During dinner, Prefect Qin specifically arranged for Sister Hua and Yun Erman to sit together, and even brought out the plum wine treasured by the mansion for them, pouring several cups for each of them…
“As guests, please help yourselves, drink more. This wine is sweet and not strong!~” Prefect Qin, holding the wine pot, poured another cup for Yun Erman.
If they didn't drink too much, how would there be an opportunity?
Yun Erman's eyes were already glazed over. He kept waving his hands, “No… no more, I’m too full! Hic!~”
“Then eat more dishes!” Prefect Qin served him a fish head.
Yun Erman was Yun Jinshan's father, and Prefect Qin was going to great lengths to make things work out for Yiyi and Jinshan.
Xiao Xitian and Xiao Jinheng observed Yun Erman and Sister Hua’s reactions throughout the entire meal.
Sister Hua was elegant and quiet, not speaking much. She only picked out dishes that Yun Erman liked and served them to him. At other times, she just listened to Prefect Qin chatter on and on…
The next morning, Prefect Qin summoned over a dozen soldiers and prepared another carriage, setting off grandly towards Dashui Village.
At the same time, in an inn in the prefectural city, Gu Mingyan was looking at a blueprint with excitement.
“If we can build this thing, the soldiers’ combat effectiveness will increase significantly, and then those jackals and tigers from neighboring countries won’t dare to covet us…” Gu Mingyan muttered to himself.
He looked up at the man in front of him, “You’ve worked hard on this mission. Is the wound on your arm alright?”
“It’s bandaged, it’s nothing!~” the man said indifferently.
Gu Mingyan grunted and looked at the man with admiration and relief, “Qingfeng, you have completed such an important mission. As your Marquis, I should reward you handsomely. How about this, I’ll give you ten days off. You can go out and find your family…”
Upon hearing this, Qingfeng slowly lowered his head, “I haven’t given up searching for my family all these years. I heard they fled famine and don’t know where they went. Even my third brother’s family has no news!~”
Gu Mingyan raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, “Can’t find any trace at all? Do you need me to send people to help you look?”
“No… no need!” Qingfeng shook his head.
“Alright, then it’s good for you to go out and relax. I’ll be returning to the capital tomorrow. Be careful, and don’t hesitate to speak up if you encounter any difficulties!” Gu Mingyan said.
Qingfeng replied, “Got it!~”
He didn’t even know where to go to relax. He had traveled north and south and visited various countries over the years. He had seen enough of the scenery along the way…
Suddenly, he thought of the young girl and that brat he had traveled with by boat.
It was too rushed at the time, and he hadn’t even asked their names.
That brat still owed him two cartloads of sorghum wine…
Why not go to Dashui Village to relax, and also get his sorghum wine back.
Gu Mingyan put away the blueprint and stood up to walk towards the door. He suddenly stopped and turned back, “By the way, how many people are in your family, and what are their names?”
It would only be easier to find them if he knew their surnames and given names…
Qingfeng didn’t want to say at first. He had been carrying out missions for Marquis Pingyang outside these years, which had attracted many enemies.
Therefore, he had long since changed his name and surname.
“My surname is Yun!~” Qingfeng murmured.
“I know your surname is Yun. What are your family members called?” Gu Mingyan continued to press.
He couldn’t just have a surname without any given names!
Qingfeng looked up, “My father is called Yun Fu, my mother is called Gu Xiangqing. I have three older brothers, named Yun Daman, Yun Erman, and Yun Sanman. Back then, I insisted on going out to work to subsidize the family and argued with my father. Who would have thought that when I returned to Feiyan Village, my family had already moved away…”
Although a note was left under the炕席 (kang mat), it only stated that they had fled famine. The part about the location of the famine was eaten away by insects.
He didn’t know where his family had gone.
Gu Mingyan was stunned for a long time after hearing this, “Do you perhaps have a sister named Yun Xitian?”
Qingfeng scratched his face. He didn’t remember having a sister…
“No… no!~” Qingfeng shook his head.
Gu Mingyan pinched his chin, lost in thought.
Although he had been to Dashui Village and visited the old Yun family, he didn’t know the names of the Yun family members.
Only Yun Xitian left a particularly deep impression on him.
That little girl was very capable, inventing waterwheels and driving away rat plagues. The Emperor had even bestowed a plaque upon their family…
“Your sister was likely born after you left!~” Gu Mingyan concluded.
There was no other explanation.
Qingfeng’s eyes widened, incredulously, “No way, my parents are already that old, they can still have children?”
Gu Mingyan snorted, “Your parents are at most forty or fifty. Isn’t it normal to have children?”
“I also heard that an old lady from a general’s mansion, nearly sixty years old, gave birth to a young daughter…”
“It’s just that the little daughter didn’t have a good life. By the time she reached fifteen and had her coming-of-age ceremony, the old lady died, and the old general was also on his last breath. The concubines treated the little daughter poorly and schemed to drive her out of the general’s mansion.”
“Oh my, that little girl was left to wander the streets, begging, singing for others, and painting. In the end, she didn’t starve to death, but the suffering she endured was beyond words…”
Qingfeng quickly asked, “What happened then? Where did that girl end up?”
Gu Mingyan hugged his arms and looked out the window, “This happened many years ago. I don’t remember it very clearly. I heard that the girl walked and walked and finally married a villager. Whether it’s true or not, no one knows…”
“What a life of hardship! Those concubines in the general’s mansion were all wicked, and none of them had a good end. I heard that after the youngest daughter was driven away, the concubines never had another child!~”
“Now the old general has long since passed away, and the young generals are all forty or fifty years old. He has taken seven or eight concubines, but none of them can get pregnant. Do you think this is retribution?”
Qingfeng was quite shocked. He had never heard of such horrifying things…
“If there are no descendants, won’t the general’s mansion be finished?” Qingfeng murmured.
Gu Mingyan glanced at him, “Stop worrying about other people’s affairs. You should go to Dashui Village and take a look. I think your family is there!~”
Qingfeng said, “Oh.”
It seemed he had to make a trip to Dashui Village…
“Take this!” Gu Mingyan pulled out a silver note and handed it to Qingfeng, “Buy whatever you want to eat. You can’t visit the Yun family empty-handed.”
“I heard that the old man of the Yun family likes to drink. Buy a few jars for him. Even if they are not your relatives, you all share the surname Yun, so you are family. You can get closer!~”
“Alright, thank you, Marquis…” Qingfeng cupped his hands.
He put away the silver note, put on his mask, and rode his fast horse away.