You think so? Zhou Erlang and Zhou Sanlang are dreaming. Even if they don’t leave, it’s impossible for them to stay at the Gu Family; they’d be thrown into the workshop residence.

Still hoping to meet Gu Family sisters, how naive.

Zhou Dalang glanced at his two cousins, remembering when Zhou Erlang said to him: This time, not only will we get Silver, I’ll also get a wife.

At that time, he was puzzled and said: Laoer, you’re talking nonsense again.

Zhou Erlang, however, said: Ha, nonsense? Just wait and see, when the time comes, you’ll be without a wife being single, but I’ll have both wealth and a wife.

Now recalling those words, Zhou Dalang felt chills, immediately stood up, and said: "If that’s the case, let’s go back and wait for First Place Gu’s good news first."

"Lao Da, what are you doing?" Zhou Erlang was anxious, glaring at Zhou Dalang and said: "Go back? Grandpa hasn’t spoken yet. If you want to go back, go back yourself."

"Zezi." Gu Jin’an was fed up with Zhou Erlang, saying: "Throw him out."

"Yes." Zezi stepped forward, grabbed Zhou Erlang by the collar, and with a bang threw him into the yard.

Zhou Erlang was hit hard, his face turned pale.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Laoer was furious, pointed at Gu Jin’an, and said: "Boy from Gu Family, how dare you hit our Erlang, compensate!"

"Compensate?" Gu Jin’an laughed: "Zhou Laoer, your Zhou Family really ought not to act shamelessly. You’ve committed a major offense by accepting gifts in the village under my name. If I report to Shangguan Residence, at worst, your family will be exiled!"

He then pointed at Elder Lin and said: "Talking to you so much was for Elder Lin’s sake, otherwise you would have been kicked out of the village long ago, without even a chance to sit down and talk."

Zhou Laoer was shocked, staring at Gu Jin’an with a look of terror: "You, you know?!"

Impossible, Niugou Town’s Xiaolizi Village is so far from here, it takes a day to walk, even farther than going to the county. Gu Jin’an has never been to Niugou Town, how does he know our family is accepting gifts in Niugou Town under his name?

Gu Jin’an looked at him, the corner of his mouth curled up, revealing a somewhat cold smile, and said something that made Zhou Laoer regret endlessly: "Everything you’ve done has been reported to the county government. Those village chiefs, clerks, and government officials are not just there for show; they’ve been watching you long ago."

Due to his excellent grades, passing the Small Three-Yuan Scholar, and offering two recipes to the government office, County Magistrate Zheng valued him greatly, fearing someone impersonating him to commit evil. Hence, he instructed the Si Li Square officials to keep an eye on anyone pretending to be the Small Three-Yuan Scholar for wrongdoing, and promptly report to the government office.

Zhou Laoer didn’t commit evil, only took advantage to accept some gifts, otherwise he would have been arrested long ago.

Gu Jin’an reminded Elder Zhou: "Elder Zhou, Niugou Town is part of Tianfu County too. I am acquainted with Lord County Magistrate... Your family should leave behind some cheap food and return any valuable gifts; otherwise, if Lord County Magistrate gets angry, even I cannot protect you!"

Upon hearing this, Elder Zhou broke out in cold sweat, saw Zhou Erlang had already climbed up wanting to charge at Gu Jin’an, hurried out, kicked Zhou Erlang over: "Stupid boy, you have a death wish, daring to touch the scholar; do you want to eat prison meals in the government office?!"

Zhou Erlang was kicked almost spitting blood, with rainwater soaking him, looking very miserable.

Elder Zhou had no time to bother him, turned and looked at Gu Jin’an, begged: "Good Brother An, please don’t be angry. Those gifts weren’t something our family wanted to take. The villagers insisted on giving them knowing our family’s relationship with yours..."

Hearing this, Gu Jin’an looked at Elder Zhou and sneered, making Elder Zhou shiver, hurriedly said: "Alright, alright, if you don’t like it, us old folks will return the gifts today. Please don’t tell County Magistrate about this!"

Gu Jin’an corrected him: "It’s not me wanting the County Magistrate to punish you, but him always having Si Li Square’s people watch you. If you want a quiet life, don’t break criminal law or use someone else’s name to commit evil, otherwise you’ll bear the consequences!"

"Yes, yes, yes, we won’t dare anymore." Elder Zhou was terribly frightened, hurriedly said.

Elder Lin came out assuring: "Rest assured, Good Brother An, I’ll watch over Brother Zhou and won’t let him accept gifts under your name anymore."

He had advised Elder Zhou before, but Elder Zhou feared poverty too much, felt accepting some gifts wasn’t a big deal and did not heed his advice. As a result, within a few days, the gifts piled up filling a room.

The Zhou Family even planned that, since these people could give gifts, if they couldn’t borrow Silver, asking these gift-givers for some Silver would also work.

After hearing this, Elder Lin scolded Elder Zhou, only then did Elder Zhou change his mind, saying he’d come to the Gu Family to borrow money.

But now it seems borrowing money is secondary; hoping to take this opportunity to get acquainted with the Gu Family and see if they can forge a matrimonial alliance is the Zhou Family’s focus.

Elder Lin regretted coming this trip, truly felt dragged here by the Zhou Family to do evil.

"We’re leaving now." Elder Lin was too ashamed to stay, called upon Lin Family People, and got up to leave.

On the other side in the wing room, Mrs. Cui also sent Mrs. Lin He and several others out.

Mrs. Zhou Hu didn’t want to leave, was dragged out of the house by Mrs. Chen.

Mrs. Chen had been eating well these years, having been strong since childhood, while Mrs. Zhou Hu, who hadn’t had a meat meal in a month, was no match for her, got dragged out of the house.

Zhou Erlang saw the door open on this side, stretched his neck to look over here, wanting to see the Gu Family’s daughters. Unfortunately, the wing room is divided between an inner and outer room, and Gu Jinli had long entered the inner room. Zhou Erlang couldn’t see her even if he stretched his neck until it broke. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Zhou Family People left very disgracefully, driven out of the residence by the Gu Family’s servants.

The Lin Family People gained some face, exchanged a few words with Third Grandpa.

Elder Lin said: "Old Brother, I’m really sorry about today’s incident; we handled it poorly and hope you won’t blame us."

After speaking, he led his son and grandson to bow to Third Grandpa and the others, solemnly apologized.

Third Grandpa sighed, said: "You can’t be blamed for this, it’s hard for you to manage your own affairs, let alone control him."

During the famine, Elder Lin was relatively easygoing, whereas Elder Zhou was more cunning and forceful.

Upon hearing this, Elder Lin felt even more remorseful, still thinking it’s his family’s fault: "If I could control him a bit, it wouldn’t have turned out like this."

Third Grandpa waved his hand and said: "Alright, let’s not talk about this."

After hearing this, Elder Lin fell silent, saw Zhou Family People had been driven out, reminded Gu Jin’an: "Good Brother An, the Zhou Family’s eldest granddaughter isn’t married to Li Kuihu, but became his mistress... Three years ago, because of County Magistrate Zou’s incident, Li Kuihu and his group didn’t dare commit overly atrocious acts. But with this heavy tax, Li Kuihu will definitely take risks for Silver, your family should be cautious, report Li Kuihu’s matter to the county government and County Magistrate Zheng early, lest your family gets targeted by his group."

Upon hearing this, Gu Jin’an raised his eyebrows, the previous discontentment with Elder Lin reduced a lot, nodded and said: "Rest assured, Elder Lin, Li Kuihu’s hooligans although not arrested, are on the government office’s blacklist, watched by the government office all the time. Once they commit evil again, the government office will arrest them all."