"Will the old lady take us in?" Liao Xiaodie felt weak, angry and uneasy, and had no confidence at all.
Gong Yipeng was devastated by the sudden loss of his job due to the indemnity, but as the head of the family, he could only try his best to cheer himself up. He nodded and replied, "Of course. We're just staying here for a while. Once my father and brother have found out the situation in the capital, I'll try to find a new job and help you and Zhu'er settle down as soon as possible."
"Brother Peng, all the mistakes are my fault. It was because of my momentary confusion that you lost your job and our family became penniless." Before she finished speaking, Liao Xiaodie's eyes were filled with tears. She was not pretending, but was deeply distressed by her poverty.
Gong Yipeng sighed. He always trusted his wife. "You're doing this for our daughter. I don't blame you. Well, let's not talk about the past. Cheer up. Look at the cart and the horse. I'll ask the yamen runners for the location."
"Hmm." Liao Xiaodie lowered her head, perched beside the dilapidated cart, facing the wall and her back to the pedestrians, fearing the ridicule of her friends. In reality, aside from the Guo family and some of the county magistrate's relatives, she had no friends in Heqin. Her competitive nature, driven by a desire for wealth and fame, made her both hate and fear being ridiculed.
She was devastated by the sudden change from rich to poor.
Gong Yipeng hurried up the stairs and asked for the address at the county government office. Because his clothes were dusty, he was ignored and questioned. He smiled and explained, and finally found out the address.
"The old lady lives in Guangchang Lane!"
Liao Xiaodie asked gloomily, "Where is Guangchang Lane?"
"Get on the cart and sit tight, then ask passersby and you'll know." Gong Yipeng helped his wife sit on the cart, shook the reins, and drove the cart clumsily, asking for directions along the way to find Guo's house in Guangchang Lane.
At this moment. Guo Mansion
In spring, the flowers and trees in the courtyard sprout new buds, and the garden is full of greenery and vitality.
It was almost noon and the sound of reading in the study gradually died down. The uncle and nephew put down their books for a while and usually had lunch and a short nap before continuing their studies in the afternoon.
"Oh, studying is so tiring." Guo Yu made a bitter face and ran out of the study as if escaping. He couldn't wait and went straight to the main room, shouting as he walked: "I'm so tired!"
Guo Hongxuan scoffed, "You only learned three characters this morning, why are you so tired?"
"He can sit still and is willing to practice calligraphy and study patiently, which makes him much better than at the beginning." Guo Hongzhe smiled gently.
"Grandpa!" The little fat boy rushed into the main room, but was told by the maid: "The old lady is in the east wing, visiting Master Ye."
"Ah? Oh." The little fat boy turned around and ran towards the east wing.
East Wing
The wet nurse held the baby steadily. Madam Pan served tea and asked with a smile, "Look, have you grown a little bit?"
The baby's cheeks are white and tender, his big eyes are watery and bright, with clear black and white, and he blinks innocently, which is very adorable.
Wang narrowed her presbyopic eyes, leaned forward to examine the child carefully, nodded repeatedly, and answered happily, "Well, not bad, not bad! The child is white and plump, and has a strong body. It's obvious that you have put your heart into it. Take good care of Ye'er, and you will be rewarded handsomely."
The wet nurse hesitated and replied, "Taking care of the young master is my old servant's duty."
At this time, Guo Yu jumped into his grandmother's arms and said coquettishly, "Grandma, studying is so tiring."
"Only those who endure the most hardships can achieve greatness. No matter how tiring it is to study, you must work hard. In the future, you will pass the imperial examination and bring honor to your family." Wang hugged her eldest grandson and asked lovingly, "Are you hungry? Dinner will be served soon. Take a nap after dinner to refresh yourself and continue studying this afternoon."
The little fat boy got a headache when he heard the word "study". He pouted and didn't say anything. He stretched his neck and came closer, asking excitedly: "Hey? Brother, you're awake. Do you recognize who I am? I'm your big brother!"
The master was beaming, and Wang hurriedly warned him, "Be quiet, don't shout, or you might scare your brother."
"Brother, grow up quickly. Let's study and play together. By then, you should be able to run faster than sister Baozhu, and it will be more fun to play with you." Guo Yu stretched out his hand and tried to touch the baby's face, but was held down by his grandmother.
"Only look, no touch!" Wang happily played with her grandson, and warned: "You are still young, and your hands are not gentle enough. If you accidentally hurt your brother's eyes, it will be terrible."
"Okay, if you don't want me to touch you, then don't." The little fat boy nestled in his grandmother's arms and touched his belly. "I'm so tired from studying. I'm so hungry."
Elderly people are often like this: they place great importance on incense and dote on their grandchildren. Now, Wang gave all her love to her two legitimate grandchildren. When she heard that her eldest grandson was hungry, she immediately stood up and said, "Let's go and eat! Ye'er should drink his milk too. The child can't go hungry."
"yes."
Madam Pan and Madam Qiu bowed and watched them go. "Take care."
Wang, holding her eldest grandson by the hand, chatted and laughed with her trusted maidservant. She walked out the door and headed towards the main house. As she passed the east wing, she glanced at the half-open door and asked casually, "Is Qiaozhen still awake?"
The servants were afraid of offending the Madam, and they all said, "We have been following you since we got up early, so we don't know for sure."
"Alas," Wang, with her gray hair and hunched back, knew the truth, and sighed helplessly, "She's probably fallen asleep again after breakfast. How can this continue? If she's unwell, she should see a doctor and take medicine. If she's fine, she's been lazing around all day. How can it be acceptable?"
The servants dared not reply, but remained silent and supported them. Before they could return to the main room, they saw the doorman running over and reporting:
"Madam, Mr. and Mrs. Gong are here to visit."
"oh?"
Wang stopped and didn't think about why the doorman awkwardly changed his address to "Mr. Gong". She hurriedly ordered: "Hurry and invite them in!"
"Yes." The doorman turned and left.
Wang heaved a sigh of relief and walked towards the main room, saying happily, "I've waited so long, and finally Yipeng and his wife are here. Now that they can go out, I guess the lawsuit is over."
"That should be it." The maid nodded in agreement.
As a result, you can imagine how surprised the Guo family was when they met!
In the main hall, after greeting each other, everyone took their seats. Guo Hongzhe and Guo Hongxuan sat side by side, at a loss.
Gong Yipeng smiled wryly and said sadly, "Although the court didn't issue an official decree, it was essentially a confiscation of property. All my property was confiscated, and I lost my official position. Fortunately, the emperor was very gracious, and with the help of close friends and relatives, I was spared the death penalty and imprisonment."
Liao Xiaodie hugged her daughter, her eyes red as she choked up and said, "I'm ashamed to cause trouble to the old lady again."
Wang frowned, gazing at the two destitute youngsters for a long moment, unable to recover her composure. She sighed, "At least their lives are safe. Every failure is a learning experience. Xiaodie, don't make the same mistake again."
"How dare I? Just once is enough to make me regret it." Liao Xiaodie burst into tears.
The next moment, Wang Qiaozhen, who had been sleeping late, rushed over after hearing the news. As soon as she stepped through the threshold, her eyes widened and she gasped repeatedly, looking shocked. She asked in a choked voice, "Oh my God, Xiaodie, how did you two become like this?"
"Oh my God, oh my God. It's been over a month since we last saw each other. Xiaodie, you've lost a lot of weight. Is that okay?" Wang Qiaozhen couldn't help gloating, feeling extremely relieved. She bent over to look at her intently, her eyes fixed on her.
Liao Xiaodie forced a smile. "Thank you for your concern, cousin. I'm fine." She knew she was hoping for her downfall. She had vowed to escape poverty since childhood, enduring countless humiliations. To think that after just a few years as a high-flying official's wife, she would be reduced to this state of disgrace was truly depressing.
Wang asked with concern, "What are your plans for the future?"
Liao Xiaodie frowned, "To be honest, our property was confiscated and we are penniless. Fortunately, our friends generously donated money so that we can come to Heqin."
Gong Yipeng felt extremely embarrassed, his face flushed. He gritted his teeth and spoke with difficulty, "Please, old lady, take me in for a while. Don't worry, as soon as I get out of this situation, I'll write home. If nothing unexpected happens, my father will find a way to help me. Once this storm has passed, I'll find a job right away and won't cause you any more trouble."
People have already come to seek refuge here. They are both old friends and relatives. Wang hesitated for a few breaths, and finally replied, "Relatives should take care of each other. You know, the Guo family is far from what it used to be. They only have simple meals. If you don't mind, please stay and patiently wait for news from the elders in the capital."
The distressed couple was immediately overjoyed, and they both breathed a sigh of relief. They stood up and thanked her, "Thank you, old lady!"
"Thank goodness you're here, otherwise, Brother Peng and I really don't know what to do."
Wang Qiaozhen couldn't stop him in time, and her face changed slightly, but then she smiled and said enthusiastically, "Well, between relatives, being too polite will become awkward. You can just stay here with peace of mind!"
In the past, the Marquis of Jingyang's mansion was a place of strict rules and deep courtyards, so Gong Yipeng had actually only met Wang Qiaozhen a few times. He was polite and never looked directly at the young widow. He bowed and replied, "Thank you very much, thank you very much."
Liao Xiaodie had to smile apologetically, as she had to ask for help. Just as she opened her mouth, her stomach began to gurgle.
"Why?"
"What's the noise?" Wang Qiaozhen asked knowingly, trying hard to hold back her laughter, but she couldn't hide the sarcasm in her eyes.
"I..." After days of traveling and being short of money, Liao Xiaodie, who had lived a life of luxury for so long, couldn't get used to the simple food and often went hungry. Hungry and embarrassed in public, she blushed instantly, biting her lip and wishing she could crawl into a crack in the ground.
Wang acted nonchalant and said, "It's lunchtime. Qiaozhen, tell the table to be set and have the kitchen cook a few more dishes. We can have a good chat to welcome Yipeng and Xiaodie and to calm their nerves."
"OK."
Wang Qiaozhen was unusually submissive. She withdrew from the main room with a stiff face. In a blink of an eye, she returned to her own room, closed the doors and windows, and laughed with glee. She was so happy that she couldn't straighten her back and sat down to clap her hands:
“Hahahaha~”
“It’s so satisfying, so satisfying!”
"Things have changed, and finally it's Liao Xiaodie's turn to be unlucky. Tsk, look at her miserable appearance, isn't it ridiculous?"
The trusted maid nodded vigorously, "It's almost hilarious! I wonder if you noticed that the back of her cotton-padded jacket has a big hole in it. It's really shabby."
"Really? We were facing each other just now. Let me take a look later and admire the shabby appearance of my cousin Xiaodie!"
Wang Qiaozhen was almost overjoyed at the enemy's misfortune. She smiled, but suddenly her face fell and she said coldly, "A whole family came to stay with us, eating and drinking for free. How dare they do that! Humph, my aunt is confused and soft-hearted, but I can't stand it."
After more than ten years of companionship, the maid understood and immediately asked respectfully, "What are your wishes, Madam?"
Wang Qiaozhen glanced at him with relief, smiled contentedly, and replied lazily, "No rush, let her stay first while I think about it. Humph, back then, when the Guo family was in trouble, we begged humbly, hoping to stay and farm outside the city. She pretended to obey, but secretly disobeyed, causing us to go to Changping County. Now that God has opened his eyes and sent her to my hands, I swear I would not be a human being if I didn't take revenge!"
"Just wait and see. Within three days, I will find a way to send her to Yuehu Town. Just stay in the village honestly and experience the hardship of farming to relieve my hatred." Wang Qiaozhen spoke every word with gritted teeth, her eyes burning with anger.
At this moment, the north bank of Cangjiang River
The young couple was completely unaware of the household affairs.
After Guo Honglei gave the instructions, the defenders took immediate action and arranged several warships to rush to the other side to provide support.
The others wisely moved away, leaving only two people sitting side by side on the rocks by the shore, one supervising the ferry while the other enjoyed the beautiful spring scenery.
Jiang Yushu placed a bouquet of flowers he had given her on her lap. As she admired them, she asked in surprise, "More than 300 new recruits, are they all convicts?"
Guo Honglei nodded. "Yes. Yongzhou is currently short of troops. The imperial court is worried that the Northern Qiong might take advantage of this opportunity to launch a surprise attack, so they ordered us to recruit new soldiers as quickly as possible. In addition to recruiting, we also continuously bring in fugitives."
"They came really early. Calculating the date, could it be that they set out at the beginning of the year in the wind and snow?" Recalling the 3,000-mile journey of exile, Jiang Yushu was filled with emotion.
"No, that would freeze you to death." Guo Honglei sat upwind, shielding her from the wind, and explained, "The original rule of exile was 'northerners exiled south, southerners exiled north,' but due to Yongzhou's severe shortage of troops, the court adopted a temporary measure, 'northerners exiled north.' Therefore, they are all from near Xicang."
Jiang Yushu suddenly realized, "Oh! The imperial court has put a lot of effort into settling the border with immigrants."
Suddenly, Wei Xu's scolding voice rang out from not far behind them:
"Oh, clumsy!"
"Can't you at least use your brain when encountering problems?"
"Hurry up and put some stones on it! The book is about to be blown away by the wind. Where's the passport? Lock it in the box immediately!"
Chronicles and maps were spread out on the slate, and the strong wind blew, making the papers rustle. The servant frantically picked up pebbles and pressed them down one by one.
Wei Xu sat cross-legged, concentrating on studying the "Yongzhou Chronicles", and vowed to realize his ambitions.
Guo Honglei withdrew his gaze, frowned, and asked, "You just said that Master Wei's father was the Minister of Justice?"
Jiang Yushu nodded, "Yeah."
"Who told you that?"
Jiang Yushu was startled. "Envoy Liang told me this himself. Is there something wrong?"
Guo Honglei replied puzzledly, "The current Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice is indeed surnamed Wei, and he indeed moved to the capital in recent years. I know several of the young masters of the Wei Mansion, although we are only acquaintances, but I don't recall any of them being named 'Wei Xu'."
Jiang Yushu thought for a moment and asked softly, "The Second Young Master was born in a marquisate, and his status is noble, so ordinary people can't marry him. I guess Deputy Envoy Wei is probably a concubine's son, right? A concubine's son is not qualified to meet a noble young man from a marquisate."
"Madam, you don't know," Guo Honglei whispered, "Rumor has it in the capital that Minister Wei is extremely henpecked and dares not take a concubine. As far as I can remember, the Wei family has no illegitimate children at all."
"ah?"
Jiang Yushu was stunned. "What's going on? Did Deputy Envoy Wei lie?"
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