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“You better all step aside, or I will have you all sent to prison on charges of theft,” Gu Xiruo said calmly, looking at the people blocking her way.
One sentence enraged the shopkeeper in the store, “Gu Xiruo, what qualifications do you, an adopted daughter, have to inherit our grandmother’s belongings? Do you think you can replace us?”
Since Gu Xiruo had no shame, they saw no reason to show her any respect.
What Gu Xiruo hated the most now was being called an adopted daughter. To have someone blatantly say it made her very angry.
“Throw them out for me,” Gu Xiruo ordered with a dark expression.
“If they resist, just kill them.”
“I want to see who dares.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Xiruo abruptly turned to the door and saw Gu Yanqi walking in. Her expression changed slightly.
“Why are you here, brother?” Gu Yanqi never visited this place, so why was he here today?
What was his purpose in coming?
“Don’t call me brother. I don’t have a sister like you,” Gu Yanqi said disdainfully.
The shopkeeper nearby hurried over and said, “Young Master, she actually wants to replace us. We were chosen by our grandmother. Even though our grandmother has passed away, her shops should not be meddled with by an adopted daughter.”
Gu Yanqi nodded, “I know.”
“What do you mean, brother? This shop has already been given to me by Father. Are you trying to compete with me?” Gu Xiruo looked warily at Gu Yanqi, furrowing her brow as she asked.
“This is my mother’s dowry. Just after my mother passed away, you tell me, who gave you this shop?” Gu Yanqi asked coldly.
“Father gave it to me,” Gu Xiruo said smugly.
Look at you, even if you are the young master of the Gu family, so what? Father still doesn’t like you the same way. What if that person ends up disliking me? Her dowry will still end up in my hands, won’t it?
Watching Gu Xiruo’s smug expression, Gu Yanqi’s eyes were filled with sarcasm. “Gu Xiruo, since when did Xuan Empire allow a husband to freely dispose of his wife’s dowry?”
Someone among the onlookers spoke up, and they all exchanged glances. “There is no such rule. The dowry of a deceased wife can only be inherited by her children. If there are no children, the maternal family can reclaim it. Just present the dowry certificate at the government office, and it can be retrieved. A husband cannot unilaterally decide who receives the dowry.”
Gu Yanqi sarcastically looked at Gu Xiruo. “Did you hear that? Only I and Princess Wang Jinhe are entitled to the inheritance. What are you?”
“You are just an adopted daughter. Mother never said she would leave her dowry to you. Are you so eager to get your hands on Mother’s dowry even before she is buried? Moreover, during the mourning period, as an adopted daughter, you didn’t even stay by the spirit tablet, let alone wear such bright clothes. Are you celebrating Mother’s passing?” Gu Yanqi looked at Gu Xiruo’s overly colorful attire, questioning sarcastically.
Instantly, all eyes turned to Gu Xiruo, leaving her feeling somewhat embarrassed.
“Even if she’s an adopted daughter, she was raised by Lady Gu since childhood. Now that her own adoptive mother has passed away, she doesn’t even show a bit of grieving. Despite this, she still dares to covet other people’s belongings? What kind of behavior is this?” remarked someone nearby.
“Who can argue with that? She’s an ungrateful person. No wonder Lady Gu didn’t want to share her dowry with her after her passing. She brought it upon herself.”
Listening to the various comments around her, Gu Xiruo’s face instantly turned pale. “I didn’t…”
“You know the truth in your heart, no need to tell us.”
To deny it in this situation, Gu Xiruo appeared hypocritical, truly disgusting to the extreme.
“This was given to me by my father,” Gu Xiruo said to them.
“He gave it to you? Do you have the property deed?”
Upon hearing Gu Yanqi’s question about the property deed, Gu Xiruo was suddenly at a loss because Gu Sheng had not given her the property deed.
“No, right? But I do. All of Mother’s shops, properties, deeds, and titles are in my possession. She said they were meant for me and my sister, with no connection to you. You have nothing, yet you dare to come and change the management of the shops. What are you?” Gu Yanqi and Gu Xiruo had completely torn their relationship apart today.
He was not giving Gu Xiruo any face at all.
Gu Xiruo’s face alternated between pale and flushed, unable to believe that Gu Yanqi would say such things.
“Regardless, I am the sister you grew up with. Is the bond we shared since childhood worth less than the blood relation between you and Wang Jinhe?” Gu Xiruo was feeling somewhat resentful.
Ever since finding out that Wang Jinhe was his true sister, Gu Yanqi had changed completely. While he used to be distant and aloof towards her, he would still bring back gifts when he went out. But now, Gu Yanqi was entirely different. Not only was he cold and harsh towards her, but he also didn’t give her any face in front of so many people.
“If you hadn’t done anything, I could still consider you my sister. But you knowingly tried to take away Princess Wang Jinhe’s life, plotted against her, and even went as far as trying to harm her family. After all you’ve done, how can you say such things to me?” Gu Yanqi felt that Gu Xiruo was a contradictory person.
Knowing where the problem between them lay, she still spoke in such a manner.
“I…”
The people nearby were shocked, looking at Gu Xiruo in disbelief.
She actually wanted Princess Wang Jinhe’s life? Wasn’t she being too audacious?
“Gu Xiruo, you dare to plot against Princess Wang Jinhe? Your audacity knows no bounds.” Thinking about the strained relationship between Wang Jinhe and Gu Xiruo, they hadn’t thought much of it at first. But now, it seemed that Gu Xiruo was up to mischief.
Seeing the disbelief in the people around her, Gu Xiruo’s face turned pale as they pointed and whispered. She looked at Gu Yanqi, whose expression was grim, and asked, “Are you satisfied now? Are you happy to see me being talked about like this?”
“Not satisfied, not happy. Gu Xiruo, this is all your doing. Even if you came to seize these shops after my mother’s burial, I wouldn’t say a word. But coming dressed like this while my mother’s body is still warm, I will remember this for a lifetime. Remember this well and don’t provoke me in the future. Otherwise, you will regret it. Now, get out of my mother’s shops,” Gu Yanqi said coldly, finding her behavior ironic.
“Gu Yanqi, you…”
“Gu Xiruo, this is all your fault. Lady Gu treated you so well in the past. Not only did you not mourn her properly, but you also dressed so brightly, adorned in gold and silver. Who are you trying to provoke?”