Chapter 366: Chapter 367: I’ll Go With You

Gu Yuanshui chuckled. "Leave it to you to know me best, Mom."

Li Cuicui smacked him on the arm. "Don’t think you can start quoting classics at me just because you’ve sat in on a few of the Scholar’s lessons. Tell me the truth. What are you really thinking?"

Gu Yuanshui glanced at his other brothers. "Mom, look at our family’s tofu. It’s famous all around the area, but this place is only so big. The novelty has worn off, and sales aren’t what they used to be.

Seventh should be well-established in Shangjing by now. I was thinking I’d go check it out, see if we could set up a tofu workshop there, too. It’s better than all of us brothers being stuck here, fighting over this small market."

"Won’t that be a bother for Seventh?" Li Cuicui frowned. "Things are good enough as they are now, aren’t they? For miles around, who doesn’t envy the life our family has? There’s no need to go running off and stirring up trouble."

"Mooom..." Gu Yuanshui whined, earning another smack from Li Cuicui before he continued with a grin, "I’m just going to take a look first. Besides, I’m an honest worker. I’m not going there to fool around or try to ride on Seventh’s coattails.

If it doesn’t work out, I’ll just consider it a trip to broaden my horizons. When I get back, I’ll go right back to competing for business with my brothers here."

Gu Yuanjin snorted. "If you want to find your own way to get rich, just say so. Don’t make yourself sound so high and mighty. Anyone who didn’t know better might think we brothers were pushing you out."

"Eldest Brother," Gu Yuanshui said, pressing his palms together pleadingly. "I was just making a comparison. Besides, we’ve already divided up our territories. I couldn’t compete even if I wanted to."

"Fourth Brother, the Old Clan Leader won’t agree to you going to Shangjing," the normally quiet and good-natured Gu Yuantu chimed in.

Everyone in the village knew the Old Clan Leader had his eye on Gu Yuanshui and wanted him to be the next Clan Leader.

Gu Yuanshui retorted, "Fifth Brother, you really are something else. The moment you open your mouth, you’re sticking a knife in your own Fourth Brother.

You grew up with me. Do you really think my mind is on becoming the Clan Leader?

There’s a whole wonderful world out there. I have no desire to be stuck in the village, dealing with all the stress and hard work.

Besides, there are plenty of people in the clan more suitable than me. I have absolutely no interest. If you say that again, don’t blame me for getting angry."

Li Cuicui smacked him hard on the back. Wincing, Gu Yuanshui immediately jumped away from his mother. "Mom! I’m your own flesh and blood!"

"If you weren’t my son, I wouldn’t even bother hitting you! In the past, our family couldn’t even dream of the Clan Leader position, and now you dare to just push it away?" Li Cuicui couldn’t understand it. ’Doesn’t this boy know what being Clan Leader means?’

Gu Yuanshui scanned the faces of everyone in the hall and saw they were all looking at him with disapproval. He gave a wry smile. "You all think the same way as Mom?"

When all his family members nodded, Gu Yuanshui let out a long sigh and dismissed the servants.

"There are no outsiders now. I’m only going to say this once, so listen closely, and don’t let it leave this room.

Don’t be blinded by the title of Clan Leader. For our family, anyone else would be a better fit for the position than me."

Seeing their confused expressions, he continued, "Our seventh brother has a bright future. It hasn’t been long, and he’s already been promoted to Standard Fifth Rank. He’s the only one from our clan who has gone out and made something of himself.

Tell me, in the future, won’t the clan have to rely on Seventh as their backer for all matters, big and small?"

Everyone nodded silently. ’...’ ’Let’s see what kind of clever argument he can spin.’

"I’m Seventh’s older brother. If I become Clan Leader, won’t everyone feel even more entitled to make all sorts of demands?

And to make things easier for themselves, won’t they end up bothering Seventh time and time again?"

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Everyone looked thoughtful. ’...’ ’That’s a real possibility.’

Gu Yuanshui picked up his half-finished cup of tea and drained it. "It would become a constant, unseen burden on Seventh. Our family would end up perpetually contributing to the clan, and we might not even be appreciated for it in the end. After all, people don’t cherish what comes easily."

Li Cuicui couldn’t sit still any longer. "Fourth is right. In that case, we won’t take this Clan Leader position! To think your Grand-uncle was scheming against us like that."

Hearing the displeasure in his mother’s voice, Gu Yuanshui quickly backpedaled. "Mom, you’re misunderstanding him. He only has the clan’s best interests at heart; he just hasn’t thought this far ahead.

But even if he had, for the sake of the majority of the clan, he would still choose to sacrifice the interests of the exceptionally capable Seventh.

If I were the Clan Leader, I would surely think the same way."

"Then we can’t take the position," Gu Yuantu said, finally understanding.

"We can’t," Li Cuicui declared, slamming the table as she shot to her feet. "Pack your things. In two days, we’re going to Shangjing with you."

Gu Yuanshui secretly flashed a victory sign at his brothers. He had managed to win over his mother, the toughest one to persuade.

"Mom, I’ll go with you, too."

"Grandma, I’ll go with you, too."

Li Cuicui ignored them completely. ’Why would so many people need to tag along?’

She then turned to Gu Yuanjin and his wife. "Go have a word with your daughter-in-law from the Le Family. Tell her to write a letter to that brother of hers and tell him to stop causing such a ruckus.

The Le Family gave a proper dowry. If her brother keeps carrying on like this and it affects Seventh, don’t blame this old woman for stepping in personally."

Xie Ruyi said, "Mom, I want him to divorce her. She’s been married into our family for so long and there’s still no sign of a child. She does nothing but stir up trouble all day. If we hadn’t had them move out to live separately, I would’ve lost my patience long ago."

"Nonsense," Li Cuicui chided her. "Have you forgotten the clan rules? Childlessness is not grounds for divorce. Besides, they’re still young. What’s your hurry?"

Xie Ruyi pursed her lips and stood to the side. ’What a troublesome daughter-in-law. And I can’t even get rid of her.’

Li Cuicui said coolly, "I’ve been through all of this myself. How is it you can’t stand it when it’s your turn?

Besides, you only have two daughters-in-law. I had to deal with seven."

Xie Ruyi and the other daughters-in-law recalled some of their own foolish antics when they were younger, and their faces flushed red.

’The old woman’s words really cut to the quick, dredging up all their old history. Compared to that, the daughter-in-law from the Le Family didn’t seem so bad after all.’

Li Cuicui paid them no mind. The letter had been read and the matters discussed. With a wave of her hand, she dismissed them all.

Gu Lehuan waited until everyone had left before approaching Li Cuicui.

"Didn’t you just get back from Shangjing? Why are you thinking of going again?" Li Cuicui looked up at him. "Haven’t you been helping your father deliver tofu for your uncle? Can you get away?"

Gu Lehuan replied, "My younger brother can cover for me for a while. Grandma, I really have something important I must do there. Please, take me with you."

Li Cuicui studied her grandson. "Are you going there to look for someone?"

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