It snowed yesterday, and although the sun came out today, it was still unusually cold.
Shen Anbo stood in front of the Marquis's residence, rubbing his hands. His toes ached terribly. He paced back and forth, glancing at the gate of the Marquis's residence every now and then.
"Master, why don't we wait in the carriage?" said the steward, whose face was frozen stiff.
After thinking for a moment, Marquis Shen'an decided to wait outside.
After learning that his subordinates had offended the Mu family, Shen Anbo was so frightened that he hadn't slept well for the past few days. So, taking advantage of the fact that the Mu family had just returned to the capital, he brought his family to pay their respects and apologize early in the morning.
Shen Anbo thought that it was just a matter of servants making purchases, and the Mu family should not make a fuss about such a small matter. He could take this opportunity to establish a relationship with the Mu family.
After all, this is the Mu family. If he could really benefit from their influence, then even the title of Earl of Shen'an, who only holds a noble title, could be given an important position by the court again.
Therefore, the Earl of Shen'an would rather stand at the door in the freezing cold than go into the carriage to wait, even with people coming and going and staring at him.
He wanted to let the Mu family know that he had come with full sincerity!
But Shen Anbo waited for a long time, but the gates of the Mu family mansion remained closed, and not even a servant came to deliver a message.
Lord Shen'an was somewhat anxious and said to the steward, "Go and knock on the door again."
The steward sniffed and was about to move forward when an old woman leaned out of the carriage behind him.
Lady Sun Mingzhu, wife of the Marquis of Shen'an, said:
“Master, we’ve been waiting for so long. If the Marquis’s mansion wanted to see us, they would have opened the door long ago. I think they’re just making us wait here on purpose.”
Shen Anbo was actually quite angry, but what could he do? They were the Mu family, and he was nothing more than a shoe carrier in front of them.
Sun Mingzhu's eyes darted around, and she got out of the car and walked up to the Earl of Shen'an, whispering:
“I heard that General Mu’s long-lost daughter has returned. Why don’t we say that we brought gifts and came to visit her?”
"My daughter has just returned, so we should give her some face. I'm sure General Mu won't refuse."
Marquis Shen'an clapped his hands happily, "Madam, that's a great idea!"
He quickly summoned the butler and gave him instructions.
"Mom! I'm starving! When are we going back?"
Sun Mingzhu's five-year-old daughter, Jiang Yuanyuan, asked from inside the carriage.
She had been waiting impatiently in the carriage for a long time, and now she was even more furious.
Sun Mingzhu quickly returned to the carriage to comfort her daughter.
"My dear daughter, let's wait a little longer."
"When you meet the young lady of the Mu family later, you'd better make sure you flatter her."
Jiang Yuanyuan kicked her leg and said angrily, "I heard that girl is from the countryside. I am a noble lady from an earl's mansion, and I have to fawn over a village girl. If word gets out, I will be so ashamed."
Sun Mingzhu was also furious and grumbled at her daughter.
"Who told her to rise to prominence overnight? It's because of this little village girl that our family rushed over early this morning."
“Look at that country girl, she has such a big face, making our whole family wait for so long in this freezing weather.”
"But Yuan'er, there's nothing we can do. The Mu family holds a high position of power."
Under Sun Mingzhu's expectant gaze, Jiang Yuanyuan tightened her grip on her gold hairpin, her small face full of cunning.
"Don't worry, Mother. You always taught me to say one thing in front of people and another behind their backs. I've already learned it."
Sun Mingzhu grinned and hugged Jiang Yuanyuan.
"You are truly my good daughter. From now on, our wealth and well-being will depend on you."
**
The little dumpling was carried by the old Marquis to the bedside of the Marquis's wife.
“Little dumpling, this is your grandmother.” The old Marquis said, his voice choked with emotion.
The little dumpling looked at her grandmother on the bed.
Grandmother lay quietly in bed, her gray hair neatly combed, her slightly wrinkled face looking kind and gentle.
The little boy couldn't help but reach out and stroke his grandmother's cheek.
"Grandpa, is Grandma sleeping in?" the little dumpling asked.
"But if I sleep in, I won't be able to eat breakfast. What will happen to Grandma if she gets hungry?"
As the little dumpling spoke, it turned to walk outside, wanting to get some shrimp dumplings for its grandmother.
The old marquis stopped her, his eyes filled with tears, and said, "Your grandmother is asleep. She will sleep for a very, very long time."
The little girl understood her grandfather's meaning; her grandmother would never wake up, and she felt a pang of pain in her heart.
The little dumpling looked at her grandmother again, only to see a black mist in her head, which seemed to be the reason why her grandmother couldn't wake up.
But strangely...
The little dumpling tilted its head, looking somewhat puzzled.
The black mist on Grandmother's body wasn't just in one place, but also in her mind.
A long, black mist also stretched from the throat to the stomach.
The old marquis picked up a handkerchief and carefully wiped his wife's face.
The little boy followed his example, taking a handkerchief and carefully wiping his grandmother's hands.
"Grandpa, when did Grandma fall asleep?" the little dumpling asked as she wiped her grandmother's hands.
The old marquis slowly recounted:
"About four years ago, there was chaos and the whole capital was in turmoil. Your father, brothers, and I were ordered by the emperor to suppress the rebels."
"The women in the family were settled in a secret room to hide. Your mother was pregnant with you at the time, and your father was really worried about her, so he arranged for your fourth brother to stay behind to protect you."
"But we don't know what happened back then. Your mother and your fourth brother got lost. We searched for a long time, but we couldn't find a single trace of you."
At this point, the old Marquis shed tears of anguish, and the little dumpling stepped forward to gently pat his back.
“Your grandmother lost your mother and your fourth brother, and then you. Overwhelmed with grief and anger, she fell into a coma and never woke up again.”
"If your fourth brother hadn't come looking for us a while ago, we wouldn't know when we would have seen you again."
The old marquis, holding the little dumpling, was already sobbing uncontrollably.
The little dumpling also cried sadly. Over the years, while she was away from home, she had always wondered who her father was and where her relatives were.
The little dumpling nestled in the old marquis's arms, gently patting his back with her tiny hands, offering comfort with each sob.
"Grandpa...don't cry...sob...Little Tuan...will...stay with Grandpa...well from now on, sob."
"Good, good! Little dumpling is with grandpa, and grandpa is with little dumpling too." The old marquis wiped away the little dumpling's tears, the little guy's face was already covered in tears like a little kitten.
After wiping the little dumpling's face, the old marquis took out an exquisite box from under his wife's pillow.
The old marquis opened the box and took out a gleaming gold longevity lock.
“Your grandparents prepared this when your mother was pregnant with you.”
The old marquis put it on the little girl, making it match the gold and jade ornament around her neck.
The little girl touched the longevity lock. Since it was given to her by her grandparents, she would definitely wear it carefully.
The grandmother and grandson were smiling warmly at each other when Butler Zheng suddenly rushed in.
"My lord, Earl Shen'an said that upon hearing of Miss's return, he brought gifts and his family to pay their respects to her."
The old Marquis snorted coldly, "Earl Shen'an, your first plan failed, so you're resorting to another."
Did they think that by using his precious granddaughter as an excuse, he would give them some face?
He doesn't even know who he is!
Unlike the old Marquis's cold attitude, the little dumpling's face was filled with joy when she heard that someone had come to see her.
"Grandfather, has someone come to be my friend?" the little dumpling asked, nestled on the old marquis's lap.
The old marquis was taken aback. He could see through the adults' tricks, but he couldn't see through the innocent children's.
The little girl naively thought this family had come to visit her friend.
The old Marquis frowned, thinking that the Shen'an Earl's family were not good people.
But he couldn't bear to tell Xiaotuanzi the truth. He couldn't bear to ruin her beautiful dreams.
Mu Ting, who had overheard his daughter's words outside the door, came in and said:
"Father, why don't we let Marquis Shen'an come in?"
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