Chapter 208: All Dead
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
At the head of the living room of the Su Family sat the excited Old Marquis. The moment he saw Su Qing, he had no more doubts in his heart. To him, the whole family were his grandchildren! Su Qing’s beauty and resemblance to the Old Marquis when he was young filled his heart with joy. Moreover, the governor’s words about Su Bin looking even more like him intensified his excitement.
However, as the Old Marquis didn’t see Su Bin’s jade pendant, he managed to hold himself back and refrained from acknowledging the family right away.
Sitting next to the Old Marquis was Lin Nan, the elder son of the Minister of Revenue. Lin Nan was Su Bin’s father and uncle’s son, making him Su Bin’s cousin from the granduncle’s side. It had been a long time since Lin Nan last saw Su Bin’s father, who had left home when Lin Nan was not even 10 years old.
Alongside the Old Marquis were the governor and the County Magistrate. When Su Qing first saw these people, she got startled and had no idea what was going on. As she learned that they were from the capital, curiosity got the better of her, and she couldn’t help but ask, “Are you here for my father?” Their father was originally from the capital, and this fact had been known to them since they were young.
The Old Marquis struggled to suppress his excitement and nodded in acknowledgement. “Yes!”
Upon hearing this, Su Qing’s face sank, and she replied solemnly, “You came at the wrong time. My parents died in an accident..
The news of his son’s passing still weighed heavily on the Old Marquis, and tears welled up in his eyes. “It is my fault for not being here earlier…”
Su Qing couldn’t help but feel a mix of confusion and sympathy as she looked at the grief-stricken Old Marquis, who bore a resemblance to her father. She tried to console him, saying, “Old Master, don’t worry, it is all in the past.”
It was evident that this elderly man shared a close relationship with her late father, and the depth of his sorrow was palpable. However, Su Qing couldn’t help but wonder why her father had never mentioned him before.
The Old Marquis composed himself and asked Su Qing, “How have your brothers and sisters been all these years?”
Once again, Su Qing’s expression turned somber as she replied, “After my parents’ misfortune, we had to sell our properties to make a living because we were underage.”
“Later on, we almost could not eat one full meal…” Su Qing said, reminiscing with a smile. “Fortunately, Third Brother married Third Sister-in-law, who changed our family’s situation. Our brothers and sisters won’t starve anymore.”
Listening attentively, the Old Marquis kept inquiring, “What did your father do when he was alive? Did he tell you anything about his childhood?”
Suddenly, Su Qing asked, “Excuse me, Old Master, are you my father’s friend or distant relative?”
Hearing this, the Old Marquis felt as though he had been splashed with cold water. “Why friends… or distant relatives? Can’t they be relatives?”
Su Qing responded, “Because my father told us that we have no relatives in the capital, not even close ones.”
Lin Nan interjected, asking, “What did he say?”
“They are all dead,” Su Qing replied bluntly.
The statement was so hurtful that the Old Marquis couldn’t help but cover his face with his sleeves, almost bursting into tears. Lin Nan felt deeply embarrassed, regretting his question. The revelation meant that even the close relatives were dead, leaving their family with no one in the capital.
The governor hadn’t expected Su Qing to make such a revelation. He quickly stood up, attempting to smooth things over.
“Young Master Su, how about bringing your grandma and uncle here? The Marquis has something he’d like to ask them,” the governor suggested.
Su Qing was taken aback by the suggestion. “Should I bring Grandma here?”
The governor nodded reassuringly. “Yes.”
With the assistance of Su Qing and another young man from the village, Grandma was gently helped up. Meanwhile, the village chief and the others had already hurried back to the village..