Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside

Chapter 1465: Chapter 1465: A Miserable End

Ji Zhenniang was frightened by the bandits. Seeing that it was getting dark, she didn’t dare to sleep alone and came running to stay with Gu Jinli. Upon hearing this, she asked, "Gu Xiaoyu, how can you say that? They are stealing things, and you are praising them. Are you a female bandit?"

Gu Jinli wanted to kick her off the carriage: "What do you mean stealing things? This is compensation. We are about to wipe out all the bandits of the Hundred Wolves Mountain Nine Villages. We are helping to remove a great evil from Hundred Wolves County, so what’s wrong with taking a little something from their government office?"

"Moreover, assisting Kangrong is a big deal, and the Ministry of War ordered all local government offices along the way to support the Westward Army. We were surrounded and slaughtered by bandits last night, and they didn’t bother to rescue us. If we report to the Capital, County Magistrate Chou will be at the end of his official career. Giving us some things is what’s right. Why else do you think County Magistrate Chou didn’t stop Aunt Niu and them from emptying out the government office?"

Do you really think County Magistrate Chou is dumb?

He’s just afraid that Vice General Fang will report to the court and cut off his official career.

Ji Zhenniang was rendered speechless and dared not talk about this anymore, afraid of angering Gu Jinli and being left behind.

Seeing the sky getting dark, she asked, "Isn’t Xie Cheng and the others back yet?"

Gu Jinli: "It’s not that quick. If they return by tomorrow night, that would be good enough."

Upon hearing this, Ji Zhenniang started crying and sobbing, "When will days like these ever end?"

She was a wealthy young lady, supposed to live a life with clothes brought to her and food served up, enjoying reading picture books, writing poetry, painting, or playing the piano casually, not enduring cold winds in fear, living like a beggar without a house.

Gu Jinli clicked her tongue, expressing disdain: "We are already much more comfortable than the Westward Army soldiers. Just sitting warmly in a carriage, without having to travel on foot, what more do you want? Do you expect Company Commander Xie to sing you a tune and coax you for dinner? Stop being so ungrateful."

Ji Zhenniang was scolded again by Gu Jinli, tears streaming down in anger, she yelled, "Gu Xiaoyu, I’m just complaining a bit, why are you so fierce? Ow, it hurts~"

Ji Zhenniang yelled so loudly that she hurt her bitten tongue and was in terrible pain.

Gu Jinli laughed and teased her: "Shout again, shout loud enough and your tongue will fall apart."

Ji Zhenniang hurriedly covered her mouth, glaring at her and crying miserably.

Gu Jinli: "Stop crying already; crying all day will scare away my God of Wealth."

Are you starring in some tragic drama? Can’t you survive a day without crying?

Just as they were bickering, Erqing returned and said: "Madam, the rooms at the post station are ready. You can go over now."

After Company Commander Wei and others left, the post station was empty, and Gu Jinli and the other Company Commanders’ wives could stay there first. Thanks to Qin San Lang and her turning the tide last night, she got the largest and best room at the post station.

The Xie Family and the Niu Family also got two nice rooms, right next to hers.

As for Vice General Fang, he didn’t stay at the post station but stayed at the county government, served by personnel there, much more comfortable than staying at the post station.

Gu Jinli nodded: "Alright, have Danian come to drive us over."

"Okay." Erqing went to find Danian.

Ji Zhenniang thought of Sister Tang and asked: "Where’s Sister Tang? Aren’t we taking Sister Tang with us? She’s still so young, wounded, her father captured, and without her mother by her side. If we don’t take her with us, she’d be very pitiful."

Gu Jinli felt like hitting someone and glared at Ji Zhenniang, saying: "Ji Zhenniang, are you sick? Are you so desperate for a daughter? Who is Lu Tang? She is Lu Chong and Mrs. Cen’s daughter. Even if she’s pitiful, we can’t bring her everywhere with us."

"But..." Ji Zhenniang glanced at Gu Jinli and bravely said: "Lu Chong has been captured, Mrs. Cen is missing. If we don’t take Sister Tang, what will happen to her?"

"In the future?" Gu Jinli laughed in frustration and asked: "Ji Zhenniang, what do you really mean? Speak clearly, do you intend to adopt Lu Tang? Always keep her by your side?"

Ji Zhenniang shrunk into the corner of the carriage and asked back: "Can’t I?"

With a thud, Gu Jinli’s fist hit the seat. If Ji Zhenniang hadn’t ducked quickly, she surely would’ve gotten beaten blue and black.

Gu Jinli pointed at her, saying: "Ji Zhenniang, what kind of fool are you? Wanting to adopt Lu Tang, do you think you haven’t died fast enough?!"

Ji Zhenniang cried in fear but still explained: "Sister Tang is an orphan now. If we don’t take her, she will suffer terribly."

"Suffer your mother!" Gu Jinli cursed angrily, "The Lu Family isn’t extinct, Lu Tang belongs to the Lu Family, and she should be sent back to them to be raised by the Lu Family. When did it become your outsider’s job to raise her?"

She pointed at Ji Zhenniang and warned: "I’m telling you, if you dare speak of adopting Lu Tang again, I’ll send you to Hundred Wolves Mountain, to keep company with the bandits!"

She continued: "Ji Zhenniang, please get your head straight. Even if you long for a daughter and channel your feelings for Zhuzhu onto Lu Tang, you shouldn’t consider adopting her. Do you think raising a child is so simple? Or do you plan to let Lu Tang grow up and split Zhuzhu’s dowry?!"

"Of course not!" Ji Zhenniang indeed cared more for her biological daughter. Hearing Gu Jinli’s words, she thought of her own daughter Zhuzhu, finally saying: "Alright, I won’t adopt Sister Tang."

"Ha, all this talk of adoption?" Gu Jinli sneered a reply. She heard Danian coming and knocked on the carriage, saying: "Danian, let’s go."

"Okay." Danian responded and drove the carriage with Gu Jinli and the others towards the post station.

Gu Jinli and the others kept busy for an hour before they could truly rest.

Ji Zhenniang didn’t go to sleep in the next room but stayed with Gu Jinli, sharing the same bed.

Gu Jinli was quite annoyed with her, but Brother Qin and Xie Cheng were allies, and with Xie Cheng not available, she had to help take care of Ji Zhenniang, lest any wandering bandits cause trouble at night.

And as expected that night, Qin San Lang and his team did not return.

...

While Gu Jinli and the others were sleeping, Qin San Lang and his team were still in Hundred Wolves Mountain, moving closer to White Wolf Village.

But as soon as they reached the foot of White Wolf Village, the wolves in the surroundings sniffing around started howling.

"Something’s up ahead, let’s go check it out." Qin San Lang called the group and followed the wolves to a small cabin.

The cabin wasn’t large, likely used by the bandits as a lookout post at the foot of the mountain. The cabin door was open, and there was a fire burning, next to which lay a corpse.

Qin San Lang frowned: "You Ping, go see who’s dead."

Some bandits were clever last night; upon sensing trouble, some left early, and some took young, pretty women.

If the deceased inside was an innocent family member of a soldier, they’d have to bury them properly.

But the dead inside was not a soldier’s family member. It was Mrs. Cen!

Mrs. Cen’s clothes were tattered, her body covered in injuries, and she’d been tortured severely before death, eyes bulging, dying unpeacefully.

Having grown up in the Water Bandit Village, You Ping had seen bandits mistreating women. Still, seeing Mrs. Cen’s condition shocked him... The bandits of Hundred Wolves Mountain truly were inhumane.

However, Mrs. Cen was a poisonous woman; meeting such an end was just retribution.