Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 716 - 0669: Recognizing People by Characters (1)
Madam Baili was full of doubts, wanting to uncover the secret between Li Yuzhu and Madam Xue.
She stood in place, smiling slightly as she looked at Li Yuzhu, "Li San Niang, where are you headed?"
Li Yuzhu returned the smile, "Taking the two children to see the Old Madam. Madam, are you just back from outside?"
"I went to see a lady and talked about some matters," Madam Baili said with a smile, and when Li Yuzhu approached, she deliberately added, "By the way, that lady seems to recognize Li San Niang. When I mentioned Li San Niang, she said, ’Oh, so it’s her.’"
Li Yuzhu was surprised. There was someone who recognized her in Liangzhou City?
"Oh? Who is it?" Li Yuzhu asked curiously.
Could it be a former patient of hers from Qingyang County or Zhen An Prefecture who had come to Liangzhou City?
She had been treating patients for almost two years and had seen so many that she had lost count.
Madam Baili smiled, "I don’t know her full name yet. I only know that those around her call her Madam Xue. Oh, and she seems familiar with Duke Zhongyi Mansion in the Capital because her carriage is from the Duke Zhongyi Mansion."
Duke Zhongyi Mansion? Yu Wen Family? Madam Xue?
Who could this be?
Li Yuzhu couldn’t recall for the moment.
She chuckled, "I don’t recognize her, but I’ve treated many people, perhaps it’s a patient or a patient’s family member."
Madam Baili mused, was this the reason?
Li Yuzhu nodded to her, "We have to see the Old Madam. Madam, we’ll go ahead."
Madam Baili didn’t stop them, offering a perfunctory smile, and stepped aside.
Guoguo looked back at Madam Baili, pressing her lips together, clenching her little hands tightly.
Li Yuzhu felt her grip and, puzzled, turned back to look at her.
The little girl had a tight expression on her face, walking silently ahead, whereas Baili Rui was giggling and chatting away.
Unknowingly, they arrived at the gate of the Old Madam’s courtyard.
The doorkeeper smiled and welcomed them inside, "The red plum blossoms in the Old Madam’s yard have bloomed again. Many branches have been cut and sent to various places. Li San Niang, you’re just in time to take some back."
Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "Then I came at just the right time."
She led the two children into the courtyard, and indeed, the Old Madam was with two head maids, cutting plum branches.
Old Madam Baili waved smilingly to Li Yuzhu, "Li San Niang, come, come, see how beautifully the plum blossoms in my yard have bloomed?"
Li Yuzhu loved bright red flowers, whether it was red camellias, red begonias, red peonies, or red kapok, they were all her favorites, and she certainly wouldn’t refuse red plum blossoms.
"They’ve bloomed so beautifully," Li Yuzhu admired.
Old Madam Baili personally chose two of the most brilliant branches to give to Li Yuzhu, even teaching her how to arrange flowers and how to make the flowers on the branches last longer.
Baili Rui and Guoguo each received a plum blossom branch too.
Upon leaving, Baili Rui enthusiastically praised the plum blossoms’ beauty and gave his branch to Guoguo.
Guoguo merely smiled, not saying a word.
Li Yuzhu patted her cheek, smiling, "Guoguo, why aren’t you speaking?"
Guoguo glanced up at her, pursing her lips, not answering.
However, when Baili Rui ran off to the restroom, Guoguo pulled Li Yuzhu aside and whispered, "Auntie, the Madam Xue that Madam mentioned is Xue Shi."
Since Guoguo learned to speak, she never called Xue Shi "mother", always referring to her by surname, without any affection.
Li Yuzhu looked at her in shock, "Guoguo, how do you know Madam Xue is Xue Shi?"
"Duke Zhongyi Mansion, Yu Wen Zan." Guoguo kept a straight face, expressionless.
Li Yuzhu’s eyes flickered, Madam Xue, Lady Xue, Duke Zhongyi Mansion...
Could it really be Xue Shi?
But why would she be in Liangzhou Prefecture?
Li Yuzhu couldn’t figure it out, worrying that Guoguo might brood over it, she squatted down and held Guoguo’s hand, "Let’s not mind her, let’s live our lives. Guoguo, don’t think about her, okay?"
Only then did a small smile appear on Guoguo’s face, "Okay, I won’t think about her."
Guoguo’s words still caught Li Yuzhu’s attention.
After dinner, Li Yuzhu discussed this matter with Mu Yuanxiu.
Mu Yuanxiu only raised an eyebrow slightly, not too surprised, "Xue Shi?"
Li Yuzhu said, "Guoguo said it might be Xue Shi. It’s so strange that she would be in Liangzhou City?"
Mu Yuanxiu chuckled softly, "If Yu Zhu wants to know why, how about I quietly investigate?"
Li Yuzhu blinked, "Yuanxiu, Xue Shi appearing in Liangzhou City doesn’t surprise you?"
Mu Yuanxiu said, "After she separated from my elder brother, she’s free to go wherever she wants, nothing surprising there."
"That’s true, what surprises me is that she recognizes Madam Baili," Li Yuzhu rested her chin on her hands, "From what I know of Xue Shi, she wouldn’t even bother with someone like Madam Baili, but this time, they have correspondence, that’s indeed strange."
Mu Yuanxiu handed her a hand warmer, "I’ll go out of the mansion tonight to investigate."
Li Yuzhu looked out the window, "It’s dark and still snowing, let’s wait until tomorrow."
Mu Yuanxiu smiled, "Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, we won’t have the time."
Li Yuzhu then remembered that she and Mu Yuanxiu were to spend New Year’s Eve with Guoguo.
"It’s freezing cold outside, wear warmer clothes," Li Yuzhu found him a thick cloak.
The winter in Liangzhou City was much colder than in Zhen An Prefecture.
In Zhen An Prefecture, the winter chill was highest when a thin layer of ice as thick as a fingernail covered the water’s surface. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
But in Liangzhou City, people could walk on the river ice every day. Even when a shovel hit it, the ice would only have a small groove and wouldn’t break.
According to the mansion’s elders, the ice and snow wouldn’t fully melt until March next year, but in Zhen An Prefecture, people in March would already be wearing thin clothes and setting up mosquito nets.
Mu Yuanxiu, being a great benefactor of the mansion, received no refusal when inquiring of servants.
He found the coachman who drove for Madam Baili and after some addressing him as brother, the coachman immediately revealed Madam Xue’s address.
Mu Yuanxiu gave him some money to buy wine, making the coachman quite delighted, who even warned him to be careful of slipping on the snowy, windy nights.
Mu Yuanxiu drove his mule cart, and by night, found the small residence.
There were two words written on the gate arch, "Xue Mansion."
Mu Yuanxiu picked up a stone and smashed down the plaque.
The night wind was strong and the cold was heavy, and the noise outside the house didn’t attract the people inside.
Mu Yuanxiu picked up the plaque, threw it into the cart, and returned to Baili Mansion.
After comforting Guoguo to sleep, Li Yuzhu was sitting by the fire in the outer room, waiting for Mu Yuanxiu.
When the footsteps sounded outside, Li Yuzhu hurriedly went to open the main room door.
Then she saw Mu Yuanxiu coming into the room carrying a plaque.
"What is this?" Li Yuzhu took it in her hands to see, "Xue Mansion? This writing..."
Mu Yuanxiu brushed the snow off his outer garment and glanced at the plaque, "That’s the handwriting of Yu Wen Zan, the legitimate second son of Duke Zhongyi Household!"
