A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Chapter 840: Burying Boss Jia and Saying Goodbye to Manager Zhao

Sha Yanxiao drove behind Wu Mingqiang's car. He looked at the rearview mirror from time to time, as if observing whether anyone was following him. He drove like this and unknowingly left the city and came to a remote hill outside the wall. Wu Mingqiang's car in front stopped, and Sha Yanxiao also stopped his car.

The two men got out of the car, and Dali came out from the side with Manager Zhao, his wife, and a thin girl.

Butler Zhao changed his clothes. He was now wearing shorts and a straw hat. From a distance, he looked nothing like the elegant and shrewd butler he used to be. Instead, he looked more like a farmer in the surrounding countryside.

Dali said to Sha Yanxiao, "Master, Manager Zhao has taken me to the small treasury to confirm it, and there is no problem."

Manager Zhao, along with his wife and daughter, bowed to Sha Yanxiao and said, "Thank you, Second Young Master, for your generosity and for saving our family's lives."

Sha Yanxiao waved his hand and said, "Old Zhao, you've worked so hard in the Marshal's Mansion for so many years and should have retired with honor. I didn't want to be dragged into the internal fighting in my mansion because of your son. This 100 silver dollars is for your resettlement allowance. I should have given you more, but I was afraid of exposing my true colors. As you know, I don't have complete control over the Marshal's Mansion."

After only a day or two, Steward Zhao seemed to have aged considerably, his figure becoming hunched. He sighed and said, "Young Master, you're the only one in this mansion who still remembers the past. Fortunately, the Marshal, through some strange twist of fate, has handed the position to you. This is a blessing for the people of Jiangcheng. I will now take my wife and daughter back to the countryside, live in hiding, and never return to the city again."

After saying this, he hesitantly pointed to a small hill not far away and said, "Is this really the grave of my son Yingwu?"

Dali, who was standing next to him, said, "According to the number of people who handled the bodies over at the main house, they are indeed buried here."

When Manager Zhao, his wife, and his daughter heard this, they rushed over excitedly and burst into tears.

Sha Yanxiao waved his hand, and Wu Mingqiang and Dali worked together to take Boss Jia's coffin down from the car.

Manager Zhao turned around and was stunned: "Who is this? Could it be Boss Jia?"

Sha Yanxiao sighed and nodded.

Manager Zhao was stunned at first, then filled with fear, and said, "No wonder you asked me to disguise myself and get out first. It turns out I knew Madam and the eldest young master were going to silence me."

Sha Yanxiao frowned and said, "From now on, this will be the tomb of General Manager Zhao. Take these 100 silver dollars and buy a new house somewhere else and start your life there. If it's not enough, you can go find Dali or Wu Mingqiang."

At this time, Dali raised his head and said to Manager Zhao, "Old Zhao, you know why I asked you to dress like this? Let's do the whole show. Come and help dig the grave."

Manager Zhao's wife and daughter were so frightened that they stood by and dared not move.

Manager Zhao was helpless and sighed. He started digging the grave with Wu Mingqiang and Dali, and finally buried Boss Jia next to Zhao Yingwu's grave.

After the burial, Manager Zhao said to his wife, "Bring the things here."

Mrs. Zhao came to her senses and quickly took out a small package from behind her and opened it. It turned out to be sacrificial items such as ingots and candles.

The family set these things on fire and burned them at the two graves.

Manager Zhao said to Boss Jia's grave, "Boss Jia, I'm sorry for making you my scapegoat. When I visit my son's grave in the future, I'll definitely include your contribution."

Seeing that the work was almost done, Sha Yanxiao looked around and saw that no one was following him. He said to Manager Zhao, "Old Zhao, it's almost time. Do you want us to give you a ride?"

Manager Zhao turned around, bowed to Sha Yanxiao, and said, "Thank you, Master. We can go on our own. Master, please take care of yourself in the future."

Sha Yanxiao sent Manager Zhao and his family away, waved goodbye to Wu Mingqiang, and turned to Guier and said, "Come on, I'll take you somewhere."

The car stopped in front of an unassuming house on the outskirts of town. The vermilion-lacquered gate looked ordinary, but when pushed open, it felt heavy. Inside, a different world unfolded—a bluestone path meandered to the main house, flanked by neatly trimmed holly trees and a corner covered in wisteria, in full bloom.

Seeing the master's arrival, several people suddenly appeared from nowhere. Although they were all dressed in plain clothes and looked like servants, they all had guns on their waists. Guier knew from their muscular bodies and the way they held their guns that they must be Sha Yanxiao's soldiers assigned from the military camp to guard this place.

They bowed respectfully to Sha Yanxiao and then dispersed, looking extremely well-trained.

Entering the main room, Guier gasped. The floor was covered with a Persian carpet, soft as a cloud. The walls were paneled with pearwood, and hung with several Western oil paintings, their frames gilded and gleaming under the crystal chandeliers. Most striking was the antique display case against the west wall, filled from top to bottom with a variety of treasures: jade ornaments, emerald green, jade ruyi, translucent and glistening, and neatly stacked gold ingots. In the corners, gold bricks were stacked, gleaming with a rich luster.

The east room was even more outrageous. A long rosewood table was piled with silk parcels. Upon opening them, they were filled with jewelry—jewel necklaces tightly strung together, pearl bracelets sleek, and ruby ​​rings as red as blood. In a camphorwood chest against the wall, boxes upon boxes of silver ingots were neatly stacked. When the lid was lifted, the dazzling whiteness was dizzying.

"This is the family fortune my father saved in his early years." Sha Yanxiao picked up a silver ingot and weighed it. "They always said that military spending was tight, but it turns out all the money is hidden here." He walked to a locked wooden cabinet, took out the key and opened it. Inside were several stacks of bank drafts with an astonishing amount.

Gui'er touched a string of coral beads, her fingertips cold: "So many..."

"From now on, these should be used for serious purposes." Sha Yanxiao closed the cabinet door, his eyes darkening. "It's better to build fortifications and buy ammunition than to let them rot here." He saw Gui'er staring at a pair of sapphire earrings, so he took them off and handed them to her. "Do you like them?"

Gui'er waved her hands quickly: "It's too expensive."

Sha Yanxiao stuffed it into her hand without saying a word: "Take it, you may need it in the future." The sunlight shone in through the carved window lattice, falling on the jewels, refracting tiny lights, and making his eyes look deep.

Gui'er wanted to refuse, but when she thought about how much she had spent investigating various things during this period, she accepted it.

Afterwards, Sha Yanxiao drove Gui'er back to the Marshal's Mansion.

As soon as I entered the house and hadn't even sat down, the housekeeper He from the main house came.

He said with a smile: "Second Young Master, the young ladies are here. It's like this, the Madam wants to see you."

Sha Yanxiao raised his eyebrows and said, "I'll be right there." He turned to Gui'er and said, "If you're tired, stay here."

Gui'er thought that Boss Jia was obviously killed by someone from the first wife's family, so if they were to call Sha Yanxiao now, it would definitely be bad news. So she said, "Mother might have something to say. I'll go and listen."