Chapter 11: The Passing Grandmother

"Slash! Sweep!"
"Chop!"

The morning sun slowly rose over the distant peaks. The women of the Fu family busied themselves with housework, while Old Liu repaired the single-wheeled wooden cart in the courtyard. Meanwhile, Fu Zihou was practicing with his sword.

Time passed quietly. As the gentle morning sun turned into a blazing midday, Fu Zihou sheathed his sword, preparing to set out for his teacher's house. Suddenly, he heard a commotion outside the garden.

At first, Fu Zihou thought he had misheard and paid it no mind—until a shout rang out directly.

"Zihou!"

Hearing the call, Fu Zihou quickly stood up and looked in the direction of the voice. Soon, he saw a frail, stooped old woman entering the courtyard.

"Grandmother!"

When he saw who it was, Fu Zihou broke into a look of delighted disbelief. Throwing down the wooden stick in his hand, he hurried forward and gently reached out to support the elderly woman.

"Grandmother, what brings you here today?" he asked, unable to suppress his excitement. He looked her up and down anxiously, fearing she might have stumbled or hurt herself on the way—after all, at her age, such a journey was no small feat.

In this world, if there was anyone Fu Zihou cherished most, it was this grandmother before him. He could never forget that when he first arrived in this place, the first person he saw was her—her appearance, her tone, even the caring look in her eyes were exactly as he remembered from his previous life.

That day, having lost her once before, Fu Zihou thought he would never cry again. Yet, for the first time, he lost control, clutching his grandmother's clothes as he wept until his voice was hoarse and his eyes swollen.

His grandmother was so upset that she glared at Lady Tao and Fu Zihou's father, Fu Rui, for an entire day. Even the old man and others were met with her suspicious gaze, as if she thought someone must have bullied her grandson.

"I just missed my grandson, so I came to see my Zihou!"

Though her body was thin and frail, the smile on her face made her seem young again.

"Careful, Grandmother, come inside and sit down. You must not have eaten yet—let me get you something delicious!"

Fu Zihou looked at his grandmother’s slender hand, which held his own tightly. He suddenly remembered that the game his cousin had brought home the night before was already gone, not a morsel left, and a wave of regret washed over him.

He could have bitten his own heart in remorse—why hadn’t he saved any for her? His grandmother rarely had a chance to eat such things.

"I've eaten! No need to rush, don't trouble yourself," she laughed, her smile never fading.

When Old Liu approached, the old woman greeted him warmly and familiarly, as if among friends.

At that moment, Lady Tao, having heard the commotion, also came out. The instant she saw her mother, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Mother!" she cried, running to her side, weeping as she went.

"Mother, what brings you here today?" she asked, scrutinizing her mother with concern.

"I came to see my grandson!" her mother replied with a smile, still unwilling to let go of Fu Zihou’s hand.

The old master, Aunt Zhang, and Lady Tai all saw that Fu Zihou’s grandmother had arrived. They came out to greet her, inviting her to come inside and sit.

"Madam Tao, please come inside," said Old Liu, bowing and gesturing for the old woman to enter after the greetings were exchanged.

Watching her nod and smile as she walked into the house, supported by Fu Zihou and Lady Tao, Old Liu could not help but feel a touch of emotion.

In the eyes of the villagers, the young master was a fool. To the Fu family, he was extremely sensible—except in front of this old woman, where he became an excited, helpless child. Such a rare sight always moved Old Liu.

"Lady, please take your mother inside. I’ll go and have a look outside," Old Liu said quietly when he noticed Lady Tao glancing sadly toward the garden gate as she supported her mother.

Having been in the Fu household for years, Old Liu knew the relationship between the Tao and Fu families had utterly broken down since Fu Rui became a merchant.

For the gentry, especially those of high reputation, family honor was of utmost importance. Even after marriage, those born to noble families expected their relatives to behave properly, not to bring shame upon the family.

Though both the Tao and Fu families had declined, when the Tao family learned of Fu Rui’s commerce, they cut off all contact in anger.

"Thank you," Lady Tao said gratefully.

Inside the wooden house, Fu Zihou sat obediently beside his grandmother, listening quietly as the old master and the old lady spoke.

He held his grandmother’s withered hand tightly, as if afraid she would leave.

"Mother, can't you stay with us?" Lady Tao asked, her voice full of longing.

Before the old woman could answer, Fu Zihou pleaded, "Grandmother, please don’t go. Let me take care of you from now on!"

"You child," the old woman said with a mock glare at Lady Tao, as if to scold her for not knowing better.

Feeling her grandson’s grip, she smiled and turned to him.

"Zihou, you are still young, not yet married. When you have a household of your own, Grandmother will come live with you, all right? I promise you, when you have a great house, with maids and servants, I’ll come and stay. I want to see you and your mother every day."

"Really? You’re not lying to me?" Zihou looked at her with suspicion, afraid she was making empty promises.

"Truly. I promise you," she reassured him, nodding with a smile.

Seeing her son's innocent hope, Lady Tao's eyes reddened, and she quietly wiped her tears away. She knew her mother was only comforting Zihou. In these troubled times, who knew when they would meet again? Her son did not understand what a "great house" truly meant—certainly not the old Fu family courtyard, but a mansion few could attain, even in the cities.

She also knew her mother was worried. With the world in chaos, the Fu family could scarcely care for themselves, let alone an elderly woman who might become a burden should trouble arise. Her mother had always endured hardship, never enjoying comfort, never wishing to trouble her children.

"Mother, why does eldest brother have to go so far away?" Lady Tao asked, her heart aching at the thought of not knowing when she would see her mother again.

"Your brother said he is an old acquaintance of Li Mao of the Li family in Guzang County, Wuwei Commandery. With chaos everywhere and bandits on the rise, the Li family and other gentry need many scholars to support them, so your brother decided to go."

The old woman looked at her daughter with a mixture of sorrow and affection, sighing as she gazed out the window.

"I must go—if I stay any longer, it will be dark, and I can’t keep your father and brothers waiting," she said gently. Seeing her daughter and grandson was already a blessing; she could hardly bear to leave, but she knew she must not delay.

"Mother, take this with you," Lady Tao said, rising to fetch some food.

The old master, Aunt Zhang, Lady Tai, and Fu Zihou all stood to see her off.

In the courtyard, the old woman looked at the Fu family, then at Lady Tao, whose face was streaked with tears.

"No more goodbyes. Let Zihou walk with me," she said, sparing her daughter the pain of parting any further.

"Mother!" Lady Tao wept as she watched her mother leave, her vision blurred with tears. She crouched on the ground, her sobs growing louder. The old master sighed, while Zhang and Tai gently comforted her.

Fu Zihou left the courtyard with his grandmother. Looking back at his mother, his heart ached. Then he noticed that his grandmother, though she did not look back, was quietly wiping tears from her eyes.

"Don’t cry, Grandmother. I promise, in three to five years, I’ll give you a great mansion. Then you and Mother can live there together."

His uncle was taking the family to seek refuge with the Li family of Wuwei. Although Zihou did not know Li Mao, he remembered his teacher once mentioning Li Gui of the Wuwei Lis—a man who later surrendered to the Li Tang, only to rebel again, and whose family met their downfall without Tang intervention.

"Good boy. Grandmother will wait for that day," she said through tears, smiling lovingly. Perhaps she did not believe her grandson’s promise—after all, he was still so young and could not know what it meant to have a mansion—let alone several. But she was content to know his heart.

Even she did not know when she would next see him.

"Do you still dream of Grandmother?" she asked, recalling how he always said he dreamed of her and missed her dearly.

"Yes, often," Zihou replied, supporting her as they walked. He told her how, in his dreams, it was just as before—he had no parents, and people always told Grandmother not to care for him. But she loved him, knowing that his uncles saw him as a burden, so she raised him alone.

In his dreams, he saw her begging for land to farm, scavenging for things others didn’t want, working day and night…

As he spoke, Zihou’s eyes reddened, though he held back his tears.

"In your dreams, does Grandmother look the same? Has she changed? Is she ever harsh with you?" she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Perhaps, knowing she was going far away, she wanted to listen to her grandson’s dreams just a little longer.

"She’s exactly the same! Grandmother never scolds me, always gives me the best food, even if she goes hungry herself…"

Zihou did his best to smile, but there was a note of pain and grievance in his voice.

"And is my Zihou a good boy, since Grandmother is so good to you?"

When Zihou didn’t answer and only shook his head, she laughed, not believing for a moment that her well-behaved grandson could be naughty.

"And then?" the old woman asked.

"Then… Grandmother stopped loving me, abandoned me, and went somewhere I could never find her…"

"Nonsense! How could Grandmother ever stop loving her grandson, or leave you behind…"