CHAPTER 118: CHAPTER 117: THE YOUNG GENERAL YU ZHENGYANG

Yu Xiaolian chatted with Master Ma for a long time, learning that Zhao Kuo’s death was ruled as sudden illness, not implicating Zheng Yuanye, which relieved her.

She never intended to kill anyone, but when someone puts a knife to her throat, she wouldn’t just stand by and be slaughtered.

After waiting for a while, Zheng Yuanye still hadn’t returned, the shop was in disarray and couldn’t operate today. Yu Xiaolian, having no further help to offer, decided to head home first.

As she passed by the market, Yu Xiaolian caught sight of two familiar figures from the corner of her eye, causing her to pause.

It was Mrs. Cao and Yu Ziyi!

Why would they come to Yangcheng?

And dressed so finely to buy groceries at the market?

Yu Xiaolian bought a doll mask from a street stall and wore it on her face.

Mrs. Cao and Yu Ziyi purchased pork and lamb, then bought dried vegetables and eggs at Granny Ge’s stall.

Even with the mask on, Yu Xiaolian feared Granny Ge recognizing her, so she dared not get closer.

Mrs. Cao, after chatting idly with Granny Ge, left with Yu Ziyi, both smiling and talking.

Yu Xiaolian followed Mrs. Cao and Yu Ziyi to a large house in the southern part of the city and watched them go inside.

Could this be a relative’s house of Mrs. Cao’s?

Impossible, which relative would be so generous as to make them new clothes and give them money to buy meat?

While Yu Xiaolian was puzzled, a young woman emerged from the house across the street, with a basket, seemingly heading out to buy groceries. Yu Xiaolian stopped her to inquire.

The young woman only knew that the new neighbors across the street were named Yu, a family of three, quite wealthy, and nothing else.

Yu Xiaolian frowned, "A family of three?"

"Yes, a widow with two sons, said to have been widowed for many years."

The young woman sized up Yu Xiaolian, then asked, "Do you know this family?"

Yu Xiaolian shook her head, "I don’t know them."

Why are you asking about them if you don’t know them? The young woman rolled her eyes, "I must go buy groceries, if I don’t prepare lunch, my mother-in-law will scold me."

Yu Xiaolian was utterly baffled, how did Mrs. Cao suddenly become wealthy?

And how could Old Lady Yu agree to divide the family?

Even if the family was divided, how did a family of four become a family of three?

It’s impossible for her to have been widowed for years, for Yu Changfu was still alive last year.

Yu Xiaolian was anxious.

She didn’t go home but went directly to Baihua House.

Since she had escaped with Zhao Erya, she hadn’t been to Baihua House.

During the day, Baihua House was unusually quiet.

Yu Xiaolian found Sister Feng and tried to explain her intentions.

Before coming here, Yu Xiaolian felt conflicted.

She didn’t want to acknowledge the Witch Clan as family, yet she wanted to use them to help with her affairs, which seemed a bit inappropriate.

However, after meeting Qi Yunfan, Yu Xiaolian knew they had already discovered her true identity and would eventually come to find her.

The reason they hadn’t acted must be due to some unknown cause.

Sister Feng stated not only could they help Yu Xiaolian investigate, but if the family posed any threat to her, they could discreetly handle it.

Yu Xiaolian didn’t want to bear the weight of several lives with just a few words.

If Mrs. Cao could behave and live peacefully with them, she would be pleased to see them live better.

Sister Feng told Yu Xiaolian to return in three days for news.

After thanking Sister Feng, Yu Xiaolian returned home.

Upon seeing Mrs. Sun and Yu Changhe, Yu Xiaolian hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn’t mention seeing Mrs. Cao.

She only discussed the matter of conscription with Yu Changhe.

Mrs. Sun was taken aback by the amount needed for the service exemption fee, set so high on purpose so people couldn’t afford it, right?

If every household could afford the exemption fee, then who would do the work?

Yu Changhe had previously performed corvée labor, as Great Liang almost annually conscripted for it. Before, the three brothers took turns, each serving a year.

However, Yu Changyu had only gone once and refused to go again. Old Lady Yu, doting on her youngest son, had her eldest and second son take turns instead.

Recalling the days of corvée labor, where any sluggishness would result in beatings, Yu Changhe said, filled with dread, "Not only was the work exhausting, but if you were slow, you would be beaten. In summer, we ate rough food, and in winter, cold food, never filling up. Some weaker ones died on the dikes before finishing the work."

Mrs. Sun sighed, recalling, "Your maternal grandfather died from exhaustion during corvée labor back then."

Not to mention not being paid for the work, being slow wasn’t allowed either. Working to the bone for a day without enough to eat, damnable imperial power.

Yu Changhe asked, "What’s being built this time?"

"Seems like it’s water conservancy, supposedly to prevent flooding."

Yu Xiaolian felt especially speechless, wondering how dry the days had been, yet they were preventing floods!

Yu Changhe sighed, "This time they’re conscripting right during spring plowing, it’s practically taking the life of the common folk."

The family spent the afternoon criticizing the injustices of the Great Liang Country.

In the evening, a clerk from Mingxiang Pavilion came by, delivering a letter to Yu Xiaolian, said to have been sent by Jiang Lin via the Escort Agency.

After half a year, Yu Xiaolian had finally received news about the Jiang Family father and son.

She eagerly opened the envelope.

The Jiang Family father and son had indeed gone to Jie City, but shortly after arriving, war broke out at the border.

Jiang the Hunter and Jiang Lin, while returning from hunting, rescued a young general from being captured by dozens of Great Qi cavalry.

The young general was named Yu Zhengyang, the eldest son of Great General Yu Zhenwu.

After being rescued, Yu Zhengyang told his father Yu Zhenwu about the two men who saved him, praising their martial prowess, able to handle ten men with ease.

General Yu Zhenwu’s army lacked brave and skilled fighters, and so he extended an olive branch to the Jiang Family father and son.

Offering money and official positions.

Interested?

Having stayed on the border for a time and witnessed the hardship and separations due to war, when Yu Zhenwu and Yu Zhengyang earnestly invited them, father and son joined the military.

Jiang Lin also advised Yu Xiaolian that when her mother gave birth and they fled famine, they shouldn’t head towards Jie City, as peace wouldn’t return for a couple of years.

Yu Xiaolian set down the letter, deep in thought.

If they’re not going to Jie City, where should their family go?

Mrs. Sun was already over five months pregnant, so in another four months, she could give birth. It would be the eighth lunar month during her delivery, when the weather should have cooled. After a month’s confinement, it would truly be cold.

Traveling with newborns in the chilly late autumn was indeed inadvisable.

Yu Xiaolian felt they couldn’t stay in Yangcheng any longer and should set off immediately.

Though Mrs. Sun was heavily pregnant, making travel inconvenient, the warm weather and their having a carriage allowed for a slower journey, akin to leisurely sightseeing.

After much deliberation, Yu Xiaolian shared her thoughts.

Yu Changhe and Mrs. Sun found themselves in a difficult decision.

They eventually agreed to decide after Mrs. Sun gives birth.

As Yu Changhe put it, with their space like a supermarket, filled with food and drink, they could afford not to partake in fleeing the famine.

Yu Xiaolian was also concerned about the bumps during travel, with Mrs. Sun as a high-risk mother, heavily pregnant and unable to endure much.

But if they didn’t leave, there might not even be a good midwife available to help during Mrs. Sun’s delivery.