Chapter 479 Returning Home to Visit Relatives

Time passes, spring is here.

I don’t know how many tomato seedlings on the island have grown taller. The bright red fruits ripen and fall, and now I can’t count how many times they have borne fruit.

A pink little nose moved in front of the newly formed green fruit, and then a pair of hands appeared and picked up the black and white kitten by the waist.

"You little bastard, you come and bully my food again!"

Zhu Lan held the kitten in his arms and poked its head a few times with his fingertips. The kitten's round eyes were still staring at the tomato seedlings reluctantly.

Zhu Lan was helpless.

This little guy has no interest in eating vegetarian food, but he just likes to slap the small tomato to the ground with his paws, jump left and right to play with it as if it were a ball, and by the way, trample all the other flowers and plants in the yard into pieces.

I don't know how much has been ruined by it over the past year.

The kitten was at a naughty age and could not sit still for a moment. It kicked hard with its two hind paws and soon jumped out of Zhu Lan's arms to catch the flying insects.

"Sister Zhu, everything has been arranged at the beach." A slightly childish girl's voice sounded.

Qiao Youyou did not live on the island permanently, so after the facilities on the island were almost built, Zhu Lan only kept a few maids to help with cleaning, and sent the rest back to Nanzhou City.

There were no men on the island, and Zhu Lan was not restrained. She only wore a thin gauze dress, which was very cool.

She walked barefoot to the beach, where a long pearwood table had already been set up.

Herbal tea, red wine, and various fruit snacks were placed on it, all in glass containers, which was extremely luxurious.

Zhu Lan lay on the warm and soft beach, enjoying a sunbath while taking out the latest letter from the capital, removing the lacquer seal on it and reading it carefully.

Friends in the capital would write to her every month. Although she was far away on an isolated island in Lingnan, she had never truly been away from the hustle and bustle of the world.

However, the capital city has been very peaceful these days. Apart from the fact that the emperor is about to lead the harem and royal family members to patrol the autumn mountains as per custom, no other major events have occurred.

After finishing their cleaning work, several maids on the island sat at a stone table, eating snacks, talking and laughing, all of them looking relaxed and happy.

They were all orphans from poor families, and they never dreamed that one day they would get such a job.

Although the work on the island is a bit tedious, the pay is extremely high.

The most important thing is to have dignity.

Miss Zhu, who lives on the island, is the owner, but she is friendly and treats everyone like a sister. She sometimes comes to help everyone with work.

In his spare time, he would teach them to read and write, and lead them in reciting poems and painting.

This is no more than a paradise on earth.

After enjoying the sunbath, Zhu Lan swam a few laps in the huge open-air swimming pool to exercise his body. Finally, he bathed in flower petals and applied the latest limited edition moisturizing balm from Xianglaier, thus ending his morning life.

"Sister Zhu, Magistrate Wu just sent someone to say that several academies in Nanzhou City are planning to merge and jointly establish a 'White Horse Academy' that can rival the Longchang Academy in Jiangzhou. They want you to come over and write the plaque in person!"

Zhu Lan responded: "I understand."

After the girl said this, she looked at Zhu Lan eagerly, as if she was looking forward to it very much.

Zhu Lan knew what they were thinking and said with a smile:

"Okay, let's go together. I just heard that the 'Shuiyunsha' that is very popular in the capital has also been brought to Nanzhou by merchants.

Let's go pick out some fabric and come back to make new clothes."

"Thank you, Sister Zhu!"

…

It was also on this day that the Zhu residence in Jiangzhou City welcomed the bustle that had not been seen for a long time.

"Acai, we don't have enough time to make the lotus root powder and osmanthus sugar cake. Go out and buy some!"

"Cui'er, remember to replace the insect and rat repellent incense in the second young lady's room with agarwood. Remember, it must be the kind that sinks in water!"

"Xiaoqin, have you packed up and hung out the Second Miss's clothes? How can you be so slow... Let me do it."

In the inner courtyard of the Zhu residence, servants were busy coming in and out. Du Lanfang was standing in the middle of the courtyard directing everyone to work. His voice was as bold and capable as ever.

A neighing of a horse sounded in front of the mansion, and Zhu Qingyan, dressed in a long green gown, jumped off the horse.

"Mom, I'm back!"

She happily threw herself into Su's arms, who had been waiting at the door for a long time.

Compared to the delicate and beautiful face of the past, Su's face now shows some signs of aging.

She caressed Zhu Qingyan's face lovingly and joyfully. The mother and daughter asked each other about their recent situation and walked towards the mansion hand in hand.

When Du Lanfang saw Zhu Qingyan, he said happily:

"Sister Yan is back? Come quickly, your old room has been cleaned up and all the bedding has been replaced with new ones.

Chao'er is probably going to be home soon. When he heard that you were coming back, he was so happy that he didn't even think about his books and kept talking about you every day!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Du."

Zhu Qingyan smiled shyly and looked around, "Hey, Auntie is not here today?"

Su smiled and said:

"I heard that you, the great scholar of the Imperial Academy, returned to your hometown to visit your relatives, and the county also sent some gifts. Don't worry, they are not expensive, just a token of our love.

Your aunt just went to the county government office to express her gratitude and will be back soon."

Du Lanfang knew that Su and Zhu Qingyan's mother and daughter had not seen each other for several months and must have a lot to talk about, so he asked them to go to Su's bedroom to chat first, and he would prepare dinner and then call them.

Hearing that Pei Yue went to the county government office, Zhu Qingyan seemed to remember something and asked:

"I heard that the current county magistrate of our Zhaoping County is also a woman?"

"Yeah." Su smiled and nodded.

"Master Jiang Chen is from Tongzhou. He passed the imperial examination last year and just happened to fill the vacancy of our county magistrate."

Zhu Qingyan curiously asked about the situation after she took office. Su said that since Jiang Chen became the county magistrate, he has been diligent in administration, close to the people and responsible, and the people have praised him.

Zhu Qingyan was also very pleased to hear that a good official, a woman, had come to her hometown.

The mother and daughter exchanged a few more private words, and then they heard Du Lanfang's loud voice outside the door:

"Sister-in-law is back, let's have dinner!"

Zhu Qingyan quickly pushed the door open and saluted Pei Yue.

Pei Yue helped her up with a smile on her face and greeted her with concern, but she did not mention Zhu Lan in her words.

Zhu Qingyan responded obediently, but when facing Pei Yue, she always felt a little guilty.

Zhu Lan has been exiled to Lingnan for more than a year, but he still hasn't been able to rescue her from that barren and desolate land... He can come back and reunite with his mother from time to time, but what about Mrs. Pei's love for her daughter?

Zhu Qingyan, with something on his mind, sat down with several elders.

"Sister Qingyan!"

A cheer was heard outside the door, and Zhu Chao threw down his book basket and rushed in impatiently.

Teenage boys grow very fast. Zhu Qingyan remembered that the last time he saw Zhu Chao, he was only slightly taller than his shoulders, but in the blink of an eye, he was as tall as him.

Zhu Chao is now a student at Longchang Academy. He is dressed in a blue and white shirt, has thick eyebrows and big eyes, and has a lively scholarly air. He is truly a handsome young man.

The only embarrassing thing is that Zhu Chao is at the age where his voice is changing.

It has become a duck voice.