Chapter Thirty-Six

Xie An was the only son of old man Xie from Xie Family Hollow. In his youth, the old man had served on the battlefield. During one campaign, he was pursued by enemy forces and fell into a deep valley while fleeing. A young girl gathering herbs discovered him, brought him home, and nursed him back to health. Once recovered, he became a live-in son-in-law. His father-in-law was a local herbalist who spent his days healing the sick. However, during a plague, both his parents-in-law fell ill. Despite the efforts of the old man and his wife to treat them, both elders passed away. After burying them, the old man took his wife and returned to his hometown of Xie Family Hollow to settle down. With no land or property to his name, he had to make a living by hunting.

Xie An had followed his father into the mountains to hunt since he was a child. The young man had grown tall and sturdy, possessing extraordinary arm strength and a talent for archery—he could often bring down two eagles with a single arrow. Unfortunately, he never attended a formal school; the only characters he knew were those he learned while reciting herb names with his mother. Girls were scarce in the mountains, and combined with his family’s poverty, he remained a bachelor well into his thirties.

A few days prior, while the father and son were hunting, they had spotted a large beast but lost its trail, leaving them feeling somewhat frustrated.

On this particular morning, heavy snow was falling. Old man Xie said to Xie An, "With the ground covered in white, it will be easy to spot the clear footprints of that beast. It will be easier for us to track it. Why don't we go out and try our luck?"

Xie An replied, "I was just about to suggest the same to you, Father. In that case, please wait a moment while I return to my room to prepare."

Xie An was a diligent man. Soon, a young hunter emerged from his room, dressed in a tiger-skin hunting robe and cap, wearing long cowhide boots, a leather belt around his waist, holding a hunting rifle, and carrying a large ox-horn bow on his back.

Old man Xie stood at the doorway, staring blankly, muttering to himself, "If my son had joined the army, he would surely be a majestic general. If he were a general, he would have no trouble finding a wife."

Xie An knew his father had been looking at him with that expression lately. He understood the meaning behind it. The first time he noticed it, his heart had warmed, and he had almost shed tears. Later, whenever his father looked at him that way, he dared not meet his gaze, fearing he might truly break down in tears.

There was some snow accumulated in the courtyard. Xie’s mother, who had been sweeping the snow with a broom made of bamboo twigs, saw the father and son emerge and immediately put down the broom. She went into the kitchen to fetch a bag of dried rations and hung it on her husband’s rifle, scolding them playfully, "What a pair of hardworking treasures—you can't even stay home on a snowy day!" She looked back at her son’s brawny frame and added, "Your father’s legs aren't as nimble as they used to be; take good care of him."

Xie An nodded and said, "Don't worry, Mother, I will."

The two hunters headed out into the blizzard.

By evening, Xie An returned carrying a woman whose clothes were soaked in blood; she was unconscious.

Xie’s mother was shocked and asked with a tremor in her voice, "Did you accidentally hurt someone?" Old man Xie shook his head.

Xie An asked, "Mother, where should we put her?"

His mother stood still, staring intently at the woman on her son’s back. Seeing this, the old man explained, "We found her in the deep valley at Wild Goose Slope! There were two other girls and three horses there, all buried and dead in the snow. Fortunately, she was caught on some branches. She still had a breath when we pulled her out, so we carried her back..."

Xie’s mother understood. She reached out to test the wounded woman's breath and said, "The deep valley at Wild Goose Slope is an unlucky place; every year people fall and die there." She looked up at her son. "She is indeed still breathing. An, carry her to my bed. I need to examine her thoroughly to see the extent of her injuries."

Old man Xie asked, "Mother, if she lies in our bed, where am I supposed to sleep tonight?"

Xie’s mother replied, "For the time being, you'll have to make do and sleep with An."

Old man Xie laughed, "Anything you say."

The Wild Goose Slope they spoke of was the same hillside by the official road where Li Muwen and Jiang Hong had once stopped to rest their horses. Readers may remember that Jiang Hong once told Li Muwen, "That section of the official road is poorly constructed and is a dangerous stretch."

Xie An followed his mother’s instructions and carried the wounded woman to her bed, then asked, "What should we do next, Mother?"

Xie’s mother said, "Both of you go outside and stay there. I'll call you when you're allowed back in."

The father and son left the room. Xie’s mother closed the door, and after a long time, she poked her head out and said, "You two can come in now!"

Once inside, Xie An asked, "Mother, are her injuries severe?"

Xie’s mother smiled, "Heaven be praised, they are not fatal. It is just a broken thigh bone."

Xie An asked anxiously, "What should we do?"

Xie’s mother said with confidence, "We treat it, of course. I guarantee I can heal her."

The surgery to set the femur began. Old man Xie and Xie An hung the unconscious woman upside down from the roof beam. Xie’s mother stepped forward, gripped the broken thigh firmly with both hands, and applied gentle traction. With a crisp "click," she began massaging the area and said, "The broken bone is set."

Old man Xie quickly handed the bone-setting ointment to her, and she spread it evenly around the fracture. Before she could even speak, Xie An had already handed her the bamboo splints and bandages. She secured the splints around the woman's thigh with the bandages, let out a sigh of relief, and said, "Perfect! Now, carefully lay her down flat on the bed. Tie her body down so she doesn't move."

That night, Xie’s mother did not sleep, sitting by the bedside to nurse the patient.

The next morning, Xie An came to check on her, "Mother, has she woken up?"

His mother looked at her son and smiled, "Not yet. But that is for the best. If she lies perfectly still, the joint won't shift."

On the third morning, Xie An asked again, "Mother, has she awakened?"

Xie’s mother replied, "Perhaps she is too exhausted; she hasn't woken yet."

Xie An asked, "Mother, will she ever wake up?"

She replied, "If that is the case, then even I have no way to help her."

Xie An asked, "What should we do then?"

She said, "Wait patiently. I believe she will wake up."

On the seventh morning, Xie An returned to his mother’s room, looking dejected.

His mother told him happily, "She woke up once in the night. She asked where she was and who I was."

Xie An asked joyfully, "Mother, how did you answer her?"

Xie’s mother laughed, "I told her this is Xie Family Hollow, and I am the mother of Xie An, the hunter who carried her back."

Xie An asked, "Mother, didn't you ask her who she is? Did you ask her name?"

Xie’s mother said with disappointment, "I did ask. It seems she has lost her memory; she doesn't know her surname or her name. She keeps complaining of a headache, but hasn't mentioned her thigh pain."

Xie An said with concern, "Didn't you say her only injury, other than the broken leg, wasn't severe? Why would she have a headache now?"

Xie’s mother patted her son’s back and comforted him, "Don't worry, An. I will do everything in my power to heal her."

Xie An said gratefully, "Thank you, Mother!"

Xie’s mother asked slyly, "What is she to you? Is there any reason for you to be thanking me?"

Xie An stammered, "I..." His face turned red, and he left the room.

***

In Jingnan.

The day after Qi Yaoyao and Bai Yun and Cai Yun left the barracks, the General of the South sent someone to the Jingnan Prefect’s office to summon Zhang Dong. He said, "Prefect Zhang, when we were drinking on the river embankment, you entered into a marriage contract with Gu Yuru, the twin sister of Lieutenant Gu Yu. Is that contract still valid?"

Zhang Dong replied, "Of course it is valid! Why? Does the Lieutenant’s sister disagree? I have the token of betrothal in my possession!" As he spoke, he unbuckled the Lou family sword from his waist and danced it around a few times.

The General of the South said, "Since that is the case, Lieutenant Gu Yu’s sister, Gu Yuru, will be arriving in Jingnan in a few days. What are your intentions?"

Zhang Dong was overjoyed and said, "She is coming to Jingnan? Then I shall marry her immediately!"

The General of the South laughed, "Is there such a hurry?"

Zhang Dong replied, "General, you are a full man who does not understand the hunger of the starving. I am an official here in Jingnan, and I have no companion. My bed is cold on winter nights; I have long hoped for a woman to warm it! By the way, General, why haven't I seen Lieutenant Gu Yu today?"

The General of the South asked, "Do you have business with Lieutenant Gu Yu?"

Prefect Zhang said, "I wanted to discuss the dowry and wedding gifts for his sister."

The General of the South feigned indifference, "What a coincidence! Lieutenant Gu Yu was assigned a mission a few days ago and has gone away; he will return in a few months. He already knew his sister was coming to Jingnan, and before he left, he entrusted me to handle her wedding arrangements. He said to forget about the dowry; he only hopes you will treat his sister well in the future."

Zhang Dong said, "I, Zhang Dong, am a man who cherishes beauty and compassion. Please tell him that I will certainly treat his sister well. Please reassure him!"

The General of the South said, "In that case, Prefect Zhang, please return and prepare. In three days, send a bridal sedan chair to the east city gate to welcome your bride."

Zhang Dong said happily, "General, you must come and drink at the wedding!"

The General of the South laughed, "Of course I will!"

After seeing the Prefect off, the General of the South immediately convened the officers. She first ordered several capable commanders to lead their troops to garrison and fortify key passes, with a focus on preventing the Northern Zhen from crossing the border to burn, kill, and pillage.

Finally, she looked around at the faces of her generals and shouted, "Is Lieutenant Gu Yu present?"

Gu Yu stepped out and saluted, "This subordinate is here."

The General of the South said, "Lieutenant Gu Yu, I am removing you from your position as camp commander, effective immediately. Return to your home and farm."

Gu Yu asked, "On what grounds?"

The General of the South produced an imperial decree of appointment and removal: "On these grounds." It turned out that the General had long since petitioned the court to remove Gu Yu from her post. The court had issued a decree approving the request.

Lieutenant Gu Yu said with tears in her eyes, "If I leave the barracks, where can I go?"

The General of the South walked down and whispered into Gu Yu’s ear, "Sister Yuru, pack your things quickly. In three days, Prefect Zhang will welcome you at the east city gate..."

Lieutenant Gu Yu burst into laughter through her tears: "So soon?"

The General of the South rolled her eyes at her: "Aren't you in a hurry?"

Three days later, Zhang Dong and Gu Yuru were married. The wedding was very simple. In the bridal chamber, Zhang Dong said to his wife, "I knew long ago that you were a woman dressed as a man—that Lieutenant Gu Yu was Miss Gu Yuru, and Miss Gu Yuru was Lieutenant Gu Yu!"

Gu Yuru asked, "Then why did you pretend not to know?"

Zhang Dong replied, "A gentleman helps others achieve their beauty!"

Gu Yuru said, "You are truly an old fox..."

***

Gu Yusheng, carrying the arrest warrants from the Ministry of Justice and accompanied by one hundred soldiers in shackles, headed toward Jingnan. Because of the large group, with men of different strides, and because more than a dozen soldiers fell ill with acute diseases along the way, they had to stop frequently to seek medical treatment. Furthermore, it was winter, and the official roads were covered in snow and ice, making them slippery; the soldiers had to walk with extreme caution for fear of falling, which delayed them further. It took over a month to reach the Jingnan Control Office.

He calculated that, according to this timeline, his wife, Qi Yaoyao, should have arrived more than twenty days ago, and the General of the South, upon receiving the secret letter, should have long since handed over her seal, resigned, and fled.

However, when he stepped into the camp, he saw the soldiers training and drilling as if nothing had happened; everything was in perfect order. Gu Yusheng’s heart became restless, and he muttered to himself, "This makes no sense! Did Xiao Guimu not receive the secret letter? Did something happen to Qi Yaoyao on the way?"

Gu Yusheng’s guess was only half right: Xiao Guimu had received the secret letter sent by Qi Yaoyao, but something had indeed happened to Qi Yaoyao on her way back. The three of them, along with their horses, had fallen into the deep valley. Bai Yun, Cai Yun, and the three horses were buried in the snow at the bottom of the valley and died without a trace. Only Qi Yaoyao had caught on a tree branch and survived. She had been carried back to Xie Family Hollow by the hunter and his son, the old man, to be treated, but she had lost her memory.

Arriving at the central tent, Gu Yusheng told his soldiers to wait outside and entered the tent alone. He saw that the documents on the desk were neatly arranged. The General of the South sat on a small stool by the desk. When she saw Gu Yusheng enter, her eyes lit up, but they instantly turned dim. She said nothing and looked down at the ground.

Gu Yusheng stepped forward and asked, "You... why are you like this?" He wanted to ask why she hadn't fled.

The General of the South stood up, extended her hands flat, and said, "Minister Gu, let us conduct business officially. Put the shackles on me!"

Gu Yusheng’s heart was bleeding. He shouted to the outside, "Come in!"

More than a dozen soldiers entered, some carrying shackles.

Gu Yusheng shouted, "Remove the weapons from 'Li Muwen'."

The General of the South unbuckled the sword from her waist and handed it over; a soldier stepped forward to take it.

Gu Yusheng shouted again, "Put the shackles on her."

Several soldiers stepped forward and placed the shackles on Xiao Guimu.

Gu Yusheng shouted again, "Take her away..."

At this moment, Xiao Guimu was dragged out of the tent by the soldiers. Gu Yusheng watched her shackled figure, his heart weeping. Xiao Guimu’s subordinates were standing outside the tent, and seeing their commander being arrested by the court, they were panicked and didn't know what to do.

Gu Yusheng shouted, "Tell all the commanders of the Jingnan Control Office to enter the tent."

The commanders entered the tent quickly and stood in order.

Gu Yusheng produced an imperial decree and asked, "Who is the Deputy Controller?"

A middle-aged general stepped out and said, "This subordinate is."

Gu Yusheng said, "General Qiu, the court has summoned the General of the South to the capital for trial. From now on, the Jingnan Control Office will be temporarily under your command. This is the Emperor’s decree; please keep it safe."

General Qiu knelt, took the decree with both hands, and cried out, "Thank you for the Holy Grace! Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!" The other commanders knelt together and cried out as well.

Gu Yusheng did not dare to linger and escorted Xiao Guimu toward the capital.

The sky was snowing heavily.

The General of the South sat in the prisoner cart, covered in snowflakes. Two rows of soldiers holding long spears walked on either side of the cart, as if they feared the person inside might break out, staying very close.

The streets were crowded with people. When the citizens heard that the General of the South had been captured by the court’s men, they poured out of their homes, standing in the bitter wind with tears to bid the General farewell. In their hearts, they only remembered the good the General had done by leading the soldiers to reinforce the embankments during the floods.

In the crowd, Prefect Zhang Dong, dressed in civilian clothes, and his new bride, Gu Yuru, stood at the front. Gu Yuru was wearing the red wedding dress from her marriage, which looked particularly striking in the snow-white world.

The General of the South had spotted them from the prisoner cart; her eyes were shining.

"She arranged everything in advance, including our wedding," Gu Yuru whispered to her husband beside her. Zhang Dong reached out and held her close.

Gu Yuru stared fixedly at the person in the prisoner cart—the little sister who had grown up with her at the salt drying fields. That confidante, that comrade-in-arms, that superior—everything was fresh in her memory. The prisoner cart moved further and further away until it disappeared into the white world. A wave of sorrowful, lingering tears welled up in her beautiful eyes. She cried out and collapsed into her husband’s arms.

***

In the twelfth lunar month, the streets and alleys of the capital were lashed by bitter winds.

In the interrogation room of the Ministry of Justice prison, the air was thick with smoke, and two fire basins were burning fiercely—not for warmth, but to heat the branding irons.

The irons were glowing red in the fire. Several men with murderous glares picked up the smoking irons and thrust them toward the chest of the prisoner... In an instant, the entire prison was filled with the smell of scorched flesh.

In the course of one morning, the General of the South had fainted and regained consciousness several times.

An old eunuch entered, covering his nose with a handkerchief, and asked, "Has she confessed?"

The chief interrogator shook his head and said, "She said she has no idea who Zhao Rouya is! But I must tell you, Eunuch, we have verified it clearly—this General of the South is a woman!"

The old eunuch’s mouth fell open in astonishment, and he spoke in a hoarse, shrill voice, "A woman? That is simply unfathomable! I must return to the palace immediately to report this to the Empress Dowager..." He covered his nose with his handkerchief in annoyance and walked out of the prison.

***

In the Cining Palace.

The Empress Dowager was admiring a wintersweet. After breakfast, enjoying the flowers was a habit Empress Dowager Pi had formed in her youth. In those days, in order to wait for more visits from her husband, the Emperor, she would always stand in the palace garden every day, pretending to look at the flowers—watching the spring flowers, then the summer flowers, then the autumn leaves, and finally the wintersweet. Although she basically returned in disappointment, she had unknowingly formed the habit of enjoying the flowers after breakfast.

This year, the wintersweet in the Cining Palace bloomed early. With the New Year approaching, the flowers were beginning to fade.

Empress Dowager Pi reached out a plump hand and broke off a branch of plum, bringing it to her nose to smell it again and again, just as she had in her youth, but she could not smell any fragrance. Her gaze, however, drifted unintentionally toward the far distance—a place covered in white snow in winter. She had lived in that place for over a dozen years. There were three males there who made her yearn for them day and night. Holding the plum branch in her hand, her mind searched desperately for the figures of the three males: one was him, a tall, bearded man from the north, to whom she had given everything she could. The other two figures were creamy-skinned youths who had just grown up. They were the flesh and blood she had borne, and now they were separated by thousands of mountains and rivers; it was truly heart-wrenching.

"They both liked wintersweet!" the Empress Dowager muttered to herself.

The old eunuch hurried back from the outside, knelt before the Empress Dowager, and said, "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, that General of the South is actually a young girl."

Empress Dowager Pi threw the plum branch on the ground and said, "Eunuch Li, I don't care if she is a duck or a goose; I only want to know the whereabouts of that贱 woman."

The old eunuch said, "But the girl said she has no idea who Zhao Rouya is!"

The Empress Dowager asked, "Where is the General of the South being held now?" The old eunuch replied, "Still in the Ministry of Justice prison."

The Empress Dowager said, "Summon the imperial carriage; I am going to the Ministry of Justice prison."

The old eunuch said hastily, "The air in the prison is nauseating; it is no place for you to go. Please, Empress Dowager, do not go..."

The Empress Dowager said angrily, "Eunuch Li, why are you babbling? Summon the carriage at once!"

The old eunuch replied, "Yes," and went to summon the carriage.

***

In the Ministry of Justice prison.

Xiao Guimu’s hands were tied to wooden stakes on either side, a cloth stuffed in her mouth, and she was unconscious.

Her face was covered in blood, her eyes closed, and her long black hair was in a mess. Her ten fingers were crushed by the torturers, and her chest was branded with several black holes from the irons, which were bleeding dark blood.

The jailer splashed water on her head, and she woke up.

Empress Dowager Pi stepped forward and asked with feigned concern, "General of the South, you have suffered! I will only ask you one thing: Is Zhao Rouya your mother? If yes, nod; if no, shake your head."

At this point, Xiao Guimu’s mouth was stuffed with a cloth, so she could not speak at all. Furthermore, her hands were tied, her legs were numb, and she could not stand steadily. Her head slumped down involuntarily.

The old eunuch saw this and said, "Empress Dowager, she nodded!"

The Empress Dowager said happily, "Is that so? Remove the cloth from her mouth and let her say it again."

The old eunuch stepped forward, removed the cloth, and shouted, "Speak!"

Xiao Guimu spat out a mouthful of blood and closed her mouth to breathe.

The Empress Dowager, cunning as she was, stepped forward and said, "Girl, as long as you tell me where your mother Zhao Rouya is now, I will spare your life."

The old eunuch chimed in, "Speak quickly. The Empress Dowager’s word is gold; if you tell us, she will truly let you go."

At this point, Xiao Guimu could no longer make a sound; only tears flowed from her eyes.

The Empress Dowager’s patience was limited. She scolded loudly, "Dead girl, you won't speak, will you? Jailers, beat her for me!"

Several brawny jailers rushed forward, grabbed Xiao Guimu’s hair, and began to punch and kick her. Blood flowed from Xiao Guimu’s head, eyes, mouth, and the wounds on her chest... She fainted again.

The Empress Dowager cursed, "Deceitful girl, playing dead! Beat her again..."

A jailer walked in from outside with a letter, knelt down, and said, "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, a middle-aged woman at the prison gate sent a letter, requesting that the Empress Dowager open it personally."

The Empress Dowager said, "Bring the letter here."

The old eunuch stepped forward, took the letter, and presented it. The Empress Dowager looked at it, and it read:

*To Empress Dowager Pi on this winter day:*
*From the law-abiding citizen Zhao Rouya,*
*With a kowtow and bow:*
*Release my daughter, Xiao Guimu.*
*You and I are both thousand-year-old foxes,*
*Do not push me to the brink! Otherwise, I will publish all your shameful deeds from your time in Northern Zhen to the world.*
*Zhao Rouya, with a kowtow and bow.*

After reading it, the Empress Dowager laughed out loud, "Zhao Rouya, you are indeed alive!" She suddenly shouted to the jailers, maids, and guards, "Quick, quick, quick! Go out, catch that woman who delivered the letter..."

She ran like a flash to the prison gate, but when she looked around, it was empty—not a shadow of a person!

The Empress Dowager shouted frantically, "Zhao Rouya, I know you are hiding nearby! I just saw you, come out and show yourself!" She looked terrifying, but she was actually just bluffing.

Everyone searched the surroundings again and again, returning to report, "Nothing."

The Empress Dowager suddenly laughed wildly, "Zhao Rouya, listen well! You were right in your letter; we are both old foxes, otherwise we wouldn't have survived our return to Southern Han. But I must tell you, you are only a thousand-year-old fox, while I am a ten-thousand-year-old vixen! You will never escape my grasp! Hahaha..." Her laughter sounded like the barking of a mad dog, and the old eunuch, maids, guards, and jailers present all trembled with fear.

***

That morning, the sky over the capital was covered in a thick layer of overcast clouds. By noon, the sun still could not pierce through. In the afternoon, a light drizzle began to fall.

The streets were very cold. There were very few pedestrians, mostly citizens struggling for a living. They wore worried expressions, their steps hurried.

Gu Yusheng led his horse toward home.

Early this morning, Gu Yusheng had gone to Yujin Garden to wait. He hoped to see the figure of Prince Zhaoyuan. But he waited all morning and did not see the Prince arrive. By the evening, he still had not seen the Prince.

Today was the day Prince Zhaoyuan was scheduled to practice martial arts. However, ever since Gu Yusheng had gone to the Prince Wei’s mansion that night, Prince Zhaoyuan had not come to Yujin Garden. Other than seeing the Prince at the morning court, the two had hardly been alone. Gu Yusheng very much wanted to ask the Prince to find a way to save Xiao Guimu’s life, but the Prince always avoided him.

As night deepened, Gu Yusheng led his horse through Qinghe Ward. He noticed that all the shops in Qinghe Ward were tightly shut. He walked past the gate of the Qibao Society and found a woman sitting alone on the stone steps. The woman was sobbing in a low voice.

Gu Yusheng quickly tied his horse to the hitching post by the street and walked toward the sound of crying. With the dim light of the lanterns in front of the gate, he saw it was Lin Xiaolian. Her clothes were disheveled, her hair hung loosely over her shoulders, and her large eyes were dim and confused, filled with fear and despair.

Gu Yusheng asked, "Sister Xiaolian, what happened?"

Lin Xiaolian raised her head, stared at Gu Yusheng for a long time, and suddenly burst into tears, saying, "Brother Yusheng, I want to die!"

Gu Yusheng was shocked and asked, "Sister Xiaolian, don't just cry! Tell me what happened!"

Lin Xiaolian cried, "Brother Yusheng, my life is so bitter! Last month, my eldest son died of a sudden illness; three days ago, my youngest son died of accidental poisoning. Without my two sons, Wang Wuliang’s first wife kicked me out of the house!" After speaking, she continued to cry.

Gu Yusheng went straight to the point and asked, "Sister Xiaolian, can you leave that man you were with?"

Lin Xiaolian suddenly stopped crying: "Brother Yusheng, I am no longer his concubine; I have already left him."

Gu Yusheng asked, "Sister Xiaolian, do you want to die now, or do you want to continue living in this world?"

Lin Xiaolian was overwhelmed with mixed feelings: "I have no more attachments in this world; I want to die." Her expression was dazed.

Gu Yusheng shouted angrily, "You are wrong! Lin Xiaolian, you are wrong! Your business in this world is not finished! The murderer who raped and killed your sister, Lin Dalian, is still at large! You once told me you wanted to seek justice for your deceased sister. But the murderer has not been caught, and yet you want to die! Tell me, how will you face your sister Dalian after you go to the underworld?"

Lin Xiaolian widened her beautiful eyes.

Gu Yusheng turned and walked to the hitching post, untied his horse, and began to lead it away. He had only taken two steps when he stopped, then walked back to Lin Xiaolian and said softly, "Sister Xiaolian, if you want to die, I won't stop you. But when you reach the underworld and see Aunt Lin and Sister Dalian, please give them my regards and tell Sister Dalian that I, Gu Yusheng, will sooner or later seek justice for her." With that, he walked toward his home.

Lin Xiaolian suddenly called out, "Brother Yusheng, will you take me in?"

Gu Yusheng turned and smiled, "There are a few clean, empty rooms in the Osmanthus Garden that are currently unoccupied."

Lin Xiaolian climbed up from the steps, wiped her tears, and called out, "Brother Yusheng, I will come to stay for a while."