Chapter 173 Is Grandpa Zhou's identity inappropriate?

Li Nanke left Lao Zhou at Zhiguan Hall without saying anything more and then left.

Seeing that it was still early, he went to the main courtyard to help Madam He till the land.

After turning over the soil for five or six days, He Shi looked more energetic.

“A plot of land has been prepared. Mother Sun has sent someone to the market to buy sunflower and cabbage seeds. We can plant them first.”

He pointed to the place on the left and said, "Your father said to build a small greenhouse there so we can grow leeks and radishes when it gets cold."

When Madam He spoke, her expression was gentle, her eyes curved, and a glimmer of light shone within them.

She was completely different from her previous sickly appearance.

Li Nanke could clearly sense that her grandmother was in a good mood and she was very happy.

She smiled and said, "When winter comes, I will be able to eat the radishes and leeks that my grandmother grows herself. I want to eat lots and lots of them."

"Okay, Ke'er will have them all then."

Mrs. He tapped her forehead.

"Oh dear, Grandma got dirt all over Ke'er's face."

Li Nanke called out and dabbed at He Shi's face with his muddy hands.

Caught off guard, Madam He had a little mud smeared on her face. She was stunned for a moment, then shook her head and chuckled.

After turning over the soil, Li Nanke saw Zilan's head flash outside the door.

She got up and washed her hands. Seeing that her grandmother had gone back to her room to rest, she went straight out of the yard.

"What's the matter?"

Zilan whispered, "When the refugees left today, Desheng Ban bought many refugees and brought them into the city with them."

Li Nanke frowned.

"A theatrical troupe buying refugees? What about Grandfather? Has he made any moves?"

Zilan shook her head.

"The young lady has been telling me to keep an eye on the Marquis, and I have been doing so for the past few days. The Marquis has been spending all his time with the opera troupe."

This afternoon we went into town together, but I didn't go to the opera troupe with them; instead, I went straight back to my residence.

Li Nanke felt something was off.

Opera troupes were considered the lowest of the low, and unless someone was desperate, they generally wouldn't sell themselves into an opera troupe.

Although the refugees outside the city had their homes flooded and had to temporarily seek refuge in the capital, many of them were ordinary people who still had land.

Even though the fields were flooded, the imperial court exempted next year's taxes and distributed relief grains for the disaster.

There probably aren't many people who are so desperate that they need to be sold into a theatrical troupe, right?

"Miss, do you still need me to keep an eye on the opera troupe?"

Li Nanke snapped out of his daze and instructed, "Go to the street and find a few beggars, give them some money, and have them keep an eye on things for you."

Just check in every two days; don't try to keep an eye on it yourself.

In her dream, she had used this method to send a message to Shen Cong.

Just as I was thinking of Shen Cong, a servant came to report that Er Feng had arrived.

Erfeng said, "His Highness has something to discuss and requests that you come to the Prince's residence, Miss."

Now?

Li Nanke looked around; the sun had already set, leaving only a wisp of pinkish-purple hanging on the horizon.

Erfeng nodded.

"I will personally escort the girl back."

"Uncle Erfeng, please wait a moment while I tell my mother."

After speaking with Song Yi, Li Nanke took Zisu to the Xuanwang Mansion.

Unlike my previous two visits to the Prince Xuan's residence, upon entering the house, a cool and fragrant aroma wafted towards me.

It smells like borneol.

Shen Cong sat cross-legged on the carpet, and the braziers that had been placed around him were removed.

He had also taken off the cloak he always wore and hung it on the rack next to him.

"sit."

Shen Cong gestured with his chin towards the person opposite him.

Li Nanke sat down opposite him and noticed that although his lips were a little bluish, his face was not as pale as before.

He smiled and said, "Does Your Highness feel any better after using the camphor incense?"

Shen Cong's lips curled into a smile.

"You can tell? Looks like you're not blind."

Li Nanke puffed out his cheeks.

"Your Highness, why don't you try not to argue with people? You can actually speak your mind."

Shen Cong snorted, "Don't you understand?"

Li Nanke frowned and thought carefully about what he had just said.

What does it mean to say she's not blind?

"What did I do wrong this time?"

"You brought a man with a broken leg home today?"

Li Nanke nodded subconsciously, then stood up abruptly in surprise.

Her round, wide eyes glared at him. "Your Highness, you sent people to spy on me?"

She had just brought Grandpa Zhou back when Shen Cong found out. Wasn't it obvious that Shen Cong had sent someone to watch her?

Shen Cong was holding a cup of cold tea, taking sips, when he heard this he couldn't help but chuckle.

"If I were to send someone to monitor you, do you think you would find out?"

That's right!

Li Nanke blinked and slowly sat back down.

"Is Grandpa Zhou's identity inappropriate?" he asked, puzzled.

"Grandpa Zhou?"

Shen Cong raised an eyebrow. "You address him quite intimately. Do you even know who he is?"

Who is it?

Shen Cong did not answer directly, but suddenly changed the subject.

"The refugee issue has been resolved relatively smoothly. Next, His Majesty will select study companions for Zhaoning and Zhaokang."

In addition to accompanying the princesses in their studies, His Majesty also carefully selected teachers for the two princesses, and finally decided on Zhou Huai'an, a renowned Confucian scholar.

A month ago, His Majesty sent someone to Changyuan to find Zhou Huai'an, intending to offer him a large sum of money to become the princess's tutor.

Li Nanke jumped up from the ground again, his eyes wide with surprise.

Zhou Huai'an, Old Zhou?

Ah, this...

No wonder she felt that Lao Zhou looked familiar when she first met him, but couldn't remember where she had seen him before.

It was in a dream!

Zhou Huai'an was Shen Xu's teacher. He was erudite and understood the hardships of the people. He proposed many government reforms that would benefit the people.

He enjoyed high prestige among the people and was therefore greatly respected by Shen Xu!

She had seen him twice when she was with Shen Xu.

At that time, Zhou Huai'an was dressed in a scholar's robe, his posture was straight, and he was reserved and calm yet quite dignified.

He was completely different from the old Zhou she had seen in the woods—a man with greasy hair and beard, graying temples, sunken eyes, and a death wish!

More importantly, Zhou Huai'an in the dream had both feet intact and did not have a broken leg at all.

Therefore, she never connected Lao Zhou with Zhou Huai'an at all.

She stammered, "I brought Grandpa Zhou into the mansion because he had a broken leg and was determined to die."

This doesn't conflict with his decision to become the princess's teacher, does it?

Shen Cong snorted coldly.

"His Majesty sent two groups of people to see Zhou Huai'an. The first group went to his home to invite him to the palace, but Zhou Huai'an refused, saying that he only wanted to retire and did not want to return to Bianjing."

The second time was after the Changyuan dike breached. His Majesty urgently sent people to Changyuan to find Zhou Huai'an, only to learn that his entire family had died.

Zhou Huai'an also had his leg broken by the collapsed building, and His Majesty ordered him to be taken to the palace for treatment by the imperial physician.

But Zhou Huai'an refused again. Not only did he refuse, but he also expressed his desire to die and his unwillingness to live alone, before disappearing.

Li Nanke pursed her lips, suddenly realizing that because she had informed Shen Cong in advance about the breach of the dike in Chixian, Shen Cong had made arrangements ahead of time.

The Ministry of Works ordered all counties to reinforce the dikes, but the magistrate of Changyuan County did not take the matter seriously, which led to the breach of the dike in Changyuan.

That led to the series of events that followed.

Shen Cong continued, "A person who repeatedly refused His Majesty's permission to enter the palace, claiming to be determined to die, suddenly followed you home. What do you think His Majesty and the Empress would think if they knew about this?"

Li Nanke's expression changed, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his back!