After returning to the general's residence, Yan Gui unfolded his cloak, wrapped Wei Yang in it, and carried her all the way into the courtyard.
The little maid guarding the gate was dozing off. The red gauze lanterns in the corridor were swaying in the cold wind, casting long shadows.
As soon as the two entered the house, Xiao Cao ran over and said, "Girl, why did you just come back? The old general has sent people to ask about you several times."
Yan Gui lowered his eyes.
Wei Yang poked her little head out from Yan Gui's arms and looked at Xiao Cao: "Old General, is there something important that you want to talk to me about?"
Xiao Cao tugged at the hem of her clothes and answered anxiously under Yan Gui's gaze: "The old general said that he couldn't eat the food cooked in the kitchen. Even when Sister Youlan cooked and sent it to him, he was still not satisfied."
"Then let him starve." Yan Gui said coldly.
He carried Weiyang into the inner room.
"Or, I'll go..."
"You are not allowed to go." Perhaps realizing that his tone was a bit harsh, Yan Gui slowed down his voice and said, "You need to apply medicine to your feet. Wounds heal slowly in winter. Don't go to the kitchen for the next two days."
Xiao Cao forgot about the old general when he heard this, and hurriedly followed Yan Gui inside: "What's wrong with the girl's feet?"
Konggu grabbed him from behind and said in a low voice, "How can you be so blind? Don't follow the girl into the room with the general."
Xiaocao turned to look at Konggu with some remaining concern on her face: "You have no vision. Are you the girl's or the general's? Our girl hasn't married the general yet."
After saying that, he ignored Konggu and squatted at Weiyang's door, listening to the noise inside.
If the girl called her, she would rush in.
Konggu was choked by the grass and his eyes turned red with anger: "I don't want to care about you." As he said that, he walked out of the room and met Youlan who was holding hot water.
"What's wrong with you? Who messed with you?" Youlan followed Konggu into the room with hot water and put the water on the washbasin rack: "Come and wash up quickly. You've been running around with the girl all day. You must be tired."
Konggu sat beside the bed in despair, repeating the words he had just said to Xiaocao, and said aggrievedly: "The girl will marry the general in the future. Isn't it the same for me to listen to the general or the girl?"
Youlan was holding a hot towel and preparing to wipe Konggu's face. Hearing this, she looked out the window absentmindedly.
"Tell me, where did we go wrong?" Konggu asked again.
"Konggu." Youlan put the hot towel on her hand and slowly squatted down: "You said that the girl took Xiaocao as a maid in Tuocheng. Was it because she felt that we were not loyal to her?"
Konggu was stunned when he heard this and opened his mouth to refute, how could we be unfaithful to the girl
Youlan continued, "We were chosen by the general to be the young lady's maids. We are the young lady's maids, so should we listen to the young lady or the general?"
In the hut, there was a small light.
Youlan and Konggu sat opposite each other, both of them lost in thought.
Yan Gui applied medicine to Wei Yang's feet, helped her take off her cotton-padded jacket, loosened her hair, and washed her face, hands and feet. He squatted down and stared at the girl on the bed in the dim light until the girl's breathing gradually became even and steady.
Her eyelashes were long and black, casting a shadow on her eyelids like a row of fans. Her face was so white and tender that one couldn't help but reach out and poke it.
Before the hand reached out, the little girl turned over and murmured, turning inward. She clearly called out, "Mom."
Yan Gui's outstretched hand trembled slightly and stopped. Slowly, his palm moved downwards and fell on the quilt covering Wei Yang.
The voice was clear and serious: "I will definitely let you return to the capital and pay tribute to your parents with dignity."