Carrying the little lucky star, leading the villain on the road to exile

Rong Ruiyuan wrote down the names of all the famous and wealthy businessmen on a piece of paper. Looking at this long list, he instantly felt a flood of wealth coming his way.

"I have quite a few guards around me, but many of the stewards already have families. The question is, are they willing to spend the money?"

“Your Highness,” the advisor stepped forward, “even if they are unwilling to pay, it will not be a loss for us. In fact, Your Highness’s righteousness in helping the guards solve their life problems is enough to earn you a good reputation.”

After thinking about it, Rong Ruiyuan realized there was really nothing wrong with this approach.

The Emperor only forbade them to have much contact with merchants, but they could not interfere with the marriages of their subordinates.

Moreover, when their masters are in trouble, it is normal for these people to "lend" them some money.

As for everyone seeing through it, so what?
He immediately made a decision, instructing several advisors to make the arrangements and, while they were at it, to see which unmarried men of marriageable age were still in the household. As long as they were loyal to him, what was wrong with arranging a marriage for them?

With this idea in mind, Rong Ruiyuan felt that Gu Antong's place was not important. He even used the excuse of being busy with miscellaneous matters in the mansion to bring back the steward and a few young strong men from the Gu family.

When Gu Baijiang saw that more than half of the servants in the mansion had suddenly disappeared, and even the coachman had left, he immediately gathered the whole family together.

"Father, what did you say? We're going back to Lingnan?" Xu Yulan was the first to lose her composure. "We finally made it back from that wretched place, and now you want us to go back again? What was the point of all that trouble? Isn't this just ridiculous?"

"Shut up. I'm informing you, not discussing it with you," Gu Baijiang said coldly. "Go back and pack your things. We'll set off in a few days."

"Father, this is too sudden. Besides, Anliang and the others are still studying at the academy, and they will be taking the exam soon."

"Have you forgotten that our household registrations were all in Lingnan?" Gu Baijiang had considered transferring his household registration back and had been looking for people to do so, but who knew things would change so quickly.

It's good to go back to Lingnan to take the exam now, because the competition there isn't as fierce as it is here.

First, they can obtain the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations). Then, they can buy some land and be exempt from taxes, which can buy them some time to develop.

“Then we can transfer the household registration back,” Liu Yun said anxiously. “Or should I go back to my parents’ home? My brother should be able to help.”

“No need,” Gu Baijiang knew that this matter needed to be explained clearly, otherwise it would delay his plans. “We can’t stay in the capital, so we have to find another way out.”

The eldest son is currently in Lingnan. He wrote to say that he's handling his job well, and that Lingnan has developed quite a bit and isn't as chaotic as it used to be. I'm planning to buy a small courtyard there. Things are so difficult for us here; it's better to settle down there first, so that when our two sons gradually return, they won't have to rely on either of us.”

“Easier said than done,” Liu Yun said irritably. “Where in Lingnan are there any suitable academies?”

Those great scholars look down on Lingnan. Going there will only ruin a child.

"That's just womanly sentimentality," Gu Baijiang scolded, looking at his only son, Gu Kaichen, with a hint of disappointment. Both of his daughters-in-law would express their opinions, but he sat there like a wooden figure, not moving, seemingly lost in thought.

Gu Kaichen may lack ability, but he's not stupid either. With so many people missing from the manor today, he noticed something amiss, suspecting that something had happened to Rong Ruiyuan.

Now the old man is saying he wants to move to Lingnan, which probably means he's about to break ties with Rong Ruiyuan.

Even if he was a complete scoundrel, he knew this was detrimental to the Gu family, so he was already thinking that going to Lingnan wouldn't be a bad idea, then he wouldn't be trapped in the backyard... "Master, you have to give us a reason," Xu Shuanghong, who had been silent all along, stepped forward and asked.

Having arrived in the capital, they had only enjoyed a few days of glitz and glamour before being trapped in this mansion.

This was different from what they had expected, and Xu Shuanghong was already considering backing out.

"You want to hear the truth, right? Then I'll be blunt. I've offended the Prince Ning's mansion. If we don't leave now, our whole family will be stuck here forever."

Since he couldn't explain it to them, Gu Baijiang was too lazy to talk to them anymore and decided to expose them directly.

"How could this be?" Liu Yun didn't believe it at all. "Our An Tong is still in the Prince Ning's mansion."

Gu Baijiang closed his eyes. "There's something I haven't told you yet. An Tong has fallen victim to some tricks from the backyard, and it's only a matter of time before it's too late."

Liu Yun's face turned deathly pale instantly. "How could this be?"

Seeing her like this, Xu Yulan felt very relieved. Her sister-in-law always talked about Gu Antong, now let's see how she can be so smug.

Gu Kaichen's sinister voice came from beside her ear, "Stop making that face of yours."

Gu Kaichen wasn't a heartless person. No matter how bad Gu Antong was, she was still his niece whom he had watched grow up. Hearing this news, he was also very sad.

What upset him even more was that he had always thought that Gu Antong could turn the Gu family around, but he never expected that she would be the one to suffer the consequences first.

"So, are you saying you want to leave or not? If you don't want to leave, that's fine too, just stay here."

Gu Baijiang then reached out his hand to Liu Yun, "Give me the property deed now, and I'll sell it as soon as possible."

All eyes were on Liu Yun. Wasn't it said that the Third Prince had temporarily lent them the place to live?

"Sister-in-law, how come the house deed is with you?" Xu Yulan's focus was always on something else entirely.

“It was sent along with the betrothal gifts,” Gu Baijiang explained. “It was given by the Prince of Ning to the eldest son and his wife, and has nothing to do with you.”

“How can this not be related? We haven’t separated our families yet.” Xu Yulan immediately objected. Now she realized that apart from this courtyard, the Gu family had nothing left. If she didn’t fight for it, she really wouldn’t get anything.

"So what if we haven't separated the family? I'm still the one who calls the shots in this family. But if you want to separate, I can grant your wish." Gu Baijiang had always wanted to kick the second branch of the family out, but he held back because of Gu Anwei.

“We’ll split the family property in half…” Xu Yulan’s eyes lit up. Dividing the family property was a good idea. They could take the money back to Xu Family Village, buy some land, and become small landlords. That would be quite nice.

"What are you dreaming about?" Gu Baijiang saw through her thoughts at a glance. With the intelligence of this couple, the money would probably be squandered in the blink of an eye as soon as it was handed to them. "According to the rules of the big families in the capital, the eldest son is supposed to get 80% of the inheritance. And I, as your father, am still alive. Don't you need to support me?" (End of this chapter)