A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Gui'er followed the eldest wife back to Nanjing by train. This time, Sha Yanyao, Miss Tian and his wife shared a suite, while Gui'er and Jinbao shared a suite. And for some reason, the suite Gui'er and Jinbao shared was a level lower than the previous ones. It only had a bed, a table and chairs.

Jin Bao was very dissatisfied and kept nagging Gui Er along the way, saying, "Guier, look at me, I'm pregnant now, and they didn't even bother to book a better room for me. It's really disheartening."

Gui'er was already used to Jinbao's Xianglin Sao-like complaints, so she just smiled and said, "Maybe it's impossible to book a ticket. Fortunately, the journey back isn't too far, so it shouldn't be too uncomfortable. Just bear with it."

Jin Bao pouted and said, "I can endure it, but how can I endure this baby in my belly? He's the flesh and blood of your Sha family. Let me tell you, this time when we returned to Jiangcheng, your father suddenly called two Taoist priests to read the faces of everyone in the mansion, saying he wanted to tell fortunes or something. Almost everyone in the mansion has been read by him, and when he came to me, he said that I was the mother of your eldest grandson and that we could live in harmony for a hundred years in the future."

Gui'er said in surprise, "There's such a thing? How come I didn't know about it? No wonder my sister-in-law is unhappy. She's the wife that my eldest brother married with a formal matchmaker. Jinbao, it's not that I didn't advise you. I heard that Miss Tian is a powerful person. Don't be too arrogant and provoke her. You will suffer the consequences if you are angry."

Jin Bao curled his lips in dissatisfaction, then suddenly remembered something and said to Gui Er, "You should be on my side, Marshal. I asked that fortune teller to calculate the Second Young Master's marriage and ask him when he would find a wife and have children. The fortune teller said that you and the Second Young Master are made for each other."

Gui Er burst out laughing and said, "Did you dream about it? We were in Shanghai at the time, and that fortune teller never read it for us."

Jin Bao was stunned for a moment, then quickly changed his words and said, "That might be to calculate your birth date. Gui'er, you should be happy. This way, you won't have to marry off to those messy young men out there."

Gui'er smiled but said nothing. In fact, the birth date and horoscope she reported to the Marshal's Mansion were all made up by her. When she traveled to this world, she had no memory of the original Wu Gui'er. Moreover, children from poor families did not celebrate their birthdays, so Taohua did not know her birthday.

She glanced at Jinbao and felt that Jinbao seemed a little weird, so she kindly advised: "Jinbao, don't think too much. Give birth to the child and raise him well. My eldest brother and mother should not treat you badly. But don't be so stubborn. After all, you are not the original wife."

Jin Bao muttered to himself, "I heard Miss Tian is pregnant. Is that true? If so, are I and the baby in my belly useless? What should I do? Will they kick me out?"

Gui'er's heart skipped a beat and she said, "Don't think too much. If you really can't get along, just let Big Brother rent another house outside and he can go back and forth between us. That way you don't have to worry about Miss Tian's mood. How great is that?"

Jin Bao still had a deep frown on his face. The old maid hired by the family to take care of him said bluntly, "Miss Jin Bao, we servants are politely calling you Miss. Don't really think you are a Miss. The one in front of you is a proper young lady of the handsome mansion. She is doing this and lowering herself to comfort you. Don't be so arrogant."

Gui Er gave a bitter laugh and turned to walk outside to the corridor to get some fresh air. As soon as she stood there, she ran into Sha Yanyao. Sha Yanyao smiled and said to her, "Sister, why are you out here to relax too?"

Gui'er smiled bitterly and said, "Didn't Father invite a fortune teller to come over and tell their fortunes a few days ago? I think Jinbao seems a little bit weird now."

Sha Yanyao smiled helplessly and said, "Your sister-in-law has been arguing with me about this matter for a few days now."

Gui'er then realized that this was actually a true story. She had thought Jinbao was a little crazy and that he was imagining it. She smiled and said to Sha Yanyao, "How could father suddenly become superstitious about such things? He used to live on the edge of a knife and had come a long way."

Sha Yanyao shook his head and said, "Maybe it's his age, coupled with his addiction, that's drained his energy and spirit. He's no longer as confident as he was in his youth. When I returned to Jiangcheng this time, I heard from his old subordinates that he's spent a lot of money on those charlatans and fortune tellers in the past year, and he's also donated a lot to Taoist temples. Last time, when he found out he was addicted, he actually asked a Taoist priest to make an elixir to help him quit."

Gui'er was particularly surprised. She had never heard of these things from Sha Yanxiao. It seemed that Sha Yanyao still had supporters and spies in the army.

However, Sha Yanyao was willing to tell him, which meant that he still felt that Gui'er was trustworthy.

Gui'er calmly said to him, "The situation is so bad right now. When my second brother and I went to Shanghai a few days ago, we found a lot more Japanese people there. And many people working in Japanese companies know that war is coming soon. Father is in such a state now. What will we do if a war really breaks out? Big brother, why don't you ask Mother to persuade him?"

Sha Yanyao sighed and said, "I've already tried to persuade him. Because of that, the relationship between the couple is not good now. Father doesn't even get close to the concubines in the Marshal's Mansion anymore. He's only close to Madam Song from the Song family. After all, Madam Song would never go against his wishes, but that's because she can get something out of him."

Gui'er sighed and didn't know what to say.

As soon as we returned to Nanjing to go to school, the classmates were talking about the interesting things that happened during the holidays. Some of them even brought some local specialties that they bought when they traveled to other places and shared them with everyone.

Gui'er quietly found Miss Shen and told her what she had found out. She said, "My second brother asked me to tell you that he wants your authorization to handle this financial insurance. He said that the Marshal meant that you and my eldest brother were married too shortly, and our family gave a lot of treasures and antiques to Director Shen. He wants them back. The rest can be returned to you, but Director Shen's will lists his children as the heirs. I'm afraid you still need to discuss how to divide them with the little boy Director Shen left behind in Shanghai."

Miss Shen shook her head and said, "Father's last moments were truly the most traumatic for Mother and me. I need to go back and ask Mother about this before I can give you an answer."