The group continued on their journey, crossed the Cang River, and headed south until they arrived at Guo's Mansion in Heqin County.
In the afternoon, the spring sunshine was bright, the sky was clear and the air was warm.
When the procession of carriages and horses stopped at the gate of the mansion, the gatekeepers rushed to greet the master and his wife, respectfully surrounding them and bowing, "Second Master, you're back!"
"I pay my respects to the Second Master."
"Quick, report to the old lady!"
After the carriage came to a complete stop, Jiang Yushu gently touched her daughter's cheek. "Yan'er? Wake up! We're home now. We'll be able to see grandma soon."
"Huh?" Guo Xiaoyan, groggily waking from a nap, rubbed her eyes. The ten-month-old baby, lovingly cared for by everyone, had finally begun to look plump and white. At least, his cheeks had become much fuller.
The nurse took out her hat and said, "We are home! Come, girl, put on your hat to protect yourself from the wind when you wake up. It is still cold this day."
Jiang Yushu bent down and carefully tied the blanket around her daughter, fearing that the child would catch a cold and get sick.
After a while, someone knocked on the wall outside the car and asked, "Are you ready?"
"Alright!" The maid opened the door curtain, and Jiang Yushu stepped out first. Guo Honglei offered his hand to help his wife out of the car. Then, he personally took the swaddle and asked happily, "We're home. Are you happy?"
Guo Xiaoyan had already recognized her father. She giggled and mumbled a bunch of words, looking very cute.
"Well, Daddy's happy too!" Guo Honglei nodded in satisfaction, handed the swaddling clothes to the wet nurse who had gotten off the car and stood still, and strode to the back car to greet the guests, "Doctor Guan, please go slower."
After several days of bumpy ride, Guan Zhonghe looked a little tired. He glanced around and praised, "Not bad, this place is nice."
Guo Honglei supported the old man and said, "You've been traveling so long, please come in and have some tea."
The servants came out quickly, busying themselves with moving luggage, leading horses and driving the carriage. It was a very lively scene.
A group of people who had just returned from a long journey walked into the gate, exhausted. After walking along the corridor for a while, they met Guo Hongzhe and his nephews who came to greet them in a hurry.
"Second brother!" Guo Hongxuan took his nephew's hand, pushed Guo Ye forward, and urged: "Ye'er, go quickly and greet your parents!"
Guo Hongzhe led his eldest nephew and said to Guo Yu gently, "Yu'er, come and meet the elders."
"Yes." Guo Yu was ten years old now. He was no longer fat and had grown rapidly. His head had reached his uncle's chest. The young boy took his cousin's hand, and the two brothers stood side by side and bowed respectfully.
"Yuer pays his respects to Second Uncle and Second Aunt."
Guo Ye was over three years old, chubby and white, with a chubby face. He looked up at his parents, his eyes filled with joy, curiosity, nervousness, and confusion. The boy stood there, opened his mouth, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say or do. So, he subconsciously hid, taking small steps, and hid behind his cousin.
"Well, good." Guo Honglei helped his nephew up and patted his arm gently. "Not bad, you've grown a lot taller and your physique is stronger!"
Jiang Yushu patted her nephew's head and praised him, "Good boy, you are becoming more and more polite." Immediately, she bent down and waved impatiently, "Ye'er? Why are you hiding behind your brother? Come out quickly and let your mother see you."
"Hahaha, this kid is shy! He was running so fast just now that we couldn't stop him. But now he's shy when we meet each other." Guo Hongxuan made fun of his nephew while greeting his brother, sister-in-law, and Guan Zhonghe.
Guo Hongzhe quickly approached, bowed deeply, and sighed, "Doctor Guan, it's been so long since we last met. I never dreamed we would meet again in Xicang! How are you, old man?"
"Third Young Master, please get up quickly. I am already an old man, but fortunately, I am still strong."
Guan Zhonghe looked at his former patient with great satisfaction, feeling a surge of emotion, his eyes warm. "How unpredictable things are! I remember the last time I saw you was in the pavilion in the garden of the Marquis' Mansion, but now—"
Guo Hongzhe smiled broadly, "Glory and wealth are like passing clouds. Living is more important than anything else."
"Yes, yes!" The old doctor raised his sleeve and pressed his eyes. "As long as we're alive, there's hope."
At the same time, next to
"Yer?"
"Come here, come here."
Jiang Yushu first bent down, then squatted down, clapped her hands, and called softly: "Come, let mother hug you!"
"Don't be afraid, little brother." Guo Yu twisted around, trying to pull his cousin out. "She's your mother. Everyone talks about her all the time. Didn't you say you missed her last night?"
Guo Ye grabbed the back of his cousin's clothes tightly, not letting go and not saying a word. He leaned forward and looked at his mother for a long time, his big eyes bright and lively.
Guo Honglei looked at his eldest son hiding behind his nephew, and frowned for a moment, "Yer? Guo Ye, come out!"
"Honglei, be careful not to scare the child." Jiang Yushu stared at her eldest son who was restrained and at a loss, and her nose felt sour.
Guo Ye looked up at his tall and majestic father and couldn't help feeling scared. He took small steps and walked slowly towards his mother.
Jiang Yushu picked up the child and kissed his forehead, left cheek and right cheek affectionately, and said helplessly: "We are always away from home for a year or two, and Ye'er doesn't recognize his parents anymore. He has become a stranger. My dear child, it's my fault--" At the end, she couldn't help but choked with sobs.
"Huh?" Guo Ye was stunned for a moment, then mustered up the courage to ask, "Mom, are you crying?"
"No!" Jiang Yushu cheered up in an instant and smiled, "Mom is so happy to see you! Come, say hello to your dad."
Guo Honglei, without further ado, took his eldest son in his arms. His face was stern, but he smiled as he walked over to him. "When you were little, you were so naughty and daring. I don't know how many of my crowns, buttons, fans, and other things you broke. Why have you become so timid now that you've grown up?"
"I'm not a coward!" Guo Ye blurted out, and said unconvincedly: "Doudou is."
Jiang Yushu asked curiously, "Who is Doudou?"
"The housekeeper's granddaughter is very timid. She will be scared to tears if you shout a little loudly." Guo Yu explained.
Guo Honglei held the child for a while, then handed him to his wife and quickly joined his brothers to entertain the guests.
It was bustling and a large group of people were walking in.
Suddenly, a tender neighing sound of "Whee~" was heard from behind. Guo Yu felt itchy and turned his head to look:
A servant was leading a chestnut foal, preparing to put it into the stable.
Instantly, Guo Yu intuitively determined it and shouted in surprise, "Second Uncle!"
Guo Honglei had already stepped into the threshold and turned around to answer: "What?"
"That, that pony, is it, is it--" Guo Yu was full of anticipation, his eyes wide open, pointing at the foal, his anxiety and anticipation evident.
Guo Honglei smiled and said knowingly: "This is for you. As long as you study hard, you will be rewarded in the future." He never forgot the gift he promised to give to the child.
"Thank you, second uncle!" In an instant, Guo Yu's heart was filled with joy. He ran back happily and galloped towards the foal.
Jiang Yushu hurriedly reminded: "Yu'er, you can't touch it before you are familiar with it."
"I know!" Guo Yu was in the process of changing his teeth. One of his front teeth had not yet grown out, but he had reached the age where he paid attention to his appearance. He usually refused to smile with his teeth showing, but at this moment he was overjoyed and grinned.
Guo Ye was born with a love for riding horses. He looked at them eagerly and envied them. He couldn't help but ask, "Dad, what about me? What about me?"
"You?" Guo Honglei answered loudly, "You're too young and not strong enough to control it. Let's wait a few years."
"...Oh." Guo Ye sighed in disappointment, then struggled, "I don't have a horse, so, can I go and take a look?"
Jiang Yushu couldn't help laughing and put him down. "Of course! Go." She worriedly instructed her followers, "Watch closely and don't let them get too close.
"Yes." The servant took Guo Ye's hand, and several people surrounded the colt, watching it with great interest.
Soon, the main hall
"Commander-in-Chief! Hahaha, great! My son got promoted again, of course it's great!"
"Get up, sit down, everyone sit down."
Wang was pleased and proud of her son's success. She smiled and stroked her granddaughter's cheek to show her affection. "Yan girl has finally gained some weight, but she still can't compare to her two brothers."
As he spoke, the old man twisted his waist, pinched his grandson's cheek to show off, and said proudly: "Look at Jiong'er, he is so chubby, his arms and legs are so strong, I can hardly hold him."
There had been some rift between the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law, but times had changed and the matter could no longer be confused. Jiang Yushu was always grateful for her mother-in-law's love for her children. She smiled and said, "The old lady is really good at taking care of children. I am ashamed of myself! Alas, it would be even better if Xiaoyan could be as strong as her brothers."
"Hahaha~" With her children and grandchildren around her knees, Wang was grinning from ear to ear. "My grandchildren are not picky eaters at all, so they are easy to feed. But Yan is a picky eater by nature. She eats very little, so she is thin. I have to find a way to stimulate her appetite in the future, otherwise, she won't be able to grow strong."
Appetite? How? Any folk remedies? Jiang Yushu hesitated, but Guo Honglei spoke first, "My son thinks the same thing. Thanks to Dr. Guan, he specially prescribed a prescription for Yan'er and also gave her some appetite-stimulating pills. Just follow his method."
Jiang Yushu immediately agreed: "Yes! The prescription prescribed by Doctor Guan is mild and can be used by children."
"Yes." Wang had a good impression of Guan Zhonghe. "Doctor Guan is an excellent doctor, so let's give it a try."
On the couch
Guo Jiong sat steadily, chubby, and concentrating on playing with a stuffed tiger.
Guo Xiaoyan was also sitting there, brother and sister facing each other, and outsiders would never guess they were twins. She leaned forward, reached out, grabbed the cloth tiger's tail, and pulled.
The younger sister tried to grab it, and the older brother noticed and also pulled it.
Guo Xiaoyan was no match for him and was dragged down, falling sideways on the soft cushion. She immediately burst into tears.
The brother was startled and stared at his sister in confusion.
"Okay, okay, it's okay, you're not hurt. You can play together!" Jiang Yushu hurriedly picked up her daughter.
Guo Honglei caught sight of it and without hesitation said to his second son, "Don't fight with your sister for it. Let her play with it for a while."
Wang turned around and stuffed the cloth tiger into her grandson's arms, saying cheerfully, "Why are you crying? It's just a cloth tiger. We have plenty of them at home. Someone, come quickly and get a few more for his brother and sister to play with."
The maid took the order and quickly took out five or six cloth tigers of different styles from the basket beside the couch and piled them on the couch. Seeing this, Guo Xiaoyan slowly stopped crying.
The whole family reunited, with three generations of grandparents and grandchildren, and they were very happy. They held a banquet to welcome the guests back from afar, and entertained Guan Zhonghe together. They talked about everything under the sun until late at night.
Late at night, everything is quiet.
With a slight "creak", the door of a wing room in the west courtyard was pushed open. The room was pitch black. A man walked out of the room, closed the door behind him, and walked towards the nearby corner door lightly.
A quarter of an hour later, he stopped, skillfully took out a piece of silver, threw it into the gatehouse, and whispered, "Lao Li, open the door for me!"
"Fourth Master..." A trembling crying voice came from inside the door.
"You--" The man stood there in a daze, suddenly feeling something was wrong. He shuddered and turned around to escape.
The next moment, Guo Honglei walked out of the small gatehouse with his hands behind his back, his face gloomy, and he shouted in a low and majestic voice, "Stop!"
Guo Hongxuan's neck shrank, and he secretly said "Oops!" He turned around slowly, smiled apologetically and asked, "Second brother, you, you haven't rested yet?"
"You haven't rested either?" The moonlight was bright. Guo Honglei stopped and looked at his brother. "Where are you going so late?"
The gatekeeper, Lao Li, came with a servant, his head hung low, looking anxious.
Guo Hongxuan was caught red-handed and was also nervous, but he forced himself to remain calm, "No, I don't plan to go anywhere. I ate a little too much for dinner and I feel uncomfortable. I want to take a walk and enjoy the moon, hehehe."
"Oh?" Guo Honglei spread out his palm, revealing the piece of silver. "You were taking a walk to admire the moon, and you came here specifically to reward the servants?"
"I, I..." Guo Hongxuan felt guilty and didn't dare to look his second brother in the eye, hesitating.
Guo Honglei flew into a rage, slamming the silver coins to the ground and scolding him in disappointment, "Well, well, you've actually learned to seduce prostitutes? Sneaking out in the dead of night to meet with a prostitute, even thinking of marrying her?"
Guo Hongxuan scratched his head awkwardly and replied hesitantly, "Calm down. Things are not what you think. In fact, there is nothing wrong between Miss Susu and me."
"Tell me, what do the words 'innocence' mean?" Guo Honglei said expressionlessly.
"Alas, I can't explain it in a few words. I'll explain it to you tomorrow. I have something urgent to do right now and I have to go out. Susu is waiting for me."
Guo Hongxuan tentatively raised his foot, but saw his brother standing motionless in front of the door—
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