A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Gui'er came to the classroom and sat down, then she remembered that she didn't have a book and it was impossible for her to go back to the Song family to get one. She was hesitating whether to borrow one from someone.

The principal suddenly arrived at their class, followed by a teacher carrying a large stack of books. They both walked straight up to Gui'er and said kindly, "Student Wu, I heard something happened at home. You don't have any books now, right? I've got everything ready for you. Is there anything missing? I've also prepared some books for you, books your age should read. They're all here."

The teacher next to her put the book on Guier's desk with a smile. Guier quickly stood up and said, "Thank you, principal, thank you, teacher."

The principal smiled and said to Gui'er, "If you need anything in the future, just tell the teacher. If that doesn't work, you can come directly to my office."

Gui'er was completely confused. Many students in this school came from wealthy or noble families. There were also a few children of people who worked as housekeepers in wealthy families or as managers in foreign companies. The principal usually didn't show much enthusiasm. Last time, she was almost sold, and she escaped and came to the school for help. The principal just played Tai Chi, but now he suddenly became very caring.

But she still said politely: "Okay, thank you, principal."

As soon as the principal and the teacher left, the students around them whispered to each other. My deskmate asked directly, "What happened in your family? Why are the principal and the teacher suddenly so nice to you?"

Gui'er didn't want to talk about what happened in the Song family, so she evaded the issue by saying, "My book is just missing."

Afraid that her deskmate would ask more questions, Gui'er quickly got up and ran to find Tong Yujun, intending to return the money she had collected yesterday.

Tong Yujun was very surprised to see her and said unnaturally: "You're here, are you okay?"

Gui'er was still very grateful to her, so she told her about what had happened since yesterday. Tong Yujun's eyes widened in surprise and said, "You're so lucky, but how did you get to know that young marshal?"

Gui'er thought it was best not to tell anyone about Sha Yanxiao's past as a bandit, so she said, "Mrs. Song once hosted a banquet for her cousin, Captain Duan, who served under the Young Marshal. The Young Marshal also attended the banquet, so they met then."

Tong Yujun was silent for a moment, then looked at Gui'er's face and said, "Being pretty is good, that's all. The young marshal has only met you once and is willing to help you. If it were me, I don't think he would even remember who I am, right?"

Gui'er was very surprised. She didn't expect that Tong Yujun, who was only 12 or 3 years old, could speak like an adult.

Tong Yujun saw Gui'er's surprised expression and suddenly lowered her head and said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you. My aunt might be marrying the Marshal, and she's only 25 years old."

Gui'er was unable to react for a moment: "Ah? What? Your aunt?"

Tong Yujun nodded and said, "Yes, my father said that our family is small and our foundation is weak. We originally wanted to gain a foothold in this city, but we have always been cautious. If we marry into the Marshal's Mansion, we will be able to gain strong support. If my aunt can gain favor and give birth to a boy, then my aunt will enjoy endless wealth and glory for the rest of her life."

Gui'er remembered that Dali had said that the Marshal had seven concubines. Wouldn't Tong Yujun's aunt become the eighth concubine when she married into the family? And she was only 25 years old, so wasn't that about the same age as Sha Yanxiao?

Thinking of this, she asked cautiously: "Will your aunt be willing?"

Tong Yujun's childish face revealed a trace of sadness that was not in line with her age. "My aunt was actually engaged. She was married to a wealthy man of equal status, but he eloped with an opera singer just before the wedding. My aunt became an abandoned woman, and it was too late for her to find another partner. She could only become someone else's second wife or a concubine. Instead of that, she might as well become a warlord's concubine. At least she would have had power."

Gui'er felt inexplicably sad after hearing this and didn't know how to comfort Tong Yujun.

She suddenly thought of Song Tingting, the daughter of the Song family. She had missed her marriage engagement twice, and it might be difficult for her to find a family of equal status. That was why they had to get rid of the good-looking servants around her, and made up a seemingly absurd but reasonable reason to save Song Tingting's face.

When Gui'er thought of this, she felt a chill rising from the soles of her feet.

Tong Yujun looked at her frightened expression and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Gui Er finally came to her senses. She remembered that she had come to repay the money, so she took out the bag of silver dollars that Tong Yujun had given her yesterday and returned it to her, saying, "Thank you so much for yesterday. I haven't spent this money yet."

Tong Yujun evaded the question, feeling somewhat ashamed, and said, "I didn't help you at all."

Guier smiled and said, "I understand. It's enough that you have this intention."

Tong Yujun hesitated for a moment before speaking, "You should take the money. The Marshal's Mansion looks magnificent, but I heard from others that several concubines there died inexplicably."

Gui'er hadn't expected such gossip to exist. Just as she was about to ask Tong Yujun to elaborate, a voice suddenly came from behind her: "Are you the woman who suddenly moved into my house yesterday?"

Turning around, they saw a petite girl with big eyes, a small nose and small lips, like a porcelain doll, standing behind them, surrounded by four or five people.

Gui'er felt that the other person was not friendly, but she couldn't guess her background. She was hesitating whether to respond when Tong Yujun quickly stood up and said with a smile, "Lily, you're here?"

It was the first time Gui'er saw Tong Yujun trying to please someone with such a bit of trepidation. She looked at her doubtfully, and Tong Yujun said softly to her, "This is the Marshal's daughter, Sha Lili."

So that's how it was. Gui'er quickly added a smile and said, "Hello, Miss Sha. I'm grateful for the young marshal's care. I've indeed been bothering you these past few days."

Seeing Gui'er being polite and neither servile nor overbearing, Sha Lili was a little surprised. She asked, "Who are you? What do you do at home? Why do you want to live with us?"

Seeing that she was so arrogant, Gui'er knew that she must have been flattered by others all the time. Her family background was indeed not to be trifled with. She wondered why she had not noticed such a person in school before.

After thinking for a moment, Gui'er said with a smile, "My family is ordinary people. Because of a family misfortune, I was living with the Song family of the police chief. Director Song is a kind person and believes that girls should go to school, so he sent me to school. During this period, Director Song was not at home, and his family did not accept me. I was almost left without anyone to rely on. Fortunately, the young marshal was kind enough to take me in and let me continue my studies. Gui'er is really grateful to everyone in the marshal's mansion."

After hearing this, Sha Lili frowned and said, "Why can't the Song family tolerate you? Is there something you did?"

Guier smiled frankly and said, "I didn't do anything. It's just that my mistress, Mrs. Song, thinks that I am just a girl from a poor family and not worthy of studying, so she has always been quite dissatisfied." Guier said this without worrying about Sha Lili's investigation, because she estimated that the people in the Song Mansion would rather admit that they were unwilling to let a poor child go to school than admit that they sent a girl for human sacrifice.

Sha Lili listened, pondered for a moment and said: "Girls should study more, those old-fashioned people are just like that. I heard that your grades are quite good, don't worry, you can live in the general's mansion from now on and go to school every day. I don't think anyone dares to stop you."

Hmm? Is this a sign of helping Guier? It seems this handsome young lady is quite innocent.

Guier quickly smiled and said, "Okay, thank you Miss Sha."