A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

The next morning, Gui'er and the eldest wife's family set off. As usual, Sha Yanxiao personally sent a military vehicle to escort them to Fengcheng Railway Station and arranged two luxurious boxes for them.

After getting in the car, Guier waved desperately at Sha Yanxiao through the window.

The sky was gloomy and foggy. As the train started moving, the hazy little town and Sha Yanxiao quickly disappeared from sight.

Ding Xiang sighed and said, "I never thought that I used to look forward to returning to Jiangcheng so much and was reluctant to leave. This time, I feel relieved to leave."

Gui'er turned around and looked at her relieved face. Although she didn't say it specifically, the servants in Sha Yanxiao's courtyard all felt that something had happened, not to mention Dingxiang, who was her maid.

She asked Ding Xiang with concern: "Did you see your parents when you came back this time?"

Ding Xiang sighed softly, "We met once when they were delivering New Year's goods from the farm. So that's it. They persuaded me to beg you to let me get married, but they actually wanted to use me to exchange for my brother's wife. It's quite boring."

Gui'er sighed. No matter what era, every family has its own problems. This saying is universally true. She was about to say a few words to comfort Dingxiang when there was a knock on the door.

When the door opened, it was Madam Gui'er. Gui'er was surprised. In the past, Madam seemed to disappear as soon as she boarded the train, and she wouldn't be seen again until she got off. Could it be that she was worried about him this time and came to see him? Gui'er quickly invited her to sit down.

The lady glanced at Gui'er, sighed, and said, "Are you feeling well now?"

Gui'er's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that the Madam knew about her poisoning? She quickly smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Mother. I've taken this train many times and am quite used to it."

The lady glanced at her, nodded, and turned to Dingxiang and said, "Go get a thermos and get some water. Come back and make tea for your young lady."

After Dingxiang left, the lady looked at Guier and said, "I am old and tired now. I really can't take care of the things your father did. I have been running the Marshal's Mansion for so many years, and I dare say that few people are grateful to me. I thought your father would be more stable and decent as he got older, but I didn't expect him to become more and more ridiculous. I actually don't agree with your engagement with the Duanmu family. You may not believe it, but when I was young, I was also a passionate young man, thinking about how to change the country. I like you, but it's because you are somewhat similar to me when I was young."

"Back then, I, the eldest daughter of a scholarly family, married a man who was like a bandit. I thought he was capable and ambitious, and might achieve something. He did achieve something, but it seemed something was not right, and I became disappointed. He kept company with Buddha all day long. I occasionally wanted to restrain him, but it was no use. I also know some of the things that happened in the mansion during this period, but I really can't control it. It would be better for you to follow us back to Nanjing now, finish your studies, and then find a similar family to live a good life. The rest can be left to fate." After saying this, he stood up and walked out with his hands behind his back. Gui'er didn't even have time to be polite.

Not long after the lady left, Dingxiang came back with a thermos. Seeing that the lady was not there, she said curiously, "Why did the lady leave? I thought she wanted to drink tea."

Gui'er didn't respond. She had only heard a hint of something in Madam's words. She didn't bother with the first part. Everyone boasts. But the last part, about Gui'er finding a husband in Nanjing, sounded like she was telling her not to return to Jiangcheng. Could something big be happening there, preventing her from returning? Gui'er suddenly felt deeply uneasy.

Madam probably knew everything the Marshal had done. Was she saying this because she knew the Marshal was going to continue to harm Sha Yanxiao? After all, he had already poisoned her once.

After returning to Nanjing, Guier returned to her normal life of going to and from school. As soon as she arrived at school, she gave Miss Shen the specialty snacks she bought from Jiangcheng. Then, when there were not many people in the teacher's office, she told her about her experiences in Jiangcheng during this period.

Miss Shen said in surprise, "I was surprised that you didn't come back in time for the start of school. So many things happened during this period."

Gui'er nodded and said, "On the train coming here yesterday, my wife told me something that made me feel a little uneasy. I have a feeling the Marshal will make another move, and Sha Yanxiao is no pushover either. If the two of them start a life-and-death struggle like this, I'm afraid Jiangcheng will end in civil unrest. By then, it won't be just a family feud. Could you please send a message to Song Xichen and ask him to keep a close eye on it?"

Miss Shen nodded and said, "You have a point. I will go find Xu Wenjie and ask him to contact his superiors to pass on the message."

On the first day after school, when they returned to the Sha Mansion, the lady and Sha Yanyao carried bags of gifts and took Guier to the Tian Mansion to visit Miss Tian. In fact, as soon as the train arrived in Nanjing, Sha Yanyao went to the Tian Mansion before returning to his own house. But it is said that Miss Tian was very unhappy that Sha Yanyao did not follow her wishes and come back to spend the New Year with her, and took so long to return to Nanjing, so she did not treat him well. Director Tian knew what happened in the Marshal's Mansion, so he did not blame him, but mediated and asked everyone to go to the Tian Mansion for dinner in the evening.

Gui'er also brought some local snacks she had bought and took them to the Tian residence. Miss Tian ate two pieces and her complexion improved a little. She asked, "I quite like the snacks you brought."

Guier smiled and said, "These are the ones my sister-in-law and I used to eat when we went shopping together in Jiangcheng. I thought you would like them."

Miss Tian smiled and said, "You're quite thoughtful. I think you should have sent it to Jinbao as well, right?"

This was clearly a test. Gui'er said, "No, I was too tired when I got home yesterday. I went to school all day today and came straight to my sister-in-law's place after class. I haven't seen Jinbao yet."

Miss Tian was very satisfied after hearing this. She nodded and said, "I heard that you offended the Marshal in order to help others. I'm afraid it will be difficult for you to return to Jiangcheng in the future. Forget it, it's just an extra pair of chopsticks at home. It's no big deal. You can stay here from now on. After you finish your studies, I will naturally find a good marriage for you."

Gui'er was stunned for a moment, as if the people in the Tian family didn't know that she was getting engaged to the Duanmu family.

She looked up and met Sha Yanyao's gaze. Sha Yanyao obviously shook his head at her. Guier understood that he didn't want the Tian family to know.

The atmosphere at dinner was quite pleasant. After dinner, the wife suggested that Miss Tian move back to her in-laws' home. Miss Tian said, "I'm already in my advanced stages of pregnancy and my body is getting heavier. It's not good to move around. I'll stay here until I give birth, and then I can go back to recuperate after the baby is born."

Mr. Tian and Mrs. Tian also echoed the sentiment, so the lady had no choice but to give up.