A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Shopkeeper Zhang was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said, "I didn't expect you to be so clever and guess right on the spot. Yes, he's our comrade, and he used to be in Shanghai. He's actually even better at crafts than his senior brother, the shopkeeper at Yunshanglou. He left Shanghai a long time ago to open a clothing store, which also served as one of our liaison points. But last year, the Kuomintang launched a white terror campaign in Shanghai, destroying several of our communication stations. His wife, also a comrade, was arrested and sacrificed at the time."

Gui'er suddenly understood. No wonder he looked so gloomy. She said to Zhang, "I think Comrade Zhou's mental state is still very poor. He may not have recovered from the last incident. I don't know him well, so I can't comfort him. If you have the chance, please give him some advice."

Shopkeeper Zhang sighed, "It seems Shopkeeper Liu's teachings weren't in vain. Just look at Old Zhou's expression and you can tell a thing or two. We tried to comfort Old Zhou in this situation, but he wouldn't listen. He now deeply resents the Kuomintang, the warlords, and all that reactionary rule. He'd heard about you before, so he didn't look too happy when we first went in. Don't take it personally; he's a good guy. He's also heard you're doing a good job in Nanjing."

Gui'er suddenly realized that she could completely understand, after all, his closest relatives were killed by the ruling class.

Back at the General's Mansion, she told Taohua about this matter, and they made an appointment to get measured the next day. Taohua looked expectant and said to Guier with a smile, "Thank you so much for thinking of me."

Gui'er was also very happy and returned to Sha Yanxiao's yard.

Sha Yanxiao was sitting in the hall reading a newspaper. When he saw her come back, he said, "Is everything almost ready? Father asked today. He now truly believes that Taohua is the reason for his poor health and has been urging Taohua to get married soon."

Gui'er was stunned for a moment and said, "Why are you in such a hurry? Didn't we just discuss the marriage? Sister Sanmei and the others have been dragging it out for quite a while, so why are you urging Taohua to leave now that she's here?"

Sha Yanxiao sighed and said, "There's nothing I can do. Taohua isn't my biological daughter after all. There's still a difference."

Gui'er was stunned for a moment. That was right. Not to mention Taohua, even she was just an adopted daughter in name only. She had no right to protest or anything.

But she was afraid that Taohua would be sad if she was hurried into the wedding, so she said, "Brother, can we do this? Just find a more natural way to say it. Don't send her directly from the General's Mansion to my brother's house first. Find a place for her to stay for two days. Once the wedding dress is ready, we can send her off in style from that place."

Sha Yanxiao nodded and said readily, "Of course. It's rare that you'd be so considerate of your sister. I happen to have a house in a quiet alley near the city's downtown area. It's convenient and quiet, so I could have her stay there for a few days."

Gui'er was very happy to hear that and said happily, "Really? That's great. Thank you, brother. I'll tell Taohua right away."

Then she quickly came to the Third Wife's courtyard. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she heard the Third Wife loudly say to Taohua, "Which marriage did your second brother tell you about? Go quickly. I went to see your father today, and he asked why you were still in the courtyard and told you to leave quickly. You stayed here and kept him company, and he was not getting well."

Taohua stood aside, tears in her eyes, and said aggrievedly: "This, I, just agreed to the marriage two days ago. The horoscopes are not compatible yet, and everything is not prepared. What should I do now?"

"Oh, why do you, a family from a small family, bother with all that etiquette? You can just pack a couple of clothes and go, we all live the same life. Why are you making such a fuss? Do you think you're still a rich lady? If you were the daughter of a general, marrying into a wealthy and powerful family, I could still benefit from your influence. But now, you're marrying into an ordinary family. What kind of business do they make?"

Taohua bit her lip and said nothing.

The Third Wife snorted disdainfully and said, "Ah, it looks like you're either going to be a farmhand or an apprentice. I'm telling you, if you're not happy there, you'd better not come back. I'm not being cruel, but if you come back you won't be the marshal's daughter anymore. Even the guards at the gate might not let you in."

Gui Er couldn't bear to listen any longer and said, "Third Aunt, why do you have to say such harsh words?"

The Third Concubine suddenly heard someone talking behind her and almost jumped up in fright. She turned around and saw it was Gui'er. She quickly put on a smile and said, "Guier, it's not that I'm cruel. I went to see your father today. He said that his health has always been poor and he couldn't consummate his marriage with the Eighth Concubine. How can he have a son? Isn't this a conversation that goes on and on, and then he blames me, saying that it's all because I raised such a scourge as Taohua, and that's why the disaster has come. I can't do anything about it. You know I have little influence in the Marshal's Mansion. Now your Third Beautiful Sister is married, but her son is still with me. I have to raise her son for her."

Gui'er rolled her eyes and said, "Okay, okay, I know you're in a difficult situation. My brother said he'll arrange to send Taohua away right away."

The Third Concubine was stunned for a moment when she heard this, then smiled and said, "Really? That's a great relationship. As expected of the new head of the Marshal's Mansion, you're so understanding and considerate of us." Then she turned to Taohua and said, "Taohua, we are mother and daughter after all. Our fate ends here today. Will you eat porridge or drink soup from now on? It depends on your own luck. Oh, by the way, I'll ask a few maids to help you pack your things."

"No need." Gui'er and Taohua said almost in unison. They knew the Third Concubine too well. She must have wanted to use the opportunity of packing up to search and see if there was anything valuable or worth keeping.

"Third Aunt, there aren't many things. I can just help her pack them up. Thank you so much for all these years. Once we're done packing, I'll ask my brother to send Taohua away. Don't worry."

Gui'er said this and pulled Taohua to her room and closed the door.

Taohua said sadly, "Although I haven't had a good time in the Marshal's Mansion these years, I've also been blessed by them. Now that I'm leaving, they're so eager to chase me away. I was thinking that when I leave, I'll have to kowtow to the Third Concubine and the Marshal's wife. Now it seems that I don't need to. They'll think I'm unlucky if I go."

Gui'er hadn't expected the Third Concubine to go so far. She sighed and said, "Don't take it personally. That's just how she is. And my brother isn't sending you to my brother's house right away. He means he has a mansion out of town, and he wants you to stay there for a few days. Then, once the wedding dress and other things are ready, he can marry you off in style from that mansion. I think that's a good idea. That way, to outsiders, you'll be just an ordinary girl getting married, and you won't be linked to the Marshal's Mansion, so if anything happens, you won't be implicated."