Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 324 - 323: Recognizing Each Other

Chapter 324: Chapter 323: Recognizing Each Other

After finishing hot pot, Chu Lingxuan accompanied Afu to Silver Tower to purchase some jewelry and ornaments, and had Luo Yuan buy some local delicacies and specialties from Capital City. They had basically purchased everything needed for their return to their hometown.

However, if Six-finger Wang really was connected to Wang Cheng, they would not be able to return to their hometown on the scheduled date of the 21st.

That night, Afu spent it anxiously waiting.

Early the next morning, Afu made a lot of egg tarts again. This time, she didn’t use mangoes. There were only a few mangoes left, which she planned to take back to Tang Garden. She made Thousand-Layer Pastry Egg Tarts, and added some raisins for a different flavor.

She made rather a lot. Besides feeding the family, she sent forty to the Empress Dowager and another twenty to the Royal Rui. However, she did not send any to Mrs. Li. Since she had already torn her face with Mrs. Li, Afu no longer treated her politely. Afu was the rightful mistress of the Inner Courtyard of Marquis’ Mansion. She wouldn’t let a concubine bully her.

After finishing, she started packing again. If Six-finger Wang wasn’t connected to Wang Cheng, they would leave the Capital City tomorrow afternoon. They would stay overnight at Tong County and take a boat back to Dingzhou early the next day.

In the late morning, the scouts sent to investigate the situation returned. Not only did they return, but they also brought along Six-Finger Wang. Chu Lingxuan had them report directly to him at the Bamboo Pavilion.

There was a shield set up in the hall. Chu Lingxuan received the two men outside the shield, while Afu hid and spied from the other side of the screen.

The moment the soldierly Six-finger Wang stepped in following the scouts, tears started streaming down Afu’s face. She was certain that this man was her uncle Wang Cheng. He strongly resembled Mrs. Wang and Chen Alu. Even though he had a short beard, his physical features were very clear. His eyes were not big, slightly narrowed, his nose was straight, his lips were thin, and he was lean and slight.

Six-finger Wang had no idea why he was summoned to meet General Chu at the Marquis’ Mansion and was immensely nervous. As soon as he entered, he wanted to kneel, but Chu Huai, who knew of Wang Cheng’s possible identity, quickly stopped him from doing so.

Chu Lingxuan asked Six-finger Wang to sit down and served him tea. He said in a kindly tone, "Don’t be nervous. A relative of mine thinks you resemble someone she knew and asked me to help her confirm." He then asked, "What’s your name? How old are you? Where’s your hometown?"

Six-finger Wang quickly got up and clasped his hands together in response, but Chu Lingxuan asked him to sit down and reply.

Six-finger Wang said, "My name is Wang Cheng. I am thirty-two years old. My hometown is Xiaoli Village in Yi’an County, under the jurisdiction of Yongzhou Mansion in Jibei Province. I was sold there when I was a child, and as I was so young, I have forgotten where my real hometown was. I only remember my name is Wang Cheng, but my foster father named me Li Gousheng. Nineteen years ago, during the war with the Western Regions, I joined the army and went to the frontlines. My foster family was very cruel to me, so as soon as I entered the camp, I changed my name back to Wang Cheng..."

Before he could finish speaking, sobs of a woman could be heard from behind the screen.

Chu Lingxuan was also moved. Without a doubt, this Wang Cheng was Afu’s real uncle. He stood up and said, "Afu, come out."

Sobbing, Afu walked out and said to a stunned Six-finger Wang, "Uncle, my mother’s name was Wang Juanniang, and I’m your niece, Afu."

Upon hearing the name of his sister, Wang Cheng also started crying. He choked out, "You’re my sister’s daughter? My god, what an incredible coincidence. My sister was the kindest to me when I was little...I can only remember three things from when I was little - I was named Wang Cheng, my sister Juanniang was an indentured daughter-in-law, and my sister called me ’little brother’... In memory of my sister, I gave my son the name Wang Xiaodi...I’ve always wanted to save enough money to go back to Xiaoli Village to ask my foster family about my origins and find my sister. But I am incompetent and haven’t been able to save much..."

Wang Cheng continued to babble through his sobbing, his words occasionally becoming garbled. But Afu understood everything and cried even harder. Chu Lingxuan patted her back to comfort her.

The servants brought a basin and the two of them cleaned their faces, then started to chat again.

Afu told him about Mrs. Wang’s recent situation. Wang Cheng, hearing his sister was doing well and that his niece had married the heir to the Marquis’ Mansion, started crying tears of joy.

After that, Wang Cheng gave a brief account of his life over the past years.

Nineteen years ago, he joined the army. Despite being young, he had suffered much hardship from a young age and had experienced all sorts of work. He had even learned blacksmithing, developing fast reflexes and quick movements. Therefore, he had been assigned to the scout battalion.

Afu knew that scouts were akin to spies or special forces in her previous world.

Wang Cheng, being born to sorrow and having no worry of leaving any family behind, was brave and daring, and not afraid of death. He had earned some minor military merits. Two years later, he was dispatched to perform a particularly important mission. They had got wind that a prince from the enemy country was coming to the frontlines to comfort the enemy army, including information about his route and timing. The mission was to assassinate the prince.

Before they left, his commander, General Zhao, told him to do well; if he returned from the mission, he would be promoted.

In fact, they were a suicide mission squad. To avoid attracting the enemy’s attention, the team was made up of only fifty members. Even if by some miracle they could complete the mission with heavy casualties, not many would survive the return trip.

Wang Cheng was nevertheless excited. He thought that even if he died, being promoted after the mission would mean that his foster family wouldn’t dare to bother him anymore. He could ask about his original home and provide assistance to his sister upon grandly returning to his hometown, as he knew that life as an indentured daughter-in-law was difficult.

They secretly entered enemy territory and ambushed in a forest that the prince was sure to pass. When the prince rode past, they, hidden in the trees, simultaneously shot their arrows, turning the prince into a sieve.

The prince’s escort consisted of hundreds of men. They were vastly outnumbered. In the end, only a few, including Wang Cheng, managed to escape, albeit severely injured. Wang Cheng, having lost half of his hand and suffering multiple injuries elsewhere, fainted as soon as he returned to the camp.

When he woke up, General Zhao with great embarrassment told him that their mission had been very successful and that Marshal Ye was very pleased. He said he wanted to heavily reward the few who had returned. However, due to his severe injuries and the fact that they thought he could not make it, his military merits were claimed by someone else, a person with a very large influence whom they could not afford to offend.

Originally, that man had told General Zhao that, whether Wang Cheng was dead or not, he was to ensure his death. Out of pity, General Zhao arranged for Wang Cheng to be transferred to another barracks far away, where he would take on a role of feeding horses due to his disability.

Wang Cheng, a straightforward man, knew himself to be no match for these officials and did not want to cause trouble for General Zhao, so he kept his ordeal to himself. Because he was diligent, the horses he took care of were healthy and rarely fell ill, thus he stayed on in the army. Even when the war ended, his superior officer was reluctant to let him go home. He later follwoed the army to this location when they changed posts.

He had always wanted to save up and return home to ask about his origins, which was why he had not sought out a wife. But nine years ago, when he was twenty-three, he saw Mrs. Wu being harassed by someone.

He saved Mrs. Wu, and in gratitude, she boldly confessed her feelings to him and offered herself. Seeing that she was skilled in embroidery, which reminded him of his sister, he agreed to marry her...