Qi Yi didn't want to get entangled with the Old Gu Family, and called out to Master You outside: "Untie them."
Master You received the order and had the Protector release the twenty or so members of the Old Gu Family.
Elder Gu, seeing that Qi Yi was true to his word, was too embarrassed to stay longer at the Qi camp, so he walked out of the tent, intending to take his family back, but his hand was grabbed by Gu Dashan.
Elder Gu frowned and turned back, speaking harshly: "Let go."
This time, Gu Dashan didn't obey Elder Gu like before; instead, with a stubbornness, he asked Elder Gu: "Did my mother die from anger because of you and Ms. Pan?"
"Unfilial son!" Elder Gu, upon hearing Gu Dashan's words, immediately jerked his hand away and walked out quickly. Gu Dashan wanted to pursue but was stopped by Third Grandpa and Third Grandma.
Third Grandma said: "Dashan, let it go, just take good care of Mrs. Cui and the children in the future."
Gu Dashan looked at Third Grandma, trembling, and asked: "Third Aunt, is my mother really..."
Third Grandma, with red eyes, said: "Your mother was in poor health ever since she gave birth to you and Daya. Later, when she found out about your father and Ms. Pan, her condition worsened, and she passed away after more than a month."
Later, Ms. Pan married into the Old Gu Family just over a month after Dashan's mother passed away, and gave birth to Gu Youwen within seven months. It was obvious that Ms. Pan was already pregnant when Dashan's mother discovered the affair between Elder Gu and Ms. Pan.
Dashan's mother probably knew about this, and it was the anger that killed her.
Gu Dashan, hearing Third Grandma's words, thought of his mother, whose memory was growing faint, and cried out, covering his face.
Mrs. Cui came forward to comfort him, finally stopping his crying.
"Gu Dashan, you ungrateful bastard, come out here!"
"Cutting ties with your own parents, so unfilial, you deserve to be struck by lightning."
"How did the Old Gu Family produce such a heartless creature like you? Once you got close to the officials' family, you kicked your own parents aside, you won't die a good death."
The people of the Old Gu Family, knowing that Gu Dashan had cut ties with them, were enraged, jumping up and down outside the tent, cursing Gu Dashan.
Gu Dashan felt his face turn red, not from shame, but from anger.
Gu Jin'an had long been dissatisfied with the Old Gu Family, and with a fire simmering in his heart, he couldn't help but rush out when they still came to curse them after the ties were cut. He pointed at the loudest Gu Dagu and said: "It is you who are heartless, an outsider who followed Ms. Pan into the Old Gu Family, bullying our family for years, what right do you have?"
Then he pointed at Qian Guangzong: "And you, shameless scoundrel, merely a nominal son-in-law of the Old Gu Family, yet you dare to act like you run the family, selling off the eldest son of the Gu Family. Watch out at night, the ancestors of the Old Gu Family might come for you in your dreams!"
Gu Jin'an finally looked at Elder Gu, his eyes complex and said: "Grandpa, look for yourself, what kind of people do you think your family really is? Others eat your food, sell your son, and even take your son's indenture silver, and you have no thoughts about it?"
Gu Dagu and Qian Guangzong were scared and quickly looked at Elder Gu. If Elder Gu was really dissatisfied with them 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, hearing this, was furious, and rushed forward to slap Gu Jin'an.
Qian Chenggui was already twenty, much stronger than Gu Jin'an. If he slapped Gu Jin'an, it could cause serious harm.
Gu Jinli had long hated Gu Dagu's family to the bone. Seeing Qian Chenggui coming over to court death, she grabbed a stick from a nearby servant and struck his foot hard with it.
Bam!
The blow landed on his fibula, causing Qian Chenggui to scream in pain and fall to the ground, unable to get up.
Gu Dagu rushed over and supported Qian Chenggui: "Brother Gui, are you okay?"
"It hurts, Mom, my calf hurts so much." Qian Chenggui gasped in pain.
Gu Dagu rolled up Qian Chenggui's trouser leg, saw his calf already swollen with a big lump, and immediately pointed at Gu Jinli, cursing: "You rotten girl, daring to hurt my Brother Gui, pay up, pay up quickly, or your family will not have any good days."
After Gu Dashan's family cut ties with the Old Gu Family, they could no longer take advantage of them. This was an opportunity to extort more money, and they'd profit from it.
Gu Jinli laughed: "It was Qian Chenggui who came rushing over to hit my brother first, why should we pay? A beast like Qian Chenggui, guilty of so many evils, deserves to be beaten to death."
Qian Chenggui had assisted Qian Guangzong in selling their family, injured Brother Cheng, and just moments ago tried to hit Gu Jin'an. Did he think their family would always be bullied by them?
Qi Yi, thoroughly fed up with these people from the Old Gu Family, shouted: "People, throw these troublemakers out for me."
He glared at Granny Gu and, as a final warning, said: "Old lady, let me remind you, you better not bully Gu Dashan's family anymore, or you won't even be able to get a new household registry in Yangji Prefecture. The Qi Family has means to make you outcasts."
Qi Yi normally wouldn't use the Qi Family's influence to threaten people, but the Old Gu Family was too disgusting. Without a threat, who knew what vile things they would do next.
As soon as Qi Yi finished speaking, Master You led dozens of Protectors, armed with knives and sticks, and drove the people of the Old Gu Family out of the Qi camp.
Village Chief Gu watched as the Old Gu Family was driven away, shaking his head and sighing.
Qi Yi looked at Housekeeper Lin, who hurried forward to invite Village Chief Gu and Third Grandpa: "The two of you have worked hard. Our Young Master has prepared some food and hot water. If it's not too much trouble, please bring the villagers with you and follow me."
The villagers who had come with Village Chief Gu heard this and swallowed eagerly. Village Chief Gu, knowing everyone was starving, thickened his skin and said: "Then please lead the way, brother Lin."
Housekeeper Lin smiled as he led them to a distant bonfire, where he offered them food.
After Village Chief Gu and the others left, Qi Yi called Gu Dashan's family back into the tent and handed a bundle to Gu Dashan: "There's fifty taels of silver, a fifty-tael silver note, and a name card from the Qi Mansion inside. Take it, Brother Gu, don't refuse. After the famine is over, you'll need to settle down, and these are things you'll need."
Gu Dashan's hands trembled, unwilling to accept Qi Yi's bundle. The gift was too generous, a total of one hundred taels of silver. He had lived most of his life without seeing so much money.
Seeing him hesitate, Gu Jinli took the bundle herself and stuffed it into Gu Dashan's hands: "Father, don't refuse Uncle Qi's good intention."
Qi Yi was right, these were things they needed, and she had earned them with her own skills, so they could accept them.
Qi Yi smiled and handed a dagger to Gu Jinli: "Good child, this is a gift from Uncle Qi, keep it."
He could see that Gu Jinli had a bloodthirsty determination in her, and with so many dangers on the road of escaping famine, having a dagger for protection was ideal.
Gu Jinli's eyes lit up when she saw the dagger, accepting it without hesitation: "Thank you, Uncle Qi."
It was like a pillow given to someone in need of sleep; she was just worrying about not having a suitable weapon, and Qi Yi gifted her one.
After giving them the items, Qi Yi spoke with them a bit more, then had a servant bring food and hot water to their family, and left the tent himself.
After their family finished their meal and was preparing to leave, Qi Yi personally came to see them off, bringing two servants as well, with two crates at their feet, one filled with food and the other with jars of water.
Qi Yi pointed at the goods: "Bring these things back with you."
Gu Dashan hurriedly waved his hand: "Young Master Qi, you've already given us enough, we can't take more."
Qi Yi said: "Brother Gu, these are meant for you to give to others. Your family still needs to rely on the villagers, so you must accept these."