Chapter 5: Causing a Scene

Gu Yunlan’s face turned dark.

Although the Mu family’s lineage was better than the Gu family’s, Mu Kangsheng was upright and honest, a completely different person from Gu Xiude, who was always scheming for personal gain. Under normal circumstances, Gu Xiude wouldn’t be able to curry favor with Mu Kangsheng.

The rush marriage was decreed by the emperor, promising that those who agreed to the rush marriage would not only receive rewards but also promotions.

Everyone knew that Mu Chenye was bound to die. Sending their daughter to a rush marriage meant making her a sacrifice. Anyone who had even a shred of love for their daughter wouldn’t sacrifice her for a promotion.

But Gu Xiude was obsessed with profit and didn’t care about the original owner, his daughter who had been treated like a servant since childhood. He agreed to the matter.

As a result, Gu Xiude was promoted from a fifth-rank Minister of Revenue to a fifth-rank Minister of Revenue.

But now that Mu Chenye was alive, the Gu family was still acting like this. It was clear that Gu Xiude thought Mu Chenye was a fool, and Mu Kangsheng never played the social game, so the Mu family wouldn’t help him in his career. He didn’t even bother with appearances, and even agreed to let Gu Jiaojiao humiliate her by celebrating her dog’s birthday.

Being humiliated like this in front of everyone, how could Gu Yunlan stand it?

She directly pulled Mu Chenye and sat down on the ground, wailing.

“My father! Your daughter is unfilial! The person I married is useless to you, so I deserve to be abandoned by you!”

“Since I was little, I’ve eaten gruel and served my second sister. To get you to look at your useless daughter, I’m even willing to be a footstool for Gu Jiaojiao!”

“Before I got married, I thought I could use my life to get you promoted. Even if I died, it would be worth it. But my husband is alive, and you don’t recognize me anymore! I’m so miserable!”

The Gu residence was located on the outskirts of the West City District, surrounded by neighbors who were all high-ranking officials. It was also close to the most prosperous part of the city.

Gu Yunlan’s voice was loud and clear. After only two or three sentences, she attracted a lot of people to watch, including merchants and pedestrians from the city, as well as many servants from high-ranking officials’ families who came to watch the fun.

The gatekeeper, seeing that the situation was getting out of hand, quickly ran into the residence.

The residence was bustling with activity. Gu Jiaojiao’s beloved pet, Laifu, was celebrating his birthday, and many guests had been invited. Gu Xiude and the others had even prepared gifts.

Some people still remembered that today was the third day after the eldest miss of the Gu family got married, and she should be returning home. But after all, Gu Xiude had just been promoted, and his wife, Wu Huanmei, was the daughter of the Minister of Revenue, a first-rank official. No one would want to cause trouble at this time.

Gu Jiaojiao held Laifu in her arms, feeling proud.

What original wife’s daughter, what former eldest daughter?

In front of her, Gu Yunlan was just a piece of trash that had rotted to the core! She, Gu Jiaojiao, was the favored daughter of heaven, the pearl of the Gu family!

Her dog’s birthday was a thousand times more important than Gu Yunlan’s return home!

Gu Xiude was in high spirits, having been promoted and made a fortune, when he saw the gatekeeper running in with an urgent expression, not even bothering to bow.

This behavior attracted the attention of many guests, and Gu Xiude was displeased. He was from a rural background and cared most about others saying he was disrespectful.

He frowned slightly: “What’s so urgent?”

The gatekeeper seemed to want to whisper in his ear, but Gu Xiude, as a court official, how could he let a lowly gatekeeper whisper to him? What would people think?

His displeasure grew: “Just say it, don’t act so dramatic!”

The gatekeeper was a little embarrassed, but seeing Gu Xiude’s growing impatience, he could only grit his teeth and say: “Master, the eldest miss and her husband are outside…”

Gu Xiude was annoyed.

This daughter was timid and weak, always hiding in corners like a rat in a gutter, wasting that beautiful face. Now she knew that today was Laifu’s birthday, how could she be so inconsiderate as to come and disturb them?

“Tell her to go back.” Gu Xiude lifted his sleeve.

The gatekeeper was even more embarrassed: “But the eldest miss is crying outside, saying that you are ungrateful and that the second miss is mistreating her sister. She has already attracted a lot of people to watch. This…”

Gu Xiude’s face changed: “This rebellious daughter!”

He reluctantly bowed to the guests, his face sullen, and walked out with the gatekeeper.

He wanted to see what this rebellious daughter was up to!

Gu Xiude hadn’t even reached the door when he heard Gu Yunlan’s wails. The more he listened, the angrier he became. This little wretch, how dare she ruin his reputation like this!

He opened the door angrily: “You rebellious daughter! Stop it right now!”

Gu Yunlan was wailing with gusto, and when she saw Gu Xiude, she became even more enthusiastic: “Father! Your daughter is unfilial. If you don’t want to recognize your daughter anymore, your daughter will serve you for the rest of her life, even in sickness and death. I’ll find someone to go to the Babaoshan Mountain to look at the feng shui, find you a good grave, put some of your clothes there, and burn more paper money for you every Qingming Festival. That will be enough to fulfill our father-daughter relationship!”

Gu Xiude was stunned.

Was this still his taciturn, timid, and gloomy eldest daughter?

How could she become so sharp-tongued after only three days of marriage!

He wanted to scold Gu Yunlan, but seeing that there were many people around, many of them familiar faces, he could only barely suppress his anger, put on a kind smile, and say: “What are you talking about, child? Your father is still alive and well, and I haven’t said I don’t recognize you.”

“Really?” Gu Yunlan looked surprised and happy.

“Of course it’s true.” Gu Xiude was disdainful in his heart.

She was still the same Gu Yunlan who longed for his affection. This behavior was probably to get his attention in a different way.

“Then why are you celebrating Gu Jiaojiao’s dog’s birthday when I’m returning home today?” Gu Yunlan raised an eyebrow.

This hypocritical old man, his biggest weakness was his face. She wanted to make him lose face and swallow his teeth.

“It’s all a misunderstanding. This is a surprise I prepared for your return home.” Gu Xiude lied without batting an eyelid.

“Is that so?” Gu Yunlan smiled sweetly: “Then it seems I misunderstood you, Father. Let’s go in.”

She was going to have some fun with Gu Jiaojiao, who had made her a footstool, and her stepmother, who pretended to love her but secretly abused her.

Gu Xiude bowed to the people around him, said a few polite words, and then took Gu Yunlan and Mu Chenye inside.

Although Gu Yunlan had entered the house, the gossip outside didn’t stop. Many people were discussing the truth of what Gu Yunlan had said.

The fox stood on the tree, excited: “Should we stir things up a bit? After all, it seems like the Third Madam is quite good to our young master.”

The silver wolf looked cold: “As you wish.”

The fox happily jumped down from the tree, quickly changed his mask, and started whispering to people.

The people inside the Gu residence were unaware of this.

Gu Xiude brought Gu Yunlan and Mu Chenye into the residence, turned around to give instructions to the servants, and was about to tell Gu Jiaojiao to be careful with her words when he saw Gu Jiaojiao looking at Gu Yunlan arrogantly and saying: “Gu Yunlan, hurry up and come here! Laifu choked on something just now. Quickly use your mouth to suck it out!”