502 Late at Night, Father and Son Meet
It had been ten days since Jiang Hai and Qing Yan infiltrated the State Preceptor Hall, but she had never received any news from them. Grandma and Yan Jiuchao were still calm, but Yu Wan could not sit still anymore. She wondered if she should find an opportunity to sneak into the State Preceptor Hall to take a look, but her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of clattering in the courtyard.
She walked out of the room and saw the old madam’s trusted maidservant, Hong Ling, instructing a few pageboys to carry things. They were all large sealed wooden boxes, as if someone wanted to move them in. Yu Wan stopped Hong Ling. “What are these?”
Yu Wan’s first reaction was. Could it be that her uncle had bought clothes for her, Yan Jiuchao, and the three children again? The embroiderer’s clothes were sent to the manor all day long, and they wouldn’t be able to wear them all for a few months.
Hong Ling smiled and said, “It’s a congratulatory gift from Miss and her husband.”
Miss? That’s right, the Old Madam had a daughter who had married into the Fu City. The Fu City was also the Old Madam’s hometown. Her son-in-law was the Old Madam’s nephew. This marriage could be considered a marriage between cousins, but because it was a long journey, she did not often return to her maiden home.
“What congratulatory gift did Aunt give?” Yu Wan asked.
Hong Ling said, “The Grand General’s birthday is coming soon. Miss and her husband send congratulatory gifts every year at this time.”
So it was Uncle’s birthday. She had not heard Uncle mention it.
This could not be blamed on Yu Wan. It was really because Helian Beiming had forgotten that the Old Madam had been immersed in the joy of reuniting with her little grandson and great-grandchildren recently and had long forgotten about this son. If the two of them did not say anything, it was even more impossible for Yu Wan to know.
However, now that she knew, Yu Wan decided to celebrate with her uncle.
In Lotus Flower Village, they would only celebrate birthdays during a person’s full-year age. The men would celebrate their actual age, and the women would celebrate their nominal age. Only birthdays like thirty, forty, and fifty could be held. Rich families were particular. Every year, their birthdays were celebrated, but they were also divided into big and small. The full-year birthday was called the Big Birthday. At that time, the banquet was held in all directions. Her aunt and her husband would return to their homes. This year was the little birthday, so her aunt and her husband only got someone to send congratulatory gifts.
Of course, it was not only congratulatory gifts. There were also things for the Old Madam.
Hong Ling got someone to move into the courtyard. The congratulatory gifts were still outside the door. Yu Wan said, “I’ll send them to Uncle.”
Hong Ling said, “Thank you, Young Madam.”
When Yu Wan brought the servants to send the congratulatory gifts transported from the city to Helian Beiming’s courtyard, the West Manor had also sent the congratulatory gifts in advance.
“Second Old Master said that he will set up a few tables in the manor. They would celebrate with the family.” It was the butler’s voice.
“Got it. I’ll listen to Second Uncle’s arrangements.” It was Helian Beiming’s voice.
Soon, the butler of the West Manor came out and bumped into Yu Wan. He cupped his hands at Yu Wan. “Young Madam.”
Yu Wan nodded. “Butler Xu.”
“…My surname is Qian,” the West Manor butler said.
Yu Wan : “…” She had forgotten that Butler Xu was from the East Manor.
Yu Wan was too embarrassed to say that she had eavesdropped on his conversation with Helian Beiming, so she asked, “My uncle’s birthday is coming soon. I was wondering if I should set up a few tables…”
The butler of the West Manor smiled and said, “There’s no need for Young Madam to work. My Old Master has already taken care of it and hired the troupe. At that time, Old Madam, the Grand General, Young Master, Young Madam, and the little masters just have to go to the West Manor.”
Seeing that Yu Wan was a little surprised, the butler of the West Manor added, “This was how it was in the past. The Eldest Old Master passed away early, and the Second Old Master was in charge of the Grand General’s birthday.”
Yu Wan smiled. “Second Grandpa really dotes on my uncle.”
The butler of the West Manor said, “Of course. Second Old Master treats the Grand General better than his own son!”
Haha, he treated him better than his own son? Then why would he dislike her and Yan Jiuchao so much? She felt that the Second Old Master’s eyes were very sinister and did not look like a good person!
In the blink of an eye, it was Helian Beiming’s birthday. The family went to the Nine Continents Pavilion of the West Manor. Other than Madam Li who was bedridden and could not attend the banquet, the Second Old Master, Helian Yu, and Helian Cheng had all arrived.
The two brothers did not like Yan Jiuchao and Yu Wan. Yan Jiuchao and Yu Wan could not be bothered with them either.
The banquet was placed in the garden. The three little baldies could not sit still and had been running around the garden. They were singing on the stage and Old Madam was quite mesmerized.
The Second Old Master raised his wine glass. “Ming’er, you’ve worked hard. Come, let me toast you.”
Helian Beiming quickly picked up his cup. “Thank you, Second Uncle.”
The Second Old Master glanced at Yan Jiuchao, who was having trouble with a hairy crab, and smiled. “It’s a relief to be able to find Chao’er in my lifetime. I’ll be able to answer to Big Brother when I go underground in the future.”
“Second Uncle will live to be a hundred years old,” Helian Beiming said.
The Second Old Master sighed. “I’m old and useless. I just hope that the children can support the Helian family. Actually, among the children, what I value the most is…”
At this point, the Second Old Master suddenly stopped and changed the topic. “I drank too much. Ming’er, don’t take offense.”
“How can that be?” Helian Beiming said, finishing the wine in his glass in one gulp. His eyes gradually became complicated.
The troupe was too noisy, so Yu Wan did not hear what the two of them said. It was not until the banquet ended that she realized that her uncle’s expression was not right.
Yu Wan pulled Yan Jiuchao’s hand and whispered, “What’s wrong with Uncle?”
Yan Jiuchao hit the nail on the head. “He misses his son.”
“Why did he suddenly think of Helian Sheng for no reason?” Wasn’t Helian Sheng the child that Madam Tan had secretly gotten pregnant with another man? He wasn’t Helian Beiming’s biological child. What was he thinking? Shouldn’t he feel that he had been betrayed and hated this child? Or could it be that… after raising him for so many years, he had developed feelings for him?
Yu Wan thought of the few times she entered the study and found Helian Beiming staring blankly at Helian Sheng’s portrait. She was even more certain that Helian Beiming really doted on that child.
Unfortunately, the child had been expelled from the family and would never return. If someone else had chased him out of the house, perhaps Helian Beiming had a way, but it had to be Old Madam… She was the only two people in this world that he could not disobey.
That night, Helian Beiming rested early. The little baldies could not sleep. They ran to his courtyard while fooling around and came out again. The next day, the family sat together for breakfast. Perhaps sensing that Eldest Grandpa was not in a good mood, the little fellows went to his side and handed him the bowls.
“Eldest Grandpa, feed!” Xiaobao said.
Helian Beiming forced a smile as he picked up the spoon and carefully fed Xiaobao. Xiaobao started eating.
“Er’bao wants it too!” Er’bao opened his mouth.
Helian Beiming also fed him a mouthful.
With the children’s interruption, the shadow between Helian Beiming’s eyebrows finally melted. After dinner, Helian Beiming returned to the courtyard. Suddenly, a pigeon landed on his windowsill. Helian Beiming took a note from the pigeon’s lap and opened it with an excited expression.
“Yu Gang, prepare the carriage!”
“Huh?” Yu Gang, who was washing his brush outside, was stunned.
“I told you to prepare the carriage!” Helian Beiming said.
“…Oh.” Yu Gang put down his half-washed brush in confusion, wiped his hands, and went to the horse shed to prepare the carriage.
“Change to a smaller one.” Helian Beiming despised the carriage for being too luxurious.
Yu Gang frowned strangely. Didn’t you always not keep a low profile when you went out? You said it yourself. Even if you’re paralyzed, you’re still the Divine General of Nanzhao. You have to show off wherever you go. Yu Gang muttered in his heart, but he did not dare to ask. He changed to a servant’s carriage. “Is this okay?”
Helian Beiming nodded. Yu Gang pushed the wheelchair into the carriage and asked Helian Beiming, “Grand General, where are we going?”
“Ninetails Mountain.”
“That far?”
The Ninetails Mountain was a hill outside the Imperial Capital. In terms of distance, it was not too far. However, the road was rugged and needed to be circled. When they reached, it would probably be dark.
However, Yu Gang had no choice since his master wanted to go. He brought two sacrificial soldiers with him and rushed to the Ninetails Mountain without stopping. There was a pavilion at the foot of the Ninetails Mountain. There were rolled curtains around the pavilion, and there was a light in the curtain. It seemed that someone was already waiting.
“Don’t come over,” Helian Beiming said.
“Yes.” The few of them stood respectfully ten feet away.
Helian Beiming pushed the wheelchair over. He lifted the curtain and entered the pavilion. In the pavilion, a green-clothed monk wearing a bamboo hat stood with his hands behind his back.
Helian Beiming’s body trembled gently. “Sheng’er…”
The green-clothed monk did not turn around or pay attention to him. His back was lonely. Helian Beiming pushed the wheelchair to his side. At this moment, the green-clothed monk finally looked at him. It was the face he remembered. Helian Beiming’s chest tightened and he reached out trembling.
In the next second, something incredible happened.
The green-clothed monk suddenly pulled out the dagger from his sleeve and stabbed it into Helian Beiming’s heart!
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦