A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Jin Bao said, "It's so obvious. I'm not blind. It's just that for some things, I still have to give others some face so that I won't expose them."

Upon hearing this, Gui'er seized the opportunity to say, "Yes, getting married is like being reborn a second time. My classmate's family used to be quite well-off. Unfortunately, her younger brother was born late and hasn't grown up yet. Her father hasn't been in good health in recent years, so his father arranged for her to have a live-in son-in-law. He originally wanted a well-connected man, but he never expected it to turn out like this."

Jin Bao sighed after hearing this: "You can only know a person's face but not his heart. Didn't you tell me earlier about the rumor about the Eighth Concubine and Zhao Yingwu? I told your eldest brother about it, and he went to check it out."

"How is it?" Guier asked anxiously.

"There's no evidence, but the Eighth Concubine did help Zhao Yingwu whisper a lot. Your brother said he had ulterior motives and was a wolf in sheep's clothing."

Gui'er felt relieved after hearing this. The two of them went to the amusement park on the top floor of Wing On Department Store to watch a circus performance before returning to the Marshal's Mansion.

Today is the day to have dinner with the Marshal, so the two of them went straight to the main courtyard and saw that the food today was particularly sumptuous.

A large pot of braised bear paws was placed in the center of the table, accompanied by a whole marinated stuffed duck and braised pork elbow in rock sugar, which was glossy and rich; the seafood included scallion-fried sea cucumber and steamed grouper, as well as home-cooked dishes, including stir-fried shrimps that were white and tender, pork strips with green peppers and Sichuan-style spicy sauce, and Shanghai-style fried eel paste, which was still sizzling with oil when served.

The cold dishes included four meat dishes and four vegetable dishes: braised beef in soy sauce, drunken crab, and salad jellyfish, accompanied by smashed cucumber and salad fungus. The soup was a slow-cooked Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, with a thick, gelatinous texture.

Gui'er was just wondering what dish was so rich today when the Marshal came out, supported by his eighth concubine, and said, "Today is Qixi Festival, so as usual, we'll add a few dishes. Qixi Festival is a great day. It's the day when the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meet, and many people get married on Qixi Festival. So I have good news to announce. I have decided to marry Gui'er to Yingwu. Gui'er is my most precious daughter, and I can't bear to marry her off. This way, she can stay at home, how wonderful."

Everyone in the room was shocked and silent for a few seconds. The eighth concubine was the first to say to Gui'er, "Guier, congratulations! Look how much your father loves you. Why don't you thank the Marshal?"

When the Fifth and Sixth Concubines heard her say this, they quickly echoed her, saying, "Congratulations to Gui'er and Housekeeper Zhao! You two are truly a match made in heaven."

Gui'er's face flushed and paled, and she was at a loss for what to do. Sha Yanxiao stood up and said to the commander, "Father, I have other arrangements for my sister's marriage. Don't worry, I will marry her off closer to you so she can come back to see you often. Can we forget about this marriage?"

"Ridiculous! Marriage has been decided by parents and matchmakers since ancient times. How can you make the decision?" The Marshal shouted angrily, and then started coughing violently.

Sha Yanxiao was about to argue, but Sha Yanyao quickly stood up, patted the Marshal on the back, and said, "Second brother, today is a good day for the holidays. If you have anything to say, put it aside for now and we'll talk about it later."

The third and fourth concubines also came out to persuade him, saying: "Yes, Second Young Master, your father is not in good health, so you should speak slowly."

The wife also spoke up: "The Marshal only has this idea, but hasn't made up his mind yet. Why rush? Let's eat first."

The Marshal was displeased when he heard this and said, "Who said that's all I want? I just want Gui'er to marry Yingwu. He's very much my favorite, just like my own son."

After hearing this, the lady remained silent, but her face looked unhappy.

Seeing this scene, Sha Yanxiao had no choice but to control his temper and sit down.

The only happy people in the whole room were Butler Zhao and Zhao Yingwu. However, when Butler Zhao saw Sha Yanxiao's face, which was darker than the bottom of a pot, he quickly lowered his head.

Others like the fifth, sixth, and seventh concubines basically all had gossipy expressions and were looking forward to watching the fun.

After finishing the meal, Sha Yanxiao immediately took Guier away.

As soon as they left the main courtyard, he said to Gui'er, "Don't worry, I will never let you marry Zhao Yingwu."

Guier nodded uneasily.

When Sha Yanxiao returned to his courtyard, he was still furious. The servants in the courtyard were all trembling with fear and dared not say a word.

Gui'er returned to her room, and Dingxiang immediately came in under the pretext of delivering milk. She said indignantly, "Miss, we all know what happened in the main courtyard. It's so infuriating. I dare to guarantee that it was definitely the work of that vixen, the Eighth Concubine. Don't worry, I'll mobilize my sisters to find out more about the Eighth Concubine and that Zhao Yingwu. There have been rumors in the mansion that they are having an affair for a long time. It would be great if we could catch them."

Gui'er sighed, nodded, and said, "Okay, thank you for your hard work, but don't make it too ostentatious." Then she took out another five yuan and handed it to her, saying, "Use this money to buy some nice things for your sisters."

Ding Xiang said quickly, "No, I haven't spent the three dollars you gave me last time. I bought them some flowers and they loved them. I told them they were from you, and they were so grateful to you, young lady. They said no other master in the mansion cared so much about their servants, and they volunteered to get information for you."

Guier smiled and said, "Okay, then come back to me when you're done. Remember to tell them to be careful. If they're discovered, no matter which hospital they're from, they'll definitely be kicked out."

After Dingxiang left, Guier calmed down. She was still afraid that Sha Yanxiao would act impulsively, so she prepared to comfort him.

As soon as I opened the door, I found Sha Yanxiao standing at the door.

Gui'er was startled and said with a smile, "Brother, you're here. I was just looking for you. Didn't you say you would take me to see something good tonight?"

Sha Yanxiao had been frowning, but after hearing Gui'er's words, he froze for a moment before finally remembering what was going on. He said, "Yes, but are you still in the mood?"

Guier smiled and said, "Why not? Life must go on."

Sha Yanxiao smiled, changed into casual clothes, and drove his car with Guier to the river bank.

Gui'er seldom goes out at night. She was surprised to find that there were so many people on the road today, all walking towards the river with laughter and joy.

Children in blue cloth shirts ran, holding sugar paintings, and the red hairbands tied on the ends of their braids shone brightly; women carried bamboo baskets filled with wax candles to add candles to the river lanterns, and laughed with their neighbors about whose girl made the most skillful lanterns; young men and women in school uniforms walked side by side, holding neatly folded lotus lanterns in their hands, and talking in low voices.

"It's so lively, are there any programs?" Guier asked curiously.