After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 1063 Farewell
The next morning, just after dawn, the Hai family's house became noisy.

Everyone's luggage had been packed, and the servants had harnessed the cart and loaded the luggage onto it, while someone went to feed the horses and add water. Hai Xiya and his wife invited their cousin Xie Wenzai to have breakfast together in the upper room of the main courtyard, and then they all dressed warmly, putting on large cloaks and felt hats to block the wind, and then left the house and went to the front yard.

Cao Gengyun had said goodbye to his friends in advance and would not come to the Hai family to see him off today. Only Lu Bainian, wearing a thick cotton jacket, watched the servant deliver Xie Wenzai's book box to the carriage, and then turned back to talk to Xie Wenzai as he walked out of the main courtyard.

Soon, the eldest wife and her two children also arrived. Their luggage was loaded on their own carriage, which was parked outside the second wife's house. The two families would set out together and meet up with the Yongping Mansion staff of Jiyuan at the city gate, and then go back home together.

Haitang also went to the front yard to see her grandparents off, and then went to talk to her aunt and cousin. Qiao Fu was also there today. He had made an appointment with the people from the Hai family's eldest house and would accompany them back home. He could also take care of several elderly people on behalf of his boss and cousin Haijiao.

Although Qiao Fu had just taken back his family's old property and was about to usher in his first New Year after leaving his identity as a Jinyiwei spy, he should have stayed in his own house in Beijing to celebrate the holiday, but he had no other relatives or friends in Beijing except the Hai family. With his change of identity, the relationship between his old acquaintances when he was a spy has become a little awkward. Even if he wants to continue to interact with them, it seems that it is not as convenient as before. So he simply sent New Year gifts to his old friends in advance, and left Beijing with his fiancée's family, so that when he went out to visit relatives and friends in the New Year, his old friends would not see his current glory and compare his situation with their own, which would make them feel uncomfortable.

Qiao Fu spoke very gently in front of Hai Baozhu, and was very respectful to Fang Shi, and was also quite close to Hai Baozhu. He obviously got along very well with the eldest branch of the Hai family. Now that he had been traveling with them for half a month and celebrating the festival together, their relationship would be closer.

Haitang watched from afar as he carefully instructed Hai Baozhu on travel etiquette, and she was quite happy for her cousin.

After Qiao Fu gave Hai Baozhu instructions, he turned around and met Hai Jiao. He said to Hai Jiao, "Don't worry, Master Bai Hu, I will take good care of Master Hai, Mrs. Hai, and Mr. Xie. No one will dare to block our way."

Haijiao smiled. Of course he wasn't worried about that. The guys from Jiyuan were used to this route and had a good relationship with each other. They also hired several guards with good skills. They were also accompanied by Hai Xiya, the incumbent doctor of the Ministry of Revenue. Which government would dare to set up a checkpoint to block the road? Add to that Qiao Fu, a new Jinyiwei, who had a bright Jinyiwei badge hanging around his waist and a standard embroidered spring sword in his hand. Even the mountain bandits and road bullies would not dare to act rashly.

Haijiao only whispered, "Cousin Qiao, this is not the government office, so don't call me Captain. Call me cousin, or Jiao Ge, or Baoshun. With cousin Qiao here, I don't have to worry about the elders at home encountering any troubles. And please take good care of yourself on the way, don't get cold, hungry, or wronged yourself. This trip is not for official business, but a private trip, so naturally we can do whatever we want and do whatever is comfortable and convenient for us. If cousin Qiao has any requests, please don't tell us outsiders."

Qiao Fu smiled: "Don't worry, I won't be polite to you." He looked back at his fiancée and future mother-in-law, thinking that he also had people to take care of. Hai Jiao asked him in a low voice: "Have you arranged everything at home? Cousin Qiao is not at home for the New Year, who will look after the house for you?"

Qiao Fu said, "The higher-ups finally relented and agreed to let Wang Quezi step down, but his livelihood will be a little bit problematic. I took him home and let him marry his long-time lover. Wang Quezi works as my doorman, and his wife is responsible for washing clothes and cooking. I also took in Brother Jiang's orphan and asked him to recognize Wang Quezi and his wife as his godfather and godmother. He will be nine years old after the Chinese New Year, so he can be my errand boy. He can learn a few words from his godfather, and I will send him to learn a craft in two years. Although it is a bit unfair for him to be my servant, as long as I have a bite to eat, I will not let them starve. It is better than continuing to stay in the guards as spies."

Haijiao knew that Wang Quezi and Jiang Laoge were both acquaintances of Qiao Fu in the spy circle, and they had helped him a lot. The latter had died in the line of duty, and his wife died early, leaving only an eight-year-old son, who usually ate at other people's houses with other spies. Wang Quezi broke his leg several years ago, and his martial arts skills were mostly wasted. He could only disguise himself and do some odd jobs to gather information, which was very dangerous and greatly reduced his income. In order to save his life, he finally retired, but he had to worry about his livelihood in the second half of his life. Being able to work as a doorman for Qiao Fu means that he doesn't have to worry about his retirement.

As for Wang Cuzi's lover, Haijiao remembered that the woman was a cook in a brothel. She was a good cook, but her reputation was not very good.

He whispered to Qiao Fu: "Aunt Wang seldom showed up in public before, and not many people know her background. Cousin Qiao, you don't need to mention it in front of your aunt and Baozhu. Just say that she used to work in another family's kitchen. This will prevent the news from leaking out and causing trouble." The cooks in the brothel also have their own loyal customers, and wealthy and powerful clients are usually unreasonable. If they come to the Qiao family and ask the Qiao family's cooks to serve them, it will not be good for the Qiao family's reputation.

Qiao Fu understood and nodded, "Don't worry. I understand." Since he had facilitated the marriage between Wang Quezi and his old lover, he would not reveal their whereabouts, otherwise who knows what danger would be caused? The former Jinyiwei spy Wang Quezi and the famous fat cook in the brothel no longer existed. The people working in the Qiao family were the doorman Lao Wang and his wife Aunt Wang.

The cousins ​​exchanged a few more words, and then they heard Hai Xiya say loudly: "It's almost time, let's go." Everyone hurriedly packed the remaining luggage and went out to get in the car. Ma held the hands of her daughter-in-law Hu and granddaughter Haitang, reluctantly gave them a lot of instructions, and then at her husband's urging, she slowly walked out the door.

Haitang put on a big cloak and, together with her second uncle, second aunt, elder brother and younger brother, saw off her grandparents, her great-uncle and the eldest son's family all the way to the city gate, where she watched them meet up with Jiyuan's team. She then gave her relatives her final words of advice before watching their carriage disappear on the avenue outside the city.

After reluctantly seeing off their relatives, only Haitang, Haijiao and Hai Chang'an were left at home, along with their guest Lu Bainian. They walked back home, looking back every few steps. Haitang took two quick steps and caught up with her brother Haijiao, whispering to him about what to do during the New Year. Mrs. Hu held her husband Hai Chang'an's hand, and suddenly felt pressure in her heart.

She really had to take care of the household chores on her own when her mother-in-law was not at home.