Song Chuzhao had no friends in the capital. After returning, the only people she encountered were strange and peculiar. The only person she could have a proper conversation with was Gu Fengjian.
Now that they had become this way, neither could escape the other. Their interests were intertwined, and they were forced to rely on each other, which brought a kind of natural trust.
Gu Fengjian told her about the customs of the capital and introduced her to some of the secret anecdotes among the officials. Song Chuzhao recognized the people and was delighted to hear about them, and she gradually relaxed.
Chundong came back once during the day, and seeing them chatting happily, with no sign of ending, she cheerfully brought over some food and then ran away quickly.
Gu Fengjian poured Song Chuzhao a cup of tea and then told her that they should go see Master He.
According to custom, Song Chuzhao, a young member of the Song family, should have gone to pay her respects to her maternal grandfather upon returning to the capital. But Song Chuzhao was a little apprehensive about this, so she hesitated for two days. Before she could figure it out, the accident with Gu Fengjian happened, and it was delayed.
Song Chuzhao recalled, “My mother said that my maternal grandfather was a very strict man. As the head of the family, his word was law. He was busy with official duties in his early years and was not often at home. Whenever he saw her, he was always stern and unsmiling. Although he never scolded or beat her, she was still very afraid of him. Plus, the political situation was tense at the time, and my maternal grandfather was forced to do many things against his will. Although his heart was good, he wasn’t a good father.”
Song Chuzhao had never met old General He. by carpreads.pages.dev
After He Wan got married, she went directly to the frontier and hadn’t returned for over ten years. She didn’t talk much about the capital with Song Chuzhao either. Song Chuzhao only knew that her maternal grandfather was a general, but she didn’t know if there was any animosity or discord between him and her mother.
There must have been, otherwise, how could He Wan have been so resolute? They had been separated for many years, and they rarely even corresponded. They would only send a letter during the New Year or when something major happened.
Song Chuzhao still remembered her mother staring out the window, lost in thought, holding a letter. Her eyes would always get moist as she looked at it. She must have had a lot on her mind, but she didn’t even have anyone to talk to.
Father didn’t understand mother’s tender emotions… Oh, that rough man didn’t even understand his own daughter’s tender emotions.
There was nothing at the frontier. Song Chuzhao had grown up there and was used to it. But her mother must have missed her hometown very much.
Song Chuzhao sighed.
If old General He didn’t like her, she didn’t want to go out of her way to see him. She could just send a gift sometime.
She was scared by the Song family, and she hated the feeling of being disliked.
Song Chuzhao lowered her head and rubbed her knuckles. “I’ve been back for a long time, and they haven’t come to see me. After all, we’ve never met or spent time together. It’s just a name, there’s not much affection.”
Gu Fengjian gently tugged at her sleeve, and then a pair of white, slender hands pressed down on her sleeve.
“That’s not true,” Gu Fengjian said. “Master He is old, and his health may not be good. He might be afraid of passing on his illness to you. And even if he sent you a message, it might not reach you. You’re also know, it’s not the first time that Old Madam Song is unreasonable.”
Song Chuzhao: “Really?”
Gu Fengjian thought for a moment, then said confidently, “Your maternal grandfather must have loved your mother. After all, she was his only daughter. The Song family’s current prosperity is also due in no small part to his years of support. Besides, when your mother got married, your maternal grandfather prepared a lot of dowry. Most of the Song family’s wealth now is probably from what General He gave them. If he didn’t love his daughter, how could he have been so generous?”
Song Chuzhao asked, “What else do you know?”
Gu Fengjian couldn’t say more about some things, so he just hinted.
“Master He has been retired for many years, so I don’t know much about his way of doing things. We’ll know when we see him. It’s only right to go see him,” Gu Fengjian said. “You are his granddaughter, and you should go with me to pay our respects. If he is cold and distant, and you are unhappy, we’ll leave.”
Song Chuzhao thought about it, and it made sense. It was better to have someone with her than to go alone. Besides, she was now in Gu Fengjian’s body, so it should feel different.
Actually, she was very nervous about going to the He mansion. After all, it was her mother’s family, her closest relatives, and the only people she was connected to in the capital. But she was afraid that the He family would be as unkind as the Song family, and then she would be truly heartbroken and inconsolable.
Why were other families happy and harmonious, while she and her mother had to be alone and helpless? She hadn’t done anything wrong.
And if her maternal grandparents didn’t like her, it was almost like they didn’t like her mother. How pitiful her mother must be. Let’s not be like that.
Gu Fengjian saw that her expression was gloomy and unpredictable. She was sad one moment and melancholy the next, and he guessed that she had been too deeply affected by Old Madam Song and was a little anxious.
He didn’t know how to comfort her. He only knew that she was unhappy. She rarely got upset, and her pitiful look was not at all attractive, even though she was currently wearing his face.
So, he put his hands on her head and patted her, his voice low and deep, “I promise you that your maternal grandfather will be very happy to see you come home. You can also send a visiting card first to test the waters. You decide the date, and I’ll be there anytime.”
Gu Fengjian’s study was filled with many calling cards. Song Chuzhao compared the writing format on them and wrote a card herself to deliver to the He Mansion.
She had found out the location of the He Mansion and discovered that it was not far from the Duke Gu’s Mansion. She hesitated several times before finally deciding to go and see it.
The first time she went, there was a row of stern and imposing Imperial Insignia Guards standing outside the He Mansion. Song Chuzhao thought that Master He must be entertaining guests, so she only stood there from a distance for a while and did not go in.
This was her second time coming.
Today, there was no one in front of the gate, but the gate was closed, making it look cold and deserted. She wondered if the head of the household was inside.
Song Chuzhao walked around, carefully observing the surrounding scenery.
Old General He was old and had long since resigned from his official post to live at home. His ancestral home was not actually in the capital, but after he retired, he still lived in this mansion.
The mansion was old and had never been extensively renovated. Song Chuzhao could see a patch of faded paint on the gate and a crack in the threshold where it had been bumped. The roof tiles were a mix of new and old, preserving the original style. The two large trees by the gate had grown very lush, with a few scratches on their trunks.
Everything spoke of the passage of time. It seemed as if it had been this way for more than ten years, waiting for someone’s return in the same guise.
Song Chuzhao looked up and down for a long time, just about to knock on the door when it was opened from the inside. She was in the middle of raising her hand when she met the gaze of the burly man on the other side, and they stared at each other in astonishment.
This gatekeeper was tall and strong, and it was obvious that he was a martial artist. He still had the air of a soldier about him. The usual loose servant’s attire on him looked like tight clothing, and his arms would bulge with muscle whenever he tensed them.
This was no ordinary gatekeeper, he must be a bodyguard!
The gatekeeper had been staring at her at first. After observing her for a while, he probably saw that she was a delicate scholar with a handsome face and no malice in her expression, so he softened his attitude and said, “Young master, I heard your footsteps approaching a while ago, but you didn’t come forward to knock. What business do you have standing at the gate of my He Mansion?”
Song Chuzhao was very familiar with this kind of martial artist, and she was not afraid of his feigned ferocity. She asked politely, “Is Master He at home these days?”
The strong man said, “You have to tell me what you’re here for before I can tell you if he’s in or not.”
Song Chuzhao took out a calling card from her sleeve, held it in her palm, and said, “Third Miss Song has been back in the capital for a long time, and she has been wanting to come and visit, but she hasn’t received any news. I wonder if it’s convenient for the He Mansion…”
Before she could finish her sentence, the strong man had snatched the calling card away. He changed his previous coldness and smiled with a face full of spring, saying, “Third Miss Song? We’re all family. She can come whenever she wants, anytime she wants. Master He doesn’t mind the trouble. Why bother sending a calling card? Both Master He and Madam miss her dearly! When she first returned to the capital, Master He sent someone to deliver gifts. Did Third Miss not receive them?”
Song Chuzhao was just about to answer no when the man asked impatiently, “When is Third Miss coming?”
Song Chuzhao said, “In a couple of days. I’ll see when General He is free.”
“As long as it’s about Third Miss, Master He always has time! I just don’t know what ‘a couple of days’ means?” The strong man asked in detail, “If she’s coming, the mansion can prepare in advance. Should we start preparing tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow? Or the day after that? Or should we just keep everything ready for her, in case she wants to stay at the He Mansion for a few more days?”
Song Chuzhao: “…” Isn’t “a couple of days” usually a vague term?
The strong man told her with kind eyes that blinked eagerly, no, they, the He Mansion people, were always straightforward and didn’t do such vague things.
Song Chuzhao was confused by his enthusiasm and thought for a moment before saying, “Then I’ll go back and discuss it with him. If there are no unforeseen circumstances, I’ll come to visit the day after tomorrow.”
The strong man said hurriedly, “Good! That’s settled then! Please tell her for me, she must come the day after tomorrow! My master misses her dearly.”
Song Chuzhao nodded, “Okay.”
After she finished speaking, she did not leave immediately. The strong man did not urge her either, but waited for her to speak with a smile on his lips.
Song Chuzhao had nothing in her hands and felt a little uncomfortable, so she clasped her hands together and covered them with her sleeve.
“I have a few more questions.”
The strong man said excitedly, “Please speak, Young Master!”
Song Chuzhao: “I heard that Master He was sick a while ago…”
“He’s much better!” This older brother, not only strong and healthy, but also very good at answering questions quickly, said, “The weather turned cold suddenly during the change of seasons, and the Master was unprepared. He coughed for a while, but he’s much better now. Please tell Third Miss not to worry. And don’t bring too many tonics, the mansion is almost overflowing. Your thoughtfulness is enough.”
Song Chuzhao continued to inquire, “Good. Then, how is Master He’s mood lately?”
The older brother said again, “If Third Miss comes, it will definitely be good. Master and Madam have no children to keep them company, they are very lonely. They will be happy to have someone to chat with.”
Song Chuzhao asked, “Is everything going smoothly for Master He?”
“Smoothly!” The older brother laughed heartily, “Young Master, you don’t need to probe here, just go and tell Third Miss. Our Master is a kind and considerate person, especially fond of younger generations. Miss doesn’t need to worry about anything, just think of it as coming home. She is the only younger generation in our mansion, and in the future, this He Mansion will be entirely for Miss.”
Song Chuzhao nodded hesitantly, took a step back, and looked up at the plaque above her head.
The older brother also walked out, looked up following her gaze, and smiled, “It is a bit old and dirty. I’ll have someone take it down and wash it.”
After saying this, he rushed into the mansion and shouted loudly, “Uncle Liu! Uncle Liu, come out quickly!”
A middle-aged man dragged out a long, dissatisfied tone, “What’s so urgent? Why are you shouting?”
The older brother said, “Quickly take this visiting card to Master, the Miss said she wants to come back to see him! Also, clean up the front gate properly, there are many flowers and plants in the courtyard that haven’t been taken care of.”
The middle-aged man’s tone became even more nervous than his, “Oh dear! Let me see the card quickly…”
The two voices gradually faded into the distance, going deeper into the mansion. Song Chuzhao could hear the excitement and urgency in their voices.
Gu Fengjian must be telling the truth! They were waiting for her to return.
Song Chuzhao’s eyes felt hot, and her heart felt warm. It was as if she had shed eight hundred pounds of weight, her body and mind feeling exceptionally light. She couldn’t wait to rush in, run around, and shout. She wanted to tell them right now, “Don’t prepare anything, I’m already back.”
She wasn’t lacking in love, nor did she feel like her life was missing something, but knowing this made her incredibly happy.
The older brother came back and saw her still standing there, hesitantly saying, “Young Master, would you like to come in for a cup of tea?”
Song Chuzhao suddenly came back to her senses and quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve. She felt a bit shy about returning home, and also realized that her current identity was inappropriate. She quickly waved her hand and said, “No need, I’ll come again next time. I’ve disturbed you.”
After saying this, she quickly left, running and jumping, and in the blink of an eye, she had reached the next street.
After stopping, Song Chuzhao adjusted her robe, checked her direction, and walked towards the Song Mansion.
She had to tell Gu Fengjian about the time, they could go over the day after tomorrow.