The group searched Sanshou City for a whole day, but still couldn't find it.
Xie Zhaozhao, with red eyes, said, "We should go straight up to her and ask her if she is Jiutian."
Zhou Shaoyu helped her up and comforted her, saying, "There are plenty of four- or five-year-old children in the world. We've only just met, so it's hard to be sure if it's Jiutian. Besides, the man leading her isn't Yu Chanzi."
Most importantly, according to Lu Feiyan's description, Fanghu Mountain should be located south of Baiyue City, not in the north.
Even if Jiutian descends the mountain at the age of four, he won't arrive at Sanshou City so quickly.
Due to various reasons, I hesitated and missed the opportunity to meet the other person.
Who would have thought that Hongxiuzhao would catch fire?
"My lord, I have scouted the area. There are only two roads leading out of Sanshou City: one to the sea and the other to the west. At the junction leading to Pingshou City, there are two forks in the road: one leads north to the way we came, and the other leads south. They are a big boy and a small boy, so even if they take a carriage, they won't go too far. Should we continue the pursuit?"
"Chase."
Xie Zhaozhao gritted her teeth and said.
The carriage quickly left Sanshou City, and the group split into three groups, pursuing the enemy to the south, west, and north.
They searched for three whole days, and the three met again in Pingshou City, but still couldn't find it.
The three decided to continue westward in pursuit.
Xie Zhaozhao wanted to use local troops to help with the search, but Zhou Shaoyu shook his head: "Do you still remember what the Living Buddha said? 'The Nine Heavens are wholeheartedly devoted to the common people.' If we use local armed forces, it will be a waste of manpower and resources, and I'm afraid it will diminish her merits."
Xie Zhaozhao gritted her teeth and decided to search on her own.
They made their way to Zhongzhou.
Along the way, apart from the six states that were open to trade and had plenty of fine clothes and horses, the other states and counties were also basically well-fed and clothed.
High-yield seeds brought from abroad have resulted in abundant harvests everywhere.
Seeing the smiles on the faces of the people with their families, their hopes for the future, and hearing the clear voices of students reciting their lessons from the academy, Xie Zhaozhao's anxious heart calmed down.
Lu Feiyan is right, everything happens for a reason.
“Jingchen, I think that little Taoist priest is our Jiutian. Now that we’ve seen her, let’s not look for her anymore. She will naturally return after twelve years.”
Seeing that Xie Zhaozhao could let go, Zhou Shaoyu said, "Master Yu Chanzi said that he went down the mountain at the age of four to avert disaster. We are destined to meet. The little Taoist in Sanshou City should be Jiutian."
We only met once; any more than that, and that's it.
Whether or not I'm taking care of him, Jiutian is doing very well, healthy, safe, smart and adorable, which is enough to make me happy.
“Zhaozhao, eight years will pass quickly. In eight years, Xiao Heng’er will be twenty-two years old, in the prime of her life. We can completely let go of the court and travel the world with Jiutian. We can still spend three years together before she comes of age.”
Zhou Shaoyu said domineeringly, "Besides, even if we find a consort, we can keep her for a few more years. It's not too late for her to get married when she's twenty."
If you calculate it that way, it can stay with us for another eight years.
The two arrived in Zhongzhou and decided to stop searching.
Instead of clinging to what is unattainable, cherish what you have now.
By nurturing Zhou Qiheng to become even more outstanding, and by laying a solid foundation for the future of Yulong Kingdom for the next hundred years, he can be more at ease leaving the court to accompany his daughter when she returns.
"Shall we go see Jin'an?" Xie Zhaozhao said. "The last time I visited him was more than ten years ago."
Zhou Shaoyu nodded: "Okay."
I felt a little sad, but then he smiled slightly. Sigh!
They had just entered the territory of Zhongzhou when they happened to encounter Prince Rong, who was traveling through Zhongzhou with a group of concubines.
Prince Rong was overjoyed and pulled Zhou Shaoyu aside, insisting on talking late into the night, saying that more than ten years had passed since they last met and he didn't know when they would see each other again.
Zhou Shaoyu kept Rong Wang company while Xie Zhaozhao went to the Temple of Loyalty and Martyrdom.
Prince Rong was originally a carefree prince. He was a heartless person who did not show his age. Although he had some white hair at his temples, he was still very elegant.
"Jingchen, do you really intend to have only Emperor An in your harem?" Prince Rong felt that it was a waste of talent for Zhou Shaoyu, with his status and appearance, to spend his whole life with only one person.
"Besides her, I don't have room for any other woman in my heart. Who could be better than her?" Zhou Shaoyu looked at his uncle and said bluntly, "You're almost sixty, are you still up to the task?"
"You little...you're joking, how can a man say no? Hey, military power is in her hands, the treasure trove of the overseas fleet is in her hands, the crown prince is her son, the chief minister and the left and right prime ministers are all her people, doesn't this world belong to the Xie family?"
Zhou Shaoyu couldn't help but laugh.
"Uncle Rong, what do you mean by cleverness? What do you mean by foolishness?"
With Emperor An protecting the empire and the Xie family watching over the court, I am the emperor, and my son will be the emperor in the future. The Xie family will do their best to assist him. Why should I be afraid of the Xie family's strength?
Their family has a thousand-year history and profound heritage. If they wanted to be emperors, they would have done so decades ago. Why should we, the Zhou family, have to do the work for them?
Do you think a woman like Emperor An couldn't find a good man? Or does Uncle Wang think I'm so outstanding that I'm the best in the world?
If you were to act like Father, maintaining a balance of power in the court, having three harems and six courtyards, being disloyal to her, and even fearing her, forcing her to drift apart from me, where would you, Uncle, find the leisure to criticize me? What is that if not foolishness?
Prince Rong was speechless for a moment.
"Uncle Rong, there's no such thing as a free lunch. You can't have it all..."
Even if Duke Chengen, Wei Jingzhong, once held immense power, with half the court officials obeying his orders, so what?
The Zhou Jingrui they supported was Emperor Hui's biological son.
Was Emperor Hui's desire to kill Lady Wei to avenge Consort Yun truly out of love for her?
It's just a matter of wanting both!
Prince Rong's old face turned red, and after stammering for a long time, he said, "Your Majesty, your father and I were both wrong! Our minds and vision were narrow."
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com