Gu Jinli sighed helplessly, coaxing, "Mom, don’t worry. This ti I’m going by carriage, no walking needed. Everything is on the carriage, and it’s warm, with plenty of servants. I don’t have to do anything; just nestle in the carriage."
Then she put on a serious face, "Mom, please don’t cry anymore. If you keep crying, I won’t feel at ease when I leave."
Hearing this, Gu Jinli felt like she was about to ascend to the heavens with this speech.
Mrs. Cui held back her tears upon hearing this, holding her hand and saying, "Xiao Yu, write ho often. Let us know if you need anything—silver, grain, dicine, we’ll send it to you."
To reassure Mrs. Cui, Gu Jinli nodded and said, "Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t be shy about asking for anything. If I run out of salt to cook, I’ll ask for it from ho."
Hearing this, Mrs. Cui finally felt relieved.
"Xiao Yu, this is from your father and . Keep it well for your own safety." Gu Dashan stuffed a stack of silver notes into Gu Jinli’s hands, and gave her a box: "These are the house and land deeds from our old ho, and your grandma’s dowry hairpin. Keep them."
Gu Dashan felt his second daughter had suffered, so he gave her the ancestral items and Mrs. Fei’s gold hairpin, not knowing that this hairpin would be of great help to her in the future.
"Thank you, Dad!" Gu Jinli didn’t refuse; she accepted everything. Only by accepting these, Gu Dashan and Mrs. Cui would be at ease.
She took out a few na cards from the Chu Family and handed them to Gu Dashan: "These are from Miss Ran, they are na cards from her maternal family. Keep them. Miss Ran has now made a na for herself, becoming an imperial concubine. These cards might co in handy."
It was said that Emperor Chu was especially fond of Miss Ran, living an ordinary couple’s life with her. Miss Ran was also quite formidable; if she beca a noble consort or if her son beca emperor, these items from Miss Ran would be tokens.
Then she handed the Chu Family’s Pendant to Gu Jinxiu: "Elder sister, take this Chu Family Pendant, better to be safe than sorry."
Gu Jinxiu accepted it, her eyes rely reddening without tears, and suddenly hugged her, saying, "Xiao Yu, go to the Northwest without worry. I will take good care of myself and the family."
Xiao Yu had left many people for her, and as the elder sister, she couldn’t be protected by her younger siblings anymore, she had to beco strong to protect them.
Gu Jinli smiled and said, "Yes, I trust you, elder sister."
Then she pulled Luo Huiniang into a hug: "Huiniang, take care."
Luo Huiniang cried but dared not sob loudly, responding, "Yes, I will."
Gu Jinli then turned to Mrs. Chen, saying, "Aunt Da Gui, don’t show off too much, keep steady."
Mrs. Chen pursed her lips and snorted, "When did your aunt ever show off? Just go without worry, your aunt treats our business more seriously than her life, I wouldn’t do anything foolish."
Gu Dewang said, "Sister Xiao Yu, don’t worry, I will keep an eye on my mother, won’t let her drift!"
"Yes, yes, yes." Gu Defa nodded in agreent.
Mrs. Chen gave him a slap on the head: "What ’yes’, are you mute or had your tongue cut? Can’t you say sothing with words?"
Gu Defa thought for a mont, feeling he ought to say sothing, and said to Gu Jinli: "Sister Xiao Yu, when I beco an official, I’ll look after you."
What?
Have you decided to take the civil service exams? Didn’t you hate exams and just want a position handed to you?
Gu Jinli almost burst out laughing, responding, "Alright, I’m waiting for you to beco an official and have my back."
Then she said to Gu Daya: "Aunt, though business with Manager Feng didn’t work out, you don’t have to worry about the braised at shop. As long as the products are good, they won’t lack sales."
Gu Daya nodded, "Don’t worry about your aunt’s household, your aunt has been through everything, nothing can scare her."
Gu Jinli smiled and nodded, she was incredibly busy, saying goodbye to each family at the village’s edge, finally comforting Village Chief He, who was sobbing, "Village Chief, don’t worry about the village’s livelihood. My brother is around, the tofu and condints business should continue, and keep growing the dicinal herbs, don’t worry."
Village Chief He stopped crying upon hearing this; what he wanted was just these words, but he still thanked Gu Jinli: "Little Xiao Yu, your favor in finding life-sustaining work for the village, the villagers will rember. What you said about everyone working together and being upright to get wealthy, we all rembered. In the future, I’ll ensure the village is managed well, and won’t let anyone in it develop a bad heart."
Gu Jinli nodded, "With you saying this, I’m assured."
"Young Master, why aren’t you speaking with us? Jinhua has been watching you." He Sanlai was impatient and shouted at Gu Jinli.
Gu Jinli could only go over and babble a few baby words with Jiahui.
This farewell task was no easy one. After one loop around with Qin Sanlang, she was almost exhausted.
"It’s getting late, don’t delay them, let them happily set off and return safely!" Third Grandpa shouted, breaking up this farewell scene.
Gu Jinli and Qin San Lang knelt down, solemnly kowtowing three tis to Elder Qin, Third Grandpa, Third Grandma, Gu Dashan, and Mrs. Cui, then got on the carriage and left.
Gu Dashan and the villagers escorted them to the village entrance.
At the village entrance, they t people from Lianghe Village, who also ca to see them off.
As they had to hurry, Gu Jinli couldn’t say much to them, just telling Liang Zhuzi: "Rember, don’t rush into anything, stability is key. Sotis it’s better not to do a business than take risks."
Liang Zhuzi quickly nodded, ashad, "Rest assured, Young Master, after learning from past mistakes, I won’t rush... The matter with Manager Feng, I misjudged him and was taken advantage of."
Gu Jinli waved her hand, saying, "Wait till my brother returns and talk to him yourself, in the future the family’s businesses are under his control. You know his temperant; he’s no weak scholar."
So just be well-behaved, otherwise even I can’t save you.
Having said that, she feared the parting crowds, waved to Gu Dashan and the others, and as soon as the family got out of the way, let the carriage speed off towards the Military Office.
...
At the Military Office, Section Leader Jiang was already waiting. Oh, not quite, now he was the Chief Commander, waiting for the docunts from Prefecture Governnt Office and Prefecture garrison camp to appoint him, after which he would beco the new Company Commander at the Military Office.
Qin San Lang was to lead troops to the Northwest, being a Company Commander, he needed to recomnd a Chief Commander as the new Company Commander. His position as Company Commander was taken over from Jiang Qi, now leaving, he recomnded Chief Commander Jiang, handing back the position to the Jiang Family.
Jiang Dahu and Jiang Qi were both pleased, saying they hadn’t misjudged him, San Lang was a grateful person.
Chief Commander Jiang was also grateful, therefore had been diligent during this period, assembling the soldiers to be taken to the Northwest, ready to set off as soon as Qin San Lang and his group arrived.
However, while the soldiers stood straight and orderly, the accompanying family mbers were a mixed group. Hong Dao’s grandpa even brought piglets, saying, "We might have to celebrate the New Year on the road, so I brought a piglet to slaughter for everyone to eat for the new year."
Hong Dao was helpless, shouting, "Grandpa, you keep an eye on that piglet yourself, don’t bother the Company Commander’s wife!"
Hong Dao was Qin San Lang’s confidant. Qin San Lang was going to the Northwest, and he was determined to follow. Elder Hong adored this grandson the most and didn’t stop him from going to guard the frontier in the Northwest, but he stirred up a fuss to co along, otherwise threatening to hang himself with a rope!
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