Peace Order
Chapter 623 - 52: Under the Sound of Iron Cavalry, Seeing Breaking Army Again

Chapter 623: Chapter 52: Under the Sound of Iron Cavalry, Seeing Breaking Army Again

When Li Guanyi and Shaking Light found her,

Xu Huilan was washing clothes by the downstream area, using a wooden board with protrusions and indentations. After soaking the clothes, she placed them on the board, added some stain-removing plants, and then beat them with a wooden stick.

Finally, she mashed the stain-removing fruit completely and rubbed vigorously with her hands.

Yuan Zhi, in his mouth, the gentle and beautiful woman had much rougher hands now, her palms were unnaturally red from being soaked in water for a long time. When she saw Li Guanyi and Shaking Light approaching, she looked puzzled for a moment.

The young man bowed slightly with a smile, "My surname is Li, a disciple of Confucianism, under Master Wang Tong, a friend of Yuan Zhi. He knew I was coming here, so he asked me to bring some things for you."

Xu Huilan was stunned for a moment, dropping the things in her hands into the water without caring, abruptly sitting up and then taking a few steps forward before stopping. She wiped her hands on her clothes, her eyes slightly reddening, as she said:

"That boy Yuan Zhi, why has it taken so long to hear from him?"

Li Guanyi looked at Xu Huilan, "Yuan Zhi has always been writing to you."

"He works in the Academy copying books, earning some money, and has also sent money back to you. Haven’t you received it?"

Stunned, Xu Huilan then seemed to realize something, and gritted her teeth, "It must be that Mr. Zhao... The messengers, they all know him! He, he has been intercepting Yuan Zhi’s letters."

She lifted her hand to wipe the tears from the corner of her eyes, but with a smile, she said softly, "But, it’s alright. I thought Yuan Zhi had forgotten his mother, but no, it’s alright..."

She looked up, appearing to be in her forties, but seemed even older and more fatigued. Her hair was tied up, with strands of silver peeking through, still smiling:

"Come, you’ve made the journey here, come inside and sit!"

"I also want to ask about Yuan Zhi, how he has been these past ten years."

Li Guanyi took the heavy wooden tub and clothes from Xu Huilan’s hands, and on returning, a man with one leg broken was sitting there, his fingers thick, weaving a bamboo basket, his hair hoary, his face bearing a bitter expression, yet his movements were fast.

This was Yuan Zhi’s uncle, Xu Yunxia.

A hot-tempered man, who knew a bit of swordsmanship, Yuan Zhi’s martial arts skills initially came from him.

Knowing that Yuan Zhi hadn’t disappeared and had been writing all these years, and likewise suspecting it was Mr. Zhao’s doing, Li Guanyi recorded everything in his notebook.

With a warm smile, he then went to cook as Xu Huilan and Xu Yunxia’s family was poor.

However, Li Guanyi and Shaking Light had brought many things; the man asked his wife and sister to cook, then using only one leg and leaning on a wooden staff, he went to gather wild vegetables and vine spinach from the yard, shelling the seeds to make a soup.

"This is from the wind, unknown from where, but it’s also a treat..."

Xu Yunxia hesitated and then asked, "How has Yuan Zhi been recently? All these years, he hasn’t returned, probably because our letters were also suppressed by that Mr. Zhao."

"His nature is forthright, probably thinking we believe he’s useless, not letting him return..."

Xu Yunxia fell silent for a moment, then said, "In this world, which parents wouldn’t want their child to be safe? Look at my sister..." he turned, watching the woman cooking the soup, softly said:

"It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her smile."

"Since the child left, and I became like this, she seems only to have caring for me and waiting for Yuan Zhi’s return supporting her survival. For ten years with no news, everyone thought Yuan Zhi was dead, but she wouldn’t accept it."

"There was a witch who said Yuan Zhi had passed away, become a restless ghost, and she should buy a memorial tablet for a spirit-invocation ceremony, but my sister drove her out with a beating, yet she came back and still cried, gasping for breath..."

Xu Yunxia said, "In this world, which mother doesn’t love her children?"

Li Guanyi agreed, placing his hand over his heart, thinking of that gentle woman, while Shaking Light next to him remained silent; their parents had very shallow connections.

Xu Yunxia, unaware of these things, continued, "Just having his message back makes her so happy, why doesn’t he return himself?"

Xu Yunxia lowered his voice, hesitating, "Could it be that he encountered some trouble? Or has he not made something of himself? What does that matter?" He leaned forward, adding, "Being a man, a moment of hardship means nothing."

"If not, come home."

"Which parents would disdain their own child for not being successful? Coming back, even if we just eat vine spinach soup together, it’s enough; what is he alone outside?"

Li Guanyi smiled in response, "Yuan Zhi is doing well, he’s now achieving his ambitions, so he’s too busy to leave, which is why he sent me to help. He too hopes to reunite with you all."

"I am also willing to help him."

Xu Yunxia relaxed, saying softly:

"Is that so, that’s good, that’s good..."

Xu Huilan brought out many bowls and plates, but their house didn’t have many utensils; the items remained simple. The bacon Li Guanyi brought was cut and steamed, placed in a bowl, Xu Yunxia walked over, calling his grandson closer.

Then he gave a piece of the meat to him. Xu Yunxia’s son had died young, his daughter-in-law had left for another place, leaving this grandson behind. Xu Yunxia placed the meat in the grandson’s mouth; the child swallowed it in a few bites, clearly enjoying it as he licked his lips afterward.