RPAGF Chapter 1079 Retreat
Chapter 1079 Retreat
Mentioning this, Zhang Ping'an couldn't help but frown, then seemed somewhat relieved. "Forget it, let your maternal grandfather know if he knows. Just don't admit it. These things are just talk, and your maternal grandfather won't really pry into it."
"Sigh, we were too soft-hearted back then, we shouldn't have let him go so easily," Xiaoyuer said, pounding the chair in frustration.
He sighed at the end, "If only he were as sensible as Li Chengye, it would be fine, but he's just a troublemaker!"
"Do you think Li Chengye is so easy to deal with?" Zhang Ping'an replied calmly. "I don't think so."
"What do you mean? I don't think he's done anything outrageous in the past few years. He's been diligent and conscientious in his post, doing alright but not particularly outstanding. He's been quite low-key. I even thought highly of him back then, believing he would achieve great things after becoming an official!"
“Son, do you know that the most feared opponents in officialdom are often those who keep a low profile? There’s something about Li Chengye that I can’t understand. Although he has been quite low-key and honest since becoming an official, and even helped us before, giving people the feeling that he is a friend rather than an enemy, he always has a mysterious aura that makes people unable to fathom his depths or fathom his bottom,” Zhang Ping’an said slowly.
"So I'm not really that confident in him."
“Right now, his post is closest to his fourth uncle’s, and his fourth uncle is so shrewd. Even if he tries to do something underhanded, he probably won’t escape his fourth uncle’s watchful eye,” Xiaoyuer said after thinking for a moment.
"Who knows?" Zhang Pingan shook his head.
After thinking for a moment, he instructed his son, "Since the Qian family has come to invite you several times, there's no better time than today. Why don't you set off for Lin'an tomorrow and visit the Qian family to see how your maternal grandfather's condition is? That way, he won't get angry and nag you for not remembering him. Also, remember to bring some valuable medicinal herbs with you. Although the Qian family certainly has them, it's still a token of our goodwill."
"Tomorrow?" Little Fish was a little surprised. "Why so soon!"
Then, as if he understood something, he got up and said as he walked away, "Okay, I'll go back and pack my things now, and we'll leave first thing tomorrow morning."
"Wait a minute, I haven't finished speaking yet," Zhang Ping'an called out to the person with a hint of helplessness.
"Your Uncle Ge helped us a lot with the provisions and pay this time. After you arrive in Lin'an, go to the Ge residence and thank him for me. Then ask him if he wants to move part of the business to Huainan. Given the current situation, Lin'an isn't the best choice. Although Huainan isn't particularly far from Lin'an—it's less than ten days by boat—it's still too far to be of immediate help. If anything happens, it will be difficult for me to lend a hand immediately. Just relay these words to him verbatim, and he'll understand what I mean. In the end, it's up to him to decide!"
"Understood!" Little Fish nodded, and only left after making sure his father had no further instructions.
Early the next morning, Xiaoyuer led a group of people to Lin'an by boat, bringing with them a lot of valuable medicinal herbs. Although ostensibly they were going to visit the ailing Grand Tutor Qian, Li knew it was definitely not that simple.
In the past, she would have asked a few more questions, but ever since Xiaoyuer married Yu's cousin as his second wife, and this second wife was very capable, Li Shi became very cautious in her words and deeds, rarely went against Xiaoyuer's wishes, and never bothered to dig deeper and annoy people. She wholeheartedly played the role of a virtuous wife.
Xiaoyuer didn't know whether to say it was good or bad. She was virtuous, but she felt that the distance between her and her husband had grown.
However, he is currently focused on making a name for himself and his attention is on the court. He rarely has time to devote himself to the inner quarters and only occasionally has this thought in his mind.
Upon arriving in Lin'an, Xiaoyuer went straight to the Qian residence without even returning home.
When Grand Tutor Qian saw his grandson arrive, he couldn't help but smile with satisfaction and happily invited him to sit down by the bedside.
In any case, this joy is genuine.
As for the people sent over before saying they had caught a cold and were bedridden, that wasn't entirely a lie.
After only a short time apart, Grand Tutor Qian suddenly became much thinner, his complexion was not good, and he coughed occasionally when he spoke.
This made Xiaoyuer feel a little guilty; she shouldn't have doubted her grandfather so much before.
Thinking this in his heart, he naturally revealed this expression on his face. Grand Tutor Qian was a shrewd man, how could he not see it?
After patting Xiaoyuer's hand, he gently comforted her, "Don't worry about me. People eat grains and vegetables, and they will get sick sometimes. Besides, I'm already so old. As for sending people to summon you to Lin'an time and time again, it wasn't just to have you come to see me."
“Grandfather, just tell me what's on your mind. Why beat around the bush with me?” Xiaoyuer sighed, then took Grand Tutor Qian’s hand and tucked the blanket in.
"There are some things that are inconvenient to say in front of outsiders, whether spoken or written, as they can easily leave ammunition for criticism," Grand Tutor Qian explained with a smile.
"Can't even my father know?"
“That’s right, even if it’s your father,” Grand Tutor Qian did not deny it.
A hint of satisfaction and pride flashed in his eyes. "You have a portion of the Qian family's blood flowing in your veins, and you're so smart, so I've always doted on you since you were little. Even Can'er and the others might not be able to compare to you. You should know that in your heart."
“Grandfather, I know how much you and my uncles love me, but I’m all grown up now, and my surname is Zhang.”
To avoid his grandfather saying anything that would put him in a difficult position, Xiaoyuer took precautions by stating his position beforehand.
Doing things in a sticky or indecisive way is not his style.
"Oh, you, what a pity, what a pity that your surname is Zhang and not Qian," said Grand Tutor Qian with great regret.
But he stopped talking, paused, and said meaningfully, "Alright, then I won't say anything today. You've come all this way to Lin'an, so stay here a few more days before going back. After a while, things in the southeast should have come to a conclusion, and then we can talk about it."
When the turmoil in the southeast was mentioned, Xiaoyuer couldn't help but ask for some information.
So, half-jokingly and half-seriously, he said, "If we really have to wait for a result in the southeast, it probably won't be a matter of a day or two, maybe even three or two months. Wouldn't that mean I'd be stuck here and unable to go back to Huainan?"
"Why take so long?" Grand Tutor Qian stroked his beard and smiled mysteriously.
"Oh? What's your opinion, Grandfather?" Little Fish asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I wouldn't call it a brilliant insight, but I don't think it will take that long," said Master Qian.
"Although your father is intelligent and has a keen sense of smell after decades in officialdom, what he lacks most is a solid foundation and deep understanding. He can't figure out many of the intricate and hidden relationships."
"This..." Little Fish hesitated, wanting to ask something.
Grand Tutor Qian smiled and waved his hand to stop him from speaking, "Let's talk about it again in a month. By then, we'll see who is right and who is wrong in our predictions."
Then, as if he was a little tired, he turned his head and instructed the servants to arrange for Xiaoyuer to stay at the mansion. "Since you came to see me, you should stay at the mansion. Don't go back. You can keep me company and talk to me. It's quite lonely for an old man like me to stay at the mansion."
"Okay," Little Fish agreed after thinking for a moment.
However, Grand Tutor Qian's words still stirred up quite a few ripples in his heart. After hesitating for a while, Xiaoyuer still wrote a letter and sent it back to Huainan to tell his father. If his father had a thousand years of cultivation, then his maternal grandfather must have been ten thousand years old. This statement was certainly not unfounded.
During the time Xiaoyuer spent with Grand Tutor Qian at the Qian residence, he took the opportunity to visit the Ge family to see Green Bean Eyes and mentioned his father's thoughts. Green Bean Eyes did not reply immediately but said he would seriously consider it.
After all, the Ge family had lived in Lin'an for generations, and moving to Huainan was no small matter; it required the entire clan to discuss and decide on the matter.
Xiaoyuer understood this and said sincerely, "My father repeatedly told me to tell my uncle that whenever the Ge family needs our help, we will definitely lend a helping hand and do our best. Whenever we go to Huainan, the Ge family will always have a place there."
"Please thank your father for me," the beady-eyed man said with a smile.
He also expressed some admiration and envy, saying, "Brothers fight tigers together, fathers and sons go to war together. Your father is truly blessed to have such a capable son like you."
"Not at all," Little Fish said modestly.
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. You've come all this way, you must stay for a meal so that I, as your uncle, can show you some hospitality." With that, he stood up and led Xiaoyuer to the back garden.
As they walked, he explained, "The garden in the back has just been renovated, and the pavilion in the middle of the lake has been rebuilt. Many exotic flowers and plants have been transplanted there, and the scenery is quite nice. I've ordered that we set out a meal in the garden later. Eating while looking at these views will surely improve your appetite. To be honest, and I'm not afraid to admit it, my dear nephew, I haven't been able to eat much these days. It's all because of this situation!"
Upon hearing this, Xiaoyuer once again expressed his humility and politeness.
However, when they arrived at the garden, they realized that what Uncle Ge had said was true; it was clear that a lot of money had been spent on renovations.
Various gardens and rockeries, exotic flowers and rare plants, a lakeside pavilion with gauze curtains billowing in the wind, and a large artificial lake—just cleaning it every day requires a lot of servants.
It is truly a case of "the rich feasting on meat and wine while the poor freeze to death on the streets."
"This must have been expanded again," Little Fish asked after looking around.
“Not bad, you’ve expanded it a bit further out, otherwise this lake wouldn’t have been built,” said the beady-eyed man with a smile.
Little Fish didn't stoop to asking how the house was expanded; after all, money makes the world go round.
After enjoying a sumptuous lunch at the Ge residence, they returned to the Qian residence.
More than a month has passed in the blink of an eye.
The army dispatched by the imperial court to quell the rebellion has been there for nearly half a month.
The Qian family received urgent reports from the front lines every day, showing that Grand Tutor Qian was very concerned about the matter.
A reply came from Huainan midway through the journey. Zhang Ping'an instructed Xiaoyuer not to think too much and to stay in Lin'an for now, just observe the situation and wait. In his words, it was all about "waiting".
Finally, on this day, different news arrived: the imperial army had suffered a great defeat and had retreated to Songxi.