My father is here, my stepmother is here, my eldest brother is here, my younger sister is here—Mr. Xia Wu, who is about to marry my younger sister, is here too?
Xia Zhenyun and Yu Shan haven't gotten married yet, so why should he get involved in the Jiang family affairs?
Jiang Yushu was confused and frightened, but she quickly calmed down, forced a smile, and said happily, "Haha, hahaha, great, this is really lively! Since it's father's wish, then do as he says. Please invite mother, mother and Mingcheng to live with us."
She gritted her teeth and uttered the word "mother" with difficulty.
"As for Xia Zhenyun, my father-in-law has other plans," Guo Honglei whispered. "He told me to acknowledge him and explain it to everyone as a family friendship. Brother Xia, under the orders of the elders, came specially to celebrate our mother's birthday. This is the only reasonable explanation and will prevent the family scandal from being aired publicly."
Admit it? At first glance, it sounded like taking the blame. Jiang Yushu sighed, no longer able to be surprised. She nodded woodenly, "Old friends? Okay, I'll remember that."
Guo Honglei smiled, hugged her and walked towards the carriage, saying with emotion: "In fact, the ancestors of both the Jingyang Marquis Mansion and the Dongqin Earl Mansion were founding fathers of the dynasty. At that time, they were indeed very close, but then each generation became more and more distant. By our generation, we are just nodding acquaintances."
"Although we're distant, we can still be considered family friends." Jiang Yushu perked up and walked briskly, "Let's go, let's go pick them up first!"
Zou Gui drove out in a carriage. Cui Mei, clutching her schoolbag, was alternately happy and worried, muttering, "My Lord is on a mission under orders. Madam, the eldest son, and Mr. Xia must have come to Heqin for the second daughter, not the eldest."
The county town was not big. Quarter of an hour after leaving the government office, they met the imperial envoy's carriage head-on.
In the areas beyond the Great Wall, common people would rarely see an official in their lifetime, let alone a high-ranking official, let alone an imperial envoy.
The imperial envoy, who usually only appeared in rumors and operas, actually appeared before their eyes today. You can imagine how curious the people were!
So, even though the county government sent out all its runners and tried their best to disperse the crowd, the people were unwilling to leave. The streets were crowded with people, who excitedly followed the imperial envoy and his entourage, talking about everything.
"Ouch!"
"There are too many people." The carriage stopped due to the traffic jam. Zou Gui reported loudly: "Sir, the yamen runners in front are shouting: No matter whose carriage it is, you must give way immediately to avoid colliding with the imperial envoy!"
"Understood." The crowd was so dense that Guo Honglei had no choice but to spur his horse closer to the carriage window and instruct, "Take my men with you and retreat into the alley to avoid the danger. My mother-in-law's carriage is right behind the imperial envoy. Once we meet up, I'll take her home."
Jiang Yushu looked up, "What about you?"
"My father-in-law just gave instructions, and the county magistrate has also invited me. There will be a welcoming banquet tonight, and I have to attend." Amid the noisy discussions, Guo Honglei said loudly, "It's crowded, be careful!"
"You have to be more careful when you're alone."
Guo Honglei laughed, "I know!" After saying that, he left two personal soldiers behind, turned his horse's head and walked towards the group of officials. After a face-to-face greeting, the yamen runners politely let him go and surrounded him to Jiang Shisen's carriage.
Jiang Yushu and her group retreated into a nearby alley to avoid the situation and waited patiently.
Sure enough, more than a quarter of an hour later, another group of unfamiliar carriages and horses came into view.
Zou Gui trotted over, approached to investigate, and quickly returned to report: "I recognize him. The person in the first car is Young Master Jiang!"
"good."
The guards drove the carriage out of the alley. Jiang Yushu took a deep breath, got up and got out of the carriage, then walked over slowly.
Even at a distance, Jiang Mingcheng's eyes lit up. He quickly jumped off the carriage and ran closer. He stopped when he was three feet away. He was extremely nervous, his eyes wide open, and he excitedly called out, "Big Sister..."
As the dusk deepened, the sky became darker and the evening breeze blew, causing Jiang Yushu's clothes to flutter.
When the siblings looked at each other, she noticed tears glistening in her half-brother's eyes. She was startled for a moment, not knowing what to think. She looked at him intently and sighed with a smile, "It's been a few years since we last met, Mingcheng. You've grown taller, taller than me."
"Sister!" Jiang Mingcheng, a tall and thin man, wiped his eyes with his sleeve and said in a hoarse voice, "Sister, you've suffered a lot in the past few years. I've always wanted to come visit you, but my parents are worried and won't let me travel far."
Jiang Yushu remained calm and said, "Life is full of suffering. Don't worry, I'm doing fine now." After a pause, she stared across at the other person and asked, "How's Mom?"
“She, she—”
Jiang Mingcheng stood there awkwardly, hesitating for a few breaths before answering uncomfortably, "It's a long journey, and my mother is old and can't stand the bumpy ride. She's not used to the climate."
Jiang Yushu smiled and said, "It's inevitable that she might feel uncomfortable with the local climate when she first arrives in a strange place. I'll let my doctor take a look at her later. I'll go take a look."
"No, not yet." Jiang Mingcheng was worried and worried, fearing that his family would quarrel in the street. He explained, "As soon as we entered the city, my mother said she felt dizzy and was resting her eyes."
Jiang Yushu was so happy that she looked at her stepmother less and said, "Let her rest for a while! Let's go to my house."
"Yeah." Jiang Mingcheng nodded repeatedly.
Jiang Yushu thought for a moment, "Oh, right, your brother-in-law just mentioned that there's a Mr. Xia. Where does he live?"
"He took his men and stayed at the inn."
"Oh." Jiang Yushu nodded and said, "It's getting dark soon. Follow us and go."
"Okay!" Jiang Mingcheng observed his sister's expression and saw that she was not angry at all. He breathed a sigh of relief and ran back to his carriage.
The wheels rumbled, and as night fell, a group of people entered Guangchang Lane, and three carriages stopped outside the Guo Mansion.
When Xu's mother and son arrived, everyone in the Guo family was puzzled. The servant hurriedly informed them, and Jiang Yushan rushed out in disbelief. Out of courtesy, Wang Qiaozhen also greeted them in time, and Guo Hongzhe and his brother followed.
"Mother, mother, is she really here?" Jiang Yushan walked hurriedly, panting.
Jiang Mingcheng was very annoyed, "How can it be fake? Who has the time to tease you?"
Now that we're here, we'll have to meet face to face sooner or later.
Jiang Yushu walked calmly towards the carriage that Xu was riding in.
"Slow down."
"Ahem." Mrs. Xu was helped out of the car by her eldest son. She stood still and walked towards the younger generations in the light of several lanterns.
One marriage after another went wrong, and Jiang Yushan blamed everyone and everything, and also felt resentful towards her mother. With drooping eyelids, she seemed to shout happily, "Mom!"
"Shan'er!" Mrs. Xu beamed with joy. She hugged her precious daughter and immediately held her face in her hands, looking at her lovingly. Her love for her was evident in her words. She whispered helplessly, "You, ah, you!"
Jiang Yushu watched for a moment, then bowed in a serious manner and said, "My daughter greets my mother and pays her respects to you."
"Hey, no need to be so polite, Yushu, get up quickly." Xu let go of her own daughter and wanted to support her.
Jiang Yushu didn't hesitate and dodged to the side without leaving any trace. "I heard from Mingcheng that you are not used to the local climate?"
"There are some, but it's nothing serious." Xu looked at her stepdaughter, but couldn't see clearly because it was dark.
Then, Wang Qiaozhen came closer, hiding her disdain for the show, and said with a cheerful smile, "It's been many years since we last met. It's rare for Madam to come all the way to visit. Please come in and have a seat."
Afterwards, Guo Hongzhe and Guo Hongxuan saluted politely, and Jiang Mingcheng hurriedly returned the greeting.
"please."
"Come in, and watch your step."
The entrance to the mansion was bustling with activity. Xu was supported by her own children, one on each side. She responded to the greetings as she walked, glancing at them several times:
The stepdaughter was dignified and smiled gently, never showing any resentment.
But she keenly noticed that her stepdaughter's eyes had changed. She was no longer as cautious as before, and when facing her, she had no restraint or intention to please.
A moment later, the main room
After the greetings, both sides took their seats one after another.
The hardships of exile had all but worn away Wang's spirit, causing her to rapidly weaken, her health far inferior to that of her pampered days. She suspected something was amiss at the Jiang residence, but since they didn't want to air their dirty laundry, she feigned ignorance and didn't bother to worry. She sighed, "Alas, I've been away from the capital for years now, and I've always wanted to return home, but my health isn't as strong as my in-laws'. My heart is there, but my strength is limited. It's a profound regret."
Although they were of the same generation, Xu subconsciously still respected her as the Marquis' wife. She sat down and smiled, "No, you look much better than me!"
"What's good about that? I'm really old. Look, my hair is all white. Time is merciless." Wang said with a pleasant face, "I never thought we would meet again in this life. It's not easy to come here from thousands of miles away. You have to stay a while!"
Xu's eyes were dotted with fine wrinkles, but her hair was still white. She smiled, thankful that the other party hadn't asked about her family affairs. She apologized, "Alas, if it weren't such a long way away, I would have come to visit long ago. When we heard that Yushu's father had been appointed an imperial envoy, my mother and I immediately packed our bags and set off on a long journey. First, to visit the in-laws, and second, to see our grandson."
"Thank you, you are so thoughtful." Wang praised.
Jiang Yushu thought to herself: He's lying with his eyes open!
The baby was fast asleep on the grandmother's low couch. Wang smiled cheerfully, turned her head, and carefully tucked in the thin blanket for her grandson. "Yer just happened to be tired from playing and fell asleep. When he wakes up, he can greet his grandmother and uncle."
"It's okay, it's okay. Let the child sleep. He will cry if he doesn't get enough sleep." Mrs. Xu narrowed her eyes and looked at her chubby grandson. She felt very uncomfortable.
Jiang Mingcheng stood side by side with Guo Hongzhe and Guo Hongxuan, craning their necks to examine them with great interest. He praised, "My nephew looks an awful lot like my brother-in-law. I'm sure he'll be a brilliant scholar and warrior in the future!"
Jiang Yushan gritted her teeth and smiled, her sharp nails digging deep into her palms, almost pinching herself to bleed.
"Hahaha~" Wang beamed. "Whether Junjie is Junjie or not, you'll know when he grows up. But he does have a personality like his father. He rarely cries unless he's hungry or hurt. He's active all day long and especially naughty."
Jiang Yushu sat next to her sister-in-law, looking past her half-sister to the child on the couch, and said with a smile: "I received a gift from my grandmother and uncle today. When Ye'er wakes up, I will definitely teach him to thank the elders."
"What are you thanking me for? It's my duty!" Jiang Mingcheng felt itchy and wanted to hug his nephew.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Wang performed her formalities and then instructed, "Yushu, your mother and brother have come from afar and must be very tired. Please help them rest and recuperate before we continue our conversation. Qiaozhen, go prepare dinner; it should be light."
"Hey." The two daughters-in-law stood up and went about their business.
Jiang Yushu originally thought that she would be troubled, but she got busy and unknowingly it was late at night. After taking a shower and sitting down, it was almost three o'clock in the morning.
Late at night, Heqin County was completely silent.
Suddenly, there was a sound of horse neighing at the gate of the mansion, followed by the sound of servants coming to greet them.
After a while, Guo Honglei, reeking of alcohol, pushed the door open and walked in. "Are you still not resting?"
"My mother-in-law's birthday is tomorrow, and my sister-in-law and I just finished our work." Jiang Yushu poured him a cup of tea and asked with concern, "How much did you drink? Are you drunk?"
"Mr. Shen from the Ministry of Revenue has a huge appetite. I almost passed out drunk."
Guo Honglei took a sip of tea and said, "Thank you, Madam and sister-in-law, for your hard work in organizing the birthday banquet."
"As I should, this is the duty of a daughter-in-law. Was the welcoming party lively?" There was the sound of splashing water, and Jiang Yushu was twisting her handkerchief.
"At most, there are less than ten people. After all, he is an imperial envoy, so the county magistrate dare not rashly invite anyone to accompany him." Guo Honglei took the handkerchief and wiped his face. "Your colleague, Wei Xu, is also here."
"Is Dad okay?"
Guo Honglei was drunk, his handsome face flushed slightly. "My father-in-law is still in good health, but he was upset about Yushan's marriage. After the banquet, he kept me chatting for half an hour."
"Oh, it would be strange if I wasn't worried!"
"By the way, why did Mr. Xia come to Heqin?" Jiang Yushu speculated, "Could it be that he's dissatisfied with Yu Shan running away from her relatives, and has come all the way here to call her to account?"
"No."
Guo Honglei drank the warm tea in his mouth. "According to my father-in-law, Xia Zhenyun was not angry at all. He was very worried. He brought people to chase after us and treated us with great respect."
"He doesn't blame Yushan?"
Guo Honglei pushed the empty cup aside and said, "It is said that he has no intention of blaming me and has taken the initiative to propose postponing the wedding to October."
"What?" Jiang Yushu was startled and the tea spilled out.
Guo Honglei took the teapot and put it away. "Anyway, from what my father-in-law said, Xia Zhenyun is very satisfied with Yushan and is willing to tolerate her."
"This, this is really generous." Jiang Yushu was speechless.
Guo Honglei continued, "Since the wedding is scheduled for October, my mother-in-law and the others won't have time to stay for long. My father-in-law wants my mother-in-law to lead Yushan and Mingcheng back to the capital with the people from the Dongqin Marquis' Mansion in three or five days."
"Three to five days? Too anxious?" In an instant, Jiang Yushu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She really couldn't stay with Xu's mother and daughter for long.
Guo Honglei consoled him, "Both families are prominent, and we can't keep postponing this happy occasion. The journey is long, so we must set off as soon as possible. Don't worry, Xia Zhenyun has brought a lot of guards, so we'll have a safe journey."
The author has something to say: The weather is getting cold, it’s time to distribute lunch boxes…
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