Chapter 56: Terrible News

Zhang Xiaolong hastily and carefully tucked the thing that had saved their lives into his chest. Without waiting for Zhang Xiaolong to speak, Lu Yueming instructed, "You four ride the original horses and leave quickly. Don't touch anything belonging to these bandits. Leave the bodies and horses where they are. I've heard that Xicui Mountain has three leaders, and it seems I've killed them all. I guess Xicui Mountain will soon fall apart. You don't need to worry about their retaliation. Also, you don't need to hide the fact that I saved you, but remember not to mention my name or the name of the Piaomiao Sect. Understand?"

Zhang Xiaolong didn't fully understand but nodded deeply. Then, the four of them shared a horse and rode off.

Lu Yueming also leaped onto a horse, ready to leave, but seeing the mess by the roadside, he frowned and thought for a moment. He then dismounted, placed the seven bodies on the seven remaining horses, loosened the reins, and let the horses run off on their own. Only then did he remount and gallop away, leaving the road to return to its former silence.

After about the time it takes to eat a meal, the people hiding nearby sneaked over. Seeing that the bandits were gone, they began to gather the sedan chair and other items. They assumed the bride and groom had met with a terrible fate, feeling both pity for them and relief for themselves. They slowly returned to Guo Village.

Speaking of the Zhang family's small courtyard in Guo Village, since Zhang Xiaolong led the wedding procession out, the family had been busy non-stop. Not only did they welcome the neighbors from the village and seat them, but they also prepared all the items needed for the wedding ceremony. Zhang Cai and Guo Sufei were almost running around, muttering to themselves, checking here and there, afraid of missing anything.

When the sun was high in the sky, the couple finally breathed a sigh of relief and sat down, somewhat tired. Even a poor family getting a new bride was so exhausting; how much more so for a wealthy family? However, they forgot that wealthy families had dedicated servants to handle such tasks. Everything was prepared, and the necessary ceremonies were entrusted to familiar villagers, so there was little chance of anything going wrong. Seeing that it was still early, the two went to the kitchen to get some food, eating hurriedly to satisfy their hunger.

After a short rest, they estimated that the wedding procession was near, so Zhang Cai and Guo Sufei went to the grandmother's small room. The grandmother had risen early, and Guo Sufei had made her a new set of clothes a few days ago, which she wore today. Hearing someone enter, the grandmother asked, "Sufei? Has Xiaolong returned?"

Guo Sufei smiled and said, "Mother, not yet, but they should be back soon. Come with us to the main hall and wait."

The grandmother was very happy and agreed enthusiastically.

The couple carefully helped the grandmother to the main hall and had her sit in the central chair. The grandmother's health was very poor, and she usually stayed in bed. Zhang Xiaolong's wedding day required him to bow to his parents and elders, and the grandmother was making a great effort to wait for her grandson and granddaughter-in-law to bow. This was her lifelong wish.

However, after sitting for a long time, they did not hear the sound of fireworks and music from the village entrance. In the countryside, the timing of the wedding was very important, and missing it meant an unhappy married life. Zhang Cai and Guo Sufei's faces showed anxiety, and even the grandmother seemed to be struggling to hold on.

Just as everyone was speculating, someone shouted, "Look, that's Liu Er, the suona player. Why is he running back?"

Indeed, over the low wall of the Zhang family's courtyard, they saw a person running towards them, limping. It was someone from the wedding procession!

Zhang Cai's heart tightened, and he rushed out of the main hall. Before he reached the courtyard, he heard Liu Er's hoarse voice shouting, "It's bad! Xiaolong and his bride encountered bandits from Xicui Mountain!"

This news was like a drop of water in a hot oil pan, and the Zhang family's courtyard erupted in chaos. Some timid people immediately ran away, as if the bandits were right behind them. Most people were talking to each other, some clearly gloating, some pitying, unsure whether they were pitying Zhang Xiaolong or Liu Qian, and more were sympathetic.

Before Zhang Cai could reach the courtyard gate, he heard a cry from behind, "Mother!"

Zhang Cai's heart sank, and he quickly ran back to the main hall. Indeed, the grandmother's face was ashen, and she had fainted on the ground. Guo Sufei was crying and frantically rubbing the grandmother's chest to help her clear the phlegm. Zhang Cai also rushed over and began tapping the grandmother's back. Fortunately, after a while, the grandmother's throat moved, and she spat out a mouthful of phlegm, followed by a mouthful of blood. She gasped, "Xiaolong," her voice barely audible.

At this moment, Guo Sufei, who was no longer thinking about Zhang Xiaolong, cried and helped Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohu carry the grandmother to the bed in the small room. The couple then looked at each other, bewildered. How could this joyous occasion turn into a funeral in an instant?

The couple looked at the grandmother, whose face was pale, and their hearts ached. Zhang Xiaolong's fate was unknown, and their mother was about to pass away. What could they do?

Zhang Cai left Guo Sufei to take care of the grandmother and went to the main hall with Zhang Xiaohu. Some people in the courtyard had already left, and many had entered the main hall to listen to Liu Er's account. Seeing Zhang Cai enter, Liu Er started from the beginning, describing how Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohua solved the riddles and shot arrows vividly. He even remembered Zhang Xiaolong's poem word for word. The crowd praised Zhang Cai for having two fine sons while also feeling deep sorrow, as these two good children were now likely in grave danger. Zhang Cai was even more heartbroken, eager to know what happened with the bandits, but Liu Er's detailed account made him want to tear his mouth open to get to the end.

When Liu Er said, "Four fierce bandits with weapons chased us away," he stopped. Everyone was stunned and asked, "Then what?"

Liu Er innocently replied, "That's it. They ran off somewhere, but I was worried about Zhang Cai, so I came back to report."

Zhang Cai, grasping at straws, asked, "So, you didn't see what the bandits did to Xiaolong and the others?"

Liu Er said, "No, the bandits chased us away, leaving Xiaolong, Xiaohua, and the two girls in the sedan chair behind."

Zhang Cai, hoping for the best, said, "Xiaolong and the others might still be alive."

Everyone nodded in agreement, but they all thought the same thing: the bandits leaving them behind meant their chances of survival were slim. Even if they survived, the delicate bride and bridesmaid would likely have been taken by the bandits. No matter what, the Zhang family's wedding was ruined. Good people don't always get good rewards. The Zhang family had always been kind, but in the end, they received no good fortune. It was truly a cruel twist of fate.

Zhang Xiaohu, hearing this, couldn't sit still. He said, "Father, I'll go and see what happened to my brother and cousin." Before Zhang Cai could respond, the crowd immediately held him back, saying, "Second son, you're the only man left in the family. You can't go. Wait a bit, and we'll organize the young men of the village to go with weapons."

Thus, the crowd in the courtyard quickly went out to mobilize the young men of Guo Village, armed with hoes and other tools, to go to the scene.

Just as the group of loosely organized people reached the village entrance, they saw a horse carrying four people galloping towards them.

Someone with keen eyes immediately recognized them and shouted, "It's Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Xiaohua! They're back, they're alive!"

The crowd cheered and rushed over, with Zhang Xiaohu leading the way.

When the crowd reached Zhang Xiaolong, they saw the brothers' tattered clothes and the blood on their bodies. They carefully lifted Zhang Xiaolong down, and Zhang Xiaohu carried Zhang Xiaohua off the horse, looking at the wound on his shoulder with concern. Liu Qian and Liu Yuanyuan did not dismount, still shaken and unable to walk. Someone led the horse slowly, while others ran back to inform the Zhang family.

Before the crowd reached the center of the village, Zhang Cai and Guo Sufei had already run over. Seeing their sons and daughter-in-law alive, tears streamed down their faces. They gently touched their sons' wounds, repeatedly saying, "Good, good." When they finally reached the Zhang family's courtyard, Guo Sufei suddenly remembered and said, "Xiaolong, Qianqian, come, meet your grandmother."

Without considering whether Liu Qian could walk, they helped her dismount and supported her into the grandmother's room. The grandmother, who had been somewhat delirious, suddenly perked up upon hearing that her grandson was alive. Her face flushed, and her dim eyes seemed to see her beloved grandson and granddaughter-in-law. She mumbled, "Bow, bow."

Hearing her mother's words, Guo Sufei realized that in the countryside, if a wedding coincides with the death of an elder, the wedding must be postponed. The grandmother did not want her departure to delay Zhang Xiaolong's wedding.

Thus, Guo Sufei bit her lip and quickly had Zhang Cai prepare the wedding ceremony. The grandmother, now more alert, insisted on going to the main hall to receive the new daughter-in-law and grandson's bow.

Guo Sufei and Zhang Cai, with no choice, helped the grandmother to the main hall.