After Gu Jiangyue discussed the plan with the man in black, she looked out of the window. The fire was still some distance away. She looked around and always felt that something was missing.
Finally, Gu Jiangyue's gaze landed on a bright red brocade box.
Without a second thought, Gu Jiangyue picked up the brocade box, raised it high, and pretended to smash it on her own arm.
The man in black beside her was puzzled. He quickly flashed forward. His movements were ethereal, and he grabbed the falling brocade box in Gu Jiangyue's hand.
"What are you doing?"
The man in black's voice was hoarse from disguise. Coupled with his white mask, an ordinary woman would faint from fright if she saw him. But Gu Jiangyue didn't react much to his sudden appearance.
"Acting should be more realistic. Otherwise, how can I make the old matriarch feel sorry for me?"
Gu Jiangyue lifted the corner of her lips in a faint smile, not caring about getting hurt at all.
The man in black looked at her with a different kind of meaning in his eyes.
This little girl was really ruthless to herself.
The man in black didn't know why he had stopped her. He just rushed over instinctively.
Gu Jiangyue didn't think it was a big deal. She was too lazy to pretend to be a gentle and virtuous young lady in front of the man in black. Her cold face showed no expression. She threw the brocade box back on the ground again.
"Okay, I'll follow your idea."
Finally, the door was kicked open. Shen Menglan led a group of servants in. Her face was extremely arrogant.
This was Gu Jiangyue's boudoir. Shen Menglan casually brought servants in and out of her boudoir like this. If it got out, Gu Jiangyue's reputation would be ruined. Let's see what she could do in the future.
Just as Shen Menglan was thinking this way, she was almost scared to sit on the ground by the next scene.
She saw a man in black wearing a white mask was holding Gu Jiangyue hostage. A dagger was tightly pressed against Gu Jiangyue's neck, as if the next second, the man in black could easily cut off her head.
"Two thousand taels of silver, or I'll kill her." The man in black's voice was hoarse and his tone was cold.
"Hurry! Go and call the old matriarch!" Shen Menglan stamped her foot and quickly ordered the servants to go and find the old matriarch.
And she herself stepped back again and again, afraid that the man in black would hurt her.
Looking at Shen Menglan like this, Gu Jiangyue sighed in her heart. Fortunately, there was the man in black. Otherwise, she would really be in trouble this time.
"Jiangyue, are you okay!" The old matriarch was supported and walked over. She first scanned Gu Jiangyue from head to toe. Seeing that she was not injured and her dress was intact, she felt a little more at ease.
Although Gu Jiangyue was not injured, now her originally plain white dress was covered with dust. Her long black hair was in a mess. Her eye sockets were red and her eyelashes were wet. It was obvious that she had been very frightened.
Coupled with the scene she had carefully arranged just now, all the jewelry had been swept away. The drawers and boxes that could hold valuables were wide open. Everyone regarded this man in black as a robber who came to rob the Gu Mansion for money. No one suspected at all.
"Grandmother, I'm okay. Don't worry about me." When Gu Jiangyue saw the old matriarch coming, she quickly shouted at the top of her voice. The old matriarch felt extremely sorry for her when she heard it.
"I don't know what misunderstanding there is between our Gu Mansion and you, sir. We can talk about everything. Can you let the girl go first?" The old matriarch stared at the man in black. Her wrinkled face showed a flattering expression.
But the man in black didn't appreciate it at all. He snorted rudely, "Stop talking nonsense. I've been short of silver recently, so I came here. I heard that she is the eldest miss of your Gu Mansion. It's just convenient to rob her. Two thousand taels, not a single cent less. If you're not willing, I can kill her now."
With his ferocious expression, if Gu Jiangyue hadn't discussed with him in advance, she would almost have thought that this man in black was a professional robber.
"What are you standing there for? Go and prepare it quickly!" The old matriarch said sharply.
Two thousand taels was nothing compared to Gu Jiangyue's life. The man in black was right. She was the eldest miss of the Gu family, the legitimate daughter of Gu Yanwu. If anything really happened to her, no one in the Gu family could bear the responsibility.
"Old matriarch, but..." Shen Menglan hesitated. This was a full two thousand taels!
"But what! Go quickly!" The old matriarch was concerned about the overall situation. Her voice was trembling as she urged Shen Menglan.
Only then did Shen Menglan reluctantly go to prepare the silver.
Seeing the old matriarch being so decisive, Gu Jiangyue felt a little empty in her heart. Just two thousand taels was too little. How could it be enough?
Gu Jiangyue rolled her eyes. She lowered her voice extremely softly and spoke in a volume that only she and the man in black could hear.
"Do you think two thousand taels is enough? How about we ask for more? It's a rare opportunity. It's a waste not to take it."
Hearing her words and looking at the dagger on her fair and slender neck, which was emitting a cold light, the man in black almost thought he had misheard. He could see that this little girl was sure that he wouldn't go back on his word and kill her at any time.
But she guessed right. He really wouldn't kill her. Such an interesting little girl would be a pity to kill.
"How much do you want?"
Hearing that he didn't refuse her, Gu Jiangyue immediately got excited, "I tell you, I'm worth at least five thousand taels!"
After all, she was really short of money. Her monthly allowance either went to Gu Zhengwan or Gu Yimiao. Very little of it fell into her hands. Not only the monthly allowance, but also the jewelry in her courtyard had been almost divided up by the other young ladies.
The old matriarch turned a blind eye to this. She just did a good job on the surface. Although in everyone's eyes, Gu Yanwu was already dead, after all, Gu Jiangyue's status was there. The old matriarch would also talk to her in private, but both openly and secretly told her to endure.
This was clearly favoring the second and third branches of the family. It was only a pity that in her previous life, Gu Jiangyue really did as she was told. In this life, she wouldn't let things go as easily as before. She would take back everything the Gu Mansion owed her.
Just as the two were secretly discussing, Shen Menglan had already trotted over with the silver note in her hand. She reluctantly handed the silver note to the old matriarch. Before the old matriarch could react, she gave Gu Jiangyue a fierce look first.
The old matriarch was about to give the silver note to the man in black to exchange Gu Jiangyue back quickly. But before she could step forward, the man in black spoke again.
"It took me a lot of effort to kidnap her. She's worth more than that. I want five thousand taels."
Hearing this, Shen Menglan was directly stunned. This dead girl was not worth so much money at all. She couldn't hold it back anymore and shouted angrily, "You're really daring to ask!"
The man in black snorted again. There was a hint of killing intent in his eyes. "If you don't want her life, I'll kill her now."
After saying that, he pretended to press the dagger into Gu Jiangyue's neck.