The Attack of the Wastrel Chapter 25 - Meeting the Elders

Lin Yue-er blinked as she hid the evil look in her eyes. She pulled Gu Linglong into her embrace and attempted to pacify her, “Rest assured, since I’ve managed to get rid of her mother, I’ll be able to get rid of her as well. I am sure she will bring at least two servants with her when she goes to the Royal School.”

“Mother, you mean…” Gu Linglong’s eyes lit up as she looked at her mother.

Lin Yue-er’s face was filled with love as she looked at her, but her eyes and words showed a completely different side, “I have no choice but to restrain myself if she continues to stay in the Gu Clan, there’s nothing much I can do to her. However, once she leaves the clan, there will definitely be a chance to get back at her.”

Gu Linglong immediately cheered up at her mother’s words, leaping happily into her arms. 

As the news regarding Gu Lingzhi’s departure to the Royal School spread, many people came to visit her, including those that she hardly talked to. They were all hoping that when Gu Lingzhi became a Master Alchemist in the future, she would not forget them. 

Although Gu Lingzhi knew exactly what these people were insinuating, she still accepted all their gifts.

After all, if she wanted to have a say in the Gu Clan in the future, she had to win over several clan members. Since they were offering themselves up to her now, she had no reason to reject them.

Among those that came to suck up to her, the one that was the most generous was Gu Hansheng. Looking at the piles of medicinal ingredients that he gave to her, she knew that Gu Hansheng must have invested a large sum of money to try and win her over.

“This trip that you are going on will be very long and you will only return months later. The Royal School is not like home. It isn’t very far away, but it’s not very convenient to get there. I bought some things for you, I hope First Mistress will accept them.”

This time, Gu Hansheng personally came instead of sending his son in his stead. The fact that she could be personally invited by the Third Prince showed Gu Lingzhi’s potential, and as the head finance of the Gu Clan, how could he miss out on this opportunity to get on her side?”

“That’s right, it won’t be long before you leave for somewhere that’s so far away. You must bring more things with you. Please accept my father’s gifts.”

Afraid that Gu Lingzhi would reject the expensive gifts out of modesty, both Gu Chengze and Gu Ruoxun hurriedly persuaded her to accept them. Gu Lingzhi, who originally did not plan to be modest with them, now felt slightly embarrassed. Her gaze shifted to her Storage Ring which contained a few bottles of medicine and Spirit Moulding Pills that she had made for the siblings some time ago.

She had originally planned to give it to them before she left as a token of their friendship. But now that she saw how Gu Hansheng’s sincerity, she felt embarrassed to take it out. 

Although it was true that she wanted revenge, but she was not someone who did not know how to repay other people’s kindness. In her past life, Gu Hansheng’s family did nothing to harm her and they even helped her quite a bit in this life. Although they had something to gain from it, their kindness thus far had benefited her as well.

She suddenly felt like…she couldn’t make use of them like she did before.

The concern in Gu Chengze and Gu Ruoxun’s eyes were genuine. Although they had initially approached her with their own agendas, after interacting with her for a while, they had really treated her like a friend.

Gu Lingzhi simply smiled, “Okay, I will accept your gifts.”

Gu Lingzhi did not make them any promises, but in her heart she had decided that she would refine some higher-grade spiritual medicine for them when her Alchemy level had increased.

Gu Hansheng smiled approvingly as she accepted the gifts. 

“There is still much to be done in the financial department, I shall take my leave first. I will come to visit again in the future when the First Mistress is back.” 

After saying this, Gu Hansheng left, leaving behind the two siblings.

Before he left, he glanced at the pile of gifts sitting in the corner of the living room and laughed to himself. 

These people had only sucked up to Gu Lingzhi after realizing that she was talented. Him, on the other hand, had lent a helping hand to her when she was still weak. 

Immediately after Gu Hansheng left, Gu Chengze and Gu Ruoxun grabbed onto Gu Lingzhi’s hands and repeatedly nagged at her to not act stupidly and let herself be bullied so easily.

Gu Lingzhi just smiled and nodded repeatedly. It seems that their impression of her was that she was weak and unable to defend herself. 

The next day, when Gu Lingzhi woke up, she saw Cui Lian entering her room joyfully, “First Mistress, the Great Elder wants to meet you.”

“The Great Elder?” Gu Lingzhi was shocked. Usually, the elders would not care about internal affairs of the clan. They must have heard about her enrollment in the Royal School. She did not expect that the news of her going to the Royal School would alarm even the elders.  

As one of the Four Great Clans, Gu Rong may be the Clan Leader, but he was not the only one with power in the Gu Clan. The clan still relied greatly on the elders who had retired from the forefront of clan affairs.

In fact, any clan with a little history would know that the real power was not solely in the hands of the leader. The leader was just a position. Otherwise, Gu Hansheng would not have dared to go Gu Rong because he had relied on some of the Elders.

As she followed the servants who were leading her deeper into the Gu Clan’s house where the Elders resided, she thought about the power struggles in the Gu Clan. 

The elders of the Gu Clan lived in a yard located behind the Ancestral Hall. The servant guided Gu Lingzhi into a building behind the Ancestral Hall. 

Gu Lingzhi knew that this was the Discussion Hall where the Elders met to discuss affairs regarding the clan.

Before she even stepped into the Hall, Gu Lingzhi could already feel the gazes on her. She knew that she was being scrutinized by the elders and she subtly composed herself. She adjusted her gaze and her facial expressions, changing from the usual subservient and easily bullied look that she usually wore to one that was calm and indifferent.

She knew that under the scrutiny of the elders, she could not act subservient like she did in front of Gu Rong. These people had years of experience and would never think highly of someone that possessed natural talent yet seemed like a pushover.

Crossing the corridor into the Discussion Hall, Gu Lingzhi looked calmly at the group of people sitting in the hall and greeted them respectfully.

“It is an honour to meet the Elders, I am Lingzhi.”

Her words were clear and steady, seemingly unaffected by the domineering auras that were radiating from the Elders. 

This child seems decent, it looks like she can be trained. A few Elders exchanged glances, a satisfied look in their eyes.

When they initially heard how Gu Lingzhi had finally uncovered her Spiritual Roots and had an innate gift for Alchemy, they did not think much of it. The image of Gu Lingzhi as a weak pushover was cemented in their minds and they did not think that she would amount to much even after discovering her talent.

But it was completely different now that the Third Prince had personally invited her to study at the Royal School.

Chapter end