Zhou Gu had arrived at the Marquis Nanping Residence just as dawn broke.
The gatekeeper, seeing Zhou Gu, was taken aback for a moment, and hurriedly opened the gate for him. Yawning as he greeted him, said, "Young Master Zhou."
Zhou Gu nodded and asked him, "Which courtyard is Su Rong staying in?"
The gatekeeper finally replied in a daze, "Lady Su Qi? She arrived yesterday and seems to be staying in the Pear Blossom Garden in the back yard."
Before the gatekeeper could finish, Zhou Gu dashed into the back yard like a gust of wind.
The gatekeeper was dumbfounded, all signs of sleepiness vanished. Although the Marquis Nanping Residence was far from the Capital City, the rumors about Su Rong and Zhou Gu had already reached here, so everyone in the residence had heard the rumors about them.
This gatekeeper, a lover of gossips at tea times, who liked to gather with other servents to chat, immediately woke up the person who was guarding the gate with him, "Hey, wake up, Young Master Zhou is here. He just arrived and immediately asked for Lady Su Qi. Now he’s already rushing towards the Pear Blossom Garden."
The one he woke immediately rubbed his eyes, "Who are you talking about?"
"Goodness, Young Master Zhou, he’s here, rushing to the back yard to find Lady Su Qi. He seems quite anxious. Go quickly and notify the heir, and also go and take a look outside the Pear Blossom Garden."
The man nodded, rubbing his eyes and ran towards the inner courtyard.
Ning Chi had already awakened. He was used to getting up early. As he was washing his face, he heard the news that Zhou Gu had come in a hurry. He was slightly surprised, waved his hand to the servant and said, "I got it."
After the servant left, Ning Chi turned to his personal guard, Wu Shang, and chuckled, "I received his letter last night. He mentioned in the letter that the matter of the eighteen tribes was a bit tricky, and he was not able to leave the situation easily, fearing changes after he left. But unexpectedly, this morning, he’s here."
Wu Shang, having heard the rumor, had been by Ning Chi’s side since he was a child. He knew better that Zhou Gu, after coming to Nanping, boasted to Ning Chi about the medicine Su Rong had made for him when they were drinking. He nearly fell out with heir over being bluntly asked, "I heard that Lady Su Qi is engaged to the Second Young Master Ye of Nanchu? Are you two still in touch?"
Later, not only did the heir understand, but he also understood that Young Master Zhou couldn’t let go of Lady Su Qi.
Therefore, as soon as Lady Su Qi arrived in Nanping, the heir sent a man to deliver him a letter. When he received his reply, knowing that he would not come back, the heir even commented, "He is really patient, true to Zhou Gu, the person from the Eastern Palace."
In any case...
He asked, "Do you want to go to the Pear Blossom Garden, young master?"
Ning Chi shook his head, "He came early in the morning and went straight to the Pear Blossom Garden. Let them talk first! I won’t go to disturb them."
Wu Shang agreed.
Zhou Gu quickly found the Pear Blossom Garden where Su Rong was staying. When he arrived, the whole Pear Blossom Garden was quiet, still in the sleep.
He moved lightly, entering the courtyard.
Fen Ling, yawning, opened the door, looking surprised at Zhou Gu, "Lord Thursday? You certainly arrived quickly."
He also thought that Zhou Gu, being busy with official affairs in the eighteen tribes, wouldn’t be able to rush here so soon. Maybe the mistress couldn’t meet him unless she didn’t go to the eighteen tribes when leaving Nanping. After all, it wasn’t too long since he had left the Capital City; it wasn’t like a year or half a year without seeing each other. There is no need to be so anxious to see each other, business is more important.
Zhou Gu nodded, lowering his voice, he said, "Is she still sleeping?"
Fen Ling nodded.
Zhou Gu said, "Find somewhere we can talk, don’t wake her up."
Fen Ling thought, by now, she’s likely to be awake. If someone else came, she might not wake up knowing that, but if you came, she’ll certainly wake up.
Sure enough, the door to Su Rong’s room opened from the inside. She looked at Zhou Gu, gestured him, "Are you here? Come in and talk, I’m awake."
Fen Ling sneered inwardly; she knew it would be like this!
Zhou Gu immediately approached Su Rong, came near her, and said, "I must have come too early and woke you up."
Su Rong gestured him to sit and went to the copper basin to cleanse her face.
Zhou Gu sat on the chair, watching her. After seeing her clean up and dry her hands, he also stood up, walked over and said, "I want to wash as well."
He had ridden a horse to the Marquis Nanping Residence early in the morning, his face uncomfortable from the wind and dust.
Su Rong nodded and instructed him, "Go empty this and bring a basin of clean water."
Zhou Gu grunted, poured the water away, drew clean water from the well, and stood in front of the washstand to cleanse his face.
Then it was Su Rong’s turn to sit at the table, applying fragrant cream on her face and hands, while watching him.
After Zhou Gu cleaned up, he sat down at the table and looked at Su Rong, "This cream you use doesn’t seem to be made for me. It has a strong medicinal smell."
Su Rong looked at him, "You’re a man. Do you really need this ointment?"
"My face is all dry." Zhou Gu pointed to his face. He knew better than anyone that she liked handsome men. Hence, he was particularly conscious of his face. After all, if Ye Guixue were not good looking, would she agree to the betrothal? That’s impossible. "The wind in Nanping is much harsher than in the Capital City, even though it’s really warmer. It’s strange," he remarked.
"Nanping has many mountains; it is the mountain wind." Su Rong handed him the ointment, "I didn’t make this. Such a cheap thing, wasted my time. If you want, I will give it to you!"
Zhou Gu blinked, "What will you use if you give this to me?"
"Let Fen Ling buy more." Su Rong asked him, "How’s the situation with the eighteen villages? I heard it was challenging right?"
"It is indeed challenging." Speaking of this matter, Zhou Gu was applying the ointment while taking on a serious tone, "If I’m not wrong in my speculation, Zhang Mao, the legitimate son of Zhang Ping, must be in the eighteen villages now."
Upon hearing this, Su Rong instantly sat upright.
The fact that Zhang Ping’s legitimate son, Zhang Mao, is in the eighteen villages implies something. As soon as Su Rong heard the name and where he was coming from, she understood that he specifically targeted the eighteen villages.
In other words, an attack on the eighteen villages is akin to an attack on Nanping.
Jibei is a thousand miles away from Nanping. Although this distance isn’t close, one can’t really claim it to be too far either.
Zhou Gu went on, "According to my guess, he might have brought troops with him. I have already sent people to investigate."
"Why do you say that? Why do you guess so?" Su Rong immediately asked.
Zhou Gu explained the situation of the negotiations that had happened at the eighteen villages in the past three days and the change in Chen Qi’s attitude. After finishing, he also shared his speculations.
After listening to him, Su Rong pondered for a moment and then affirmed Zhou Gu’s speculation, "There is no mistake in your thinking. The sudden change in Chen Qi’s attitude certainly indicates a variable. Considering the current political situation, the Crown Prince is gaining power. If even the Crown Prince’s offers fail to persuade Chen Qi, who represents the eighteen villages, to change sides and accept the court’s amnesty, then someone must have tempted him with enormous benefits, and he is moved."
"In the current imperial court, who can offer better incentives than the Crown Prince? It can’t be His Majesty, though it might be the second Prince. However, we all know that behind the second Prince is the Pingxi General and Zhang Ping. The one who could persuade Chen Qi to stake his all, besides Zhang Ping himself, must be his legitimate son, Zhang Mao."
Su Rong narrowed her eyes, "The Marquis Nanping Residence has only thirty thousand soldiers. If troops are indeed being dispatched from Jibei, coupled with the forces of the eighteen villages, Nanping is in danger."
She decisively said, "Send a hawk message to the Crown Prince. Hurry and send it to the Capital City, requesting the Crown Prince to dispatch troops to Nanping. I wonder if there is still enough time."
After saying that, she added, "Your third brother, Zhou Che, upon the Crown Prince’s secret command, has mobilised one hundred thousand soldiers on the way to Mobei to aid me. He should be halfway by now. Maybe we can send him a message, instructing him not to go to Jibei. As soon as he receives the message, he should immediately change course and rush to Nanping."
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