Across half the yard, Jiang Shisen, dressed in casual clothes, stepped out of the hallway and asked cheerfully, "Are you back?"
Jiang Yushu narrowed her eyes and looked at him, then asked in surprise, "Father?"
"Didn't my father-in-law decide to stay in the government office for the New Year? Why did he come to Tuning?" Guo Honglei said as he walked quickly towards his elder.
Jiang Yushu answered blankly, "I don't know. When I passed by the capital, I specifically asked him about it. He said he had some unfinished business and didn't have time to come to Tuning. He would be spending the New Year with his cousin."
"Did something go wrong?" After saying this, the two walked side by side to the door of the hall, bowed politely and greeted each other:
"Father. When did you arrive?"
"The son-in-law pays his respects to his father-in-law."
Jiang Shisen bent down to help his son-in-law up, then raised his hand to support his daughter. He replied cheerfully, "Hurry up! Wenfeng and I just arrived this afternoon. After asking around, we found out you bought a house here."
"Wen, Wen——" Jiang Yushu was startled, "My cousin is here too?"
Guo Honglei remained calm as he helped his elder into the hall. "It's cold outside, let's go in and talk. Where's Brother Pei?"
"He caught a cold on the way and is not feeling well. He is resting in the room." Jiang Shisen sat down slowly.
Jiang Yushu followed, cheering herself up and asking with concern: "Have you called a doctor for your cousin? How is your health? Is your official work going smoothly?"
"I've already had a doctor examine him, and he's taking medicine." Jiang Shisen, increasingly pleased with his eldest daughter and son-in-law, replied affably, "My health is quite strong. I've been busy for six months, and my official duties are almost complete. I expect to return to the capital in March or April next year."
Guo Honglei personally served tea, "You are always running around, it's really too hard for you, please take care of yourself."
"I can't help it. I was born to work hard. I have to wait until Ye'er's two uncles can take charge of the family business before I can rest in peace." Talking about his grandson, Jiang Shisen was both relieved and sad. "I saw the child today and found that he has grown a lot. He is chubby and loves to joke. I am so relieved! Alas, Yushan has done evil and it is her own fault. She almost implicated an innocent person."
Jiang Yushu felt a pang of discomfort when she heard the name "Yushan." She decisively interrupted him and said soothingly, "Let's not talk about the past. Have you had dinner yet?"
"I'm old. I just took a whole afternoon to recover. I was just looking after the kids. It's a good opportunity for you to come back. Let's have dinner together."
Jiang Shisen, as he grew older, longed more and more for family happiness. He explained, "New Year's Eve is approaching, and I had originally planned to stay at the government office. But Wen Feng suddenly decided to come to Tuning to investigate a case. Wouldn't I have been alone during the New Year? So, I decided to come along and join in the fun."
"Great!" Guo Honglei sighed with emotion. "I thought I'd be alone again this year, but unexpectedly, my father-in-law, cousin, wife and children are all here. It's such a pleasant surprise."
Jiang Shisen sighed lovingly, "You've all suffered a lot in the past few years. Honglei's time guarding the border has been especially difficult. I pray that God will bless you and bring you happiness soon."
"Actually, once you get used to it, it won't be hard anymore." Guo Honglei took off his cloak.
"I hope it will be as my father said!" Jiang Yushu picked up her husband's cape that was draped over the back of the chair. As the hostess, it was her duty. "You guys chat while I go to the kitchen to check on dinner."
"Yeah." The two men nodded at the same time.
Night · East House
The baby was particularly happy to have a guest at home, and the guest loved him very much. He was also very happy to have his parents by his side. He stood on the kang, holding the railing, stretched out his hand to Jiang Yushu, and called out in a baby voice, "Mother! Mother!"
"Okay, I'm coming, don't shout." Jiang Yushu quickly stood up, sat on the edge of the couch and instructed: "The elders are talking about something, you should be quiet."
The baby is chubby and uses his hands and feet to climb the railing, trying to get into his mother's arms. He is energetic and lively.
Seeing this, Guo Honglei took a few big steps, picked up his son and put him in the armchair next to him. He blocked the exit with his arm and ordered sternly, "Stay still and don't make any trouble."
"Huh?" The baby leaned back in the chair, staring up at his father with awe, not daring to move for a moment.
Jiang Yushu was happy to see the father and son getting close, so she ignored it and turned to face Pei Wenfeng, asking in confusion: "Strange, why did Miss Du disappear?"
"I really don't know where she is!"
Pei Wenfeng was slightly ill, his face pale, and he leaned back in his chair with a headache. He said tiredly, "But her brother insisted that I was involved. He first accused me of something, then reported it to the police, and then he chased me and begged me to solve the case."
Jiang Yushu thought for a moment, "Could it be that the Du family believes their daughter has been kidnapped or trafficked?"
"Anything is possible." Pei Wenfeng was exhausted from the long journey. "Since I've reported it to the authorities, they can't just ignore it. But I've tried everything, but I still can't find him."
Guo Honglei speculated, "Are you sure that girl came to Tuning? She ran away in anger after arguing with her brother. Maybe she went back to her hometown to complain to her parents?"
"No. According to investigation, Du Feiyan did not return to her hometown. According to the clues, she came to Tuning alone." Pei Wenfeng was too tired to move.
Jiang Yushu asked curiously, "She lives in Qinzhou, what is she doing in Tuning?"
She loves to meddle in other people's affairs, and nine times out of ten, she's here to pry into old matters. Pei Wenfeng evaded the point, "Who knows what's going on in that kind of person's mind? It's very hard to guess."
Jiang Shisen frowned and twirled his beard, his face filled with displeasure. "Hmph, a bunch of unreasonable and troublesome people! Wen Feng, I've told you before, it's just a missing person case, you can just ask your subordinates to investigate, why bother running around yourself and taking on such a thankless task? Do you really owe this girl anything?"
“Unfair!”
Pei Wenfeng sat up straight, raised his hand and swore solemnly: "Heaven above, the sun and the moon are my witnesses, I swear I have never done anything to owe a girl. If I lie, I will bear any consequences -"
"Alright, alright! Don't swear without a reason."
Jiang Shisen interrupted, speaking earnestly, "I watched you grow up, so naturally I trust your character. But I don't understand why you didn't teach the law a lesson when the unruly people were so unreasonable? As an official appointed by the imperial court, you were actually harassed by unruly people. How can you maintain your dignity?"
"I understand what my uncle means." Pei Wenfeng took a deep breath and explained helplessly, "Actually, besides solving the case being my duty, I'm really angry. God knows, I clearly didn't do anything, but the Du family insisted, as if I deliberately seduced and even murdered Du Feiyan. It's simply slander!"
"So, I wish I could find her immediately, firstly to close the case, and secondly to clear my name so that I don't have to bear the bad reputation for the rest of my life." Pei Wenfeng looked solemn.
Jiang Yushu was caught off guard and didn't know what to think. She sighed and said, "I could see at the time that Miss Du really admired my cousin. I always thought she would slowly get over it, but I never expected her to be so infatuated, so infatuated—"
"It keeps on pestering me." Guo Honglei replied.
"She has no rules and is unruly. Her actions are inconceivable!" Jiang Shisen looked at his eldest daughter with disdain. "Yushu, are you familiar with Miss Du?"
Before Jiang Yushu could recover from her shock, Guo Honglei understood instantly and shook his head, "It was just a chance encounter. They had no personal connection. The Du family has been running the escort agency for generations, and they have a strong sense of underworld customs. Yushu and her had only crossed paths a couple of times, so they weren't familiar with each other at all."
"That's good." Jiang Shisen breathed a sigh of relief and warned, "Women are less cautious. You should give Yushu more advice on a daily basis."
Guo Honglei agreed deeply, "I understand."
"I—" Jiang Yushu was speechless, so she simply changed the subject and asked seriously, "Cousin, what are your plans now?"
"If there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask." Guo Honglei was sympathetic and said soothingly, "There's no banditry in Tuning, and everything is relatively peaceful. Perhaps Miss Du is in hiding out of anger. When she calms down and reappears, the case will naturally be closed. Brother Pei, don't worry too much."
Pei Wenfeng couldn't stand being wronged. He was eager to solve the case. His mind was full of clues and investigations. He answered absentmindedly, "I hope so."
Guo Honglei racked his brains, trying to show some concern for his cousin, but his sleeve was suddenly tugged. He turned around and saw:
"Daddy..." The baby grinned, but was obedient for only a moment before he could no longer sit still. He grabbed his father's sleeve, stood up, clung to his father's arm, and moved flexibly in the narrow armchair.
"Hmm." Guo Honglei's heart softened, and he warned with a smile: "Be careful not to fall and knock out your newly grown teeth."
"Tooth! Tooth!" The baby lay on the back of the chair, looking at Pei Wenfeng curiously. Then, his eyes were attracted by the glazed teacup he was holding, and he stood on tiptoe to reach out to take it.
"Ding-dang~" There was a crisp sound, the cup lid collided with the cup body, and then the cup lid was taken away.
Pei Wenfeng, who was lost in thought, was caught off guard and startled. He turned his head to look at the chubby baby and asked hesitantly, "Are you thirsty? Do you want some tea?"
The baby understands words like "eat, drink, sleep", and subconsciously smacks his lips and happily plays with the cup lid.
"Ye'er, stop being rude!" Guo Honglei stopped him as soon as he noticed. He spread out his palm and held it in front of his son. "What's so funny about the cup lid? Return it to your cousin."
Jiang Yushu hurriedly apologized, "I'm sorry, the child is ignorant."
Pei Wenfeng saw the baby holding the cup lid with both hands, looking bewildered and confused, his expression vaguely reminiscent of his cousin when she was young... In an instant, he was overwhelmed with emotions. He waved his hand and said calmly, "It's okay, let him play, don't scare the child."
"Yes, don't scare him." Jiang Shisen said cheerfully, and took the initiative to stuff the lid of his cup to his grandson, "Good boy, take it and play!"
As expected, elders often dote on their children too much. Jiang Yushu hesitated to speak, but Guo Honglei, with a fierce look on his face, pointed at the cup lid and said, "Don't do this again. This is a tea set, for drinking tea, not to be played with. Remember?"
The baby seemed to understand, but instinctively respected his father and nodded obediently.
"Why don't you put your things down quickly?" Jiang Yushu couldn't help laughing.
Pei Wenfeng watched everything silently. He thought he would be sad, but in fact he felt more melancholy than sad. As time passed, he almost completely let it go.
New Year's Eve is approaching, and our family welcomes two guests.
After Jiang Yushu arranged the food and daily life of her father and cousin, she took the opportunity to discuss the excavation of the canal with her father. It was both her interest and she wanted to avoid being speechless when General Song summoned her. She racked her brains and worked hard.
In a blink of an eye, it is New Year's Eve.
The servant stood on a ladder pasting Spring Festival couplets and hanging red lanterns, shouting, "How are they? Are they pasted straight?"
"Left, move to the left." The people below looked up and observed.
Jiang Yushu was in the side room. She took a quick look at the dishes and cakes, nodded, and said, "Okay, let's cook according to what Madam said."
"Yes," Nanny Pan said, bustling about in a hurry. "I'll go to the kitchen and make arrangements right away!" She suddenly stopped and returned to ask, "What kind of wine should we serve if the young master is free to come home for the New Year?"
Jiang Yushu said without hesitation, "Newly brewed rice wine, sweet and not intoxicating. At most, prepare two small pots to avoid delaying his urgent military information."
"Okay!" Nanny Pan accepted the order and left.
Soon, Jiang Yushu finished her work and planned to go back to her room to accompany her children. She walked briskly and was about to step over the threshold when she heard someone calling from the room across the street:
"Yushu!"
She turned her head when she heard the voice, "Father? What's wrong?"
Jiang Shisen walked down the stairs with his hands behind his back, slowly approached his daughter, and answered with a serious face, "I have something to ask you."
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