A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Soon, Wu Mingqiang received news that Sha Yanxiao knew about it and would be back on time for dinner.

Gui'er was very surprised and still a little worried about Sha Yanxiao's safety, so she asked Ah Cheng: "If Second Brother comes back, how many of us can enter the mansion to ensure his safety?"

Ah Cheng was stunned for a moment and said, "As far as I know, I am the only one in the mansion who belongs to the Second Young Master, and this is well known."

Gui'er frowned. She understood what Ah Cheng meant. If the Madam really wanted to make trouble, she would definitely be on guard against the people left behind by Sha Yanxiao.

The Marshal turned a blind eye when Sha Yanxiao was attacked before, but now for some unknown reason, he calls him back.

What Gui'er was most curious about was actually the attitude of the Madam and Sha Yanyao, but she couldn't test it. Although she had lived with Sha Yanxiao before, in the eyes of the people in the Marshal's Mansion, she was just a simple little girl who didn't know the world. So they could only tolerate her after Sha Yanxiao left.

Gui'er said to Ah Cheng, "Go inform Wu Mingqiang and tell him to tell my second brother to be careful. Since we're going to have a good meal for the Double Ninth Festival, we'll inevitably have to buy in some food from outside. You can take advantage of this and send some people in to ambush us."

Ah Cheng nodded and said, "I understand, Miss."

Soon it was the Double Ninth Festival. Gui'er returned from school and was surprised to find many officers at the Marshal's residence. Many of them were the same officers she had met in the suite at the Paramount Ballroom. Even Colonel Duan was there. Gui'er quickly got out of the car and greeted Colonel Duan, saying, "Hello, Colonel Duan, why are you all here today? Are you here for a meeting?"

Captain Duan said in surprise: "Miss, don't you know? Today is the Double Ninth Festival. Marshal, please invite all the officers of the military headquarters to come for dinner."

After hearing this, Gui'er suddenly became happy. If Sha Yanxiao was in such an environment, he should be relatively safe. After all, the Marshal was a man who cared a lot about his reputation. He would definitely not allow his subordinates to see his two sons killing each other.

She smiled and said to Captain Duan, "So that's how it is. It's really going to be lively. You guys go ahead and chat."

Back in the room, Dingxiang saw Gui'er and smiled again, "Miss, you look so happy, are you seeing the Second Young Master come back?"

Gui'er said in surprise: "I didn't. Has my second brother come back?"

Ding Xiang said, "It's spread all over the mansion that the Second Young Master is coming back soon. Now the Fifth and Sixth Concubines are terrified. That's why they were so arrogant in kicking us out. Let's see how the Second Young Master will deal with them when he comes back."

Gui Er frowned and said, "Don't talk nonsense, Second Brother. They haven't come back yet. Besides, the Fifth and Sixth Concubines are father's concubines. Second Brother will never embarrass them. You should be careful and don't talk nonsense."

Dingxiang was stunned for a moment, then lowered her head and said, "Yes, miss, I understand." Then she walked over, opened the door, stuck her head out and looked around the corridor to make sure no one had returned.

After a while, he couldn't help but sigh and said, "Young lady, you have become more and more cautious since you moved to the courtyard of the eldest house. In the past, you were so unrestrained and happy in the courtyard of the second young master."

Gui Er was a little stunned, but after thinking about it, she said to Ding Xiang with a wry smile, "You know, that's just the past. I'm grown up now. Besides, living with my big brother and sister-in-law, I naturally have to behave myself. Not to mention that Mrs. Shen doesn't like me very much."

Dingxiang nodded and said, "Miss, you have been wronged."

It was almost time for dinner when Sha Yanxiao finally came back. As soon as his car drove into the gate of the Marshal's Mansion, the officers who were chatting and smoking just now all surrounded him. Gui'er took a closer look and found that among the people who surrounded him, in addition to Captain Duan who was considered to be very close to Sha Yanxiao, there was also the officer who had been surrounding Sha Yanyao in the Paramount Suite before. It was not known whether Sha Yanxiao's prestige in the army was really high, or whether these people were indecisive.

Guier glanced at Sha Yanyao and his wife. Sha Yanyao looked unhappy, and his wife's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

They were seated quickly. The Marshal specially asked Sha Yanyao and Sha Yanxiao to sit on his left and right, while his wife just sat next to Sha Yanyao this time.

The Marshal raised his glass and said to everyone, "Tomorrow is the Double Ninth Festival, a day for ancestor worship. I am hosting a family dinner here, and I invite all of you in the army to join me. China is weak now, and foreign enemies are eyeing us covetously. We must unite, whether in the army or at home, to face the future war. Through the January 28 Incident, I have a premonition that within a few years, China and Japan will inevitably go to war. If we are still a scattered group by then, then this land we have managed here for decades will be handed over to others."

"Now, Yan Yao has won the favor of the Nanjing leadership and can seek a position there. This is equivalent to building a bridge between our local and central governments. In the future, both our equipment and resources will be expanded. This is good news, great news. I am here to wish Yan Yao immediate success and wish you all a happy holiday."

The officers and concubines present all raised their glasses and said, some wishing Sha Yanyao success, some wishing him a promotion. The lady finally smiled at this time, and even looked a bit proud.

Sha Lili whispered in Gui'er's ear, "Father has been playing dumb for so long, and now he's finally speaking up for my second brother."

Gui'er looked at her in surprise and said, "Don't think everyone is blind, idiot. Second brother, didn't you run to Fengcheng this time just to avoid Auntie? In fact, ever since Big Brother's foot healed, everyone has been anticipating this day. Don't be fooled by Auntie's appearance of being indifferent to worldly affairs, eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures every day, as if she is compassionate, but in fact she is more cruel than anyone else. If Big Brother doesn't get a job in Nanjing this time, they will definitely not let Second Brother go."

Guier sighed and said nothing.

The banquet lasted until very late. As they drank, some concubines, whose children were still young, took their children back to their own courtyards. The officers, who were not good at drinking, were already a little drunk, but they were still holding wine glasses and toasting people everywhere. It was impossible to tell who was sitting at which table.

Gui'er had almost finished her meal, so she left the restaurant and prepared to return to the courtyard of the main house.

As she was passing by a relatively quiet path, she suddenly saw a figure in front of her. She didn't know who it was, so she quickly stopped. When the person came closer, she could see clearly that it was Sha Yanxiao.

Sha Yanxiao walked over and happily picked her up. He spun her around before putting her down and saying, "Xiao Gui'er, it's been a long time since we last met. Did you miss me?"

Gui'er said happily, "Of course I do." Then she lowered her voice and said to Sha Yanxiao, "Brother, are you sure it's safe now?"