Chapter 201 Extremely Wealthy Maternal Grandfather (Waigong) Shows Up
After Darong Ka’s trial ended, Old General Mu said to Nanzhao King and the officials, “You heard Darong Ka’s confession. I invaded your Nanjiang because there were no other choices. You saw it too. If you weren’t destroyed in my hands, you would be destroyed in Guoji Weiza and Great Yan’s Empress and Taizi’s hands. You will only die if you land in their hands. If you listen to us, you can still live in glory and wealth.”
Nanzhao King nodded helplessly. He thought, ‘Would we dare to not obey? Your army already captured all of us. We can’t beat you, so we can only be obedient, right?’
As he nodded, he looked frightened at Zi You and Shangguan LingRan. What sacred beings are these? Our soldiers’ swords easily broke like matches in their hands.
Poisoned arrows that were shot at them actually turned around and shot back at our soldiers when these two waved their hands. They’re obviously much more powerful than Darong Ka.
Even Darong Ka surrendered. Would we dare not to?
After Nanzhao government surrendered, Old General Mu gathered all the officers and spoke about his, Zi You, Mu YingYi, and Shangguan LingRan’s plan. “30,000 soldiers cannot be used by the fatuous ruler. So, I plan to leave you all here in Nanjiang.”
Zhang Wei was instantly anxious. “But my mother and other relatives are in the capital. Will the fatuous ruler take them as hostages?”
Zi You nodded. “It’s very possible. But don’t worry. My grandfather and uncle will return to the capital. Plus, your families are in the capital, so even if the fatuous ruler is suspicious, he won’t dare to make a move.
“If he really dares to take action, I will not stand idly by. Don’t worry. I will do my best to protect your families. I will find a way to block all the from news here. Let the fatuous ruler sit in fear and trepidation on his dragon throne from now on.”
“Won’t Old General Mu and Young General be in danger if they go back?” Xue Zichao asked in worry.
“There will be danger, but it will lull them into a false sense of security.” Zi You replied, “I’ll have Shifu disguise as my grandfather and return to the capital with me. Grandfather will stay in Nanjiang with you all. I’m worried because we just occupied this territory.”
Old General Mu looked appreciatively at Shangguan LingRan. “Don’t worry, You’er. Your Shifu’s plan should work.”
“What plan?” Zhang Wei’s father, Zhang Ziheng, asked.
Shangguan LingRan smiled confidently. “Since ancient times, ‘Those who get the hearts of the people will obtain the world.’ Slavery is permitted in the Nanzhao government. The citizens are enslaved by the n.o.bles like animals. It’s not possible that they’re not resentful. If we abolish slavery, would the citizens still support Nanzhao government?”
“Master is right.” Zi You explained, “Most people just want to live a good life. They don’t care who the Emperor is. Of course, they will support whoever can let them live and work peacefully. If we take the Yuesong tribe leader’s land and distribute it to the tribesmen so that they will have their own land and food in return for not rebelling in the future, who would be willing to risk their lives anymore? Let Nanjiang’s citizens stand up to protect their own interests.”
Shangguan LingRan’s idea was somewhat similar to the land reform policies in the early days of China’s liberation. Slavery under the Nanzhao government was very much like slavery in Tibet before it was liberated. The citizens lived very bitterly.
If they gave a portion of the n.o.bles’ land and properties to the citizens and let them taste the sweetness that came from the Mu army occupying Nanjiang, the citizens would not agree if someone wanted to rebel against the Mu army in the future.
On the second day of Darong Ka’s public trial, a Great Yan jade merchant who operated in Nanjiang found the Han army.
He asked the soldier standing guard, “Is your General’s granddaughter’s mother Dier?”
The soldier didn’t know before, but now they certainly knew the name of Xiaojie’s mother. He immediately shouted, “Presumptuous! Is our Commander’s mother’s name something that you can say out loud?”
The merchant was very excited. He immediately said, “I’m your Commander Mu’s Waigong [maternal grandfather]! Let me in. I want to see my granddaughter……”
The soldier looked at the merchant’s cloud brocade. He looked handsome and elegant. He didn’t seem to have a businessman’s greedy stench. He asked doubtfully, “Are you telling the truth? If you’re impersonating Commander Mu’s relative, you will be guilty of a crime. Wait here. I’ll go in and ask.”
The soldier went inside. Zi You was immediately stunned. Of course she knew that her maternal grandparents were doing business in Nanjiang.
But since her grandmother and mother returned to the Indian G.o.d Realm, she and her maternal grandfather had long lost contact.
Was it really her Waigong who was looking for her because he knew that she was in Nanjiang?
“Ask him to come inside,” Zi You said. She had a feeling that this person might really be her Waigong.
Her mother had told her that Waigong’s jade business was very successful. His wealth could rival a nation’s. Not only were the Great Yan officials near Nanjiang acquainted with him, even the Nanjiang officials and businessmen were familiar with him.
The person was soon shown in. They were stunned as soon as they saw each other.
Xie Yunzhai looked at the girl in front of him who was wearing a goose yellow riding outfit that made her look prettier than flowers. Her waist was slender and she was charming with heroic spirit. The thing that was different from Great Yan girls was her facial features. She really looked a lot like his daughter Dier, except for their skin tones.
His daughter was angry that year because he had concealed his marriage and deceived her mother and his wife and child came to find him. Dier had angrily run away from home and never came back.
Later, Namisha, whom he pampered like a treasure, was soon brought back to India by her family. Only then did he know that the foreign girl whom he loved was actually a descendant of a G.o.ddess.
It was really ridiculous. He had lied to her and said that he had no wife or family. In fact, Namisha had long known the truth. She had even known that his relationship with his wife wasn’t good.
But Namisha loved him too. So, she didn’t break things off and went with him to Nanjiang.
They later had a daughter, Dier. Those days were the happiest of his life. That was until his selfish, fierce, ugly, and vicious wife and son came to find him.
His daughter had then run away from home and followed Great Yan’s army to the capital. She had married the Undefeated War G.o.d Old General Mu’s son and had given birth to a daughter.
But then Namisha returned to India and he had gradually lost contact with his daughter. It wasn’t that he had never thought about going to find Dier in Great Yan, but he was afraid that his ident.i.ty was special and would bring trouble to Dier.
Later, Namisha had written to him that Dier had also returned to the Indian G.o.d Realm and had left a daughter named Mu Zi You in Great Yan.
He had strongly suppressed his desire to find his granddaughter. He wanted to wait until his loyal confidants gathered his property together to send to her. But he didn’t expect that she could come to Nanjiang with Old General Mu to pacify the rebellion this time.
The heavens had eyes! He could finally see his granddaughter.
Zi You looked at him. A sense of intimacy instantly rose in her heart. She couldn’t help but murmur, “Waigong?”
This “Waigong” sounded doubtful, but it still made Xie Yunzhai tearful. He sobbed, “Are you…… You’er?”
Then he didn’t wait for Zi You to answer and immediately rushed over. He looked at her and said, “Similar……. You look similar to your mother. You’er, I’m your Waigong. I didn’t think that I would see you in my lifetime…..”
“Waigong!” Zi You shouted excitedly. She went over and held the man’s hand.
Old General Mu was immediately jealous. Let’s not talk about strangers, but his granddaughter was very cold even to people whom she wasn’t familiar with. She had never been so emotional before. This whatever Waigong never came to find You’er before, but You’er has such a big reaction at their first meeting today. I can’t let him rob my position in You’er’s heart.
He stepped forward and pushed Xie Yunzhai away. He asked coldly, “Who are you? How dare you impersonate my granddaughter’s Waigong? I never heard my daughter-in-law talk about her father. She only has a mother and no father. Don’t try to pa.s.s yourself off here. You better quickly scram away before I get angry!”
Xie Yunzhai never thought that Old General Mu would be so unreasonable. He angrily stomped his foot. “Hey! What are you saying? If my daughter doesn’t have a father, then where did she come from? This is clearly my granddaughter. Why aren’t you letting us recognize each other?”
“Why should I let you recognize her?” Old General Mu was very articulate. “Since my daughter-in-law married, I have never seen her family come to find her. Since her birth until now, my granddaughter never had her maternal family come find or visit her. Now that you see my granddaughter is outstanding and our Great Yan is occupying Nanjiang, you’ve come here to recognize her. What good calculations. You’re really worthy of being a businessman.”
Zi You never knew that her grandfather has a poisonous tongue. His speech made her Waigong speechless. Combined with his anger and excitement, Xie Yunzhai’s tears started flowing down.
He cried out with a lot of grievances and bitterness, “It’s not that I didn’t want to find my daughter and granddaughter, but I live in Nanjiang year round. I am a Great Yan citizen and I am close friends with the Nanzhao citizens, so I wanted to go to the capital. But Dier’s mother stopped me. She said that our daughter married Great Yan’s general’s son. If I hastily appeared on your doorstep, what if this matter is used by someone with ill intentions?”