Chapter 799: Saving the Emperor

Tong Huaqiong looked at Lu Yiner, thinking that Lu Yiner was really perceptive.

She could deduce from the emperor rewarding Gao Ming with a honeydew melon that something had happened to Gao Ming.

Gao Ming was one of the most ordinary among the Imperial Guards.

He was different from Su Chengmin. He would normally have no chance to come into contact with the emperor, and even if he did, it would be difficult for the emperor to remember him due to Gao Ming’s lack of distinction. Yet, today the emperor rewarded him with a precious honeydew melon.

The entire event suggested something unusual.

Lu Yiner did not see the emperor’s favor in it but instead saw the danger Gao Ming was in.

He must have blocked extreme danger for the emperor, otherwise, he would never have caught the emperor’s attention, let alone received a reward.

That was why Lu Yiner asked the question.

Initially, Lu Yiner fantasized that Gao Ming might achieve great success in the future, allowing her to rise alongside him.

After living with Gao Ming for a while, she no longer thought that way.

Gao Ming’s capabilities were not high, and forcing him to make remarkable achievements might backfire.

Compared to a father-in-law sacrificing himself and a mother-in-law living as a widow, she would rather live a simple life with Gao Ming.

After all, Gao Ming treated her well, his salary was decent, and although the status of an Imperial Guard’s wife didn’t allow her to mingle with the upper echelons, it wasn’t a status to be trifled with either.

Upon hearing that Gao Ming was injured while saving the emperor, Lu Yiner’s tears came down, and she threw on a thick coat, ready to return home.

Gu Taohua then sent a maid to arrange a carriage for Lu Yiner.

Tong Huaqiong stood up, telling Lu Yiner not to worry, and asked Su Chengmin, "Where is Gao Ming injured? Is it serious?"

If it were serious, Su Chengmin wouldn’t have been able to come over just to deliver a melon.

Su Chengmin replied, "It’s not serious, his arm was scratched. The Imperial Physician has checked him, and it’s nothing major. With proper bandaging and not getting the wound wet, he should recover in some time."

Tong Huaqiong asked, "Scratched? What scratched him?"

Even though asking such a question might seem like prying into the emperor’s peril, she had already asked, and whether to answer depended on Su Chengmin.

There wasn’t much to hide about the emperor’s mishap this time.

It wasn’t a man-made danger but rather the emperor went to the Imperial Beast Garden to admire two wolves presented from the Western Regions, and one of them broke out of its cage, lunging towards the emperor.

It was the nearby Imperial Guard, Gao Ming, who saved him.

During his struggle with the wolf, Gao Ming’s arm was bitten. Fortunately, Su Chengmin, who had experience taming wild wolves at the border, subdued the wolf and rescued Gao Ming from its jaws.

Hearing that Gao Ming was not in any life-threatening danger, Lu Yiner let out a breath of relief.

Su Chengmin said, "After this incident, Gao Ming is now remembered by His Majesty."

Lu Yiner shook her head; she only wished for Gao Ming’s well-being over being remembered by the emperor.

Su Qing came in, announcing that the carriage was ready. Tong Huaqiong handed Lu Yiner a packet of medicine and sent someone to escort her home.

...

On the late afternoon of the 28th of the year, Gu Dashu and Gu Xiaoxue’s group were welcomed home by Nie Xiaofeng.

"Mother."

"Aunt."

Gu Dashu and Gu Xiaoxue were overjoyed.

The winter journey was fraught with snow and difficult roads, causing them to arrive half a month later than expected, but they still made it to Shengjing before the year’s end.

"Father."

Man Er excitedly leaped into Gu Dashu’s arms.

The youngest daughter, Ying Er, also wobbled over, wanting Gu Dashu to hold her.

The greatest motivation for Gu Dashu to come to Shengjing was to see his wife and daughters. Now, seeing his two sculpture-like daughters rushing towards him, he stretched out his arms, holding one in each arm, chuckling cheerfully.

Chen Sufen stood aside, her eyes reddening.

The reunion with family members was particularly lively.

Not only did Gu Dashu and Gu Xiaoxue come to Shengjing, but Liu Yueer’s father and elder brother accompanied them as well.

"Father and elder brother are here too, why didn’t you say something beforehand?" Liu Yueer was overwhelmed upon seeing her father and elder brother.

Mrs. Zhao felt equally happy seeing her husband and son.

She had always felt uneasy enjoying a prosperous life with her daughter in Shengjing and not returning home for the New Year, fearing what villagers might say, but now that her husband and son had come, her concerns were alleviated.

"Owner, the shopkeepers of major stores in Ning City have been settled. When you have time, they will report to you about the store operations," said He Chao.

Tong Huaqiong nodded and said, "Alright. Arrange the best hotels and restaurants in Shengjing to entertain them."

Around the New Year, the shopkeepers left their homes to travel from Ning City to Shengjing to report, deserving the highest level of hospitality.

"You must be weary from the journey, and probably hungry. Let’s start the meal soon," Tong Huaqiong told Gu Dashu, Gu Xiaoxue, and the others.

At this moment, Nie Xiaofeng said to Tong Huaqiong, "Grandmother, after sending my uncle and Aunt Xiaoxue home, my mother and I won’t stay for a meal. My father and two older brothers have already arrived home, so we will head back first."

When Nie Mingyuan and his two step-sons returned from transporting silk from Jiangnan to Yan Guan Town in late autumn, they found that Gu Baishuang had gone to Shengjing with Tong Huaqiong.

The three, along with their families, decided to move to Shengjing to join Nie Xiaofeng, and while nearing Shengjing, they encountered Gu Dahuan’s group, also heading north.

Nie Mingyuan, leveraging his brother-in-law status, took the initiative to meet them and suggested traveling to the capital together.

Although Gu Dahuan did not like this brother-in-law, it was not easy to refuse him when they met on the road.

Upon meeting Gu Dahuan and the others outside the city, Nie Xiaofeng first sent Nie Mingyuan and his older brother and sister-in-law to his residence and then escorted Gu Dahuan and Gu Xiaoxue to Tong Huaqiong’s house, picking up Gu Baishuang to return home.

Gu Baishuang did not get up and remained indifferent upon hearing of Nie Mingyuan and other Nie Family members entering the city.

"Mother, let’s go back. Father is waiting for us at home," Nie Xiaofeng said eagerly.

Gu Baishuang replied indifferently, "They are being served at your residence; there is no need for me. If you are concerned about your father, you can return first. I haven’t seen your uncle in a long time and want to catch up."

Gu Baishuang’s reaction left Nie Xiaofeng somewhat shocked.

Four years ago, because both his older brothers demanded the split of family assets, forcing his mother to hand over control of the store, his father sided with his brothers, resulting in a fierce argument with his mother. The couple did not speak to each other throughout the entire month of January.

At the time, Nie Xiaofeng sided with Gu Baishuang, overturning the table against Nie Mingyuan and his two older brothers.

Later, his father stopped insisting on his mother handing over the store management rights, and their relationship began to warm up.

Since coming to Shengjing, Gu Baishuang had never mentioned Nie Mingyuan’s entry into the city to Nie Xiaofeng.

During Nie Xiaofeng’s three years on the border, he was unaware of what had transpired between his father and mother. Through subtle inquiries from the old lady around Gu Baishuang, he found out that although the two had no quarrel or conflict, their relationship remained indifferently cool, with his father no longer interfering in his mother’s store, and his two brothers and sisters-in-law showing respect to his mother.

The restoration of the family’s relationship to harmonious times was his wish.

From Gu Baishuang’s reaction now, it seemed that his mother was not happy about the arrival of his father, brothers, and sisters-in-law.

Yet Nie Mingyuan was his biological father. As a member of the Nie Family, he could stand by his mother’s side as a son, but he couldn’t completely sever ties with his father.

Outside the city, after not seeing him for three years, Nie Mingyuan saw him for the first time, got off the carriage in the wind and snow, and hugged him while weeping. Seeing Nie Mingyuan’s greying temples touched Nie Xiaofeng deeply.

"Mother, on the way here, uncle said that he would stay in Shengjing for a long time. We will have plenty of opportunities to dine with uncle. Father and brothers are at home waiting for you," Nie Xiaofeng said.

Father and brothers were at the residence for the first day; if mother did not return, the friction might intensify.

The conflict between mother and father needs resolution.

The sooner it is resolved, the better.