Minglan is reborn, this time with no regrets!

Gu Tingye: "I was selfish and reckless before, and didn't think much about my father. I am ashamed! But, if I become weak like my eldest brother in the future, the future of the Gu family will probably be handed over to my third brother. But you know my third brother, he is playful and cowardly, and it may not be appropriate to ask him to take on the family business..."

"Do you know what you are talking about?" Gu Yankai was furious when he heard him say this. "It is not your place to decide who will inherit the family business. You are already living a mess, and you still want to meddle in your father's affairs. You really don't know what you are talking about!"

"Father, isn't the dispute between Prince Yan and Prince Yong now caused by the emperor's delay in appointing a crown prince? If our Gu family can consider all these things first, then we may be able to keep our family affairs worry-free."

"The matter of the heir to the throne is decided by the government. How can you speak without thinking? You have been telling me so much. What do you want to say?"

"Father, I think we should find a distant nephew with good pedigree to adopt as our eldest brother, so that we can determine the successor of our Gu family."

Gu Yankai's pupils shrank slightly: "You and your third brother haven't married or had children yet, so you want to give your eldest brother a child now?"

"I know that I have bad conduct and my maternal grandparents are in business. My background is criticized by several uncles and aunts in our Gu family. If my lineage is allowed to inherit, I am afraid that the entire Gu family will not agree." Gu Tingye said this with a calm expression, as if he was not talking about himself. "And my third brother Tingwei, he is innocent, playful and lazy. He is a great brother, but if he is to be the head of the family... his mind and talent are not enough to support such a large mansion. Only my eldest brother, his mind and wisdom are better than our brothers, and he is the only one who can take on the task. It's a pity that he is weak. If he can have a stronger nephew to educate him, he will definitely grow up to be a capable person like my eldest brother in the future!"

Gu Yan glanced sideways: "Are you willing?"

Gu Tingye looked sincere, "Why not? If I really have talent, I can pass the imperial examination and get a position. Even if I don't inherit the title, I can still make a name for myself. I know I'm not a conservative person, and only my eldest brother's descendants can be entrusted with the family business."

Gu Yankai stared at him for a long time and said, "I used to think that you always opposed your elder brother in order to compete with him for the title... I was quite surprised to hear you say this today."

"Father, I have hands and feet, and I can earn fame and fortune on my own. Why should I take it from my eldest brother?" These were Gu Tingye's true feelings.

"Then why did you have to fight with him like this?"

"My eldest brother and I are just resentful of each other because of our respective mothers."

When Gu Yankai heard this, he suddenly stood up and said in a higher voice, "Your mothers have passed away. What is there to be resentful about?"

"Father, don't be angry. It's just that we miss our deceased mother and are looking for an excuse to be angry. My elder brother blames me because someone told him that his biological mother, Daqin, was forced to death by my maternal grandfather, the Bai family. And I blame him because my mother was worried about him until her death, and I was afraid that it was the Bai family that made my elder brother lose his biological mother."

Gu Yankai slammed the table in frustration: "Nonsense! Who told you these nonsense?"

Gu Tingye sighed and shook his head: "I can't remember it anymore, I was too young at that time. But these words took root in my heart and have been bothering me for many years. I guess it should be the same for my elder brother."

Gu Yankai waved his sleeves in anger: "Don't think about it, it's not true! It's just those lowly slaves who are trying to sow discord and make up some nonsense to fool you! You have passed the imperial examination, how can you believe such words?"

"So, Daqin's mother was not forced to death by my maternal grandfather, the Bai family, right?"

"Mrs. Daqin died of illness. It has nothing to do with the Bai family!"

"Okay, since father said so, I no longer have any doubts. However, I hope father can also enlighten my eldest brother and let him stop blaming me."

"Your elder brother has always been kind and tolerant. He is strict with you for your own good. Why do you always say that he is blaming you?"

Seeing his father speaking for Gu Tingyu again, Gu Tingye did not argue, but said, "If big brother does not have these grievances, that would be the best. I hope that his descendants will inherit the family business in the future and revive the glory of Ningyuan Marquis Mansion. I only want to take back the dowry left by my mother, and the rest, the title and the property, will all belong to big brother."

When Gu Yankai heard him mention Bai's dowry, he suddenly looked at Nanny Chang and asked, "Did you tell him that?"

Nanny Chang had a blank expression on her face and said nothing.

"Father, my maternal grandfather told me this in a letter when he passed away. If a married woman dies in her husband's family, her dowry will either be sent back to her parents' home or left to her own children. He was afraid that I didn't know this, so he reminded me in his letter." Gu Tingye lied. He didn't want Madam Chang to be scolded by his father again.

"So?" Gu Yankai felt that his son was setting a trap for him. "So, if your eldest brother inherits the family business, you want him to return all the dowry your mother brought to you?"

"No, I just want the rest. Back then, the Bai family and the Gu family agreed to use my mother's dowry to make up for the deficit of the Gu family. My grandfather and my mother agreed to this, so naturally I agree to it too. Even if my eldest brother inherits the family business in the future, I will not ask them to return the silver that was invested at the beginning. I just want to take back the rest." Gu Tingye sat up straight on the bed and looked at Gu Yankai.

Gu Yankai sat back in his chair, staring at the half-finished cup of tea, and sneered: "After all, you just want to split up the family, right?"

Gu Tingye suddenly raised three fingers, knelt on the bed, and said, "I swear to heaven, as long as my father is alive, I will never have any unreasonable thoughts of dividing the family. What I said today, whether it is adopting a distant nephew or taking back my deceased mother's inheritance, is only to prepare for the future of the Gu family. If what I said is false, let me die of illness on this bed!"

Gu Yankai waved his hands: "You don't have to swear such a cruel oath. If you don't think so, then forget it. Your late mother did leave a lot of wealth... Those are..."

Gu Tingye saw his expression flickering, lowered his head and said: "I know that it is not easy for my father to manage the family. Such a big mansion needs money everywhere. Even if some of it is used by the public treasury, it is understandable. I only hope that the remaining money can be returned to me in the future, so that I can keep it in mind."

Gu Yankai didn't expect Gu Tingye to give in so much. He stared at the teacup in front of him and thought for a long time before saying, "Okay."

"Thank you, father! In that case, can I ask you to leave me a handwritten letter? I will have a proof in the future and avoid a lot of arguments. After all... I have a bad reputation, and my family may not believe me."

"Never mind, I'll go back and count it, write it down, and give it to you. But the silver has to be kept in the warehouse, so you don't take it out and squander it now."

Gu Tingye thanked him profusely, and the father and son had nothing more to say.