The husband I snatched halfway through his life is strange.

From Ze County to Shangjing, the official road was changed to a waterway.

Momo is seasick.

But waterways are the only way.

She was pampered and had never traveled far from home.

Even though the road turned onto the main road later, and the Gu family's carriage was spacious, padded with thick mattresses, and filled with various snacks and fruits, the little girl was still exhausted from the long journey and the bumpy ride was unbearable.

After a long and winding journey, they arrived in the capital feeling utterly dejected.

She can't act anymore.

The Yu couple were worried about Yao Yao, so they stayed with her at the Gu family's house for three days.

On the fourth day, the two suggested going to the house.

"Is it in such a hurry?"

Jiashan: "I'm waiting for Yaoyao to recover before I go with you. The house has been cleaned, but there are still many things that need to be carefully added."

Yu Niang said tactfully, "Yaoyao... should be better by now."

"how is this possible?"

Jiashan: "She said she felt dizzy this morning."

Speaking of Jiaxing, it's a worry. Unfortunately, the imperial physician couldn't figure it out and finally, without certainty, said it might be due to fatigue from the long journey, and only prescribed some medicine to calm the mind.

Yu Niang was silent for a moment, then exchanged a glance with Yu Jingcheng.

Jiashan sensed something was wrong.

What's wrong?

Yu Niang: "I don't believe you said it was just dizziness; it was probably from being frightened."

scare?
That would be even more incredible.

Jia Shan was about to frown and become serious.

Yu Niang continued tactfully, "Perhaps she was frightened when she learned that she was going to study at the Imperial Academy after recovering."

Yes, Gu Fuju mentioned it yesterday.

So, Yao Yao, who was about to get up and throw a tantrum, lay back down.

Jiashan: ? ? ?
If it were someone else's child, she would dismissively say, "You're good for nothing."

But now Jiashan was stammering: "She...she resists studying, so...what should we do?"

Yu Jingcheng said, "It's alright. We can just wrap her in a blanket and send her there before she wakes up in the morning."

Jiashan: ...

What if I get angry and ignore her?
Jiashan decided that Gu Fuju would be the villain.

Anyway, he was going to teach at the Imperial Academy.

Yu Jingcheng seemed to have guessed what she was thinking and said, "Yaoyao's adaptability... is quite strong."

"The first time I sent her to school, I was very worried. I was afraid she would be scared in unfamiliar places, so I woke her up when we arrived."

They talked for a while first.

Tell her that this is where she will study in the future.

"Taking advantage of her being off guard, I asked the teacher to look after her and then left. But fearing she would cry and make a fuss, I hid outside the door and kept watch."

Jiashan particularly enjoyed it when the Yu couple talked about trivial matters from the past, and listened attentively.

"When she couldn't find me, she was stunned for a moment. She chased after me and looked around, but the teacher led her back to sit down again. Only then did she reluctantly grab the breakfast beside her, which Yu Niang had prepared for her early in the morning; it was still piping hot. She ate a few bites..."

Yu Jingcheng was a little speechless.

Jiashan: "What's wrong?"

Yu Niang helped him out, saying, "Yao Yao discovered that the students next door were eating rice balls with various side dishes inside. There's no such way of eating in Ze County, so she'd never seen it before. She found it novel and wanted to snatch it."

You should know that the student was tall and strong; he could knock her down with one punch.

But she was very provocative.

"The Master almost couldn't stop him."

Jiashan: ...

Master Sun gave this instruction.

Ke Yaoyao was very loud.

"The students know this is wrong!"

"Then you still did it!" Yao Yao innocently raised her little hand.

"My hands... I can't control them."

Then nod your head.

"I don't want to control this place either."

Yao Yao also stated.

"Master, don't be so impatient. This is only the first day. How will you be able to handle it in the future? You need to change your ways."

Yu Niang: "Since then, Jingcheng and I have felt more and more that we must let her study."

Yu Niang spoke softly and gently, her voice as gentle as water as ever.

"Put your mind at ease and don't spoil her too much. As for the house, my husband and I can take our time to furnish it."

You have to go out to buy things.

She rarely went out in Zexian County.

There was a reason for her timidity.

But more often than not, people from Xilin Village would also frequently travel to Zexian County for the market, and Yu Niang feared running into them. She feared they would expose the humiliations she had suffered in her earlier years, shattering her hard-won peace.

As she left Zexian County and traveled, the worry that had always been on her brow faded considerably, and she visibly radiated a brighter glow.

“I’m not familiar with this area, and Jingcheng wanted to take this opportunity to show me around so I can get acquainted with it sooner.”

Upon hearing this, Jiashan decided not to keep anyone.

She instructed the steward to prepare a covered freight wagon to carry the bundles the two had brought from Ze County.

Jiashan personally escorted the person to the door and watched the carriage drive away.

The old woman beside her then helped her walk back.

"Although the Yu couple came from a remote place, they were exceptionally kind and open-minded."

The old woman said gently, "They just arrived, and they're busy tidying up the house. Besides being busy inside and out for a while, they also want the young lady to get closer to the mistress and master."

Jiashan knew this, and therefore, she appreciated the gesture.

“Yaoyao is a girl, and it was during a famine. I know how hard life was there in Zexian County.”

"In order to survive, many families who couldn't get enough to eat abandoned their children. Girls were... the least valuable, not to mention that some people even ate human flesh."

"They found Yaoyao and raised her with so much care and effort. How could they not be good people?"

Jiashan: "You should also spread the word that the Yu family in Qingyuan Lane is under the protection of the Grand Tutor's Mansion. Don't let some ungrateful scoundrels take advantage of them because they are outsiders."

"Yes. Master has already given the order."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Gu Fuju returned from the palace in the afternoon. He learned from the steward that the Yu couple had moved out, and worried that Yaoyao would not be able to adapt. He didn't even have time to change out of his official robes before he went to see her, but he saw Jiashan in front of the courtyard.

Jiashan walked over: "You're back early. Any results yet?"

"There is."

Gu Fuju: "All of the late emperor's confidants have been executed, and the late empress has been executed. As for the princes' factions, they have all been eliminated, and the ministers who assisted them have all been imprisoned and dealt with according to the laws of the Great Jin Dynasty."

This matter has been discussed by the ministers since Ying Yi ascended the throne, and the stalemate has continued until now.

Jiashan nodded: "That's how it should be."

"What about Ying Zhi and Ying Yin's princes?"

Gu Fuju: "Some senior officials have suggested that although these sons are not insignificant, they are not likely to cause any trouble. It would be better to imprison them to preserve Rende's reputation. Others have suggested exile."

Even the current Crown Prince Ying Fuyan has been exiled. So why are those few people so precious?

Gu Fuju: "However, in the end, apart from the Fourth Prince agreeing, all the others were executed."

He added.

"It was His Majesty who issued the order."

Jiashan was stunned: "His Majesty has changed a lot since he returned."

Anyone even remotely connected to the Ying family is not tolerated.

Gu Fuju: "If things hadn't changed, I'm afraid I would have lost my life in Lingnan long ago."

Gu Fuju walked forward: "What's wrong with Yaoyao? She said she had a headache this morning?"

Jiashan: "I've been waiting for you, just to talk about this."

Jiashan recounted what had happened, looking very troubled: "She was... faking it." (End of Chapter)