They didn't see what happened on the mountaintop that night, but Fifth Aunt and Fourth Aunt both said that Xie Zhaozhao was forced to jump off the cliff by bandits while trying to deliver a message.
Gu Yongtai and his men searched the entire area at the foot of the mountain but couldn't find the body. He was worried about how to explain it to Gu Shaoyu, but now that he knew she had been saved by Gu Shaoyu, he felt relieved and tears streamed down his face.
"Fourth Uncle, we called you here because this campaign to suppress bandits and rebels is a tremendous achievement, and the imperial court will surely reward you handsomely. Our Gu family cannot be left without any credit."
Upon hearing Gu Shaoyu's words, Gu Yongtai immediately became so excited that his lips trembled.
"Your Excellency, what do you intend to do?" He no longer addressed him as "Third Nephew," and practically wanted to kneel down and kowtow.
"Si Xingzi had one of his fingers cut off by bandits that day, which will affect his marriage prospects in the future. He deserves credit for his contribution in this bandit suppression. I'll speak to the chief steward and tell Si Xingzi to work hard. Getting an official position in the future won't be a problem."
Gu Shaoyu paused for a moment and said, "If Fourth Uncle has anything else to take care of, I will arrange that as well."
Upon hearing this arrangement, Gu Yongtai choked up and said, "Your Excellency, Madam, the clan will never forget your kindness..."
Gu Yongtai was not a greedy person. Another person he wanted to take care of was a scholar from his own clan.
Xie Zhaozhao looked at Gu Shaoyu with admiration.
Gu Shaoyu did the old family mansion a favor, but in doing so, she established an image of herself as someone who would rather die than compromise her integrity, who led her clansmen to bravely storm the bandits' den and achieve great merit, and who was brave, resourceful, and principled.
Following Gu Shaoyu and Xie Zhaozhao's instructions, Gu Yongtai sent Gu Chengxing (Si Xingzi) and Gu Yun (a fellow scholar) to the county government office. Two days later, the county government sent the county magistrate and a team of yamen runners to send them back to Pingyang Town with gongs and drums, saying that they were heroes who had suppressed bandits.
He was rewarded with one hundred strings of cash and assigned to a position in the prefectural governor's office.
The people of Pingyang Town, filled with envy, soon learned that in addition to a large number of bandits, there were also rebels hiding in the Nanshan Mountains.
It was Lady Gu, along with her sons and nephews, who ventured deep into the enemy's lair and captured the bandit leader.
In no time, Xie Zhaozhao's fame spread far and wide in Pingyang Town. Everyone praised the old lady as worthy of being the daughter-in-law of the old Marquis of Pingyang, for her unparalleled wisdom and resourcefulness, and as a heroine.
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