Although Zhang Qing was Zhang Hui's youngest daughter, she was raised in a remote village since childhood. Her mother would occasionally visit her secretly, but her father never visited her. Moreover, after discovering that her mother had visited her, her father explicitly forbade her mother to visit her. Therefore, she had never seen her parents since she was ten years old.
She had no affection for the Zhang family, but everyone on the estate treated her very well. Later, she met Tian Wanyin, who had been divorced by her husband's family, and Tian Wanyin taught her to read and write and took care of her like an older sister. Therefore, she felt much better about everyone on the estate than she did about the heartless Zhang family.
I heard from Tian Wanyin that Uncle Mei might have had an accident. Since both children have arrived in the capital, it makes no sense that Uncle Mei and Uncle Wu, the two adults, haven't arrived yet. Even if they couldn't find her two daughters, they would have rushed to the capital to let her ask Zhang Qing for help, instead of Uncle Wu and her husband searching on their own.
After comforting Tian Wanyin, Zhang Qing thought of Chuanwen, who must know where Uncle Mei is now.
So she and Tian Wanyin ate a quick dinner and told them to go back and wait for news, while she went out to the Changxing Marquis's residence.
Tian Wanyin, holding her two daughters' hands, walked anxiously towards her residence. As she approached, she saw a donkey cart tied to a tree by the door.
She was puzzled at first, but when she walked closer and saw the red bell on the donkey's neck, her eyes lit up. She recognized the donkey; it was Uncle Wu's donkey from the village.
After recognizing the donkey, she quickly walked over with her daughter, and sure enough, she saw Uncle Mei and Uncle Wu squatting at their door with their sleeves tucked in.
When Uncle Mei and his companion saw Tian Wanyin and her two daughters being led by Tian Wanyin, their eyes welled up with tears. Uncle Mei almost cried. He looked at one daughter, touched the other, and alternated between crying and laughing. He was relieved that the two young ladies were alright. If he had lost the two young ladies, he would have regretted it for the rest of his life.
The two girls also had tears in their eyes, and they pulled Uncle Mei aside to ask him where he had gone.
Uncle Mei then wiped away his tears. Tian Wanyin opened the door and let them in. Uncle Mei then told them about their experience of being sold to a quarry and then being lucky enough to be released.
After a few sighs, Tian Wanyin asked them if they had eaten. She made them something simple and told them to rest first. She would go to Zhang Qing's place to tell her that Uncle Mei and Uncle Wu had returned.
Uncle Wu also went with Tian Wanyin. Firstly, Zhang Qing was their young master and had lived on their estate for so many years, so it was only right that he came to visit. Secondly, when he came, his wife told him that he must come and see if Zhang Qing was living well, whether she was hungry or cold, and that no matter whether she recognized the Prime Minister's family or not, she should not suffer any hardship.
However, Zhang Qing had already gone out, so the two of them had no choice but to wait outside.
At the Marquis of Changxing's residence, the family was having a reunion dinner when a servant came to report that a man named Zhang Qing had come to request an audience.
Marquis Changxing glanced discreetly at Chuanwen, who was gnawing on a chicken leg, and thought to himself that Chuanwen was probably using the excuse of seeing him to ask about his daughter, Wen.
Marquis Changxing was too lazy to come up with a reason to have Chuanwen go with him to the front hall to meet people, so he simply had someone lead Zhang Qing to the dining table.
Having summoned the man to the dining table, Marquis Changxing felt obliged to offer a token of appreciation, so he sent someone to add an extra bowl and chopsticks, which made Zhang Qing feel embarrassed.
"I had no intention of bothering you, but my servants Uncle Mei and Uncle Wu got separated on their way to the capital and have not been found yet. That is why I have come here without permission and hope that Marquis Changxing can help me."
"Of course, of course." Marquis Changxing quite liked Zhang Qing, who had disguised herself as a man and passed the imperial examination with top honors.
However, Chuanwen was a little puzzled: "The Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial can't find the envoy from the Lesser Liang Kingdom, so he comes to me, his adoptive grandfather; Zhang Qing can't find his servants, so he comes to me, his adoptive grandfather. My adoptive grandfather seems to be just a leisurely marquis who enjoys drinking and tea. When did he become so well-connected?"
Marquis Changxing looked embarrassed and glared at Chuanrui, who buried his head in his food, looking innocent and aggrieved. "It wasn't me who said that, why are you glaring at me!"
Instead of looking up where Uncle Mei was, Chuanwen searched for information on whether Marquis Changxing had any other identity, such as the head of a secret organization that secretly collects various intelligence. However, after searching around, she found that not only was her grandfather just Marquis Changxing, but there was no such intelligence agency in the entire Great Jin Dynasty.
Marquis Changxing blushed even more after being looked down upon by his granddaughter. This was in front of outsiders, couldn't they at least give him some face?
[So, how are things going between Zhang Qing and the Princess of Chaoyang?]
Chuanwen abruptly changed the subject, bringing up gossip about Zhang Qing. Zhang Qing's scalp tingled instantly; she felt she couldn't stay any longer, or Chuanwen would expose her true identity as a woman.
Zhang Qing quickly took his leave, saying he would go back and wait for news from Marquis Changxing. Marquis Changxing couldn't persuade him to stay, so he had his steward see Zhang Qing out.
When Zhang Qing returned, he saw Tian Wanyin and Uncle Wu at the door. Uncle Wu recounted their experience, and Zhang Qing finally understood what had happened.
Thinking that the high-ranking official who shut down the quarry and then released them must be Shen Congliang, Zhang Qing sighed. Fortunately, Uncle Wu and the others were lucky to have been sold to that quarry; otherwise, if they had been sold elsewhere, who knows when they would have been found.
The group reminisced about old times, but Chuanwen was about to return to the palace after dinner. She reluctantly said goodbye to her parents, and Xu Yan instructed her to speak and do as little as possible in the palace, so as not to offend the emperor.
Chuanwen proudly patted his chest, "Mother, don't worry. I can count the number of words I say in the palace on two hands in a day. I will never offend the Emperor."
Chuan Hai, who was listening nearby, had a black line on his face. Yes, you don't talk much, but you have a lot on your mind! The emperor has almost been driven to death by you several times!
Xu Yan also thought of this and wanted to say to her daughter, "Why don't you talk more? That way you won't be able to keep it all bottled up inside."
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