As soon as the carriage left the city gate, Li Yong, along with Qiu Ju, Lv Liu, and Ji Feng, caught up. After careful questioning, they learned that it was arranged by Zhao Moyan. Tian Yu didn't understand why they would send people after all this. Was there anything they were worried about?
After hesitating for a long time, Li Yong said, "My elder brother said that after all, we were husband and wife, this is only right. Consider it compensation for you over the years." After saying that, he presented a small box of silver.
Tian Yu looked at the silver in front of her and smiled coldly. Without hesitation, she accepted the silver and said to Li Yong, "Please thank your lord for me. I'll take the silver. Tell him that from now on, we owe each other nothing!"
Li Yong was also puzzled as to how things had turned out this way, but seeing Tian Yu's heartbroken and desperate state, he could only nod in agreement and escort them back to Lao Zhao Village. Tian Yu told him to go back, but he said that Zhao Moyan had specifically instructed him to ensure her safe return home. Tian Yu stopped trying to dissuade him, wondering if they were afraid she would run away. They even sent people to monitor her. But Ji Feng was one of Prince Wu's men, so why had he come along? However, Ji Feng quickly handed her a letter from Prince Wu. After reading it, Tian Yu understood. Were they also sending people to monitor her because they didn't trust her? When did her life become so important? She herself didn't even know.
Just as the group set off, Li Xingyun caught up with them again with his luggage, saying that his mother was worried and wanted him to stay with Tian Yu. She couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she had to give him a ride along.
Tian Yu and her group returned to Lao Zhao Village in the afternoon. As soon as they entered the village, the villagers saw them. In fact, it would have been strange if they hadn't. How could such a large group of people with horses and carts not attract attention? Soon, the villagers came one after another to see what was going on. The village head also heard that Tian Yu had returned to the village and rushed over. He pushed through the crowd and came to Tian Yu, saying, "Is your niece-in-law coming back to stay?"
"Uncle Zhao, Tangyuan and I are coming back to stay for a while to see how my crops are growing," Tian Yu said calmly, showing no signs of sadness or distress.
"Don't worry, child. Your crops are growing very well. There are people taking care of them, so don't worry."
"Someone specifically looking after them?!"
"Yes, the Marquis specially sent people to take care of it, and he planted a lot of them."
Tian Yu looked at Li Yong in confusion. Li Yong grinned and said, "My brother told me not to tell you, and I've forgotten about it all this time. Sister-in-law, you should go home and check for yourself!"
Grandma Gouzi squeezed through the crowd to Tianyu, took her hand and said, "Child, you're finally back! How have you been in the city? You've gotten so thin."
"Auntie, I'm doing well, but I miss you all."
We miss you too.
Tian Yu and her group returned home and saw rows of fruit trees in front of the house, and more on the hill behind it. Some were still saplings, while others were already bearing fruit. Various vegetables and fruits were planted on both sides of the house, and the corn had grown very tall. Tian Yu opened the double door, and there was a tall crabapple tree in the yard. Standing under the tree, Tian Yu thought to herself, "He really put his heart into it, all for Tangyuan! After all, he's his son."
"Is it the lady who has returned?" an old man asked as he entered the courtyard.
"Who are you?!"
"I was sent by the Marquis to guard this courtyard, and these were all planted by people sent by the Marquis."
"Thank you for your hard work, old man," Tian Yu said with a smile.
"It's not hard work. I just water them regularly and weed them. It's not hard work at all."
"Uncle Zhuang." Li Yong pushed Li Xingyun into the courtyard and called out to the old man.
"General Li has also arrived."
"Uncle Zhuang was assigned by the Marquis to guard the courtyard. Before joining the army, Uncle Zhuang was an expert in farming," Li Yong said to Tian Yu, but then felt he shouldn't mention Zhao Moyan and gave a somewhat awkward, silly smile.
"Really?! Then I'll have to ask you for advice sometime in the future." Tian Yu said to Zhuang Bo with a carefree smile.
"You're too kind, madam. I'm just a farmer and I can't claim to be an expert," said Uncle Zhuang.
"No need to call me Madam, just call me Tian Yu."
“That won’t do! A lady is a lady, you can’t just call her that,” said Zhuang Bo.
Tian Yu couldn't explain any further, so she led everyone into the house. Qiu Ju and Lv Liu quickly got to work, tidying up the room and preparing tea and snacks. Tang Yuan brought Mao Rong and said he was going to find Brother Gou Zi. Tian Yu didn't stop him and let him go. She also told the others not to call her "Madam" anymore. Although they agreed on the surface, they couldn't change their ways and kept calling her "Madam".
Judging from the furnishings and dust inside, no one had been inside. Tian Yu asked Uncle Zhuang and learned that Zhao Moyan had sent people to build three more houses not far to the west. Uncle Zhuang and other people who occasionally came to help lived there, and they generally did not come here.
After Tian Yu settled everyone in, Li Xingyun stayed in Tangyuan's room, Tangyuan and Tian Yu stayed together, Qiuju and Lvliu stayed in the west wing, and Jifeng and Li Yong stayed in the storage room on the west side, which happened to have two beds.
Everyone went back to their rooms to pack their belongings. Qiuju and Lvliu were in charge of cleaning the rooms, while Tianyu went out of the courtyard alone to the back mountain. Looking at the crops growing well in the field, Tianyu thought of Chen Chong. She and Chen Chong had planted these crops together. She wondered if he had returned safely to Chen Kingdom after all this time.
Looking down from the hillside, she could clearly see the fruit trees Zhao Moyan had planted for her. Looking up at the sky to stop her tears from falling, she realized that Zhao Moyan was the one who had ultimately protected this place. For a moment, she thought she had finally met her true love, but had she ultimately given her heart to the wrong person? Clutching the broken jade hairpin in her hand, Tian Yu couldn't believe Zhao Moyan could be so heartless. But the truth was undeniable; perhaps he truly was trying to make up for what he owed Tangyuan. If that was the case, what reason did she have to refuse? Wiping away her tears, Tian Yu told herself to be strong. At least now she had a powerful backer, wasn't that good enough?
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