"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. It was not that she was pretending, but that she 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."
"Yeah." 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 truth, aside from the Guo family and some of the county magistrate's relatives, she had no friends in Heqin. This was due to her inherent competitive nature, having longed for wealth and fame since childhood. She hated and feared 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 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 "I'm so tired" as he walked.
Guo Hongxuan sneered, "You only learned three words 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.
"Grandma" The little fat man rushed into the main room quickly, but was told by the maid that "the old lady is in the east wing, visiting Master Ye."
"Oh." The little fat boy turned around and ran towards the east wing.
East Wing
The wet nurse held the baby steadily, and Aunt 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, "It is my duty to take care of the young master."
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 become the best. No matter how tiring it is to study, you must study hard so that you can 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, and asked excitedly, "Hey, little brother, you're awake. Do you recognize who I am? I'm your big brother."
The adult was beaming, and Wang hurriedly reminded 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 touching." Playing with her grandson, Wang happily warned, "You are still young, so don't be too heavy-handed. 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 always so devoted to 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, let's eat. Ye'er should drink his milk. 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 of the door and headed towards the main house. When she passed the first room of 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, "I have been following you since early morning, so I don't know for sure."
"Alas." Wang knew it all. Her hair was gray and her back was hunched. She sighed helplessly, "She must have fallen asleep again after breakfast. If this continues, how can it go on? If she is not feeling well, she should consult a doctor and take medicine. If she is fine, she is lazy all day long. How can it be acceptable?"
The servants dared not reply, but supported them silently. Before they returned to the main room, they saw the doorman running over to report
"Madam, Mr. and Mrs. Gong are here to visit."
"oh"
Wang stopped and did not think about why the doorman changed his name to "Mr. Gong" and hurriedly ordered "please let them in quickly."
"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, when they met, you can imagine how surprised the Guo family was.
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 raid. All my property was confiscated, and I lost my official position. Fortunately, the emperor was very gracious, and with the help of my close friends and relatives, I was spared the death penalty and imprisonment."
Liao Xiaodie hugged her daughter, her eyes red, and choked up as she 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 in, rushed over after hearing the news. As soon as she stepped into the doorway, 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. We haven't seen each other for over a month, Xiaodie, you've lost a lot of weight. Is it okay?" Wang Qiaozhen couldn't help gloating, feeling very relieved. She bent over to look at her, 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, I will write home as soon as I get out of this situation. If nothing unexpected happens, my father will find a way to help me. Once this storm has passed, I will immediately find a job and will not 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 overjoyed and 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 was unable to stop him, her face changed slightly, 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. 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 said, "Thank you very much, thank you very much."
Liao Xiaodie had to smile apologetically when she needed help. As soon as she opened her mouth, her stomach started to make a gurgling sound.
"Why"
"What's the noise?" Wang Qiaozhen asked knowingly, trying her best to hold back her laughter, but she couldn't hide the sarcasm in her eyes.
"I" had been traveling for days and was short of money. Having lived a life of luxury for so long, Liao Xiaodie 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 just right, time for lunch. Qiaozhen, tell the table to set the table and ask the kitchen to cook a few more dishes. We can have a good chat to welcome Yipeng and Xiaodie and calm their nerves."
"OK."
Wang Qiaozhen was unusually submissive. She straightened her face and left the main room. 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 waist and sat down to clap her hands.
"Hahaha"
"It's so refreshing, so refreshing"
"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! Did you notice that there's a big hole in the back of her cotton-padded jacket? It's really shabby."
"Really? We were facing each other just now. Let me take a look later and appreciate the ugly face 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 live with us, eating and drinking for free. How dare they complain? 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 do you want, Madam?"
Wang Qiaozhen glanced at him with relief, smiled with satisfaction, and replied lazily, "No hurry, let her stay first, let me think about it. Humph, back then, when the Guo family was in trouble, they begged us 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 will not be a human being if I don't take revenge on her."
"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, and her eyes were burning with anger.
At this moment on 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 knees. While admiring them, she asked in surprise, "More than 300 new recruits, all of them are convicts sent to the army?"
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 exile, Jiang Yushu was filled with emotion.
"No, that would freeze people to death." Guo Honglei sat upwind, shielding her from the wind, and explained, "The original rule of exile was that northerners were exiled south and southerners were exiled north. However, due to the severe shortage of troops in Yongzhou, the court adopted an expedient measure and exiled northerners north. Therefore, they are all from the vicinity of 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 was heard not far behind the two of them.
"Oh, clumsy"
"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. And as for the document of passage, 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 retracted 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 in the Wei Mansion, although we are only acquaintances, but I remember that there is no one named Wei Xu among them."
Jiang Yushu thought for a moment and asked softly, "The Second Young Master was born in a marquis's mansion. He has a noble status and is out of reach for ordinary people. I guess Deputy Envoy Wei might be a concubine's son. A concubine's son is not qualified to meet a noble young master from a marquis's mansion."
"Madam, you don't know," Guo Honglei whispered, "Rumor has it in the capital that Minister Wei is 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?"
The author has something to say
My cousin Wang Qiaozhen and Xiaodie, I've been wanting to treat you warmly for a long time.
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