Before Xu Zhi left, Shen Mingwan moved to a nunnery outside Yuezhou City.
This nunnery has been outside Yuezhou City for many years. The nunnery is full of nuns who practice asceticism. Xu Zhi was worried about Shen Mingwan, so she sent Honglian there.
Xu Zhi wanted to ask Hong Gu to help her find two skilled women to accompany Shen Mingwan. Hong Gu directly asked Hong Lian to go over. Hong Lian had some hidden injuries and needed to recuperate. As long as she didn't encounter any martial arts masters, she could easily handle ordinary villains.
After helping Shen Mingwan settle in, Xu Zhi followed Chen Zhaozhi northward.
It was almost the Mid-Autumn Festival. Sitting on the boat going upstream, Xu Zhi thought about her hurried meeting with Zheng Boyuan before leaving.
Zheng Boyuan was even darker than when I last saw him. The climate in Yuezhou was not as good as in the north. In the summer, it was scorching hot when the sun came out and muggy when the sun was not out. Zheng Boyuan trained his troops in the sea all day long, and his skin was so dark that it looked like it was about to ooze oil.
Although they were husband and wife, they were very polite to each other after meeting. Zheng Boyuan asked Xu Zhi about her journey and told her to be careful. Xu Zhi told Zheng Boyuan to take care of his health. From meeting to parting, it was only half an hour, which was too rushed.
Xu Zhi looked out the cabin window. Although it was already autumn, the trees on both sides of the river were still lush and green. In some flooded areas, reeds grew everywhere, but they hadn't turned yellow yet.
Hong Gu felt that her daughter had had a hard time. Seeing Xu Zhi's dejected expression, she brought over a tea tray and said, "Miss, have some tea."
Xu Zhi thanked her, and Hong Gu said, "We'll reach Tongzhou Wharf in two more days. From Tongzhou Wharf, it's another half-day's journey to the capital."
Seeing the smiles on Hong Gu's face, Xu Zhi said to Hong Gu, "Hong Gu, Third Uncle said we'll be staying in the capital for a few days. You can go home and visit him then."
Hong Gu smiled slightly after hearing Xu Zhi's words and said, "I won't go back. There's no point in going back. I'll accompany you to the Marquis's mansion then."
Xu Zhi naturally knew about Hong Gu's situation. She originally thought that there was no one Hong Gu wanted to see at her in-laws' house, but she still had to go back to visit her own family, since she had been away from home for so long.
Seeing Xu Zhi's puzzled expression, Hong Gu said, "I've already asked someone to send some money back to my parents. The young lady is very generous to us, giving us plenty of money. I don't have to spend any money on food and lodging while I'm with her, and I don't even have to make my own clothes for all four seasons. I've saved up quite a bit of money. The reason I don't want to go back is because my sister-in-law doesn't get along with me. She's not a very tolerant person and always thinks I'm an unlucky person. If I go back, it will only make things difficult for my parents, so I'd rather not go back."
Xu Zhi originally thought that Hong Gu had been bullied by her husband's family and that her own family was standing up for her. Her own family always treated Hong Gu well, but who knew that there was such a thing.
Hong Gu smiled and said, "Thank you for thinking of me, miss. I've already made plans. My health is still good these past few years, so I'll travel around with you for now. After a few years, when my health declines, I'll find a place to retire. At least I'll have someone to rely on in my old age."
When the boat reached Tongzhou, the Marquis's mansion had already sent someone to wait at the dock. It was the second steward of the mansion. When he saw Chen Zhaozhi and Xu Zhi disembarking, he quickly stepped forward to bow and said, "Our Marquis has long sent this servant to wait here, just in time for my in-laws, the Ninth Miss, to disembark."
It was still early, and although it was half a day's journey from Tongzhou to the capital, Chen Zhaozhi and Xu Zhi still boarded the carriage. By the time they arrived in the capital, it was already evening.
Chen Zhaozhi said to Xu Zhi, "You should go home first. I will go back and freshen up, and then I will visit your family and the old lady and the Marquis another day."
The second steward had previously sent someone to drive a carriage to the Chen family. Xu Zhi watched Chen Zhaozhi's carriage drive away before taking her own carriage to the Marquis's residence.
Xu Di and his wife had already accompanied Xu Ru back to the capital before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Hearing that Xu Zhi was about to return to the mansion, everyone in the family was very happy. They didn't even have dinner and went straight to the old lady's courtyard, insisting that the old lady set up a few tables in the side hall so that everyone could welcome Xu Zhi back.
The old lady was happy to have everyone gather in her courtyard for a good time, so she had her small kitchen in the courtyard set up a few tables for a feast, just waiting for Xu Zhi to return before starting the meal.
After entering the house, Xu Zhi didn't even have time to wash up; she went straight to the old lady's courtyard. It was also because the weather was cool now that her clothes didn't smell bad even after wearing them for a couple of days.
When the unmarried sisters saw Xu Zhi arrive, they quickly stepped forward to help her, some lifting the curtains, others carrying the prayer mats. The old lady was already standing there with a smile, waiting for Xu Zhi to come over and kowtow.
Xu Zhi knelt on the prayer mat, kneeling deeply. When she stood up, her eyes were red. The old lady, supported by Granny Shen, walked to Xu Zhi and said, "Good child, good child, get up quickly, get up quickly. You must be tired from your journey."
After Xu Zhi met the old lady, she greeted the Marquis, his wife, and the great-uncle and great-aunt of the second branch of the family, who were sitting to the side.
The Marquis was very happy and talked to Xu Zhi for a long time. The Marquis's wife, on the other hand, had a faint expression, but Xu Zhi was already used to her expression and didn't care much.
Then came the heir's generation, with several aunts and uncles all standing to the side. After Xu Zhi greeted them one by one, the heir's wife, Madam Ning, pulled Xu Zhi aside and said with a smile to Madam Zhou and her sisters-in-law, "Look at our Ninth Miss. She's only been gone for a short time, but she's already much more composed than before. I heard that our Ninth Miss went to quite a few places with her uncle from the Chen family. Ninth Miss, please don't find us aunts and uncles bothering you, can you tell us about it properly?"
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