Chapter 327: Chapter 328: Visitors Have Arrived

Gu Benluo stepped forward, bowed to his elder and older brother, and greeted each in turn.

Gu Yuanmu looked at his sons with emotion. "Are Seventh’s children this big already? They’re both boys, aren’t they?"

Gu Yuanmu asked this because the Gu family rarely had daughters, and he didn’t expect Seventh to be an exception.

"That’s right, two little rascals," Jin Qianqian said. She knew that as long as the topic was children, the conversation would flow easily. She invited them to sit down and began to make small talk.

Gu Yuanmu was especially moved. When he heard that his parents and brothers were in Fu County, just a three-day journey away, he grew even more emotional.

Tears welled in the corners of his eyes. "I thought I’d never see my family again in this lifetime. I never imagined our family would have such a stroke of good fortune."

At the same time, he was filled with regret. ’Why did I listen to that wife of mine and head all the way north? I suffered all these years for nothing.’

"When will Seventh be back?" Having caught up on recent events, Gu Yuanmu was eager to see his own brother. Only then would it all feel real to him.

Jin Qianqian glanced at the sky outside. Ancient Wen Heng should have been home by now. She wondered if he had been delayed by something.

"He should be back soon, Second Brother. Please have something to eat. The kitchen just prepared all this."

Wang Caiyue, having finally found an opportunity to speak, quickly interjected, "Seventh Sister-in-law, since Seventh is the Champion Scholar, what kind of official is he? How high is his rank?"

Jin Qianqian faced Wang Caiyue directly, a perfect smile on her lips.

Thanks to Nanny Ou’s constant reminders, she had learned to control her emotions. "My husband is currently a Sixth-Rank editor. He’s usually responsible for some minor organizational tasks."

"What? Isn’t he the Champion Scholar? How come his rank is so low?"

Jin Qianqian’s expression darkened, her demeanor instantly becoming imposing. "Second Sister-in-law, please choose your words carefully. Even though my husband is the Champion Scholar, he still has much to learn about the workings of the court."

"Furthermore, it is by the Emperor’s immense grace that he was allowed to remain in the Hanlin Academy to develop his skills. That in itself is a great blessing."

Gu Yuanmu immediately glared at Wang Caiyue. "You foolish woman! For Seventh to start his career at the Sixth Rank is already a very high position! Even County Magistrates are only at the seventh or eighth-rank."

Jin Qianqian corrected the couple once more. "It’s fine to talk like this privately, within our own home. But you must never say such things outside."

"One wrong word could bring disaster upon our family."

Gu Yuanmu immediately stood up, his posture stiff. "Seventh Sister-in-law, please don’t stoop to her level. I will have a firm talk with your Second Sister-in-law later."

Jin Qianqian just smiled. ’After spending all this time with them, it’s obvious that Second Brother is afraid of his wife. Otherwise, he wouldn’t indulge Wang Caiyue in everything.’

"Second Brother, you’ve been in Shangjing for some time now. You must have heard plenty of stories about disaster born from a careless tongue. We should all be more mindful. It will be too late for regrets once our family is implicated."

"My, my, Seventh Sister-in-law is getting too big for her britches, lecturing her own brother-in-law now," Wang Caiyue blurted out, ignoring her two sons’ attempts to stop her.

Jin Qianqian replied coolly, "I wouldn’t dare presume. I am merely offering a well-intentioned reminder. It’s up to you whether you listen or not. Besides, our households are separate now. Even if you got into trouble, it wouldn’t implicate us by much."

.bg-ssp-10081{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;}

’Besides,’ Jin Qianqian thought, ’with their level of courage and understanding, they would never dare to commit a crime serious enough to have the entire clan exterminated. If they do manage to stir up some real trouble one day, I’ll just have to put in the effort to officially sever ties. That’s still better than being constantly held back by them.’

The words "separate households" struck Wang Caiyue like a physical blow. Her husband and sons had reminded her of this fact repeatedly on their way here, but hearing it from Jin Qianqian’s own lips was far more painful.

"Seventh Sister-in-law, is this what happens when you get rich? You just cast your own family aside?"

Gu Yuanmu spun around and glared at her. "If you can’t speak properly, then keep your mouth shut! Seventh Sister-in-law is right. You really need to learn to control that tongue of yours, or you’ll get the three of us—your husband and sons—killed."

"Is Seventh’s official position something you have any right to question? Do you really think you’re still in our old Kao Mountain Village, where the heavens are high and the Emperor is far away, and you can say whatever you please?"

Wang Caiyue pressed her lips together, knowing she had indeed gone too far.

Over the past few years, in her efforts to fit into the city, she had spent a great deal of time gossiping about everyone’s affairs. Naturally, she had heard many stories about clans being exterminated and their assets seized. Many of those tragedies were caused by offending the Royal Family or implicating the entire household for one reason or another.

But even realizing her mistake, Wang Caiyue gritted her teeth, refusing to yield.

Jin Qianqian had no interest in bickering with her. Instead, her eyes fell upon her two nephews.

Aside from their initial greetings when they arrived, the two boys had been listening quietly the entire time.

She hadn’t failed to notice that they had even tried to quietly stop Wang Caiyue from running her mouth. "Le Huan is getting on in years, isn’t he? Have you started looking for a potential match for him?"

Wang Caiyue was still sulking. She turned her head away, pointedly ignoring Jin Qianqian. Gu Yuanmu had to answer. "Not yet. We can barely afford two meals a day here. What girl would be willing to marry into a family like ours?"

Gu Lehuan hung his head, not mentioning the time he had nearly been married off into his bride’s family.

"By the way, have Eldest Brother’s children all been married?" The topic of marriage made Gu Yuanmu think of his nephews. ’Given their ages,’ he thought, ’they should have children of their own by now.’

This reminded Jin Qianqian of Eldest Brother’s son, Gu Letian. "I forgot to ask one thing—Le Tian wasn’t with you when you all entered the city, was he?"

"Le Tian?" Gu Yuanmu was completely baffled. "He wasn’t with us. Why? Hasn’t he come home yet?"

Jin Qianqian pursed her lips. "He’s the only one missing from the family now. We haven’t had any news of him since the day he came to the city."

"Right now, only Le Di and Le Jia are left from Eldest Brother’s branch of the family. They have both married and started their own separate households."

"Eldest Brother is very forward-thinking," Gu Yuanmu said, turning to look at Le Huan and Le Xi. "After you two get married, you will also establish your own households. It will save everyone from the constant bickering that comes with living together."

As he said this, he shot a pointed look at Wang Caiyue. Otherwise, even when his new daughters-in-law joined the family, there would surely be endless trouble.

Jin Qianqian was speechless. ’He’s right,’ she thought. ’With a mother-in-law like Second Sister-in-law, she would undoubtedly make her daughters-in-law miserable.’

"Dad," Gu Lexi couldn’t help but chime in, "I’m still young. Are you planning to find me a wife to come home and take care of me?"

Jin Qianqian looked at her nephew, Le Xi, who was only thirteen or fourteen. ’At his age,’ she thought, ’he’d only be in middle school in modern times. Getting him a wife really would be just finding someone to take care of him.’

"You want to get married? First, we’d have to see if anyone would even have you!" The thought of the betrothal gifts required for a daughter-in-law made Gu Yuanmu’s head ache. "Your older brother’s marriage isn’t even settled yet, so it’s not your turn. I was just making a point. Stop daydreaming all day."

.bg-ssp-10016{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} #dl-banner-300x250 { max-height: 0 !important; overflow: hidden !important; }

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.