novelraw Chapter 202 Desert City, Sending Away
Chapter 202 Desert City, Sending Away
Chapter 202 Desert City, Sending Away
Grandpa Gu remembered that the clan leader had indeed said that.
Madam Feng continued, "We were afraid of being gossiped about, so we didn't dare to hold a funeral for Madam Wei. Then a series of events dragged on and on."
We can't delay any longer. Let's hold a funeral for Wei, make her look like a 'dead person' first, and then let our son find a matchmaker to find a marriage partner.
After her son remarried, Tianbao resigned himself to his fate. His stepmother had already taken his place in his father's room, so why would he still hope for his biological mother to return? Did he hope she would come back as a concubine?
There's another matter. Tianbao is also of marriageable age. After my son remarries, I'll have a matchmaker find a suitable partner for Tianbao as well. Only by being chosen by others will he realize how important his reputation is!
"That's a great idea!" Old Master Gu exclaimed, then asked, "When will it be done?"
Madam Feng twitched the corners of her mouth: "Today, we'll find someone to come and help hang the white cloth at home. After that, we'll go door to door to inform our relatives and friends. Tomorrow, we'll send 'Madam Wei' to her burial!"
"What about the Wei family?"
“The Wei family isn’t completely wiped out; the whole family is still alive. Their married daughter is gone, but as her maternal family, they will definitely have to show their faces tomorrow. Only when they show their faces can this matter be confirmed.”
Old Master Gu hesitated. He knew that the Wei family should be notified of this matter, but he was afraid that the Wei family would take the opportunity to cause trouble, so he was reluctant to invite them.
Seeing the struggle in his heart, Madam Feng said, "The Wei family only valued Madam Ma (Madam Wei's mother), but unfortunately she has been dead for almost ten years! Nowadays, the Wei family treats Madam Wei as nothing, and they rarely come to visit. The last time the Wei family sent someone was three years ago."
Have the eldest son personally go to the Wei family and repeat to them everything the second son said earlier, word for word. The Wei family has many unmarried daughters and values their reputation more than we do. Once they hear this, they'll be more concerned about Wei's funeral than we are about it!
After thinking it over twice, Old Master Gu realized that it seemed to be true. Ever since Old Madam Wei died, the other members of the Wei family had indeed disliked Wei Shi.
In the past, when Old Mrs. Wei was alive, Mrs. Wei would return to the Wei family once a month, but after Old Mrs. Wei died, the situation changed.
For the first few months, Wei still returned to her parents' home once a month. After two or three times, probably realizing that she was not well received, she rarely returned to the Wei family anymore.
A year later, Wei Shi basically stopped visiting the Wei family, only returning once a year during holidays.
He didn't stay for a meal at the Wei family's house after returning; he just sat there for a short while before coming back.
This stark difference in treatment reveals that without Old Madam Wei, the Wei family doesn't even give Wei the most basic dignity.
"Alright! We'll do it your way. I'll go and discuss it with my son and have him set off for the Wei family immediately."
Old Master Gu couldn't wait to go outside and find his son, Gu Liansheng, in the east wing.
Feng added, "Don't send news of the death to distant relatives, just relatives in our village and some nearby ones. Wei must be buried tomorrow!"
"Don't worry, I know what's going on."
Looking at the swaying curtain, Madam Feng was still a little uneasy. In the past, when she was in good health, she would definitely have handled this matter herself.
It's just hateful...
She looked down at her legs, then suddenly her face contorted with rage, and she punched them twice!
A heavy fist landed on both thighs; the left leg was completely numb, while the right leg felt slightly numb.
When she stayed at the inn, the two old women would massage her legs every day. Now, her legs look the same as before, unlike those bedridden people whose legs are withered and thin, making them look disgusting!
Although the two old women weren't good people, every time they massaged her, they would tell her where to massage first, where to massage next, how long to massage, how much force to use, etc., saying that when she had nothing to do, she could personally give her a massage.
Massaging her legs several times a day will greatly help, and she may regain sensation soon.
As Feng recalled the two old women's movements, she clumsily massaged her own legs.
She pressed it a few times, and then forgot about it!
After a moment of stiffness, she held her breath and pressed haphazardly. After a few breaths, she stopped in anger, picked up the pillow from the bed, threw it on the ground, and her face was distorted in a frightening way.
"Cuckoo..."
A soft sound came from her stomach. She reached out and touched her stomach, and a feeling of hunger instantly spread throughout her body. This made Feng even angrier.
Gu Lian and Gu Tianbao have both collapsed, and it's unclear who will cook breakfast today.
Her temper, which had been spoiled by the old women these past few days, flared up again. She yelled at the top of her lungs, telling Gu Qing to go to the kitchen and steam a bowl of eggs for her and bring it in.
The Gu family's houses weren't very soundproof, and the courtyard was small. When Madam Feng shouted at the top of her lungs in the east room of the main hall, Gu Qing in the east wing could hear it clearly.
Gu Qing frowned so deeply it could trap a fly, and cursed inwardly, "You old bastard, how come you starved to death!"
Everyone else is fine, but this old hag keeps complaining of hunger. She lies in bed day and night, never walking or doing any work. How did she get so hungry? What bad luck!
Gu Qing rolled her eyes, turned her head to the side, and pretended not to hear.
Grandpa Gu led his son out of the east wing. The father and son had already discussed it. Grandpa Gu would go and inform the clan, and also invite some clan members who were in charge of funerals to come and help.
Gu Liansheng then went to find Li Shunzi and hired him for a day. He was to first go to the Wei family to report the death, and then go to the homes of the relatives who lived nearby. He had to kowtow to each of them to report the death.
They were originally in a good mood, but then they heard Mr. Feng's loud voice.
Annoyed by the noise, and seeing that Gu Qing hadn't left the room, Gu Liansheng went over and scolded her.
"You brat, are you deaf?! Didn't you hear your grandma calling you? Get your ass out here right now!"
Gu Qing, who was inside the room, was startled by the angry shout. Looking at Gu Lian, who was unconscious on the bed, she swallowed hard, felt a sense of fear, and quickly opened the door and left the room.
"Father..." Gu Qing called softly, her head bowed, looking very docile.
"Your grandma asked you to steam egg custard, but instead, you hid in the house like a coward!"
Gu Qing bit her lip: "It's not that I don't want to do it, but have you forgotten what Aunt Li said? She said I shouldn't do any chores, especially cooking, because it's the hardest job for my hands."
If I'm not raised properly, the Cheng family might not want me. If I'm returned, you won't get your money!
Gu Liansheng certainly remembered this matter, and he was reluctant to let Gu Qing do the work, but now he had no choice but to do it.
For the sake of the money, his tone softened: "Your sister and brother are both bedridden, so you'll have to take over for your sister for a few days. It won't hurt your hands if you only do it for a few days. Once your sister can get out of bed in a couple of days, you can hand over the cooking to her."
Gu Qing was unwilling, and displeasure flashed across her face.
Grandpa Gu also chimed in, saying, "Grandpa's health isn't good, and your grandma can't get out of bed. Your father is a scholar, and a gentleman stays away from the kitchen. Now, the cooking duties in this family can only be left to you."
Gu Qing couldn't refute this. Indeed, she was the only one who could do the cooking at home these days.
"I'll only do it for two days. If my hand gets injured, I'll stop immediately."
"Don't worry, I value your skills even more than you do."
These words relieved Gu Qing, who reached out to ask her father for the key to the east wing room.
Her grandmother wanted to eat steamed egg custard, but all the eggs in the house were locked in the east wing room, so she had to open the east wing room first to go in and find the eggs.
Gu Liansheng handed over the key, intending to tell him to remember to return it after use. But then he thought that his mother had always held the key, and now that she was back, it was only right that it be returned to its rightful owner.
I had already turned the east side rooms upside down, but there was nothing there except for food, so there was no point in keeping the key anymore.
I don't know why his mother valued the east wing room so much, and wouldn't let anyone in unless they wanted to.
He was misled into thinking there was something good inside, but there was nothing there at all.
"I'll return the key to you after I've used it. You've always kept the key."
"Oh, I got it."
After seeing the father and son off, Gu Qing took the key and went to the main room.
She didn't go into the east room, but instead asked Madam Feng through a curtain, "Grandma, how many eggs would you like to eat?"
This question seemed to have been asked in the wrong way, and Madam Feng, inside the curtain, reignited her anger, shouting and cursing in a shrill voice.
"How many eggs? How many eggs do you think I can have! You brat, you can't even manage a household properly! How dare you ask me for eggs! Look at our family's situation now, we're lucky if we can even afford one egg, and you want several?!"
Gu Qing took a deep breath to suppress her anger, feeling extremely frustrated.
She just asked unnecessary questions!
She glared fiercely at the curtain, then turned and left. She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, she would lose her temper and start cursing.
Madam Feng cursed at the curtain a couple more times, but Gu Qing never responded.
She assumed that Gu Qing wouldn't dare to talk back, and that Gu Qing was standing obediently outside the curtain letting her scold him. For a moment, Madam Feng felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
After scolding for a while, Madam Feng asked Gu Qing to come in and massage her legs. She told Gu Qing to steam the egg custard later, as she was too full of anger to eat it even if it was steamed.
She called out to the outside, but after a while no one came in.
Thinking that Gu Qing was being petty, Madam Feng, with a gloomy face, started cursing outside again, telling Gu Qing to get back inside immediately.
After cursing for about ten times, and still no one came in, Madam Feng belatedly realized that Gu Qing might have sneaked away, and there was probably not a soul outside!
Feeling humiliated, Madam Feng's anger flared even more, and she began to shout shrilly, constantly cursing Gu Qing.
Gu Qing was sitting in front of the stove lighting a fire, listening to Feng Shi's cursing while steaming a bowl of egg custard for himself, completely ignoring Feng Shi's madness.
……
When Gu Lianshan returned home, he was eating. He quickly finished the porridge in his bowl, then ate the remaining fried dough, before finally taking the food for Gu Lai'an to the east wing.
Ever since Gu Lai'an had a fever and fell ill last time, he has been saying that he feels weak and uncomfortable all over his body for the past two days.
Third Uncle was worried that he might have other illnesses that hadn't been diagnosed, so he called the doctor three times a day for the past two days, but they still couldn't find anything.
Qin Langzhong said he was as strong as an ox and had no illnesses whatsoever.
Gu Lai'an ignored all of this, pulled the covers over his head, and pretended not to hear what Doctor Qin said. He continued to lie in bed, groaning that he felt unwell, unable to get out of bed or go out.
This matter left Uncle San somewhat at a loss, unsure whether he was genuinely ill or faking it.
You might think he's really sick, but he has an amazing appetite. He'll eat anything you give him, and his appetite is enough to eat two Gu Ping'ans and even more, almost matching Gu Lianshan's appetite.
But if you say he's faking illness, then he's incredibly sleepy every day, eating and sleeping all the time, which is a bit scary.
The third uncle was completely confused, so he simply handed him over to Gu Lianshan to manage.
Gu Lianshan had no patience to waste words with his son, and simply and bluntly ordered him to abstain from food and water!
Therefore, Gu Lai'an didn't get to eat or even drink water last night, and he gritted his teeth and persevered all night.
This morning, Gu Lianshan still didn't let his third uncle deliver food to Gu Lai'an, saying that he would personally deliver it after Gu Lai'an finished eating.
After Gu Lianshan finished his meal at a leisurely pace, he casually scooped up a bowl of porridge, took it, and then went to Gu Lai'an's room.
Gu Lai'an was already regretting it!
Knowing full well that his father could see through him, why did he still pretend to be sick?!
Going hungry is a minor issue now; the real worry is how his father will punish him later.
Peeking out from under the covers, Gu Lai'an watched helplessly as his father approached, trembling with fear.
Strangely, Gu Lianshan remained calm. He placed the bowl of porridge on the stool next to the bed and asked him in a flat tone.
"Are you feeling better? If not, then go hungry for two more meals. I think your illness is all due to being spoiled. You do nothing all day long, just eat as soon as you open your eyes, wipe your mouth after eating, and then go back to your room to sleep. Even the son of a landlord doesn't live as comfortably as you!"
Gu Lai'an's hair stood on end, and he nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay! I'm cured!"
"All done?" Gu Lianshan pointed towards the backyard. "Since you're all done, go chop firewood in the backyard after dinner! Last time I asked you to chop firewood, and you didn't even fill three baskets in half a day."
If you dare to slack off again today, I don't care whether you're better or not, you'll go hungry for three days straight, eating two meals a day!
Gu Lai'an desperately wanted to cry out that he was innocent!
He didn't slack off last time when chopping wood!
Gu Ping'an, that little brat, can testify! He just doesn't know how to chop; he only uses brute force and not skill, which is why he wasted so much time.
Gu Lianshan didn't care about any of that; he only cared about the results.
He forcefully assigned Gu Lai'an the task of chopping wood, then ignored him and turned away.
After leaving the east wing, Gu Lianshan went to the main room.
The third uncle was examining Gu Ping'an's handwriting in the room when he saw Gu Lianshan rush in and asked him what was wrong.
Gu Lianshan didn't intend to hide it. "I'm going to Beian City later. First, to see Tang Yatou, and second, to buy some clothes and bedding for Lai'an. I'll send him away the day after tomorrow."
"Send him away?" Third Uncle was taken aback. "You've already found him a teacher?"
"I've found someone. I'll be an apprentice in the northernmost city of Mo, working under a master carpenter."
"Mocheng..." Third Uncle was somewhat alarmed. "You really decided on Mocheng? That place is a full two hundred miles away from here!"
“I chose this two-hundred-mile stretch because of his temperament. If we get too close, he’ll dare to sneak back! Only by being far enough away can we keep him in check and dissuade him from running away.”
Indeed, Gu Lai'an's temperament is... hard to describe.
Third Uncle sighed, "Since you've made up your mind, then let's do it this way. But... we can't let Lai'an know about this yet. We'll tell him on the day we send him off..."