A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

After dinner, Sha Lili dragged Gui'er to her yard to play. Sha Yanxiao said, "Then you must bring her back to me on time."

Sha Lili smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm not a human trafficker."

After saying that, he pulled Gui'er to the courtyard where he lived. It turned out that the courtyard where the fourth concubine lived was not far from the main courtyard where the Marshal lived. It was about 100 meters next door. On the top of the gate of the courtyard was written in gold paint: Jinxiu Hall.

Walking into the courtyard, one sees pavilions, towers, flowers, plants, and trees, all meticulously arranged. The furniture is all huanghuali wood, appearing both simple and ornate. On the table stands a pair of red agate vases with a flourishing red plum blossom in each. Paintings of Shoushan and Fuhai hang on the walls.

Although the Western-style decoration style in Sha Yanxiao's courtyard is also very luxurious, Guier knows that the Fourth Concubine's place is definitely more valuable than the other one.

At this time, the fourth concubine had also returned. Gui Er greeted her quickly, "Hello, fourth concubine."

The fourth concubine said with a smile, "Gui'er is here? Our Lily doesn't have many playmates, so you should come over more often. Oh, by the way, you must be feeling very greasy after dinner, Cui'er, ask the kitchen to make some lotus leaf soup for the two young ladies. You two can play first. I've made an appointment to play mahjong."

Then he went into the inner room, changed his clothes, got in the car and left.

Sha Lili said boredly, "Look, I'm usually very bored at home. If you have nothing to do in the future, come and keep me company more often."

Guier smiled and said, "How can you be bored when you have so many sisters?"

Sha Lili smiled contemptuously and said, "Those people, who knows what they're hiding in their hearts? Besides, my mother doesn't like me associating with those poor people."

"Aren't you sisters?" Guier asked in confusion.

"So what if they are sisters? Some of their mothers are ordinary people from small families, and some are prostitutes from the lower classes who came from opera troupes and brothels. My mother is the daughter of a famous Shanghai merchant family. In this family, only the lady and the new eighth concubine can compare with my mother. Moreover, my mother gave birth to a son." Sha Lili said proudly.

At this time, the servant brought in two bowls of lotus leaf soup. Guier tasted it and found it to be refreshing and degreasy.

Seeing that Sha Lili wasn't on guard against her, Gui Er boldly asked, "Today the Marshal asked the three young ladies to prepare. Are they going to marry the same person?"

While eating lotus leaf soup, Sha Lili said, "Yes, isn't that all clear? All three of them will marry together, and whoever gives birth to a son first will be the legal wife. But Marshal Zhang is over 50 years old, I don't know if he can still have children." As she said this, she laughed.

Gui Er was very surprised and said, "After all, she is the daughter of a handsome general. How can they give three to such an old person all at once?"

Sha Lili said nonchalantly, "Yiman and Erfeng were both born to the Second Concubine. The Second Concubine offended my father a few years ago and was so scared that she hanged herself. It would be a waste of food for the two daughters to stay in the mansion. The Third Concubine, the mother of Sanmei, was the daughter of a poor family of a teacher. When she heard that her father had died of illness and had no money for a burial, it was my father who helped with the burial. She married my father to repay his kindness. She is dull and silent all day long. My father has long disliked her. It's okay for her daughter to marry."

After hearing this, Gui'er felt sweat all over her back and a chill rose from the soles of her feet. It was true that serving the king was like serving a tiger. She just wanted to finish the lotus leaf soup quickly and go back.

While eating, they suddenly smelled a sweet smell that made them feel a little dizzy. Gui'er felt strange and asked Sha Lili, "What kind of sandalwood are you burning in your room? Why does it smell so pungent?"

Sha Lili sniffed it, put the bowl heavily on the table, turned around and went into the inner room.

Gui'er was confused and quickly put down her bowl and chopsticks, followed her through the long four-cornered screen with round light and precious images in the living room, turned into a corridor, and stopped at the door of a room with a carved wooden door.

Sally put her nose close to the crack of the door and sniffed, and Guier felt that the fragrance became stronger.

Sha Lili took two steps back, raised her foot, kicked the door open and rushed in. She saw the third young master, Sha Yanwen, half lying on the bed, smoking a hookah in his hand. There was tea and candied fruit on the small coffee table next to him.

Sha Lili walked up and snatched the water pipe from Sha Yanwen's hand, saying, "Brother, you are such a jerk! You're secretly smoking opium while mother is away again! She'll be furious if she finds out."

Sha Yanwen just smiled and ignored Sha Lili. Guier thought he was drunk and a little confused.

This was the first time Gui'er had seen someone smoking opium. She felt like she was seeing something she shouldn't have, so she quickly said to Sha Lili, "It's getting late, I should go home too."

Sha Lili turned around and said, "You're leaving so soon? Fine, but I'll let it go with other people, but I dare not tell Dad, or he'll be angry again."

Guier quickly agreed and went out, but then she remembered that the place was too big and she had no idea how to go back, and she didn't want to go back.

She hesitated and reached the door, when she suddenly saw Dali parking his car at the door of Jinxiu Hall. Seeing her coming, he smiled and said, "Young Marshal said it's time for you to go back, and asked me to come and pick you up."

Guier breathed a sigh of relief and quickly got into the car and went back.

Back in the courtyard, Sha Yanxiao was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper. Seeing her come back, he smiled and asked, "Did you have fun?"

Seeing that there was no one around, Gui'er told Sha Yanwen about what she had seen him doing smoking opium.

Sha Yanxiao shook his head and said, "This guy is truly hopeless. He tried to quit once before, but it seems he still can't stop. Leave him alone."

Thinking of the three young ladies, Gui'er asked Sha Yanxiao, "Young Marshal's three sisters are getting married. I heard they're marrying a man in his 50s. Don't you think it's a pity? Even if they were to get married, they wouldn't have to marry all three at once, right?"

Sha Yanxiao said as he read the newspaper, "Marshal Zhang is over 50 years old. He married a woman from a very powerful family, so he's never dared to take a concubine. Since he doesn't have a son, he's definitely going to take a concubine and have a son as soon as his wife dies. My father thought having more women would increase his chances. Of course, even if he can't have a son, the three sisters can go there together and take control of the backyard of the Marshal's mansion. If anything happens to Marshal Zhang, his territory will become ours."

Gui'er hadn't expected such a big plot to happen, and couldn't help but say, "But the lives of your three sisters will be ruined."

Sha Yanxiao then put down the newspaper, looked into Gui'er's eyes, and said, "Do you know where the refugees on the streets right now are coming from? It's from Marshal Zhang's territory. He's old, and he can't control his men. He's constantly fighting, leaving the people homeless. If he could trade his three daughters for such a large territory, my father would definitely think it was a good deal."

Seeing Gui'er's eyes widen, he thought she was frightened, so he reached out and touched her head and said, "Don't worry about it. Just read your book, okay?"