Chapter 250 Stepping Stone
Zhou Yunshu's nails dug into her palms, and she couldn't feel any warmth in Ji Mingzhu's arms.
"Grandma, they are my children too."
Ji Mingzhu smiled and said, "Grandmother knows, they are also my bloodline."
Ji Mingzhu let go of Zhou Yunshu, touched her face and said, "It's just that those who accomplish great things need to plan ahead."
"Grandma can be a pawn on your chessboard, as can the rest of the Zhou family, and even more so your children."
"Shu'er, remember this: those in power hate sentimental relationships. Grandmother hopes you'll understand this without having to make a choice. Do you understand?"
Zhou Yunshu lowered her eyes and nodded, "I understand."
So, the Zhou family, are the people of the Zhou family just pawns on my grandmother's chessboard?
"Grandma, I have something I want to ask you."
Ji Mingzhu smiled and nodded, "You say."
Zhou Yunshu looked at Ji Mingzhu and swallowed the question that was about to come to her tongue. She asked, "Did Lin Fuyan betray the Zhou family?"
Ji Mingzhu looked at the perceptive Zhou Yunshu and did not directly answer her question. She just said, "The poison in Lin Sheng was given by Fu Yan."
What Lin Fuyan had said before in front of them was that the poison in his father was sent by the imperial court.
"He betrayed the Zhou family."
Ji Mingzhu patted Zhou Yunshu's hand and said, "But he didn't betray me."
It is true that the Zhou family and Ji Mingzhu are one, but the collapse of the Zhou family does not mean her collapse.
Zhou Yunshu listened to Ji Mingzhu's seemingly contradictory words and suddenly thought of something. She said to Ji Mingzhu, "The Nanzhou man who made a deal with Dai Xingye...is he Lin Fuyan?"
"It's him."
Zhou Yunshu looked at Ji Mingzhu and felt that the previous fog was gradually dispelled.
"He sells arms."
"It's the imperial court's military equipment, not the Nanzhou's military equipment." Ji Mingzhu emphasized.
Zhou Yunshu instantly understood what Ji Mingzhu meant. "So, Grandma, you know about the arms trafficking, or... you allow it, right?"
"We need weapons to take over Haizhou, and we can't have anything to do with it."
Ji Mingzhu looked at Zhou Yunshu and said, "Isn't this great?"
She was very satisfied that Zhou Yunshu finally discovered her intention.
"What about the Red Lotus Cult from Wolong Mountain?"
Because both places sold arms, Zhou Yunshu always thought that there was some connection between the two.
"Not me. Your grandmother isn't powerful enough to extend her influence to other states."
"This isn't the first time arms have been sold."
It didn’t even start this year.
"Ever since your grandfather left the capital for the northern border, I have been intentionally or unintentionally expanding the power of Nanzhou to Haizhou. Otherwise, why do you think I told you we were coming to Haizhou when I left the capital after our family was confiscated and I was exiled?"
"Of course it's because, although Haizhou is in chaos, it has never had a strong government." Ji Mingzhu said patiently, "It's far from the capital, but it's adjacent to Nanzhou. It also has a ready-made port, which allows it to bypass the imperial court and reach the northern border directly."
"It's the retreat I prepared for myself and the Zhou family." Ji Mingzhu looked at Zhou Yunshu and continued, "And now, it will be the foundation for your rise."
"Shu'er, Daizong won't live for many more years. I want you to take over Haizhou during this time, train the army, and then gradually expand northward."
"You know what Grandma expects of you, don't you?"
When Zhou Yunshu came out of Ji Mingzhu's room, Lin Fuyan was standing in the corridor wearing a jade-colored long gown.
He didn't know how long he stared at the rain falling in the yard. He only moved when he heard Zhou Yunshu's footsteps.
"Miss."
Zhou Yunshu looked at Lin Fuyan, who was extremely respectful to her, and suddenly smiled, "Brother Fuyan, you are my grandmother's man, you don't have to be so polite to me."
This time, Zhou Yunshu no longer said that Lin Fuyan was a member of the Zhou family.
“Respect and inferiority should never be forgotten.”
Lin Fuyan no longer had the aggressive attitude of yesterday. He was now respectful as if everything that happened yesterday was just a dream.
"Is Uncle Lin's health okay?"
Lin Fuyan's eyes flickered as he listened to Zhou Yunshu's caring words, "The master said it's fine now."
As for who Lin Fuyan's master is, both of them know it very well.
"Does Uncle Lin know?"
Did you know that the poisoning that paralyzed him in bed was caused by his own son?
Lin Fuyan looked at the sound of rain in the yard and said, "I know."
"If the king wants his subject to die, the subject must die." He smiled and turned to look at Zhou Yunshu, "The master is already very generous."
So his father drank the glass of wine without hesitation and naturally became his stepping stone.
"My dear, my father is old. He has fought for his master for most of his life. I can take his place."
Zhou Yunshu looked at Lin Fuyan, and for a moment she didn't know whether to say he was unfilial or too filial.
"Is this also the reason for your quarrel with Big Brother?"
Lin Fuyan nodded: "He thinks I'm too ruthless."
There is no humanity at all.
Zhou Yunshu looked at Lin Fuyan with a smile on her face, and suddenly thought of Zhou Yunzhi's desperate look when he was brought back by his grandmother.
She picked up the umbrella and said to Lin Fuyan, "Are you waiting for me here?"
"No, I have something to report to the master."
"Okay, I'll go see the kid."
After saying that, Zhou Yunshu took the umbrella and Chunque and walked towards Zhou Yunzhi's yard.
Zhou Yunjia and Zhou Yunzhi switched classes in the morning, so he should be in his own yard now. After all, they have nowhere to go on this rainy day.
Just as Zhou Yunshu thought, when she arrived at Zhou Yunzhi's yard, Zhou Yunzhi was reading in his study.
Fang Huiwen brought a pot of tea to the two of them and went to Li Jialan's room.
Now that Yuan Li and Yuan Yi are old, they have a lot of things to do every day, and Fang Huiwen doesn't have to worry about everything, so most of the time she is looking after the twins with Li Jialan.
Although now only Kang Kang is left of the twins.
When Zhou Yunshu came in, Chunque closed the door and stood guard outside.
In this weather, Zhou Yunshu felt that Chu San and the others would not have to eavesdrop on everything unless there was a clear order.
Obviously, Zhou Yunzhi felt the same way.
"Big brother."
Zhou Yunzhi looked at his sister who was sitting next to him on a chair and asked gently, "What's wrong?"
"Will you lie to me?"
Zhou Yunzhi looked at Zhou Yunshu, slowly closed the book in his hand, and said to her: "If you don't want to talk about it, I will keep silent."
Silence is not deception, silence is another form of response.
Zhou Yunshu looked at Zhou Yunzhi's broken legs and eyes, lowered her eyes and said, "I have three things I want to ask you."
She raised her head and looked at Zhou Yunzhi firmly, "Your answer is very important to me."
Zhou Yunzhi looked at Zhou Yunshu with his only remaining eye, and his hand on the table slowly tightened the closed book.
People have a premonition of the coming storm.
"Ask."
Zhou Yunshu took a deep breath and said, "You and Lin Fuyan quarreled because of the fact that Lin Fuyan poisoned Uncle Lin and paralyzed him?"
"Yes." Part of the reason.
Zhou Yunzhi didn’t know how to explain the rest to Zhou Yunshu.
He wasn't sure whether he should tell Zhou Yunshu.
Although Zhou Yunshu seems to be the head of the Zhou family now, it is still firmly controlled by his grandmother.
Besides, there were some things Zhou Yunzhi subconsciously didn't want her to know.
Because even if Zhou Yunshu knew, it would not change anything, it would only make her suffer.
Rather than letting her suffer as much as he did, Zhou Yunzhi would rather see Zhou Yunshu full of vitality and working hard for the future.
But inexplicably, Zhou Yunzhi felt that what Zhou Yunshu was going to say next might be something he didn't want to hear her ask about.
Zhou Yunshu looked at Zhou Yunzhi, who was hiding something, and looked into his eyes and said again, "Brother."
"Back when we were on the battlefield in the North, besides you and Daddy, was Lin Fuyan there?"
Zhou Yunzhi raised his eyes and clenched the book in his hand.
"Are Grandfather and Daddy really dead?"
"Did you see all the bodies that Grandma collected?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com