Chapter 58 [V] "Mother, do you know, that..."

First, Liu Erlang apologized for the last time when she came to visit but her mother refused to let her in, saying, "My mother was indeed unwell that day, so she neglected you, Madam Li. I hope you won't take offense."

Li Yan was also surprised that he, a fifth-rank military officer, a general in charge of a thousand men, a man who had killed enemies on the battlefield, made military achievements, and experienced life and death... could sit in front of her and be no different from the ordinary people she usually encountered.

He doesn't give people the feeling of being oppressed because of his power.

She's quite approachable.

Upon further reflection, he realized that he wasn't born into nobility either; he had climbed up from the bottom and was once a farmer in the village... so it became understandable.

Li Yan found the whole thing a bit strange, noticing the significant change in Aunt Liu's attitude. But whether or not someone wanted to invite guests was their right, so why would she blame them?

Therefore, upon seeing Liu Erlang apologize for that matter, Li Yan immediately said, "General, you are too kind. How could you possibly take offense? Besides, your esteemed matriarch was indeed unwell; it wasn't intentional." Then she asked with concern, "Is the matriarch feeling better now?"

Liu Erlang nodded: "I'm fully recovered, thank you for your concern, my wife."

Li Yan said, "In that case, I will pay a visit to the old lady another day."

Liu Erlang nodded and agreed.

While Li Yan was speaking, Liu Erlang kept a close eye on her and tried to recall any memories of her.

Unfortunately, even though he tried his best to recall, he still couldn't remember anything.

Since he had already come to see her, Liu Erlang was unwilling to have made a wasted trip. So, after careful consideration, he asked, "Does Madam Li still have any recollection of me?"

The question was so absurd that if it weren't for his honest tone, she would have thought he was being a little ambiguous.

After a moment of hesitation, Li Yan smiled apologetically and said, "I... married into the Xue family two years after you and my husband went to the battlefield. At that time, the war was at a stalemate, and my mother-in-law was afraid that something might happen to my husband on the battlefield, so she married me to bring him good luck. But unfortunately, my husband still passed away and died on the battlefield."

Upon hearing this, Liu Erlang frowned deeply: "The Xue family?"

"Yes, Xue Erlang. Isn't he your friend? What's wrong?" Seeing his strange reaction, Li Yan asked casually, "Did he ask you to bring back some words before he died?"

"No." Liu Erlang shook his head. At this moment, his expression was very serious, his eyes were dark, and he was staring intently at Li Yan. "I don't remember Xue Erlang."

“But you’re from the same village! I heard from my mother… my mother-in-law, that you two used to be very close. Besides, you joined the army in the same batch. How could you not remember him?”

"I have lost my memory; I have no recollection of anything from before."

Li Yan: "..." I see.

The two suddenly stopped talking. After thinking for a while, Li Yan asked, "You... can't remember anything from before?" Seeing him shake his head, Li Yan asked again, "You don't have any memory at all?" Liu Erlang still shook his head.

Li Yan suddenly blurted out, "If that's the case, then how do you know you're Liu Erlang? How come you're not someone else?"

Liu Erlang then said, "My father was also in the army at the time, and he can verify my identity."

Li Yan nodded, indicating that she understood.

"So... you suddenly came to see me today because you wanted me to help you remember the past?" Li Yan wasn't stupid. At this point, she naturally understood Liu Erlang's true purpose in seeking her out.

Seeing that Liu Erlang remained silent, Li Yan felt rather guilty for not being able to help: "I'm really sorry, I can't help you with this."

Liu Erlang smiled and said it was nothing, then added, "Since you are the widow of Xue Erlang, and I am as close as brothers with Xue Erlang, please come to me if you need anything in the future." After saying that, Liu Erlang stood up.

Seeing him stand up, Li Yan quickly stood up as well.

After saying a few more words of farewell, Liu Erlang left with his hands behind his back.

After watching his back for a while, Li Yan remembered that she was tired today, so she decided to go upstairs to rest.

During her few days in Jiangning Prefecture, she visited several restaurants to discuss cooperation, and also paid a visit to Elder Gao. She cooked several meals for him at his home.

When Elder Gao heard that she wanted to expand her business to Jiangning Prefecture, he was very supportive and used his connections to help Li Yan secure the deal.

The trip went relatively smoothly, and Li Yan didn't plan to stay long. She estimated that she would have to leave Jiangning Prefecture and return to Huating County by tomorrow afternoon, or at the latest the day after tomorrow morning.

If Liu Erlang hadn't come looking for her during this time, she would have definitely gone back on her own. But since Liu Erlang had come to find her personally and explained that Old Madam Liu was unable to receive guests due to her health, which was why she had turned her away... if she had any sense of etiquette, she should have prepared a gift and visited again; she couldn't just leave without saying goodbye.

Li Yan knew in her heart that General Liu was easy to talk to and they were from the same hometown... Since she had this opportunity, she still wanted to make friends with him.

In the future, they will also be a reliable source of support.

Thinking this way, Li Yan got up early the next morning, bought gifts, and when it was almost dawn, she took Qingniang to the Liu residence.

Because Liu Erlang had given prior notice, the doorman's attitude towards Li Yan was different this time.

This time, instead of informing the old lady first, they directly invited Li Yan and the other woman into the house.

Li Yan asked in surprise, "Shouldn't we inform the old lady first?"

The gatekeeper said, "The general has already given instructions, saying that since the lady is from the same hometown, there's no reason to turn away a fellow townsman. Besides, the old lady is much better now and can receive guests."

Li Yan then said, "I came here today specifically to pay my respects to the old lady. If the old lady has time, would you please take me to see her?"

"This way, madam." The gatekeeper led Li Yan to the gate leading from the outer courtyard to the inner courtyard. He didn't go in himself, but pointed ahead and said, "The old lady lives over there. When you go in, madam, a maid will greet you."

After thanking the gatekeeper, and sure enough, as I stepped through the moon gate, a young maidservant came to greet me.

"Please come in, Madam Li." When they arrived at the door of Old Madam Liu's room, the maid asked Li Yan to wait outside while she went in first to inform the old lady.

Aunt Liu was completely unaware of Li Yan's arrival. When the maid told her that a woman surnamed Li was waiting outside the door, requesting an audience with the old lady, Aunt Liu was stunned.

"Right outside the door?" Aunt Liu asked. "Outside which door?"

Maid: "Right outside your room."

Aunt Liu asked anxiously, "Who let her in?"

Seeing that the old lady seemed unhappy, the maidservant quickly knelt down and replied, "This servant doesn't know either. It was the gatekeeper who let people in."

Aunt Liu was so panicked that she was completely disoriented. She kept pacing back and forth in the house, muttering to herself and cursing the old man.

But then I thought, this Li family member only entered the family last year, and she doesn't know Erlang. Even if the two of them run into each other, what can happen?

Moreover, Li was married into the Xue family to bring good luck to Xue Erlang, so the couple never met.

Thinking of this, Aunt Liu felt quite sad. The couple was just one step away from meeting and recognizing each other, but she, as someone who knew the truth, was deliberately keeping it from them and preventing them from doing so.

Aunt Liu felt that she was committing a sin and would suffer retribution in the future.

But then I thought, it's all fate. Xue Erlang lost his memory and was recognized by the old man who was also on the battlefield. Now he's her son, Liu Erlang... In the future, he can help the eldest son's family and help their Liu family prosper.

If it weren't for fate, how could everything have gone so smoothly?

Thinking of this, Aunt Liu's guilt subsided considerably, and she straightened her back even more.

"Let her in." Having composed herself, Aunt Liu changed her mind.

The maidservant quickly replied "Yes," and then left.

Soon after, Li Yan and Qing Niang were invited in.

Now that they were in the General's Mansion, Li Yan felt it inappropriate to address her as "Aunt Liu," so she greeted her and called her "Old Madam."

When she saw the woman greet her and call her "Old Madam," Aunt Liu felt a little uncomfortable.

“Don’t call me ‘old lady,’ just call me Aunt Liu,” she said, then pointed to the side, “Sit down and let’s talk.”

Li Yan responded and sat down to the side.

Aunt Liu then explained, "I was indeed feeling unwell that day, so I neglected you. Please... don't blame me."

Li Yan said, "How could that be? It was I who came here so abruptly and disturbed you, Auntie."

Aunt Liu then asked, "How has your mother been feeling lately?"

“My mother is doing well and still thinks of you often. Thank you for your concern, Auntie.”

"No need to thank me, don't be so polite. We're all family, no need to be so formal."

"Okay, I understand," Li Yan said with a smile.

The two chatted happily, while the person hidden in the shadows, having witnessed this scene, quietly left.

When Liu Erlang returned home that evening, the person who had been hiding in the shadows during the day, spying on Li Yan and Aunt Liu's conversation, immediately went to Liu Erlang to report the situation.

The details, including Aunt Liu's reaction upon hearing that Li Yan had entered the mansion, and the content of their subsequent conversation, were all reported to Liu Erlang in detail.

After hearing this, Liu Erlang nodded and said, "I understand."

Why was his mother afraid to see that Lady Li? Moreover, ever since he lost his memory, his mother seemed unwilling to talk about her past in Xishui Village. Whenever he asked, she would clearly try to avoid the topic.

His mother never mentioned that he had a very good relationship with Xue Erlang, and they were like brothers.

If what Xue Erlang's widow, Lady Li, said was true, then her mother's behavior became even stranger.

Since they are from the same village and were once as close as brothers, shouldn't we immediately invite the widow in and treat her well when she comes looking for us?

He could tell that his mother was afraid to see that Li woman, and there must be a reason for it.

Meanwhile, Aunt Liu was also very flustered.

She felt that the lie couldn't be kept secret any longer, and sooner or later he would have to find out the truth.

Since the truth will be exposed sooner or later, we might as well grab some benefits now.

So, Aunt Liu quickly went to her son again and brought up the matter of sending her nephew to the city once more.

Liu Erlang nodded: "I have two days off in a couple of days. I will personally go and pick up Da Niu and bring him into the city."

"No! You can't go!" Upon hearing that he was going back to Xishui Village, Aunt Liu immediately became anxious and stopped him without thinking.

By the time she realized what she had said, the words were already out. She quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "It's already a great kindness of your uncle to have your nephew come and stay with you. I know you're very busy, so please take some time to rest. As for your nephew, you can just send someone."

Liu Erlang didn't insist any further, and simply nodded, saying, "Then I'll listen to Mother."

Seeing that he didn't insist anymore, Aunt Liu breathed a sigh of relief.

Liu Erlang noticed all these subtle changes in Aunt Liu.

Although Liu Erlang said he wouldn't go, he had already decided to go back to the village to take a look, and he secretly put his plan into action.

.

Aunt Xue was very worried about Li Yan who had been away for several days.

When she appeared in front of her safe and sound, Aunt Xue finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She couldn't bear the thought of losing any more family members. After a year together, she had come to regard Li Yan, her daughter-in-law, as her own daughter. In her heart, Li Yan was just as important as Xu Ge'er and Yue Jie'er.

"Amitabha, you're finally back." Upon seeing her, Aunt Xue's face lit up with a bright smile, and she took Li Yan's large bundle from her. "You must be tired these past few days, come in and rest." She also called out to Qing Niang, "Little girl, you've worked hard too, come in and rest."

Qingniang, however, was not afraid of being tired at all. In the past, when she went hunting in the mountains with her father, she had been much more tired than this.

She went to Jiangning Prefecture, saw a lot, ate delicious food, and was very happy.

"Grandma Xue, I'm not tired at all, I'm so happy!" Qingniang, despite her small stature, was full of energy and enthusiasm.

Along the way, Qingniang carried most of these bundles.

After the two had eaten, Qingniang went to her room to sleep and replenish her energy. Then, Aunt Xue pulled Li Yan aside to talk in the main room.

They asked her if she had gone to see the Liu family, and if she had encountered anything in Jiangning Prefecture these past few days. They also inquired about the success of her business negotiations.

Li Yan told Aunt Xue everything without holding back, recounting in detail all the things that had happened to her.

I heard that Aunt Liu initially refused to let her daughter-in-law out of the door, and she was very angry.

No matter what, she shouldn't have turned people away.

The villagers, who were all neighbors, were very friendly when they came over that day. But when they actually went to look for her, she was nowhere to be found.

Yan Niang, a woman with no relatives or friends in Jiangning Prefecture, went to seek refuge with her, yet she was so heartless.

I don't know what I'm thinking.

"And then?" Aunt Xue reached out and held her daughter-in-law's hand tightly, her heart aching with heartache.

Li Yan: "Later, Liu Erlang came to the inn to find me and apologized. He also told me that if I needed any help, I could go to Liu's residence to find him anytime."

Hearing this, Aunt Xue breathed a sigh of relief: "Then this Liu Erlang is not bad."

Li Yan then said, "Mother, do you know that Liu Erlang has lost his memory?"