Chapter Thirty: The Skirmish

As soon as Gu Lingxuan arrived, she saw Mama Jin, the Old Madam’s attendant, being blocked at the door by Youqing.

Her expression soured instantly. She charged forward, pointing a finger at Youqing’s nose and berating him. "What right do you have to stop us? This is all property of the General’s Mansion! You are an outsider—what standing do you have to bar our way?"

Having secured a reward from the Old Madam, she had no desire to cling to Ren Xixi any longer, lest she interrupt the lovey-dovey atmosphere between Ren Xixi and Gu Shijin. Thus, she had come to the storehouse with great impatience, eager to select a piece of jewelry that caught her eye. Being blocked like this was more than she could endure.

"Exactly! Move aside at once!" Gu Lingxuan’s maid chimed in with a sharp rebuke. Beside them, Mama Jin stood with a leaden face, saying nothing.

Watching the group jumping and shouting before him, Youqing looked on with undisguised contempt. He scanned Gu Lingxuan from head to toe, then curled his lip in disgust. He wondered how cruelly they must have bullied his mistress in the past to act with such arrogance. Now that he was here, he would certainly teach this band of demons a lesson on her behalf.

"Listen well! This is all my mistress’s dowry! Without her express permission, no one is allowed to enter!" Youqing stated each word clearly, his voice ringing out like a thunderclap. His refusal to yield left Gu Lingxuan seething with rage.

"Since when did this become Su Zhinian’s property? How shameless!"

"If you don't move out of the way, don't blame me for what happens next!" Gu Lingxuan shrieked. In her mind, since Su Zhinian had married into their Gu family, these items naturally belonged to them. Had it not been that way for the past three years? Now that Su Zhinian had grown wings and wanted to take them back? It was nothing but a pipe dream!

Youqing swung the red-tasseled spear in his hand; the weapon sliced through the air with a sharp hiss before he slammed the butt of it into the ground with a heavy thud. He stood his ground, his voice loud and devoid of fear. "I am standing right here today. Let me see who dares to enter!" His words were firm, striking fear into the hearts of those who heard them.

"You—just you wait!" Gu Lingxuan was not foolish enough to throw herself into harm's way. She turned on her heel to go and complain to Gu Shijin. "Brother! That shrew, Su Zhinian, has ordered someone to guard the storehouse! Mama Jin couldn't even get in to retrieve the jewelry set that Grandmother promised Sister Xixi!"

"Brother, he even threatened to kill us!" Gu Lingxuan sobbed, tears streaming down her face.

Gu Shijin’s face darkened immediately. "Such a thing happened?" Su Zhinian was becoming lawless. Grandmother had only just granted her the authority to manage the household, and she was already acting with such wild abandon.

"Brother Shijin, there must be some misunderstanding, right? Sister Su doesn't seem like the type," Ren Xixi said. Upon hearing that the gift intended for her had been intercepted by Su Zhinian’s man, she cursed Su Zhinian internally, yet she maintained an expression of understanding and grace.

"Sister Xixi, you are simply too kind!" Gu Lingxuan countered. "That Su Zhinian has never liked you; she is likely doing this just to make things difficult for you!" Gu Lingxuan would never let such an opportunity pass. After all, if Ren Xixi couldn't get her things, neither could she. In a way, they were allies.

As expected, hearing Gu Lingxuan’s words caused Gu Shijin’s fury to flare even higher. "I want to see if Su Zhinian is truly that capable," Gu Shijin scoffed, striding purposefully toward the exterior. Gu Lingxuan could no longer suppress the triumphant smirk on her face.

Meanwhile, Mama Jin had returned to report the matter to the Old Madam. "Hmph, has Su Zhinian lost her mind? Does she really think a mere guard can protect those items?"

"That..." Mama Jin hesitated.

"Do not worry about it. Shijin will handle it," the Old Madam waved her hand. If Su Zhinian dared to guard the property while not even present in the mansion, she would likely turn the entire Gu household upside down once she returned from the palace. It was time to dampen her spirit.

Youqing stood before the storehouse door, his hand gripping the red-tasseled spear, as immovable as a pine tree. Even with Gu Shijin standing before him, he showed no sign of faltering.

"Open the door!" Gu Shijin commanded, his voice deep and his face grim.

"General," Youqing replied, his eyes full of mockery, "this is my mistress’s dowry. Does the great General Gu intend to covet the dowry of his own wife?"

Gu Shijin froze. Was this really Su Zhinian’s dowry? If so, as a great general, he could not possibly forcibly seize the dowry of a woman—it was an act that would bring shame upon him. He hesitated, pausing his advance.

"Pah! What dowry? This is the Gu family’s storehouse! Grandmother only gave Su Zhinian the keys for safekeeping! How could it possibly be her dowry?" Gu Lingxuan, seeing her brother hesitate, knew he valued his reputation above all else and would not stoop to such a thing. However, she argued with conviction: since Su Zhinian had married into their family, these things belonged to the Gu family, not her.

Gu Shijin finally understood. Did Su Zhinian think that because she managed the house, everything in it belonged to her? "I will say it once more: move!" His gaze was icy, and his presence turned murderous.

"No!" Seeing that Gu Shijin was truly willing to abandon his honor to seize his mistress’s dowry, the strong-willed Youqing straightened his back and glared at him.

"You’re courting death!" Gu Shijin lunged forward. Having spent his life on the battlefield, his martial arts were beyond question. Youqing was startled and thrust his spear forward, but Gu Shijin scoffed, catching the shaft of the spear in his hand.

The two locked in a stalemate. Gu Shijin applied pressure, and the veins on Youqing’s forehead bulged; he hadn't expected Gu Shijin to be so strong. He gritted his teeth.

"A waste of effort!" Gu Shijin’s eyes darkened. With a sharp tug, he seized the spear and performed a flourish, forcing Youqing to retreat with every step. Gu Shijin flicked the tip of the spear, knocking Youqing to the ground. As Youqing tried to struggle up, the cold, sharp tip of the spear was pressed against his throat.

"Useless," Gu Shijin spat.

"You!" Youqing’s eyes were bloodshot with rage. Just as he attempted to rise again, Gu Shijin threw the spear, pinning Youqing’s clothing to the door.

"I thought he was something special! Turns out he’s nothing but a paper tiger," Gu Lingxuan sneered. He hadn't even lasted two moves against her brother. She excitedly pushed open the door to select her jewelry, not forgetting to present the kingfisher-feather headpiece to Ren Xixi as if offering a treasure.