Beautiful Peasant Girl: The Young Marquis's Beloved

A quarter of an hour later, outside a room in Fulin Inn, Chang Wen looked at the door and asked, "Who is it?" As he asked, the door opened from the inside, and a young man looked at the four people with confusion.

Chang Yifei raised his eyebrows and asked, "Xu family?"

"My name is Xu Huairen, and who are you?" The young man frowned but replied politely.

"Huairen, who is it?" Before Chang Yifei could say anything, an old man's voice came from inside the room.

"I'm Chang Yifei. Who is that?" Chang Yifei bowed and asked.

"It turns out to be Young Master Chang. Excuse me! It's my father inside. I wonder if Young Master Chang has anything important to do at this time?" Xu Huairen returned the greeting and asked after standing up.

"Are you sure you want to say this here?" Chang Yifei raised his eyebrows.

"It's Huairen who is rude, Young Master, please come in!" Xu Huairen was stunned, then apologized and stepped aside, inviting the person in. Chang Zhong and Chang Wen stayed at the door.

Xu Huairen entered the room first and replied to the old man sitting on the couch, "Dad, it's the young master of the Chang family! Young master Chang, this is my father, Xu Hean, the chief steward of the Xu family."

"Junior Chang Yifei greets Steward Xu." Chang Yifei bowed.

"Haha, Young Master Chang, please excuse me for embarrassing me. I wonder what brings you here?" Xu He stroked his graying beard and asked with a smile.

"I heard that Butler Xu is looking for someone. I'd like to ask if I can help you. After all, I have some connections in Yongshun Prefecture." Chang Yifei didn't directly mention Xu Ruolan. Although they said they were looking for someone, he wanted to find out first whether the assistant minister of the Xu family really wanted to find Aunt Xu. If it was just for the old lady, then there would be no need to do it, and it would also save trouble for the Liuxu family.

"How can I trouble the young master?" Xu He'an and his son looked at each other and were somewhat moved. Xu He'an said a little embarrassedly.

"It's just a small favor! Of course, if it's inconvenient, forget it! Yifei also heard a few words from his subordinates, thinking that my brother and Lord Xu are officials in the same court, and you happen to be in Yongshun. If you can help, it can be regarded as a good relationship. After all, my brother is the only one in the Chang family who has a career in officialdom. If he encounters any problems, there is no one to report to." Chang Yifei said half-truthfully.

Xu Huairen had been following Xu Mingli for many years, so he knew the Chang family's master. At such a young age, he was a fifth-rank Dali Zheng, so he thought he would have a good future. Moreover, the master had said that this person was honest and upright, had high moral character and was smooth, and was worthy of friendship. Now, hearing Chang Yifei say this, he nodded slightly to his father.

Xu Hean then said, "Then I'll have to trouble Master Chang!"

"Butler Xu, you are too polite. Could you tell me where Miss Xu first disappeared, and... where have we looked for her over the years?" After nodding slightly, Chang Yifei went straight to the point.

"To be honest with you, Young Master, back then..." As Xu He'an told the story, Chang Yifei finally understood. It turned out that the Xu family had really been looking for the child, but they were robbed of a lot of their property by refugees back then, so they were short of manpower and money. In addition, the eldest son Xu Mingzhe also had his legs broken in order to protect his wife and children. At that time, the doctors in Yongshun Prefecture could only say that the condition should be stabilized and not worsen. If they wanted to recover, they might have to go to Kyoto to find a famous doctor. They were originally going to Kyoto, but they had no choice but to leave some people to continue the search, and the others went to Kyoto for resettlement first.

The people who stayed behind also searched for nearly a month in Yongshun, but they still had no money left, so they had to go and reunite with the master's family. Mrs. Xu fell ill after knowing this. It was the current Lord Xu, Xu Mingli, who persuaded her that her sister was smart and knew that their destination was Kyoto. Since they couldn't find her in Yongshun Prefecture, she must be on the way to Beijing. This made the old lady's condition better. Later, while the Xu family was busy settling in Kyoto, they sent people to search on the way to Beijing. The following year, Xu Mingli passed the second-class examination and was sent to a remote county in the south to serve as a county magistrate. The family had to move to the south, so that the number of people looking for Xu Ruolan was reduced a lot. It was not until the year before last that Xu Mingli was transferred back to Kyoto to serve as the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. After years of fruitless searching, everyone actually assumed that the eldest lady was no longer there, but only Mrs. Xu always said that her daughter must be alive.

"Alas, since returning to the capital, the old lady's health has been getting worse. The doctor said that she has a heart knot, and the old lady has to figure it out herself. So the Xu family has been looking for her for the past two years. A few days ago, the old lady fell ill and was sometimes conscious and sometimes confused. She always said that the young lady was ragged and hungry. The masters and servants in the family were very anxious. Or it was one of the second master's guards who suddenly mentioned that the young lady might have been in Yongshun Prefecture, so we couldn't find her, so we came to Yongshun Prefecture, but... Alas, it's been more than ten days and still..." Xu He'an shook his head disappointedly.

He was a servant of the Xu family, and he had watched the young lady grow up, so how could he not feel heartbroken? His old wife was the young lady's wet nurse, and the young lady had been missing for so many years, and his old wife, like the old lady, had always missed her very much.

Chang Yifei heaved a sigh of relief after hearing this, and also had a deeper understanding of the Xu family. They must be a kind family that has been persistent in searching for a young lady for many years, and the master and servant are of one mind.

Then he stood up and bowed to Xu Hean.

Xu Hean was puzzled when he saw this, and he quickly stood up, "Young Master, why is this happening? Please stand up quickly, I can't bear it!"

Although the Xu family held the fourth rank of officialdom, slightly higher than the Chang family, he was just a servant and could not accept the courtesy from the young master of the Chang family.

But Chang Yifei stood up after the ceremony and said apologetically, "Butler Xu, you have to accept this gift from me. I was actually lying to you before, trying to test whether the Xu family was really looking for someone."

Xu Hean had been with Xu Yiru since he was a child, so he was no fool. The light in his eyes seemed to overflow, and he asked in a trembling voice: "You, you mean..."

Chang Yifei smiled and said, "Yes, if I am not mistaken, the person you are looking for should be one of my elders."

Xu Hean and his son looked at each other, both with excitement in their eyes.

"Master Chang, please tell us where my eldest daughter is now! The Xu family will reward you handsomely!" Xu Huairen patted his father's hand soothingly and bowed to Chang Yifei.

Chang Yifei helped the man up and shook his head gently, "Don't worry, Aunt Xu is not in the city. You two should rest for a night. I will pick you up tomorrow morning. I was going to see Aunt Xu today, but one of my subordinates accidentally saw you looking for someone with Aunt Xu's portrait. He knew that I had a close relationship with Aunt Xu's family, so he immediately informed me, which led to this incident. Please don't blame me, Butler Xu. Yifei was worried that the visitor would harm Aunt Xu, so he tried to test her a little bit before."

Xu Hean would never be surprised. In his heart, Chang Yifei was the benefactor of the Xu family. He was about to kneel down, but was stopped by the quick-witted Chang Yifei, "Butler Xu, you can't do this!"

"Yes, yes, Master Chang, you are the benefactor of our Xu family!" As he was about to kneel down again, Chang Yifei had to signal Xu Huairen: Hurry up and hold him back and let your father do it!

Unexpectedly, Xu Huairen not only did not do that, but he knelt down and kowtowed to Chang Yifei before standing up.

If you don't let my father kneel, I will kneel.

Chang Yifei didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "You guys are really..."

Seeing this, Xu Hean also stood up and said, "Master Chang is honored with this gift. If you hadn't come to see us today, we might have returned disappointed again, and my old lady might also..."

Chang Yifei didn't know what to say, so he just told them to have a good rest and that he would pick them up early tomorrow morning to meet someone. Then he said goodbye to them and returned to the Chang family.

After Chang Yifei left, Xu Hean murmured with tears in his eyes: "Okay, okay, it's been nine years, God has mercy, and I finally found the young lady."

Xu Huairen: "Dad, should we send a message back to Beijing first? Second Master and the others are waiting!"

Xu He'an suddenly woke up from his dream and said excitedly: "Send it, send it immediately! No, I have to write the letter myself. Come and grind ink for me!" Our old housekeeper Xu walked to the table while speaking, and did not forget to call his son.