Sui and Tang Dynasty Generals

Chapter 37: The Tragedy of the Li Family, the Cui Family of Qinghe

The backyard of Li Mansion.

When the servant of the mansion opened the door, Fu Zihou and Fu Zhi hurried into the backyard and saw Tai who had been waiting there. Fu Zhi walked forward breathlessly and asked his wife Tai if anything had happened after he left the Li Mansion.

"Don't worry! I asked Granny Li! Granny Li said that Cui Xingxing did ask Zihou about him and said he was Zihou's good friend. Granny Li noticed something was wrong and said that our family had already left and went to Pengcheng! Mr. Dou came to the Li Mansion today to visit my uncle!"

Tai told her husband Fu Zhi not to worry, and then looked at Fu Zihou.

"Uncle, why did you pledge your sword? The old lady is waiting for you in the mansion now!"

Tai looked at Fu Zihou curiously, not understanding why her brother-in-law wanted to pawn her sword for money.

"How did Granny Li know?"

Fu Zihou, who was panting, suddenly opened his eyes wide when he heard his cousin's words.

When Fu Zhi saw his wife's puzzled look, he quickly explained that he had run away in a hurry and did not tell Zihou about this matter.

"Zihou, the pawnshop where you took your sword to pledge it belongs to the Li family! When Aunt Bao saw your sword, she took it back to the Li Mansion!"

Fu Zhi turned and said to Fu Zihou.

At this moment, Fu Zihou was stunned, looking at his cousin and his wife with a face full of doubt, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. This was really bad luck, even drinking water would get stuck in his teeth.

Knowing that Cui Luxing and Cao Zhan had already left and that the matter had been concealed by the old lady, Fu Zihou had nothing to worry about.

"I'm going to see Granny Li!"

Fu Zihou didn't explain much, and after he finished speaking, he quickly walked towards the backyard.

Seeing this, Fu Zhi and Tai Shi thought about it and decided to go back first and tell their families about this matter, asking them to be more careful on the street in the future.

Under the snow.

The backyard of the Li Mansion was filled with residential houses. Walking out of the back door and not far down the corridor, Fu Zihou saw Grandma Li, her aunts, and Li Cai gathered under the pavilion to warm themselves by the fire.

See this situation.

Fu Zihou knew he couldn't escape, so he could only move forward and enter the pavilion under the gaze of Grandma Li and others.

"Zihou, I greet Grandma Li, my aunt and uncle, and Miss Cai!"

Fu Zihou took a deep breath and bowed to Grandma Li and others one by one.

He looked at Grandma Li, Aunt Zhou, Aunt Bao, Aunt Wei, and Aunt Changsun, they all looked at him, even his fiancée Li Cha, secretly glanced at him.

At this moment, seeing the sword handed to him by Grandma Li, Fu Zihou felt a little embarrassed.

"Zihou, take the sword first! If you still think of me as your grandmother, if you need anything in the future, just tell me directly. Don't treat me as an outsider! Just now, I've asked your cousins not to tell the family about this!"

Old Madam Li spoke softly to Fu Zihou. Although her expression showed some reproach, her tone did not show that she treated Fu Zihou as an outsider at all. Instead, she reminded Fu Zihou again and again without getting tired of it to treat the Li family as his own home.

"Grandma Li, Zihou cannot take this sword! Zihou wants to redeem it himself!"

Fu Zihou looked at his sword, waved his hands awkwardly, took a step back, and looked at Grandma Li, indicating that he could not take it. If he wanted to take it, he would have to redeem it with his own money.

See this.

Not to mention Madam Li, Mrs. Bao and others, even Mrs. Zhou, who was punished to kneel in the Li family ancestral hall for a day and a night because of the Fu family, looked at Fu Zihou with confusion.

Just when everyone was about to speak, they saw Fu Zihou take out a small piece of cloth from his arms, carefully opened it, and a hairpin came into view.

"Ah! Isn't this the most beautiful hairpin in the Goguryeo treasure shop?"

"It is indeed that hairpin. If I remember correctly, it costs 13,000 coins..."

Li Cai was warming herself by the fire with her head down, not knowing how to face the boy when she suddenly felt silence all around her. Then she heard her aunts suddenly talking about hairpins for some reason.

Before Li Cha could think about it, she saw an exquisite hairpin.

"Miss Cai, this is the first time Zihou has given you something as a gift. Please don't despise it!"

Fu Zihou held the hairpin, looked at Li Cha, and said softly.

If Li Cha is given such a beautiful hairpin, no one will laugh at her anymore.

Under the pavilion.

Seeing this scene, Old Lady Li, as well as Mrs. Bao, Mrs. Changsun and others, knew why Fu Zihou had pledged his beloved sword, and why Old Lady Li wanted to return the sword to Fu Zihou, but Fu Zihou insisted on redeeming it himself.

For a moment, everyone was a little amused, but when they saw Fu Zihou's hairpin, they were really moved by this scene.

Especially Zhou, the look in her eyes when she looked at Fu Zihou at this moment was full of complexity. After all, the one who was originally engaged to Fu Zihou was her daughter Li Qiong.

"Cai'er, why don't you accept it!"

Just as Li Cha was looking at Fu Zihou with a dazed look on her face, Chang Sun reminded her with both tears and laughter, and looked at Li Cha with a displeased look.

Looking at Fu Zihou again at this time, even though he had only met him twice, in Changsun Nonggui's eyes, Fu Zihou had changed from being worried at first to being the best son-in-law in the world, no doubt about it.

"Hurry up! What are you saying when you let Fu Lang hold it all the time?"

Changsun Nonggui looked at Fu Zihou's uneasy look, fearing that he would be rejected by Li Cha, and urged him softly.

Li Cha looked at the boy in front of her nervously, and then at the hairpin. When she heard her stepmother's urging, she looked a little flustered and lowered her head instinctively.

See this.

Zhangsun Nonggui, Old Madam Li and others were all at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

It was Mrs. Bao who spoke with a smile and said that since Fu Zihou was so thoughtful, why not let Fu Zihou put it on Li Cai himself.

“…Oh, okay!”

Not knowing what everyone was thinking, Fu Zihou instinctively nodded when he saw Li Cha lowering her head and hearing what Bao said.

He turned to look at Li Cha, and after waiting for a few moments, making sure that Li Cha had no intention of refusing, Fu Zihou stepped forward, picked up the hairpin, and carefully inserted it into Li Cha's hair.

"A hairpin worth 13,000 coins. Wearing 13,000 coins on your hair, among all the people in the Li Mansion, Cai'er is the first to feel this..."

Just as Fu Zihou was putting a hairpin in Li Cha's hair and noticed that Li Cha's ears were red, he suddenly heard Bao's words. He quickly came to his senses, took a step back, smiled awkwardly, and didn't know what to say.

It's impossible that he said that he bought it because he didn't want Li Cha to be laughed at.

However, as he listened, Fu Zihou suddenly noticed that Bao, who always loved to laugh, suddenly thought of something sad. The smile on her face suddenly disappeared, and she lowered her head with red eyes.

Seeing this scene, Zhou and others did not say anything, but just reached out and patted Bao on the back.

"Then Zihou, Granny Li will not return this sword to you yet. You can redeem it with money in the future!"

Old Lady Li looked at her third daughter-in-law and knew that she was thinking about Sanlang, so she looked at Zihou and said with a smile, but her voice no longer had the spirit it had just now.

Sanlang is the third son of old lady Li. Even the servants in Li’s house have always been thinking about this good person!
"Qia'er, Zihou hasn't been to the Tibetan Pavilion yet. Take him there to have a look! Be obedient!"

Changsun Nonggui looked at Mrs. Bao sobbing, turned around and spoke softly.

Li Cha also noticed her third aunt crying, and the redness in her ears slowly disappeared. Her eyes revealed guilt and self-blame. After hearing her stepmother's words, she nodded, slowly stood up, and mustered up the courage to look at Fu Zihou. When she saw Fu Zihou looking at her, she lowered her head and walked towards the attic.

Fu Zihou knew that Li Cha couldn't speak, so he followed her, but not far from the pavilion, he stopped and looked back.

Fu Zihou remembered that Aweng said that the man surnamed Xie who killed Li Shuyun was named Xie Yan, and was a descendant of the Chenjun Xie family's branch. This was why the Xie family protected him, while the Li family could only swallow their anger and could not even take revenge.

Looking at the crying Bao in the pavilion, he thought of the weak look in Grandma Li's eyes. "Xie..."

Fu Zihou said softly, thinking of the Xie brothers he had met in Wanqiu.

He slowly turned around and saw Li Cha in front of him who had also stopped and was looking at him in confusion.

Seeing Li Cha lowering her head in panic, he turned around and continued walking.

"Miss Cai, please stay!"

Fu Zihou hurried forward, then walked in front of Li Cha and looked towards the pavilion.

"Miss Cai, can you help Zihou and call Aunt Changsun over? Zihou has something to ask!"

Fu Zihou raised his hand and said.

Just like what Old Madam Li said, she told him not to treat the Li Mansion as an outsider but as his own home. So now, Fu Zihou really wanted to know what happened to Li Cha's third uncle.

A Weng knew that he couldn't help with the Fu family's situation, so he didn't want to mention the sad things in front of Mrs. Li, but Fu Zihou, as a descendant of the Fu family, had to ask.

"Thank you!"

Looking at Li Cha walking back from his side with her head down without saying a word, looking at Li Cha's lovely appearance, and looking at the beads hanging on the hairpin swaying gently, Fu Zihou couldn't help laughing.

After a while.

In the corridor of Li's mansion, Fu Zihou stood beside Changsun Nonggui and frowned slightly.

"Xie Yan!"

Fu Zihou was a little confused when he heard the name.

"It was him who brought people to kill Sanlang on his way back to the Li Mansion! Because his father was the illegitimate son of Xie Zhen from the Xie family of Chen County, the Xie family has always protected Xie Yan in this matter."

Changsun Nonggui looked at the courtyard and thought of the death of Sanlang Li Shuyun. He felt a little uncomfortable and dared not imagine the scene of Li Shuyun's death.

"illegitimate child?"

Fu Zihou frowned.

Changsun Nonggui nodded and looked at Fu Zihou.

"More than sixty years ago, during the Hou Jing Rebellion, Xie Zhen fell into the hands of the Western Wei Yuwen clan in Jiangling. Later, Xie Zhen served Emperor Wu of Zhou's younger brother, Zhao Wang Yuwen Zhao, to study. Yuwen Zhao treated Xie Zhen very well. It is rumored that Yuwen Zhao often cried secretly when he heard that Xie Zhen was alone. After asking privately, he learned that Xie Zhen's mother was far away in the south of the Yangtze River. Xie Zhen had been missing her mother. So Yuwen Zhao promised Xie Zhen that he would send Xie Zhen back to Southern Liang when he had the chance, and he also found a beauty to accompany Xie Zhen. It was at that time that one of the maids gave birth to Xie Yan's father Xie Siqin. Because he was an illegitimate child, the Xie family never mentioned it to the outside world. However, because the Xie family had experienced a great disaster and was unusually united, they took good care of her."

Changsun Nonggui spoke softly to Fu Zihou.

"Zihou, auntie is telling you this, you must not spread it to anyone else! Although Xie Xiaozheng, the legitimate son of Xie Zhen and Kong, died three years ago, the second son Xie Long and his family, as well as other members of the Xie family, are protecting him. You must not provoke him!"

Zhangsun Nonggui reminded Fu Zihou that Xie Yan was under the protection of the Xie family and the Li family could not touch him. If the Fu family was targeted by the other party, it would be a disaster for the Fu family who had no ability to protect themselves!

"Don't worry, aunt!"

After learning the whole story, Fu Zihou nodded and breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as you are not the core of the Chenjun Xie family, there is still a chance. Xie Zhen has been dead for thirty years.

Even with Xie Zhen's instructions before his death, thirty years have passed. In the eyes of the Xie family, is it possible that Xie Yan, an illegitimate child, can be compared with the real core heirs of the Xie family?

After the Hou Jing Rebellion, the Southern Liang Dynasty was destroyed, and now the Sui Dynasty is also crumbling. The previous marriage between the Xie and Yang families was a preparation for a rainy day.

The 500,000 yuan and other valuable betrothal gifts seemed to be a way for the Xie family to maintain their status in the county and to show the world their strength.

But right now.

However, Fu Zihou saw an opportunity after receiving the betrothal gift from the Xie family.

However, Fu Zihou also knew that if he wanted to get this opportunity, he would need a condition that would make the Xie family fearful.

Down the corridor.

"Qa'er, don't think too much. Your Third Uncle's affairs have nothing to do with you. It's not because you brought misfortune to your Third Uncle!"

The sound of Changsun Nonggui brought Fu Zihou back to his senses, and then he saw Uncle Changsun comforting the crying Li Cha.

Changsun Nonggui wiped away Li Cha's tears, looked at the sobbing Li Cha, and saw Fu Zihou's concerned eyes, so he explained softly.

"Sanlang and Cai'er's father have had the best relationship since they were young. When Cai'er was little, Sanlang would often accompany her and sometimes take her to the street. After Sanlang got into trouble, Cai'er always thought it was because of her that brought misfortune to Sanlang!"

Looking at Li Cha, Changsun Nonggui's eyes were full of heartache. In the eyes of the world, people who are born with defects are punished by heaven and will bring bad luck to others.

Two years ago, Li Cha hid in her room every day, hugging herself and crying. She couldn't speak, but she cried with her mouth open, her face full of tears.

It was also after Sanlang's death that her husband Li Liyan rarely stayed with Li Cha, and even did not want to see Li Cha again.

Changsun Nonggui knew that when her husband looked at Li Cha, he would think of his deceased wife and his best brother in the past, and he was even more worried that she, his second wife, would also encounter misfortune.

But it is obvious that Li Cha is the most miserable person. She has no mother, and after losing her uncle who loved her, even her father doesn't want to see her again.

Thinking of this, Changsun Nonggui turned his head and looked at Fu Zihou.

"Zihou! In fact, Cai'er is also afraid that it will bring you misfortune!"

Changsun Nonggui said to Fu Zihou.

Upon hearing this, Fu Zihou looked at Li Cha who was crying with her head down, and shook his head at Uncle Changsun.

"How can it be unfortunate! Zihou believes in Cai'er, and it will only bring good luck to Zihou!"

Fu Zihou didn't believe it. Just as he was about to say something else, he suddenly saw Li Qiong walking towards him with a man and a woman in the corridor not far away.

Seeing this, Changsun Nonggui was about to let Li Cai take Fu Zihou to the storage pavilion. However, before she could say anything, she saw the girl seemed to have seen something and suddenly rushed over. She soon ran in front of her and Zihou, staring with wide eyes at the hairpin on Li Cai's head, and then at Fu Zihou.

“It’s you!!!”

Cui Wenjin looked at the hairpin on the girl's head, bit her thin lips, and glared at Fu Zihou angrily and anxiously.

For the first time, her hairpin was gone! Just like that!

Li Qiong was also standing beside Cui Wenjin at this time. Looking at the hairpin on her sixth sister Li Cha's head, her face was full of shock. She couldn't help but glance at Fu Zihou standing beside her.

"Tell me how much you are willing to sell it to me!"

Cui Wenjin looked at Fu Zihou with resentment and asked.

"Little sister, don't be rude!"

The man looked at Cui Wenjin and quickly scolded him. Then he quickly looked at Changsun Nonggui and raised his hand to greet him, "Qinghe Cui, Cui Yuzhe, greets aunt!"

After the ceremony, Cui Yuzhe looked at Fu Zihou again, with an apologetic look on his face, and raised his hand to apologize: "My younger sister was anxious, please don't blame me, my dear brother. Cui Yuzhe is here to apologize to you!"

　Note: Among the five prominent families, there are two prominent families named Cui, one is the Boling Cui family and the other is the Qinghe Cui family. These prominent families have their own large and small branches.

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　　The pace in Xin County will be slower because we will be separated for a long time when we go to Taiyuan later. I hope readers can understand.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)