Chapter 12: Is He Really Not as Good as Gu Yunhan?

When Gu Yundian arrived at Hanzhi’s courtyard, he had not expected that the servants of the Marquis’s estate would act so excessively.

He looked at the house as if it had been ransacked by bandits.

Even the vanity table had been emptied.

"Sister-in-law, the servants of this estate are truly ignorant of their place. I will certainly teach them a lesson for you."

"Second Master, there is no need. In any case, there isn't much money left in my dowry. Yunzhu is also my sister; she is getting married, and I hope she finds happiness. As long as she can live well, that is enough.

My health has improved a little recently, and I wish to return to my maiden home. If you have the time, Second Master, I wonder if you could escort me back? The Eldest Master has never had the time; he was too busy to accompany me when I was supposed to return home after the wedding. I haven't been back to my maiden home in all these years, mostly because I didn't want to worry my father.

If you could accompany me, it would show that the Marquis’s estate holds me in some regard, and my father would be able to set his mind at ease."

Hanzhi said this to Gu Yundian.

Of course, Hanzhi had to go back.

In a few days, Gu Yunhan would be returning.

She had previously given special instructions to Concubine Liu that the estate had been supporting a relative, with monthly expenses reaching as high as three hundred taels.

Now that the shops had been handed over to Gu Yundian, Liu Hanyan could no longer record expenses at the shops at will.

Gu Yunhan would surely be short on money again, and when that time came, he would certainly come looking for her.

Although the Han family did not value Hanzhi much as a daughter—especially since she hadn't brought any benefits to the family in the years since she married out—she was, at the very least, the mistress of the Marquis’s estate, and Gu Yunhan held an official position.

The Han family were merchants. Hanzhi’s younger brother had buried himself in his studies for years without even passing the exam to become a *xiucai*; one needed at least that status to purchase an official title.

No matter how much money merchants earned, it all belonged to the powerful and noble.

Without backing, if a shop’s business flourished, it would simply be snatched away by others.

The Han family had no idea how much silver they had to offer as tribute every year just to maintain their current status.

Moreover, the status of merchants was very low.

Hanzhi’s marriage into the Marquis’s estate, regardless of anything else, counted as forming a connection with the nobility, which still offered some benefits to her family.

Therefore, the Han family would certainly not be too harsh on Hanzhi.

No matter how things were, it would still be more comfortable than staying in the Marquis’s estate.

"Sister-in-law, rest assured. Tomorrow, I will personally see you off to your maiden home in grand style."

"Second Master, after I leave, I must trouble you to take care of the affairs in the estate. Your business is doing so well now that there may be some petty people who are jealous; you must be very cautious in your dealings."

"Sister-in-law, please rest assured! I can naturally handle these matters."

Gu Yundian was somewhat annoyed by Hanzhi’s long-windedness.

He was currently riding the crest of success.

Hanzhi had wanted to say a few more words, but seeing Gu Yundian’s impatient expression, she fell silent.

"In that case, many thanks, Second Master."

Gu Yundian looked around Hanzhi’s courtyard; he felt a pang of reluctance in his heart, feeling that his mother had gone too far.

Regardless of everything, this was still his sister-in-law.

After Gu Yundian left, he went to the Old Madam’s room.

The Old Madam was currently taking inventory of Yunzhu’s dowry.

She was her only daughter; how could she not dote on her?

The Old Madam had added two sets of high-quality head ornaments to the dowry.

Everything snatched from Hanzhi had also been added to the pile.

Hanzhi had been married into this Marquis’s estate for three full years, and there had been no movement in her belly.

Now that she was ruined, the doctor had said that Hanzhi’s body was like a medicine jar, requiring a constant stream of money.

With the shops now managed by Gu Yundian and the household affairs managed by Concubine Liu, Hanzhi was essentially useless.

The Old Madam naturally would not be polite to her.

She had always disliked Hanzhi; she was merely the daughter of a merchant.

Since Hanzhi had said she would give her belongings to Yunzhu as a dowry, then naturally, everything should be taken.

The Old Madam would not be polite.

In the Old Madam’s view, it would be best if Hanzhi returned to her maiden home and never stepped foot in the Marquis’s estate again.

"Mother, don't worry. I will personally deliver the silver to the Liu family. Little Sister’s wedding will definitely be a lively affair. I will accompany Eldest Brother to send her off, and if that scholar surnamed Liu dares to bully her, I will certainly teach him a lesson."

"With you as her brother, I am at ease regarding Yunzhu. Poor child, her life has been hard! Her future path will depend on you, her brother."

The Old Madam said to Gu Yundian with some relief.

"Mother, you should treat Sister-in-law better in the future. What if she divorces Eldest Brother and demands her dowry back? Most of her dowry has already been spent by my brother on that woman outside. Our estate wouldn't be able to produce that sum for her!

And most importantly, I am about to take a wife. Sister-in-law’s health is poor; even if she were to die of illness, we wouldn't have to provide a dowry.

But this would have a huge impact on our estate’s reputation!

What would people outside think?

You know Eldest Brother’s reputation; it’s even worse than mine.

No matter what, I would never father three children before my legal wife has even crossed the threshold.

My brother, in order to make Sister-in-law accept this illegitimate son and treat him well, has never let her have a child of her own.

What my brother has done is truly chilling."

"What is there to be chilled about? She is merely a merchant’s daughter; it was her good fortune to marry into our Marquis’s estate. But rest assured, my son, before you marry, I will treat Hanzhi better; it will absolutely not affect your marriage.

Your brother has long been bewitched by that vixen; his heart is entirely with her now.

If you marry a woman from a high-ranking family, perhaps you will be the one to inherit the title."

The Old Madam hated Hanzhi to the core.

But thinking of her precious son, she felt that enduring it for a while was not out of the question.

"With Eldest Brother the way he is, it was already his good fortune to marry Sister-in-law. A man like him—what daughter from a good family would be willing to marry him?"

Gu Yundian did not talk back to the Old Madam, but his words were filled with contempt for Gu Yunhan.

In his view, if he had married a woman like Hanzhi who supported him wholeheartedly, he would have climbed to the position of a seventh-rank official with his eyes closed.

He was simply born too late and hadn't married early enough, which was why he had no career.

No wonder people said one must establish a family to establish a career.

If he had established a family, he would certainly be doing better than Gu Yunhan.

Gu Yundian had been overshadowed by Gu Yunhan since childhood; everyone said he was inferior to him. But was he truly inferior to Gu Yunhan?

He recalled a story Hanzhi had once told him.

She said that in poor families of the past, the system of primogeniture was practiced. It was to ensure the prosperity of the family, so they would suppress the other sons, constantly whispering in their ears from childhood that they were good-for-nothing, and that without their elder brother, they could not survive on their own.

Only in this way would they work like beasts of burden for the eldest son, contribute selflessly, and obey their elder brother for their entire lives.