Chapter 56: Wait Until Fu Zihou Returns

In the backyard, Li Le, Li Anjing, Li Anren, and Li Zhaotian listened as Aunt Zhangsun spoke, all feeling that Li Cha’s maternal grandfather, Gao Shining, had gone too far. Li Cha had grown up without her mother’s presence, and yet her grandfather used her late mother’s name to force Li Cha towards death.

At that moment, they suddenly saw a servant hurriedly approaching, coming before Grandmother to report what had transpired in the main hall. Upon learning that the siege of Qinghe County had been lifted, Li Le and the others, like their aunts, were caught completely off guard. When they heard about the events in Qinghe County and that the commander of the relief army was Fu Zihou, the children Li Le, Li Anren, and Li Anjing stared wide-eyed, mouths agape in disbelief.

“Zihou?” Not only the children but Zhou, Bao, Wei, and Zhangsun were all dumbfounded. Even Old Madam Li was startled by the servant’s words, looking at him in confusion.

Li Cha’s swollen eyes turned to the servant as well. He had gone to Qinghe County? And he had killed the rebel general Xu Jinping, causing the rebel army to collapse...

“Sixth brother-in-law?” “Sixth brother-in-law is the commander of the relief army? He defeated the rebel army?” Li Le and Li Anren exchanged glances, whispering in astonishment, especially Li Le, who still remembered those words vividly.

Li Zhaotian’s young face was just as bewildered, full of questions. Li Cha heard the voices of Li Anjing and the others, but she paid them no heed, her mind entirely focused on Grandmother, listening as the servant recounted the events in the main hall.

Unlike the others, Li Cha’s first reaction upon learning Fu Zihou had led troops to Qinghe County and lifted the siege was not joy, but worry. She did not want him hurt.

“I heard Lord Cui say he was struck in the chest with a blade, his armor pierced and bleeding...” As the servant reported, Old Madam Li was horrified and quickly rose to her feet.

Beside her, Li Cha’s face turned pale, her pupils filled with panic as she suddenly rushed forward to grab the servant’s clothing.

“Ah~” Li Cha anxiously gestured to the servant.

The servant, seeing the timid Sixth Miss behave so desperately for the first time, was startled. Before he could speak, Li Cha ran straight toward the main hall.

“Cha’er!” “Cha’er!” Old Madam Li and Zhangsun called after her, but the obedient figure did not pause for a moment.

Seeing this, Old Madam Li and Zhangsun hurriedly followed toward the hall.

“This...” Beside the stove, Bao and Wei exchanged glances. Thinking that Fu Zihou had led troops into battle with the rebel army in Qinghe County, rescuing its people, the two could not calm their hearts.

And perhaps the most complicated feelings belonged to Zhou. As the one who had always opposed marrying Li Qiong into the Fu family, opposed to promising her daughter to Fu Zihou, Zhou had at last gotten her way, substituting Li Cha for Li Qiong in the betrothal. Now, hearing what happened in Qinghe County felt like a slap on her face, leaving her emotions tangled.

“Let’s go see as well!” Li Anren said, Li Le and Li Anjing quickly nodding, with Li Zhaotian coming to her senses and following the others toward the main hall, thinking of Sixth Brother-in-law.

Inside the main hall of the Li residence, Cui Duxing was speaking with Li Jingjie about Fu Zihou, since Yang, the Deputy Prefect, had already decided to request merit for him at court.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded. Cui Duxing felt his sleeve tugged and saw a mute girl, her face panicked, gesturing desperately.

“Ah~ah! Ah ah~” Cui Duxing did not understand her intent and looked to Li Jingjie.

“Cha’er, step back!” Li Jingjie did not expect his niece to disregard propriety in front of so many officials, generals, and Cui clan members. He frowned and rebuked Li Cha sternly.

“Ah ah! Ah!” Li Jingjie saw Li Cha ignore his words, his face darkening, and ordered his daughter to pull Li Cha away.

He had already decided that after tonight, he would ask his mother to punish Li Cha for her lack of manners. With so many distinguished guests present, he did not want them thinking the Li family lacked decorum.

“Sixth sister!” Li Qiong came to Li Cha’s side, taking her arm, but unlike before, Li Cha immediately shook her off.

“Ah! Ah!” Her eyes red, Li Cha, unable to speak, cried out hoarsely, gesturing wildly as tears streamed down her face.

Cui Duxing was puzzled by the girl’s behavior and was about to inquire when Old Madam Li arrived.

“Duxing, greetings, Old Madam!” Cui Duxing quickly bowed deeply, his respect exceeding even that shown to elders of his clan.

“No need for formalities, dear nephew.” Old Madam Li smiled at Cui Duxing, then looked at the tearful Li Cha and explained to Cui Duxing, “My granddaughter Li Cha is Fu Zihou’s fiancée. Hearing that Zihou was wounded, she grew anxious. I hope you will forgive her, dear nephew.”

“Fiancée?” Cui Duxing, still bowing, looked with surprise at the mute girl. The figure he once saw outside Qinghe City, riding through the mist and shooting rebels, the commander who pursued Zhang Jincheng—his fiancée was someone with such a disability?

This...

“Dear nephew, do you know how serious Zihou’s wound is?” Old Madam Li saw Cui Duxing’s surprise but did not have time to clarify, her focus on Fu Zihou’s injury.

Cui Duxing, hearing her question, recollected himself and explained everything he knew to Old Madam Li.

Old Madam Li learned that Fu Zihou did not recognize Xu Jinping and had worried that Zhang Jincheng would rally his men for revenge, causing her to smile and sigh helplessly.

“With soldiers accompanying him, he should be fine.” Old Madam Li nodded—her words, though seemingly to herself, calmed Li Cha somewhat.

“It’s alright now! He... will be alright too!” Li Qiong, seeing her sixth sister sobbing softly, reached out to embrace her and offered comfort, though her own heart was full of complicated feelings, for Li Cha’s fiancé had once been hers.

“If nothing unexpected occurs, Zihou should return in the next two days! Erlang, don’t tell the Fu family about this yet to avoid worry. When Zihou returns, they will know.” Old Madam Li turned to Li Jingjie, instructing him.

As the matriarch of the Li residence and an elder, she understood how anxious the Fu family would be if they heard of the incident. The parents and elders of Fu only had one Fu Zihou.

Just as Li Cha herself had only one choice. Other women in the world had many suitors, many eligible men to choose from, but Li Cha had only one. Born with her disability, only Fu Zihou treated it as nothing. In Li Cha’s heart, Fu Zihou was the only man willing to accompany her for life.

She could not bear for Fu Zihou to suffer even the slightest wound.

“I understand, Mother!” Li Jingjie nodded, indicating he would not inform the Fu family for the time being.

“Old Madam Li, congratulations! To have such a grandson-in-law is truly enviable!” “Indeed, Old Madam Li, our Cui clan owes your Li family a great favor. If ever you need anything, you may turn to us, and we will not refuse!” Cui Hebo, Cui Jinggong, and others now came before Old Madam Li, raising their hands in congratulations.

As these elders spoke, not only did Li Jingjie’s expression change, but Old Madam Li herself was astonished and then delighted, a smile blooming on her face.

“The Cui family is too kind. Should you ever need anything, the Li family will never decline!” Old Madam Li replied with a smile, her eyes full of admiration.

As the wife of Li Gang, who had weathered decades of storms with him and witnessed many upheavals at court, she understood better than anyone the weight of the Cui family’s words—especially given how the Li residence had long been treated as an enemy by other prominent families.

Within the hall, County Magistrate Wang and the other officials and generals looked on with a mix of envy and jealousy at Old Madam Li, but they knew well—this was a grandson-in-law whose valor was earned at the cost of his own life.

“Yes, indeed!” Li Jingjie was somewhat dazed at this moment.

But he knew the Cui family’s goodwill was because of Fu Zihou, the true favor resting with him. After all, Fu Zihou had personally risked himself in battle against the rebels.

Remembering the sight of Fu Zihou in days past, his figure emerging in his mind, Li Jingjie felt a vague sadness in his chest, only relieved after a deep sigh.

On the other side, Li Qiong stood beside Li Cha. Hearing the words of the Cui elders, her lovely face finally showed a hint of distraction.