How could I possibly be confined in a cage?

Qingru dried herself off and changed into the clothes Hongyu had found for her. It was a maid's outfit, and it looked similar to the one Hongyu was wearing.

The fabric was fine cotton; it was a light purple, wide-sleeved, front-opening blouse paired with navy blue trousers, which perfectly suited Qingru's figure.

I couldn't just pile my hair up haphazardly anymore, so I let it down, took a hair tie, tied it into a neat braid, and tossed it behind me—it looked neat and clean.

She scooped up some water and washed her face. The dust and ash came off easily, but the waxy yellow stain from the pomegranate peel juice couldn't be washed off with water. Qingru rubbed her face vigorously in front of the mirror, and seeing that it still wouldn't come off, she became happy.

By concealing one's good looks, one can at least avoid the thoughts of some treacherous villains in this chaotic world.

After thinking for a moment, I shook out the old clothes again, and a few pieces of pomegranate peel that I had hidden in my sleeve fell out. Looking in the mirror, I applied the peel to every place I could reach. However, it was really limited; apart from my limbs, I couldn't take care of my body.

Since it was a side room, there was no makeup or charcoal to draw eyebrows, and the eyebrows were a real problem. If someone went out with such a face, wouldn't that arouse suspicion?

Qingru decided to target Hongyu instead, since she could tell from their first meeting that Hongyu was a kind-hearted person.

Seeing that no one was inside, Qingru carefully opened the window and peered through the crack to see what was happening in the courtyard.

Two or three figures, dressed in hemp cloth and wearing straw sandals, appeared to be in their thirties or forties, silently sweeping the yard, each performing their assigned task.

Qingru thought to herself that this must be a family with some rules. As for the host, Guo Zixing, Qingru did not see him. Perhaps he had left, or perhaps he was staying in another room.

Fearing being discovered, Qingru sat back down at the octagonal table, poured herself a glass of water, and drank it all in one gulp.

The cool tea flowed down my throat and into my stomach, finally calming the anxiety of the past day and night.

She didn't think Guo Zixing was particularly kind; he not only rescued a strange woman on the way, but also brought her home.

If it wasn't about color or color, then what was he trying to do? Qingru couldn't figure it out.

The stall owner in front of the shop said that Lu's father was arrested for selling fake antiques, but Qingru knew that selling fake antiques would not lead to imprisonment, shop closure, or even a warrant for the arrest of family members.

There was neither an interrogation nor a formal government order, so how could there be an arrest warrant? Yet the police were indeed looking for him. Even the eldest son of the Guo family personally intervened. What exactly was involved?

The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. The only thing I knew for sure was that Qingru and Yanru must have something the Guo family wanted. The fact that they were only looking for them and not killing them meant that there was still room for maneuver.

Furthermore, Qingru judged that this should not be the Guo residence. A high-ranking family would have many servants, and even if there were orderly comings and goings, it would not be as quiet as this courtyard.

Qingru was a local and had long heard that the residence of Commander Guo was heavily guarded, with sentries every five or ten steps, a stark contrast to this quiet courtyard.

Qingru mentally counted the family's assets several times, but couldn't find any treasures that could alarm the Guo family. Perhaps, her father, Lü, knew?

"Miss Cui'er, are you done washing?"

Hongyu's voice broke the silence. Qingru quickly put the cups and saucers back in their original positions, then went around behind the screen and replied, "I'm all washed and changed. Sister Hongyu, may I borrow your charcoal brush for a moment?"

Hongyu was taken aback. "You're quite vain, huh? Fine, I'll take it to you."

"Oh, thank you."

In those days, people used eyebrow gel, snail-shell ink, matches, and willow charcoal to draw their eyebrows. A willow twig could be broken off, one end sharpened, and then burned black to make an eyebrow pencil.

Qingru still drew her eyebrows downwards, and coupled with her sallow complexion, it ruined eight-tenths of her originally beautiful appearance.

Guo Zixing was talking to Zhang Xun when he saw her arrive, and immediately shut up.

"Hey, you've washed up and you're not a dirty beggar anymore."

Qingru smiled shyly and remained silent.

Zhang Xun, however, looked at it suspiciously a few more times.

After checking the time, Guo Zixing made a move to leave and said, "Miss Cui'er, it was my fault today. You can rest here and recover from your injuries. Don't be so polite. I have other things to do, so I'll be leaving now."

Qingru nodded and said thank you.

The two exchanged polite words, but in reality, Qingru cursed Guo Zixing for being nosy and cunning. Although she didn't know what they wanted, she knew it was a form of house arrest.

However, since the other party did not expose her, Qingru pretended not to know, while pondering when she had given herself away, and also breathed a sigh of relief.

The fact that you have some concerns means that you still have some value, at least your life is safe for the time being.

As soon as he turned around, Guo Zixing's previously pleasant expression vanished.

As soon as he stepped out, he instructed the gatekeeper, "Keep a close eye on her. Don't let that girl named Cui'er run away. No excuses allowed. Report to me immediately if anything happens."

After listening to Guo Zixing's explanation, Zhang Xun had some guesses in his mind: "Does the young master suspect Miss Cui'er?"

"Doubt? How could you think I doubt her? I was just doing a good deed on a whim."

Zhang Xun understood that this was Guo Zixing's test. Since he was going to take sides, he had to demonstrate sufficient ability and sincerity.

"I hadn't noticed it before, but now that she's washed up, I do realize that something is amiss. Just look at Cui'er's full, radiant face and clean, even hands; she doesn't seem like someone who's used to hard labor and struggling to make a living."

Looking more closely at Cui'er's figure, she was tall and slender with thin calves. A woman accustomed to farm work, no matter how thin, would inevitably have muscular arms and calves. Then there was her accent; this place wasn't close to Henan, and her accent, neither northern nor southern, probably had some interesting explanation upon closer examination.

"good."

Guo Zixing was very satisfied with Zhang Xun's meticulousness. "I only discovered this after careful observation. At first glance, there seemed to be no problem. His accent could also be attributed to someone who had been scattered during the war and came here."

But a person's long-standing habits cannot be faked. No matter how well she pretended, she would never show the fear and timidity that a truly impoverished person would display when encountering soldiers. A careful observer would discover numerous flaws.

Zhang Xun also agreed, and tentatively asked, "Then, shall I investigate further?"

From the moment she decided to step forward in front of Guo Zixing, she stood on his side and naturally respected him in everything.

Guo Zixing nodded. "She does have a lot of problems, but you don't need to investigate anymore. Just clean up her mess and don't let anyone discover her true identity."

"Yes," Zhang Xun replied, unaware of Guo Zixing's plot, but he simply obeyed.

"Oh right, didn't you guys raid and seal off the Lü family's property? Go look for it, if you have any photos, give me a copy."

Commander Guo had one wife and four concubines, and many children. Although he was still in his prime, his sons had all grown up and were poised to become the next generation of rulers of Sifang City.

Those with foresight naturally began aligning themselves with certain sides early on. Zhang Xun, who has sided with Guo Zixing, will not be the first, nor will he be the last.

As Qingru had expected, the Marshal's Mansion was heavily guarded and not easily entered. Even when Guo Zixing drove back, he had to be inspected before being allowed to pass.

The Marshal's Mansion is divided into two courtyards, front and back. The front courtyard has a large building built in the style of Western architecture, which is used as Marshal Guo's office, while the back courtyard is where the Guo family members live.

It was already evening, and Guo Zixing did not go to the front yard, but went straight back to the back yard.

As he passed through the hall, his good younger brother, Guo Ziyou, was lounging in a grand chair with his legs crossed, neither sitting nor lying down properly.

"Oh, who do we have here? It's our busyest family member. What? You caught someone? Let me see."

Guo Zixing ignored his sarcasm. "I came to see if Dad was here. I don't need to explain to you."

"Tch~ Didn't get the job done, huh? If you had, would you be looking like this?"

Guo Zixing disliked verbal arguments and preferred to let his actions speak for themselves.

He stepped forward and dodged, hooking his leg while he was off guard. He grabbed his arm with both hands and used the momentum to throw him hard to the ground, saying coldly, "Don't say that your older brother didn't teach you to be polite to your elder brother."

Guo Ziyou's buttocks were sore from the fall, and upon hearing this, he was furious and immediately stood up to retort, "I'll show you my mother's respect."

The two exchanged blows, neither giving an inch, and for a moment the only sound in the hall was the whooshing of their fists.

"Bastard!"

Commander Guo's deep voice reverberated throughout the hall. He pointed at the two of them with a fierce glare and said, "Brothers fighting? You're going to drive me crazy. You've wasted all your education."

General Guo, with his large belly, entered the hall with an imposing air.

He had a swallow's jaw and tiger's beard, a leopard's head and bulging eyes, and a voice like thunder. Although he was intimidating, his appearance was ordinary. However, he was dressed in military uniform and had the imposing aura of "golden spears and iron horses, his spirit swallowing ten thousand miles like a tiger," which was very intimidating.

He stared at his two sons with wide eyes, exuding a strong sense of intimidation.

Although he has a wife and concubines, he usually doesn't mind his wives, concubines, and children vying for his favor. What he likes most is family harmony. Now that the two of them are fighting in front of him, they have obviously committed a major taboo.

Whether in Sifangcheng or at home, Commander Guo was always a man of his word, with a fiery temper, and everyone was wary of him.

Upon hearing this, Guo Zixing and the other man exchanged a glance and reluctantly released each other.

Seeing that his two sons were still unconvinced, Guo Dashuai grabbed a vase and smashed it over their heads. Guo Ziyou didn't have time to dodge and took the hit head-on.

With a cry of "Ouch!", blood appeared on his forehead.

Commander Guo was even angrier, pointing at Guo Zixing, "You dare to hide! Stand still."

Since Commander Guo had no suitable weapon, he used his staff as a weapon and swung it fiercely at Guo Zixing.

He stood there, not daring to move, gritting his teeth as he endured the family punishment. More than the pain, what he cared about most was losing face in public, especially in front of his younger brother.

Commander Guo was originally from humble beginnings, and his men were very strong. The loud "bangs" were quite unpleasant to hear.

Guo Ziyou, still clutching his bleeding forehead, couldn't help but chuckle.

This was undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire for Commander Guo, who became enraged and, without mercy, his blows fell on Guo Ziyou.

Unlike Guo Zixing, Guo Ziyou was not honest at all. Relying on his father's favor, he dodged while shouting, "Ouch! Someone's been killed! Someone's been killed!" causing chaos and confusion.

The housekeeper hurriedly sent someone to fetch the old lady, and the scolding ended with the old lady crying and wailing.

As long as Old Lady Guo stops him, Commander Guo's stick cannot be swung down.

"Sigh," General Guo said, throwing away his cane in frustration. "Mother, just spoil them."

Grandma Guo is over seventy years old, and her wailing is frightening. If she doesn't catch her breath, she might die.

"Go ahead and hit him, you don't care, but I do care about my grandson."

It's true that this man is contradictory. Although Commander Guo is extremely tough on the outside, he is very obedient to his mother. This is largely due to the fact that the two of them depended on each other for survival in their early years.

Commander Guo's real name was Guo Zhanyuan. He was born into a poor peasant family. His parents had seven sons in one go. He was the youngest, and none of his older brothers survived.

His father was not only lazy and good-for-nothing, but also died young, leaving him to rely on his mother for survival.

Due to the difficult times and extreme poverty, he was often looked down upon and almost starved to death.

She raised her son by begging little by little, but when he grew up, he ended up hanging out with a group of thugs.

Later, he joined the army, and unexpectedly, he had a lot of military talent. He was promoted one after another and thrived in the army.

Decades have passed, and changes in the political system have not affected him. Now he is the military governor of the new government, in charge of the Hunan and Hubei areas, and is known as "General Guo".