Just as the little boy poked his head out, the old Duke rushed over. He did not mind the child’s filthy state in the slightest, but swept him into his arms and held him tightly.
“Young Master Yu, my Young Master Yu! Your grandfather has searched so hard for you!”
The old Duke, who had once fought on countless battlefields and earned glorious military honors, was now clutching a small child and sobbing so hard that his nose ran and his tears flowed freely.
The little one in the old Duke’s arms began wailing as well. Whether he was overwhelmed at seeing his family or frightened by the scene, no one could tell.
The Duke’s heir and the heir’s wife came running over, equally overcome with emotion. One seized the child’s hand while the other held his foot, and both wept without pause.
“It’s Little Yu. There’s no mistaking it—it’s Little Yu!”
“Little Yu is back! Our Little Yu has finally been found!”
Many of the servants in the Duke’s residence began crying tears of joy at the sight.
Finding the young master was an event worthy of celebration. Ever since he had gone missing over a month ago, the entire residence had been shrouded in gloom. There had been nothing but tears and no laughter, and even serving the masters had become difficult. Now that the young master had returned, it was a joyous occasion for everyone!
The family cried for quite some time. The old Duke was the first to regain control of himself. After tidying himself up and wiping the tears from his face, he invited Cui Huaihao and Master Zhou into the residence with great gratitude.
The two men were thus ushered into the Duke’s residence.
The young master had clearly recognized his mother. He clung affectionately to her neck and refused to let go. Yet when his mother tried to carry him away, he struggled, looking as though he was unwilling to leave.
The heir’s wife looked doubtfully at her son’s ash-covered face. Her heart ached all the more, but she swallowed her bitterness and asked, “Little Yu, what’s wrong?”
Zhang Xianyu’s gaze fell on Rongyao, who stood beside Cui Huaihao. He tugged pleadingly at his mother’s clothes and said in his childish voice, “Sister. I want Sister.”
The heir’s wife looked gratefully at Rongyao. Since Little Yu was so attached to the young girl, she must have treated him well and helped him.
“Be good, Little Yu. Once Mother has cleaned you up, I’ll bring you back to see Sister.”
Zhang Xianyu froze. Perhaps he had thought of something, for his little face flushed red. He quickly nodded.
“Wash. Little Yu wants a bath. Hurry.”
The heir’s wife let out a soft laugh and swiftly carried her son away.
Inside the hall, the old Duke once again expressed his gratitude. Once everyone had settled down, he naturally asked what had happened. Cui Huaihao did not conceal anything and recounted the day’s events in full detail.
“…My Yaoyao had seen the young master before. She has always had an excellent memory, so she could not have mistaken him. We stopped that thief, Dongda, and rescued the young master…”
After Cui Huaihao finished speaking, Master Zhou hurriedly added, “This was indeed all thanks to the young lady of the Cui family. If not for her, we would still be completely in the dark.”
The old Duke and the Duke’s heir stared at Rongyao in astonishment, then both thanked her.
Rongyao gave the two elders a sweet smile.
Seeing that the time was right, Master Zhou knelt down and explained that he had been deceived and knew nothing about the matter. He also said that he had already had Dongda’s entire family detained and would leave them entirely to the Duke for interrogation and punishment.
The old Duke was quite pleased with Master Zhou’s actions. It was clear to him that Master Zhou had merely been implicated. Besides, upon learning that the child was his grandson, Master Zhou had immediately accompanied Second Master Cui in returning the boy to the Duke’s residence. The Duke’s family was not unreasonable; there was no way they would truly make things difficult for him.
The old Duke smiled and said, “Master Zhou, by helping Second Master Cui return my grandson to us, you have shown our family a great kindness.”
Master Zhou breathed a sigh of relief. He felt as if the heavy stone weighing on his chest had finally been lifted. Fortunately, he had not lost his head at the time and had followed Brother Cui’s advice. As things stood, he had clearly made the right choice—and had even made a good impression on the old Duke.
Now that the young master of the Duke’s residence had been found, the matter no longer concerned Cui Huaihao and Rongyao. There was no need for them to remain involved.
Cui Huaihao therefore took his niece and bid them farewell.
The old Duke did not try to keep them. He said that he would certainly visit in person to offer his thanks another day. Although he had found his grandson, the people who had harmed the boy had yet to be dealt with. He still had to accompany Master Zhou to the estate to investigate the matter thoroughly, so he truly had no time to entertain these two honored guests. He could only see them out, thinking that once he had the time, he would personally visit their home to express his gratitude.
Cui Huaihao led Rongyao out of the Duke’s residence.
Even after they boarded the carriage, his heart was still pounding furiously, showing no sign of calming down.
What had he done today? He had rescued the young master of the Duke’s residence! He had met the old Duke and the Duke’s heir! None of it felt real.
Cui Huaihao lowered his head and looked at his niece, who was sitting beside him and diligently eating fruit. Unable to contain his delight, he praised her, “Yaoyao, you really are the Cui family’s little lucky star! You’re your Second Uncle’s little lucky star!”
Rongyao wiped the corner of her mouth and looked at her overjoyed uncle. She could not help smiling as well. Picking up another piece of fruit, she held it out to him.
“Second Uncle, you eat too.”
Cui Huaihao’s heart turned warm. He hurriedly accepted the fruit his niece offered and swallowed it in one bite.
“Delicious! Fruit picked out by Yaoyao herself really is the best.”
Rongyao: “…”
Second Uncle remained excited the entire journey. After they returned to the Cui residence, he was even more eager and summoned the whole family to recount the day’s events.
Her grandfather, Cui Yeping, looked his second son up and down. Cui Huaihao could barely stand still from excitement.
“What are you doing, acting like some unmarried young man? Aren’t you afraid people will laugh if they see you? What could possibly have happened that you even summoned your elder brother away from his studies?”
Her eldest uncle, Cui Huaiji, asked, “What happened? Did something go wrong with one of your business deals?”
Her third uncle, Cui Huaiyi, said, “The only time I’ve ever seen you like this was on your wedding day.”
Her mother, Cui Huaiyin, urged, “Second Brother, hurry up and tell us!”
Her grandmother, Zhang Yingmei, asked, “Did you happen to find a banknote on the road?”
Cui Huaihao cleared his throat, lifted his chin, and began recounting what had happened that day.
He told the story with all the twists and turns of a professional storyteller.
Those members of the Cui family who had not known about the matter stared wide-eyed as they listened. When Cui Huaihao finally finished, Cui Yeping abruptly rose to his feet. He stared at his second son in shock, then shifted his gaze to his granddaughter.
“So you and Yaoyao really helped the Duke’s family find their missing young master?”
Cui Huaihao thumped his chest proudly.
“Of course we did!”
Grandmother Zhang Yingmei excitedly pulled Rongyao into her arms.
“My darling, how can you be so clever? You only saw that young master of the Duke’s residence once, yet you remembered him perfectly and recognized him at a glance. And you were so brave, daring to stop that thief! You must never act so recklessly again. If the thief had lashed out and hurt you, it would not have been worth it.”
Rongyao hugged her grandmother around the neck and gave her a sweet smile.
“Second Uncle was right there. He would never have let the thief hurt me.”
Zhang Yingmei lightly tapped Rongyao on the head.
“That still won’t do! You are the treasure of our family. Nothing must ever happen to you.”
Rongyao happily nodded, unable to resist nuzzling affectionately against her grandmother’s clothes.
Her grandmother doted on her, her grandfather cherished her, and her uncles loved her. She knew that…
Grandfather Cui Yeping beamed. “Yaoyao deserves the greatest credit for this. The Duke is a man who values loyalty and repays kindness. Given the way he does things, he will certainly protect the Cui family to some extent.”
Cui Huaiji was equally delighted. “Father is right. Second Brother and Yaoyao have done a wonderful deed today!”
Cui Huaiyi was even more excited. He grabbed his second elder brother by the arm and said, “Second Brother, you really saw the Duke? The very same Duke Zhang Changgong who once went undefeated on the battlefield? Hurry and tell me—what did he say to you...?”
...
News that the Duke’s young grandson, who had been missing for over a month, had finally been found quickly spread through every street and alley. Everyone said that the Duke’s household was exceptionally fortunate. A child who had been missing for so long had been found only because the family’s ancestors had blessed them and sent a benefactor their way.
On the very next day after finding his grandson, the Duke came to the Cui residence with his son and daughter-in-law.
Not only did they bring a great many valuable gifts, but they also left the Cui family with a promise: Should the Cui family ever face trouble, the Duke’s household would lend them its full support.
That promise was worth its weight in gold, and it put everyone in the Cui family somewhat at ease.
The Duke’s household had not only brought gifts for the Cui family; they had also prepared a special gift for Rongyao.
It consisted of a hundred mu of fertile farmland outside the capital and a fruit orchard larger and better than Master Zhou’s. They said it was an advance dowry for Rongyao.
Rongyao gazed at the armful of wonderful gifts, unable to contain her delight.
She nearly jumped for joy right then and there.
...
On the eve of the Spring Examination, everyone in the Cui household was busy, inside and out. After all, the eldest master would be entering the examination hall again the next day.
This year was different from previous years. In the past, before every Spring Examination, the eldest master had set out three months in advance to travel to the capital for the imperial exams. Various mishaps would occur along the way, causing him to miss the examination.
But things were different this year. The Cui family was already in the capital, so the eldest master no longer had to make the long journey from Huangzhou three months ahead of time. With the distance greatly reduced, he had less preparation time to worry about and fewer variables to contend with.
Thus, even on the eve of entering the examination compound, the eldest master was still sitting peacefully in the courtyard, studying.
Everyone in the Cui family prayed that Cui Huaiji’s examination would go smoothly. After all, if the eldest master of the household passed, it would bring honor to the entire family. The Cui family held no title of nobility and relied solely on the master’s sixth-rank official position. If the next generation wished to continue in officialdom, they would still have to rely on the imperial examinations.
Zhang Yingmei prepared the items required for the examination together with her daughters and daughters-in-law.
First were the clothes. The hat, long robe, jacket, and trousers all had to be single-layered. If the garment was made of leather, the leather surface had to be removed; if it was felt, the lining had to be taken out. The socks had to be single-layer felt socks, and the shoes had to have thin soles.
Even the brush he would take into the examination hall had to meet certain requirements. The brush handle had to be hollowed out to prevent anyone from hiding slips of paper inside. The inkstone could not be too thick, the vessel used to hold water had to be porcelain, and the candle stand had to be made of tin, with a single hollow base.
As for the food and pastries, they all had to be cut open beforehand to ensure that nothing had been hidden inside.
The women checked everything carefully according to the regulations, not daring to overlook a single detail. It took them quite some time before everything was finally packed.
The eldest madam, Madam Wang, was extremely anxious and looked as though she had not slept or rested properly. She had been this way for several days, clearly worried about her husband’s examination the next day.
Zhang Yingmei glanced at her eldest daughter-in-law. “Don’t let Huaiji see you looking like this. If he does, he’ll only start overthinking things along with you.”
Madam Wang clutched her handkerchief and nodded vigorously. “Mother is right. I shouldn’t behave this way, but there have already been so many mishaps. Do you truly think my husband will be able to enter the examination hall safely this year?”
Zhang Yingmei spoke helplessly. “I know what you’re worried about, but the matter is right before us now. We’ve done everything we can. The Spring Examination is tomorrow, and our home is only three streets away from the examination compound. It will take no more than an hour to get there. If we’re careful—more careful than ever—we’ll be able to escort your husband into the examination hall.”
“Yes, Mother is right,” Madam Wang said. “But I can’t help being afraid. I’m afraid something else will happen...”
Clearly not wishing to hear anything so ominous, Zhang Yingmei cut her off. “If you’re truly afraid, then go burn more incense for the Three Sages. If that still isn’t enough, go find Yaoyao and ask her to say a few auspicious words. Yaoyao is the Cui family’s little lucky star. She’ll surely bless her eldest uncle.”
Madam Wang nodded vigorously once more. Her mother-in-law was right. She could not continue to be so panicked and frightened. She offered incense to the Three Sages every time, and Yaoyao was the family’s little lucky star. Perhaps Yaoyao really could bless her husband and ensure that his Spring Examination went smoothly this time.
Madam Wang did not dare delay. After putting everything away, she went to find her niece.
She only hoped that a few pleasant words from her niece might actually help.
Rongyao looked at her eldest aunt’s ingratiating smile and spoke solemnly. “Eldest Aunt, don’t worry. Eldest Uncle will definitely arrive at the examination compound safe and sound this time!”
When Madam Wang heard Rongyao’s words, the tight knot of anxiety in her heart loosened somewhat.
Yaoyao was the family’s lucky star. If Yaoyao said it, then it would surely come true. This time, her husband would definitely enter the examination hall without a hitch!
After seeing her eldest aunt off, Rongyao’s smile faded.
