Zhao Shouzhen laughed maniacally all the way home. When he arrived at the gate of the Zhao residence, he stumbled and fell off his chestnut horse, startling those who were watching him from the shadows.
No sooner said than done, Li Afu, who had been chopping wood in the yard, heard the horse neighing and strode out. Seeing the dangerous scene, he swiftly caught Zhao Shouzhen as he fell.
The person hiding in the shadows breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"Hahaha...hahaha..." Zhao Shouzhen appeared frantic, yet still couldn't help laughing.
"Master, what's wrong?" Li Afu asked worriedly.
Zhao Shouzhen gave him a look, then leaned halfway on his shoulder and walked into the courtyard. As he left, he brushed past the chestnut horse's plump body, skillfully patting its rump. The chestnut horse understood, raised its front hooves, and galloped off towards the prefectural governor's residence.
With a soft creak, the old wooden door slowly opened and then gently closed again.
In that instant, Zhao Shouzhen quickly released Li Afu's hand and gently pushed him aside.
He straightened his back, his expression serious, and said solemnly, "Li Afu, the situation is urgent! Right now, you and I are the only two men in the courtyard." As he spoke, his sharp eyes swept over Bai Wei and Zhao Rou, who were drying herbs next to the pharmacy, and then he said, "We must protect these women and children."
Seeing Zhao Shouzhen's serious expression, Li Afu also became serious, clasped his hands in a fist and respectfully replied, "I will follow your arrangements, Master." The two talked as they walked quickly into the depths of the courtyard.
Li Afu asked with concern, "Master, the old lady is still at the Princess's residence taking care of the young prince and princess. Should I go and bring her back?"
Zhao Shouzhen shook his head slightly, thinking to himself: After all, she was the maternal grandmother of those two children. As long as she was by the children's side, no matter what the situation, he, as their maternal grandfather, would feel much more at ease.
When Bai Wei saw Zhao Shouzhen return, she simply nodded slightly as a greeting before continuing to focus on drying the herbs. Zhao Rou, on the other hand, smiled and gently called out, "Father, you're back."
Zhao Shouzhen nodded slightly, a solemn expression on his face. He then gently beckoned Zhao Rou to come closer. Zhao Rou obediently walked to her father's side, her eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.
"Rou'er, I have something to tell you," Zhao Shouzhen said in a low voice. "There may be some changes in Chaoyang County recently. The specifics are not yet clear, but we need to be prepared to deal with them."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Rou's expression changed slightly, and a hint of worry flashed in her eyes. She knew her father was always composed, so if he said this, he must have sensed something unusual.
"Father, what should we do?" Zhao Rou asked anxiously.
Zhao Shouzhen comforted her, "Don't worry, Rou'er. From today onwards, you should stay at home and try not to go out. I will arrange for Li Afu to go and buy some daily necessities to ensure that there is enough food and supplies at home."
"Madam Bai has prepared everything for my sister's delivery. She should be going into labor in the next few days. I hope nothing goes wrong in the next few days." Zhao Rou said, glancing worriedly towards the door, her eyes filled with concern.
"I don't know when my mother will be back today. I have a bad feeling about this, and I hope everything will go smoothly." Her voice was slightly low, carrying a hint of unease and tension.
"You don't need to worry about your mother. Just take good care of your sister."
"Also, don't tell your sister about the potential unrest in Chaoyang County," Zhao Shouzhen instructed solemnly. "Your sister isn't as resilient as you. If she finds out about this, it might upset her and harm the baby. So, this matter must be kept a secret."
Zhao Rou obediently nodded in agreement, but she still had some doubts and worries in her heart.
She thought to herself, Chaoyang County has always been a prosperous and peaceful place. She even went to the market to buy things yesterday and didn't hear any news about any unrest in Chaoyang County! What could be going on? However, since her father said so, he must have his reasons.
As a dutiful daughter, she decided to heed her father's advice and not tell her older sister the news. After all, her sister was heavily pregnant and needed to stay calm and avoid any fright or stress.
After Zhao Shouzhen finished making the arrangements, he instructed Li Afu to check how much grain was left in the house and to buy more if needed. Li Afu immediately understood. After checking the remaining grain in the mansion, he left through the back gate, went to his usual shop, bought some rice and grain, and then locked the main gate. From then on, the whole family stayed indoors.
After drying the herbs, Bai Wei keenly sensed the tense atmosphere in the mansion. She couldn't help but worry about Bai Yunxiang, who was resting and pregnant at her maternal home, the Bai family mansion.
As night slowly fell, she dared not go out alone, and it was inconvenient to send away Li Afu, the only person in the family who knew some martial arts. Torn between these feelings, she paced anxiously back and forth in the courtyard.
She came to the Zhao residence to help out five days ago.
Although Zhao Yun was no longer nominally her daughter-in-law, and Bai Wei had divorced Li Zan and was no longer a member of the Li family, the child in Zhao Yun's womb was, after all, the flesh and blood of her son, Li Huai'an, and she couldn't abandon him. Nor could she bear to.
No matter how good Bai Yunxiang's relationship with her was, she was still born out of wedlock, unlike Zhao Yun's child who was born of the principal wife. Even if Li Huai'an was convicted and exiled, whose life doesn't have its ups and downs?
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