Chapter 9: Is an orphan girl unworthy of inheriting the family estate?

Gu Qingye stopped at the door of the main hall, smiling sweetly, and said, "Sister Xixi, go inside and sit; I'll go boil water for you."

Gu Xixi knew full well that a treacherous banquet awaited ahead; how could she let Gu Qingye escape?

She grabbed her arm and, saying, "I'm not thirsty; among family there's no need for politeness," she forcibly pulled Gu Qingye aside the curtain and into the house.

The room was full of people; aside from Lady Liu, everyone else was male.

Although Gu Xixi didn't recognize them, the original novel had also written that the Gu clan relatives coveted the orphan girl's property.

It seems these people were all allies summoned by Gu Lao San.

She smiled, dragged a stool over for herself and sat down, saying, "It's just the rent for a few mu of land; to trouble all you elders to come and witness really makes me uneasy."

Lady Liu glared at Gu Xixi and snapped at her own daughter, "The adults are discussing serious matters; what are you, a yellow-haired girl, doing barging in? You insist on learning from those lowly little prostitutes, forgetting your place!"

A cold smile flickered in Gu Xixi's eyes—this thinly veiled accusation of pointing at the mulberry while cursing the locust tree is far too obvious.

Gu Qingye naturally understood what was going on, but being insulted by her own mother in front of everyone left her utterly embarrassed.

She dared not retort, so she lowered her head and stood there, her dislike for Gu Xixi growing a bit stronger.

Gu Xixi half‑smiled and said, "Our Gu clan has always been honest farmers generation after generation; Third Aunt says your elder sister secretly consorts with prostitutes—if this gets out……"

"I could let it slide, but what about the other unmarried daughters of the Gu clan?"

As soon as she said that, everyone's faces darkened.

The white‑haired elder seated at the kang table spoke in a low voice, "Old Three, your wife can't keep her mouth shut; you ought to rein her in."

Gu Lao San's ears flushed red with embarrassment; he gritted his teeth and replied, "What the elder uncle says is correct."

He turned and scolded Lady Liu, "Qingye is utterly improper; it's your failure as a mother! Get out!"

Lady Liu rose unwillingly, gave Gu Xixi a fierce glare, then took her own daughter and left.

Gu Xixi sized up the few people seated on the kang; aside from Gu Lao San, the one who had just spoken was Gu Daye, sitting opposite him, and the white‑haired man must be Gu Erye.

The remaining people seated around the edges, judging by their age, were likely their sons and grandsons.

There was also a young man who had been standing behind Lady Liu all along; he must be Gu Qingye's elder brother, Gu Tiezhu.

As her gaze swept over him, Gu Tiezhu suddenly broke into a grin and even blinked lecherously.

Gu Xixi felt a wave of nausea, her face cold as she lowered her eyes.

After the silence, Gu Daye still spoke, "Hey girl, it's not that Grandpa Uncle is saying you."

"Old Three is your own paternal uncle; the land lying idle, why not let him use it instead of wasting it? How did we come to the point where we must demand money?"

His tone was kind, but the content was a lofty reproach.

Gu Xixi hid a cold smile and asked admiringly, "I've heard Uncle Grandpa has two mu of vegetable garden, with more varieties than anyone else, and he can even take them to town to sell for money."

The vegetable plot is the Gu Daye family's treasure.

Back then he brought vegetable seeds from elsewhere, some of which were varieties not found locally.

Besides eating them at home, every few days he could harvest two loads to take to town and set up a stall.

Just from selling vegetables, the Gu Daye family lives more comfortably than other branches of the clan.

Gu Daye indeed showed a proud expression, "Of course."

"Our bamboo shoots and green beans are snatched up by everyone in the county town!"

Gu Xixi put on an innocent smile and said, "Then I won't stand on ceremony; since Uncle Grandpa said relatives don't talk about money, from now on whenever I want to eat I'll just go pick them at your place."

"Oh, I've also been thinking about planting vegetables lately; Uncle Grandpa, you'd better share some seeds with me."

Apart from the Gu Daye household, everyone else in the room glanced sideways, wanting to laugh but daring not to be too obvious.

Who doesn't know that outsiders aren't allowed to touch Gu Daye's vegetables?

Especially the vegetable seeds, which Gu Daye treats as his secret formula; even if relatives offer money to buy them, he flatly refuses.

Gu Daye's face darkened like the bottom of a pot, his lips trembling as he held back for a moment before squeezing out a sentence from between his teeth:

"Nonsense…… nonsense!"

Gu Xixi, obedient yet puzzled, said, "Huh?"

Gu Erye, short‑tempered, seeing his elder brother embarrassed, immediately shot back in a rough voice:

"What's the point of wasting words on her? According to ancestral rules, a married‑out daughter is like spilled water; an orphan girl about to be married off cannot continue to manage the Gu clan's land!"

"The elders already pity her and have scraped together a dowry; that's more than enough."

Those present could barely contain their excitement; dividing thirty‑two mu of land among each household would already be quite substantial.

Gu Lao San was the first to voice his agreement, "I concur with Second Uncle's view."

"Although we can't have him monopolize all the fields as he wishes, having something is better than nothing."

"What's more……"

"Let everyone teach this arrogant girl a lesson; at last it will be deeply satisfying!"

Gu Xixi looked at the pack of greedy wolves before her, and her gaze instantly turned gloomy.

"Is this just talk, or are they going to switch to open robbery?"

She was about to rise when a low male voice from behind mocked, "Under our dynasty's law, the person named on the land deed is the landowner."

"Moreover, Article 34 of the criminal statutes states that forcibly seizing another's property incurs a one‑year imprisonment and forty lashes."

Gu Xixi turned her head to look; Mu Nan Zhao stood in the doorway, his whole body draped in a layer of light.

He strolled over, stopped beside Gu Xixi, and glanced around with a calm expression.

"You all are pressing so aggressively; are you trying to test the law with your own bodies?"

The Gu clan men were actually awed by his demeanor of moving a thousand pounds with four ounces, standing dumbfounded for a while without anyone speaking.

Gu Xixi secretly smiled; her pent‑up anger eased considerably.

She sat up straight and said, "Before my father died, he had already transferred the land deeds into my name."

"So the land is mine, not the Gu clan's; your empty‑talked customs cannot possibly override the law established by the imperial court."

Gu Erye's aura had already weakened, yet he still insisted on arguing, "You've married into another family, your property now belongs to an outsider—how can you face your father, how can you face the Gu clan's ancestors!"

Mu Nan Zhao gave a light snort, "Ancestors? A tiny household that doesn't even have an ancestral temple or genealogy probably doesn't even know what they were called three generations ago."

Apart from Xixi, everyone surnamed Gu blushed.

Xixi looked admiringly at Mu Nan Zhao; his killing intent was so fierce, she couldn't admit defeat.

"The elders have reminded me, I'll go to the government office tomorrow to register myself as a female household."

Gu Erye was shocked, "A woman registering as head of household—what are you making your husband out to be!"

Xixi and Mu Nan Zhao locked eyes, gazes sweet, "I've already discussed it with Chen Fang; he has no objection."

Mu Nan Zhao naturally saw that this woman was acting.

He reached up to smooth the strands of hair falling by her temples, his gaze tender and indulgent, "Everything is up to you."

Xixi felt a chill, but she still had to keep smiling, gazing deeply into his eyes.

She leisurely turned to Gu Lao San, "Tomorrow I'll still help Third Uncle harvest the wheat, out of kinship—I won't take a single coin."

That's all there is to say.

Mu Nan Zhao calmly took Xixi's hand, "We still have business, farewell."