Bo Qinghuan

Kapitel 33

Jiang had been secretly sneering at Luo San Niang's humiliation, but now, hearing the old lady's accusations, she realized that her earlier expression had been ill-timed and had likely caught the old lady's eye. She quickly straightened her expression. Her eyes involuntarily drifted to Gu Zao, and seeing her standing with Yang Hao, a slight pang of sadness welled up in her heart.

Yang Hao and Gu Zao stood before the old lady. She glanced at them and then nodded slightly to Yang Hao, saying, "I am comforted that you are willing to go with your brother this time. Just go with peace of mind and help your brother return soon to bring honor to the Yang family. I know you cherish your wife. Don't worry about her at home. I, this old woman, will keep a close eye on her and make sure she is not missing a single piece of flesh when you return."

Before Gu Zao could react after the old lady finished speaking, Yang Hao laughed and gave her a deep bow. Seeing this, Grand Commandant Yang also called Jiang Shi over. The four of them solemnly bowed to the old lady again. After she nodded, they left the mansion with Yang Hao, mounted their horses, and finally departed.

Ever since Yang Hao left home, Gu Zao still made a daily routine to pay her respects to the old lady. Although the old lady's attitude towards her remained indifferent, she would gradually respond to a few words out of ten when spoken to. She also heard from Huixin that she had inquired with Lanxin in her room that the old lady's symptoms of internal heat were gradually improving. She used to complain of toothaches and forehead cramps frequently, but now she rarely heard her complain. When she went to Fangtai Restaurant, she saw that her third sister was becoming more and more capable, managing everything inside and outside the restaurant very well with Manager Hu. She gradually felt relieved and, which was originally every other day, gradually changed to going every three or four days.

That afternoon, the Grand Commandant's mansion was as usual. The old lady was taking a nap, and since Grand Commandant Yang left the capital, Madam Jiang had not been out much. Gu Zao stayed in Yang Hao's study by herself, picked up a calligraphy book and practiced writing a few characters. She felt a little stifled and remembered that she hadn't been to Fangtai Tower for several days, so she called Hui Xin to go with her.

As the two women approached the gate in their carriage, they saw their third sister and Liu Zao rushing out in a flustered manner. Seeing that it was Gu Zao, their faces lit up with joy, and before she could even disembark, they said, "Sister, we were just about to look for you. Mother went to eldest sister's house."

Gu Zao was taken aback for a moment, then asked a few more questions, only to learn that the woman who had been helping her eldest sister earlier had run over to deliver the news that Butcher Fan, who had been on the run for over a year, had just returned home. Upon hearing the name Butcher Fan, Fang Shi didn't say a word, but instead grabbed a hoe used for weeding and mulching in the garden, grabbed the cart usually used for hauling firewood and rice from the restaurant, and headed to Gu's eldest sister's house. By the time her third sister and Liu Zao came out after hearing the news, she was already gone. Fearing something might have happened, the two discussed it and decided to go to the Grand Commandant's mansion to call Gu Zao over, but unexpectedly, she arrived by herself.

When Gu Zao heard that it was Butcher Fan who had returned, her anger flared. She frowned, thought for a moment, and then called Manager Hu over. Manager Hu already knew some of the details and was waiting for the female manager. When he heard that she wanted to take two or three employees with her, he hurriedly went to arrange for them to come. Gu Zao told her third sister and Liu Zao to stay behind and not go. She wanted Hui Xin to stay as well, but Hui Xin refused, insisting on accompanying her. Unable to persuade her otherwise, she had to agree and then hurried off with the others.

Gu Zao had never met Butcher Fan before, but she sensed that since he was in the business of slaughtering pigs and selling meat, he must be quite arrogant. Based on her older sister's previous words, she assumed he was a scoundrel. Now that he had come knocking again, he must have been prepared, and fearing her sister and Fang Shi might suffer, she was anxiously making her way there. As she approached the alley, she saw a large crowd gathered in front of Gu's sister's house, and heard people screaming like pigs being slaughtered inside. Her heart tightened; she feared a commotion had already broken out. She quickly pushed through the crowd and squeezed in. What she saw there shocked her greatly.

Fang was holding the hoe and looked like she was about to rush forward when her eldest sister stopped her. A man was squatting under the eaves at the door, his face covered in dirt and his clothes so filthy that their original color was unrecognizable.

The one squatting on the ground must be Butcher Fan. Gu Zao was somewhat surprised by the scene, but seeing that Fang Shi and her elder sister didn't seem to have suffered any loss, she breathed a sigh of relief. Fang Shi was still cursing and pushed her elder sister aside. Before the hoe could even fall, Butcher Fan had already covered his head and fled along the corner of the house, causing the onlookers to burst into laughter.

Seeing that Fang was still chasing after him with her hoe, Gu Zao hurriedly stepped forward and hugged her. Fang jumped high and shouted, "Second sister, why are you stopping me? How dare such a fool come back? I'll risk my life to kill him today!"

Fang was strong, and Gu Zaohui and Xin were unable to stop her. The eldest sister, who was a little dazed, was called out and then woke up. The three of them worked together to take the hoe from Fang's hand and pulled her into the house. They found that Zhu'er and Chuan'er were already crying inside, their faces covered in tears.

Gu Zao asked Huixin to help Fang Shi sit down. While wiping Zhu'er and Chuan'er's faces clean, she asked a few questions and learned the cause of the earlier farce. It turned out that last year, Butcher Fan had become involved with that young woman. They first rented a separate house, but later, fearing his elder sister's harassment, he simply packed up all his belongings and went to a neighboring county with the woman to live as husband and wife. For the first few months, they lived a carefree life. However, as their money dwindled, the young woman's expression grew increasingly unpleasant. She dressed extravagantly every day and went out on her own, even becoming involved with a traveling merchant from out of town. Following Butcher Fan's example, she ran off with his remaining money without a word. By the time Butcher Fan realized what had happened, he was penniless and had lost everything.

Having suffered a great loss, Butcher Fan finally remembered his home. He begged his way back to the city, too ashamed to return immediately. Instead, he secretly went to the place where he used to sell meat. To his astonishment, he saw Sister Gu selling braised meat and cooked food, with a steady stream of customers. Puzzled, he quietly inquired with a stranger who also did business in the market. He learned that since his departure, Sister Gu had not only survived but, with the help of her younger sister, had taken up this business. Her sister had married into the Grand Commandant's household in the capital, and their family owned a grand restaurant with an official signboard. Now, Sister Gu's business was quite well-known in the market.

Butcher Fan never expected that his trip would lead to so many changes. Ashamed and embarrassed, he couldn't bear to show his face. He wandered around the area for another two or three days, avoiding eye contact with acquaintances and scavenging scraps to fill his stomach. This morning, seeing Sister Gu and her accomplices again, he suddenly remembered his two daughters, who should be at home. So, he discreetly followed the old route to their place.

When Butcher Fan arrived at his doorstep, he peeked out from behind the wall for a while before finally seeing Zhu'er carrying a basin and hanging clothes to dry in front of the door. He hadn't seen her for over a year, and his daughter had grown so much taller. Overwhelmed with emotion, he couldn't help but come out and call her name.

Suddenly, a ragged man jumped out and called to her. Not recognizing him, she was so startled that she dropped the basin she was holding and screamed. This attracted the attention of the neighbors, who, thinking he was a homeless man with ill intentions, called out and a group of people rushed out. They grabbed him and were about to take him to the authorities when they suddenly realized that the man looked familiar. Upon closer inspection, they recognized him. Zhu'er ran towards the market to call her mother.

When Sister Gu heard that it was her supposedly dead husband who had returned, fearing he was there to cause trouble, she hurriedly sent the helpers to the Fangtai Restaurant to inform him, and rushed home herself. In the past, when she hated him, she had imagined that if she ever saw him again, she would beat him to a pulp with a big stick. But when she saw Fan the Butcher, neither human nor ghost, hiding there with his head down, avoiding her gaze, his face full of shame, she was overwhelmed with emotion. Her hatred vanished instantly, leaving only contempt and cold indifference.

When Butcher Fan saw that it was Sister Gu who had come after hearing the news, and that the neighbors who had gathered around were all pointing and whispering about him, he wanted to beg for mercy, but he couldn't open his mouth and just stood there with his head down.

Seeing him in such a state, Sister Gu was at a loss for what to do with him. Remembering that business was good at the market, she had asked an acquaintance to watch the market for her, so she left and went back home. Halfway through her business, she suddenly saw Zhu'er rushing over, saying that Fang Shi had come over in a huff.

Sister Gu then remembered that she had just sent someone to report the news and felt a little regretful. She hurriedly rushed back and saw Fang Shi holding a hoe, chasing Fan Tu all over the yard, about to shovel it down. Neighbors were also trying to stop her, but they couldn't. They hurriedly stepped forward and also restrained Fang Shi. Just as things were in chaos, Gu Zao arrived with his men.

After hearing the whole story, Gu Zao saw that Madam Fang was still sitting there cursing and swearing. After thinking for a moment, she looked at her eldest sister and asked, "What are your plans now, sister?"

Before Sister Gu could speak, Madam Fang angrily retorted, "What other plans do you have? Such a heartless person deserves to be wiped out with a single stroke of my hoe! Even if we go to the authorities, I will be in the right!"

Gu Zao looked at her eldest sister, who sighed and said, "I used to hate that person so much that I would grit my teeth. But now that I've seen him in person, I realize that hating someone like that is just a waste of my energy. Since he's fallen to this state, it's best to call him over, get a divorce, and never see him again."

As soon as Sister Gu finished speaking, Butcher Fan suddenly appeared out of nowhere and knelt on the ground. He slapped himself several times hard across the face before crying and pleading, "Sister, you used to be such a good person. It's just that I was blinded by love after arriving in the capital, and my brain was filled with filth, which led me to do such a thing. Now I truly know my mistake. I have no face to ask you to consider our past relationship as husband and wife. I only beg you to forgive me this time for the sake of my deceased parents and my children, Zhu'er and Chuan'er. From now on, I will definitely turn over a new leaf and live a good life."

Enraged, Fang stood up and kicked Fan the butcher to the ground. Still not satisfied, she pointed at his nose and cursed, "I spit on your dead parents! It's better if you don't mention it, it just makes me angrier. When your dead parents were alive, my eldest sister served them tea and food every day. I married my eldest sister into your family because I heard you were an honest man. Who would have thought that once you had some money, you would only care about embracing prostitutes and having fun? How could you not remember our marital bond?"

Fang grew increasingly angry as she spoke. Seeing that the hoe was nowhere to be found, she spotted a carrying pole leaning against the wall, grabbed it, and swung it down at Butcher Fan. Butcher Fan, in pain, dared not dodge and could only cover his head as Fang struck him.

Although Gu Zao also disliked Butcher Fan, she saw that Fang Shi's carrying pole swept with great force, and she was afraid that someone might get hurt or die. Just as she was about to stop her, she suddenly saw that her younger daughter, Chuan'er, had started crying. Chuan'er stepped forward and tugged at Fang Shi's clothes, saying, "Grandmother, please don't beat my father to death. Father promised me before that he would take me to see the lanterns and buy me flowers for the Lantern Festival. I'm still waiting."

As soon as Chuan'er spoke, everyone was stunned. Gu Zao saw that Zhu'er beside her was also biting her lip, her eyes brimming with tears, so she pulled her close and comforted her in a low voice. Fang Shi, who had been holding the carrying pole in mid-air, finally couldn't bring it down. She spat angrily at Butcher Fan, threw it on the ground with a thud, and sat down on the stool.

The butcher, Fan, was struck by Chuan'er's words. He vaguely recalled that a couple of years ago, when he and his wife were still getting along, he seemed to have promised his daughter something like that. But later, he became involved with that concubine and then resented his elder sister for not having given birth to a son, neglecting his two daughters as well. Now, seeing that Chuan'er still remembered his words from years ago and was now pleading for him, he felt extremely ashamed. The ground where Fang had hit him burned and throbbed, and he buried his head in the ground, unable to lift it.

Looking at her two daughters, Sister Gu recalled that although she and her husband used to work from dawn till dusk hauling goods and selling meat, they had once had some affection for each other before her husband's heart changed. Those days now seemed as distant as a lifetime ago.

Seeing the situation take such a sharp turn for the worse, Gu Zao pondered for a long time. If her eldest sister and Fan Tu didn't have these two daughters, she would definitely have urged her to divorce. But now, with their daughters caught in the middle and seeing Fan Tu's remorseful expression, she was hesitant. Looking at her eldest sister, she saw that her expression was uncertain, and she guessed that she was also struggling to make a decision.

Apart from Chuan'er's sobs, the room was completely silent. Gu Zao was about to pull her eldest sister aside to discuss the matter when Fang Shi suddenly stood up, pointing at Fan Tu and saying, "I was going to kill you today, but I'm sparing you for the sake of my two granddaughters. I'm just saying this: from this day forward, you'd better live a good life with my eldest sister. If you do anything wrong again, I'll bite you off next time!"

Gu Zao was taken aback, and her eldest sister also looked up at Fang Shi with a complicated expression.

Looking at her eldest sister, Fang sighed and said, "Once a woman has married, she should just live off her children. Although he is a scoundrel, he seems to have repented now. You should decide what to do."

Upon hearing Fang's words, Fan Tu was stunned for a moment before he came to his senses. He scrambled to his elder sister's side, tugging at her skirt and pleading incessantly.

Gu Zao looked at her eldest sister and saw tears welling up in her eyes. She knew that even an upright official would find it difficult to settle family disputes, and now it was up to her eldest sister to decide. Seeing that there was no use in staying, she beckoned Zhu'er and Chuan'er over, and together with Fang Shi, they left.

Fang took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned back, glaring fiercely at Fan Tu: "My second son-in-law is now a young master from the Grand Commandant's mansion, and my third son-in-law will be a top scholar in the martial arts examination. I don't know what tricks you might have up your sleeve. But if you dare to mistreat my eldest sister even a little, I'll call my son-in-law, and he'll crush you like an ant. I'm telling you this now, so remember it!"

Fan Tu was being obsequious to Sister Gu when he was suddenly yelled at by Madam Fang. He trembled with fear and hurriedly made another vow. Seeing this, Madam Fang snorted and pulled Zhu'er and Chuan'er outside. The neighbors who had been watching the commotion at the door laughed at Madam Fang's imposing manner. Madam Fang, feeling smug, stood there exchanging pleasantries with the people for a while before getting into Gu Zao's carriage. The waiters from the restaurant who had come with them, seeing that everything was alright, also got into Madam Fang's original carriage and followed her back.

Gu Zao recalled the "third son-in-law" that Madam Fang had mentioned earlier and was somewhat surprised. She asked a question, but Madam Fang rolled her eyes at her and said, "Do you really think I'm blind? The two of them are exchanging glances like that. If I didn't even have that kind of eye for them, how could I possibly look after this restaurant for you?"

Sitting to the side, Huixin couldn't help but chuckle. Fang Shi, now smug, continued her boasting, "A few days ago, a new shop assistant was sweeping. He only swept the area in front of him, ignoring the nooks and crannies. I saw him and made him sweep the entire garden as punishment. Manager Hu even praised me!" She then sighed, "But that young man Yue has been gone for quite some time now. I wonder how he's doing. If men really can't be trusted, I just gave him a good scolding. If he doesn't come back, I won't be able to go and reprimand him. Wouldn't my third sister be disappointed again?"

Gu Zao recalled seeing her third sister recently, noticing the melancholy in her eyes. Hearing Fang Shi's words, she shook her head and said, "Mother, don't talk nonsense in front of Third Sister. Her imperial examination won't be held until February next year, and there's still more than a month until the end of the year. Besides, without an acquaintance to help, letters are not easy to deliver. We'll know how reliable they are after the New Year."

Fang Shi stopped after hearing what Gu Zao said. The group returned to the restaurant, and Gu Zao took care of some matters before returning to the Grand Commandant's mansion with Hui Xin.

Chapter 81

Nearly a month has passed since Yang Hao left, and the end of the year is fast approaching, with the weather growing increasingly cold. Half a month ago, the household received a letter from Grand Commandant Feng, saying he was on his way home safely and almost to Xiong Prefecture, which eased the old lady's mood somewhat. Now, more than half a month has passed, and he should be on his way back, but there has been no further news. The Grand Commandant's residence has been sending people to guard the north gate every day. Not only is Madam Jiang showing anxiety, but the old lady herself has personally gone to the palace twice to inquire with the Empress Dowager, but still, no further news has arrived.

Although Gu Zao didn't show anything on her face, she noticed a hint of worry in the old lady's eyes when she paid her respects that day, and offered her some words of comfort. However, her own heart was also somewhat aching. Back in her room, she couldn't concentrate on practicing calligraphy. She sat there for a while, feeling a bit anxious and short of breath, too tired to even change her clothes. She went back to bed fully clothed, intending to rest, but soon fell asleep. She dreamt that Yang Hao returned home, travel-worn and with a new mustache. She happily went to greet him, but before she could even grasp his hand, he vanished again in the blink of an eye. Startled and frightened, she woke up with a start. There she saw Hui Xin bending over, covering her with a blanket.

When Huixin saw that Gu Zao had woken up, she complained in a low voice, "Madam is really careless. It's so cold outside. Even though there's a brazier in the room, why didn't you cover yourself with a blanket when you were sleeping? What if you catch a cold? When Second Master comes back, he'll be..." She stopped halfway through her sentence.

Gu Zao sat up, smiled, and didn't say anything. Hui Xin saw this and sighed inwardly. She smiled and said, "I went to Fangtai Restaurant this morning and gave your new recipe to Manager Hu. He said everything was good there, except your mother said she hadn't seen you for several days and told you to visit more often when you have time."

Gu Zao hummed in agreement, threw off the covers, got out of bed, and laughed, "It's getting cold. Now I'm actually following others and staying in my room instead of going out. I wasn't like this before. It's true that when you're well-fed and warm, you become lazy."

Huixin smiled and said, "If Madam has nothing else to do, come and do some needlework with me and Rongcai. It will help pass the time."

Gu Zao remembered the sachet she had made for Yang Hao a few days ago, which she had accidentally seen hidden in a box in a drawer of her desk a few days ago. Since she had nothing else to do, she thought it would be good to learn how to make a new one from Huixin and the others. So she asked them to move it to her room.

Gu Zao sat there, watching Hui Xin Rong Cai sew with flying needles. He also picked up a pattern that had already been stretched, but before he knew it, his left index finger had been pricked after only a few stitches. Looking down, he saw a bead of blood slowly seeping from his fingertip, and he was suddenly terrified.

Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Zhenxin rushed in, bringing with her a gust of cold wind, panting, "Second Madam... Master has sent a letter..."

Gu Zao suddenly stood up, dropped the bandage in his hand, and ran outside. Hui Xin hurriedly grabbed a woolen cloak and followed. When the two entered the old lady's room, they saw that it was lively inside. Even Luo San Niang's concubines were there, and they all had smiles on their faces.

Gu Zaoqiang suppressed his unease and stepped forward to greet the old lady, but she waved her hand with a smile and said, "There's no need for formalities today. I just received a letter from the eldest brother, saying that he has successfully completed his mission and is on his way back. He will be home in a few days."

Hearing this, Gu Zao felt less anxious than before, but for some reason, she still felt uneasy. Seeing everyone congratulating the old lady, saying that she would surely be rewarded by the Emperor for her merits upon her return, and the room filled with joy, she could only smile and stand there, joining in the merriment. After everyone had finally dispersed and returned, Huixin carefully observed Gu Zao's expression and hesitated, saying, "Madam, is something still on your mind? The Second Master is coming back, and I see you seem a little..."

Gu Zao looked up at the somewhat gray sky and shook her head, saying, "I don't have anything on my mind. It looks like it's going to snow. I wonder if it's snowing up north yet. If it's all muddy, it might delay our journey."

Huixin covered her mouth and chuckled: "I wondered what was troubling you, Madam. So that's it. Second Master has spent years at sea and experienced all sorts of things in the martial world. How long can a little time really delay him?"

Gu Zao smiled, realizing she had been overthinking things. The two then returned to the house together, chatting and laughing until it was dark.

Ever since receiving Grand Commandant Yang's letter, the Grand Commandant's residence has been filled with joy, eagerly anticipating his and his entourage's return. Madam Jiang has been busy preparing for the New Year, working tirelessly like a spinning top. Previously, she had a relative who managed the household affairs, but that relative had returned to his hometown. She had intended to train her daughter-in-law to manage things, but within days, servants and maids kept coming to her complaining. Helpless, she sometimes had to ask Gu Zao to help with things. Gu Zao readily agreed, but she wouldn't interfere in anything outside her jurisdiction, which reassured Madam Jiang considerably.

The long-awaited day finally arrived, and Grand Commandant Yang and his entourage returned. Everyone in the manor, from top to bottom, was already waiting at the gate. Gu Zao stood beside Madam Jiang, following behind the old lady. Seeing the sea of women, all dressed in their finest attire, even she herself hadn't escaped the trend, having been meticulously groomed by Hui Xin and the others. She couldn't help but chuckle to herself. The thought of seeing Yang Hao, whom she hadn't seen for over a month, sent a shiver down her spine.

After 9 AM, a servant boy who had been sent to scout rushed in like a whirlwind, knelt before the old lady, and said, "Reporting to the old lady—Master and his party have arrived outside Zheng Gate and will be home soon!"

The old lady smiled broadly and said, "Good, good, reward me."

The servant accepted the reward and happily dashed out. The group of people inside the gate wore varying expressions, all eagerly awaiting his return.

About fifteen minutes later, the servant's loud voice rang out from outside the gate, "Master is back..."

The group of people inside immediately followed the old lady and rushed to the door.

Gu Zao's heart suddenly pounded wildly, as if it were about to leap out of her throat. She hesitated for a moment, then was pulled behind her by the others. Hearing the continuous sound of horses' hooves outside the door, she gasped and looked up. She saw Grand Commandant Yang dismount and, before even entering the room, kneel before the old lady.

The old lady was overjoyed, repeatedly saying "good" and going forward to help him up, but Yang Rui remained kneeling.

The old lady was taken aback, then smiled and said, "My son, what are you doing? I am very relieved that you have returned safely. Please get up quickly."

Yang Rui didn't even raise his head; instead, he crashed straight to the ground.

The old lady glanced at the group of attendants behind him, her expression suddenly changed, her lips trembled slightly, and she pointed at him hesitantly, saying, "Where is Hao'er? Why didn't he come back with you?"

Yang Rui raised his head and then said in a low voice, "My second brother had a minor accident and hasn't returned yet. I was afraid Mother would worry if she knew, so I didn't mention it in my letter last time..."

Although Yang Rui's voice was soft, everyone heard it clearly, and the surroundings immediately fell silent, the festive atmosphere vanishing without a trace.

When Yang Rui and his entourage arrived at the door, Gu Zao couldn't see Yang Hao anywhere, nor were the three accompanying men. Her legs had already gone weak, and she was supported by Hui Xin beside her. Hearing Yang Taiwei's words, her hands clenched even tighter, and her teeth even trembled slightly.

"What exactly happened to Hao'er? Tell me the truth!"

The old lady abruptly slammed her cane down and demanded an answer in a stern voice.

Helpless, Yang Rui then whispered the whole story. It turned out that this group had escorted 300,000 taels of tribute to Xiong Prefecture. They were escorted by local soldiers along the way, and with information provided by Yang Hao's local spies, although they encountered a few disturbances, they were all resolved efficiently without any major problems.

Xiongzhou was divided into two counties: Guiyi County in the north belonged to Zhuozhou of the Liao Dynasty, while Guiyi County in the south belonged to the Song Dynasty. For this year's tribute exchange, the Song Dynasty dispatched Grand Commandant Yang, while the Liao Dynasty sent Yelü Liang, the Prince of Anbei and uncle of Zongzhen, who was the only figure in the court whom Xiao Noujin (Xiao Zhen) was wary of. The two sides exchanged official documents, drank the oath-taking wine, and reaffirmed their eternal alliance. Just as they were about to take their leave, an unexpected incident occurred. A disturbance suddenly broke out among the Prince of Anbei's entourage; seven or eight out of ten soldiers turned against him, unleashing a barrage of arrows at Yang Rui and Yelü Liang. It turned out they had all been secretly bribed by Xiao Xian. Those who fought back were quickly killed.

Grand Commandant Yang was greatly alarmed and ordered his soldiers to protect Yelü Liang and retreat. However, his Song soldiers were caught off guard and were no match for the enemy's elite cavalry. They were quickly routed. Fortunately, Yang Hao, as a precaution, had his men, who were also accustomed to fighting on the front lines, rush out and, together with the recovering Song soldiers, repel the traitorous Liao troops. Only later, a small number of men discovered that Yang Hao was missing.

"It's all my son's fault. I was able to return safely after completing my mission thanks to my second brother's last-minute plan. It's just that I returned on my own and didn't bring my second brother back with me..."

Yang Rui was already in tears and lay prostrate on the ground, unable to get up. Before he could finish speaking, the old lady staggered and fell to the side. She was supported by Jiang Shi and several others who were beside her. She pointed at Yang Rui with one finger, trembling, but could not utter a single word.

"Big brother, can you find Second Master at the scene...?" Gu had already shaken off Huixin's hand, forcefully pushed aside the people piled up in front of him, rushed to Yang Rui, and asked in a trembling voice, but he couldn't bring himself to say the word "corpse".

Yang Rui looked up and saw that it was Gu Zao who had asked him the question. Gu Zao's face was as white as paper; if it weren't for the slight life in his eyes, he would have looked like a ghost. Feeling ashamed, he lowered his head and said, "Sister-in-law, as the elder brother, I am truly sorry..."

"Have you found it?"

Gu Zao ignored him and repeated it again, her voice sharp.

Yang Rui hurriedly shook his head and said, "Sister-in-law, please rest assured. We haven't found Second Brother since then. He may have lost his way in the chaos. I've left people to search day and night. San Du is also there. We'll send news as soon as we have any."

Upon hearing this, Gu Zao finally breathed a sigh of relief. After standing there for a while, she said clearly, "Since there are so many elder brothers here, I hope you will send more people to search. Second Master is very lucky and will surely return safely." With that, she turned around and headed towards the inner courtyard, leaving the crowd behind her staring blankly at her receding figure.

Huixin chased after Gu Zao, seeing her walking hurriedly. Just as she reached the bedroom door, it slammed shut. She gently pushed it, but it was already bolted from the inside. She raised her hand to knock, but hesitated. Rong Cai and Zhenxin, who had arrived later, were puzzled. Huixin lowered her hand and said, "Madam is upset. Let her be alone. Don't disturb her."

As evening approached and the lamps were lit, Huixin, still worried, took some food and went to the door again. Finding it still closed, she knocked gently, and the door opened from the inside, revealing Gu already standing there.

Huixin sighed and said, "Madam, you must take care of yourself. Second Master will be happy to see you when he returns."

Gu Zao smiled and nodded.

Ten days have passed since Grand Commandant Yang returned to the capital, but the Grand Commandant's mansion is quiet all over. Even the servants are speaking in a much quieter voice, as if they are afraid of disturbing others.

Aside from inquiring about any news from Xiongzhou, Gu Zao didn't say a word more each day. Hui Xin noticed that although she hadn't missed a single meal, the food she was given was gradually coming out almost exactly the same. She also noticed that Gu Zao's eyes were getting bigger and her chin was getting sharper. Hui Xin was secretly worried and couldn't help but offer a few more words of advice, which made Gu Zao eat a few more bites of food.

That day, snow began to fall heavily from the sky. Huixin entered Gu Zao's room and saw her staring blankly out the window. She quickly went over and closed the window, then pressed her down in front of the stove before forcing a smile and saying, "I went to the restaurant today and everything was fine. Your mother and third sister asked why you hadn't been there. I told them that the year was almost over and you were too busy to go."

Gu Zao rubbed her slightly cold face with her hand, only to find that her hands were also ice-cold. She smiled and casually said, "You must have heard that the old lady wanted to beat some servants to death yesterday, right?"

Huixin was taken aback, then forced a smile and said, "Madam, who told you this nonsense? There's no such thing."

Gu Zao remained silent, staring intently at the fire in front of her. This morning, when she left the house, she overheard Zhenxin, who was directing the maids to sweep snow, talking to Rong Cai. Zhenxin sounded somewhat indignant, so she listened carefully. Unexpectedly, Zhenxin was talking about the servants gossiping about the Second Madam, saying that she had previously caused the death of a man and now had caused the death of the Second Master. This had reached the Old Madam's ears, leading to a series of accusations and finger-pointing, with no way to trace who had started it. The Old Madam was furious, saying that the Second Master was perfectly fine, yet these people were cursing him behind his back. She ordered them all beaten to death and thrown out. Later, Jiang Shi intervened, and those people received dozens of strokes of the cane before the matter was dropped.