After settling down in the old house, Mrs. Hong Yingrong, the old lady of Xingyuan Hou, looked at the familiar courtyard and her thoughts drifted back to more than 20 years ago.
At that time, she had just married into the Xue family and returned with her husband to the ancestral home to worship their ancestors. The locust flowers in the yard were in full bloom. The young Xue Yonghuai stood under the tree and smiled at her, looking very heroic.
"Madam, the hot water is ready." The maid softly brought her back to her senses.
After washing up, Xue An personally brought the servants of the old house to pay a visit.
Although these servants from the north are not as smart as the servants in the marquis' mansion in the capital, they are all simple and hardworking.
Hong Yingrong inquired in detail about the harvest and the situation of the tenants in the farm, and checked the account books of the old house. She did not rest until it was time to light the lamps.
The next morning, Hong Yingrong got up early and took her daughter Xue Shanqiu to inspect the old house.
Xue Shanqiu grew up in the capital and had never seen the scenery of the north. When he walked out of the gate of the old house, his eyes suddenly opened up.
"Look, Mom!" Xue Shanqiu pointed at the rolling hills in the distance and excitedly tugged at his mother's sleeve. "Why are those mountains so high? Jingshan, the highest mountain in the capital, is just a small mound."
Hong Yingrong looked at her daughter's joyful expression and couldn't help but smile, "This is just a small hill. The Yanmen Pass where your father led his troops to guard was a real mountain."
When the farmers saw the old lady coming in person, they all came forward to greet her.
Hong Yingrong asked about the livelihood of each family one by one and checked this year's harvest.
Xue Shanqiu followed her mother, looking curiously at the farmers working in the fields and the sheep grazing on the hillside. Even the scent of soil and grass in the air felt fresh to her.
"Mom, the wind here is sweet." Xue Shanqiu took a deep breath, and a rare blush appeared on his pale face.
Hong Yingrong lovingly gathered her daughter's cloak. "The northern skies are high and the clouds are light, which is truly nourishing. Your father always said that the wind here can blow away all worries."
As he was speaking, a mountain breeze blew by and messed up Xue Shanqiu's hair.
She was not annoyed, but giggled, and her laughter like silver bells echoed in the valley. Hong Yingrong looked at her daughter's cheerful figure, and a trace of relief flashed in her eyes.
Before they knew it, the mother and daughter had reached the foot of the mountain. Hong Yingrong looked up and saw a gray-tiled roof faintly visible in the depths of the locust tree forest.
She paused and looked thoughtfully for a long time.
"Mother, what is that place?" Xue Shanqiu asked curiously.
"It's an abandoned woodshed." Hong Yingrong looked puzzled, as she always felt that there seemed to be someone living in the woodshed.
Hong Yingrong looked at the gray tile roof, and a strange feeling inexplicably rose in her heart. She was about to step forward when Xue An's voice suddenly came from behind her:
"Madam, this woodshed has been uninhabited for years. I'm afraid there are snakes, insects, rats and ants. It's best for you and the young lady not to get close to it."
Hong Yingrong turned around and saw Xue An standing behind her without her noticing, with beads of sweat on his forehead.
She nodded thoughtfully: "Yes, Shanqiu is weak and shouldn't go to these places." After saying that, she turned around and left with her daughter.
In the locust tree forest, a corner of the window paper of the woodshed was gently lifted.
Xue Yonghuai leaned against the window frame with one arm, staring at the backs of his wife and daughter as they walked away.
After not seeing each other for three years, Yingrong's hair had turned white, and Shanqiu had grown into a graceful young lady, but her face was still pale.
A hot tear fell on the windowsill, splashing fine dust. This iron-blooded general who once dominated the battlefield was now crying silently like a child.
Deputy General Liang Yong sighed softly and handed over a rough handkerchief. "My Lord, the old lady is not unreasonable. We are all aware of the movements in the capital in recent years. The young master was able to turn back from his mistakes and return to the right path, all thanks to the old lady's guidance."
Xue Yonghuai wiped his face with his left hand, the roughness of his palm causing pain on his cheek: "I know... I know everything..."
Liang Yong continued to persuade: "The current political situation is treacherous, and the prince is in a difficult situation in the court. If the old lady knew that you were still alive, she would definitely find ways to seek justice for you."
"Stop talking." Xue Yonghuai turned around abruptly, his empty right sleeve swaying in the wind. "The overall situation is more important."
Outside the window, Xue Yonghuai was still looking in that direction. The figures of Hong Yingrong and Xue Shanqiu had already disappeared in the forest path.
After returning to the main courtyard, Hong Yingrong stood under the corridor, staring at the direction of the ancestral hall in a daze. The sunlight shone through the branches of the old locust tree, casting mottled light and shadows on her crimson skirt.
"Xue An will prepare the sacrifices tomorrow and open the ancestral temple to worship the ancestors."
The steward bowed his head upon hearing this and said, "Old Madam is right. I will go and prepare it right away."
"We need to prepare three kinds of animals for the sacrifice, and some seasonal fruits," Hong Yingrong instructed carefully. "I remember the tiles on the east wall of the ancestral hall are a little loose. While the weather is good these few days, have someone fix it."
"Yes, old lady." Xue An bowed in response, but his eyes unconsciously glanced towards the back mountain.
Hong Yingrong suddenly changed the subject: "By the way, I remember that the Marquis loved to use pine soot ink when he was alive. The pens and ink in the ancestral hall should be replaced with new ones."
Xue An's Adam's apple rolled, and his voice tightened a little: "Don't worry, Madam, I have carefully kept all the things that the Marquis is used to."
That night, Xue An went to the woodshed in the back mountain alone. Moonlight shone through the window lattice, illuminating Xue Yonghuai polishing a sword under the lamp.
"My Lord." Xue An whispered, "The old lady will open the ancestral hall to worship the ancestors tomorrow."
The hand wiping the sword paused slightly, Xue Yonghuai looked up, and a trace of pain flashed in his only eye.
"Go and prepare." After a long while, Xue Yonghuai finally found his voice. "Do as the old lady wishes."
The next morning, Xue An led his servants to clean the ancestral hall inside and out.
The three sacrificial animals were neatly arranged, and the newly replaced pine soot ink exuded a faint pine scent.
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