Gu Kaichun was the first to see Gu Kaiyuan, and he quietly reminded everyone, "Gu Kaiyuan is here."

Gu Kaiyuan, "..." Why do I suddenly feel like a flood beast? Are they guarding against me? I don’t think I’ve done anything?

"Granduncle, how have you been these days?" Gu Kaiyuan smiled and walked directly up to Gu Li, the old man looked radiant, just like everyone else, walking below.

Besides being filled with goods, the ox cart was occupied by the little ones.

Indeed, some of them only reached knee height, and if they really had to walk below, they might accidentally be buried by snow.

"It’s been some days since we last met. What brings you to think of this old man today?" Gu Li also smiled back at him.

"I think of coming to greet Granduncle every day, but I was afraid of disturbing you. Seeing you in such good spirits, I am relieved."

"Don’t worry, this old life of mine still has some use, I won’t get into trouble." Gu Li said with a double meaning, "But your family is quite lively. Does your father really have so much wealth, without thinking of repaying debts, and still has the mind to support outsiders? I guess I was too soft-hearted before."

Gu Kaiyuan, "Indeed, you are kind. Why don’t you discuss with my father again, the silver should be used for our own people, not for the benefit of outsiders."

When it comes to setting his father up, Gu Kaiyuan would never be soft-hearted.

On one side, the Gu Family Brothers shook their heads silently; Gu Baijiang was truly unfortunate to have raised such a son. At the same time, they shot warning glances at their own sons, signaling them to behave.

Gu Kaishan and the others smirked; they had heard plenty about Gu Kaiyuan’s matters these days. It was clearly Gu Baijiang who was at fault, yet these elders turned a blind eye to it.

If it were them instead of Gu Kaiyuan, they might also resist, though they might not have so many thoughts and would settle it with a big argument.

"You, this mouth of yours should change. After all, he is your father, and they say family scandals shouldn’t be spread abroad."

Gu Kaiyuan, "Granduncle, so family scandals shouldn’t be spread abroad, then the grudges between you and my father..."

"Cough... you rascal, I’m asking you to be a bit more restrained. Just as well you came today, I was going to send someone to find you.

This isn’t the right place to talk, is it convenient at your place?"

"Of course," Gu Kaiyuan helped the old man to the side of the road, "Uncles and brothers, please rest assured, I will take good care of the old man."

This made the few elders who wanted to follow stop in their tracks, but they didn’t immediately agree. Instead, they looked to Gu Li.

Gu Li gave them a slight nod, only then did they follow the group ahead, occasionally looking back along the way.

"Uncle, they’re all worried about me," Gu Kaiyuan, helping the old man, revealed eight shiny white teeth.

"That’s their filial piety," Gu Li was quite pleased with his sons, even though they hadn’t accomplished much, they stood united.

Gu Baijiang couldn’t match this old farmer; having a family should not involve scheming against each other. Truly, I don’t know what he has been reading over the years. It’s no surprise that, even after becoming a high-ranking official, he would be dismissed.

"You old man know it all," Gu Kaiyuan didn’t mind these words, after all, they were not familiar, and there was animosity between the two families. It was merely mutual utilization.

When their own ox cart arrived, Zhuang Datou had already stopped, and Bai Suihe was surprised upon hearing Chunxiang mention the matters outside. How did Gu Kaiyuan manage to bring someone over?

She didn’t think much more, pulled open the curtain, and got off the cart first, "Ms. Bai greets Granduncle."

Gu Li finally saw this rarely-seen grandniece-in-law. He had heard that she’d been to see the excitement before, but he hadn’t paid attention then.

"Quite impressive," Bai Suihe seemed like she hadn’t suffered at all during exile, attended by two maids on either side, her style rivaling that of the county magistrate’s wife.

Helping the people onto the carriage, everyone took their seats, and Gu Li looked around the carriage. Everything was exquisite, there was even a faint fragrance in the air, completely different from their humbled state.

"If you want to separate from Gu Baijiang, there are two ways: either you disassociate from the clan and marry into the wife’s family, or there’s another way, adoption."

Gu Kaiyuan had considered these options before; marrying into another family was out of the question. He couldn’t accept it, and the Bai Family wasn’t in need of a son-in-law.

Disassociating from the clan? It could establish a new household, but it would damage his reputation. If his descendants wanted to become officials in the future, potential recommenders, for their own reputation, might be unwilling, potentially delaying three generations.

"Adoption? Does Granduncle have a candidate?"

Gu Li expected him to ask this and pulled out a prepared family register from his pocket, "Our branch is quite prosperous, from my grandfather’s time, there are over 20 households.

Your great-grandfather also came here as a refugee, to be able to develop the family even in dire straits, he’s an extraordinary person.

Unfortunately, our descendants have brought him shame, losing the home he established."

As Gu Li spoke, he wiped away a tear. At his advanced age, being forced away from his hometown still weighed on his mind, and now he had to plan for Gu Baijiang’s son, a grievance buried in his heart.

When he meets his grandfather, he must complain properly, and not let him continue blessing Gu Baijiang.

It was no small feat for the family graves to start producing good fortune, only to have such a thing emerge.

"One day, we will return," Gu Kaiyuan, if he hadn’t stopped the incident that day, it truly would have ended their hope of returning to their homeland.

Now they haven’t forced Gu Baijiang out of the clan, but once the Holy Decree is issued, everyone can return to their places.

"You weren’t lying to me, were you?" Gu Baijiang asked again, "Even with your father’s embezzlement, will the emperor really pardon us?"

"Isn’t there still the Third Prince? You saw the scene that day, the Third Prince is very protective of the Gu Family."

"Then, old man, I’ll gamble on you, hoping you won’t let me lose." Gu Baijiang flipped open the family register, "Among these twenty households, which do you think is suitable? I will help negotiate for you."

Gu Kaiyuan flipped through two pages, each household had quite a few people, not to mention those who married outside; they were all males.

"I don’t know much about the people in the clan," Gu Kaiyuan pondered for a moment before continuing, "After adoption, there will inevitably be interactions. I want to find a simple family, does Granduncle have any good recommendations?"

"A simple family?" Gu Li pondered and turned to one page, "The family of Gu Dazhuang is quite simple; he’s the only son, but his parents have already passed, so there’s no elders to assist you if you get adopted there."

Gu Kaiyuan was tempted, but seeing that Gu Dazhuang had three sons and even remarried after his wife’s passing, with three sons and two mothers, it seemed like there would be many troubles.

"Granduncle, do we have any families without heirs?" Although it might sound a bit unrighteous, it’s what he wanted most.