After my luck was stolen, I led my whole family to defy fate and change our destiny.

Will someone who has betrayed you, someone who would sell you out for a tael of silver, really know they were wrong?

No, he won't admit his mistake; he'll just regret not doing it more discreetly.

Actually, the other party had done a very discreet job; if it weren't for the younger sister, he really wouldn't have discovered it.

Gu Yu'an coldly pulled his trouser leg back.

"Young master, I was wrong, I was really wrong."

"Drag these people away and bring the slave traders here!"

Upon hearing that they were to be sold into slavery, their voices grew louder and more urgent. They would rather be beaten dozens more times than be sold into slavery!

They're not stupid. What household is as comfortable and well-treated as the Gu family?

If handed over to a slave trader, it would be meat on a chopping board, sold after being beaten with a board, and who knows if it would be sold to a coal mine or an even dirtier place.

The sound of kowtowing was incessant. The lady was always kind and forgiving. If they pleaded with her properly, she would surely forgive them this time. They had only done something slightly wrong.

"Madam, I was wrong, I was really wrong."

"Please don't sell me out, madam!"

"Madam, you've always had a kind heart. Please forgive me. I promise to serve you like a slave from now on."

Su Xiuran waved her hand impatiently, "Aren't you going to drag it away?"

"Yes"

Several guards immediately stepped forward and dragged these people away. The people being dragged away were filled with panic and disbelief.

Why? Isn't Madam the most magnanimous person? We've never seen her punish someone so severely when they made a mistake in the past.

If they had known it would turn out this way, they definitely wouldn't have dared to do it.

The wails faded into the distance, and the hall fell silent.

"Alright, you may all leave. Those who wish to leave, please report back by today."

The remaining people looked at each other, their eyes filled with fear and awe.

They had never seen the lady handle people so decisively, with the force of a thunderbolt.

"After today, leaving won't be so easy, and you won't get those five taels of silver either. You've all seen clearly today that I don't tolerate any dissent. Anyone with ulterior motives has better leave today. If I discover any more, I'll have them beaten to death."

Wow, Mother is awesome!

Su Xiuran gave Chunhe a look, and Chunhe, carrying Linglong, followed her downstairs, leaving the mother and children to talk in the room.

The servants dispersed one after another, and Su Xiuran was very satisfied with the respectful expressions on their faces as they left.

Gu Liyao said indignantly, "Mother, these people are going too far. Are we just going to let them get away with this? What if they gossip about us after they leave the manor?"

In my opinion, it would be best to just beat him to death with a stick. If it weren't for Linglong, perhaps many more people would have lost their lives because of this.

The thought of someone losing their life because of him made the veins on his forehead throb.

Su Xiuran's lips curled slightly: "You think I don't want to kill them? After fifty strokes of the cane, there's only a 20% chance they'll survive. I'm not killing them now only to accumulate good karma for your father. As for whether they live or die, that's their own business."

"After being flogged fifty times and then sold off, who do you think would buy them? Would the human traffickers treat them properly with medicine?"

"Making a living in the hands of human traffickers is not easy. If you can sell them, that's fine, but if you can't sell them and they're stuck with you, it's worse than death."

Because in the eyes of human traffickers, they are not human beings at all, but merely commodities.

"My main purpose in punishing them was to set an example for the others in the manor."

Gu Liyao shuddered. His mother could be really ruthless when she wanted to. "Mother, are you making an example of someone?"

Su Xiuran nodded. "Given our family's current situation, we absolutely cannot afford another traitor."

"You yourselves need to be careful too."

"Yes, Mother."

Su Xiuran originally wanted to keep Ping'er to monitor Lin Xiaoxiao, but then she thought of the way Ping'er looked at her every day.

She would report to Lin Xiaoxiao in great detail about her appearance, and even what she ate and used every day.

Lin Xiaoxiao's daily attempts to dress like her made her feel nauseous and vomit. Forget it, she might as well just sell her off. Anyway, they had a frank conversation at the temple, and Lin Xiaoxiao probably guessed that she had discovered the hidden clues she had left behind.

A moment later, Chunhe rushed back, her eyes red and her whole body trembling.

Su Xiuran frowned as she looked at her head maid.

"What's wrong? Why are you so angry?"

"I just came from the butler, madam, please take a look."

Chunhe handed over a list, standing aside with gritted teeth. These people were really too much, considering how well Madam usually treated them.

When the Gu family was in dire straits, they actually chose to abandon them and go elsewhere. What a heartless bunch of scoundrels!

Su Xiuran's expression didn't change after reading the list; instead, she looked at Chunhe with amusement.

"You got so angry over these people on the list?"

"Madam, I feel sorry for you. You treat them so well. They work in the manor, and every family member and mistress outside considers their needs, paying them more than other places. But what about them?"

"The Gu family needs them right now, but they've completely forgotten Madam's kindness and are busy going their separate ways."

Su Xiuran's other first-class maidservant also said indignantly, "If you ask me, Madam, you're too kind. They even gave them five taels of silver when they left; they shouldn't have given them a single coin."

"That's right. Look at Granny Lin on the list. She usually seems very honest and has been in the mansion for over ten or twenty years. A few days ago, her son broke his leg, and Madam spent twenty taels of silver to hire a doctor for him."

"If it were any other mistress of the house, she wouldn't even care. It would be good enough if you just survived. She wouldn't care whether you were lame or not, let alone go to such lengths to treat you."

Su Xiuran listened quietly to Chunhe and Douzhu's complaints, without having any other thoughts in her mind.

Chunhe and Douzhu were both her trusted confidantes brought from the Duke's mansion. As long as they were still there, they could not stir up any waves in her heart.

It's worth spending twenty taels to see through a person.

Her two maids still need to work on their temperaments.

Su Xiuran gently blew away the tea leaves, her tone sincere, "Then do you want to leave? I'll let you leave the manor to marry."

"Or we could find one for you within the manor. Just tell me if you have someone you like, and I'll make the decision for you."

Chunhe and Douzhu knelt down. "Madam, we won't leave. We won't marry. Please don't send us away."

Su Xiuran glared at them. "Nonsense! Who doesn't get married? Get up!"

Su Xiuran assumed that Gu Jia was preoccupied with the crisis and didn't take it seriously.

"Let those on the list leave if they want. Since their hearts aren't here anymore, there's no point in forcing them to stay; it will only harm the Gu family."

"Releasing them not only eliminates a potential danger but also gains a good reputation; why not?"

"So there's no need to get so angry over them."

Chunhe lowered her head, her face flushed with embarrassment. "Yes, Madam, we understand."

"An'er, remember this, all of you."

It's easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow. If you want others to help you, you have to become that brocade yourself.

"If you are not strong, others will not only not help you in your time of need, but will also add fuel to the fire."