The matriarch of the Gu family was so enraged by Gu Jiangyue that her eyes rolled back. She pounded her walking stick on the ground repeatedly, but all she got in return was a cold sneer from Gu Jiangyue.
"How I'm disciplined is none of your business. Didn't you, Matriarch Gu, say that you were so heart - less as to drive me out? Now you're so concerned about me. Do you want me to come back?"
Gu Jiangyue spoke slowly with a smile on her lips. Shen Menglan, who had been listening for a while, couldn't hold back her temper any longer. She shouted at Gu Jiangyue.
"We worked so hard to drive you out. How could we ever let you come back?"
As soon as Shen Menglan finished speaking, she quickly covered her mouth in fear. Gu Jiangyue seized the opportunity and didn't give her any leeway.
"Just now you said you were heart - less to drive me out. Now it becomes that you worked so hard to do so. I wonder if the matriarch ever really cared about me. Or rather, how many of your words are true?"
Gu Jiangyue's smile was full of sarcasm. Under her guidance, Shen Menglan had indeed let something slip.
"The Gu family is so heart - less. Gu Jiangyue is their own granddaughter!"
"I never thought the matriarch of the Gu family would be such a person!"
The whispers in the crowd had changed direction. They were like surging waves.
The matriarch wanted to retort, but she found Gu Jiangyue's words were flawless, while their own words were full of loopholes. She couldn't find a reason to refute.
Shen Menglan had always been impatient. Hearing the crowd's discussions, she no longer cared about her image. With hands on her hips, she roared at Gu Jiangyue aggressively.
"You're the daughter of a criminal official. If we didn't drive you out, should we protect you and suffer with you? The Gu family is not a refugee shelter to take in every poor wretch!"
Shen Menglan seemed quite satisfied with her words. There was a smug smile on her face, as if driving Gu Jiangyue out was an extremely wise decision.
"How can you be so sure that I'm the daughter of a criminal official? Is it just because of some rumors? The Gu family is so cautious and scheming. Could this porridge - giving event be a premeditated plan to gain something?"
Gu Jiangyue's expression was calm, as if she was talking about something insignificant. But her words reminded the onlookers. Everyone's expression seemed to say,
"A family that could drive out their own granddaughter wouldn't be kind enough to give out porridge for free."
The smug look on Shen Menglan's face had disappeared. Her expression was a bit ferocious, but she still didn't want to lose her momentum.
"Saying such things about the Gu family. It seems that all the kindness the matriarch showed you was wasted. The Gu family actually raised an ungrateful wretch like you!"
Her words reminded Gu Jiangyue. Now that she had left the Gu family, she had nothing to worry about. She raised her voice and said slowly,
"Is the so - called kindness you showed me in the past referring to the fact that I had worse food and clothing than the servants? Would you like such kindness? You only changed your attitude when you saw my value. Now, because of some rumors, you want to drive me out, fearing that your own lives might be in danger."
Seeing the matriarch's face getting uglier and uglier, Gu Jiangyue showed no sign of stopping. She continued,
"My father brought so many benefits to the Gu family, and you took them for granted. But when something went wrong, you were the first to run away. And then you call me an ungrateful wretch. Is this the way the Gu family behaves?"
As soon as Gu Jiangyue finished speaking, there were many whispers around. Although they were quiet, they were extremely ear - piercing in the silence.
"Have you ever seen the old Gu Jiangyue? She really had no air of a noble lady. She was so skinny and pale, even more pitiful than a refugee."
"The Gu family is actually like this. We misjudged them all these years."
"The Gu family is the real ungrateful wretch!"
Shen Menglan couldn't help taking a few steps back. She wanted to leave, but with so many people watching, if she left, the situation would be even worse.
"Anyway, Gu Yanwu will be back soon. Then you'll surely be in trouble. Don't be too happy too soon!"
Gu Jiangyue wasn't angry at all. She stared at them calmly with her eyes and said softly,
"Let's wait and see."
Shen Menglan didn't reply. Instead, she quickly went to the matriarch's side. She patted her chest in fear and then looked at the matriarch with a worried face.
"Matriarch, do you think Gu Jiangyue is so confident. Could something really go wrong?"
After she finished speaking, the matriarch's eyebrows wrinkled involuntarily, but she still suppressed her doubts.
"No, it won't."
These words seemed to be comforting Shen Menglan and also herself.
After this commotion, the voices in the crowd became much quieter, but the looks in people's eyes when they looked at Shen Menglan and the matriarch had changed.
Shen Menglan was an unyielding person. She glared back and shouted continuously,
"What are you looking at?"
In Shen Menglan's eyes, when Gu Jiangyue and Gu Yanwu were executed, these people would no longer blame them.
"We don't need to argue with them. Sister, you were so right just now. Shen Menglan's face turned green. Hahaha."
Shen Menglan glared at many people, but she didn't dare to look at Gu Jiangyue and the others. Gu Yi wasn't afraid of Shen Menglan. He even laughed softly in front of her.
"The days of their arrogance are numbered. As soon as Father comes back, the situation will change. By then, the Gu family won't even have a chance to save face."
Gu Jiangyue said seriously. Gu Yi looked at Gu Jiangyue and felt that the current Gu Jiangyue was different from the past. The current Gu Jiangyue seemed to be shining, a light that could save him from the fire.
"Yes. Sister, why hasn't Father come back yet? I can't wait to see the shocked expressions of the people in the Gu family."
Gu Yi looked in the direction outside the city gate, but he didn't get a response from Gu Jiangyue. Looking at the distracted Gu Jiangyue, Gu Yi asked doubtfully,
"Sister, what are you thinking about?"
Gu Jiangyue then came back to her senses. A gentle smile appeared on her lips as she said,
"Nothing."
Gu Jiangyue was thinking about how she could tell Gu Yanwu everything that had happened in the capital these days.
Gu Jiangyue knew that her father was a man who valued love and righteousness. Whether she could persuade Gu Yanwu to abandon the Gu family was another difficult problem.
"Sister, don't worry. When Father comes back, we'll be just like before."
Gu Yi pulled at the corner of Gu Jiangyue's clothes and shook it. Even though Gu Jiangyue didn't want to say it, Gu Yi could see the worried look in her eyes.
Just like before? Gu Jiangyue sighed deeply in her heart. Xie Chengrui wasn't dead yet. Gu Zhengwan was missing. And she didn't know whether Xie Yuwen was a friend or an enemy. All these things had to be settled after Gu Yanwu came back.
Gu Jiangyue came back to her senses. Her gaze met Gu Yi's bright eyes. Gu Yi seemed to remember something and smiled happily. Gu Jiangyue also felt happy because of it.
"Okay. When Father comes back, our family will be just like before."
Gu Jiangyue nodded heavily. Having her family and lover by her side was already a great blessing.