Chapter 59

The carriage of Prince Rui's mansion had just left Furong Garden when it suddenly stopped; Gu Jiu Ling, unprepared, almost bumped her head out, but Xiao Yin steadied her.

Xiao Yin's face sank: "What's wrong?"

Ling Feng, who was accompanying, also jumped in fright and hurried to the carriage window, whispering: "Report to the Prince, someone forcibly stopped our mansion's carriage."

"Who?" Xiao Yin raised his brows slightly; in Southern Qi, few dare to stop his carriage in front of so many people.

Ling Feng's tone carried a hint of something unusual as he said: "Replying to the Prince, the one who stopped the carriage is Gu Kang, the Second Young Master of the Gu family, saying he has something to discuss face-to-face with the Princess Consort."

Xiao Yin looked at Gu Jiu Ling; Gu Jiu Ling also seemed a bit dazed.

After she transmigrated to this era, as soon as she entered the situation it was a matter of life and death; she almost forgot she still had a blood-related brother.

Her mother, Lady Du, died in difficult childbirth because of this brat; later Gu Kang was raised under Lin Qingxue's name, and Lin Qingxue completely raised him into a good-for-nothing.

He spends all day following Gu Cheng and Gu Nanxiang, calling them "big brother, second sister" affectionately, while the people in the Lianhe Fu bully her, this blood-related sister.

The original host didn't have deep feelings for him either; if it weren't for this person stopping her carriage this time, she would have forgotten about him entirely.

Since he has something to say to her face, when couldn't he say it? Now that he's also returned to the capital, logically, as her elder sister's marriage, he should at least come to the mansion to see how she's doing.

Unexpectedly, he didn't go to the mansion to see her; instead, he caused a scene here.

At this moment, the people attending the poetry gathering in Furong Garden had not yet fully dispersed; drawn by the Gu siblings' drama at the gate, it turned out even livelier than when the poetry gathering had just begun.

Gu Jiu Ling heard the noisy clamor outside; one voice in particular sounded especially sharp.

Boys aged fourteen or fifteen, exactly at the age when their voices are changing during puberty, shouting at the top of their lungs, their voices are especially piercing and ridiculous.

"Gu Jiu Ling, you slut! Get out here, young master!"

"On what grounds did you seize all the property Mother left me? What are you even?"

"You venomous, scheming woman, you used wicked tricks to turn my second sister into this!"

"You've made Father and Mother sick with anger!"

"Gu Jiu Ling, you slut! Today I will seek justice for the Gu family! I will seek justice for myself; heavenly principles are clear, you cannot escape!"

"The things Mother left behind are mine, including today my maternal grandfather's ledger! Hand over the ledger you hold! Then follow me to kowtow and apologize to Mother and my second sister, and I'll forgive you!"

"Little bastard!" A flash of coldness crossed Gu Jiu Ling's brows and eyes; she knew the Gu family wouldn't let this go easily, never expecting to have brought back Gu Kang this fool to use as a pawn.

The Gu family actually also wants the ledger she painstakingly obtained; she apologetically smiled at Xiao Yin: "It's my useless younger brother that has made you laugh, Your Highness."

Xiao Yin nodded: "Do you need this prince to step in?"

Gu Jiu Ling looked at him gratefully: "Thank you, Prince; for now I don't need help, I can handle that little brat on my own."

"Little brat?" Xiao Yin's eyes flickered; that term is rather novel.

Gu Jiu Ling lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out; facing her stood a boy in pink robes, his features seventy percent like hers, dispelling other thoughts in her mind.

On the contrary, she wished this foolish brother weren't her blood brother, so she could just kill him outright.

But looking at that jade-plate-like face, almond eyes, fair complexion, she knew he was indeed her biological brother.

Gu Kang is tall and good-looking, but a tall teenager of several years, this time he wore a bright pink brocade robe embroidered with peonies, his hair haphazardly bound with a jade coronet, holding a fan—one look and he seemed to have gone astray.

He had been raised into the appearance of a half-baked, second-rate ruffian.

Just that oily-haired, powdered-faced image strolling the streets of Shang Jing makes him a blatant playboy noble.

Gu Jiu Ling furrowed her brows and walked toward Gu Kang.

Gu Kang had just returned to the capital; previously he whiled away his days at the Nanlu Academy, while Gu Kang's third uncle, Gu Huai, studied well and had always been diligent.

Yet Gu Kang had taken on a singing girl there; ironically, that woman saw him as a fool and cheated him out of a lot of money.

Now that he's back in Shang Jing, he doesn't even plan to go to the academy; Gu Kang's third uncle Gu Huai is preparing for the spring imperial examinations, but Gu Kang doesn't even recognize a single character, let alone talk about studying.

This time he returned to the capital wanting to go again to the Lin family to ask for money to spend, and Cui Xi of the Pingred Courtyard was still waiting for him to redeem her; the result was that Lady Lin told her.

From now on his silver dividends are gone; this has driven Gu Kang to desperation, and upon asking he learned that it was all taken away when his sister got married.

At this moment, Gu Kang saw Gu Jiu Ling walking over slowly, raised his fist and charged at her.

Hmph! When they were young, he, his second sister, and his third brother often bullied Gu Jiu Ling this fool; he even personally beat her up, and his second sister even cheered him on!

"You slut! Give me back my money! Give me back my money!"

"That's what Mother left me, not you!"

"You're like spilled water; what are you even to take Mother's money?"

Seeing Gu Kang raise his fist and fiercely smash it toward Gu Jiu Ling's head, suddenly he let out a muffled groan; his raised arm was struck by something, and the whole arm went numb and limp.

The carriage curtain was slightly lifted, revealing Xiao Yin's handsome, icy face; he idly played with a few peanuts in his hand, his gaze toward Gu Kang somewhat cold.

Pa! Gu Jiu Ling slapped Gu Kang's fair, tender face.

Gu Kang stumbled back several steps, incredulously looking at Gu Jiu Ling—she used to never have this much nerve, did she?

"You-you-you… you actually dare hit me?"

Pa! Another slap!

This slap left Gu Kang dazed, staring fixedly at Gu Jiu Ling.

Gu Jiu Ling coldly stared at him: "What's with all this 'you you you'? I am your elder sister, your blood-related elder sister! Listen clearly! Mother died early, and Lin's raising you to be ungrateful to your six kin is bad enough—do you really intend to let you overstep your bounds, defying ethics and hierarchy?"

"With so many people watching, Gu Kang you're a scoundrel! But today dare lay a hand on this young lady—try it!"

"Then… then give Mother's silver back to me!" Gu Kang finally gave in, his arrogance no longer as before.

Pa! Gu Jiu Ling slapped him again.

Gu Kang could not speak, only feeling his cheeks slightly swollen.

Gu Jiu Ling said in a low voice: "Back when Granny Chen was still alive, she secretly left two notes."

"Mother had arranged this before you were born; the property she brought to the Gu family was split into two shares—one as my dowry, the other left for you."

"So your share is in Lady Lin's hands; if you have the ability to vent your anger here at me, you should have the ability to go demand it from that slut! She's just a concubine in the mansion—what right does she have to manage the heir's property?"

"She… she said… there wasn't any…" Gu Kang was completely overwhelmed by Gu Jiu Ling's aura.

Pa! Gu Jiu Ling couldn't help but slap him again.

Gu Kang burst into a wail: "You speak, just speak—why hit people?"

Gu Jiu Ling shook her hand, as if she had hit her brother offhand.