The old matriarch shed tears of emotion. Nodding, she opened the pendant. Inside was a small piece of cloth. Since it had been wrapped inside for a long time and never taken out, it wasn't damaged, just very old. The old matriarch carefully unfolded the cloth, on which there were drawn talismans.
"I went to the Anfo Temple to pray to the Buddha. I casually put this inside and hung it around your Third Uncle's neck. He refused gold and silver and only accepted this. He told me... told me that he was sorry for me... You, did you see your Third Uncle?"
Gu Chengzhi was a bit dazed. It took him a while to react. He suddenly got up and said, "Grandmother, I didn't see Third Uncle, but I think I saw Third Uncle's daughter."
The old matriarch asked, "Your Third Uncle, he..."
Gu Chengzhi took the amulet and said, "It's the new daughter of Lady Jiang, Gu Liyue. There's a high chance this amulet is hers. Today I asked them to get off the carriage. I accidentally saw it on the ground. I just picked it up casually, thinking I'd ask them later whose it was. But then there were so many things going on that I forgot about it."
The old matriarch couldn't hold back her tears and sobbed, "Gu Liyue, Liyue... A tree of pear blossoms and a stream of moonlight. I don't know to whom they belong tonight. Your Third Uncle must be missing us and his hometown."
Gu Zhongxian was also stunned. He looked at the amulet in his mother's hand and asked, "Is this really Third Brother's? But if it really is Third Brother's, then why... Why didn't he come back? And wasn't it said before that his wife couldn't have children? How could they have a daughter? And why did Third Brother let his daughter become someone else's daughter?"
Gu Chengzhi thought of Gu Liyue's background and felt a bit sad. Her parents were already gone. If she was really his sister, it meant that Third Uncle and his aunt were also...
Lady Jiang was afraid that her mother - in - law's sudden excitement would affect her already recovering health. She quickly persuaded, "Mother, maybe there's a mistake. If it really is Third Brother, how could he let his daughter suffer? The girl newly adopted by Lady Jiang is said to be an embroideress. How could Third Brother's daughter be an embroideress?"
But the old matriarch wasn't willing to let go of even a glimmer of hope. She grabbed Gu Chengzhi's hand and asked again, "Zhi'er, you know that girl. Do you know who her parents are?"
Gu Chengzhi suddenly remembered the questions his eldest brother asked Gu Liyue in the Dali Temple courtroom today. Thinking of his eldest brother's strange behavior, he didn't react at that time, but now he understood everything. He lifted his foot and was about to go out, saying, "I'll go to the Jiang family to ask."
Lady Jiang quickly stopped him. "You're still injured. What nonsense are you talking about? Whether that Miss Gu is really your Third Uncle's child or not, it's not urgent. We should investigate clearly before making a decision."
Gu Chengzhi sat down again. After a long time, he said, "No wonder I always felt that she seemed familiar. No wonder... Grandmother, she's from Yangxin Town, Cangyun County, Quzhou. Her parents are already gone. She was raised by her aunt. After she came to the capital, her aunt also came and lives in the Jiang Mansion. Moreover, I heard that she suffered a lot before."
Hearing Gu Chengzhi say that her son might be gone, the old matriarch was very sad. Then hearing that her granddaughter had suffered a lot, she put aside her sadness and hurriedly urged, "Then what are we waiting for? Second son, go quickly and bring your niece back... Oh no, Yingying, you go. It's your natal family. Go with your second brother. Explain it clearly to your sister - in - law from your natal family and bring the child back."
Lady Jiang didn't quite agree. "Mother, it's not appropriate to pick her up so rashly without investigating clearly."
The old matriarch said, "What's inappropriate? If she is, then she's my granddaughter. She should definitely come back to my side. Even if she isn't, since she's from the same place as Zhongxian and they both have the surname Gu... How big can a county be? There must be some connection. It's good to just ask her to come and talk."
Lady Jiang originally disagreed, but seeing her mother - in - law's haggard appearance, she couldn't bear it. She had long heard that her sister - in - law from her natal family had adopted an embroideress as her daughter, which had become a joke among the noble families in the capital. But she didn't take it seriously. After all, her sister - in - law was very pitiful for losing her biological daughter. As a mother herself, she could understand.
Now, could that girl be from their Gu family?
The old matriarch murmured to herself, "Zhongxian, you said that once you left the Gu family, you would never come back. You haven't had any contact for so many years. Do you know how much I've missed you?"
...
Gu Liyue returned to the Jiang family. No one said much to her. The Duke of Jiang and Lady Jiang accompanied Jiang Yingyue, who was crying uncontrollably, back to the Fanghua Courtyard. Gu Liyue wasn't allowed to go in. She stood outside the courtyard, looking a bit lost.
Where could she go? She had always lived in the Fanghua Courtyard. She had never lived anywhere else - well, she had lived in the sewing room before.
But all her things were in the Fanghua Courtyard. Although basically all of them were bought for her by Lady Jiang, she still should sort them out and handle them properly.
But now she couldn't go in. What should she do?
Nanny Chao came out. Seeing Gu Liyue with a pale face, she felt pity. She just waved to the side and called a maid over. "Clean up the Xiao Courtyard and take Miss Liyue there to live first."
There was no floor - heating in the Xiao Courtyard. With just a thin quilt on the bed, it was very cold. Gu Liyue had been frightened today and was already feeling uncomfortable. Now she felt even worse.
Yunniang wasn't there, and Tangyuan wasn't there either. The little maid Nanny Chao pointed to was originally a rough - working maid who swept the area outside the Fanghua Courtyard. She wasn't very efficient. She stared blankly for a long time before going to light a fire and boil some water for her.
Gu Liyue coughed twice. The maid put down what she was doing and ran out. Presumably, she went to find Nanny Chao.
After a while, someone lifted the curtain and came in. Maybe they used too much strength. The curtain, which was in disrepair, fell down completely. The cold wind blew in. Gu Liyue shivered and looked over. Vaguely, she saw a person. It should not be a maid.
It was Jiang Che.
The attendant behind Jiang Che carried two quilts and stepped forward, putting them on the couch beside.
Gu Liyue quickly got up, put on her shoes, tidied her clothes and bowed her head. "Thank you, Third Young Master."
Jiang Che opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word for a long time. He just worked with the attendant to seal the windows tightly.
"I'll order someone to send charcoal later."
They just looked at each other in silence.
Seeing that he was about to leave, Gu Liyue asked, "Third Young Master, may I... ask if I can finish a bit of embroidery work in my room?"
Jiang Che originally wanted to ask how she could still think about embroidery work at this time, but he couldn't ask. He just nodded silently. "You should rest first."
Not long after, the charcoal came, and all the things from Gu Liyue's room were also moved over.
Tangyuan came later. Seeing Gu Liyue, tears welled up in her eyes. She reached out and held Gu Liyue's cold hand. "Has the young lady suffered?"
Gu Liyue shook her head. "Why did you come here too?"
Tangyuan explained, "The young miss had been crying all the time. The lady was accompanying her. Even Nanny Chao didn't dare to disturb. It was the Third Young Master who went in and said that the young lady had been arranged in the Xiao Courtyard and asked how to handle it. Then the lady ordered this servant to come and serve."