Guoguo's shout drew the entire house outside. Liu Tong was the first to hear him. He immediately stopped what he was doing and dashed to the door when he heard the word "Guoguo."
Guoguo shouted loudly, so everyone else also heard him. They ran out one after another. When they arrived at the door, they were greeted by Guoguo, who was standing there with a horse. Guoguo smiled and exclaimed, "I'm back," when he saw them.
Liu Tong was unable to restrain himself. With teary eyes, he went over and embraced Guoguo in his arms. He embraced Guoguo tightly and repeated Guoguo's name. It had been nearly three years since they'd seen Guoguo. Guoguo had grown up and was now almost as tall as Liu Tong.
Guoguo held his Daddy and patted him on the back gently. He didn't cry, but was echoing with Liu Tong, and saying, "I'm back."
That made Liu Tong realize that Guoguo was back for real.
Liu Tong was not the only one who was affected by the situation, and the others were no better. Guoguo noticed his Dad, who refused to yield to anything, turning aside and assumed his eyes had gotten crimson as well. Baozi and Tangtang, on the other hand, were not acting reservedly at all. They hurried to Guoguo's side and took him in their arms.
The other ones who rushed to Guoguo's sides were the Zhuo family, who were muttering, "It's great that you're back." They kept repeating these words.
Guoguo had envisioned how glad his family would be when he returned, but he had not anticipated them being so happy and anticipating his return. They had been waiting a long time for him to return home.
They had been standing at the door for a while before Zhuo Yun said, "Let's go inside the room first! Guoguo must be tired from traveling so far. Let him eat and have a rest first."
"Okay, okay," Liu Tong pulled Guoguo into the house while the others followed closely behind. At last, only Xu Ran was left alone, standing outside.
It took some time for Xu Ran to return to reality and realize that he was alone. He was a little helpless, but his face was bright with a smile. His son had returned, and the family had been reunited once more. Xu Ran entered the house after taking a quick look at the surroundings outside.
Liu Tong had remained by Guoguo's side in the room, refusing to move a step away from him. Qin Shuwen even prepared the lunch. Baozi rarely left Qingshu alone because he hadn't seen his brother in a long time. Xu Ran had already informed Baozi that his brother had gone on an errand and would not return for a long. Baozi, on the other hand, had no idea that this task would take nearly three years, and since he was no longer that stupid and uneducated boy who accepted whatever Xu Ran said, he could easily assume why Guoguo had been away for so long.
As a result, Baozi had been bugging Guoguo about the reason for his disappearance at the time. At this same moment, Xu Ran entered the room. When he heard Baozi's question, he was equally curious as to why Guoguo had vanished without a trace.
As for what had happened at that time, besides Xu Ran and Baozi, everyone else also wanted to know about it. Among them, the most curious one was Tangtang.
Tangtang stared nervously at Guoguo, waiting for his answer.
Guoguo couldn't help but smile when he noticed everyone's puzzled expressions before gently replying, "Actually, I was dragged into that pit at the time. Tangtang, you must be familiar with the pit. It was smack dab in the center of the forest. We didn't know anything about it at first, and I got caught in it while fleeing. Then I was transported to another location. I had no idea what had happened to those barbarians. They appeared to be falling down with me, but I didn't notice. There was a river below. I was able to survive by falling into the river. I had no idea what had happened to them after that."
After listening to Guoguo's words, Tangtang said, "Those 100 barbarians died in that pit. It was when their corpses had decayed that we found that out. Now that I heard what you said, it seems that there's more to that pit."
Guoguo nodded. "Exactly. Otherwise, there would have been more people falling into that river along with me once we fell down into that pit together."
"Well then, Guoguo, where have you been for the past few years? Why, despite my best efforts, have I been unable to find you? I requested that King Yan explore every inch of Yanzhou, and he even dispatched personnel to the barbarians' territory."
Guoguo blushed awkwardly when he heard Xu Ran's question. He had to clarify that he was already married if he wished to respond to this query. Shanwai Muya was about five months pregnant at the time, but his family had no idea.
Guoguo paused for a time before telling them what had happened in the Shanwai Clan. He would feel guilty if he didn't tell them about it. After all, it wasn't as if he didn't care about Shanwai Muya.
The entire family was taken aback after hearing Guoguo's account of what had occurred in the Shanwai Clan, for none of them had anticipated Guoguo to marry...
The room fell silent, and no one said a word. Guoguo was shy while the others were astonished.
In the end, Tangtang taunted, "I'm your elder brother. How can you get married before me?" Tangtang broke the ice.
Guoguo replied bluntly, "Back then, you told me to give it a try and I would know about it. Now that I've tried, it feels great. So, you can also marry someone now. Look, even our little Baozi has someone he likes."
Tangtang shifted his gaze to Baozi, who sat on the other side of him, and then to Qingshu, who sat next to Baozi. Finally, he took a look around and realized he was the last bachelor remaining. He was speechless in the face of Guoguo's taunt.
Because of the twins' conversation, the mood was enlivened. Guoguo was interrogated by Xu Ran, "You stated that you were allowed to return because your spouse was pregnant, and that this was the reason you were able to depart. Do you intend to return? Are you going to have another child and leave him or her in Shanwai Clan while you two return, or are you going to stay by your spouse's side in that place for the rest of your life?"
Guoguo heard Xu Ran's question and a saying popped into his mind: What will be will be.
It wasn't that he hadn't considered this topic before, but no matter how many times he did, he couldn't find an answer. He couldn't leave his father and brothers alone, and he couldn't leave his spouse and baby alone, either. It wouldn't work no matter which side he took. He was in a pickle right now.
Guoguo shook his head. "I don't know, Dad. No matter whose side I take, it's not going to work, and I can't figure out a perfect solution."
It was a dilemma, but Xu Ran had already received an answer after hearing Guoguo's words. He was well aware of his child's personality. Furthermore, Guoguo adored his wife. It wasn't that his spouse didn't want to go back with him; it was just that he couldn't.
Xu Ran sighed, "There will be no way out unless the clan rule changes. You can't leave right away now that you've returned. First, take some time off at home! Next spring, your brother will take the imperial examination in the capital city. You are not need to accompany him if you are willing to take the provincial exams. If not, accompany your brother to the capital city. When this problem is resolved, I will accompany you to Shanwai Clan to explore. You must strategize for reuniting with your family. Okay, eat something and then retire to the upper level to relax."
Xu Ran then whisked Liu Tong away. Qin Shuwen presented the delicacies to Guoguo and allowed him to eat them. He told Guoguo to eat well before leaving with Zhuo Yun. Baozi pulled Qingshu away so he wouldn't bother his brother while he was eating. Only Tangtang, the solitary bachelor, remained at the end.
Guoguo picked up the bowl, looked at Tangtang, who was staring at him, and asked, "Brother, why aren't you leaving? Don't worry. Now that I'm back, I won't disappear for no reason again."
Tangtang spread out his hands and said helplessly, "Because no one takes me away!"
When Guoguo heard Tangtang's words, he felt a pang of sympathy for his brother. The rest of the family was paired up, and he had someone in mind to miss, but only his sad brother had no idea who he was missing.
Guoguo patted Tangtang on the shoulder seriously, "Brother, rest assured! It's only a matter of time before you find someone you like."
Tangtang slapped his hand away. "I'm not in a hurry at all. I'm just worried that no one will talk to me in the future."
"Brother, don't worry! You are, after all, my brother. Even if it's out of pity, I'll talk to you. You're also about to leave for the imperial examination in the capital city. If you can't find the perfect person in the town, you'll have to look in the big city. Perhaps you'll return with someone else."
Tangtang rolled his eyes. "What nonsense are you talking? I don't want to get married so early. Otherwise, I will definitely have some scruples when I become a government officer in the future. You'd better mind your own business!" After that, Tangtang stood up and left.
Guoguo shrugged behind him, and then kept on having his meal.
But before long, Guoguo was suddenly hugged by someone. "Guoguo, it's great that you're back."
Guoguo's heart melted into water uncontrollably. He hugged the person behind him and whispered into his ear, "Brother, I'm back, so don't blame yourself anymore."
Guoguo decided not to take the provincial examination for Juren but to go to Beijing with Tangtang instead.
The journey from Xu Village to Beijing took at least a month. Tangtang's entire family would be concerned if he went there alone. They didn't have any relatives or acquaintances in the capital, after all. Tangtang had never been separated from his father or mother since he was a child. He had traveled to the Yanzhou Residence with his entire family, which was the farthest he had ever traveled.
Therefore, he could not be allowed to go to the capital alone.
Xu Ran had planned to join Tangtang to the capital before Guoguo returned. It was good for him to leave this duty to Guoguo now that he was back. The brothers were skilled in martial arts and should not have been mistreated in this manner. It was also terrific practice for them when no adults were present.
After returning from Beijing in April of the following year, the two brothers would travel to Yanzhou to welcome Guoguo's wife and children home.
He could potentially take a break after that. When it came to the fact that Tangtang was still unmarried despite being the elder brother, Xu Ran decided to let him handle it on his own. If he met the proper person, he would marry them if they were compatible. He'd be alone if he couldn't find the one he adored. Xu Ran, on the other hand, believed that he had no issues to this.
He and Liu Tong had talked about such things after their children had grown up a long time ago. Liu Tong used to say that he wasn't like a dad. How could a dad interact with his children in such a way?
Xu Ran was unconcerned about it. He recognized that a case like Tangtang's was common in today's society. What if Tangtang ran away from home after he was forced to marry? He'd then turn to no one for assistance. Liu Tong couldn't argue with Xu Ran since he sounded so reasonable. Instead, he could only sigh helplessly.
The village was alive with noise and enthusiasm when Guoguo returned. The village quickly returned to normal. The residents resumed their daily routines. And this tranquility continued until the arrival of the Spring Festival.
Xu Ran and the other seniors were particularly interested in the upcoming Spring Festival because their family had not had such a joyous reunion on the new year's eve in two years. As a result, specific items for the Spring Festival had to be stored at home ahead of time.
Food for the Spring Festival was being made furiously from December 23rd to New Year's Eve.
Liu Tong and Qin Shuwen were responsible for getting the food ready, while the others were responsible for eating and enjoying them.
Xu Ran brought the entire Qin family over on the eve of the lunar New Year. He thought it would be difficult for them to return this year, so they should all enjoy the festival together.
The grownups at the dinner table were discussing their issues, while the children were sharing theirs. Those who were married or unmarried gathered together to discuss their concerns.
When the grownups learned that Tangtang and Guoguo would be traveling to Beijing for the imperial examination after the new year, they couldn't help but warn them to be cautious. The person who was most frequently admonished was not Tangtang, the test's protagonist, but Guoguo, who had only gone to Beijing for company.
Guoguo was troubled by this, but he realized that the adults were acting in good faith. As a result, all he could do was listen intently while nodding his head to express his agreement and obedience. But it was seeing his brother sniggering at him from the side that made him really unhappy....
Guoguo was in despair at that moment. He had hoped that Tangtang could help him get rid of the adults' gossips.
Xu Ran took the team to the New Year's Eve family supper after lunch. They had never had such an important meal since they left Xu Village for Yanzhou. Their families were not unified when they returned from Yanzhou, so they believed there was no atmosphere for New Year's Eve at the time.
This time, however, everyone was home, so it was time for them to enjoy the traditional feast for the the special eve.
This time, there were a lot of kids, and they formed a large group. Xu Ran delegated leadership to Tangtang, Guoguo, Baozi, and Qingshu, who each brought a few people to water the orchards' fruit trees.
It was a new year, and everything should be fine.
This Spring Festival went by in a flash. They appeared to have only visited a few families and had not yet received many red packets, and the festival was finished. They left in mid-January to attend the test at the beginning of March. They were a month late in arriving. When they arrived, they would look for a place to live, eat, familiarize themselves with the area, and recruit a few prospects who had also attended the Spring Test.
The cost of living in the capital could not be compared to the cost of living at home. As a result, Xu Ran offered Tangtang a thousand taels in silver notes and informed him, "You'll have to save aside the money you won't be able to spend. You'll have to sort it out yourselves if it's not enough for you two. You can't starve yourself, anyway." In any event, a thousand taels of silver should be a substantial sum. Even in the capital, this kind of money was sufficient to support a typical family for a lifetime.
Tangtang looked at the silver notes in his hand and said to Xu Ran, "Dad, we can't spend so much money. A total of 100 taels will be quite enough for us. Guoguo and I will never starve ourselves."
Xu Ran , however, insisted, "Take it! When you're away from home, money is important. I'm not convinced you'll be able to make money on your own this time. It is critical that you do not face any difficulties on your journey. Also, remember not to be bullied by others. You have to remmeber what Dad has taught you and take care of yourselves, okay? "
Tangtang nodded, "Dad, I know. Don't worry. We won't be bullied."
Xu Ran patted him on the shoulder, "I am glad if you can take good care of yourselves."
At last, on January the eighteenth, Tangtang and Guoguo started their trip to the capital city. Hearing that they two were leaving for the imperial examination, all the villagers came to see them off.
For a long time, there had been no Xiucai in this village. Xu Ran and his two sons were later given formal titles. In the village thus far, there have been two Xiucais and one Juren.
The villagers predicted that they would soon have a Gongshi and possibly a high-ranking official in their midst. They felt more proud and superior to people living in the nearby villages as a result of this.
Of course, neither Tangtang nor Guoguo had any idea what the peasants were thinking, but they were delighted to see them arrive.
After bidding farewell, they both finally left home.
The two brothers slowly drove the carriage while sitting out at the door of the carriage talking..
Guoguo asked Tangtang, "Bro, what did Dad tell you before we left? You both looked mysterious."
Tangtang didn't try to hide it from Guoguo. He said, "If we have any problems, Dad has requested me to find someone in the capital. He works for the Ministry of Work as a minister. He is just in his twenties, according to reports. He used to contribute to our uncle's estate. This person, according to Dad, is a decent official as well as a capable person. As a result, he believes this person will be able to assist us in a timely manner.."
Guoguo waved his hand carelessly, "Dad thinks too much. We will behave ourselves and take our exams peacefully, after which we will come back safe and sound. How can we meet any trouble?"
Tangtang knocked Guoguo on the head, "Are you silly because of these two years' staying outside? This time, I am going to the Test for Gongshi, the top ten of whom can participate in the Hall Test. Those who pass the Hall Test will get their official positions in the government.
Guoguo thought about it carefully and realized that it was indeed the case. Still he was a little unhappy, "Isn't it that we're going to stay there for a long time in this way? If you can become a government official, when can you go back? Dad has planned to go to Yanzhou in April."
Tangtang shook his head, "I'm not sure about it either. I don't know what will be going on with the test. I am also not sure whether I'll be an official in the capital or a local official."
Guoguo felt he couldn't continue talking about Yanzhou's business because his elder brother was in a difficult situation. He just stated, "Don't overthink it, bro. You are free to act as a government or local official. The capital is not distant from Xu Village. If you end up in the capital in the future, Dad and Daddy can visit you for a few months when they are not otherwise occupied. In any case, life will continue to be the same for all of us."
Tangtang nodded, "I don't know anything yet. Let's talk about it later! By the way, what about you? You've already have your own children, but you can't stay at home forever! Dad used to say that the family property will belong to Baozi and we'll have nothing to do with it, if you want to support yourself and your family, you must find something to do."
Guoguo felt a little embarrassed after hearing Tangtang's words. He stated plainly, "I'm not sure what I'm going to do about it yet. After becoming a martial Zhuangyuan, I intended to go to war. I want to have a steady life now that I'm married and have children. But I'm not willing to give up my ambition. After my spouse and children return home, I plan to travel to the northwest. That place has always been a battleground, and I'm confident I'll always be able to find a spot there."
Tangtang praised, "It's great that you came up with your own idea. Dad always motivates us to achieve our goals. Your partner and children will not be a burden to you. Dad, like Daddy and the rest of our family, has never thought of us as a burden, and we shouldn't either."
Guoguo turned his gaze to the distance far away, "I know and I'll always remember what Dad has said. I will think about it. You should consider that as well, brother. I am confident that we will always be able to come up with an acceptable solution."
Tangtang nodded and directed his gaze in the same direction as Guoguo. There were mountains that seemed to go on forever.
Their carriage slowly moved forward, heading towards the place of dreams, towards the place of hope, and towards the place of love.
11.10.21