The next day, General Xiao Yue, the Protector of the Nation, suddenly arrived in the capital and claimed that he had captured the criminal who tried to assassinate the emperor.

After being severely tortured, the criminal confessed that he was instructed by an important official from the Empress Dowager's direct line.

Under the pretext of purging the imperial court, General Xiao demanded a thorough investigation of the Empress Dowager's direct lineage. Naturally, the Empress Dowager refused to yield to this demand. The two engaged in a fierce battle in the capital, culminating in Xiao Yue stationing a large army outside the city, threatening her with military power.

"He's truly a reckless man. He's not afraid of being accused of treason by the young emperor in the future." In a bamboo hut in the mountains hundreds of miles from the capital, Qin Zhao put down the secret letter in his hand and said leisurely, "But at this point, the matter should be concluded soon."

Ah Qi responded, "Congratulations, sir."

"It's not too late to congratulate after everything is settled smoothly." Qin Zhao threw the secret letter into the brazier and burned it. He tilted his head and asked, "Where is the madam?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a voice outside: "I'm back!"

Jing Li rushed in with the little fish cub.

It had snowed in the mountains last night, and the two of them went for a walk in the mountains. Their clothes and hair were covered with snow, but the heat inside the house melted the snow as soon as they entered.

"Where did you go again?" Qin Zhao asked.

After meeting the young emperor, Qin Zhao knew he couldn't stay in the capital for long. Fortunately, he had made preparations in advance and found a secluded forest hundreds of miles away from the capital, where he built a bamboo house.

The area around this bamboo house is carefully arranged and is much safer than the capital.

They stayed here for almost a month.

Jing Li winked at the little fish, and the father and son loosened their grip, and a dozen wild sweet potatoes of various sizes rolled out from their clothes.

"We've been digging for a long time!" Jing Li said happily, "We'll have this for lunch."

“…”

No wonder these two people were so dirty as if they had rolled in the mud. It turned out that they were digging sweet potatoes.

Qin Zhao laughed.

He was also worried that Jingli would feel bored living in the mountains, but it turned out that he was very happy, taking his son up the mountains and down the river every day, and he felt so free.

Qin Zhao found a winnowing basket and helped Jing Li pick up the sweet potatoes scattered on the ground. He said, "I'll roast them. Take your son to wash his hands and face and change his clothes. Look how dirty you are."

The two cats, one big and one small, looked at each other. Jing Li said, "Okay, then you better keep an eye on the fire and don't let it get burnt."

Only after getting Qin Zhao's promise did Jing Li feel at ease and left with the little fish cub.

Qin Zhaoze took Ah Qi to the yard.

The bamboo house they live in now was built temporarily because of time constraints. It is smaller than the one they built in Linxi Village. It has no bamboo walls and no pool.

There is a fence around the yard, and a simple kitchen is built next to it.

Qin Zhao brought the sweet potatoes that her husband and son had worked so hard to dig to the stove. Ah Qi took the initiative to wash the sweet potatoes, while Qin Zhao began to add firewood to the stove and light the fire.

By the time Ah Qi washed the sweet potatoes, Qin Zhao had also started the fire.

Baking sweet potatoes wasn't difficult; all they had to do was place them in the bottom of the stove and bake. And thanks in large part to Jing Li and the little fish koi's good fortune, the sweet potatoes they dug were enormous, even better than those sold at the Beijing market.

Qin Zhao roasted seven or eight sweet potatoes at once. Just as he buried them, he heard footsteps outside the yard.

A young man dressed as a villager stood outside the fence and said respectfully, "Mr. Qin, there is someone outside the woods who wants to see you."

“…He said his last name was Qi.”

The chapter of "Becoming a Koi Husband" provided by the great god Chi Ling has been read to the end (please click on the next chapter to continue reading!)