Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 520 - 487: Guoguo Sneaked Out Quietly (2)

"What is it?" Li Yuwen asked.

Li Yuzhu walked over and took Guoguo from Li Xingmao’s arms.

Guoguo snuggled against her face, smiling and calling softly, "Auntie."

"Follow me," Li Xingmao took Guoguo back into his arms.

Guoguo was only one and a half years old, so he wasn’t worried that Guoguo would understand their conversation.

Li Yuzhu and Li Yuwen saw his serious expression and anxiously asked what was going on.

"Something major," Li Xingmao said gravely.

The two exchanged a glance and fell silent.

Everyone arrived at the North Courtyard Main House.

Upon seeing them, Prince Luling immediately mentioned that Eunuch An had brought people here.

Li Yuzhu was surprised, "Did Guoguo command the leopard to attack them?" She looked at Guoguo in astonishment, "Guoguo, you’re amazing."

Guoguo grinned broadly.

Li Yuwen said, "Father, it seems Pei Shenyan’s suspicion was correct."

Prince Luling looked at the Great Princess Li Yuwen and said sternly, "Yuwen, from now on, be nicer to Pei Shenyan. He is a great benefactor to our family. Without his warning, not one of you three sisters would have escaped. He almost exhausted himself to death delivering the message."

Li Yuzhu and Li Xingmao also looked at her, as did Guoguo.

Li Yuwen felt embarrassed under their gaze and frowned a little, "I understand, Father."

Li Xingmao then spoke about the family’s unified stance, "There’s no need to be concerned about Pei Shenyan, but we need to say something to Yuanxiu. If he asks, Yuzhu should tell him the story we discussed."

Mu Yuanxiu wasn’t one to meddle in trivial matters; since he often saw things but never bothered to inquire, Li Yuzhu wasn’t worried about him and simply said, "Understood, big brother."

Prince Luling continued, "Now that things have changed suddenly, Yuzhu, return to the mountain immediately and ask Pei Shenyan to come down. As for Yuwen, you stay here."

Li Yuwen raised an eyebrow, "Father, can’t I leave?" She didn’t want to see people from the palace.

Prince Luling looked at her sternly, "You are the eldest sister. Should your younger sister take on the responsibilities for you? If all the sisters are absent, Eunuch An will certainly be suspicious. Stay here during the day and leave at night, then return in the morning. You married into the Pei Family, and Li Can has always been wary of their influence, especially Old Mrs. Pei, and Pei Shenyan is her most valued grandson. What use is there for Yuzhu to stay? She married Yuanxiu, who is just a commoner in the mountains. Can he confront Eunuch An and Li Can?"

Li Xingmao said as well, "Yuwen, Father is right. At this time, you need to act as the eldest sister, and you need to bear the responsibilities that are yours."

Li Yuwen glanced at Li Yuzhu, who was much younger than her, and pressed her lips together, "Understood, Father, big brother."

Li Yuzhu smiled slightly and squeezed her hand, "Big sister, don’t worry, with Father and big brother around."

"Yes, yes, hurry back, okay? What if Eunuch An and his companions are rescued by others? You’ll be in trouble if they see you." She waved her hand at Li Yuzhu, signaling her to leave quickly.

Prince Luling added, "Yuzhu, leave through the back door, and don’t go to see your mother, lest her worries disturb your sister-in-law."

Li Yuzhu nodded, "Okay."

Li Xingmao, worried she might be scared, handed Guoguo over to Prince Luling and left through the back door with her.

Exiting the back door and crossing the grassy field leads to Niu Tou Mountain.

Li Xingmao escorted her to the foot of Niu Tou Mountain and only turned back after seeing her walk up the mountain path.

Li Yuwen had already returned to her former boudoir to wait for Pei Shenyan to return to discuss matters.

The young maid Cui Xi had been doing needlework in her room and immediately brought over a hand warmer upon seeing her return.

Prince Luling sat in the North Courtyard Main House, pondering over the subsequent arrangements.

Guoguo said she wanted to see her mother. She was a quiet girl and more obedient than Li Jing, so Li Xingmao felt at ease sending her back to Chai Eying.

Chai Eying and the Princess Consort were talking about how to care for the baby. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were deep in conversation when Guoguo went over and leaned quietly against Chai Eying.

Chai Eying scooped her into her arms and continued chatting with her mother-in-law.

Li Xingmao let out a sigh of relief and left.

He went to Uncle Gui’s house.

Uncle Gui enjoyed taking afternoon naps when there wasn’t much to do in the afternoons.

Li Xingmao didn’t disturb him and quietly opened the little south-facing window to look at the village road on the right.

The big flower leopard was still lying on the village road, staring menacingly at the people in the mud pit.

Li Xingmao gave a cold laugh and closed the window.

.

Li Yuzhu returned to the wooden house on the mountain, where Pei Shenyan and Mu Yuanxiu were playing chess, and the young servant Pei Fusheng stood by watching intently.

The two were locked in a fierce and equal battle.

Mu Yuanxiu was startled to see her return, "Why did you come back alone? I was planning to go down the mountain soon, why didn’t you wait for me?"

Li Yuzhu smiled and glanced at Pei Shenyan, "My sister is looking for my brother-in-law to talk about something, so I came to pass on the message."

Pei Shenyan was surprised. Li Yuwen took the initiative to find him?

He found it hard to believe, but Li Yuzhu was not one to joke around.

In that brief moment, Pei Shenyan didn’t know whether to be pleased or skeptical.

Seeing him stand dazed and unresponsive, Li Yuzhu turned her back to Mu Yuanxiu and said to him, "Brother-in-law, hurry back, my sister is genuinely eager to see you."

As she spoke, she winked at him.

Pei Shenyan stood up, "Thank you, Third Sister, for delivering the message. I’ll be on my way back." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

He cupped his hands towards the two of them, turned around, and strode briskly down the mountain with Pei Fusheng.

Mu Yuanxiu said, "Brother-in-law, let me see you off."

Pei Shenyan turned back with a smile, "Yuanxiu, my greatest skill is remembering roads. As long as I’ve walked a path once, I won’t forget it. You don’t have to accompany me; I won’t get lost. Stay on the mountain with Third Sister."

He waved his hand at Mu Yuanxiu and Li Yuzhu and left with a smile.

"Take care, Brother-in-law. We won’t see you off." Li Yuzhu also waved at him.

Once Pei Shenyan was far off, Mu Yuanxiu held Li Yuzhu’s hand, looked at her face, and asked, "Yu Zhu, was it really Eldest Sister who sent for Pei Shenyan?"

Li Yuzhu shook her head, "You’re as smart as ever."

Mu Yuanxiu raised an eyebrow at her, "Given Eldest Sister’s temper, she wouldn’t take the initiative to look for Pei Shenyan, at least not within this month. There must be another matter, right? You said that on purpose to send him back."

Li Yuzhu shrugged, "Someone is troubling Eldest Sister, and that person is recognized by Pei Shenyan, so naturally, he should handle it."

Mu Yuanxiu said, "Let’s go take a look too."

Li Yuzhu pulled him back, "My father won’t let us go."

"Does that make sense?" Mu Yuanxiu disagreed, "I’m the son-in-law of the Li Family. Can I just sit back and watch?"

Li Yuzhu shook her head, "Yuanxiu, my father has ordered that none of us should interfere with Eldest Sister’s matters. Pei Shenyan will handle it well. If you interfere, won’t it make Pei Shenyan look useless? Wouldn’t my Eldest Sister despise him even more?"

Mu Yuanxiu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Really?" Mu Yuanxiu looked at her.

Li Yuzhu nodded, "Really, I’m not lying to you. If I’m lying..." What excuse should I use?

"Let me give you a kiss?" Mu Yuanxiu teased her.

Li Yuzhu blushed, "..." Taking advantage of the situation?

"What, dare not swear? Then are you lying?" Mu Yuanxiu snorted coldly.

"Ah, well, that’s fine too." Li Yuzhu nodded generously.

A kiss won’t cost me anything.

Besides, it’s bound to happen sooner or later. An early day isn’t a problem.

Who is taking advantage of whom is yet to be determined.

Li Yuzhu tilted her head, watching Mu Yuanxiu with a grin.

Mu Yuanxiu, "..." Was he being tricked? "Alright, it’s settled then."

"So shall we not go? If they really mishandle things, my father will send Third Brother to find us." Li Yuzhu tugged at Mu Yuanxiu.

It wouldn’t be useful even if the two of them went. Those are people from the court, and it’s not a problem that can be solved by beating or killing someone.

To counter power, you need power.

Neither she nor Mu Yuanxiu had any power.

Mu Yuanxiu frowned, looking at her, "Alright."

.

At the Li Family’s house.

Under the arrangement of Li Xingmao and Li Xing’an, no one in the house noticed the situation on the village path a mile away.

Besides, the weather was bitterly cold, nobody went out, and nobody came by.

Guoguo snuggled with Chai Eying for a while, playing with the silken threads on her clothes, then said she wanted to go find her aunt to play.

Chai Eying rubbed her back and smiled, "Guoguo, let me take you there."

But Guoguo shook her head and said, "No, I’ll find her myself." Her little legs hopped away.

Chai Eying laughed in exasperation, "This child is growing up and making her own decisions."

Princess Consort Luling smiled, "Let her play on her own then. The front and back doors of the house are closed, and there are people everywhere at home. Can she really run out? E Ying, you’re heavy with child, don’t bother with her. What’s important is that you rest properly."

Chai Eying nodded, but her gaze still followed Guoguo.

Thinking of how Guoguo always played like this, she chuckled at herself for worrying unnecessarily, so she didn’t follow either, and resumed chatting with Princess Consort Luling.

Guoguo didn’t go to find anyone. She stealthily ran to the back door by herself.

The back door was bolted.

Guoguo furrowed her little brows and dragged an old fish basket from the courtyard’s corner, overturning it and pushing it to the door bolt.

The fish basket was about a foot high. She climbed up the fish basket with difficulty and stood, holding onto the door.

At a year and a half old, she was lightweight, and the overturned fish basket could completely support her weight.

The height of the basket was just right for her to reach the door bolt.

Guoguo skillfully unbolted the door.

After running out, she pushed the basket back to its original spot, closed the door behind her, and ran towards the field on the left side of the house.

"Phew—" She blew the golden whistle.

The leopard lying on the village road turned its head towards the direction of the whistle sound.