Chapter 100: Sibling Bond

This is Xiao Yin's first time coming to the Gu family as a son-in-law; as soon as he appeared in the Gu family's main hall, everyone panicked and stood up.

This lord is not someone to be provoked; even Gu Shijie, as an elder official, had to rise to give Prince Rui face.

「Your Highness! 」 Gu Shijie gets a headache whenever he sees Xiao Yin; this person is just like Xiao Bapi, every time he comes to the Gu family he won't rest until he's scraped the Gu family's land clean.

Xiao Yin's expression grew grim, he ignored the Gu family members and looked toward his own princess consort.

Gu Jiu Ling trembled with anger; she never expected that the original owner's younger brother would say such a thing.

What is he calling Lin Qingxue, this third son? He shouts "Mother!"—the cries of "Mother" sound especially natural, for the birth mother who gave her life for him, yet he instead shouts "Du!".

He refuses to acknowledge her as his own elder sister, repeatedly telling her to go die; he harms several people, yet he treats them as kin, while they see him merely as a cash‑withdrawal tool.

This little bastard!

If she weren't his maternal sister, if she weren't doing it for the Du family and for her mother, she wouldn't bother with him at all—let him live or die as he pleases.

Xiao Yin slowly took Gu Jiu Ling's hand, finding it icy cold and slightly trembling.

Xiao Yin's face instantly darkened; those around him unconsciously stepped back a step—Prince Rui's fury is no joke.

Last time, because Gu Kang helped Consort Duan and her allies frame Gu Jiu Ling, Xiao Yin chopped off a section of his finger.

This time it's not just chopping off fingers; he might be able to twist his head off.

"Hah! What a big deal—do you really have to get this angry?"

Xiao Yin tightly wrapped Gu Jiu Ling's cold, stiff hand in his own large hand, leading her slowly to sit in the place of honor.

The Gu family members dared not sit, looking with varied expressions at the high‑and‑mighty Prince Rui.

Xiao Yin slightly lifted his gaze, swept a glance at the Gu family members standing before him, let out a light laugh—but his voice was icy cold.

"What a fine premier's residence of the Gu family in the capital—your deeds are simply worse than those of pigs and dogs, leaving nothing to be laughed about."

"Is the Gu family's only plan to devour the estate?"

Gu Shijie's face fell at once; what does "devouring the estate" mean?

Although he married Du Qingning, the Du family's sole daughter, and gained much from the Du family, the Du family are merchants while he is a scholar‑official; he doesn't know how much nobler he is than those merchant folk.

The Du family's alliance with him was already to their advantage; otherwise, with the Du family being merely a small merchant house, what status would they have? They'd still have to rely on him, this son‑in‑law, to bring them glory.

The Du relatives, unwilling to accept their fate, insisted on taking all their wealth out of Southern Qi, fleeing toward the lands of the Western Rong, only to be waylaid and slaughtered en route by Bei Di cavalry.

Short‑lived ghosts! A whole family of short‑lived ghosts!

Yet Xiao Yin, as a son‑in‑law, actually disrespects his father‑in‑law, claiming he has devoured the Du family's estate—this utterly smears his reputation; how could he tolerate it?

"Xiao Yin! You're a junior—how dare you say such things?"

"This time Bei Di returned the Du family's property; the Du family has no one left, so only my son can inherit—my son isn't dead yet, he's the Du family's nephew, how did it become me devouring the estate?"

"You married my daughter not also to devour her estate?"

"Cut the crap!" Xiao Yin suddenly raised his hand, smashing the teacup in his grip onto the floor; if he still had a shred of restraint, he could have shattered that old fool Gu Shijie's skull.

Xiao Yin stared Gu Shijie down; Gu Shijie was still afraid, gritting his teeth: "What? As my son‑in‑law, are you going to hit me?"

"Forget it! Let's go see the emperor—I want to see how arrogant Prince Rui can still be."

"This is a Gu family matter; today I summoned Gu Jiu Ling back to discuss it, just to give her face—whether she agrees or not, she must agree! The Du family's silver belongs to my son Gu Kang; no one can take it away! And it has nothing to do with you, Xiao Yin!"

Xiao Yin furrowed his brows coldly and sneered: "Gu Shijie, you are truly shameless!"

"My princess consort is kind and doesn't quarrel with you, yet you're pushing your luck?"

"You've gotten to where you are today—don't forget who gave you that? My mother‑in‑law couldn't judge character, she died early, yet you bully her two children, completely disregarding blood ties—do you even deserve to be a father?"

"And you!" Xiao Yin coldly glanced at Gu Kang to the side; Gu Kang now can't bear to see Xiao Yin, and at the sight of him his legs tremble.

Xiao Yin fixed his stare on Gu Kang: "The late Lady Du left a substantial estate—half as your sister's dowry, half left to you—but now you have to ask the Lin family for every penny you spend. Use your pig‑brain, where did your money go?"

"The Lin family originally colluded with your father, literally killing your mother with anger; your kind‑hearted elder sister and big‑hearted older sister set up countless traps—if it weren't for your eldest sister's good luck, who knows how many times she would have died?"

"You're grown now, living in a daze, taking thieves as your mother, enemies as kin, helping outsiders frame your elder sister and letting her die!"

"I think the one who most deserves to die is you; if it weren't for carrying this good‑for‑nothing, the late lady wouldn't have died, and the premier's residence wouldn't have fallen into the hands of such worthless people!"

"Also, if you dare provoke your sister again, I will twist your head off—don't believe me? Give it a try."

Gu Kang fled backward in fright, opening his mouth but daring to say nothing more.

Gu Jiu Ling drew a breath, slowly rose, and coldly looked at Gu Kang: "Forget it; our sibling bond is spent. This time, whether Bei Di returns anything to the Du family—even if it were mountains of gold and silver—I won't contend with you; it's all yours."

Lin Qingxue at the side instantly had a glint in her eyes.

Gu Jiu Ling snatched the deed prepared by Lin Qingxue, seized a brush, wrote her name on it, pressed her seal, and then walked slowly to Gu Kang holding the deed.

Gu Kang looked at Gu Jiu Ling and couldn't help shivering again.

Gu Jiu Ling flung the deed onto Gu Kang's face, enunciating each word: "Our sibling bond ends here."

Gu Kang moved his lips, suddenly feeling a twinge of resentment, yet he lifted his head and sneered: "If it's over, it's over—do you think I care about you?"

Xiao Yin stepped forward, but Gu Jiu Ling grabbed his arm, worried he might really beat this brother to death.

She fixed her gaze on Gu Kang: "Good! I hope you can live a long, happy life in the Gu family, and that your dear mother, dear father, dear brothers and dear sisters all love you!"

As she spoke those kind words, the corner of Gu Jiu Ling's mouth curled in mockery.

Lin Qingxue quickly rose, pulled Gu Kang behind her, and looked at Gu Jiu Ling: "Miss, you're too heartless—he's still a child, how can you frighten him like this?"

"Hmph! I just feel sorry for my mother, sorry for my elder sister," Gu Kang said, seeing someone backing him up, coldly regarding Gu Jiu Ling: "What are you, a mother‑less good‑for‑nothing? You envy me, but I won't quarrel with you—from now on just don't harm anyone."

Gu Jiu Ling was indeed infuriated by Gu Kang's mouth; she ground her back teeth, pointed at his nose, and said: "I… you… just wait! Elder sister I have a long life—I'll be waiting for you!"

She didn't want to stay any longer; she felt she'd die of anger if she remained.

Xiao Yin followed Gu Jiu Ling out of the Gu family residence, seized her hand and lifted her onto the carriage.

After a while Xiao Yin whispered: "Should we give him another beating?"

Gu Jiu Ling looked at the lively scenery outside the carriage, slowly narrowed her eyes: "Beating won't help; we need a potent dose. Gu Kang this little bastard is already at the highest level of brain‑dead—I'll try one last time; if it really fails, Prince Rui, kill him for me! Just watching him annoys me!"