Chapter 287 Assistant Colonel

The clan leader's family prepared ten dishes to entertain Zhulan and Zhou Shuren. Because Zhulan and Zhou Shuren returned in the afternoon, they couldn't find any good pork, so the dishes on the table were either chicken or wild rabbit.

Zhulan eats deliciously. She spends most of her time outdoors eating only a bite when she is on the road. Her stomach is really starving.

After dinner, they chatted for a while before it got dark. Ever since Zhoujia Village was hit by wolves last year, more families in the village have kept dogs. Zhulan and Zhou Shuren went home listening to the barking of dogs.

After returning to the courtyard, Zhou Shuren closed the door. Jiang Sheng heard the noise and came out in his clothes, "Mom and Dad are back. I've boiled some water in the pot. I'll take it back to the house for them."

Zhou Shuren had enjoyed being served by his son, but he had never enjoyed being served by his son-in-law. He was not used to it and waved his hands, "You don't have to work, we can get some hot water ourselves. It's getting late, you should go to bed early!"

Jiang Sheng didn't dare to disobey his father-in-law, "Then Dad and Mom should go to bed early."

After Zhulan and Zhou Shuren simply wiped themselves and washed up, they lay on the kang. The room was dark, and Zhulan felt a little emotional. "This reminds me of when I first came here. I really miss it when I live here again!"

Zhou Shuren hadn't slept on a heated kang for a long time. He stretched his waist comfortably and said, "A heated kang is still more comfortable."

As for memories, Zhou Shuren didn't feel them as much as Zhulan.

Zhulan also felt comfortable in the hot quilt. She was home and relieved. She could finally sleep comfortably. She hugged Zhou Shuren's waist and said, "Go to sleep."

Zhou Shuren dazedly responded, "Yeah."

The next morning, Xuemei made breakfast. She cooked rice porridge, fried eggs, and boiled six eggs. Xuemei said, "Mom, I'm not as good at making steamed buns as my sister-in-law, so I didn't make them. Let's have a simple breakfast first and have a good meal in the evening."

Zhulan knew that Xuemei was going to the county to buy wine and food. She and Zhou Shuren finally went back to the lady's house, but the lady didn't prepare a good meal. Xuemei and her husband felt uncomfortable. Zhulan didn't refuse, "Okay, your father and I are waiting to have a good meal."

Xuemei smiled happily. She and Jiang Sheng also wanted to show their filial piety. "Yes."

After breakfast, Zhou Shuren drove the carriage. Zhulan did not get into the carriage but sat outside with Zhou Shuren. Zhulan leaned against Zhou Shuren and said, "Your driving skills are getting better and better."

Zhou Shuren said, "I also want to learn how to ride a horse, but unfortunately I don't have the chance."

Zhulan said, "My father can ride a horse. Let him teach you when we get home. When you have learned it, you can teach me later."

The original person couldn't ride a horse, mainly because the Yang family had no horses to teach. Later, the original person got married and had no chance to learn riding.

Zhou Shuren really loves horses, and learning to ride a horse is as exciting as learning to drive a car. Ancient horses are comparable to modern sedans, and the best horses are like high-end luxury cars. When he has more money in the future, he will buy a few more good horses.

The horse carriage was faster than the ox cart and arrived at Yang's house in less than half an hour.

Sun thought she was seeing things, but after a closer look, she saw that it was indeed her daughter who had returned. "Oh, why are there magpies calling today? So it's you who are back?"

Zhulan supported her mother and said, "I went on a long trip and happened to pass by home on my way back, so I came to see Dad and Mom. Mom, where is my dad?"

Sun held her daughter's hand and said, "Your father is restless. He is still busy even at his old age. He has gone up the mountain again. Wait, you just said that you just came back from a long trip?"

Zhulan nodded, "Yes, we went to the capital and just arrived at Zhoujia Village yesterday. What happened to mother?"

Sun clapped her hands, "Oh, your elder brother just sent you a letter, thinking you were in Pingzhou City!"

Zhulan asked, "Mom, what happened at home?"

Sun smiled and said, "It's not a bad thing, it's a good thing. Wu Chun has done a great job. Last winter, he captured a thousand households of the enemy and killed a lot of enemy soldiers. With his good skills and the protection of the Zheng family, he is now an eighth-rank assistant lieutenant and is now under the command of the Zheng family commander."

"This is a big deal, Mom. Where are the other two nephews?"

Sun smiled and said, "They are all under Wu Chun's command. The three brothers are together. Everything is fine."

Zhulan helped her mother sit down, "It's good that everything is alright. Being safe is the best news."

Sun's heart, which had been weighing on her mind for half a year, finally settled down. "I can finally sleep peacefully. Your father wrote to you because he was afraid that you would miss him. It's no different if he tells you in person now."

Zhou Shuren asked, "Mom, did Wu Chun only say these and nothing else?"

Sun said, "I don't know many words. What I know is what your father told me. If you want to know something, wait for your father to come back and ask him."

Sun knew in her heart that the old man would only tell her good things, and would not tell her anything else that Sunzi said. However, she could see something from the changes in the old man, and as long as the old man was happy, she would not worry about it.

Zhulan chatted with her mother for a while about what happened in Pingzhou and what happened in the capital. To her mother's family, Zhulan only told them that she had bought a house, but she did not specify how much she had paid for it.

Mrs. Sun was impressed by her son-in-law's ability. She was happy that her daughter would be blessed in the future and that the children in the family would be good, which made her, as a mother, happy.

It was almost noon when Zhulan's father Yang Dayong came back. Although Yang Dayong was quite old, he was in very good health.

Yang Dayong was really happy to see Zhulan and Zhou Shuren. With his sons around him, Yang Dayong was not thinking about them, but about the young lady. Pingzhou City is a provincial capital, and life there may not be more comfortable than in Zhoujia Village.

Zhou Shuren talked about recent events, his experiences in the capital, and especially about the military operations.

Yang Dayong looked at his son-in-law for a few more times. His son-in-law was so sensitive to the situation. If he really became an official one day, he would be relieved. He whispered, "Although Wu Chun's good news did not reveal that he would deploy troops, I also analyzed that Wu Chun had not fought for a long time and estimated that he would deploy troops. There is no need to make small moves anymore."

Zhou Shuren admired his father-in-law and asked, "Do you mean to send troops to the northwest?"

Yang Dayong nodded, "Although the situation in the northwest is not the most tense, it is the most difficult. Our emperor does not like to kill chickens to scare monkeys, but prefers to strike tigers to scare them. If the northwest wins, the northeast will be more peaceful."

Zhou Shuren stroked his chin. The foreign tribes in the northwest were also the most valiant. For more than ten years, the dynasty had been constantly testing them and training their own soldiers. Even if there was no battle this year, there would be a big war in a few years.

At the same time, Zhou Shuren felt more relieved. He was still worried that a war would break out in the northeast. Although Pingzhou City was far away from the border, he was also afraid that the border would not be defended and someone would come to kill him.

A quarter of an hour later, Zhulan's two brothers and sisters-in-law came. Zhulan divided all the gifts she had brought. The two sisters-in-law put on the hairpins immediately, showing that they liked them very much.

Zhulan and Zhou Shuren returned to Zhoujia Village when it was almost dark.

Xuemei and her husband prepared the meal. Except for the stir-fried wild vegetables made by Xuemei, the rest of the pig's trotters, braised meat, etc. were bought from the winery. Jiang Sheng also bought a pot of good wine.

Zhou Shuren and his son-in-law chatted while drinking. Zhou Shuren also gave his son-in-law some advice on how to get along with the county magistrate. The father-in-law and son-in-law chatted for a long time before leaving the table.

Zhulan helped the lady clean up the table. Zhulan looked at Xuemei's belly. Xuemei would probably give birth in October. Xuemei and her husband had a quarrel with Jiang Wangshi, so Jiang Wangshi would not come to take care of her during the confinement period.

Zhulan counted the days on her fingers. Zhou Shuren would stay in Pingzhou for a while after the provincial examination. She and Zhou Shuren wanted to go to the capital as soon as possible, so they would not wait until winter to set off. It would be even more painful to set off in winter, so they had to leave in November.

What should Xuemei do during her confinement period?

Xuemei saw her mother staring at her belly, "Mom, why are you looking at me like that?"

Zhulan touched her daughter's belly and said, "Mom is thinking about who will take care of you during the confinement period."

Xuemei was also stunned. Yes, she had a quarrel with her mother-in-law, and her mother-in-law would not serve her. As for her mother, her mother was in Pingzhou, and her parents had helped her a lot. She couldn't bother her mother anymore. "It's okay, mother. Jiang Sheng will serve her the same way. As the second brother, can't I also serve my second sister-in-law?"

Zhulan thought that she really couldn't help, but she could get rid of Zhou Wang and Zheng.

On the second day, Zhulan and Zhou Shuren prepared to return to Pingzhou. Zhou Shuren went to the county to find a driver to catch the carriage, while Zhulan went to visit Zheng's family.

Zhulan said to Zheng: "I came back in a hurry the afternoon before yesterday and didn't come here. I went back to my parents' home yesterday. I am really sorry that I only came to see you today. This is a gift for you. Please don't reject it as a small token of my appreciation."

Zheng had seen good things before, but there was no need for Zhulan to say that they were brought back from the capital.

Zheng estimated that Yang would come today. "You came here just to show up and bring a gift. You are really too polite."

Zhulan smiled, chatted with Zheng for a while, asked Zheng to take more care of his daughter, and chatted for a while longer. When Zhou Shuren came back, Zhulan said goodbye.

Zhulan got on the carriage and said goodbye to the lady. The driver drove the carriage and stopped it suddenly at the entrance of the village. Zhou Shuren opened the curtain and asked, "What's wrong?"

(End of this chapter)