When Zhao Guihua saw Xingxing and her three sons return, and then saw them carrying three baskets of meat, she was really surprised. "Why did you buy so much meat? How many days will it take to finish it? The weather is getting hotter and hotter now. Buying so much at once will make it spoil easily."
"Keep some fresh for the next couple of days, and marinate the rest to make jerky. It didn't cost any money; we just brought it back from the restaurant." Zhou Erfu told Zhao Guihua and the others what had happened at the restaurant.
Li Quan was the manager of a restaurant in the prefectural city. He was overjoyed to hear that the restaurant had been recovered. "I said that the death of the customer that day was suspicious, but unfortunately we didn't even have a chance to defend ourselves. At that time, a group of us were suddenly taken away by the officials."
"Yes, we were terrified that day. It was so pitiful for that innocent guest; he lost his life because of us." Zhong Daya was kind-hearted and felt extremely sad at the thought of innocent people dying.
"Don't think about these things anymore. Let's send some silver to that guest's house later as compensation." Zhao Guihua also sighed heavily.
The dead cannot be brought back to life; one can only spend some money to compensate the family of the deceased.
"We've brought back the restaurants in the prefectural city, but what about the ones in the county town and the towns?" Zhao Guizhi asked anxiously.
"Don't worry, Auntie. Officials have been sent to the county and town to handle this matter. When we get back, those who took other people's property will be imprisoned. Our Zhou family's property will never be taken away without cause," Xingxing said firmly.
Zhang Xiantao's eyes darted around twice before she interjected, "Great! We've gotten the restaurant and the house back. How was everyone's rest? How about we head back to the county town tomorrow and take a look around?"
It would be best to go back to Yegou Village. Zhang Xiantao wasn't very interested in the capital city. She grew up in the capital and had seen all kinds of fun and delicious things. She had also been to many places with the princess during disaster relief efforts. She wasn't particularly interested in places like the capital city or county town. She just wanted to see the charm of Yegou Village.
Xingxing gave her a subtle glare, knowing perfectly well what Zhang Xiantao was thinking.
However, Zhao Guihua was also eager to go back. The matter in the prefectural city had been settled, and she just needed to choose an auspicious day to open the business. She didn't need to worry about the taverns in the county town and the town; she was only concerned about the orchards and crops in Yegou Village.
“Let’s go back tomorrow. His father and brother-in-law will ride in a horse-drawn carriage. We’ll put two extra quilts in the carriage and travel slowly. It should be fine,” Zhao Guihua said.
Zhao Guizhi agreed, "Shunping is fine now and can travel in the carriage. Yesterday we sent a letter to Changting County. In a few days, Mo Tianzhu's family and Tangguo will bring Yuting back. Shunping and I have been missing the child terribly since we last saw him."
She and Chen Shunping were over thirty when they finally had this precious son. Their son had never left their side since birth. Now that they were suddenly separated for a month, the couple missed him terribly. When they were in prison, they would start to cry as they thought about him.
So the Zhou family decided to set off for the county town the next day. Nanyang Prefecture was more than ten days' journey from Lishan County, so they needed to make ample preparations for food and supplies.
Li Quan and his family also wanted to go back with them. They had suffered a great calamity and were still feeling uneasy. They wanted to spend more time with everyone to feel at ease.
"You should stay in the prefectural city. The restaurant should reopen in ten days or so. If you go back to the county town, it will take more than a month to go back and forth. If you stay for a few more days, two months will have passed. It's too much trouble."
Zhao Guizhi waved her hand, disapproving of Li Quan's family coming back with him. They're not children anymore, they're all adults, why do they need to be coaxed?
Li Quan and his family felt uneasy; they seemed too far removed from everyone else in the prefectural city.
"Alright, cousins, don't look so pitiful. The newly appointed prefect is a good official and has a good relationship with Xingxing's family. He will definitely take good care of Meizhoulou. No one else will dare to cause trouble." Zhao Guihua subtly comforted them.
Xingxing's lips twitched slightly as she listened. Wasn't the prefect a good friend of her family? Apart from corrupt officials and traitors who harbored disloyal intentions, all officials in the country had to respect her family.
"Yes, yes, the government will take care of the Zhou family. Uncle, if you are really worried, please invite a few waiters who know martial arts to come back. That way, if anything happens, they can help us out." Xingxing nodded vigorously and gave this suggestion.
Li Quan and Zhong Daya wholeheartedly agreed. They should have bought a few men who knew martial arts when they were hiring. Although their two sons-in-law were tall and strong, they were completely powerless against the officials.
Otherwise, the whole family wouldn't have been imprisoned. At least one or two of them could have escaped, and the brothers would have had two more helpers during the prison break.
No one knew what Li Quan and his wife were thinking, otherwise they would have been shocked. They had just come out of prison, and they were already thinking about breaking into the prison in the future. It was hard to know what to say to them.
Half a month later, the Zhou family returned to Lishan County. When they entered their house in the county town, no one stopped them. However, the house had changed, with new furniture and items. Zhao Guihua discovered that the room where she and her husband slept had also been ransacked.
"They must be looking for secret recipes for brewing and cooking. They've also dug up all their silver and valuables," Zhao Guizhi said angrily.
The silver and jewelry in the box were all ransacked; if Xingxing hadn't returned in time, everything would have been stolen.
"Auntie, please take stock and see if anything is missing. If anything is missing, we'll go find someone to get it back." Xingxing asked gently, but in her heart she was thinking that if something was really missing, she would make those thieves pay double the compensation and give them a good beating until they were skinned alive.
Zhao Guizhi carefully took inventory and checked everything in the room. "Except for the tables and chairs being replaced, nothing was missing."
Zhao Guizhi and Chen Shunping were born into servant families and did not have high requirements for furniture. They were content with having new furniture and did not pursue good wood.
Now all the furniture in the house has been replaced with rosewood. Those wicked people really know how to enjoy life; they want the best of everything.
"It's good that the money wasn't lost. Since the furniture has been replaced, let's keep using it. It's a good thing those people were thoughtful enough to bring it over," Xingxing said with a smile.
Just then, Qingyan came in to deliver a message, "Miss, the people from Changting County have arrived."
Outside the palace, apart from the guards calling her Princess Xingxing in private, she was always addressed as Miss when outsiders were present.
"It's my little brother Yuting back! I haven't seen him yet. I'll go greet him." Xingxing smiled brightly and walked quickly outside.
Everyone followed, and soon they met in the corridor.
"Xingxing, it really is you back! I missed you so much!" Chen Yueru ran over quickly and hugged her tightly.
Xingxing's eyes welled up with tears, and she hugged Ruru back. It had been more than three years since they last met, and Ruru had grown into a young girl.
Candy was taken aback. She was still holding Xiaoyuting. After hearing Chen Yueru call out Xingxing, she quickly followed and recognized her after staring at her for a while.
She held the little jade pendant up in front of her, saying, "Look at the stars, little jade pendant, you've never seen one before."
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