Chương 159: Zou Yu, Du Xiuniang

Liu Ce walked over at this moment, patted Jia Xu on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Wenhe, no need to thank me, it's what I should do. Look, the family is reunited, isn't that wonderful?"

Looking at Liu Ce's "sincere" smile, Jia Xu felt like a million grass mud horses were galloping through his mind.

He thought to himself, "Thank you my foot! I left my family in Wuwei to give myself a way out! Now look what's happened, the whole family has moved here, how am I supposed to 'play it by ear'? How am I supposed to 'choose a tree to perch on'? Liu Bolue, you're ruthless!"

But he still had to force a smile and say, "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Marquis... Wenhe is deeply grateful..."

His expression and tone made it sound like he'd been forced to eat three pounds of excrement.

"Of course, of course."

Liu Ce smiled and said, "Wenhe has been a great help to me, offering advice and making many contributions. How could I let Wenhe be alone in Youzhou while his family worries thousands of miles away?"

Jia Xu thought to himself with a wry smile: Well, now it truly is a case of "giving one's all until death."

...

Liu Ce said to Lu Bing, "Well done. Go to the accounting office to collect your reward; all the Jinyiwei brothers will get one."

"Thank you, my lord." Lu Bing clasped his hands and withdrew.

At this moment, Guan Yu, Lü Bu, and Huang Zhong, having received the news, also arrived.

As soon as Guan Yu entered the courtyard, he saw his wife, Hu, standing there with their two children. This usually stern man's eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"Madam... Ping'er, Xing'er..."

"My husband!"

With tears in her eyes, Madam Hu stepped forward and touched Guan Yu's face, "It really is you..."

Guan Ping was already seven years old and a little shy around strangers, but Guan Xing was only four and immediately ran into Guan Yu's arms, crying, "Father!"

He grasped Madam Hu's hand and said, "Madam, why... why are you here?"

With tears in her eyes, Madam Hu said, "It was the Marquis who sent people to pick us up. The journey was very smooth, and the Marquis's men took very good care of us."

Guan Yu turned around and bowed deeply to Liu Ce: "Yun Chang thanks you for your great kindness, Brother!"

Liu Ce helped him up and said, "Yun Chang, there's no need for such formalities. We're brothers, it's only natural for me to take care of your families."

Lu Bu was also very excited to see Lady Yan and Lu Lingqi.

Although his character wasn't great, he was still good to his family. Especially his daughter, Lü Lingqi, who was only two or three years old, a beautiful little girl, who would rush over to Lü Bu as soon as she saw him, calling out, "Daddy!"

Lü Bu picked up his daughter, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Liu Ce, and said, "Fengxian thanks my lord!"

Huang Zhong also thanked Liu Ce. His wife, Zhang, was not in good health and looked somewhat haggard from the long journey.

Huang Zhong was heartbroken. Seeing this, Liu Ce immediately said, "Hansheng, you go and rest with the lady. I'll have Zhang Zhongjing come and take a look at her."

Huang Zhong was so moved that he didn't know what to say, and could only thank him repeatedly.

Once they were all settled, Liu Ce turned his gaze to the corner.

Two girls stood in the corner, both dressed in simple clothes, their heads down, looking somewhat uneasy.

The one on the left, about eighteen or nineteen years old, is slender with delicate features, but pale and with a lingering sadness in her eyes—this is Zou Yu.

The one on the right, also eighteen or nineteen years old, slightly taller than Zou Yu, with delicate features, but her eyes were timid, like a frightened fawn—this is Du Xiuniang.

Name: Zou Yu Gender: Female Age: 19 [Strength]: 28 Command: 31 [Politics]: 53 [Intelligence]: 63 [Appearance]: 95cm...

Name: Du Xiuniang Gender: Female Age: 18 [Strength]: 29 Command: 30 [Politics]: 52 [Intelligence]: 65 [Appearance]: 95cm Liu Ce walked over, his steps light, his tone gentle:

"Young ladies, you must be tired from your journey. Lu Bing has told me about what you've been through. Don't be afraid, you'll be safe once you reach Zhuo County."

Zou Yu and Du Xiuniang quickly curtsied and bowed, their voices barely audible: "Thank you, Lord Marquis."

Liu Ce looked at them; in chaotic times, women had the hardest time.

He said to Zou Yu, "Miss Zou, I have heard about your parents' passing. They are gone, so please put your mind at ease and settle down in Zhuo County from now on."

Upon hearing this, Zou Yu's eyes reddened, and tears welled up in them, but she forced herself not to cry and simply nodded, saying, "Thank you, Lord Marquis..."

Liu Ce then turned to Du Xiuniang and said, "Miss Du, my men have taught Qin Yilu a lesson, and he won't dare to bother you anymore. You don't need to be afraid anymore; from now on, no one can force you to do anything you don't want to do."

Du Xiuniang raised her head, her eyes filled with gratitude: "I will never forget the Lord's life-saving grace..."

Liu Ce thought for a moment and then said, "I have several fiancées in my Liu family, all of whom are kind and gentle. The conditions in my mansion are also better than those in the governor's mansion. If you don't mind, you can come back to my Liu family mansion and stay with me. You can learn needlework and read books in your spare time. If you want to do something, the stewards in the mansion can arrange it. It's better than being all alone here."

Zou Yu nodded with tears in her eyes and said, "Thank you for taking me in, Lord Marquis. I have no way to repay you, so I am willing to serve as your servant in the manor to repay your great kindness."

Du Xiuniang also said, "Xiuniang is willing to follow the Marquis's arrangements."

"What do you mean by 'servant' or 'maid'?"

Liu Ce waved his hand, his tone cheerful, "Once you're at my Liu residence, we're all family. There's no need to be so formal."

He turned to Guan Yu and the others and said, "You all help settle your families in first. If you need anything, just tell the steward. I'll take the two young ladies back to the manor first."

Guan Yu and the others responded in unison, "Yes!"

Liu Ce then looked at Jia Xu and said meaningfully, "Wenhe, you should also settle your family properly. By the way, your son seems quite clever to me. Send him to a primary school tomorrow; I've hired a renowned teacher."

Jia Xu: "..." You're not even sparing my son!

But he could only bow and say, "Thank you, Lord Marquis..."

Liu Ce led Zou Yu and Du Xiuniang out of the governor's mansion.

Outside the gate, the carriage was already prepared. Liu Ce mounted his horse and said to the coachman, "Back to the Liu residence."

The carriage slowly started moving. Zou Yu sat inside, listening to the rumbling of the wheels, and her unease gradually dissipated.

Three months ago, she was just the daughter of an ordinary merchant in Liangzhou. Although her family wasn't wealthy, she was loved by her parents and lived a carefree life. Until the Qiang rebellion broke out, her parents contracted diseases and died while fleeing, leaving her all alone and helpless... It was the Imperial Guards who rescued her.

"The Marquis of Champion..." Zou Yu murmured the title softly. Along the way, she had heard countless tales of this marquis: a young hero, the queller of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, a poet whose works have been passed down through generations, and a benevolent ruler who loved his people like his own children...

Now that she has met him in person, although they only exchanged a few words, she can sense that this Marquis genuinely wants to help her and has no ulterior motives.

"From today on, I have a home again..." she murmured to herself, tears finally falling, but this time they were tears of relief.