Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

Time slipped by quietly, and spring arrived.

That day, Pei Dingxuan and Pei Zeyu chased the guards to the city gate and questioned them until dusk, but ultimately they found nothing.

Pei Yaojun was determined to leave the capital, so he naturally made changes to his identity, appearance, and travel permit, leaving no trace, like a drop of water entering the sea.

The masters in the mansion all hold official positions and duties, so it is impossible for them to leave the capital for an extended period of time to search.

The Duke of Yu's mansion had no choice but to send its best servants to travel day and night to the north to pursue them.

Pei Yaojun was still in the observation period and had not been given a substantive post or rank. His departure did not involve the serious crime of abandoning his post.

However, this will inevitably have an impact on the reputation of the Pei family and his future career.

Left with no other choice, the Duke had to announce to the public that Pei Yaojun was on sick leave, hoping to keep it a secret for as long as possible.

Since the Third Master left, Madam Pei has been constantly in tears and frequently goes to the temple.

Later, they simply set up a small Buddhist shrine in the mansion to chant scriptures and pray, hoping that Pei Yaojun would be safe and well and return to the mansion soon.

Fourth Sister Pei Rongyue had been suffering from a cold since before the Lunar New Year, and it kept recurring without getting much better.

The doctor said I shouldn't be exposed to wind or people.

In previous years, she often missed family dinners due to illness, which everyone was used to.

But this year is different. She heard that her third brother had left home to join the army, and her health had improved. She went to Hechuntang every day to accompany her mother.

With her daughter by her side, Madam Pei was somewhat relieved from her melancholy, but the worry and concern in her eyes remained.

As winter ends and spring returns, willow branches sprout new buds.

The servants who were following the Third Master's trail sent back messages intermittently. Today, they said that someone seemed to have seen a young man with a similar appearance at a certain inn.

A few days later, another person suspected to be Third Master was spotted.

But every time the people from the manor went there, they always came up empty-handed.

It was as if he had eyes in the back of his head, always managing to escape first.

The cat-and-mouse game lasted for over a month, and Duke Yu's patience was completely worn out.

Upon returning home one day, after reading the latest letter, Duke Yu Guo slammed his teacup to the ground.

"No need to look anymore!"

"Since he has the ability, let him be! Whether he is richly rewarded and appointed a high-ranking official, or dies on the battlefield, is up to his own fate!"

"My Pei family... will pretend we never had this rebellious son!"

"My husband, you mustn't!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Pei grabbed his sleeve and burst into tears.

"Jun'er was just confused for a moment, he will definitely come back, you can't abandon him!"

Duke Yu shook off her hand, his expression cold and hard as iron.

"A doting mother spoils her son. If you hadn't indulged him in the past, would he dare to act so recklessly? This matter... ends here. Anyone who dares to mention it again will face the consequences of my family rules!"

Since the beginning of the year, the Duke of Yu's mansion has had hardly a few days of peace.

When Master Pei divorced his wife, the servants in the mansion dared not speak openly about it, but there were many rumors circulating outside the mansion.

After Master Pei left the capital, Zhaolin Courtyard was left empty, with only the original servants cleaning and sweeping it every day.

Hechun Hall was deathly still because of Madam Pei's lingering affection.

Only Mingxi Hall remained largely unaffected, just as before.

The old lady's legs are much better now. She walks around the yard a few times every day, and when she gets tired, she sits on a chair and looks at the flowers and plants.

Liu Wenying stayed by her side, massaging her legs when needed and chatting and laughing when appropriate, and the days passed peacefully.

That day, the old lady was taking a nap.

Under the eaves outside, the faint whispers of several maids could be heard.

"I heard that Third Master went north; the Di people there are fierce!"

"Hey, the Duke has already said he won't pursue them anymore, is it possible that Third Master really isn't coming back?"

"Who knows? Third Master gave up a perfectly good official position to go and suffer on the frontier..."

"Have you all got nothing better to do?"

Granny Wu uttered a few words in a low voice, which startled the maids, who scattered in a panic.

She shook her head as she walked in, and saw that the old lady had opened her eyes, probably because she had been woken up by the people outside.

"Those maids are becoming increasingly unruly, waking the old lady and upsetting you. This old servant will go right away..."

"No need, I'm not that fragile."

After the old lady spoke, Granny Wu said no more.

Liu Wenying took a damp cloth soaked in hot water and wiped her face simply, while observing her expression as she did so.

"Does the old lady have something to say?"

Unexpectedly, Liu Wenying saw through her, and the old lady stopped hiding her true intentions and spoke frankly.

"Jun'er, that child, his reckless and impulsive nature reminds me of the old Duke back then."

The servants inside held their breath, as the old lady rarely brought up her deceased husband.

"Our Yuguo Duke's family, going back a few generations, followed the founding emperor in conquering the country and made contributions to the founding of the dynasty."

"Fame and fortune are truly earned through the struggle on horseback. In the old Duke's generation, all five brothers joined the army, and each of them was a brave and capable young man."

The old lady recalled her past memories, her gaze deep and distant, as she recounted them in a gentle, detailed manner.

What war doesn't involve bloodshed?

After battle after battle between the Northern Di and the Western Rong, none of the eldest, second, third, fourth... brothers returned.

Finally, only the old Duke of the fifth rank remained.

He had countless scars, big and small, old wounds upon new ones, and he never turned white-haired when he passed away.

Many of the maids' eyes reddened as they listened, and they lowered their heads to silently wipe away their tears.

Liu Wenying felt a heavy weight in her heart as she listened.

"Back then, your Duke was just a child. He witnessed his father and uncles die one by one on the battlefield, and in the end, even his father succumbed to his old wounds. How could he not be afraid?"

"He couldn't stop his fathers from going to the battlefield, so he vowed never to let his children follow that path again."

Therefore, Jun'er and his friends studied the classics from a young age and took the easy path of passing the imperial examinations and entering officialdom.

In his mind, the path of a military general was a dead end...

Liu Wenying felt a mix of emotions; no wonder Duke Yuguo reacted so strongly to the Third Master joining the army.

She carefully chose her words and said softly, "Madam, the past is the past. Please take care of yourself."

The old lady smiled calmly, "Having lived to my age, I've become indifferent to everything. It's best to let things take their natural course."

"His legs are his own; his father could tie him up and bring him back once, but can he tie him up for the rest of his life?"

These words were somewhat humorous and insightful, and Granny Wu and the two maids beside her couldn't help but smile.

The old lady laughed herself, then scolded playfully:

"If there's anything wrong with Jun'er, it's that he's too headstrong. Leaving without saying goodbye, what kind of skill is that?"

Liu Wenying nodded in deep agreement.

Just as she was about to speak, the maid lifted the curtain and someone walked in.

Pei Zeyu wore a plain white robe, simple and elegant, like a white plum blossom growing from the snow.

He stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Grandson greets his grandmother."

The old lady beckoned him closer, carefully examining his face with a look of heartache in her eyes.

The matter of divorcing his wife was handled by the Duke of Yu and his wife; she didn't interfere much.

Yu'er is smart; she knows what she should and shouldn't do.

But there was one thing she couldn't let go of.

The injuries I sustained from the hunting grounds took a long time to heal completely, but I became increasingly thin.

The old lady patted the edge of the couch beside her, gesturing for him to sit down.

"Shouldn't you be at the government office at this hour? What brings you here?"

Pei Zeyu didn't beat around the bush and stated his purpose.

"His Majesty has ordered that his grandson leave the capital on official business."

…………