However...
Magistrate Gu reminded, "Elder Gu still owes five thousand taels of sin redemption silver."
Elder Gu hurriedly looked towards the uncle and nephew of the Zhan Family.
Old Master Zhan San, not wanting any more embarrassment, took out a stack of silver notes from the box and placed it on the table: "Five thousand taels, we'll take our leave first."
Magistrate Gu smiled and said, "Take care."
...
The Zhan Family uncle and nephew were utterly fed up with the Old Gu Family, so instead of returning to the house on Moxiang Street, they took their mule cart to the Zhan Family's separate yard in the Prefecture.
Their original plan was to act in secret, unnoticed by Gu Jinli's family. But now, things had blown up to the point where the whole Prefecture knew, so there was no need to keep it under wraps any longer.
After hearing rumors, the Zhan Family servants, aware of the uncle and nephew's predicament, had sent a mule cart early to wait outside the government office.
