Gu Changwei's hesitation made the street vendors who had followed him anxious.
"You live in such a large mansion, do you still expect us to foot the bill?"
"It's clearly your fault, and you still want to shirk responsibility?"
"We've already reported this to Dali Temple. If you don't pay, we'll continue to sue you there!"
The street vendors spoke in a flurry of accusations.
The scene became chaotic, with everyone filled with righteous indignation.
Gu Changwei was furious. In the past, who would dare treat him like this?
He was the Duke, high and mighty, and infinitely glorious!
"Butler, pacify these people. We will pay what we owe, not a single copper less. We'll handle it one by one. Those who try to take advantage of the chaos will not be spared!" Madam Gu intervened in time.
She was extremely disappointed in her son, Gu Changwei, for being unable to handle such a simple matter.
He had lived for so many years in vain!
If she hadn't stepped in, he might have caused further trouble with that ferocious look on his face!
Gu Changwei was jolted by Madam Gu's words, feeling somewhat uneasy. "Mother, I will handle this matter myself."
Madam Gu glanced at Gu Changwei. "No matter what, you are my son, and I cannot abandon you. Hurry up and resolve this issue. We still need to move out; this is no longer a place we can live."
A sense of shame welled up in Gu Changwei's heart.
With Madam Gu's intervention, the compensation proceeded in an orderly fashion. Simultaneously, the money in the accounts dwindled. After sending off the last street vendor, only eight hundred taels of liquid assets remained.
Madam Gu instructed the butler to have people organize the belongings that could be taken.
As for some of the larger items that were difficult to move, Madam Gu simply had the butler invite people from the pawnshop.
She had the pawnshop appraise the items on the spot and sell the difficult-to-move belongings at a discounted price.
Gu Changwei wanted to stop her.
Madam Gu's words immediately silenced him.
"From now on, you will only be able to live in a three-courtyard small residence. Can these things fit? One must know their place. Don't covet things that do not match your status."
Gu Changwei was utterly humiliated.
He could only watch helplessly as the pawnshop people took the items away.
After all, the items once used in the Duke's mansion were certainly not inferior. Even if high officials and nobles disdained them, wealthy merchants were extremely fond of them.
When the pawnshop sold them, they not only avoided a discount but could even sell them at a premium.
Therefore, the pawnshop manager did not offer much of a discount.
The Duke's mansion had fallen on hard times, but the Gu family still had a Consort in the palace.
The Gu family's second son was also currently favored by His Majesty.
It's best to leave some room for future interactions.
He wasn't doing this out of respect for the former Duke; he was doing it for the Consort and the Duke's other son.
After everything was packed and sorted.
Gu Changwei then spoke to Madam Gu about Gu Siya's matter. "Mother, Siya is, after all, of the Gu family's blood. Can you bear to see him exiled? His constitution is weak; how can he endure it?"
"Precisely because he is of the Gu family's blood, he should have a sense of responsibility. When one makes a mistake, they must bear the consequences, not think about how to evade them," Madam Gu said meaningfully.
Gu Siya must bear the consequences of his mistakes.
And you, Gu Changwei, must also bear the consequences of your mistakes.
See, you have even lost your title as Duke now!
"I fear he cannot endure it," Gu Changwei pleaded.
"Then you go with him and look after him on the journey," Madam Gu said in a calm tone. "As for me, you don't need to worry. Ah Nian is filial; he will not neglect his old mother."
"I, I—" Gu Changwei was dumbfounded. He never imagined his mother would say such a thing.