"Look at my Chen family. How many women are willing to share the joys and sorrows with their husbands?" Chen Zhizhou's eyes were filled with pride and joy.

Gu Qing laughed: "Of course, just be happy."

The two of them chatted and laughed as they went up the mountain, and they didn't even feel the difficulty of the road.

Xuanfeng followed behind, always observing his side.

About half an hour later, the three of them arrived at the shelter on the mountain. There were four or five benches in the shed. The masters and servants simply packed up their boxes and sat down to rest.

Only then did Chen Zhizhou realize that Cuiping, who served Gu Qing, was not around.

"Where is the maidservant beside you?"

He asked.

Seeing that he was the only one resting among the female family members, Gu Qing pulled him in and lowered his voice to tell him where Cuiping had gone.

Chen Zhizhou's face turned unhappy when he knew this, and he lowered his voice and said, "It's very dangerous for Cuiping, a maid, to follow the Second House alone."

"What are you worried about, ma'am?"

Chen Zhizhou looked at her.

Gu Qing seemed to have many secrets that she didn't know about, and she was angry that she was telling him about it now.

Many times, she always acted alone and did not take him into consideration.

Gu Qing looked away guiltily and glanced at the figure of Uncle Chen who was helping to evacuate the victims.

Uncle Chen seemed to be conscientious, but during this flood disaster, I'm afraid he enriched himself and accepted a lot of bribes and benefits.

But whose money did he receive?

And why collect it?

This is also the reason why she sent Cuiping to follow Lu.

Cuiping had a photographic memory and was quite talented in the art of drawing. As long as she could see who Lu met and then draw that person, she would be able to follow the clues and guess the general idea.

Chen Zhizhou did not get a reply from Gu Qing. He followed her gaze and saw his second uncle and father helping the villagers transfer their property, their bodies soaked by the rain.

He spoke again: "Madam?"

Gu Qing came back to his senses and hesitated for a moment: "I feel that something is wrong with the second wife recently. Last time I saw her interacting with people from the Ministry of Industry, she came back and sneaked back to the house with something in her hand."

Chen Zhizhou's face was as gloomy as the sky.

Do people from the Second House have any dealings with the Ministry of Works?

He seemed to have thought of something and held Gu Qing's hand: "Madam, why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"

"You want to find out the truth about the Second House, but what can you find out with just Cuiping, a maid?"

He should have thought of it long ago that the several branches of the Chen family were never united, and if the Ministry of Works wanted to maintain its dignity, it would definitely ask the Chen family for help.

"Xuanfeng."

Chen Zhizhou spoke.

Xuan Feng appeared before him like a shadow, half-knelt, and said, "Master, what are your instructions?"

"Follow a girl named Cuiping, and do whatever she does."

"Yes!" Xuanfeng came and went without a trace.

Gu Qing came back to his senses after being surprised, staring blankly at Chen Zhizhou for a long time before speaking: "Aren't you afraid that I might be wrong?"

"You actually trust me so much?"

Chen Zhizhou held her shoulders and gestured to Gu Qing to rest assured: "I don't want to tell Madam about official affairs, not because I doubt you."

"But the capital is full of twists and turns. One wrong step could lead to eternal damnation. I just hope that Madam can live a peaceful and stable life in the backyard."

Gu Qing couldn't help but be moved.

At the same time, the servant of the Chen family brought the hot porridge from the porridge shed.

She dropped the subject for the moment, letting him put it down and quickly exit before continuing, "I understand you're thinking about me."

"But since I married you, I've met so many people and experienced so many things. How can I live a peaceful life?"

Gu Qing’s words made Chen Zhizhou feel uncomfortable.

She was right. The Chen family was very popular now. He was a favorite of the Third Prince, and Gu Qing had been unable to escape.

"That's why I want to walk side by side with you."

Gu Qing stretched out her hand and interlocked her fingers with his, her eyes firm and powerful, "I want to help you do something."

Hearing this, Chen Zhizhou hugged the man tightly in his arms and said in a low voice: "Thank you."

Gu Qing smiled, and the smile in her eyes softened the wind and rain outside the shed. She hugged him with her backhand and said softly, "There's no need for us to talk so much as husband and wife."

"I owe you this."

Gu Qing's voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible when she said the last sentence. The sound of wind and rain swept away the voice, and Chen Zhizhou did not hear it either.

He thought for a moment.

Since Gu Qing was so devoted to him, he didn't need to hide it. He pulled the man aside and said seriously, "A few days ago, the Third Prince sent me to thoroughly investigate the cost of building dams, ditches and bridges in the Huai River area. The local officials protected me and tried to talk me into trouble."

"If the Second House really accepts something it shouldn't, it will be a fatal threat to our Chen Mansion in the future."

Chen Zhizhou expressed Gu Qing's worries in one sentence.

She recalled the scenes of her past life, and her heart ached. She clutched Chen Zhizhou's clothes tightly and said, "My husband, you must thoroughly investigate this matter to prevent future troubles!"

......

The rain continued for most of the day and showed no sign of stopping.

The worry on the people's faces grew darker and darker, just like the sky.

In my memory of my previous life, the rain lasted for three days and three nights, and the entire village downstream was flooded.

Chen Zhizhou took the county magistrate to inspect the dam in person, and never returned until three days later when the flood receded and he was found on a crooked tree. He finally saved his life.

Just as he was thinking about it, Chen Zhizhou asked someone to invite Zhang Bin from the county government.

Zhang Bin is over fifty years old, but he is in very good condition. At first glance, he looks like he is in his early forties. The fact that a small county magistrate can live in such wealth shows how much money he has stolen on a daily basis.

Chen Zhizhou's face looked heavy, his clothes were soaked by the rain, and his shoes and socks were muddy. However, Zhang Bin was dressed neatly, without any sign of being disheveled from fleeing.

Gu Qing and Chen Zhizhou were separated by a coarse cloth curtain. She looked at Zhang Bin through the hole in the curtain and suddenly remembered that in her previous life, it was he who recommended the Chen family's crimes of corruption and bribery to the emperor.

"Zhang Bin, right? Call a few people and go with me to check the water level."

Zhang Bin bowed his waist, showing great respect to Chen Zhizhou, but the shrewdness in his eyes was evident. "Sir Chen, it's not that I don't want to go, but the road conditions are really terrible, and the people I have are all taking care of their families, so I really can't spare any manpower."

What a rural official who is just sitting in office and doing nothing.

When Chen Zhizhou didn't speak, the air pressure around him was extremely low, and he looked like an evil spirit, quite terrifying.

Zhang Bin rolled his eyes, revealing a bit of uneasiness and fear.

He had heard of Chen Zhizhou's name a long time ago, but a strong dragon cannot defeat a local snake. However, his Chen family is now powerful, and this place is also his territory.

I thought Chen Zhizhou would give up, but he suddenly slammed the table and stood up: "It seems that Master Zhang is unwilling to go with me?"

Chen Zhizhou's face was full of sternness.

Zhang Bin was so frightened that he quickly dragged the two people over and said in panic, "I dare not. I just think the rain is too heavy now. It would be fine if we wait until the rain is lighter."

"Since you are so anxious, I will do it!"