CHAPTER 757: CHAPTER 757: THE OLD GU FAMILY RETURNS TO THE JIANGHU

Gu Jinli: "..."

Are you really my younger brother? How come you’re so easily swayed?

After Qin San Lang sent Brother Cheng away, he turned to Gu Jinli with a smile and asked, "What do you need me to do? Just give me the word; I’m free for the next couple of days."

With no one else in the kitchen, Gu Jinli asked, "Don’t you need to check on You An and the others?"

Qin San Lang replied, "Most of them have gone into the mountains and won’t come back until after the New Year."

Gu Jinli: "You sent them into the mountains during the New Year?"

Qin San Lang had a solid justification, "The New Year is the most lax time. Taking them into the mountains to train will be good for them in the future."

After hearing this, Gu Jinli thought about the big pit at home and didn’t ask any further, instead she unceremoniously put him to work.

Qin San Lang was hardworking and tireless, doing many chores for the Gu Family and even helped Gu Jinli with deep-frying food; he was busy until the afternoon, producing over ten baskets of fried treats.

Third Grandma upon seeing this said, "Why did you make so much? This is enough to eat until the end of time."

Gu Jinli, who had been happy to make Qin San Lang work and accidentally made too much, now felt a bit guilty.

Qin San Lang covered for her, "It’s not too much, Third Grandma. One basket for my house; your house needs two since there are so many people, and Nanny Tao and her crew have over a hundred people. Songzi Manor also has dozens. These ten-plus baskets of fried treats might not even be enough."

Third Grandma: "You’re also sending fried treats to Songzi Manor? Don’t Elder Mi and the others make their own? They always did in the past."

Qin San Lang unflappably responded, "They’re going to be busy with the ham auction on the twentieth day of the first lunar month; they won’t have time to make any."

Third Grandma knew that Songzi Manor produced hams, and that there was going to be another ham auction on the twentieth day, so she conceded, "Then indeed, it’s not too much."

She added, "San Lang, while it’s still daylight, you better take it to Elder Mi and the others. Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, and it wouldn’t be proper to make trips then."

Qin San Lang didn’t want to go and deliver them; he just wanted to stay with Gu Jinli, "Da Tuan is going to Songzi Manor to get some ham; he can deliver it."

After saying this, he looked at Gu Jinli with a pitiful expression.

Gu Jinli glared at him, thinking to herself: Pity my ass, spinning another lie and costing me a ham, which isn’t cheap, you know!?

Qin San Lang’s look went from pitiable to wronged: Xiao Yu, can’t you even spare a ham for me to eat?

Gu Jinli: "..."

Fine, fine, you win! Have your ham, alright?

She called out loudly for Xiao Ji, "Is Da Tuan’s mule cart ready? Tell him to hurry up and deliver those three baskets of fried treats to Songzi Manor and bring back three hams."

Xiao Ji was completely bewildered. Da Tuan harnessing the cart? That hadn’t happened.

Gu Jinli didn’t give her a chance to respond, "Hurry up, and if you can’t bring the hams back before it gets dark, don’t even think about having meat for the New Year’s feast."

Xiao Ji loved eating meat the most, and upon hearing this, she quickly went to look for Da Tuan.

After they all had left, Qin San Lang couldn’t help but laugh—Xiao Yu really cares about him the most.

Gu Jinli was furious, and she stepped hard on his foot, "Laugh one more time, and I’ll beat you up!"

Qin San Lang didn’t fear a beating, but cautioned: "Next time, don’t step on my shoes. It doesn’t hurt. Biting the arm, now that hurts."

Gu Jinli’s face flushed red, and he cursed under his breath, calling him a hooligan before starting to prepare dinner. Qin San Lang enjoyed a grilled fish meal at the Gu Family, then contentedly returned home with Elder Qin.

The next day was New Year’s Eve, and several families gathered to share the reunion dinner. They got up early to don new clothes, paste couplets, and slaughter chickens and sheep to prepare various dishes.

The families were busy from morning till afternoon, finally arranging the offerings according to tradition to pay tribute to the villagers who had died on the roads while fleeing famine.

It is just that in the past three years, there were two more people to mourn: Gu Yumei and Qin Er Lang.

Every time it came to this, Luo Huiniang and the Gu Dafu family were deeply saddened.

Luo Huiniang cried every time she commemorated Qin Er Lang.

Gu Jinli silently counted—the New Year, death anniversaries, the Dongzhi Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Festival—Luo Huiniang would cry for Qin Er Lang. With each passing year, her tears flowed more fiercely, yet she never spoke of taking a new husband, insisting she did not fancy it.

Gu Jinli shook his head. Luo Huiniang hadn’t forgotten Qin Er Lang "because he died"; on the contrary, she remembered him even more deeply.

After everyone had paid their respects, they sat down to enjoy the New Year’s Eve dinner.

Men sat at one table indulging in meat and wine, women gossiped over their meal at another, boys at another made a raucous noise, while girls whispered among themselves at their table; from dawn till dusk the feast continued without end.

...

While the Qin, Gu, and Luo families enjoyed the New Year’s Eve dinner, the Old Gu Family finally arrived outside He’an Prefecture.

Little Sister Gu, sitting in the mule cart, massaged her sore legs and complained to Granny Gu: "Mother, how much longer until we arrive? We’ve been on the road for nearly two months."

Remembering the hardships of the journey, she began to cry again: "It’s all because of that frail young lad of the Lai Family, weak as if possessed by evil spirits, falling ill on the road and delaying us by half a month, trapping us here on New Year’s Eve."

Granny Gu’s wrinkled face grew tense upon hearing this: "Little Sister, how many times have I told you? You are now a lady of nobility, how can you speak so rudely?"

She lowered her voice and said, "Stop referring to him as the ’frail young lad.’ He is the Lai Family’s Young Master Sun, the only remaining male heir, cherished by Lord Lai. Even if we were delayed for half a month because of him on the road, even a whole month would be acceptable."

Little Sister Gu felt rebuked by Granny Gu and was unhappy.

Outside the cart, the Military Officer guarding the city saw their endless caravan and shouted: "The city gates are closed. No entry for idle folk. Come back in the morning."

Steward Yue, Lord Lai’s confidant, had already stepped out of the carriage, and with a servant called out to the garrison on the Gate Tower: "We are the family of He’an Prefecture’s Vice Magistrate Lai, hurried here from the Capital for his appointment. Quickly come down and open the gates. If you cause a delay in Vice Magistrate Lai’s duty commencement, you will not be able to bear the responsibility!"

The Military Officer guarding the gate was alerted, lowered a basket from the gate tower, and said, "Put the appointment letter, the travel pass, and Lord Lai’s official seal in here. We need to verify them before opening the gate."

Steward Yue frowned upon hearing this: "The appointment letter and the official seal are precious items that can’t just be hoisted up to you. We can only give you the travel pass."

The Military Officer shook his head: "That won’t do. All three items are necessary. Not one can be missing."

He explained further: "Since the Water Bandit Case three years ago, He’an Prefecture, Linhe Prefecture, Jinling Prefecture, and others do not permit the gates to be opened so lightly. If you wish to enter, you must send all three items up; otherwise, you’ll have to wait until dawn."

Gu Youlu, who was sitting in another mule cart with Elder Gu, overhearing this, became furious, got out of the cart, and roared at the Military Officer guarding the gate: "You lowly soldier, how dare you block the path of Lord Lai. Be wise and open the gates quickly, or face us breaking through!"

Steward Yue frowned at these words, wondering how Fourth Young Master Gu could utter such things. To break down the city gate was a crime punishable by the execution of the entire family.

However, Lord Lai was very fond of the Gu family, and Steward Yue didn’t dare to offend Gu Youlu. After pulling him back, he said: "Fourth Brother Gu, there’s no need to argue with these brutes."

He looked up and called out to those above: "Call your flag leader here. I wish to see him."