MFURCC -Chapter 19 Rescuing Grandmother

The rain poured harder and harder.

Though it was midday, the sky was a sheet of gray.

Rainwater quickly drenched Liuzheng’s face, washing away the soot she had deliberately smeared on herself, revealing her clear and delicate features beneath.

But Liuzheng did not dare waste even a quarter of an hour. She knew that it was this very stretch of relentless rain that would bring the landslide.

She rode swiftly along the road. Whenever she passed an inn, she would stop to ask whether the Old Madam had stayed there.

She asked at three inns in succession.

None had seen the Old Madam, nor anyone from the second or third branches of the family.

Yet she had already ridden far beyond the capital.

Ahead lay the narrow pass of Yuguan. No matter how slowly Grandmother’s carriage traveled, they should have reached this point by now.

Unless… Grandmother had never left the summer estate at all.

The moment this thought surfaced, Liuzheng’s face turned deathly pale.

“Hyah!” She pressed her legs against the horse’s belly, urging it faster.

By the time she passed through Yuguan Pass, it was nearly evening.

Seeing an inn ahead, she immediately dismounted and went inside to inquire again.

The Old Madam had still not passed through.

Fortunately, she had already made arrangements with Yuliu. If she had not returned before the city gates were locked for the night, Yuliu would carry out a task first and then continue impersonating her, returning to the General’s Manor in her stead.

For a young woman to be out all night would invite terrible rumors.

The First Madam was currently confined due to the matter of the top scholar’s wife and would likely not come looking for her anytime soon. As long as Yuliu continued the disguise, no one would know she was absent.

And once she returned later with Grandmother, Grandmother’s presence would give her a perfectly reasonable explanation to prevent the First Madam and the Master from holding her accountable for “spending the night away.”

Without further delay, Liuzheng turned and stepped back into the wind and rain.

No matter what happened, she would never allow Grandmother to die again.

The rain did not cease.

At a relay station, Liuzheng changed horses and rode day and night until she finally reached the summer estate.

The estate sat halfway up Qingfeng Mountain. It was cool in summer and had hot springs in winter. Grandmother spent most of the year there.

The mountain paths were slick with rain. No matter how hard she lashed the reins, the horse could only move slowly.

Liuzheng tied the horse beneath an abandoned stone hut and continued up the mountain on foot.

In her previous life, she had not witnessed the landslide firsthand, but she could imagine how tragic it had been.

Grandmother, the members of the main and third branches, maids and servants—thirty-five lives in total—had all been buried here.

Not even their bodies could be recovered.

The thought of it happening again sent a chill down her spine. She quickened her pace toward the estate.

Along the way, she passed another villa, brightly lit within—clearly inhabited.

It was less than a hundred meters from Grandmother’s estate. If the landslide came, this household would likely…

Without hesitation, Liuzheng hurried forward and knocked.

Knock, knock, knock—

A servant soon opened the door.

Seeing a stranger, he asked in confusion, “Young sir, whom are you looking for?”

“I’m not looking for anyone,” Liuzheng said bluntly. “The mountain has become unstable after days of heavy rain. A landslide could occur at any moment. Please inform your master immediately and leave at once.”

The servant’s eyes widened.

“A… landslide?”

“That’s right!” Afraid they might not believe her, she added, “I am the young master of the Ruan family’s summer estate above. We are evacuating at once. You should leave quickly as well. If I am wrong, you may come to the Ruan residence and hold me accountable.”

With that, she turned and continued up the mountain without another word.

The servant dared not delay and hurried inside to report.

“A landslide?” The noblewoman within frowned slightly. “There has never been a landslide here.”

“He claims to be the young master of the Ruan family’s summer estate. He said if he lied, we could seek him out.”

The nanny beside the elegantly dressed lady immediately said, “Madam, whether true or not, the rain has fallen for four days without stopping. It would be better to move down to an inn at the foot of the mountain. If nothing happens after the rain stops, we can always return.”

But the lady still hesitated.

She lowered her gaze to her noticeably swollen belly.

“My body is heavy; I do not wish to trouble myself. Besides, my husband promised to come fetch me back to the capital next month when the weather cools.”

“Madam!” The nanny knelt. “But if it is true, then we may not live to wait for the master to come!”

At last, the lady relented.

“Very well. Pack a few personal belongings. We will go down the mountain at once.”

“Yes!”

Everyone sprang into action.

As she was lifted into the sedan chair, the lady muttered, “If there is no landslide and I have been made to suffer this trouble for nothing, I shall settle accounts with them.”

“Yes. This servant knows the Ruan residence—they run an academy. I will personally bring people to their door.”

“Mm.”

The lady closed her eyes wearily. “Let’s go.”

She was advanced in years yet pregnant.

The physician had said it was a girl.

She was overjoyed.

She had borne two sons, both stationed at border fortresses, unable even to return with the army’s triumphal entry. Though her husband cherished her, his high position kept him endlessly busy.

She was lonely. She had longed for a daughter to accompany her.

Even if others mocked her as an old clam producing a pearl, she felt no shame.

She had not wished to descend the mountain—partly because she was far along in pregnancy and sluggish, partly for fear of disturbing the fetus.

Yet what one fears most often comes to pass.

After traveling some distance, one of the bearers slipped on the rain-slick path.

The sedan chair tilted violently.

The lady fell hard and was immediately seized with unbearable abdominal pain.

“Madam! Madam!!”

The nanny cried out.

Chaos erupted.

At that moment, dozens of torches appeared along the mountain path, winding upward like a fiery dragon.

A group of riders was ascending.

At the front rode a man on a chestnut steed. His dark robes were soaked through, yet he appeared in no way disheveled. In the eyes of those present, he seemed like a god descending from heaven.

Someone recognized him.

“Prince Su! It’s Prince Su!”

“Your Highness! Save our Madam!”

The group rushed forward at once.

“Your Highness, it is the Duchess of Wei…”

“Save her.”

“Yes!”

Several strong hands steadied the sedan chair and quickly escorted her down the mountain.

Prince Su lifted his gaze toward the summit.

“You—escort the Duchess down. The rest of you, continue up with me!”

“Yes!”

Meanwhile, before the Duchess’s party had descended, Liuzheng had already reached the summer estate.

Wearing a bamboo hat, she was unrecognizable to the gatekeeper. She did not bother explaining and strode straight inside toward Grandmother’s courtyard.

“Stop! Stop! Who are you to trespass into a private residence?”

Ignoring the shouts behind her, Liuzheng rushed into the room.

Old Madam Ruan was chatting with the Third Madam when the commotion outside drew her attention. She had just sent someone to investigate when Liuzheng stepped inside.

“Grandmother!”

She dropped to her knees and knocked her head heavily against the floor.

The Old Madam was stunned. “You are…?”

The Third Madam instinctively stepped in front of her.

Seeing something amiss, Nanny Qian immediately shouted, “Men! Seize this intruder and drag her out!”

“Yes!” The servants who had chased her in moved to grab her.

Liuzheng removed her bamboo hat.

“It’s me, Grandmother. It’s Yaoyao…”

Before the Old Madam could respond, Nanny Qian snapped, “What Yaoyao? You are clearly a thief pretending to be the young miss. Why are you still standing there? Drag her out and send her to the authorities at once!”

Instinctively, Liuzheng reached for the sword at her waist.

Only to remember she had given it to Yuliu for the disguise.

As the servants closed in, she was about to knock them aside when the Old Madam suddenly spoke.

“Wait. You… lift your head.”

Liuzheng raised her tear-reddened eyes.

The Old Madam had indeed aged. More wrinkles lined the corners of her eyes, and her temples had turned noticeably gray.

As Liuzheng looked at her, the Old Madam studied her closely.

After only a single glance, she recognized her.

“Yaoyao. You truly are Yaoyao!”

Liuzheng had been raised personally by her in childhood. And she resembled Ruan Changzheng greatly. Even after nine years apart, she could recognize her instantly.

Nanny Qian swallowed her words as the Old Madam hurried from her chair to Liuzheng’s side.

The Old Madam cupped her face, examining her carefully.

“My good child… My old eyes failed me just now.”

“I am dressed as a man. It is only natural Grandmother did not recognize me at first.”

“You must have suffered greatly at the border! Look how thin you’ve grown! Your cheeks used to be full.”

She instructed the Third Madam, “Prepare hot water. Yaoyao is soaked through—she must not catch a chill.”

Her eyes were full of excitement and concern.

Liuzheng had countless things to say, but a landslide would not wait.

She rose and gently supported her grandmother’s arm.

“Grandmother, there is no time. I have come to bring you back. Once we return to the capital, we can speak at length.”

“The rain is heavy. There is no rush. Once the rain stops and I finish copying my hundred scriptures, we shall return together.”

“A hundred scriptures?”

A flash of guilt crossed Nanny Qian’s eyes as she subtly edged toward the door.

The Old Madam said, “Someone by my side claimed guidance from an eminent monk. They said your killing on the frontier was too heavy and would harm your future prospects, so they urged me to copy the scriptures a hundred times on your behalf.”

The Third Madam added, “Yaoyao, the Old Madam has been copying scriptures day and night for you. I only just forced her to rest.”

Liuzheng smiled faintly. “Many thanks, Grandmother. But may I ask which servant told you this?”

“It was…”

The Old Madam looked up—only to realize Nanny Qian had disappeared.

“It was Nanny Qian. You have seen her before; she often serves at my side. Nanny Qian… how strange, where has she gone?”

Liuzheng sneered inwardly.

When she returned to the capital, Nanny Qian had clearly been at the Ruan residence. Now she had appeared here without a word.

At this point, how could Liuzheng fail to understand?

This must be the First Madam and Ruan Yunzheng’s doing.

Grandmother adored her. If Grandmother returned, there would likely be far less place in the household for Ruan Yunzheng.

Thus they had sent Nanny Qian ahead to prevent the Old Madam from going back.

What she did not know was—

Did they even know about the landslide?