Outside, Ma Xiaosi rushed in to report.
When everyone heard that it was someone from the government, they felt nervous and scared, fearing that they would hear bad news.
Zhen Wanwan was not as pessimistic as they were. Based on her understanding of Zhu Yuan, if things got out of control, the guards he had sent to protect them would probably have come out and taken them away long ago.
Where can I stay here and live in fear?
She gestured for Ma Xiaosi to bring his men in, while the rest of the people stood on either side to give the constables some space.
The constable entered without looking to the side, walked up to Zhen Wanwan, bowed and said, "Greetings, Madam! The magistrate sent me to inform you that everything is fine and you need not worry. He will return home to be with you once he has finished his business."
The heavy weight on Zhen Wanwan's shoulders lifted, and she had A Yue give the yamen runner some silver and Rou'er bring him some food.
The constable left satisfied.
Inside the house, Grandma Li and the others heard the news with their own ears. Although they were still uneasy, they were not as anxious as before.
"I hope Xiao Yuan can drive them back and stop them from harming us ordinary people."
Grandpa Zhen's cloudy eyes brightened at that moment, and he unconsciously glanced in the direction of his daughter.
A second before making eye contact with Zhen Wanwan, he lowered his head so that she wouldn't notice anything amiss.
Afterwards, Zhen Wanwan comforted the families for a long time, and only let them leave after they were completely at ease.
After leaving his daughter's house, Grandpa Zhen remained silent the entire way.
Even Zhen Fugui noticed that something was wrong with him, but after thinking about it, she decided to go home and close the door first.
Before Zhen Fugui could speak, Grandpa Zhen made him follow him into his study as soon as he entered the house.
The father and son talked for a long time, and even when it was time for dinner, they were unwilling to come out.
Grandma Li was worried and went to check on the room herself, but was persuaded to leave by the father and son.
Seeing this, Old Lady Li didn't bother with them and ate dinner with her daughter-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter.
It wasn't until late at night that Zhen Fugui returned to his room. The next day, before dawn, Wang Cuihua felt a chill beside her.
When I opened my eyes, I saw that Zhen Fugui had already gotten up and dressed, and was about to sneak out.
"Husband! It's not even dawn yet! What are you doing?"
Zhen Fugui paused, then came to his senses and explained dryly, "Didn't Father worry that it wasn't safe for my brother-in-law to be out alone, so he asked me to go and check on him?"
Wang Cuihua learned a few words from him and became quite clever. Her eyes were full of suspicion as she said, "You can go and see openly and honestly. How can you go in the middle of the night when you can't even see the ground clearly?"
Zhen Fugui was caught lying by his wife and immediately became nervous.
Suddenly remembering what Grandpa Zhen had told him last night, his face darkened, and he angrily rebuked, "Your man is willing to go now, so don't cause trouble. Also, wait until dawn and tell Mother that I'll be back in a couple of days!"
As he spoke, Zhen Fugui turned and ran, as if someone was chasing him.
Wang Cuihua was stunned by his shout and before she could recover from his rude attitude, he disappeared.
She angrily pounded the edge of the bed, then lay back down to catch up on her sleep.
My younger sister once said that women need to get beauty sleep, otherwise they will age quickly!
Now that she has money at home, she needs to dress herself up nicely.
My younger sister once said that men with money tend to go astray and are visual creatures, so she absolutely cannot let some vixen outside bewitch her man.
So Wang Cuihua only hesitated for a while before going back to sleep for a beauty nap.
Anqing Prefecture City, the government office meeting place.
Zhu Yuan, dressed in military attire, sat at the head of the table, surrounded by his subordinates.
Apart from the advisor, who stood beside him in plain clothes, everyone else was wearing armor.
The scene was somber, but there was no fear in the eyes of the people; instead, there was a desire to fight.
Yin Duwei was the first to speak up and ask for instructions: "Master! Your subordinate is willing to be the vanguard and go out of the city to give those barbarians a taste of their power!"
With him opening the door, the rest of the people followed suit, expressing their desire to be at the forefront and fight the enemy.
Zhu Yuan raised his hand, signaling them to calm down.
"That matter is not urgent. I have a very important matter that I would like you to handle!"
At this moment, the previously unnoticed advisor raised his head, a smirk playing on his lips, his eyes revealing his cunning.
Yin Duwei paused, looking at the two people seated above him with a puzzled expression, especially the advisor.
"Old fox, what idea have you come up with this time?"
The advisor, known as the old fox, was not angry but rather pleased. He chuckled and said, "Of course it's a good idea. If you can pull it off, we can not only deflate their arrogance but also seize a few cities!"
Compared to the advisor's unremarkable appearance, his voice was extremely pleasant. It wasn't a deep bass, but it was very magnetic, making people want to get closer to him.
Hearing this, Yin Duwei became interested and excitedly said, "Tell me quickly!"
The advisor's lips curled slightly as he quietly explained his plan.
On the other side, at the request of Old Master Zhen, Zhen Fugui drove the carriage at breakneck speed toward the prefectural city.
Along the way, he saw many villagers carrying their valuables as they climbed up the mountain.
Presumably, they saw that war was about to break out and wanted to go into the mountains to take refuge.
Zhen Fugui kept this scene in mind and was planning to go back and discuss it with the villagers.
When he arrived in the prefectural city, it was noon, the hottest time of the day.
Zhen Fugui took the water bottle and drank a big gulp, then headed towards Zhuyuan's temporary residence in the prefectural city.
He noticed that the scene inside Anqing Prefecture City was now exceptionally desolate compared to the first time it was bustling.
There were only a few people on the street, and most of them were jogging hurriedly.
The roadside used to be lined with stalls, but now it's empty except for a few impoverished vendors who are setting up stalls just to make a living.
Looking at the scene before her, Zhen Fugui became even more somber.
Thinking about the purpose of his trip, he lost interest in continuing to wander around.
He lashed the horse's rump twice and continued hurrying towards Zhuyuan's residence.
Zhu Yuan looked at the people sitting below, exchanging bewildered glances, and said calmly, "This matter is of utmost importance. I wonder who is willing to take on this task?"
Yin Duwei looked around at his colleagues behind him. Seeing that everyone was hesitating, his eyes hardened, and he was the first to raise his hand.
"This humble official is willing to go!"
Zhu Yuan glanced at Yin Duwei and hummed in agreement.
His original intention was to get him out, but his purpose was not just something that was stated in the open.
The advisor quietly glanced around, silently observing everyone's expressions.
Then, they inadvertently made eye contact with Zhuyuan, and everything was understood without words.
After everyone had left, Zhu Yuan looked at the ordinary man beside him and said, "Keep an eye on things from now on. If you notice anyone behaving strangely, report it to me."
"Understood!"
Zhu Yuan watched the advisor's figure until it disappeared, a variety of emotions flashing in his eyes.
This time, he sent men out ostensibly to burn the enemy's supplies, then launch a pincer attack to annihilate their entire army.
In reality, they had caught a spy in the army, a man who was very well hidden and had repeatedly thwarted their plans.
Now that they are about to step onto the stage to compete for supremacy, they must be surrounded by trusted confidants.
Just as Zhu Yuan was pondering how to punish the traitor, a servant from the manor ran over.
"Master, your eldest uncle has arrived. Please come back for a gathering."
Zhu Yuan was slightly taken aback. Why was Zhen Fugui here?
Could something have happened at home?
Zhu Yuan frowned slightly. At this critical moment, he was genuinely afraid that something might happen to Zhen Wanwan and her two children.
Despite having arranged for many people to protect Zhen Wanwan, he still felt uneasy.
Without even thinking, he got up and went back.
The military camp was three kilometers from his home, and he rode at full speed, arriving in about half an incense stick's time.
Zhen Fugui sat in the reception room drinking tea and waiting, his eyes occasionally glancing towards the door.
He felt inexplicably nervous at that moment. Remembering Grandpa Zhen's instructions, he took a deep breath, patted his chest, and calmed his restless heart.
When Zhu Yuan returned, he saw Zhen Fugui foolishly pounding his fists a few times.
Noticing that he was neatly dressed, I figured nothing serious had happened at home.
"Big brother!"
Zhu Yuan quickened his pace and said calmly, "Have you finished dealing with everything in the village?"
Recently, Zhen Fugui has been busy planning for the villagers to reclaim wasteland and plant sweet potatoes.
He also needs to look after the soap business.
He is usually busy traveling around and rarely goes out.
Zhu Yuan had some doubts about why he had come all the way from Guangling County to the prefectural city.
Zhen Fugui was lost in thought when she suddenly saw Zhu Yuan return. Her face showed a mixture of joy and unease.
For some reason, he felt that Zhu Yuan's aura was getting stronger and stronger.
He was already someone to look up to before, and now, standing in front of him, Zhen Fugui unconsciously lowered her head.
He felt a little uneasy, but remembering what Grandpa Zhen had talked to him about last night, he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
"Xiao Yuan, the Northern Hu people launched a sneak attack the night before last. Are you alright?"
Zhen Fugui thought of his younger sister and knew she was worried about Zhuyuan, so he took the opportunity to look Zhuyuan up and down.
They tried to scan him for wounds so they could give their younger sister an explanation when they got back.
"I'm fine. Please let my wife know I'm safe when you get back."
Zhu Yuan was worried that Zhen Wanwan would miss him, so he asked Zhen Fugui to help convey his message to her so that she could rest assured.
Seeing how much Zhu Yuan cared for his younger sister, Zhen Fugui nodded to herself.
Now it seems that Zhuyuan is someone I can entrust my life to, and he is happy for his sister.
"I've come here today because it's important and I need to tell you."
Zhen Fugui took a few steps closer to Zhuyuan and said in a low voice.
Zhu Yuan raised an eyebrow, took Zhen Fugui to the study, and then ordered his trusted aides to guard the door and prevent anyone from getting close.
Zhen Fugui was very cautious. He looked around carefully before turning around and walking into Zhuyuan.
"Xiao Yuan, this is what my father asked me to give you. He said you will understand after you read it."
Zhen Fugui took out a letter from her most intimate underwear and handed it to Zhu Yuan with a sincere and earnest look in her eyes.
Zhu Yuan touched the lingering warmth on the envelope, thinking to himself that Zhen Fugui was so cautious, hiding it so well.
Zhu Yuan immediately opened the envelope, quickly glanced through it, and a rare look of shock appeared on his face.
How could my father-in-law...
Zhu Yuan kept reviewing the past in his mind, but he couldn't find where he had revealed his true feelings.
He remained hidden for many years, and apart from a few close confidants, even General Xiao, who regarded him as a confidant, was unaware of his presence.
But Grandpa Zhen had noticed it long ago.
This letter was written by Zhen Fugui on his behalf, so he naturally knew what it contained.
He gazed intently at Zhuyuan, his eyes hardening.
Suddenly, without warning, he knelt down and kowtowed several times before Zhu Yuan could react.
"Your Highness! My Zhen family is willing to follow you, please accept our offer!"
Zhen Fugui's attitude was no longer the casual way he had treated his brother-in-law, but the respect a subordinate would show to his superior.
Zhu Yuan's surprise lasted only a few seconds before he accepted reality, looking at Zhen Fugui kneeling before him.
I couldn't help but sigh.
His initial plan was not to involve Zhen's family, and he always protected them from behind the scenes.
On the one hand, he didn't want his wife's relatives to go to the battlefield, since swords and spears have no eyes, and one wrong move could cost them their heads.
He always knew that in his wife's heart, family always came first.
On the other hand, he also feared that if he failed to become the hegemon, he would end up as a prisoner.
Before the marriage, he had already prepared a way out for Zhen Wanwan and her family. If he were to lose the battle, he could send them to a safe place.
What he didn't expect was that Grandpa Zhen knew what he was thinking.
Qu Zhenfu went to sea with Feng He because of his tacit approval.
Now, Grandpa Zhen has taken the initiative to break the ice and wants to follow him.
He was conflicted; he understood why Grandpa Zhen was acting this way.
One reason was to secure a future for his family's descendants, and the other was because of his wife, Zhen Wanwan.
The Zhen family members were of low status and powerless. In their eyes, they considered themselves, the illegitimate 'prince,' to be the supreme rulers.
They worried that once he gained power, Zhen Wanwan, being just a peasant girl, would be bullied.
Therefore, he considered it for a long time before planning step by step to give his family more advantages.
Zhu Yuan pursed his lips, still somewhat hesitant in the face of Zhen Fugui's surrender.
He didn't want to make this decision on his own without Zhen Wanwan's knowledge, after all, she was his family.
Thinking of this, Zhu Yuan helped Zhen Fugui up, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Brother! I am very happy that you and your father-in-law trust me, but I'm sorry I can't agree to this right away!"
"Why!"
Zhen Fugui exclaimed in surprise that Zhu Yuan would refuse him, which was beyond his and Old Master Zhen's expectations.
He was filled with mixed emotions and thought a lot, fearing that Zhu Yuan might refuse because of their lowly status and inability to offer much help.
"Your Highness, is it because you despise me for being incompetent and useless? I may lack these things, but I have brute strength, and I can fight on the battlefield!"
Seeing that he had misunderstood, Zhu Yuan quickly reassured him, "Why would you think that, brother?"
"My elder brother's interpersonal skills are far beyond my reach, and he is also very thoughtful. He manages the villagers with complete trust."
"If you could help me, I would be more than happy to do so!"
Zhen Fugui blushed at his praise, then said somewhat anxiously, "You said I'm so good, why are you refusing my joining?"
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