Chapter 76: Tuo Gu

After dinner, Mrs. Jiang sat by the fire pit, somewhat uneasy. She saw a small figure coming towards her, who grabbed her hand and led her out the back door.

At the corner beneath the banana tree, she indeed found the young woman waiting.

Mrs. Jiang looked at her and curled her lips into a cold smile. “Waiting for me here, huh?”

Dong Yun turned around, her face calm. “If I had any other choice, I would never have disturbed you, madam.”

Mrs. Jiang stared at her for a long time before speaking. “Those eyes of yours, just like your father’s. If it weren’t for those eyes, I wouldn’t have fallen for it back then, deceived by both my body and my heart.”

Dong Yun softly replied, “The one who was deceived wasn’t just you, madam, but also my mother.”

The late Emperor, Yuwen Bo, married only one empress, and had only one daughter. Everyone called him a man of deep affection, and later generations regarded him as a romantic legend. But who would know that in this remote county, a secret affair with another woman was concealed?

Mrs. Jiang spoke with a hint of amusement in her tone, “Since you know my identity, you still dare to come to me? Technically, your mother and I are on opposite sides, and to me, you’re just the offspring of that heartless man. He abandoned me ruthlessly back then, and I couldn’t even hate him, so how could I help you?”

Dong Yun gave a bitter smile. “I know he was heartless, but if he had no place for you in his heart, how would I know about your existence?”

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Jiang’s gaze wavered for a moment, but soon became sharp again. “Flattering words won’t help! I now have a happy family, with children and a loving husband. I don’t care about the past, and I don’t have the ability to help you!”

Dong Yun ceased pressing and a trace of pleading appeared in her eyes. “I know I’m beyond help, but I didn’t come here for myself, but for Fubao.”

“Entrusting an orphan to me? Do you think it’s appropriate?” Mrs. Jiang asked, eyeing her up and down. With a click of her tongue, she added, “You certainly don’t look like someone who has given birth. Who is the child’s father?”

Dong Yun replied, “If she were truly my child, I wouldn’t even dare to ask for help.”

“Oh?” Mrs. Jiang raised an eyebrow.

“Perhaps you harbor great animosity toward my mother and me, but Fubao is not my child. She is my Fifth Aunt, Princess Hua Rong’s daughter. My Fifth Aunt and my father are full siblings, which makes Fubao my cousin.”

Mrs. Jiang was taken aback by the news, and after sorting out the details, she spoke slowly, “The late emperor had three siblings from the same mother, with the eldest being the princess. The second was the late emperor himself, and the youngest was Princess Hua Rong. Back then, when the eldest princess went to Xisai to govern, Princess Hua Rong married the second son of the Duke of Qing. But within a month, she was widowed. After the current emperor, Yuwen Jing, ascended to the throne, he forced the eldest princess to return to the Beijing to report on her duties and promised to let Princess Hua Rong leave the Beijing. When the eldest princess fell ill and did not return, Yuwen Jing, in anger, married Hua Rong to General Wei. Judging by Fubao’s age, the child should belong to General Wei, right?”

Dong Yun said, “I don’t care who the child’s father is, but she is indeed Fifth Aunt’s child.”

Mrs. Jiang crossed her arms and looked at her. “Why should I help you? It’s well known that the Yuwen family has a history of brothers turning against each other, and sisters being at odds. Fubao and I are not blood relatives. Why should I get involved in this mess? Besides, I’m already remarried and have no intention of having anything to do with the past.”

Dong Yun’s eyes flashed slightly. “You may not want to get involved, but you should know what Jin’er is like. If she finds out, she will definitely not sit idly by. She cannot allow her own cousin to be hunted down and killed unjustly.”

“Are you threatening me?” Mrs. Jiang’s expression turned displeased, her voice cold. “I won’t let Jin’er know about this!”

Dong Yun shook her head. “There’s no wall that doesn’t let the wind through. You see, I’ve escaped to this forsaken place, yet I still couldn’t escape his grasp. Jin’er may not know now, but if Fubao encounters misfortune in the future, she will find out the truth. If she learns that you were the one who stopped her, what do you think she will think?”

With Jin’er’s temperament, if she knew Fubao was her cousin and learned of Fifth Aunt’s fate, she would never stand by. If she were kept in the dark, and allowed things to happen, once she discovered the truth, even if it was her own mother involved, she would surely harbor resentment.

Mrs. Jiang naturally understood her daughter well, and Dong Yun’s words caught her completely off guard. She hated the woman before her, gritting her teeth, and spoke harshly, “We are just a small escort agency, how can we go up against the higher powers? Besides, Jin’er is not my husband’s biological daughter, even if she wants to help, she can only do so with limited ability.”

Dong Yun gazed at Mrs. Jiang, her eyes deep. “Although Uncle Murong is only the head of an escort agency, Jin’er’s elder uncle, Murong Qingshan, currently holds a position as the Assistant Director of the Local Defense Office. He has never married and has no children, but he treats Madam’s children as his own. As long as the matter does not involve me directly, helping Fubao is not difficult!”

Mrs. Jiang sneered. “In the end, Jin’er is not of the Murong family’s bloodline. Her uncle may not be willing to help!”

“Whether it succeeds or fails, I only ask if Madam is willing to lend a hand. If it fails, then it will be Fubao’s misfortune for having me as her mother, and I will accept that.”

Although Mrs. Jiang was deeply disgusted by Dong Yun’s scheming, she could not help but feel that the woman’s persistence, at least for her aunt’s child, was more honorable than the irresponsibility of her own father.

Dong Yun, although determined to face death alongside Fubao, could not bear to see the little one in her arms, calling her mother in a soft and innocent voice, her tender face full of confusion. Her heart wavered. As long as there was a glimmer of hope for Fubao, how could she give up?

Lady Jiang is, after all, a person of deep emotions; otherwise, she wouldn’t have raised a child like Murong Jin. Though she despises the Emperor and dislikes herself, she understands that Fubao is just a small child. If it were within her ability, she would not be so heartless.

Watching Lady Jiang walk away, Dong Yun finally came out from behind the banana tree, gently took Fubao, who was squatting behind the house playing with chicks, and softly said, “Fuer, Mother is going home first. You stay here and play with your aunt, okay?”

Fubao stood up, looking at her mother in confusion, and said, “Mother, you stay and play with me.”

Dong Yun replied, “Grandmother just bought three little pigs. Mother has to go home and feed them. Auntie rarely comes, and she’ll leave soon. Why don’t you spend more time with Auntie? Be sweet, be obedient, and stick to Auntie. Auntie will like it if you stick to her.”

However, Fubao furrowed her little brows and shook her head, raising her arms to be carried by her mother, saying, “Fubao wants to stay with Mother.”

Dong Yun had originally hoped that her daughter would get closer to Murong Jin so that, if something happened to her, the Murong family might take care of the child out of old feelings, and the child wouldn’t be too sad at the sudden loss of her. But this little one wouldn’t listen. Dong Yun rarely frowned and said, “Mother has work to do at home. If you keep bothering me, how can I get anything done?”

Seeing her mother upset, Fubao’s eyes reddened, and she cried out, “Fubao will be good, not bother Mother.”

“Today, Mother doesn’t want you to follow!”

Fubao burst into tears.

Dong Yun looked at her, her little nose red from crying, feeling both heartbroken and helpless. She could only pick her up again and walk back home.

Lady Jiang stood at the door, listening to Dong Yun scolding the child, her feelings mixed. After all, as a mother herself, she deeply understood Dong Yun’s emotions. Even though the child wasn’t hers, she had cared for her for over two years, and there was now a bond, a connection beyond just being a mother. Despite the hardships she endured while escaping, she never once thought of abandoning this child. Even now, she was still thinking of ways to help Fubao, showing that she truly treated this child as her own.

With a helpless sigh, she thought about how to bring this up to her husband.

---

This New Year, for the Dagen family, was undoubtedly the happiest and most fulfilling one.

The family sat around the fire pit, keeping vigil for the New Year, and Mrs. Xiong couldn’t help but sigh, “Last year at this time, we only had a thin blanket to keep warm, shivering from the cold. Meanwhile, the second and third households next door were filled with laughter, enjoying everything we didn’t have. This year, we have everything—a warm cotton blanket, new clothes, meat to feast on, and even roasted charcoal. These are things we never even dared to dream of before.”

Dagen also smiled broadly, “It’s all thanks to our daughter.”

Indeed, from uncovering the Xiang family’s swap plan to rescuing Dagen and receiving reward money, to the division of the family and building the house, everything had been done step by step by Pear Blossom, leading the family out of the mud.

Her younger siblings held her in even higher regard.

Though Pear Blossom felt gratified, her mood was uncontrollably low. The person she missed most and loved deeply had distanced themselves from her, cutting ties, which left her with no interest in anything except tormenting and training herself.

After forcing herself to engage with her family for a while, she went back to her room.

Passing by the west wing, she saw the light still on inside, hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and knocked on the door.

Hearing a response from inside, she pushed the door open.

Seeing Xia Xunyan still neatly dressed and writing, Pear Blossom smiled and said, “It’s you, Pear Blossom. Why aren’t you asleep so late?”

Pear Blossom replied, “I was keeping the New Year’s vigil with my parents, and Master is still awake.”

Seeing the fire almost out, she quickly grabbed a small basket of charcoal and added a few pieces of wood as thick as her arm, saying, “There’s plenty of wood in the mountains, and my father has the strength to burn charcoal. No need to save it.”

Xia Xunyan gently rotated her wrist and said, “Okay, I understand. Thank you, Pear Blossom.”

Pear Blossom was in awe of her teacher’s ethereal and clear demeanor, making it impossible for her to bring up the matter about her and Dong Yun.

Just as she was about to return to her room, the teacher suddenly spoke, “It seems you’re not able to sleep either. Why don’t we learn something new today?”

Pear Blossom was startled. Though she couldn’t sleep, she hadn’t planned on studying.

Before she could refuse, the teacher said, “You started your studies late, so I don’t expect too much from your knowledge. But you have skills, and even though you’re a woman, you have courage and strategy. Who knows where you’ll go in the future? Today, I’ll teach you The Art of War. It’s better to be prepared. Though I’ve never led an army in battle, I’m familiar with this book and will explain it to you in plain language. If you ever need it in the future, you might be able to recall it and apply it.”

“You don’t need to read it or memorize it; I’ll say it, and you just listen.”

Pear Blossom felt both grateful and embarrassed, quickly bowing and saying, “Thank you, Teacher.”

Thus, they sat across from each other—one spoke eloquently, and the other listened quietly. Pear Blossom was amazed to find that, compared to other books she had studied, The Art of War was much more fascinating, and she was soon engrossed in it.

It wasn’t until the rooster crowed at dawn that Pear Blossom snapped out of her trance. She hurriedly stood up and, feeling apologetic, said, “Master, I’m sorry. I got so absorbed that I kept you up for so long.”

Xia Xunyan smiled gently and waved her hand, saying, “It’s no trouble. Teaching and nurturing others is something I genuinely enjoy, and it’s never too late.”

Pear Blossom couldn’t express the feelings inside her heart, but sincerely said, “The weather is cold, and your feet must be freezing, Master. Let me fetch some hot water so you can soak your feet before bed.”

Xia Xunyan replied, “It’s too late, and boiling water is troublesome. I’ll just sit by the fire and sleep after warming up a bit.”

Pear Blossom quickly responded, “It’s no trouble, it’s the New Year’s Eve, and the fire in the stove won’t go out. There’s hot water. Please wait a moment, Master.”

Without waiting for a reply, she had already run out of the room.

As expected, Mrs. Xiong and Dagen were still awake, sitting close together by the stove, speaking in hushed tones.

When they saw their daughter enter holding the basin, Mrs. Xiong straightened up and said, “I just heard that the Master is still teaching you at this late hour, this is too hard on him. I’ve made some glutinous rice balls. You go get the water for him to soak his feet, and I’ll make the rice balls right now. It won’t take long. Later, you can eat some to warm up before going to sleep.”

Her mother was thoughtful, so Pear Blossom naturally agreed and went to fetch the water for the feet soak.

She returned and waited for her mother to cook the glutinous rice balls.

Mrs. Xiong saw that the water was boiling and dropped two pieces of brown sugar into it. Once the sugar dissolved, she added the rice balls one by one. She murmured, “Wait for them to float to the surface, then they’ll be done. Ah… Master Xia is truly a good person. No wonder when the late emperor was still alive, he chose her to go to the palace as a reading companion for the princess. Not only was she well-learned, but her character was also so admirable. Everyone in the court spoke highly of Master Xia. Only people like her could raise such talents…”

Pear Blossom’s mind buzzed as she repeated her mother’s words—chosen to go to the palace to be the princess’s reading companion!

A while later, she brought the steaming glutinous rice balls into the west wing.

When Xia Xunyan saw the food, she smiled and said, “I haven’t slept all night, and I am a little hungry. You should eat too.”

Pear Blossom responded with an “oh,” but didn’t move. She still asked, “Master, when you first arrived, you mentioned looking for someone. Now that I’ve met many people in the escort agency, perhaps I can ask everyone to keep an eye out for you.”

Xia Xunyan was slightly startled. She looked up at the calm girl before her, paused for a moment, and then slowly said, “No need, not at the moment.”

Pear Blossom forced a smile and left the room.

Back in her own room, she lay down beside Xinghua, who was sleeping soundly, the blanket warm and cozy. She hadn’t eaten the glutinous rice balls her mother made earlier, as she had no appetite.

Whenever her mind cleared, she started thinking about that person.

Nothing else seemed to matter.

Moreover, after receiving the news from Xia Xunyan, her mood was not exactly pleasant.

She lay on her side, unable to sleep for a long time, and finally couldn’t hold it in anymore. She activated the system and asked, “Is my sister sleeping soundly?”

The system replied, “She’s lying on the bed, but her eyes are open. She’s not asleep.”

Pear Blossom’s heart tightened. “She’s not asleep? Is it because of the New Year’s vigil?”

The system responded, “No, tonight, only Mrs. Zeng is keeping the vigil at the Zeng family. The others went to bed as soon as it got dark. But Dong Yun can’t sleep, she’s tossing and turning.”

Pear Blossom immediately felt a pang of discomfort. Her sister didn’t like her, and she hadn’t bothered her, but what could be troubling her that she couldn’t sleep?

She wished she could run over right now and ask her what was wrong, offering to share her burdens.

But she didn’t have the courage. She was afraid of facing her sister’s cold attitude and rejecting gaze again.

…

Life passed by in this simple and peaceful manner. Xia Xunyan moved to the study hall, while Pear Blossom returned to her small house, and life seemed to return to its usual rhythm.

The school year began again at twelve, and Xinghua had been living with Xia Xunyan in the study hall, taking care of her daily needs. The girl, living so close to the water, had already begun her early education and was far ahead of the others in her studies.

Zeng Guangjin’s injuries had healed, but he didn’t hurry back to the original school. Instead, he turned his attention to Xia Xunyan.

She was well-educated and talented, with the potential of a top scholar. Zeng Guangjin believed that if he could receive her guidance, he would greatly benefit from it. So he spent every day reading books and wandering near the study hall.

Xia Xunyan didn’t send him away. Teaching was an equal opportunity for anyone with the will to learn. After all, Zeng Guangjin had already read the Four Books and Five Classics. What he needed was guidance and advice, which wouldn’t take too much of her time.

Therefore, whenever Zeng Guangjin asked for advice, she would patiently answer him.

However, she always kept Xinghua by her side as a little assistant, so there was no risk of gossip.

Pear Blossom also attended school, but her progress was different from the others. Since she had other things to do during the day, her study time was mostly arranged for the evenings. Xia Xunyan would give her extra lessons in private.

Thankfully, after this period of effort, Pear Blossom had not only memorized the Thousand Character Classic and could write it from memory, but she had also started learning the Four Books and Five Classics. At least, the text in the little booklet given to her by Murong Jin, she could now fully understand.

However, ever since Dong Yun rejected her at the door, Pear Blossom had lost interest in continuing to study the booklet. She tucked it away and hadn’t opened it again.

After the New Year, the weather remained cold and gloomy, with no sign of clear skies.

One evening, not long after the Lantern Festival, Fubao snuggled up to Dong Yun and coquettishly said, “Mother, Fubao wants to eat that little umbrelluua-shaped one.”

A few years ago, Dong Yun went up the mountain to collect mushrooms and picked quite a few. The mushroom Fubao liked the most was the chicken fungus, though she didn’t know its name. After thinking for a while, she came up with this name for it.

Dong Yun had been feeling restless for the past few days, and she was also exhausted. When she heard her daughter say this, she realized that continuing to be downcast wasn’t a solution. Regardless of whether someone was looking for them, life still had to go on.

So she agreed, saying, “Alright, it just rained today, and it’s quite humid these days. There should be some Little Umbrella on the mountain. I’ll go pick them for you tomorrow morning.”

“Can Fubao go with Mama?”

Dong Yun gently stroked her little head and shook her head. “The mountain is too steep. It’s difficult for me to walk by myself, and I can’t carry you, Fubao.”

Fubao pouted. “Pear Blossom can carry Fubao… Mama, I miss Pear Blossom so much.”

Hearing that name, a young image flashed through Dong Yun’s mind. Her heart fluttered, and after the flutter, it was followed by sadness. Her eyes couldn’t help but get a little teary. She missed Pear Blossom too, so much. She longed to be tightly embraced by her, to be picked up by her, and to be gazed at deeply by her.

In those loving eyes, there was only the reflection of herself.

Dong Yun sniffed and said softly, “Pear Blossom is very busy. We can’t bother her with everything, understand?”

“Oh…” Fubao reluctantly responded, burying her head into her mother’s neck and acting coquettish. “Mama, when Pear Blossom has time, can Fubao go play with her?”

Dong Yun mumbled a vague “okay,” but her heart remained unsettled for a long time.

The next morning, Dong Yun took Fubao to Mrs. Zeng’s house, and with a small basket on her back, she went up the mountain.

At the foot of East Mountain was Pear Blossom’s family’s back yard, with the mountain range winding around. The Zeng family lived at the foot of another mountain, which was similarly sparsely populated. As long as they didn’t venture deep into the mountains, they could avoid wild animals. The surrounding mountains were relatively safe, so Dong Yun dared only to search in these areas.

Mrs. Zeng wanted to buy something in town but didn’t want Fubao to disturb her younger son, who was studying, so she sent Fubao to Dagen’s house.

Pear Blossom went to the escort agency early in the morning, and the three siblings went to school. Only the Xiong couple remained at home. Seeing the light drizzle outside, they decided not to go out to work.

Dagen was making woodwork under the eaves, while Mrs. Xiong was mending the children’s clothes. Fubao was circling around Dagen one moment, then running inside to talk to Mrs. Xiong the next, happily moving in and out.

Mrs. Xiong enjoyed having such a little thing around and was pleased that Fubao was obedient, doing whatever she was told and playing contentedly on her own.

However, by noon, the little one started getting restless, frequently looking at the door.

Mrs. Xiong knew she was waiting for her mother. Putting down her work, she said, “Your mama is probably busy. Granny will cook. What would you like to eat, Fubao? I’ll make it for you.”

Fubao, easily tempted by food, followed her to the kitchen.

“I want something sweet,” Fubao said, blinking her big, shiny eyes.

Mrs. Xiong, finding her adorable, smiled. “Alright, I’ll make something sweet today. Pear Blossom can have some when she comes back.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the sound of hooves could be heard from outside. Fubao’s eyes brightened instantly, and she ran towards the door, shouting, “Pear Blossom”

When Pear Blossom entered the yard, she saw a little bundle rushing towards her and hurriedly stopped. “Wait, wait, slow down, I’m wet. Let me take off my raincoat first before I can carry you.”

But Fubao didn’t care. She clung to Pear Blossom’s legs.

She hadn’t seen Pear Blossom in several days.

Pear Blossom had no choice but to steady Fubao’s little head with one hand while she took off her raincoat with the other, tossing it on the porch. Not caring about the chill on her body, she picked Fubao up and went straight into the kitchen.

The kitchen always had a fire burning, keeping it warm. Pear Blossom set Fubao down near the stove and tossed a large piece of pork from her wrist onto the table.

Mrs. Xiong saw that she had bought meat again and said, “There’s still meat at home. Why buy more?”

“I brought fresh meat for the teacher and bought a little extra for home. We’ve got salted meat at home, which is too salty. It’s good to have some fresh meat now and then to balance it out.”

Mrs. Xiong agreed with her reasoning and smiled. “Fubao just said she wanted something sweet. I was wondering what to make. Now we have meat, let’s make some sugar-coated meat today.”

At the mention of something sweet, Fubao became excited and started jumping up and down with joy.

Pear Blossom sat by the stove, helping her mother tend the fire and drying off her own damp clothes, casually asking, “Fubao, where did your mama go?”

“She went up the mountain to pick Little Umbrella for me. She left me with Granny, and Granny sent me here to Pear Blossom’s house.”

“Little Umbrella?”

Mrs. Xiong explained from the side, “Oh, she means the chicken fungus. Your mama probably went up the mountain to pick mushrooms.”

Pear Blossom frowned slightly as she looked at the thickening rain outside. When she passed by Mrs. Zeng’s house earlier, the door was tightly closed. Hadn’t Dong Yun arrived yet?

“When did she leave?”

“As soon as the sun came up. Fubao ate some cakes, then went.”

Mrs. Xiong also said, “You left not long ago, and Mrs. Zeng brought her here. If she left early in the morning, she’s probably been gone most of the day. She should be coming back by now.”

Pear Blossom thought she might be overthinking it. Perhaps Dong Yun hadn’t opened the door when she arrived, or she didn’t want to see her, and was waiting for Mrs. Zeng to come and pick her up. Since Mrs. Zeng hadn’t come back yet, Fubao had to stay at Pear Blossom’s house for the time being.

“Let’s cook first. Maybe she’ll come back and pick her up while we’re eating,” she said.

Mrs. Xiong nodded and quickly resumed chopping the meat.