Chapter 1599 - 1594: The Gathering (Third Update)

Hearing news about the Old Lu Family from the villagers, Mu Shuangshuang wasn’t surprised.

The news that Old Sir Lu and Old Lady Lu were living miserably didn’t surprise her either.

What did surprise her was that Xia Guagua hadn’t married Wang San.

That disgusting old man, didn’t he like Xia Guagua? He was willing to let go?

"So what about Wang San?" Mu Shuangshuang suddenly cut in and asked.

"He shaved his head and became a monk. Before he left, he even threatened the village head, said that if folks in our village dared touch Xia Guagua, he’d go beg the Bodhisattva to punish us!

Scared everyone in the village so bad they don’t dare offend that Xia Guagua, all afraid that once Wang San’s a monk, he’ll pray to the Bodhisattva day and night to punish the village!"

Hearing this, Mu Shuangshuang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

She just felt these people had been completely duped by Wang San!

"Right, Shuang, you said you went to the Northwest Camp—did you see the General? What does he look like? Is he the same as us common folk?"

"Yeah, yeah, we in Er Gui Village don’t usually see big men of rank. Your uncle is already the highest official we’ve ever met. So a General—what kind of person must that be!"

The villagers all started asking about the General.

This made Mu Shuangshuang think of Wen Nantian—that selfish, self-serving General. Better not mention him at all!

She shook her head. "Never saw him. I only went to Fengzi Camp once or twice, and that was tagging along with friends. The General’s got loads of people guarding him, ordinary folks can’t get near."

Everyone listened and felt a bit disappointed. Such a good chance, yet they couldn’t see the General!

Ai!

"Don’t just sit here talking, eat something. All that’s laid out on the table, no one’s touched it yet!" Mu Dashan called out to the men.

The men finally picked up the fruit and pastries on the table and started wolfing them down.

Mu Shuangshuang started talking about the food in the Northwest, about the environment there, and everyone listened wide-eyed with amazement.

As time passed, at first it was only the men listening, but before long the women came too.

Everyone gathered together in the main room, eating and drinking, playing and joking, thoroughly enjoying themselves!

As it was getting close to lunchtime, Mu Dashan stood up and said to everyone, "It’s rare for us all to gather like this today. Since you’re here, let’s seize the chance and stay for lunch!

I, Mu Dashan, will definitely treat everyone to good food and drink. Whatever you feel like eating, just tell me, I’ll have Shuangshuang’s mother make it."

Hearing that, everyone got to their feet.

"Da Shan, not today! Today’s the Lantern Festival, we’ve got to go back and eat dumplings, have a family reunion!" one of the men said.

"Yeah, today’s Lantern Festival, got to go home for the family get-together, otherwise the wives at home will kick up a fuss!

Didn’t realize time could pass this fast—feels like we just sat down for a bit and now it’s almost lunchtime!"

"Hahaha, must be because Shuang’s back and told us so many fun stories we’ve never heard before!

We all had our minds set on listening to her stories, so of course time flew by!"

The village men all had their own comments, and in the end, no matter how much Mu Dashan talked till his lips went dry, he still couldn’t keep them.

Luckily, Zhang Yutou, Zhao Gouzi and Fu Wu’s whole family stayed.

With her job in the main room done, Mu Shuangshuang went to the backyard to join the other group.

All familiar faces there!

She had barely stepped into the dining shed and hadn’t even warmed her seat when Yuanbao came rushing in, panting.

"They’re here, they’re here..."

"Who’s here?" Yu Si Niang stood up to ask.

"It’s... it’s..." Yuanbao had run too hard and couldn’t catch his breath.

Mu Shuangshuang said, "It should be Yu, Xiuxiu, and a few of my friends! Ma, I’ll go out to meet them, you all keep chatting!"

Fu Xiaonan stood up. "I’ll go with Shuangshuang!"

Earlier when all the village men were there, Fu Xiaonan hadn’t dared go to the main room and could only wait here.

Now that the men had left, Fu Xiaonan just wanted to stick close to Mu Shuangshuang!

And ask a few things along the way.

"Alright!"

As soon as they stepped into the yard together, Fu Xiaonan asked, "Shuangshuang, did Beichen send any letters? Or did he send any word for me? He hasn’t run into danger, has he? Is he getting used to life in the Northwest? Is the food there any good?"

She was still a young girl after all—the questions she asked all revolved around the person in her heart!

"No letters, no messages. When I left, it happened to be right when the fighting started! Everything was in a rush!

But don’t worry, he and Fengzi, those two commanders, won the battle. Returning to the capital with honors is just a matter of time!" Mu Shuangshuang said.

Although right now, she still didn’t know how the war was going.

But she trusted Fengzi, trusted Xing Beichen.

She also trusted Xue Shu. He’d been Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War for so many years, he ought to have some real ability.

With his brains, plus Lu Yuanfeng and Xing Beichen’s combat experience, this battle might really turn around!

Hearing Mu Shuangshuang’s words, Fu Xiaonan felt much more at ease.

"That’s good, that’s good! I never expected Beichen to become some huge official anyway, I just want him safe and sound!"

Wasn’t that exactly what Mu Shuangshuang hoped for too!

But men, once they’ve gone off to fight, naturally are thinking of military merit and making a name that shakes the four corners!

If all they wanted was simple safety, why go risk themselves in camp?

But those things weren’t suitable to say to Fu Xiaonan.

"By the way, your father isn’t pressuring you, is he?" Mu Shuangshuang asked.

Fu Xiaonan wasn’t that young anymore, a year older than Mu Shuangshuang.

Mu Shuangshuang was sixteen this year, Fu Xiaonan seventeen. In other households in Er Gui Village, by that age either the match would already be set, or even the child betrothal arranged.

"No, they’re waiting for Beichen to come back too! You know my situation. Ever since that thing with Brother Qingshan and me happened, no one’s been willing to come propose.

The ones willing to come are either ugly and crooked, or just eyeing my father’s money! My father himself said people like that are better not married at all!"

Fu Xiaonan had been dragged down miserably by that childhood fiancé.

If he’d simply broken the engagement with Xiao Nan, that would’ve been one thing. But he even brought another woman to their house, then ended up trapped up in the mountains, making the whole thing known to everyone!

"It’s fine, it’s just those people being blind, not knowing how precious a pearl you are. It’s Beichen who’s got good eyes!"

With that one sentence, Mu Shuangshuang praised Fu Xiaonan and Xing Beichen both.

Fu Xiaonan listened and felt happy.

Without realizing it, they’d walked to the courtyard gate. Yu Dahai had already gotten down from the carriage and was looking around.

Seeing Mu Shuangshuang, he finally let out a breath.

"You moved into the new house, I almost went to the wrong place just now!" Yu Dahai said.

As he spoke, he helped people down from the carriage.

First the pregnant Xiuxiu, then Wang Guilan, then his wife Chunxing!

The rest were all kids—no need for Yu Dahai to help, they all jumped down themselves.

"I only found out about moving to the new house last night, and ended up getting into a clash with someone in the middle of the night!" Mu Shuangshuang said apologetically.

"A clash? You alright?" Xiuxiu came up, face full of worry, and asked!