Chapter 211: with translation of

Madam Zhou stood with one hand on her hip, looking at Gu Xixi with an air of pride, as if seeking praise and approval.

Gu Xixi glanced at He Jinglan, and He Jinglan's words echoed in her mind:

"Xixi, you can occasionally try to blend in; always being aloof makes others lose face."

Gu Xixi took a deep breath, forced a smile at Madam Zhou, nodded in approval, and said, "Mm, outstanding!"

Old Zhou, however, was a man of propriety; seeing his wife ramble on without end, he hurriedly pulled her away to take his leave.

"Boss Gu, Miss He, let's go back and ponder the prescription Xixi gave."

"If anything is unclear later, we'll come back to ask for advice."

Gu Xixi smiled, "All right, take care."

After the Zhou couple left, He Jinglan finally exhaled from her held-breath state.

"Xixi, you didn't just bluntly tell them my husband ran away; that's already great progress."

Gu Xixi turned her head, "Can't we say it?"

He Jinglan said, "At least before we see the situation clearly, it's better to do less than more."

Although Gu Xixi wanted to directly announce that her husband had run off and would never return, she knew the priorities.

He Jinglan nodded and said, "I've already coordinated with Zhang Shen; if anyone asks, we'll say the government office has cleared Chen Fang's status as a penal slave, and before I formally marry him, I let him return home to visit his family."

He Jinglan also thought this explanation was fine, "Anyway, with things as they are now, no one in the village can run to the county office to verify."

"Even if someone really doubts it later, it'll be useless." Gu Xixi said, stepping forward.

After another seven days, Village Chief Lao Qian could no longer gather news outside.

However, the village's rotating watch system had already been set up, survived the break-in period, and was running smoothly.

Gu Xixi's side, however, was well-informed.

She learned much information from the two lines of the He family's Shadow Guards and Master Liu.

As for the northwest, here's what we know:

The main force of the Northwest Army set out six days ago, leaving behind Qing Tian County's original garrison.

Qing Tian County reopened yesterday, but only the west gate was opened, allowing merchants and residents to come and go.

And the latest news this noon is that the Northwest Army has faced off against the Imperial Court's army; for now, no battle has begun.

Meanwhile, many things have also happened in the capital:

The emperor's uncle fell from his horse and died suddenly; the emperor's father-in-law, overcome with grief, fell ill and could not get up.

The empress dowager wished to leave the palace to visit, but was dissuaded by the palace guards.

Led by He Jinghui, the He family gathered several major clans at the court assembly and suddenly launched a joint accusation, enumerating numerous crimes of the empress dowager's faction and presenting evidence.

He Jinglan burned the last secret letter on the oil lamp.

"Although what we can know of the inside story is very little,"

"but from what we know, the situation appears favorable to us."

"We are behind the Northwest Army, and for now we are absolutely safe."

Gu Xixi agreed with He Jinglan's speculation.

It appears the palace guards have been taken over by He Jinghui and his associates.

The true powers behind the empress dowager and the young emperor have already been dismantled and separated.

After that, it's just a matter of seeing how long the standoff between the Imperial Court and the Northwest Army can last.

Either the empress dowager realizes the tide has turned and the Northwest Army will win without fighting,

or the regional garrison princes and generals are willing to obey the empress dowager's orders, march to the northwest, and a major battle is imminent.

All the tug-of-war has reached the most critical moment.

Before the final moment, no one knows how it will turn out.

Gu Xixi rubbed her forehead with a headache, "I'm clearly just suited for farming; I shouldn't even think about scheming."

He Jinglan laughed and teased, "Who made your brain disobedient? It insists on turning, insists on thinking, and whenever it thinks, it figures things out."

"Compared to me, who's been immersed in this since childhood, Xixi, you might actually be a natural talent."

"Stop..." Gu Xixi covered her ears with both hands, "Don't say any more."

She suddenly stood up, "I need to go out and clear my head."

After marching a few steps in anger, she turned back and snapped, "What great affairs of the world, what scheming—let those with a hundred hidden agendas worry about them; I'm just a farmer!"

He Jinglan watched Gu Xixi stride away, shaking her head with an amused sigh.

Obviously she's capable, yet she insists she doesn't understand, doesn't get it, doesn't want to.

But it's strange that Xixi grew up in this village, never attended school, only studied a few years at home with her father; by rights she shouldn't have had the chance to learn these things.

Yet her mind is remarkably clear, as if she had read through two lifetimes' worth of books.

He Jinglan was amused by her own thought.

How could it be otherwise? Xixi is simply a genius!

Gu Xixi walked onto the road and only then realized that although the morning had been clear, it had somehow turned overcast.

The sky was covered with heavy clouds, and many flying insects swirled low, almost forming a cluster.

Gu Xixi waved her hand in front of her face a few times, and then she heard someone ahead calling her:

"Miss Xixi! It's about to rain—why are you running out?"

Gu Xixi saw Lao Qian striding over with a stack of straw hats, "Uncle Qian, I came out to get some fresh air."

Lao Qian laughed, "Before the storm it's hot and stuffy, yet you want fresh air—you'd better hurry back."

Gu Xixi nodded, "I'll just walk a loop and then head back."

"Tonight I'm on patrol together with Qin Dasao; you don't need to worry."

Gu Xixi's family recently had no able-bodied men; originally Lao Qian intended to exempt her family from patrol duty, but Gu Xixi refused.

When things are unfair, they protest; at this critical moment, the villagers have finally united, and we cannot spoil the whole rule by giving her family special treatment.

Lao Qian sighed, "You child, you're just stubborn."

"A young lady like you is constantly running back and forth, still having to help us with several families' orchards; your aunt feels heartbroken whenever she mentions it."

"Now I still have to let you take patrol shifts like everyone else, and I feel uneasy about it."

Gu Xixi smiled, "Just get used to it."

"These days we're just waiting to harvest the wheat, so we've temporarily become idle; I just need to go back and catch up on sleep tomorrow morning."

With a storm imminent, Lao Qian still has to rush out to distribute straw hats to the patrol personnel everywhere.

Gu Xixi then accompanied Lao Qian on his way.

Lao Qian laughed, "I still need to thank you—let me tell you Zhou Haode is reliable."

"These past few days he's been a great help; the patrol shift changes went so smoothly, all thanks to him."

Zhou Haode? Gu Xixi took a moment to place him, then said, "Oh, you mean the husband of Zhou's elder sister-in-law, Lao Zhou."

Lao Qian broke into a broad grin, "Exactly! It's him."

"I've known him for so many years, I thought he was just a silent, honest lump, but I never realized he was actually thoughtful and truly capable."

Gu Xixi smiled, "I just thought that Uncle Qian bearing the village alone is really hard; having an occasional helper to consult with is always good."

"Uncle Qian, don't blame me for meddling."

"How could I blame you? I'm grateful I haven't even had time to thank you!" Lao Qian beamed, looking at Gu Xixi and liking her more and more, truly wishing she were his own daughter.

The two walked a stretch, then encountered someone rushing out from a side path.

Lao Qian wondered, "Zhou family's young lady? Just as we were talking about your husband's competence, we ran into you here."

Zhou's elder sister-in-law raised her head, saw Gu Xixi also there, and couldn't help but burst into a smile.

Gu Xixi, I was just about to go home to look for you—great news!

Lao Qian wondered, "All mysterious—did you pick up a treasure?"