recent years, Gu Le Ping felt a pang of sympathy. He glanced at his cousin and said, "The journey is too far, and you’re still young. There’s no need for you to exhaust yourself traveling back and forth."
If he went back and saw his biased mother, it would only make him feel awful again.
"The round trip is quite far," Gule Shun agreed. "If you go back, you probably won’t be able to return until after the New Year. Besides, you have so many shops under your management. Can you really afford to leave?"
"That’s exactly what I’m struggling with. If I go, I definitely won’t make it back by early spring. That’s right when the wild mushrooms are in high season. That’s a pile of shining silver right there!"
Right now, he was collecting dried mushrooms and using the escort agency to ship them to various regions. Flipping the goods like this earned him quite a bit of silver.
Especially during the biggest peak season of the year—if he wasn’t keeping an eye on things, he really wouldn’t feel at ease.
"Besides, have you asked Seventh Uncle? Would he even let you go back?"
"Forget it, I won’t think about it for now." Gu Le Ping also felt that the chances of him going back were slim. Instead, he brought up the matter regarding Gu Yi.
"Uncle Yi should have dropped by the family home when he went back for his exams. He might already be on his way here right now. To be honest, I’m quite envious."
However, the much-envied Gu Yi was already in Gaoling Village, being doted on by his family.
"Now that you have the status of a Scholar, I finally feel somewhat confident about the marriage Wenheng arranged for you." Old Clan Leader Gu Sanbu looked at his eldest grandson with a face full of affection.
"Tell your grandfather the truth. If you push yourself a little harder, are you confident you can pass the exams and become a scholar?"
Gu Yi didn’t even have to think before replying, "I’m afraid I will disappoint you, Grandfather. I only ranked in the lower middle this time when I passed the Scholar exams, and I only achieved that much thanks to Brother Qi’s guidance. I will likely stop here."
He also wanted to give it his all, but he knew his aptitude had its limits. Taking another step forward was simply impossible.
Gu Sanbu was somewhat disappointed after all, but he quickly adjusted his mindset. He had been mentally prepared for this, anyway.
"Sigh, this is already very good. Your father took exams until middle age and still never obtained the title of Scholar.
"Just stay by my side at home for the next few days. It’s time I slowly start teaching you some things."
Since Gu Yi had given up on the idea of continuing his imperial examinations, Gu Sanbu wanted to hand over his position as Clan Leader as soon as possible.
"Aren’t you going to try persuading Brother Gu Four again? I actually think he’s much more suited for this than I am," Gu Yi said, supporting the old man.
"He might be suited for it, but he refuses to take on the burden." Over the years, Gu Sanbu had tried to persuade him whenever he had the chance. Unfortunately, Gu Yuanshui completely ignored the topic and always had a multitude of reasons to convince Gu Sanbu otherwise.
Gu Sanbu gradually accepted reality. "He has his own concerns. Let him be!
"Brother Qi arranged a marriage for you. He also wrote a letter to the family explaining everything very clearly.
"We are marrying above our station with this match. When you head over this time, make sure to bring more silver taels with you. Even though we are a humble family, we must try our best not to let the girl suffer any grievances."
"Brother Qi and the others have already finished sending the betrothal gifts for me. There’s no need to bring any silver."
Gu Sanbu stopped and gently patted his back. "Then you must keep a careful record of the accounts. You can’t let Brother Qi pay for this out of his own pocket. It’s just a pity that I’m getting up there in years, otherwise I’d really go over there with you to take a look."