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Chapter 62: Be Fierce! Only Then Can Victory be Achieved
“Do you agree?” Gu Family’s Uncle Zu turned his head to ask helplessly.
The crowd rested their gaze on the Zhao Mistress. Zhao Mistress’ heart trembled. She comforted herself by saying that these were only a few brats. She wouldn’t let herself be intimidated by them! After those thoughts, she lifted her head to say, “Alright!”
Gu Yunlan hooked up the corners of her mouth. With a wave of her hand, she signaled for the guards to retreat. “Since it is like this, then the citizens outside can also enter, right? To act as witnesses?”
Hearing her words, the people outside brightened and immediately nodded. Marshal Gu really was good to them; they understood that they must not let anyone bully the two sisters. And of course, it was also quite important to resolve the rumours.
Gu Yunlan said, “Someone come, make note of all these twenty-some people, aside from Elder Zu. If it’s discovered that Little Sis really didn’t commit adultery, then it will be more convenient to capture all of them at once!”
Watching the unmoving crowd, Xin’er laughed at them in her mind. How dumb! This is the second time Young Miss gave them a chance, yet they still run straight towards the barrel of the gun. It’s a wonder how much it took for the Zhao family to pay them off?
“Record us if you wish, but would your Gu Family dare to kill us away from the law?” Seeing no one was moving, a man straightened his brows, walked to the guard’s side. He clearly wrote out his name and stamped his handprint.
The crowd thought for a moment, that’s right! They came to be witnesses at most. They don’t dare to slaughter them, do they? As a result, the remaining people, including Mistress Zhao came up one by one.
Xin’er and Xuanyuan Meng exchanged gleeful looks. These people have grown too comfortable under the Gu Family’s protection. They really don’t understand who gave them their prosperous lives, the law? In times of war, whoever wields strongest might becomes the law! They have forgotten that here, the Gu Family is the law! The Eldest Miss of the Gu Family is not just an empty title. What they’re doing is called seeking death from provoking the powerful!
Only after watching all of the people stamp their mark did Xin’er turn around to stride towards the household. At the steps of the gates, she cupped her fists in salute and hollered, “Fellow countrymen and elders, our Marshal has been busy for the past few days and is not home. The Eldest Miss remained behind. Who would think they would kidnap the second miss and accuse her of adultery?! Everyone! Our family’s Young Miss has invited you all here to bear witness! Presumably, everyone here is willing to do so!”
Not long after Xin’er’s announcement, the crowd fell silent. Surprisingly, no one dared to enter.
Xin’er’s pupils flashed. This is what their countrymen are truly like? Cowardly yet simple. The twenty-some people all looked so confused and muddled, truly as if they were only there to bully the second miss. From the group a voice called out, “We are willing to support the Eldest Miss! The Second Miss did not commit adultery! She is innocent! We are willing to bear witness!”
Following that proclamation, the crowd slowly started to follow suit. Xin’er giggled, this Little Ying brat really isn’t too bad. That was quick; whenever there’s a chance, he’ll be sure to snatch it!
While Xin’er led those people over, Gu Yunlan stepped onto the stairs and led Xuanyuan Meng towards An Jiaona’s courtyard.
Along the path, they were bustling and chattering amongst themselves. As if they were all interested in the Gu Family’s orchid garden.
Luxurious? If they were to see the Zi Family’s orchids, wouldn’t that be paradise then? Gu Yunlan felt a bit disdainful. She started to feel nostalgic for the days Xuanyuan was here, when no one dared to cause trouble. If it was up to him to deal with this situation, it would probably end in one shot, one kill. Although, she really does want to give that method a try!
Gu Yunlan turned her head, quietly watching that Mistress Zhao. Yunlan’s gaze gave her the shivers, making her inch towards the man behind her.
Gu Yunlan smiled gently at the two of them before turning back to continue the walk. She really wanted them to experience what it’s like to go to a place of no return.
The obtrusive party made its way to the back courtyard.
Aiya! With the sound of the opening gate, Gu Yunlan took the lead and entered. She suddenly turned to face the crowd, saying with a slight smile, “Look at what kind of big sister I am, returning home only now. When I first met her, I had actually led my people to suppress her. There could be no suitable explanation for this!”
“What’s going on? The Eldest Miss is declaring her resolve to bring justice upon her own family! How formidable!” The crowd commented.
“Prepared to bring justice upon my family?” Gu Yunlan looked at the crowd with half-lidded eyes. “It shall be so if my little sister were truly to have committed adultery, but if not, I will flay your skin…”
Just as Gu Yunlan declared this, the sound of a falling stool came from the room behind her. Gu Yunlan’s face suddenly turned pale and she and Xuanyuan Meng immediately ran into the room.
“Aiya!” They pushed open the door to find a frail An Jiaona in a simple dress, with her eyes shut, hanging by her neck from the support beams. Gu Yunlan hurriedly yelled, “Get Nana down!”
Xuanyuan Meng immediately went over to save An Jiaona.
The trailing crowd followed into the room. Their faces fell when they saw An Jiaona being slowly lowered from the support beams. Nobody imagined An Jiaona would commit suicide!
The two women carefully and steadily laid her down on the bed, then covered her with a blanket. An Jiaona’s eyes were shut tightly and her face pale as she lay on the bed.
“Mengmeng! Take a look. How is she?” Gu Yunlan sat at the head of the bed, looking at An Jiaona in panic. She seemed to be truly unnerved; she took too long to act after entering the room. If Jiaona were to really die, it would ruin the fun!
Xuanyuan Meng glanced at the people in the room. She laughed in her heart; this group was really heartless, to actually keep their lips tight even with the scene unfolding in front of them. And in the chambers of a lady, no less! For this bunch of men to barge in, hmph hmph!
She reached out from among the crowd to pinch An Jiaona hard. An Jiaona blearily stirred awake. Seeing the room full of people, she sat up in shock. She immediately hugged Gu Yunlan beside her. “Big sis! Big sis!”
“Nana!” Gu Yunlan immediately embraced her warmly, murmuring, “You’re awake at last. Tell your sister! Why did you do this? Are you going to abandon your big sister?”
An Jiaona suddenly started crying bitterly, “That’s not it, Big Sis! Nana can’t live anymore! Nana won’t live anymore!”
Gu Yunlan was shocked. She pushed her off and looked at her. “You’re well, yet you won’t live anymore? Big Sis only went out for a few days. Could Yang Jin have been bullying you?”
An Jiaona shook her head and cried miserably.
“Oh! Madam Yang, have you still not told your big sis that you committed adultery?” Zhao Mistress cut in mockingly from the sidelines.
“I did not! I vomit blood from such accusations!” An Jiaona seemed to yell out painstakingly, feeling very wronged. Tears spilled down. She really didn’t!
“Nana! Is this true?” Gu Yunlan grabbed An Jiaona’s shoulders in disbelief, tears also pouring down. “Big Sis does not believe it! Tell Big Sis, what’s really going on?”
“What need is there to ask? Rather, Gu Family’s Eldest Miss owes us an explanation!” Zhao Mistress smiled disdainfully.
She didn’t realize that the gazes of the crowd have changed. Zhao Mistress was sure she won; the two misses from the Gu Family were crying helplessly. She brought people with her to force pressure on the children, making the witnesses feel as if she was being mean, a bully. If Marshal Gu were present, who would dare act so intrusively?! The crowd unconsciously shifted toward Gu Yunlan’s side…
“Big sis! I didn’t!” An Jiaona waved away Gu Yunlan’s hands, and looked angrily at Zhao Mistress and her group. She pointed at them. “It was all her fault! That Zhao Family’s old man! Seeing my Yangjin getting drafted, and that my father was not t home, he would run over to my place everyday, bugging me to become the Zhao Family’s fifteenth mistress! I won’t even if I die, so they kidnapped me! Wuwu!”
“What?” Gu Yunlan had a disbelieving expression, and snarled towards the group, “They really are intolerable bullies!”
“No! It wasn’t like that! It was her that seduced my family’s lord!” Zhao Mistress immediately defended, wrinkling her brows.
Gu Family’s Uncle Zu stopped her there, “Those of the Zhao Family, don’t be hasty. Must we not hear her out, no matter how wicked she is?
”I didn’t do it!” An Jiaona had a stubborn expression, a peculiar flush to her deathly white little face. “It was all your fault! You kidnapped and threatened me, saying that because Papa isn’t home, nobody would be here to care! Then, hearing that I won’t go no matter what, they…. they actually beat me! Wuwu!”
Gu Yunlan knew that her desperation was real. Whether or not she had lost her mind, she really did have a heaven-given talent for acting. No wonder her previous self was tricked by her.
“They even beat you?“ Xuanyuan Meng asked concernedly, taking out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
An Jiaona looked tearfully at the room of people. There were mostly men. She cried out in surprise, but with Xuanyuan Meng’s help, she slowly turned around until she exposed her exquisite shoulders. Only then did the crowd understand what she wanted to do.
“Little Sister! Don’t! There are too many people here.” Gu Yunlan immediately pulled her clothes up.
“Big Sister! You’ll understand when you see it!” An Jiaona sobbed as she stubbornly pulled down her clothes. She reminded herself, these people forced her to such desperate measures! With that, she clenched her teeth and pulled down her garments.
What was originally supposed to be clear and spotless shoulders, alluring and exquisite, shocked the crowd when the clothing was taken away.
Gu Yunlan covered her mouth as tears poured down her eyes. Even Xuanyuan Meng didn’t think that the effect would be so big.
Below her spotless shoulders, her entire back was riddled with scars. Some places already started to scab over, other places were still bleeding, while others even had boils forming…
“No! It can’t be! I didn’t beat her! I didn’t even touch her! This is impossible!” Zhao Mistress was slow to react. No! This didn’t happen! What is going on? Wasn’t she perfectly fine when they sent her over yesterday? Unless…? She looked at Gu Yunlan, appalled. Suddenly, she felt as if that pair of dark pupils was as cold as the night air .
“It wasn’t you? Then you’re saying we harmed my own little sister like this? Even then, you sent her back yesterday while I only returned today! These wounds aren’t something that can be formed in only a day!” Gu Yunlan stood up resentfully, walking towards them step by step. She said one word with each step, “You claim my little sister committed adultery?!”
“I… She was caught in my lord’s bed! How could that be falsified?” Zhao Mistress took two steps back unconsciously. Even she started to believe what was emerging before her; perhaps the lord really did beat her. Suddenly her pupils flashed as she yelled, “See whether she’s still a virgin!”
Gu Yunlan coldly looked at them and mocked, “Everyone knows my little sister has already married. Of course, they had their honeymoon, hah! What’s the point of checking?”
“No way! How could she have gone on a honeymoon?” Zhao Mistress shrieked, then hastily held her tongue!
Gu Yunlan’s eyes narrowed. “Why not? Zhao Mistress, explain this to us!”
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