Chapter 190 His Hatred (Part 2)
Pei Xingju had a headache and hurriedly poured tea for General Gu: "Master, the tea is getting cold."
"I don't want tea! I want wedding wine!" Old Man Gu got stubborn and said angrily, "I'm telling you, next time you come to see me, you have to bring a child with you, otherwise don't come at all."
“.........”
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
"Which one?" Old Man Gu asked in a hoarse voice.
The door opened, and Yingniang came in carrying cakes. "It's still early for lunch. These are potato cakes made by Miss Zhuang herself. She said she made them especially for Grandpa to try."
When Old Man Gu heard this, he chuckled. Seeing Pei Xingju reaching out to take a piece, he snapped his hand away and said, "This is made for me. Is there any for you? If you want to eat, bring the kids here."
Pei Xingju: ""
Yingniang glanced at Pei Xingju and said with a smile, "Master Pei, please play chess with grandfather. We are in for a treat at lunch today. Miss Zhuang is busy in the kitchen right now."
"Good, good! Yuzhi's wife is really capable!" Old Man Gu praised.
Yingniang knew her grandfather's temper, so she didn't correct him. She delivered the cakes and left.
A charcoal brazier burned inside the house, and a carpet was laid on the floor. Although the Gu family lived in seclusion in the village, they were not in dire straits. Not only was the Second Master Gu engaged in business, but even the rewards that General Gu had received from his time accompanying the Emperor Taizu in conquering the country were enough to last the family a lifetime. Therefore, even living in the village, they had plenty of food and clothing.
Following Zhuang Wan's topic, Old Man Gu rambled on and on about a bunch of "bad ideas" before finally getting to the point.
"Your father was a promising young man. I watched him grow up," said General Gu. "He joined the army at the age of twelve, and at sixteen he single-handedly entered the enemy camp and killed over twenty men. That's when he began to show his talent, and I recommended him to my army. From then on, your father followed me into battle. He was brave and courageous, but the battle at Changpo that left the deepest impression on me was truly dangerous..."
He slowly recalled, "I was wounded by an arrow, separated from our reinforcements, and surrounded by the enemy in front, unable to advance or retreat. But he forcibly led a team through the encirclement and tore a hole in the enemy camp. It was also in that battle that your father became famous and even married your mother."
"Your mother was a beauty..." Recalling the past, General Gu smiled and said, "She was the daughter of Grand Tutor Xie, from a prominent family. Many men wanted to marry her, but your father snatched her away."
Pei Xingju also smiled, his long eyelashes drooped gently, his eyes filled with beautiful memories.
"But what a pity..." After a while, General Gu's expression became dejected: "If Pei Zhang were still here, he would be so pleased to see how outstanding you are."
The air was silent, and sparks in the charcoal basin crackled and exploded.
"The Liang family was extremely ambitious and framed your father to seize military power. Over twenty members of your Pei family were wiped out. When I learned of the situation, I went to see the bodies of your mother and two brothers wrapped in tattered bamboo mats. No one dared to bury them."
"Your father was a hero of Dazhao. He fought in countless battlefields, slaying enemies and defending his country. Who wouldn't admire him? I only regret that a traitor was in power and murdered him like this. After spending half his life in battle, he didn't even have a proper coffin."
Speaking of this, General Gu couldn't help rubbing his eyes.
Pei Xingju sat beside the charcoal brazier, staring at the red-hot charcoal fire. The fire reflected his dark eyes, which also looked alarmingly red.
"When your maternal grandfather declared you dead suddenly, I was heartbroken for a long time. Fortunately, God has mercy on me, and I later learned that you are still alive." General Gu said, "The Pei family finally has a little bloodline left. With you, the Pei family still has roots."
Pei Xingju remained silent, his eyes gloomy, as if immersed in the painful past, or calculating hatred.
It wasn't until a piece of charcoal exploded and broke that both of them came to their senses.
"Oh! I'm really old. I keep thinking about the past recently. Talking about these things during the New Year makes you sad." General Gu sighed.
"No." Pei Xingju said, "It is my mentor who always encourages me. I will always remember the mistakes I made."
At this point, General Gu said, "I've heard rumors in the capital. Duke Xin and the Queen Mother are having a quarrel right now."
"Um."
"That's a good thing," said General Gu. "You need to be patient now. You've endured it all these years. There's no need to rush. Let them fight first. Only when they're both hurt can you take action."
"Oh, right..." He put down his teacup and stood up: "I have something here. I was planning to have someone send it to you as soon as possible. It's a good opportunity that you're here, so take a look."
Pei Xingju hurried over to help him.
The two walked to the bookshelf, and General Gu said, "Take down the fourth book in the second row."
Pei Xingju took the book as instructed and saw a letter tucked inside.
General Gu said, "I once had a subordinate who was my deputy commander. He was later assigned to the Minzhou Navy. You must know his name, Zhu Zaimao. This letter was sent to me by his confidant."
Pei Xingju unfolded the letter and after reading it carefully, the corners of his lips curled up slightly: "Master, this letter is just the right time for me."
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