After Butler Wu and the others left, the villagers who had been watching the commotion outside also entered the courtyard, raising quite a din.
Especially when they saw the silver on the table, the ingots of two-tael Silver Yuanbao, shining brightly, many were left dazzled and swallowed hard.
"A-Yuan's mother, today your family has really made Gu Family Village proud. Butler Wu from the Qian Mansion personally came to give you money. What a great honor!"
"That's right, that boy A-Yuan is really lucky, with so much money he could buy a big house, and even marry several wives!"
"The Qian Mansion is really generous, giving away fifty taels of silver! I've never seen so much money in my life!"
"Not just you, I've never seen it either. I wish I was the one bitten by the dog back then..."
There were also a few who couldn't hide their greedy gazes, staring intently, their faces full of unabashed greed.
"Old man, what are you dazing out for!"
Gu's mother sensed something was wrong, nudged Gu's father, and Gu Dashan suddenly snapped back to reality, hurriedly stepped forward, and started gathering the silver.
"Dashan brother, lend me some silver, will you?"
A man in a shabby black jacket, grinning cheekily, clapped Gu Dashan on the shoulder vigorously:
"You know, I'm Gu Laosan, already this old, and still haven't gotten married. We've grown up together like brothers, always had a good relationship, you don't want me to be single forever, right?"
After saying that, without waiting for Gu Dashan's response, he reached out and grabbed at the silver on the table.
By the look of it, he wasn't just aiming for one ingot, but several.
Pa!
"San Dumba**, is this how you borrow money?"
Gu Dashan slapped his hand away, his face turning cold: "This money was earned by my son at the risk of his life, why should I lend it to you?"
"Why should you?"
Gu Laosan rubbed his slapped-red hand, immediately disgruntled, and shouted loudly: "Because my dad used to hunt and gave your family a pig's leg!"
"What, Gu Dashan, now that you have money, your family wants to deny debt and look down on us poor neighbors?"
"That's bullshit!"
Gu Dashan cursed: "San Dumba**, you still have the face to say that! That pig's leg was bought by me with money, a fair trade, how did it become a gift to my family in your mouth?"
"And, don't you know why you haven't got a wife? Because you're lazy, barely making ends meet. What decent family would marry you? If your dad hadn't passed down his hunting skills, you'd have starved to death!"
The surrounding people stayed silent, but their glances shifted between the silver on the table and Gu Dashan's group.
They seemed to want to see how things would turn out, wondering if Gu Laosan truly borrowed money, could they also borrow some?
"Your family has so much money, what's wrong with lending me some?"
Gu Laosan, eyes triangular and glaring, pointed at Gu Dashan's nose and shouted: "Gu Dashan, I'm telling you, I don't want to waste words, whether you want to lend me or not, today you'll have to, or else..."
"Or what?"
Gu Yuan squeezed in front of him, looked at him coldly.
Seeing Gu Yuan, Gu Laosan instinctively shrank his neck, seemingly recalling something, stiffened his neck, and said:
"A-Yuan, is this how you talk to your elders? What, with everyone here, do you want to hit me in front of all these people?"
Seeing Gu Yuan narrowing his eyes without speaking, Gu Laosan grew more confident, puffing out his chest, lifting his head:
"Hmph, so what if you can hit, do you believe I'll call the village head and clan elders to judge this? I don't believe in Gu Family Village, you'd let a young brat cause trouble?!"
Upon hearing Gu Laosan shouting to bring the village head and clan elders, Gu Dashan and Gu's mother's expressions changed immediately.
The village head is the Clan Leader of the Gu clan.
In the eyes of the old couple, the village head and clan elders are akin to their heavens, every time there's a council at the ancestral hall, executing clan rules, it scares many people to wet their pants.
Moreover, Gu Laosan is the village head's great-nephew. Although the village head doesn't think much of him usually, it's still closer than their relationship with themselves, once talked about, they're sure to suffer greatly!
"I'm amazed at how bold people have become when borrowing money now! Really opened my eyes!"
Gu Yuan sneered, seeing the others' varied expressions, knowing these people were also thinking of taking advantage, immediately smiled coldly.
"To hell with you!"
He didn't bother with more words, kicking Gu Laosan in the stomach, sending him flying.
Gu Laosan winced in pain, instantly clutching his stomach and wailing:
"Ow... he's hitting me! Help! Brat, I'm telling you, you dare to hit others, wait 'til my second uncle arrives, you'll be sorry!"
However, he hadn't wailed for long before Gu Yuan stepped up and slapped him twice, making his mouth and nose bleed, his teeth swaying, leaving him dazed and speechless.
"Whether I can cause trouble is not up to you, or me."
Gu Yuan stepped forward, grabbed his collar, grinned, revealing a mouth full of white teeth: "But you, you're having bad luck today, I can guarantee that!"
Today, Butler Wu brought fifty taels of silver, it's a huge sum. For ordinary mountain villagers, it's definitely a good thing.
However, good things can turn bad, such a large amount of money can also bring big trouble!
Just like now, wealth can stir people's greed, some are already restless, harboring evil intentions.
But for Gu Yuan, this is an easy situation to handle.
Here, before he could say anything, a chicken jumped out on its own.
"You... what are you doing?!"
Gu Laosan didn't know he'd been seen as the chicken by Gu Yuan, but he had a bad premonition at that moment.
Looking at the swollen, ugly face in front of him, nose and blood running down, Gu Yuan felt even more disgusted, saying:
"Didn't you want to borrow money? I'll fulfill your wish!"
Clang—
Speaking, he unsheathed the Long Sword in his hands.
The bright blade gleamed coldly, causing Gu Laosan's belly to tighten, a surge of fear rising, hurriedly begging for mercy:
"No! A-Yuan, Gu Yuan, Master Yuan! Please spare me, I just wanted some spending money, you didn't need to go this far?!"
The surrounding others were also scared, quickly retreating, not daring to make a sound to intervene.
"A-Yuan, this..."
Gu Father opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but was pulled back by Gu Mother, angrily saying: "Old man, what are you doing! If that San Dumba** had succeeded, what if others came to borrow money? If all the money gets borrowed, do you think they will return it?"
"Moreover, is this borrowing money? This is plainly robbing money!"
"But, if A-Yuan kills him, there'd be big trouble..."
Gu Father instinctively explained.