Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1277: Luck

Gu Jin’an immediately boarded the mule cart, and Brother Cheng, not daring to waste any time, quickly followed after a brief glance at Gu Jinli.

Zezi promptly urged the mule forward and sped away. Only when the cart was completely out of sight did Gu Jinli turn back towards home. Upon entering the house, she encountered Gu Jinxiu.

Gu Jinxiu retracted her gaze from the departing mule cart and inquired of Gu Jinli, "Is it truly that serious?" She had sensed something was amiss with Brother An and the others and had come out specifically to find out.

Recalling Gu Jin’an’s words about not coddling his elder sister too much and allowing her to face difficult truths, Gu Jinli nodded in confirmation. "Yes, it is quite serious." Should things take a turn for the worse, it could lead to a complete breakdown in relations between the Ouyang family and theirs, with Master Ouyang taking Third Sister away permanently.

Gu Jinxiu's eyes widened in alarm, and she asked with a tremor in her voice, "How serious are we talking?"

Gu Jinli offered no further details, simply replying, "Let’s wait until Big Brother returns. Perhaps Big Brother and Brother Cheng will be fortunate enough to resolve this situation." After all, the fault lay with her own family. Whatever consequences they had to face, they would have to accept them.

Yet, on a more selfish note, she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that Brother Cheng had acted as he did. Big Brother was the type of person who would only ever blame himself and would never allow those he cared about to suffer. In this society where family standing was paramount, Big Brother would never have rashly approached Third Sister before achieving any measure of success.

He would have likely kept his feelings hidden, waiting until he was deemed worthy of Third Sister before formally proposing to the Ouyang family.

However, by the time he had achieved something remarkable, Third Sister might already have a family of her own, leaving no room for his affections.

...

Brother Cheng remained kneeling in the mule cart, stealing furtive glances at his elder brother. Ever since they had boarded, Big Brother had kept his eyes shut, not even acknowledging him with a look or a word.

A wave of fear washed over Brother Cheng; what if Big Brother decided to ignore him from this point forward? He longed to apologize, but knew that words alone would not suffice now. All he could do was obediently accept his transgression and implore their master not to direct his anger towards Big Brother.

"Young Master, we have arrived," Zezi announced, bringing the mule cart to a halt and addressing Gu Jin’an within.

Brother Cheng quickly lowered his head, too intimidated to meet Gu Jin’an’s gaze.

After a moment, Gu Jin’an opened his eyes, drew a deep breath, lifted the cart's curtain, and swiftly dismounted. Clenching his fists, he strode to the Ouyang family's entrance and knocked.

Ah Song emerged shortly to open the door. Upon seeing Gu Jin’an, he stated plainly, "First Place Gu, you should turn back. The Second Old Master is incandescent with rage and has declared he will not receive you." This was indeed Master Ouyang’s estate. Master Ouyang possessed a staff, and Brother Cheng had been escorted to the inner chambers by a nanny. As long as Master Ouyang willed it, he could ascertain the full extent of Brother Cheng’s actions.

Truth be told, Master Ouyang was beside himself with fury. He had never imagined that Gu Jin’an, whom he had always held in high regard, would employ such underhanded tactics through his pursuit of his granddaughter as a means to express his feelings for Miss Ming.

It was utterly irrelevant whether Gu Jin’an was unaware and that it was all Brother Cheng’s doing. The primary individual who stood to gain from this entire affair was Gu Jin’an himself, and the entire situation originated because of him. Based on these two critical facts alone, Gu Jin’an was unequivocally culpable!

Gu Jin’an’s heart sank. As he had feared, Master Ouyang was indeed aware of the situation.

Brother Cheng, already pale with fear, pleaded with Ah Song, "Brother Song, please, allow us entry… This is not Big Brother’s fault. I acted entirely on my own accord. When Big Brother discovered what I had done, he retaliated by striking me and then compelled me to accompany him here to offer an apology to the master."

Ah Song merely shook his head. "No. The Second Old Master has explicitly instructed that you are not to be admitted. It would be best if you departed now." Otherwise, with the Second Old Master still seething, he might very well draw his sword upon them. In his younger days, the Second Old Master had been known for his formidable temper.

Having delivered this pronouncement, Ah Song turned his back on them and firmly shut the door. The abrupt slam echoed, startling Brother Cheng, who felt tears welling in his eyes. For the first time, he truly grasped the wisdom of his elder brother’s words – never to provoke the authority of noble families.

Brother Cheng stood bewildered, unsure of what to do next. He bent his knee, poised to prostrate himself and apologize, but Gu Jin’an quickly pulled him upright.

Although dusk had settled, the sky was not yet completely dark, and passersby were still frequenting the town streets. If they were to kneel before the Ouyang family’s main gate in such a manner, it would undoubtedly make them the town's most scandalous topic of gossip by the following day.

Pulled to his feet by Gu Jin’an, Brother Cheng looked at him, a silent question in his eyes: Are we simply going to leave like this?

Gu Jin’an had no intention of departing so easily. To leave now would signify that everything was irrevocably lost.

"Zezi, proceed to the rear entrance of the residence." With these instructions, Gu Jin’an guided Brother Cheng towards the alleyway adjacent to the Ouyang residence's back gate.

The grand residence where Master Ouyang resided was formerly owned by Xia Gu, a scholar who considered himself eccentric and held a disdain for rural folk. Upon his arrival in town, he invested a substantial amount of money to acquire the surrounding properties, integrating them into his present estate. Consequently, the rear alley adjacent to this residence became devoid of other inhabitants, exclusively serving the Ouyang family.

Furthermore, the Ouyang clan employed Shadow Guards to patrol this alley, ensuring no unauthorized individuals approached and thereby creating a secluded space for their private matters.

Gu Jin’an, accompanied by Brother Cheng, knelt at the rear entrance of the Ouyang residence.

Observing this, the Ouyang family's Shadow Guards promptly proceeded to inform Master Ouyang.

Master Ouyang, still incensed, declared, "If they wish to kneel, let them. Just ensure they are removed before daybreak; I do not wish to become the latest subject of gossip in Qingfu Town!"

"Yes, Master." The leader of the Shadow Guards acknowledged the order, instructing a subordinate to secure the alley and prevent any entry by outsiders, while they strategically planned the timing for their eviction before dawn.

It could be said that Gu Jin’an and Brother Cheng were met with fortunate timing. As they endured their kneeling through the night, a heavy rain began to fall.

The downpour resembled a typical summer thunderstorm, yet considering it was already August, such intense rainfall carried a significant chill.

Brother Cheng, weakened by his injuries, was close to losing consciousness after being thoroughly soaked. Miraculously, after an hour spent enduring the drenching, the rear door of the Ouyang residence creaked open, and Ah Song emerged.

"The Second Old Master wishes to see you. Follow me." Ah Song handed each of them a bamboo hat for protection against the rain and guided them towards the study located in the front courtyard.

Before they could enter the study's yard, Brother Cheng was halted. "You cannot enter yet; the Second Old Master desires to speak with First Place Gu privately."

A wave of panic washed over Brother Cheng, fearing his elder brother might face a harsh beating. He quickly implored, "Brother Song, please inform the master that this is entirely my fault and has no connection to Big Brother. If the master intends to punish someone, let it be me."

Ah Song responded, "How this matter is handled is the Second Old Master's prerogative. Any words you speak now are premature."

With that, Ah Song escorted Gu Jin’an into the courtyard and soon returned, joining Brother Cheng outside.

Brother Cheng strained to overhear any sounds from within the study, but separated by the courtyard, he could discern little of the conversation between the master and Big Brother. Occasionally, he caught the sounds of angry shouts and objects being broken.

His heart pounded with anxiety; the master was clearly enraged, and Big Brother was likely receiving a beating.

While the outcome of Gu Jin’an's meeting remained uncertain, Brother Cheng did, in fact, face punishment again.

After Master Ouyang spent over half an hour in the study with Gu Jin’an, he dismissed him and had Ah Song bring Brother Cheng inside. Grasping a rattan stick, Master Ouyang stated, "As you are my student and have committed a transgression, I must impart discipline so that you understand the consequences!"