A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Sha Yanxiao and Gui'er were led to the living room by their parents. One of them made tea while the other prepared snacks and fruits.

Miss Zhang Si came to Sha Yanxiao holding the baby and said, "This is my daughter Niuniu. She came to pay her respects to the young marshal." Then she held the child and bowed.

Sha Yanxiao smiled and nodded, took out a red envelope from his pocket, handed it to Miss Zhang Si, and said, "This is for the children."

Gui'er quickly took out a pair of small silver bracelets she had prepared and handed them to Miss Zhang Si.

Miss Zhang Si held the child in her arms again, bowed to Sha Yanxiao and Gui'er, and said, "Thank you, Nannan."

At this time, the two concubines had already prepared the fruit bowl and tea and handed them over. Wu Dahua and Wu Dafu stood aside, a little nervous and at a loss. Wu Dafu said, "We brothers are from humble backgrounds and don't know any etiquette. Please don't be offended, young marshal."

Sha Yanxiao smiled slightly and said, "It's okay, no need to be so formal. You are Gui'er's brothers, so you are one of us."

Guier asked, "How old is the child? Has he been named yet?"

Miss Zhang Si said, "When she was just over two months old, her father said that her aunt was very capable and went to school in the capital, and he hoped that she could be like her aunt in the future, so he named her Wu Guihua."

Gui'er didn't think it was a particularly good name, but it was chosen based on her own name. Wu Dahua hadn't been educated much, so she just let it go. She smiled and said, "It's fine. The most important thing is that the child is healthy."

When she turned around and saw her two brothers still standing there, she said, "Brother, why are you standing there? Sit down quickly."

Wu Dafu and Wu Dahua sat down stiffly.

Guier asked, "How is business in the workshop now?"

Wu Dafu said, "It's just so-so, not a big business. We usually make some simple stools and small stools and put them out there so people can buy them right away. They're the ones we put in the yard. Bigger items like cabinets and beds are rarely made these days, except for wealthy families getting married. But those people usually go to an old workshop like my master's, and they're more reassured by a reputable one. But my second brother has the skill to weave rattan. We can get rattan by cutting it in the mountains, so we don't have to spend any money, so we sell it at a relatively low price and still make a living."

Gui'er nodded. She noticed as soon as she entered the room that the clothes worn by Miss Zhang Si and her concubine had changed from silk to homespun cloth. Their financial situation must not be very good.

Gui'er wanted to give them some money to support them, but Sha Yanxiao was not around, so it was not convenient. She had to think of finding a way to send it over later.

Sha Yanxiao and Gui'er sat there for quite a while. The two brothers Wu Dahua and Wu Dafu were always very reserved in front of Sha Yanxiao. Miss Zhang Si and the two concubines were from the Marshal's Mansion and had seen big scenes, so they were the ones who accompanied Sha Yanxiao in talking.

After chatting for a while, Sha Yanxiao said to Gui'er, "It's almost time, let's go."

Miss Zhang Si quickly stood up and said, "Let's eat here before we leave."

Sha Yanxiao smiled and said, "No need, thank you." Then he walked out.

Gui'er followed him out. Just as she was about to cross the door, Wu Dafu pulled her aside and whispered in her ear, "Sister, you've grown up now and become beautiful. Do you know any good families?"

Gui'er was confused and said, "I'm still in school, why would I look for someone like that?"

Wu Dafu sighed and said, "You better be careful. Don't let the people in the Marshal's Mansion match you with just any old man." He bit his lip and whispered shyly in Gui'er's ear, "Also keep an eye on Taohua. She's so beautiful. I'm afraid the people in the Marshal's Mansion might have bad intentions."

Sha Yanxiao walked into the yard and didn't see Gui'er, so he looked back.

Wu Dafu quickly said loudly: "Study hard, take care of your health, and come over to play when you have time."

Gui'er knew he was worried that Sha Yanxiao would be upset if he heard it, so she agreed with him and said, "I know, brother. You should take care of yourself too."

After visiting her two brothers and returning to the General's Mansion, Gui'er ran to tell Taohua the news. Taohua was very happy: "I haven't seen them for a long time. I must find a chance to visit my little niece in the future."

Gui'er also told Taohua what Wu Dafu had said when he quietly pulled her aside. She smiled and said, "My brother is just a worrier. He's always nervous and worried about this and that."

Taohua remained silent after hearing this.

Gui'er noticed something was wrong and quickly pulled her over to ask, "What's going on? Did something really happen?"

Taohua hesitated for a long time before she said that the Marshal would occasionally come to the Third Concubine's place recently. Every time he saw her, he would pull her hand and stroke it in his own, or he would put his arm around her shoulders. She felt uncomfortable, so the Third Concubine scolded her for not being generous enough.

Taohua said, "It's obvious that the Marshal didn't pay much attention to me before. We didn't even talk to each other all year round. Now he's touching me and calling it the kindness of an elder. I feel very uncomfortable. Do you think I'm overthinking it?"

Gui'er felt that this was definitely not a case of peach blossom suspicion. Marshal Sha was a pervert. The last time Yulan came, he had an affair with her. Everyone knew it, but because of Yulan's identity, everyone thought it was natural.

However, Taohua has always been a nobody in the Marshal's Mansion. She doesn't interact much with anyone, and the Third Concubine only treats her as a half-maid. The Marshal probably has no father-daughter relationship with her, which makes Guier very worried.

She looked at Taohua, whose face was rosy and skin was as white as cream. She looked like half an adult now, with a round figure and a plump body. She looked like a female model on a calendar. Compared with her, she seemed like a child.

Gui'er then told Taohua, "I think you're right. Besides, it's common wisdom to say that a girl should avoid her father when she grows up. When you meet the Marshal in the future, try to choose a place with a lot of people around. Never meet him alone. Got it?"

Taohua nodded, but she became even more sorrowful, and soon she burst into tears. She said, "Although I stay in the mansion all day, I know a few rumors about the Marshal. They say he is a lecherous person, and even the sister Yulan we adopted last time is not immune. Everyone just treats it as gossip and jokes. Now this matter has fallen on me, what should I do?"

Gui Er quickly comforted her, saying, "After all, you live with the Third Concubine, and she's not favored. The Marshal doesn't come over very often a year, and he has to save face, so just be careful not to be alone with him. It shouldn't be a problem."

Taohua was still worried and said, "What about my marriage to your brother? I'm not young anymore. I'll be married in a year or two. What if they don't let me go then?"