The Character "凡" on the Jade Pendant

Su Hong jumped in fright, immediately realizing that this jade pendant must be an extremely important item to Su Li.

The most important thing to Su Li was obviously left by her concubine mother. After all, Su Li had a deep affection for her.

He immediately apologized, "Li'er, I'm sorry. Second Uncle didn't know this belonged to your mother. It was presumptuous of me."

Su Li gripped the jade pendant, the panic surging in her heart fading away. She quickly said, "Second Uncle, it was your niece who lost her composure. Please don't take offense."

Su Hong breathed a sigh of relief. "How could I blame you?"

"You are so affectionate and loyal; Second Uncle couldn't be happier."

"How about this: Second Uncle will send some maids over first, and then prepare your dowry. Remember, don't tire yourself out. If there's anything to do, just let the maids handle it."

"Yes, Second Uncle!"

Su Li replied gently, and only then did Su Hong leave with peace of mind, a smile lingering on his lips. It was only now that he truly understood who was worth entrusting things to after a great storm.

Su Li, the illegitimate daughter who had never been valued in the Su Manor, had now become the Su family's greatest hope in these chaotic times through her excellent qualities.

A mere jade pendant showed such deep affection.

Once she married the Great General in the future, how could she not be favored by him?

The rift between their Su Manor and the Great General, as time passed, with him managing affairs outside and Su Li taking intimate care inside, might not be impossible to mend.

It was just...

The character on that jade pendant...

Because there was only half of it, the character was only half visible, looking like three dots. But inferring it in his mind, he could barely make out what character it was.

"It should be the character 'Fan' (Ordinary)."

"Yes, it's 'Fan'."

"Does it mean ordinary?"

Thinking this, Su Hong's heartache for Su Li grew heavier. As a concubine's daughter, ignored since childhood, even in a high-walled mansion like their Su Manor, she must have suffered a lot growing up.

Her mother hoped she would be ordinary, probably wishing she wouldn't stand out or excel, so as to avoid the jealousy of the main wives and save herself a lot of trouble.

"Alas, I cared too little for Li'er in the past."

"She is still a daughter of my Su Manor, yet she lives so cautiously. As her uncle, I haven't fulfilled my responsibilities!"

His guilt deepening, he immediately assigned twenty maids to Su Li, both as a form of compensation and to please Ren Tianye, since he wanted to marry her to the Great General.

Then, he busied himself preparing the dowry.

At the same time, he waited for news.

When things go smoothly, good luck might come one after another. That afternoon, Su Jin, the eldest daughter of the Su Manor, hurried back.

Su Hong rushed out to receive her. When the two met, although it felt like only a few days had passed, they both felt as if a lifetime had gone by.

A few days ago, the Su Manor was still full of joy, immersed in the happiness of a marriage alliance with the Great General Ren Tianye. Su Jin had also hoped that after her second sister Su Xiu went to the General's Manor, her own status would rise.

Now she no longer sought a good husband. She only wanted to rely on the calligraphy and writing she had learned since childhood, along with her current familiarity with military documents, to earn some merit for herself.

Everything was clearly going so well.

Yet everything collapsed in an instant, turning the world upside down, reversing the rivers, and plunging heaven and earth into darkness.

"Alas!"

Su Hong spoke first, "Jin'er, you already know about the situation, right?"

Su Jin nodded. "I only found out not long ago. I just went to the city gates and saw Grandmother and Second Sister."

"I checked on Grandmother first. She breathed her last early on..." Su Jin's eyes held a touch of sorrow. "Grandmother is gone."

"Mhm!" Su Hong nodded, his face showing little emotion.

His mother had favored his eldest brother since childhood. After his eldest brother passed away, she tyrannically controlled the Su Manor's power. He and his mother were not close.

However, he still had to fulfill his duty as a son. If there was a chance, he would find a way to collect his mother's body and give her a proper burial.

"And your second sister?"

"She fainted several times, but..." Su Jin's face showed frustration at her sister's failure to meet expectations. "She hasn't truly admitted her mistakes."

"Rebellious child!" Su Hong cursed angrily, but couldn't be bothered to argue further. It was mostly pointless.

"The Great General learned that you, Second Uncle, donated two million taels of silver and sent me here. You should be clearer about the deeper meaning behind this."

Su Hong's spirits lifted. "You were sent by the Great General?"

"Hahaha, it seems there's a turning point."

"A turning point indeed!"

Su Jin also perked up. "Second Uncle, do you have a plan?"

Su Hong sighed. "It's a plan born of desperation. It mainly relies on your third sister, Su Li."

"She's willing to marry the Great General, with true sincerity... Alas, I never noticed before how sensible your third sister is. It was me, her Second Uncle, who failed to take good care of her."

Su Jin's eyes dimmed, but she quickly adjusted.

She had completely lost her chance, or rather, she was never given one. She should hold her bottom line, not harbor unrealistic hopes or delusions, and only then would she find her own path.

She said, "If Third Sister is willing to do this, that would be wonderful. The Great General might just show leniency."

"However, we must confirm that Third Sister is truly willing to marry the Great General sincerely."

"Rest assured about that," Su Hong said. "I have confirmed it multiple times. Your third sister even swore before her mother's memorial tablet that if she marries the Great General, she is willing to manage the household meticulously, or else be struck by lightning."

"She was sincere when she said that."

"I could feel it."

"That's good then!" Su Jin breathed a sigh of relief, then sighed again. "If we had known this would happen, we should have let Third Sister marry the Great General no matter what. Then how could our Su Manor have suffered such a disaster?"

"Third Sister is gentle and innocent; she would be better than Second Sister in every way. Even now, Second Sister is still muttering nonsense, saying something about Brother Ye Fan coming to save her. It's simply wishful thinking!"

"Ye Fan?" Su Hong froze, feeling as if he had heard these two words before, but he had been so busy these past two days that he couldn't think clearly.

"So Second Uncle, you don't know this person either? Then could Second Sister be talking in her sleep?"

"No, no, I think I've heard it, I think I've heard it..." Su Hong tried hard to recall, and suddenly his eyes widened. "That Ye Fan who made the three-year pact with me?"

"Wait..." Su Hong's expression instantly changed drastically. "It was your third sister who reminded me of this matter, which is why I remembered it."

"And the jade pendant she had just now..."

"Had the character 'Fan' on it!"

"Fuck, it can't be, right?"

"There couldn't be another problem, right?"

Su Hong, who had been refined for half his life, suddenly burst into profanity. His face instantly drained of color, his body swayed unsteadily, and he felt like he was going mad!

...