Greetings, Ninth Uncle

Chapter 1: Side Character (II)

Last year in the twelfth month, Cheng Yujin followed her mother to stay in a hot spring villa. Ning Wang’s territory was in the south, even after married to the capital for so many years, Qingfu Junzhu was still not used to the winter here. An imperial clan’s daughter was naturally wealthy, and one of the estates owned by Qingfu Junzhu had a special hot spring. Qingfu Junzhu went out for a trip, it would look bad if she didn’t invite her sisters in law, and the young misses naturally followed their mothers.

Cheng Yujin, as the eldest di daughter of Qingfu Junzhu, was of course tagging along. Unexpectedly, after they arrived at Xishan, the capital city and surrounding area continued to snow heavily for three days and three nights, closing the mountain road and trapping the family on the estate.

Qingfu Junzhu had already sent their family servant down the mountain to report, so they only had to stay in the estate, waiting for the marquis manor to send workers to clean the road and pick them up. Qingfu Junzhu still leisurely enjoyed the hot spring, but Cheng Yujin found that her second sister was missing.

Her second sister Cheng Yumo was the only daughter of the second branch. She was the apple in the eyes of the second branch master and his wife Ruan-shi. And now their beloved daughter was missing during her stay at the main branch’s vacation estate. Worried about Cheng Yumo’s reputation, Cheng Yujing didn’t dare to let the matter spread out, so she secretly sent some older female servants to guard the road, and let Lian Qiao inquire about Cheng Yunmo’s whereabout.

Unexpectedly, after one night, Cheng Yumo still did not come back. Cheng Yujin knew that the matter was serious. She didn’t dare to make her own decision, and thus went to Qingfu Junzhu early that morning to report the incident. Qingfu Junzhu also taken aback. She wasn’t close with the second branch, but if their di daughter was missing on her estate’s premise, then she would be the one who shouldered the blame. Yesterday Cheng Yujin has searched the whole estate, so Qingfu Junzhu had no choice but to send a search team to the mountain area.

When Cheng Yujin interrogated Cheng Yunmo’s personal servant girls, they told her that last night, the snowfall suddenly ignited their Miss’ poetic inspiration, so she went out to admire the snow and was missing since then. Greatly displeased, Cheng Yujin immediately took several servants and personally went to search for Cheng Yunmo on the path mentioned by the servant girls.

How big is the back mountain, plus it was snowing, making it impossible to identify the direction. The snow also hindered their steps. At this speed, it would be impossible to scour the whole mountain, so they had to disperse and search separately. Cheng Yujin took Du Ruo, and after a while, they found a mountain cave.

There was a cave, and the entrance also has some cover, so someone must take shelter here! Cheng Yujin hurried over, but instead of Cheng Yumo, she found an unconscious man.

In fact, according to Cheng Yujin’s temperament, she wouldn’t take notice of an outsider male of unknown origin. What relation did his life and death have with her? But thanks to Cheng Yujin’s sharp eyes, she saw a private seal on the man’s body.

Huo Changyuan, northwest guard army.

Huo Changyuan? The famous general currently in favor in the court, the youngest marquis of current dynasty, that Jingyong Marquis Huo Changyuan?

Very good. Cheng Yujin decided to save him.

Cheng Yujin ordered Du Ruo to lay Huo Changyuan’s body flat. An adult male was heavy, Du Ruo alone couldn’t do it, so Cheng Yujin also squatted down and helped. When she was holding Huo Changyuan’s arm, the man woke up in a daze. He felt people’s presence beside, and tried his best to open his eyelids. In the half-dark cave, he saw a beautiful and delicate woman leaning on him. She was vibrant and warm, an alluring girl.

“It’s you?”

Cheng Yujin didn’t understand. Obviously, she was the only one in his line of sight, why did he ask, ‘it’s you’? Did he mistaken herself as a ghost?

Of course, Cheng Yujin, the perfect standard for all noble girls in the capital, wouldn’t say that aloud. She nodded slightly and smiled gently: “Marquis, please at ease. I am the eldest granddaughter of Marquis Yichun. My mother’s estate isn’t far away. After a moment, I’ll call someone to lift you back.”

Huo Changyuan seemed to feel relieved. After taking a deep look at her, he closed his eyes and fainted.

After a while, the people she called finally arrived. The servant boy who brought a stretcher said, “Reporting eldest young Miss, second Miss has been found and the Junzhu call you back.”

Cheng Yumo has been found? Perfect, she didn’t have any intention to get frozen outside, pretending to be a loving sister.

Huo Changyuan spent three days at Qingfu Junzhu’s estate. During this period, he was mostly unconscious, and only seldomly woke up. However, as unmarried women, Cheng Yujin couldn’t enter an outsider male’s room. Fortunately, the mountain road was soon cleared, and the people from Jingyong marquis manor came to took Huo Changyuan away.

Thanks to the help of Jingyong marquis manor, the mountain road was cleared very quickly. Sure enough, a noble family with real, outstanding military service was different than her family’s superficial noble title. If Yichun marquis manor has to clear the road alone, then ah, they could only patiently waiting.

Cheng Yujin rescued Marquis Jingyong. After she returned to the manor, old madam Cheng, Qingfu Junzhu, and Cheng Yujin all had a tacit mutual understanding. Such a great grace, shouldn’t Jingyong marquis manor express their gratitude?

Sure enough, it didn’t take long before old Marchioness Jingyong, Huo Changyuan’s mother Huo Xue-shi ¹ came visiting personally to thank Cheng Yujin for saving his son. The gift of gratitude she gave was more abundant than Cheng Yujin imagined. Of course, what satisfied her the most was the engagement talk brought out by Huo Xue-shi.

Huo Changyuan was grateful for Cheng Yujin’s life-saving grace and wanted to propose her to be his legitimate wife.

At that time, old Madam Cheng’s smile couldn’t be even wider. Qingfu Junzhu and Cheng Yujin only had a superficial feeling, but when the daughter who has been raised in her name for so many years could get a good husband, Qingfu Junzhu was still happy. The Yichun marquis manor instantly filled with joy, but their family still had some face. The elders tried to hide their excitement and said that they wanted to ask Cheng Yujin’s opinion.

Asking Cheng Yujin? Of course she happily agreed. In fact, this was her real purpose in saving Huo Changyuan.

At the end of the 21st year of Jianwu, Yichun marquis manor was filled with great joy. A marquis manor with empty title took the most promising youth at the court as their in-law. Moreover, the young Marquis career was on the rise. It sufficed to say that the whole family fell into great jubilation. Old Madam Cheng endlessly told others that the years they spent raising Cheng Yujin wasn’t for nothing.

Cheng Yujin made the most important investment in her life. No surprise, glory and wealth for the rest of her life was now guaranteed. Cheng Yujin was satisfied and stopped going out. She spent her time at home, preparing her dowry.

At that time, the family was too noisy about Cheng Yujin, that she didn’t notice Cheng Yumo’s unhappiness after returning from the estate, dragging her illness for a long time. She also didn’t notice Huo family’s attitude for this engagement was too eager. After all, marriage wasn’t the only way to repay a life-saving grace.

Unfortunately, she didn’t notice.

1. [surname]-shi : shi literally means surname or clan. When a woman married, they didn’t change their surname. Instead they would be called [one’s surname]-shi in the family, and [husband’s surname] [one’s surname]-shi outside. Huo Xue-shi means that she was the wife of master Huo, and was herself a daughter of Xue clan