A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

When Gui'er heard that the Marshal wanted to send Sha Yanxiao's men away, she quickly said, "Father, there's no need for our steward to intervene in this matter. The people in my brother's courtyard were originally hired by him from outside. Before he left, my brother asked me to pay them on time. Now that the fifth and sixth concubines are dissatisfied with the excessive number of men in the courtyard, I will just give them some money and send them away."

After hearing this, the Marshal smiled and nodded, then touched Guier's head and turned around to sit down and eat.

After dinner, Gui'er and Dingxiang returned to Sha Yanxiao's courtyard. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they saw the housekeeper and a group of servants standing there. They must have received the news.

The fifth and sixth concubines entered the yard behind them. When they saw this scene, they laughed and said, "Oh, how could it be someone from the second young master's yard? They are so quick." Then they turned around and walked into the house arrogantly.

Gui'er said to the housekeeper, "Brother Yanxiao said before he left that if there's no room at the Marshal's Mansion, he'll let you go to his manor outside of Jiangcheng. He's already made arrangements there."

In Sha Yanxiao's courtyard, there were more than a dozen people, both men and women, from the housekeeper, doorman, kitchen assistant, flower chef, cleaner, to servants. After hearing Gui'er's words, they all looked at each other. Gui'er also noticed that some of them might not be willing to go to the farm in the country, so she said to them, "Brother has also thought that some of you may not be suitable for working in the countryside. In consideration of the years of relationship between master and servant, those who go to the farm will be given five silver dollars for travel expenses, and those who find other ways will be given ten silver dollars for settling in."

Ten silver dollars was a lot. The servants here were paid a little more than the servants at the Song family, but only two silver dollars a month. The housekeeper said, "I'm old and can't do anything else. I'll go to the farm. They're all old acquaintances, and I'll have someone to look after me."

Suddenly, two-thirds of the people said they wanted to go to the farm. The remaining few, the younger ones, wanted to find other jobs. Two of Ji Yiru's former subordinates said, "We don't know how to farm, so it might not be suitable for us to go to the farm. Miss, please give us five silver dollars. We want to go to Fengcheng to find the second young master."

Gui'er thought about it and realized that if she only had Dingxiang left, she might not have anyone to use her. Although Dingxiang was kind to her, she was still the lady's person, so she had to keep a few of her own people around. She said to the two men, "You two should stay. It's not good for all of you to leave at once. This yard still needs someone to look after it. I'll pay your wages from now on, just like when your brother was here."

The two hesitated for a moment and nodded in agreement.

After making all the arrangements, Guier returned to her room and retrieved the money she had gotten from selling her clothes. Fortunately, she had saved 100 silver dollars, which she distributed according to her personal wishes. Then she said to everyone, "Let's set off tomorrow morning. Thank you for your care over the years."

When he turned around, he saw the fifth and sixth concubines standing on the second-floor balcony with their children, looking down with gloomy faces.

Gui'er was a little relieved that she had left behind two of Ji Yiru's men. If she didn't have anyone who could fight, she didn't know if these two women would cause any trouble.

The next morning, when Gui'er got up, the servants brought her breakfast as usual and said to her, "We will serve you this meal and then leave. Take care, young lady." Gui'er was a little sad, but still nodded with a smile.

The fifth and sixth concubines were playing in the hall with their own children. Guier felt that their eyes were actually glancing at her, but she was too lazy to pay attention to them. She finished her breakfast in a few bites and prepared to go to school.

Suddenly, one of the Fifth Concubine's maids came running in breathlessly, saying, "Madam, Madam, the eldest young master is here."

Gui'er frowned. Sha Yanyao rarely set foot in Sha Yanxiao's courtyard. What was he doing here at this time? Turning to look at the fifth and sixth concubines, they also looked bewildered. It seemed that they had no idea what Sha Yanyao was up to.

After a while, Sha Yanyao came in again, bringing Miss Shen with him. Guier said with a smile, "Brother and sister-in-law, why are you here so early? Dingxiang, go serve tea to them."

Sha Yanyao smiled slightly and pulled Miss Shen to sit on the sofa. Miss Shen smiled and said, "Although we live in the same house, you rarely come to my yard to play on weekdays, so we don't see each other at all."

Gui'er still couldn't figure out what they were doing there, but from the way they sounded, they didn't sound like they were looking for trouble, so she smiled and said, "I can't help it. I'm usually so busy with schoolwork, and when I finally get a Sunday off, it's always one classmate or another asking me out to play. Plus, my eldest brother and his wife are newlyweds, so it would seem inconsiderate of me to keep bothering you guys."

After hearing this, Sha Yanyao and Miss Shen both smiled. Sha Yanyao was really happy, but Miss Shen's smile seemed a little forced. Gui'er couldn't help but have some doubts in her heart.

Sha Yanyao smiled and said, "You still have school to go to, so I won't take up too much of your time. I was thinking that Father had sent his fifth and sixth concubines to live in this courtyard yesterday. I don't know if you'll be used to the crowds. Plus, your eldest sister-in-law said she'd be too bored living alone in the courtyard. Why don't you come live in my courtyard? When you come home from school, you can chat with her and she can help you with your homework. She's studied abroad, so she's more than qualified to teach you."

Gui'er was stunned for a moment. She remembered that when Ji Yiru bullied her, Sha Yanyao also let her live with him for a while, which was quite pleasant. She and Miss Shen got along well and there shouldn't be any conflicts. Moving there now was indeed a good choice, but doing so would mean letting the fifth and sixth concubines take over.

She looked up at the house, which contained many happy memories, but she, a little girl, couldn't keep it safe after all.

Gui Er smiled at Sha Yanyao and Miss Shen and said, "I'd love to live with my brother and his wife and have someone to teach me."

Sha Yanyao and Miss Shen were very happy to hear this and said with a smile, "Okay, move your things over when you get back from school."

Guier smiled and said, "Okay."

After the matter was settled, Sha Yanyao took Miss Shen back home. Gui'er said to the two servants who stayed behind, "I'm moving in with my eldest brother and his wife now, so I'm afraid only one person will be enough. Each of you should take five silver dollars and report to my second brother."

The two men discussed it for a while, and one of them stepped forward, bowed, and said, "I am willing to stay and serve the young lady."

Gui'er nodded and said to the man and Dingxiang, "Okay, pack your things first, and when I get back from school, come with me to move your things to my brother and sister-in-law's place."

He then said to another servant who was about to go to Sha Yanxiao, "I'm afraid Lily's car has already left. Please take me to school and leave after that."

Then, under the escort of the servant, he left the mansion and took a rickshaw to school.

When they arrived at the school, Gui'er took out five silver dollars and handed them to him, saying, "Be careful on your way. Tell your brother everything that happened here. He's been gone for a long time, and I don't know how he's doing. Tell him that if it's inconvenient for him to call, he can write to me and have someone deliver it to the Zhenxiufang."