Qi Yi did not want to entangle too much with the Old Gu Family, so he raised his voice to Master You outside, "Release their bindings."
Master You obeyed the order, allowing the Protector to release the ties of about twenty people from the Old Gu Family.
Seeing that Qi Yi kept his word, Elder Gu, who had lost all face, did not wish to stay long at the Qi Mansion's camp. He walked out of the tent, intending to take his family and leave, but Gu Dashan grabbed his hand.
Elder Gu frowned and turned back, speaking in an unpleasant tone, "Let go."
This time, Gu Dashan did not obey Elder Gu as he had before. Instead, with stubbornness, he asked Elder Gu, "Was my mother driven to death by you and Ms. Pan?"
"Unfilial son!" Hearing Gu Dashan's words, Elder Gu immediately shook off his hand and walked away quickly. Gu Dashan wanted to chase after him, but he was stopped by Third Grandpa and Third Grandma.
Third Grandma said, "Dashan, let it be. From now on, just live a good life with Mrs. Cui and the children."
Gu Dashan looked at Third Grandma, his hands trembling, he asked, "Third Aunt, is it really true that my mother..."
With teary eyes, Third Grandma said, "Since giving birth to you and Daya, your mother's health declined. Later, when she found out about your father and Ms. Pan, her illness worsened, and she passed away after over a month."
Subsequently, Ms. Pan married into the Gu Family just a month after Dashan's mother's death and gave birth to Gu Youwen in less than seven months. It was obvious that Ms. Pan was already pregnant when Dashan's mother discovered Elder Gu's affair with her.
Dashan's mother must have learned about this and was livid to death.
Hearing Third Grandma's words and thinking of his increasingly vague memory of his mother, Gu Dashan covered his face and cried out in pain.
Mrs. Cui stepped forward to comfort him, which eventually helped him stop crying.
"Gu Dashan, you heartless and ungrateful wretch, come out here!"
"Breaking ties with your own parents, such unfilial behavior, you will be struck by lightning."
"How did the Old Gu Family produce such an ungrateful person like you? Once you clung to the officials, you kicked aside your own parents; you will not die a good death."
People from the Old Gu Family, knowing that Gu Dashan had severed ties with them, were furious and stood outside the tent, cursing Gu Dashan.
Gu Dashan blushed and his ears turned red, not from shame, but from anger.
Gu Jin'an had long been dissatisfied with the Old Gu Family, harboring a fire in his heart. Seeing them cursing after the break, he couldn't help rushing out, pointing at Gu Dagu, who was cursing the most, and said, "The heartless and ungrateful one is you. An outsider married into the Old Gu Family with Ms. Pan, yet you've bullied our family for years. What right do you have?"
Then pointing at Qian Guangzong, he said, "And you, a shameless wretch, just a nominal son-in-law of the Old Gu Family, daring to act as the head of the Old Gu Family and selling off its eldest son. Be careful when you sleep at night; the ancestors of the Old Gu Family might come seeking accounts from you!"
Finally, Gu Jin'an looked at Elder Gu with a complex expression, saying, "Grandfather, take a good look for yourself, what kind of people do you think your so-called family members are? They eat your grain, sell your son, and even take away his indenture silver, don't you have any thoughts about it?"
Hearing this, Gu Dagu and Qian Guangzong were frightened and quickly looked at Elder Gu. If Elder Gu truly disapproved of their actions of selling off Gu Dashan's family, their days in the Old Gu Family would be tough.
"Gu Jin'an, what nonsense are you spouting?" Qian Chenggui, angered by what he heard, charged forward to slap Gu Jin'an.
Qian Chenggui was over twenty years old and much stronger than Gu Jin'an. If Gu Jin'an were to be hit by him, the consequences would be severe.
Gu Jinli, harboring deep hatred for Gu Dagu's family, saw Qian Chenggui coming as if courting death. He grabbed a servant's stick and struck him hard on the foot.
Bang!
The stick hit his fibula, causing Qian Chenggui to scream in pain. He fell to the ground and couldn't even crawl up.
Gu Dagu hurried over and supported Qian Chenggui: "Brother Gui, how are you feeling?"
"Sore, mother, my calf is really painful." Qian Chenggui gasped with pain.
Gu Dagu rolled up Qian Chenggui's trouser leg, saw his calf swollen with a big lump, immediately pointed at Gu Jinli and cursed loudly: "You wretched girl, how dare you hurt my Brother Gui! Pay up, quickly pay up, if you don't pay, your family will have no good days ahead."
After Gu Dashan's family broke ties with the Old Gu Family, they could no longer take advantage of Gu Dashan's household. Using this opportunity to extort more money, they profited as well.
Gu Jinli laughed: "It was Qian Chenggui who first rushed over to hit my brother. Why should we pay him? Someone as wicked as Qian Chenggui deserves death for his actions."
Qian Chenggui was first helping Qian Guangzong to sell their house, then injured Brother Cheng, and just now, he even wanted to hit Gu Jin'an. Did he truly think his family would forever be bullied by them?
Qi Yi was fed up with the people from the Old Gu Family and shouted: "Come here, throw these troublemakers out."
He stared at Granny Gu and warned: "Old lady, let me remind you, you better stop bullying Gu Dashan's family. Otherwise, even in Yangji Prefecture, you won't be able to register for a new residence. The Qi Family has ways to turn you all into vagrants."
Normally, Qi Yi would not threaten people with the power of the Qi Family, but the Old Gu Family was too detestable. Without threats, who knows what disgusting things they might do next.
As soon as Qi Yi finished his words, Master You, along with dozens of Protectors armed with knives and sticks, drove the people from the Old Gu Family out of the Qi Mansion camp.
Village Chief Gu watched the Old Gu Family being driven away and shook his head with a sigh.
Qi Yi looked towards Housekeeper Lin. Housekeeper Lin quickly came forward to greet Village Chief Gu and Third Grandpa: "You two elder brothers have worked hard. Our young master has prepared some food and hot water for everyone. If you don't mind, please follow me along with the villagers."
The villagers who followed Village Chief Gu swallowed their saliva upon hearing this. Knowing how hungry everyone was, Village Chief Gu boldly said: "Then we will have to trouble you, brother, to lead the way."
Housekeeper Lin smiled and led them to a distant bonfire, serving them food.
After Village Chief Gu and his group left, Qi Yi called Gu Dashan's family back to the tent and handed Gu Dashan a bundle: "Here are fifty taels of silver, fifty silver notes, and a name card from Qi Mansion. Brother Gu, take them. Do not refuse. After the disaster passes, you still need to settle down, and these things are what you need."
Gu Dashan, with trembling hands, refused to take the bundle from Qi Yi. Such a gift was too valuable—entirely one hundred taels of silver. In his lifetime, he had never seen so much money.
Seeing that he refused to take it, Gu Jinli took the bundle herself and stuffed it into Gu Dashan's hands: "Dad, do not let Uncle Qi's kindness go in vain."
Qi Yi was right; these things were what their family needed and she had earned them with her abilities. They should take them.
Qi Yi smiled and handed Gu Jinli a dagger: "Good child, this is a thank-you gift from Uncle Qi, take it."
He could tell, Gu Jinli was a child with a ruthless streak, and with the dangers of the road ahead during the famine, having a dagger for self-defense couldn't be more suitable.
Gu Jinli's eyes lit up at the sight of the dagger, unhesitatingly accepting it: "Thank you, Uncle Qi."
Just like sleep before dreams, she was just worrying about not having a handy weapon when Qi Yi gifted her one.
After giving the gifts, Qi Yi spoke a few more words with them and then had a servant bring them food and hot water before leaving the tent.
Once they finished their meal and were ready to say goodbye, Qi Yi came personally to see them off, this time also bringing along two servants who, at their feet, carried two baskets; one filled with food and the other filled with water-filled jars.
Qi Yi pointed to these two loads of items: "Take these things with you."
Gu Dashan hastily waved his hands: "Young Master Qi, you have already given us so much. We cannot accept more."
Qi Yi said: "Brother Gu, these items are meant for you to distribute to others. Your family still depends on the villagers, you must accept these."