Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 17 - 0 Indenture

Gu Dagu's face turned an ugly shade as she hated most when others mentioned her origins, insinuating she wasn't a true member of the Old Gu Family.

Third Grandma was at odds with Granny Gu and Gu Dagu was rather fearful of Third Grandma. Hurriedly, with a forced smile, she said, "Third Aunt, what are you talking about? I'm also part of the Old Gu Family, and I'm Sister Xiu and Brother Cheng's elder aunt. How could I ever do anything to them?"

"Are we blind?" Third Grandma looked at Brother Cheng being held in Gu Dashan's arms, his cheeks swollen red from being struck, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, missing two teeth, and her heart ached fiercely. She turned and cursed Gu Dagu furiously, "Bah, you venomous and vile woman with a heart of a scorpion! Our Old Gu Family has no place for a malicious person like you. Just look what you've done to Brother Cheng!"

Being furiously chastised by Third Grandma, Gu Dagu felt a surge of anger herself and pointed at the weeping Gu Jinxiu, "Third Aunt, don't just curse the first person you see. This has nothing to do with me, it's because..."

Bang!

Gu Jinli, seeing that Gu Dagu was about to shift the blame onto Gu Jinxiu and knowing the ancient Chinese emphasis on reputation, didn't let her finish her sentence. The wooden stick in his hand swung toward Gu Dagu.

Gu Dagu screamed continuously as she was struck, trying to dodge and curse, "Xiao Yu, you dare to lay hands on your elder? Your granny won't spare you when she returns."

Hearing Gu Dagu bring up Granny Gu, Third Grandma got even angrier, snatched the wooden stick from Gu Jinli, and started beating Gu Dagu herself, "You're being hit by the old woman now. If you're not convinced, go fetch Ms. Pan; this old lady is not afraid of her."

Third Grandma struck with force, and Gu Dagu received a fierce beating, wailing miserably. Qian Guangzong and his sons were frightened, not daring to intervene, instead moving back more than a dozen steps to avoid being hit by Third Grandma.

The nearby disaster victims heard the noise and flocked to Old Gu Family's resting place, gathering around to watch the spectacle.

"The Old Gu Family is causing trouble again."

"Indeed, they have been the most boisterous all the way. The people from the Old Gu Family have done nothing but hit and curse the family head's household."

Every day, Granny Gu's quarrels and beatings made the Old Gu Family notorious among these disaster victims.

"What's the ruckus about this time?" Some victims looked toward Gu Dagu and exclaimed in surprise, "Today, it's not Gu Dashan's family being beaten, but the eldest daughter of Granny Gu."

Some snickered, "No matter who gets beaten, it's none of our business." They were just there to enjoy the show.

Elder Ding, watching the chaotic scene unfold, was furious, his face ashen as he glared at Qian Guangzong and threatened, "Qian Guangzong, are you playing me? If you don't hand over the person today, get ready to compensate Qi Mansion with ten times the food and Silver Coin!"

Daring to deceive their Qi Mansion, did they really think Qi Mansion was just some rural nouveau riche? The Old Master of their Qi Mansion was a Capital Official in the Capital.

Qian Guangzong, knowing the Qi Mansion was an official family and not to be offended, but also no match for Third Grandma, could only signal to Qian Li'er with his eyes, telling her to bring Granny Gu back.

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Qian Li'er scurried away.

For the sake of her own reputation, Granny Gu assigned the task of selling off Gu Dashan's family to Gu Dagu's household. Little did she know that Gu Dagu's family would bungle it. Hearing Qian Li'er's pleading, she realized she could no longer hide and had to bring her entire family back to Old Gu Family's resting place.

Thump, thump, thump!

Granny Gu stomped the ground forcefully with her cane and bellowed, "Why are you all crowding around my family's resting spot? Scram, all of you, get out of this old lady's sight!"

Hearing Granny Gu's voice, the disheveled Gu Dagu ran over and hid behind Granny Gu, sobbing, "Mother, Third Aunt has gone mad, she was beating your daughter non-stop."

"Bah, you are the mad one, you despicable creature rotten to the core. Do I really need to tell you again why I beat you?" Third Grandma, as fierce as ever, pointed to the injuries on Brother Cheng's face and said, "Just look at how your family has beaten Brother Cheng! A child not even four years old, and you could still bear to lay your hands on him."

Gu Dagu shamelessly denied the accusations, relying on the fact that no one saw Qian Chenggui hit Brother Cheng. She clamored and denied, "We didn't hit Brother Cheng, he hurt himself by falling."

Brother Cheng understood Gu Dagu's words and, pointing at Gu Dagu and Elder Ding with his little hand, sobbed, "Bad people, they, they're all bad people, they want to take away my sister. I wouldn't let them, so they hit me."

Gu Jinli had been paying attention to Elder Ding all along. Hearing Brother Cheng's words, his gaze turned frosty. This matter was indeed related to him.

Granny Gu heard Brother Cheng's words and looked towards Qian Guangzong.

Qian Guangzong immediately said, "What bad people? This is Elder Ding from the Qi Mansion of Prefecture. He's not trying to forcibly take your sister, but rather your father sold your entire family. Elder Ding is here to take the people back."

This statement exploded amongst the crowd.

The disaster-stricken villagers whispered to each other, "So, they've sold someone."

Nowadays, with the tough times, the number of people selling their children was beyond counting. It wasn't strange for Gu Dashan's family to sell themselves into servitude.

Gu Dashan was stunned, and after making sure Qian Guangzong was talking about him selling his family of six, he hurriedly denied, "No, I didn't sell Sister Xiu and the others."

Qian Guangzong, cunning and deceitful, pulled out an indenture and waved it in his hand: "Your handprint is right here on this indenture."

"Four days ago, when you knew there was no more grain at home, not having the heart to see the family starve, you declared that you wanted to sell yourself into servitude to exchange for grain. I advised you against it at the time, but you insisted on not letting your in-laws suffer and were determined to sell yourself. Unable to convince you otherwise, I could only help you find a way out. Finally, at Qi Mansion, in front of Elder Ding and me, you personally pressed your handprint to sell your entire family of six. Now it's too late for regrets." Qian Guangzong lied, shifting the blame of selling Gu Dashan's family onto Gu Dashan himself.

Wiping away tears, Granny Gu looked at Gu Dashan and said, "After your father and I learned about this, we scolded you and told you to return the grain to Elder Ding and get back the indenture, but you were stubborn and outright refused to go... Now that Elder Ding is here to collect the people, you're denying it. Dashan, what exactly do you want to do? Do you want everyone to think this old woman has a cruel heart, wishing to sell off your entire family?"

Granny Gu performed with great emotion, crying with tears and snot mingling, resembling an old mother wrongfully accused by her unfilial son.

Little Sister Gu also said, "Yes, big brother, the whole family advised you against it, but you wouldn't listen, asking us to keep it from elder sister-in-law and tell her only when Qi Mansion came to collect the people."

Qian Li'er added even more venom, "The idea to trick Sister Xiu and Brother Cheng here today was yours, uncle."

Ms. Zheng gloated and shouted, "Big brother, you brought this upon yourself, but now you can't wrongly accuse us."

The members of the Old Gu Family took turns speaking, leaving Gu Dashan without the chance to retort, his face pale and hands trembling, unable to utter a word.

Gu Jinli didn't believe that Gu Dashan would sell off their family. Today's events were clearly a trap set by the Old Gu Family, seeking an opportunity to sell off their entire family.

"Father, you don't have to be afraid of something you didn't do. There is justice in this world, we'll go talk to the village chief."

Luo Huiniang, enraged by Qian Guangzong's words, volunteered when she heard Gu Jinli mention the village chief and said, "Xiao Yu, wait for me, I'll go find the village chief right away." With that, she ran off.

Gu Dashan finally reacted, looking at Gu Jinli with a panicked face, "Father hasn't sold you off, Xiao Yu, you must believe me."

"Father, I know, you wouldn't sell us off, there are people who don't want our family to live well." Gu Jinli's gaze was cold as he scanned the people of the Old Gu Family, engraving every one of their faces into his memory.

The people from the Old Gu Family felt a chill watching Gu Jinli's stare, but thinking that they had the indenture, and that Gu Dashan must admit to it whether he wanted to or not today, dismissed their concerns, and stared back at Gu Jinli with a brazen look.