Chapter 323 The scapegoat
Xiaolong officially became the eldest son of the Gu family.
Three days later, the soldiers guarding the entrance of Qinghewan Village withdrew.
According to the village chief, all the officers and soldiers in Yanguan Town have withdrawn.
At the same time, Boss Qian brought mysterious inside information, saying that the remnants of the rebels were found in the mountains of Heilongtan, Tong Dajiao's mother's hometown, and were chopped into mud by the officers and soldiers when they broke out.
"Shopkeeper Tong, now your family has finally been cleared of suspicion." Boss Qian said mysteriously.
"Did you really find the person?"
Tong Huaqiong was horrified, wondering who would be the scapegoat.
She felt more and more the cruelty of the imperial power struggle of that era.
If you are not careful, you will become a scapegoat.
"Who knows? They said they were all chopped into paste. I heard the drunken police officer who was having dinner in my restaurant say that they caught a teenager of 16 or 17 and a little boy, and they were shot dead on the spot. No wonder they say you don't want to be reborn in an imperial family. You see the glory and wealth, but once you are involved in the power struggle, you can't save your life. Take that child, for example. He grew up in the East Palace, but he was killed without any reason. Not even a complete body was left."
Boss Qian lowered his voice and told Tong Huaqiong the information he had heard.
Tong Huaqiong patted his chest.
If the news brought by Boss Qian is true, she has finally passed this hurdle.
However, even though she passed the test, Tong Huaqiong still felt depressed.
I wonder whose children the 16 or 17-year-old teenager and the little boy who died unjustly belonged to?
The struggle for imperial power is so cruel.
Tong Huaqiong had read relevant history in later generations. In order to protect the true royal bloodline, those loyal warriors would sacrifice their own bones and blood to replace the royal bloodline.
Tong Huaqiong does not agree with this kind of righteousness.
Why should the royal bloodline be protected, and why should the children of servants or slaves be scapegoats?
Tong Huaqiong could not make such a sacrifice.
Although Tong Huaqiong took Xiaolong in, if things really came to that, she would definitely have to take care of herself and the Gu family and others.
Su Chengmin is a man of this era. He must be completely loyal to Donggong and Xiaolong. If he drags his feet and causes Tong Huaqiong and others to sacrifice, Tong Huaqiong will be the first to chop him off.
"Shopkeeper Tong." Boss Qian called out several times. It seemed that the news he brought frightened Tong Huaqiong.
Tong Huaqiong came back to her senses and said, "That child is very pitiful."
Boss Qian said, "The He family's sister-in-law was soft-hearted. She came to discuss it with me. We paid some money to pray for the boy and the child in the Black Dragon Pond Mountain. It can be considered a loyalty."
Tong Huaqiong said: "Boss Qian and Sister Hong are doing a great service, so I should also take part in it."
"Is that child Dahan's illegitimate son?" Boss Qian raised his chin towards the yard.
Tong Huaqiong turned around and saw Maner, Xiaolong and Yaozu sitting in the corn pile in the yard peeling corn.
Xiaolong didn't know how to peel the corn, so he sat aside and tore the husk from the corn cobs.
He had changed out of his skirt and was wearing Yaozu's clothes. His lips were rosy and his teeth were white, and his demeanor remained the same. To outsiders, it was hard to tell whether he was a male or a female.
Tong Huaqiong nodded and said, "It's that child."
Boss Qian sighed, "How come Dahan is so honest, he has a child outside?"
Tong Huaqiong stared at Boss Qian with a half-smile.
Boss Qian immediately said, "I don't mean to doubt you. It's great for your family to have more grandchildren."
He really had no intention of prying.
Chen Sufen didn't go to Taohua Dessert these days.
The rumor went viral, saying that Taohua Dessert's eldest son looked so honest, but he actually had a son outside. The son brought home and made Chen Sufen so angry that she went on strike.
Everyone in the town knew the news.
"Boss Qian, please go over and check if those flowers and trees are planted in the right place."
Contractor Liu Tong sent a laborer to invite Boss Qian over.
Boss Qian’s yard has been almost completed, and the only thing left is the landscaping of the yard.
Boss Qian has already started planning to move to Qinghe Bay this morning. Tong Huaqiong thought that he is not afraid of formaldehyde.
However, when you think about the fact that houses in this era were built with raw stones, wood and thatch from the mountains, and the location was open and well ventilated, formaldehyde was basically non-existent.
After Boss Qian left, Tong Huaqiong returned to the yard.
All the corn in the field was picked, some was taken to the threshing ground, and some was taken home.
The yard of Tong Huaqiong's house was filled with corn, leaving only a narrow path for people to pass through.
The golden corn brings people the joy of a good harvest.
However, Tong Huaqiong felt heavy in her heart, and the joy of the harvest had faded away by more than half.
These days, everyone in the village has been gossiping about Tong Huaqiong's family, complaining about Gu Dahan's hypocrisy, and bringing up the fact that Tong Huaqiong used to treat Chen Sufen harshly and cursing at her in secret.
The gossip about the Gu family spread from Qinghe Bay to the entire Yanguan Town.
However, with the bumper harvest of corn, the villagers were grateful to Tong Huaqiong for her generous act of donating medicine and felt embarrassed to continue to hold on to the matter.
Even when hearing others complaining, some people would reply, "Chen Sufen has accepted it, so why do you care so much?"
Tong Huaqiong's reputation has risen again.
"Laifu, what are you doing sitting there? You've been eating and drinking for free at my house for so many days without doing anything. Do you think you can keep eating and drinking for free? You can't cook, and you can't even boil a pot. But you can at least sweep the yard, right?"
Gu Taohua put her hands on her hips and pointed at Su Chengmin and scolded him.
The current Su Chengmin is named Lai Fu by the Gu family.
It means to bring blessings to the Gu family.
Su Chengmin endured two days and two nights of fever and finally woke up yesterday.
Gu Jingzhe was afraid that his wound would be damaged if he couldn't see the sun in the house, so he helped him sit in the yard to bask in the sun.
Su Chengmin's reaction to Lai Fu's address was no longer as strong.
Anyway, Tong Huaqiong said that no matter how much he objected, Lai Fu was his name.
Now everyone in the village knows his name is Lai Fu.
It has to be said that Su Chengmin's physical fitness was so good that even Tong Huaqiong sighed. He just opened his eyes yesterday and was able to get out of bed today.
Su Chengmin frowned at Gu Taohua's scolding.
Sweeping the yard?
Gu Taohua is really good at making jokes. His leg wound hasn't healed yet and he can still limp even when supported by Gu Jingzhe. How can he sweep the floor?
Su Chengmin pointed at his legs without saying anything.
Gu Taohua rolled her eyes and said, "You cheated me out of my money. You will be my hired worker from now on. Don't even think about eating and drinking at my house. Your leg is injured, but where's your hand? It's not broken, is it? If it's not broken, why don't you go and peel the corn?"
"You are not as good as Xiaolong. Xiaolong knows how to peel corn."
Tong Huaqiong took out a corn planer from the corn pile and placed it in front of Su Chengmin, pointing at the corn in front of him and said, "These are all your work."
Su Chengmin gritted his teeth.
This mother and daughter are really not easy to deal with.
His injury hasn't healed yet, so let him work.
"Don't think we are treating you harshly. If it weren't for us, you would be dead." Gu Taohua said confidently.
"Dig out all the corns and I'll come back to check them."
After saying this, Gu Taohua turned around and went out to visit friends.
Su Chengmin sighed. Girls in rural areas are not like the girls in Shengjing who are particular about not going out of the house, nor do they blush when talking to men like the girls in Shengjing.
Gu Taohua walked away, and Su Chengmin picked up the corn cob and started threshing it.
"Aunt Tong."
Su Chengmin looked up and saw Tong Huaqiong picking corn. He had a lot to say.
"What's the matter? I'm telling you, don't try to be lazy."
Tong Huaqiong frowned.
The prince is willing to entrust his son to a person like Su Chengmin, which shows that he is a young talent.
Now that he has fallen into the village and become Lai Fu, he doesn’t know if he can get over this psychological barrier.
That's why Tong Huaqiong forced him to work.
When I'm working I don't think about anything else.
Su Chengmin looked at Tong Huaqiong and said softly, "One of the dead was a soldier pretending to be me, and the other was the grandson of the housekeeper of the Grand Tutor."