Chapter 109 Little Grandson (Two chapters combined)
When Gu Jiao returned home, Gu Yan was already up and sitting in the main room with the old lady, eating sweet egg soup.
Seeing Gu Jiao enter the room, the old lady quickly pushed the sweet egg soup in front of Gu Yan and said righteously, "I already said I won't eat it! You have to serve it to me!"
Gu Yan: "..."
Who took half of his sweet egg soup?
The sweet egg soup was made by Xue Ningxiang. The old lady didn't show up, but encouraged Gu Yan to ask for it. Xue Ningxiang couldn't resist Gu Yan's charm at all and cooked a big bowl for him without saying a word. Xiao Jingkong and Gu Xiaoshun also each got a small bowl.
Gu Xiaoshun ate quickly and had already gone back to his room to study his wood carving. Xiao Jingkong was still coiled on the tree trunk practicing his kung fu and hadn't started eating yet.
Gu Jiao decisively confiscated the old lady's sweet egg soup.
The old lady, who had already eaten a bowl and a half, wiped her mouth and went back inside.
As long as I eat fast enough, Jiaojiao won't be able to catch me!
Gu Jiao gave the three gifts the man had given her to her three younger brothers. As soon as the items were laid out, the three of them found exactly what they wanted without her having to ask.
Xiao Jingkong picked up the glittering Huarong Road puzzle and couldn't put it down!
Gu Yan chose a jade thumb ring made of thousand-year-old cold jade, which was of better quality than the original one.
Gu Xiaoshun then acquired a dagger that could cut through iron like mud. This dagger was smaller than ordinary daggers, making it easy to carry and suitable for use as an excellent carving knife.
All three of them were very happy!
Xue Ningxiang is helping Gu Jiao tidy up the backyard.
Xue Ningxiang would often come over to help, and in return, Gu Jiao would help Xue Ningxiang with farm work, and the old lady would occasionally help Xue Ningxiang look after the children.
The main reason is that Gouwa doesn't talk much. If you give him a candied fruit, he can lick it all morning. The old lady has a lot of peace and quiet, so she naturally thinks Gouwa is easy to take care of.
A little purification is all—
"Grandma! You've been sneaking candied fruit again! Jiaojiao! Grandma's been eating candied fruit again! She's had five today!"
Little Jingkong, who had just finished practicing his kung fu, caught the old lady red-handed: "Auntie is so naughty! I told you not to eat, but you always sneak some!"
The old lady's hand trembled. "You brat..."
Xue Ningxiang came here today to see Gu Jiao.
"Jiao Niang, Uncle Gouwa wrote home again. Can you read it to me?" Xue Ningxiang handed a folded envelope to Gu Jiao.
Ever since Gu Jiao learned to read from Xiao Liulang, Xue Ningxiang has stopped asking Xiao Liulang to read letters to her.
Gu Jiao opened the letter and glanced at it: "Huh?"
"What's wrong?" Xue Ningxiang asked.
Gu Jiao said, "Oh, the handwriting in this letter is different from the previous ones. It looks like it was written by Uncle Gouwa himself."
Xue Ningxiang's eyes lit up: "Really? His second uncle can write now?"
Looking at her proud expression, Gu Jiao couldn't bear to tell her how she could tell that he wrote it himself. It was because his handwriting was really ugly, even uglier than her calligraphy, and the words he used were very childish, definitely at the level of an elementary school student. However, it was still able to express the meaning clearly.
The letter said that Gouwa's second uncle had been promoted to a personal guard under the deputy general. Although he was just a lowly soldier, it was a great honor to be able to follow the deputy general.
However, this means he has to cancel his original plan to return to his hometown to visit relatives this year, as he will have to follow the deputy general back to the capital to report on his duties.
“The deputy general only brought a hundred personal guards, and he is one of them. This is a rare opportunity,” Gu Jiao said.
However, these words did not comfort Xue Ningxiang. Her expression darkened: "After Gouwa's father passed away, my mother missed Gouwa's second uncle the most. She longed for him to come back and see him day and night. I heard that he might pass through our village this year, and my mother was so happy that her old leg pain almost got better. Now he's not coming back. How am I supposed to explain this to my mother?"
Xue Ningxiang is only two years older than Gu Jiao. In her previous life, she was still a naive high school student, but now she is a sister-in-law, a mother, and a daughter-in-law.
Gu Jiao didn't know how to comfort her, so she continued reading: "Second Uncle Gouwa also sent you some silver, saying that your birthday is coming soon and he wants you to use the silver to make two sets of jewelry, a total of twenty taels."
Xue Ningxiang asked worriedly, "Why did he send so much? Has he not been eating properly? He's sent all the money home!"
Gu Jiao knew how to comfort him: "Don't worry, he won't go hungry in the army camp. He just didn't have any money to spend, so he sent it all back."
Xue Ningxiang felt a little relieved.
Gu Jiao continued reading: "Gouwa's second uncle said he doesn't want you to farm anymore. The money he gave you is enough for you, your aunt, and Gouwa to spend. You can rent the land cheaply to the villagers to farm."
Xue Ningxiang hurriedly said, "How can that be? We need to save this money for him to get married in the future!"
Gu Jiao thought to herself, "If a man wants to make jewelry for you, don't you really have any other thoughts?"
After lunch, Xue Ningxiang went to the bank to withdraw silver. Gouwa clung to her leg and wouldn't let go. Xue Ningxiang had no choice but to take Gouwa with her.
There weren't many people at the money exchange. Xue Ningxiang waited a short while and then received twenty taels of silver. She carefully put the silver into her bundle, carried Gouwa on her back, and held the bundle in her arms.
As she left the money exchange, she was bumped into by a young man dressed as a scholar.
"Don't you have eyes? How do you walk?" The scholar impatiently patted the arm that Xue Ningxiang had touched.
Xue Ningxiang apologized, embarrassed: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
The scholar's companion said, "Forget it, let's ignore her. We're in a hurry to get to the exam; we can't afford to be late."
Upon hearing that she had to pay compensation, Xue Ningxiang's face turned pale.
Fortunately, the scholar was persuaded to leave by his companions, and Xue Ningxiang breathed a sigh of relief. But soon, she noticed that something was wrong with her bundle; it seemed much lighter.
She hurriedly reached into her pocket, only to be instantly dumbfounded.
Her twenty taels of silver have all disappeared!
Xue Ningxiang thought of the scholar from earlier, her expression changed, and she chased after him, saying, "Wait!"
The two young men paused.
The scholar who bumped into her turned around and looked at her impatiently: "What are you doing?"
Xue Ningxiang mustered her courage and said, "You...you stole my silver!"
"What?" The scholar looked bewildered, and a little embarrassed and annoyed at being wronged.
Xue Ningxiang was a bully at home but feared the strong. She was somewhat afraid to confront two grown men, but it was twenty taels of silver, such a large sum of money that Gouwa's second uncle had earned with his life. She couldn't let anyone steal it!
"It was you!" she forced herself to muster her courage. "I just came out of the money exchange, and I've been covering myself up the whole way, but you bumped into me just now... and all my money is gone!"
The scholar rolled up his sleeves, ready to explode in anger, but his companion pulled him back: "What are you doing? Why bother arguing with an ignorant woman?"
The scholar scoffed, "It's not that I want to argue, it's that someone is trying to extort me!"
My companion sighed, "Forget it, the exam is the most important thing. Let's ignore her."
"For your sake, I won't report it to the authorities!" The scholar snorted coldly and turned to leave with his companion.
Xue Ningxiang rushed forward and grabbed the scholar's arm: "Give me back my money!"
"Are you crazy!" The scholar jumped up in anger and slapped her hand away.
Xue Ningxiang pounced on her again.
As the two struggled, the surrounding crowd gathered.
The scholar, filled with righteous indignation, said, "You accuse me of stealing your silver? Produce me with evidence! If you try to extort me again, I'll report you to the authorities! I'm only doing this because you're a woman with a child on your back, and I'm assuming you're honest enough. Don't you feel ashamed to do such a despicable thing while carrying a child?"
"You...you..." Xue Ningxiang's face turned green from his words.
People around started pointing and whispering.
In today's world, men are superior to women, and all other professions are considered inferior except for studying. No one would believe Xue Ningxiang if she were a young widow facing off against a scholar.
The scholar said with great distress, "I didn't report you to the authorities out of kindness. First, I thought you were a woman, and second, we were in a hurry to go to the provincial examination and didn't have time to argue with you!"
"That's outrageous! How could she even extort students on their way to the exams? Doesn't she have any conscience?"
"Isn't that right? People study hard for ten years, only to be extorted by her?"
"You can tell from her appearance that she's no good!"
Passersby began to criticize Xue Ningxiang, who was so aggrieved that tears welled up in her eyes. She hadn't tried to extort money from them; she had genuinely lost her money...
Gouwa, who was asleep, was woken up by the noise.
Seeing himself and his mother surrounded by a crowd of people, he burst into tears in fear.
Dean Li had just come out of the pastry shop and was on his way to the town's clinic when he heard a heart-wrenching cry.
The voice sounded familiar. Dean Li paused for a moment, then walked over.
Xue Ningxiang was now being gossiped about behind her back, and no one believed what she said.
Dean Li quickly recognized her—his beloved student's neighbor! Then he recognized Gouwa, the chubby little boy who called him "Dad."
Dean Li walked into the crowd. He was the dean of Tianxiang Academy. Even though he wasn't dressed as a teacher, his scholarly and noble air instantly suppressed the atmosphere.
"What happened?" he asked.
Xue Ningxiang was already sobbing uncontrollably.
The scholar said, "This little woman is trying to scam me!"
Dean Li asked, "What is she trying to extort from you about?"
The scholar replied irritably, "She said I stole his silver!"
Dean Li then asked, "Did you steal it?"
The scholar exploded: "What are you saying? Of course I didn't steal it! I already said she's trying to extort me, didn't you hear me?"
An older woman watching the commotion said, "Yes, those two are students on their way to the provincial capital for the imperial examinations. They're so unlucky to have been scammed by this woman."
Dean Li looked the two of them up and down: "Which private school are you from?"
The scholar straightened his back and said, "We are from Tianxiang Academy!"
Dean Li narrowed his eyes slightly: "Really? What are your names? Which class are you in?"
"What's it to you?" the scholar retorted impatiently.
Dean Li smiled faintly: "I am the dean of Tianxiang Academy. I do not recall the academy having accepted you two students."
The scholar and his companion's expressions changed instantly.
The surrounding people were startled.
Dean Li calmly said to a young man beside him, "I'd like to trouble you to report this to the authorities. Tell them that someone here is impersonating a student of Tianxiang Academy to swindle and bully women and children."
Those two were making a big fuss, but they didn't report it to the authorities for a long time. He reported it to the authorities as soon as he arrived. It will be clear who is telling the truth and who is lying!
The young man's mind was filled with one sentence: Dean Li spoke to me! Dean Li spoke to me!
"I'm counting on you, young man," Dean Li said gently.
The young man solemnly agreed and dashed off towards the county government office.
This is like a flood washing away the Dragon King's temple! Seeing the danger, the scholar and his companions turned tail and ran.
Dean Li said calmly, "I would like to trouble you two strong men to stop them."
His words had no hint of command, yet they were inexplicably convincing.
Two burly men who were watching the commotion grabbed the two men.
"My...my money..." Xue Ningxiang cried.
Dean Li nodded slightly, stepped forward, and searched the two of them, finding Xue Ningxiang's silver.
Upon seeing her recovered silver, Xue Ningxiang was both crying and excited, but then she hiccuped: "Thank you... hiccup! Thank you... hiccup!"
"Dad!" Gouwa saw Dean Li.
Xue Ningxiang was so shocked that she stopped hiccuping.
This kid is calling the wrong father again!
Dean Li is a mature and experienced man, so of course he wouldn't get angry over such a trivial matter. He had asked the experienced teachers at the academy, and they said that when children are just learning to speak, they call women "mother" and men "father," which is not a rare thing.
"Dad," Gouwa called for a hug.
Xue Ningxiang was so embarrassed that she wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.
"You're injured." Dean Li saw the inch-long gash on her wrist, from which blood was gushing out.
I was so focused on getting my money back that I didn't notice that my wrist had been scratched by the other person's jewelry.
Dean Li said politely, "Give the child to me. The clinic is nearby. I'll take you there to get him bandaged up."
Xue Ningxiang hurriedly covered her wrist with her sleeve: "No, no need, it's just a minor injury."
Dean Li said seriously, "We still need to see a doctor. It's getting hot, and people are more susceptible to infection."
Xue Ningxiang thought for a moment and said, "I'll go by myself."
"I was just going to the clinic anyway, it was on my way," Dean Li said, picking up Gouwa, who kept reaching out to him.
Once Gouwa had a father, he immediately forgot about his mother. His chubby little hands wrapped around Dean Li's neck, and he buried his head in his arms, acting spoiled.
Xue Ningxiang was extremely embarrassed.
The two went to the clinic one after the other.
Dean Li brought his elderly mother to the clinic because the servant found her unconscious in a rattan chair while cleaning the yard.
Madam Li is old and this situation is very dangerous. Dean Li couldn't wait to invite the doctor to his home and sent the person over directly.
After examining the woman, the doctor said, "It's nothing serious, the old lady is just asleep."
Dean Li was speechless on the spot.
He was worried that Madam Li would be hungry when she woke up, so he quickly went to a nearby pastry shop and bought some osmanthus cake, which the old lady liked.
After entering the clinic, Dean Li found a doctor to treat Xue Ningxiang's injuries, and Gouwa was pressed down into a chair by Xue Ningxiang.
Dean Li gave Gouwa a piece of osmanthus cake.
Gouwa ate with great relish.
As he was eating, he looked up and realized his father was gone.
He climbed down from the chair and scurried off to find his father, only to end up following him into a side room.
Old Madam Li slowly woke up, and the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was a tiny little boy.
The little bean is chubby, round, and adorable.
Madam Li waved to the little boy.
The little dog was timid and retreated in fear. Just then, Dean Li emerged from behind the gauze curtain, and the little dog scurried over and hugged his leg, crying, "Daddy...Daddy..."
father?
Old Madam Li looked at her son, then at the little boy, and her cloudy old eyes suddenly lit up.
The Bodhisattva has appeared to us!
She has a grandchild!
Because Gu Jiao refused to return to the manor, the return of Lord Gu and Gu Jinyu to the capital was also delayed.
Originally, Lord Gu planned to bring Yao and the twins back to the capital by the end of June at the latest. However, Yao and Gu Yan are staying here for Gu Jiao, which is causing Lord Gu a lot of distress.
Gu Jinyu was even more distressed.
Consort Shu promised to hold a grand coming-of-age ceremony for her and to bestow upon her the title of County Princess at the ceremony.
Becoming a county princess is a rare honor. Once you become a county princess, even if it gets out that you are not a biological child of the Gu family, it won't diminish your status too much.
But if she can't even go back, what's the point of talking about her coming-of-age ceremony?
Gu Jinyu was so anxious and agitated that she developed a blister on her lip.
When Lord Gu came to visit her, he was heartbroken to see how upset she was: "How are you taking care of Miss? It's so hot, don't you know to cook less spicy food?"
The maid said, "Your Excellency is wronged. Miss has been eating very bland food lately. She is just feeling stressed and has developed a fever."
Gu Jinyu sighed, "You lot, stop talking nonsense and leave."
"yes."
The maids withdrew.
Gu Jinyu said to Lord Gu, "Father, I'm really alright."
Lord Gu frowned and said, "Nonsense, you just have something on your mind. You haven't smiled lately."
Gu Jinyu lowered her eyes: "I just miss my grandmother. She is getting old and fell before the New Year. Although she has recovered, her health is not what it used to be. I don't know how much more I can be filial to her."
These words struck a chord with Lord Gu, who was known for his filial piety, especially since the old lady only had him and Consort Shu as her two children.
After Consort Shu entered the palace, the old lady could hardly see her even once a year. Her son could not even serve his mother in person. Thinking about it, he felt unfilial.
Lord Gu frowned and decided to go and sow discord among Yao Shi's eyes again.
But Madam Yao remained resolute: "If I don't go back, Yan'er won't go back either."
Lord Gu clicked his tongue: "How many years has it been since Mother last saw Yan'er?"
Madam Yao said, "But she doesn't like Yan'er either."
Lord Gu retorted, "When has Mother ever disliked Yan'er? Yan'er is her own grandson; she dotes on him too much."
It's just that she doesn't love her three precious grandsons as much.
The former Lady Hou and the old lady were from the same clan and lineage. According to seniority, she should call the old lady "aunt." The marriage between the two families was considered to strengthen their kinship, and the old lady naturally favored her children.
In addition, her three sons lost their mother at a young age, and the old lady was heartbroken.
Thirdly, the old lady looked down on Yao's background. When Yao gave birth to the sick Gu Yan, the old lady felt that it was Yao's own health problem that had brought trouble to the Gu family's descendants.
At first, the old lady was lukewarm towards Gu Jinyu, but Gu Jinyu was so outstanding that she brought great honor to the Marquis's mansion, and Consort Shu also valued her. Only then did the old lady gradually change her opinion of Gu Jinyu.
Lord Gu's rebuttal lacked conviction. He cleared his throat and said, "But Jin Yu is about to come of age. How can she have her coming-of-age ceremony without her mother by her side?"
Yao said, "Then it's the same if we hold it at the mountain villa."
Lord Gu said, "I can't stay at the manor forever. My mother is here, and my father has to be here too."
After thinking for a moment, Madam Yao suggested, "Why don't you go back to the capital first and come back on your coming-of-age day?"
Lord Gu: "..."
Why is it so difficult to bring my wife and kids back to Beijing?
Despite Lord Gu employing every trick in the book, Madam Yao remained unmoved.
Lord Gu: "What will it take for you to return to the capital?"
Yao said earnestly, "If Jiaojiao returns, I will return."
Lord Gu: How could that girl possibly come back!
Gu Jinyu came over to deliver ginseng soup to Madam Yao and inadvertently overheard their conversation outside the door.
The maid was also there.
The maidservant who served Gu Jinyu closely already knew about her and Gu Jiao's background.
The maidservant spoke up for her mistress, saying, "Why did the eldest young lady return to the capital before the madam did? Isn't the second young lady the madam's child? It's the second young lady who has been dutifully serving the madam all these years. The madam is so biased!"
Gu Jinyu held the ginseng soup on the tray without saying a word.
The maidservant said aggrievedly, "In this sweltering heat, the second young lady personally went to the kitchen to brew ginseng soup for the madam, burning her hands in the process. What did that eldest young lady do? She caused the madam to be so biased as soon as she arrived..."
"Don't say anymore. She's my sister. She's suffered a lot. It's only right that Mother loves her." Gu Jinyu said, then left with a gloomy expression.
For several days in a row, no one in the manor mentioned returning to the capital, and the villa seemed to have returned to a peaceful and tranquil life.
The tranquility of the mountain villa was broken only when a pair of carriages arrived at the end of the month.
Lord Gu donned his official robes, tidied his appearance, and personally went to the main gate of the manor to greet the other party's arrival.
Dozens of guards lined up in a row, and a young man dressed in white slowly stepped out of a carriage pulled by four horses at the head of the procession.
The young man was dressed in white, as pure as snow, and possessed an exceptional and refined air.
Lord Gu flicked the wide sleeves of his official robes, stepped forward, and bowed respectfully: "Your subject pays respects to Prince An!"
The young man, addressed as Prince An, raised his hand slightly and said in a cool yet polite tone, "Lord Ding'an, there's no need for such formalities. My younger sister and I have been traveling around and are on our way back to the capital for the provincial examinations. We were just passing through and suddenly came to bother you. I hope you won't take offense."
Lord Gu smiled and said, "Your Highness An is too kind. It is an honor for me that Your Highness An and your sister have graced my humble abode! It is hot today. Why don't Your Highness An and Miss Zhuang move to the villa and talk inside?"
Prince An nodded, turned his head slightly, and said to the carriage road behind him, "Why aren't you getting out of the carriage yet?"
The carriage curtain was lifted, and a mischievous little girl poked her head out, her eyes darting around curiously before she jumped down with the help of a servant.
She approached Prince An and asked, "Brother! Is this the villa with the hot springs?"
"Greetings, Marquis of Ding'an," Prince An said to his sister.
The little girl pouted, struck a pose, and bowed to Lord Gu.
Lord Gu's title is below that of Prince An. Although the young girl is his sister, she has no official rank. According to the rules, she should indeed pay her respects to Lord Gu.
However, putting aside etiquette, the young girl's status was so noble that although she bowed out of respect for her brother's authority, her attitude was not very respectful.
Lord Gu smiled, pretending not to see them, and led the brother and sister into the manor with a gentle smile.
Inside the manor, Madam Yao and Gu Jinyu also received the news. As women, they were not in a position to go out to greet him, so they waited for Prince An in the flower hall of Tingtao Pavilion.
Having been away from the capital for many years, Yao was indifferent to the situation there and had never heard of this Prince An. Gu Jinyu patiently told her about the legendary life of this Prince An.
"He is the eldest grandson of Grand Tutor Zhuang, and he is only eighteen years old this year."
"He was made a king at the age of eighteen?" Madam Yao was quite surprised, as even princes and princes were rarely granted such titles at such a young age.
Gu Jinyu shook her head: "He wasn't made a prince at eighteen; he was made a prince at eight."
However, this conferment was not his good fortune, but rather his misfortune.
Ten years ago, the State of Zhao fought a great war with the State of Chen. Zhao lost, and Chen demanded that the Crown Prince of Zhao be sent as a hostage. The emperor was reluctant to part with his son, and all the court officials opposed the proposal. At this time, Grand Tutor Zhuang stepped forward and offered to send his most outstanding grandson to Chen as a hostage in place of the Crown Prince.
If it were any other minister's son or grandson, the State of Chen would probably not agree, but the Zhuang family was the Empress Dowager's maternal clan, and Grand Tutor Zhuang was the Empress Dowager's elder brother, so his grandson was the Empress Dowager's grandnephew.
Everyone knows that Empress Dowager Zhuang has ruled from behind the curtain for many years, wielding immense power that surpasses even the emperor's. By using her grand-nephew as a hostage, she is indeed no less powerful than the crown prince.
The emperor then conferred the title of Prince An on the grandson of Grand Tutor Zhuang, who was sent to the State of Chen as a hostage.
It wasn't until more than three years ago, when the two countries went to war again and Chen lost, that Prince An finally returned to Zhao.
There are many stories about Prince An circulating in the capital, but Gu Jinyu has only heard about them and has never seen him in person.
She was curious, but outwardly she was respectful and polite, showing no sign of overstepping her bounds.
When Lord Gu and his entourage finally arrived at the flower hall, Madam Yao and Gu Jinyu bowed to Prince An.
Yao kept her eyes lowered throughout. Gu Jinyu, being young, couldn't help but glance at her out of curiosity, no matter how well she maintained her composure.
She was stunned.
How could there be such a refined and elegant man in the world?
He is refined yet humble, elegant yet profound, and exudes nobility in every gesture, with a hint of otherworldly grace.
"This is my wife, Madam Yao, and this is my daughter," Lord Gu introduced.
Prince An nodded slightly: "Madam Gu, Miss Gu."
Miss Zhuang stepped forward: "You're Gu Jinyu? I know you!"
Gu Jinyu was slightly taken aback.
Madam Yao and Lord Gu also looked at Miss Zhuang in astonishment.
Miss Zhuang raised an eyebrow and said, "My fourth uncle praised your handwriting, saying that among people my age, your handwriting is the best!"
Miss Zhuang's fourth uncle is none other than Zhuang Xianzhi, the governor of Pingcheng Prefecture.
Miss Zhuang gave a cold laugh: "Ha, bring me a pen! I want to have a contest with you!"
(End of this chapter)
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