Chapter 31: The Return of Hao Yu (I)

Hao Yu was going to find Jiang Yuan’s biological parents, hoping they would take Jiang Yuan back instead of abandoning him in the remote Mingfu Village as they had done before, ignoring him entirely.

After Hao Yu had this idea, Jiang Yuan made it clear that he had long since lost all hope in his biological parents. He urged Hao Yu to listen to his advice and not go embarrass himself before parents who had changed beyond recognition.

But Hao Yu disagreed. Having devoted half his life to Jiang Yuan and never having his own child, he had long regarded Jiang Yuan, both his nephew and disciple, as the most important person in his life. If Jiang Yuan could bear such grievances, Hao Yu could not help but feel indignant on his behalf.

Ignoring Jiang Yuan’s repeated warnings, Hao Yu packed a small bag and set off alone for the capital.

Before leaving, the two had agreed that no matter how things turned out, Hao Yu would return to Mingfu Village before the end of May.

As the deadline approached, Jiang Yuan’s worry for Hao Yu grew steadily.

Recently, he no longer ventured into the distant mountains. Willing to forgo some income, he limited himself to the low hills around the village just to be able to return home by noon each day.

He waited and waited—waiting for Xiaoyang to switch from medicinal decoctions to maintenance tonics and start following Xie Guanniang around like a little shadow, running errands; waiting until Xiaoyang even stopped the tonics, and Xie Guanniang settled all medical expenses with Doctor Chen. Finally, on the evening of May 29th, Hao Yu returned, worn and dusty from the journey.

Jiang Yuan, Xie Guanniang, and Xiaoyang had just finished dinner when Hao Yu came through the courtyard gate, carrying his small bag and scanning the surroundings as he called out hoarsely, “A Yuan!”

Hearing that familiar voice after so long, Jiang Yuan stood up abruptly. “Master!”

He put down his chopsticks and rushed outside. “You’ve finally returned. Was the journey smooth? Did you encounter any danger?”

Hao Yu smiled and patted Jiang Yuan’s shoulder. “Smooth, no danger. You can relax now, can’t you?”

Jiang Yuan’s eyes swept over him repeatedly, seeing no sign of physical impairment or weakness. He guessed that even if Hao Yu had faced trouble, it was nothing serious. His heart, which had been heavy, finally lightened.

He remembered there were two more people at home and introduced Xie Guanniang and Xiaoyang, who were holding hands and stepping out of the house, to Hao Yu.

“Guanniang, Xiaoyang, this is my master, Hao Yu. Master, this is Xie Guanniang and Xie Chaoyang, temporarily staying with us.”

Xie Guanniang bent her knees in a respectful bow. “Guanniang greets Uncle Hao.”

Xiaoyang imitated the gesture sincerely. “Xiaoyang greets Uncle Hao.”

Hao Yu had already heard from the talkative villagers about how Jiang Yuan had pulled a young lady out of the river, who then took in a little girl from the village, so he was not surprised to see Xie Guanniang and Xiaoyang.

He nodded slightly at the two. “No need for formalities. Since A Yuan has you staying here, consider this your home. Don’t be shy.”

Xie Guanniang bowed again. “Thank you, Uncle Hao, for taking us in.”

She took Xiaoyang’s hand. “Come, let’s make something for Uncle Hao to eat.”

Xiaoyang nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll help big sister.”

Jiang Yuan said, “I’ll fetch water for you. Wash your hands and face, then eat first.”

Hao Yu nodded. “I’ll put my things away first.”

He carried his small bag into his room. Once out of sight of others, the forced smile on his face immediately faded.

The hardships and dangers he endured on the road to the capital were minor compared to the disappointment and suffocation he felt upon seeing the people he came to find and swallowing all the bitterness.

In the kitchen, Xie Guanniang scooped a bowl of plain flour into a wooden basin. “Xiaoyang, go help big sister pull a couple handfuls of spinach, a bunch of scallions, then pick two cucumbers and two tomatoes.”

“All right!” Xiaoyang agreed, carrying a basket and trotting off to the vegetable patch. Meanwhile, Xie Guanniang began boiling water, kneading dough, and bringing out meat sauce, dried meat, dried fish, and eggs.

She planned to make spinach noodles with meat sauce for Hao Yu, then stir-fry scallion and eggs, prepare a cold cucumber salad, and combine dried meat and fish as a sort of meat dish.

While she and Xiaoyang busied themselves cooking, Jiang Yuan took some hot water he had boiled earlier, mixed it with fresh cold water from the well, and brought it to Hao Yu’s room.

Hao Yu had only brought a little dry food, a water pouch, and two sets of clothes when he left. Everything else he needed had been purchased along the way.

Because his mood was poor, he hadn’t even bought any local ceremonial gifts for Jiang Yuan. His small, deflated bag still contained only the water pouch and two sets of clothes.

The water pouch was flattened, nearly empty. The rations bought on the road had been eaten up by noon.

He drank what little water remained, then took the unused silver coins from the inner pocket of his garment and the pouch on his waist, and carefully put them back into the money box.

Jiang Yuan came in carrying a bucket. “I clean your room every two days. The basin, bucket, towels, and bedding are all washed and sun-dried.”

Hao Yu glanced at him, his expression complex and his gaze heavy with sorrow.

Jiang Yuan poured half a basin of water. “Try to let it go. Don’t torment yourself over these trivial matters.”

Hao Yu took a deep breath. “It won’t happen again. You’re right. Instead of hoping others will cherish family bonds, we’re better off living our lives steadily with our own feet on the ground.”

While washing up, he spoke quietly to Jiang Yuan about the outcome of his trip. “Those two didn’t agree to let you return to the capital as their legitimate eldest son.”

Anping Bo, who now had numerous wives and children, feared that if word spread of his neglect of his eldest son over the past decade, his colleagues would privately gossip, even openly accuse him, and the emperor, who valued propriety and primogeniture, would disapprove.

Madam Han, the Bo’s wife, feared the eldest son would take the position of heir apparent from their second son. She worried his appearance would weaken her standing in the household power struggles and feared the eldest son, considered unpresentable, would embarrass her and the Anping Bo residence in the capital’s elite circles.

The two gave Hao Yu two choices:

First, Hao Yu could publicly declare Jiang Yuan as his son, and they would enter the capital as distant relatives of the Anping Bo family. Anping Bo would then help Jiang Yuan find a position and provide the “father and son” with a small courtyard and some farmland.

Second, Hao Yu could take a large sum of money they offered and return to Mingfu Village, living as wealthy idlers far from the court and the capital together with Jiang Yuan.

Hao Yu was so angry with those two that he felt as if his lungs would burst. Yet he had to muster all his self-control to restrain himself, only showing carefully measured disbelief, anger, and disappointment before them.

He feared that if he acted aggressively, they would cruelly cut off any chance for him and Jiang Yuan to speak out in the future to protect their own interests.