Chapter 211 She paused, not continuing, but her face flushed.
Zhou Zhining knew what he was asking and bit her lower lip hard.
She was mentally prepared to face Zhan Xingzhuo's questioning, but when he asked her so calmly, she still felt as if she had been stabbed in the heart.
Even his hysterical, angry questioning would be much better than this calm.
He did this because he had already considered why she would do such a thing, and he understood what kind of person she was. Now he just wanted her to admit it herself.
Her throat tightened, and suppressing the pain in her heart, she calmly replied, "The disaster relief and flood control efforts in Luozhou have reached their final stage, and this is very important to you. We are all worried, and telling you would distract you."
"Just like how the Grand Princess used every means to force me to show myself and suppress me after she found out I wasn't at the Ministry of Agriculture. Jin Mantang's business plummeted, and those people looked down on me and insulted me... We didn't tell you about any of these things that happened while you were away from the capital..."
Zhou Zhining juxtaposed Yao Qingling's childbirth with the suppression she suffered at the hands of the Grand Princess of Deyang, emphasizing that she herself was also wronged and that the Grand Princess of Deyang bullied her for the sake of Yao Qingling and her child.
She indirectly told Zhan Xingzhuo that with the protection of the Grand Princess of Deyang, Yao Qingling would still live a good life even if she became pregnant and gave birth, just like in the Duke's mansion, enjoying the honor of being the young mistress.
However, she had to endure the bullying inflicted on her by the Grand Princess in an attempt to reconcile Yao Qingling.
Zhou Zhining silently shed tears, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief, as if she were enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens, all for his safe return and smooth promotion to the position of Vice Minister.
These words indeed touched Zhan Xingzhuo.
There were still teeth marks on her lips, which showed how much pressure and grievance she had endured.
The man held her hand: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lost my temper with you, I just... I just..."
Zhou Zhining shook off his hand, wiping away her tears: "You only care because she gave birth to your child."
"Zhi Ning, I..." Zhan Xingzhuo tried to hold her hand again, but Zhou Zhi Ning dodged away.
She stood up, three steps away from him, and looked at him with teary eyes: "Xingzhuo, do you think that the reason I didn't tell you was because I was afraid that you would no longer love my Xiao'er after you had your own child?"
"Xiao'er is my son with Wang Xuan. I have never said anything against him. I just felt sorry for him and hoped that you would cherish him more. I never thought that Xiao'er would take away your child's love."
“You told me before that you wouldn’t let Yao Qingling have your child. I always believed you… Actually, even if you had a child, I wouldn’t have the right to say anything. You are husband and wife, it’s only natural for you to have your own child, it doesn’t count as breaking your promise to me, I was already prepared for that… I, didn’t I also have Wang Xuan’s son, betraying you?”
The tears flowed faster and faster; she felt extremely wronged and innocent, and cried as if her whole being was about to break.
"But what does Yao Qingling leaving with your child have to do with me? She wouldn't tell you she was pregnant, shouldn't you have asked her? Why is everyone blaming me..."
A beautiful woman shedding tears is most endearing.
Zhan Xingzhuo was both upset and heartbroken by her tears.
He had never let Zhou Zhining cry like this because of him before. How could he bear to make her feel wronged and sad?
The man quickly got up and went over to Zhou Zhining, hugging her tightly and repeatedly apologizing.
He had said he wouldn't let Yao Qingling give birth to his child.
Later, he wanted to have a child, but only to keep Yao Qingling and let her continue to be a cover between him and Zhou Zhining. Now that things have turned out this way, how can he blame her?
"...I treat Xiao'er as my own child, so how could I not like him?"
"Zhi Ning, I will always treat Xiao'er as my own son."
Zhan Xingzhuo repeatedly assured Zhou Zhining that her goal had been achieved, but tears continued to flow.
She wanted him to remember her grievances forever.
With her arms wrapped around the man's waist, she sobbed, "I didn't want you to do anything to Xiao'er. He's your own son after all. You have a father-son relationship. I shouldn't be angry that you went to see him."
"I'm just... just a little sad. I cooked all day... Xiao'er knew you were coming back, so he got up early this morning, dressed up beautifully, and even planned to recite poetry for you... He waited for you all day, and only went to sleep when he couldn't stay awake any longer..."
"I know, I know..." Zhan Xingzhuo felt heartbroken by her crying. "I will definitely make it up to him later."
Actually, if Tao Ye hadn't told him that Yao Qingling was in danger, he wouldn't have changed his route to see her.
If Tao Ye had explained clearly that it was just a scheme set up by Yao Qingling and that she was safe, why would he have bothered to offend her and cause Zhou Zhining such heartbreak?
Thinking of Yao Qingling's indifference towards him, as if she wished he wouldn't come back, while Zhou Zhining and Xiao'er were so eager for him, Zhan Xingzhuo felt regretful.
He really shouldn't have been so nice to Yao Qingling; she's a heartless wretch.
After coaxing her for a while, Zhou Zhining finally stopped crying.
He took Zhou Zhining's hand and returned to the new residence.
Zhou Zhining suddenly remembered something and gasped halfway there: "Xiao'er is still at the other courtyard. I'll go back and get him."
Zhan Xingzhuo pulled her into his arms: "Let's skip it tonight. Zhiyue will take care of him, so don't worry... Zhining, I still have so much to tell you. I'll come with you to pick him up tomorrow and give him a surprise, okay?"
Zhou Zhining nestled in his arms and nodded shyly, "Mmm."
Upon arriving at the gate of the new mansion, the man dismounted from the carriage first, then turned around, opened his arms, and lifted her down from under his arms.
The woman landed like a little bird returning to its nest.
"Oh, by the way, there's another surprise for you in the manor."
What is it?
"We'll find out once we go in." Zhan Xingzhuo took Zhou Zhining's hand and led her across the threshold.
Upon arriving at the courtyard, the jewels and gold bestowed by the emperor that morning were still there. Under the moonlight, the pile of things shone brightly, sparkling and dazzling.
But these things meant nothing to Zhou Zhining.
In the early years, the Grand Tutor's mansion had so much gold and silver jewelry that the storerooms couldn't hold it all. Boxes and boxes of silver and precious antiques were simply left in the courtyard of the storerooms, exposed to the elements.
Zhou Zhining did not reveal any greedy look in her eyes.
But in Zhan Xingzhuo's eyes, this was a sign of her integrity and pride, and that she was not swayed by money.
"These things are your responsibility to arrange."
"Huh? I..."
Zhan Xingzhu interrupted her and continued, "From now on, you will be in charge of managing the household affairs."
Zhou Zhining opened her mouth, paused for a moment, then shook her head in refusal: "How can that be? I'm not yours..."
She paused, not continuing, but her face turned red.
She's not the mistress of this place, so how can she manage the household affairs?
Her coy demeanor pleased Zhan Xingzhuo, who said, "It's not like you have to be a wife to manage the household. To outsiders, you're my sister. Since you're my sister, what's wrong with that?"
Some officials, who had neither wives nor parents, still had servants manage the trivial affairs of their households.
Zhan Xingzhuo held Zhou Zhining's hands and patted them gently, gazing at her tenderly with affection: "I'll be working hard for you from now on."
Zhou Zhining lowered her head shyly, but did not refuse again.
She thought that trusting the king was the right thing to do.
He frequented brothels and had many concubines in the royal palace; he understood both men and women.
She made the right move.
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