Seeing that it was almost lunchti, Yun Jiao noticed the old lady wobbling as she walked, presumably from hunger. She had the kitchen prepare a bowl of noodles for the old lady first.
The old lady must have been starving. Without caring about the hot noodles burning her mouth, she began eating voraciously.
Cai Ping, standing nearby, also fed the child so noodles.
Once the old lady finished the noodles, a bit of life returned to her face.
Yun Jiao then had soone bring hot water for the child and the old lady to wash their hands and faces.
Then Cai Ping brought over a cup of hot tea, and the old lady, cradling the tea, seed to co fully back to life.
As she held the tea, tears suddenly stread down her face, "I’ve been on the road for months, traveling from Dingjing to Xiang City."
Hui Xiang handed her a handkerchief, "Elder, please don’t worry, take your ti."
The old lady pointed to the child still eating noodles, "This is the young master’s son."
Yun Jiao looked at the child, who resembled a little beggar: "Is this Lin Shuo’s child?"
The old lady nodded emphatically, "Back when we were still in Dingjing, at first, we heard the Marquis was martyred for the country. Madam Hou was in shock for a few days and didn’t cry."
"Life went on as usual at ho."
"When the city was breached, those Forbidden Army soldiers rushed into the mansion, looting everything from the storerooms and rooms."
"Then they wanted to take the Young Madam and Madam Hou away."
"Madam Hou instructed to take the child to find the young master, freed herself, and then ran into a pillar."
The old lady wiped her tears with the handkerchief, "The Young Madam was taken away by them."
"The young and beautiful maids in the mansion were also taken."
"The household servants each took whatever valuables they could and dispersed in all directions."
"I tended to Madam Hou’s body and stayed in the mansion with Qi Er. There were quite a lot of grains scattered in the granary, which was enough for Qi Er and to eat."
"Later, nobles from Jin Country took a liking to our Marquis Mansion and drove Qi Er and out."
"We found an empty house to stay in. Fortunately, I secretly hid so things, sold them at a pawn shop, and exchanged them for so rice, which kept Qi Er and from starving."
"Over two months ago, the city gates weren’t so tightly guarded. I gave the city gate soldiers so silver, and only then did we leave Dingjing for Xiang City."
"On this journey, sotis we traveled by carriage, other tis on foot. The silver ran out a few days ago, and I begged with Qi Er all the way, giving anything we received to the young master first. I hadn’t eaten much in two days, and that’s why I fainted on the street."
The old lady wiped her tears again, "Luckily, we encountered Doctor Gu today. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know where to find our young master."
Yun Jiao felt heartache as she listened.
The old and the young, traveling over two thousand miles from Dingjing to Xiang City, one could imagine how difficult it had been.
Yun Jiao gently said, "Nanny, you’ve endured much."
"I’ll send soone to the military camp outside the city to deliver a ssage to Mr. Lin."
"Now that you’re here, it’s as if you’ve returned ho, so please rest assured, Nanny."
Cai Ping finished feeding Qi Er the noodles, and Yun Jiao instructed, "Go give Qi Er a bath."
She looked at Qi Er, and perhaps due to a lack of proper als this past year, he was about the size of one-and-a-half-year-old Ruru.
She recalled Qi Er was half a year older than Ruru and should be almost two years old.
"First, get two sets of Ruru’s clothes and change Qi Er into them."
Then she added, "Help Nanny take a bath and rest in the guest courtyard."
Nanny got up, gave a slight bow, and then followed the maid away.
The maids quickly bathed Qi Er and changed him into Ruru’s clothes.
Qi Er was handso, and wearing the little girl’s clothes didn’t look out of place at all.
User Comments
0 comments from readers