She was right.
Miao indeed intended to come and trample on Gu Liyue. She originally thought that after Gu Liyue left the Liu family, she might not even have the money to see a doctor. Yunniang was incompetent and only knew how to follow orders. Gu Liyue was soft - tempered. What great things could she achieve?
But yesterday she heard from Qin Ting that Gu Liyue had actually gone to the county town and stood with a suave official. She probably became a concubine in a wealthy family.
Even if she became a concubine in a wealthy family, there should be quite a lot of betrothal gifts. How could she let others take advantage for free?
So early this morning, Miao rushed here. She wanted to put Gu Liyue down first, then offer some benefits to make her remember the kindness from childhood. Wouldn't the money from selling herself as a concubine then be hers?
Moreover, in the two months since Gu Liyue left, Miao had been really exhausted. Occasionally when she complained, she was scolded by Liu Anping, who said it was she who had driven Gu Liyue away.
Miao was unhappy, so her attitude was very bad.
Gu Liyue bowed to Aunt Wang. "Aunt Wang, thank you for speaking up for me. But since my aunt insists on talking about kindness, I also want to say a few words. From childhood to adulthood, my aunt has never treated me like a daughter. It's more like I'm a maid. If it weren't for Yunniang, I'm not sure if I could have survived until now. Since you all came to my Gu family, I've never had a single good day. I got up early every day to cook, picked vegetables and made fires during the day, and also had to make embroidery to earn money. Yunniang not only had to do the housework but also had to go out to do laundry and take on jobs. We had to hand over the money for food and accommodation just to stay in our own home. Aunt, am I right?"
Aunt Wang gasped. Although she had speculated that this old woman had occupied Gu Liyue's property, she didn't expect her to be so hateful, treating an orphan girl so badly.
Miao still stared at her with bulging eyes. "You..."
Gu Liyue interrupted her and continued. "As for the incident at the beginning of the year when my cousin took a fancy to my fiancé and tried to kill me to take him away, I'm too lazy to argue about it. Anyway, I couldn't stay in that home. I don't want the fiancé or the property. As long as I can sever all ties with you all, that's enough."
When the villagers heard this, they couldn't stand it anymore. They thought this woman was really hateful. No wonder Gu Liyue was so sick and haggard when she first came. It turned out that she had such a miserable life under her aunt's control.
"You two, uncle and aunt, are really inhumane."
"That's right. How can such people come to our village and make a scene? Aren't you ashamed?"
"Get out! Liyue girl has already severed ties with you. Why are you still putting on airs as an elder?"
Miao was shouted at by everyone. She saw that if she didn't leave, those people would swing their hoes at her. She didn't dare to stay any longer and scurried away.
While running, she shouted threats. "Gu Liyue, you bitch. I taught you embroidery. How ungrateful you are! I tell you, all the money you earn should be mine..."
The villagers were fierce and soon drove her away.
Aunt Wang quickly came over to comfort Gu Liyue. "Liyue, don't worry. Your aunt has left. We'll protect you from now on."
Gu Liyue's face was pale. It wasn't because she was scared but because of the last words Miao had said.
Yes, Miao had taught her embroidery, but after the master leads you in, your cultivation depends on yourself. Miao had taught Yunniang, Liu Qinting, and her. Only she had learned it well, perhaps because of her talent or because she was willing to endure the hardship.
However, she didn't feel indebted to Miao. The house, books, and money left by her parents had all ended up in the Liu family's pockets. She regarded it as tuition fees. After working like a slave for the Liu family for so many years, it was more than enough.
Now, what she had earned through her own hard work should surely be hers, shouldn't it?
Gu Liyue thanked the villagers, closed the door, and sat in the hall in a daze.
Yunniang made some inarticulate sounds and gestured. If you're worried, go and ask that official for help?
Gu Liyue shook her head. "Why should I owe others favors? If necessary, I'll just take you and move to another place to settle down."
Yunniang was silent for a moment and then gestured again. Your parents left a lot of things...
Gu Liyue knew it all. She sighed deeply. Not in the mood to embroider, she spread out the paper and brush from yesterday, ground the ink, and started copying the "Three - Character Classic".
Yunniang didn't want to disturb her, so she went to start a fire to cook and carefully sorted the silk threads.
Copying could calm one's mind. Gu Liyue spent half a day writing every day. It was very difficult while writing, but after finishing, she felt refreshed.
She no longer worried about Miao's disturbance. If she could drive her away, she'd just consider Miao as a fly that came to the house from time to time. Anyway, she had no intention of getting married, so she wasn't afraid of ruining her reputation as a young girl. If she really couldn't drive her away, she'd choose an opportunity to take Yunniang and leave this place to make a living elsewhere.
She could do embroidery, and Yunniang wasn't old. The two of them could rely on each other and surely survive.
What Manager Feng asked Gu Liyue to embroider was an embroidery screen, a double - sided one, which was quite special. Such things were not used by ordinary families. They were surely for wealthy families.
Gu Liyue thought that if she could embroider this screen well and catch Manager Feng's eye, the next job would surely be better.
When she finished embroidering, it was also the day when Uncle Zhao came to Yangxin Town. Gu Liyue asked Yunniang to take the embroidery screen and hand it over to Uncle Zhao.
When Yunniang came back, she was in a hurry and gestured to explain. It turned out that when she handed over the embroidery screen and received two hundred copper coins as a deposit, she happened to meet Miao and Liu Qinting handing in their embroidery.
One embroidery screen was worth two hundred copper coins, while Miao and Liu Qinting had embroidered a pile of items, but they only got eighty copper coins in total.
Miao was immediately unhappy and almost snatched the copper coins from Yunniang's hand. Fortunately, Uncle Zhao got angry and said that if they made trouble, he wouldn't take the embroidery. Only then did Miao restrain herself.
Gu Liyue immediately stood up and examined Yunniang up and down. She saw that Yunniang's chin was scratched by a fingernail. She gently touched Yunniang with a pained look. "Does it hurt?"
Yunniang shook her head and gestured. It doesn't hurt, but they may come to cause you trouble later.
Gu Liyue didn't say much. She took some ointment and applied it to Yunniang, then said, "Don't be so silly as to let them beat you in the future, Yunniang. You're the only one I have. I don't want you to get hurt. We can earn money again if we lose it, but you must be okay. Do you understand?"
Yunniang shook her head anxiously. What should we do now?
Gu Liyue thought for a while. "Hurry up and pack up our things. We'll take Xiao Hei and go to the mountain to dig wild vegetables and avoid them. She doesn't have much time. Her husband has to eat dinner when he gets off work in the evening. They can't wait until it gets dark."
Yunniang lowered her head dejectedly. It's all my fault for being careless.
Gu Liyue said, "No, Yunniang. You can't guard against thieves all the time. If they want to come, no matter what we do, they'll find a way."
But Gu Liyue herself was very confused about what to do tomorrow.