Chapter 830: Falsely Claiming Gratitude for Saving a Life

In the evening, Mrs. Min was taken away by the Mighty General.

Old Mrs. Huang was escorted back to the Lu Mansion by Jingzhe.

Mrs. Su and Pandie returned to their room.

He Chao returned from the shop at the hour of lighting the lamps, indicating that West Street had been cleared and would reopen on the sixteenth of the first lunar month.

The chaos of last night seemed like a dream.

The market returned to its bustling state.

Some people’s lives remained unaffected, while others experienced earth-shattering changes.

Some families went out joyously to enjoy the lanterns, only to be torn apart by the rebellion of the Fifth Prince.

It truly was an undeserved calamity.

And those who are alive can only continue living.

The emperor has aged, and as long as the next new emperor has not ascended, there may be more upheavals.

Tong Huaqiong certainly does not wish for such rebellions to happen again or multiple times; once is enough, even though she was not directly involved in the turmoil, the fear and panic were real.

She does not want to experience it again.

Moreover, Nie Xiaofeng, Su Chengmin, and Mr. Su are real people around her; although she didn’t see their fierce battle with the rebels last night, it surely must have been thrilling.

If any of them actually died at the hands of the rebels, it would likely become a lifelong shadow for the Gu Family.

Thus it’s said better to be a dog in times of peace than a person in chaotic times.

Of course, being able to return to modern times would be even better.

Thinking this way, it was time for dinner.

Su Chengmin arrived at the Gu Family before dinner, and when Gu Taohua saw him, her eyes reddened.

It was said that last night, Su Shihang was captured and hacked by the rebel army, when Su Chengmin happened to pass by and rescued his father from the rebels’ blades.

Su Shihang was injured and fainted; even after all the rebels were exterminated, Su Shihang didn’t regain consciousness.

“Consider it repaying his kindness of upbringing; henceforth, I owe him nothing,” Su Chengmin said.

Su Chengmin was kept for dinner.

Everyone shared the same thoughts; the usually relaxed dinner atmosphere was somewhat heavy today.

The dinner table lacked Fan Tong and Gu Honglian.

Tong Huaqiong ordered someone to send food to Gu Honglian’s room.

The maid delivered it but did not see Gu Honglian, only Fan Tong was in the house.

The cook said that Fan Tong wanted chicken soup noodles, and Gu Honglian personally went to the kitchen to cook.

Upon hearing this, Tong Huaqiong casually let them be.

“Husband, the noodles are here.”

Gu Honglian served the chicken soup noodles she made herself to Fan Tong.

Fan Tong took a bite and then put down his chopsticks.

His face showed a hint of disdain.

Gu Honglian asked in surprise, “What’s wrong? Doesn’t it taste good?”

Since arriving at the Gu Family, Gu Honglian started learning to cook to avoid her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, and a bowl of delicious chicken noodle soup was easy for her.

When Fan Tong returned from Yan Guan Town’s private school, she would stew chicken to make soup noodles, which he always devoured eagerly. How come he expressed dislike here in Shengjing?

Could it be that the food at the elder brother’s house has spoiled him?

Fan Tong sighed and said, “No appetite.”

Gu Honglian said, “You haven’t eaten for a day and night, how can you not have an appetite? Are you disliking my cooking skills?”

Fan Tong pushed the bowl away and said, “I’ve been looking for you all day and night; I’m very tired.”

Of course he had an appetite.

It was simply that he was already full.

But he couldn’t tell Gu Honglian the truth; he couldn’t reveal that he had gained favor with influential people just yet.

Gu Honglian was about to get angry, but upon hearing Fan Tong’s words, she softened and said, “Then wash and sleep.”

Fan Tong lay on the bed.

This room was indeed warm.

But it was too small, and the furnishings were simple; it was the worst room in the Gu Family.

No matter, soon he would move out of this room.

Speaking of last night’s thrilling experience, he had to thank the Fifth Prince; without the rebellion, he wouldn’t have encountered such an unexpected opportunity.

Last night, when he let go of Gu Honglian’s hand and fled in the opposite direction.

He ran into a group of bandits who were robbing people; the person being robbed claimed to be Prince Ning’s Chief Historian, saying if they robbed him, there would be no good outcome.

Those bandits said Prince Ning’s guests must have money, and they were targeting the Chief Historian.

Anyway, in the dark night, nothing could be seen clearly, and with the entire city plunged into chaos, the Chief Historian without protection was like a fat sheep in the hands of desperadoes.

To the crowd passing in a hurry, the Chief Historian shouted that anyone who would save him would surely be greatly rewarded.

But everyone was only concerned with their own escape, and no one dared to intervene, besides who would believe Prince Ning’s Chief Historian would venture out alone on the night of the fifteenth.

One of the bandits hit the Chief Historian down with a stick, and robbed him of all his jade pendants, gold, silver, and thick clothing, then swaggered away.

The Chief Historian fainted on the snowy ground, his blood coloring the snow red.

Fan Tong hid behind a tree, frightened and not daring to make a sound.

A passerby noticed an injured person lying on the snow, took off his thick clothing, covered the chief historian with it, and placed two buns next to the chief historian.

By the latter half of the night, when there were no more passersby in the alley, Fan Tong saw the Chief Historian struggling to stand up by the light of the moon and snow.

Fan Tong walked over and supported the Chief Historian.

The Chief Historian, seeing the thick clothing on him and the buns beside him, assumed Fan Tong had saved him.

Fan Tong claimed the lifesaving credit.

The Chief Historian gave him a nearby address, asking Fan Tong to help him get there.

Fan Tong was overjoyed, thinking it was the Prince Ning Mansion, but after helping the man, he found out it was a three-entrance courtyard, his private residence.

Fan Tong felt disappointed.

Once home, his servants called for a doctor, and Fan Tong, as the savior, received guest treatment.

Learning that Fan Tong was a scholar from Ning City, who had repeatedly failed the countryside exams due to bad luck, and had come to Shengjing seeking opportunities, the Chief Historian promised to take care of Fan Tong’s future.

Fan Tong was secretly pleased but deliberately pretended not to know the Chief Historian’s identity.

The Chief Historian personally told Fan Tong he was a close confidant of Prince Ning and that Fan Tong could henceforth rely on the Prince Ning Mansion through him, promising to recommend him to Prince Ning at the first opportunity.

To be connected with Prince Ning was something Fan Tong dared not even dream of, yet it came true on the night of the fifteenth.

Fan Tong stayed at the Chief Historian’s house until peace was restored before returning.

Fan Tong lay on the bed with a smile.

No wonder ambitious people gather in Shengjing to pursue their future; Shengjing indeed offers many opportunities, allowing one to easily find a benefactor.

As for whether taking credit for saving someone unnerved him, holding the belief that the heavens destroy those who are not self-serving, Fan Tong wasn’t unnerved at all but instead felt smug.

Gu Honglian saw the smile on Fan Tong’s face and felt happy as well, although she didn’t know why Fan Tong was so pleased.

After extinguishing the light, Gu Honglian climbed into bed and snuggled close to Fan Tong.

Fan Tong felt Gu Honglian’s soft body and immediately shifted away.

Gu Honglian asked displeased, “What’s wrong, husband?”

Fan Tong’s mouth curved into a cold sneer.

Gu Honglian’s screams in the alley echoed in his ears.

What happened in that alley, he didn’t need to imagine; he knew all too well.

Yet Gu Honglian thought he didn’t know, foolishly trying to conceal things from him.

Since he had attached himself to Prince Ning, a life of wealth and glory was inevitable, and he had no desire to tolerate Gu Honglian any longer.