In the main house of the Hai family, there is a single lamp as small as a bean.

Facing her son's surprised expression, Hai Mu said calmly: "If I were that kind of ignorant woman, would I be able to raise a son like you?"

"Mother," Hai Rui felt a surge of warmth in his heart. "Mother is definitely the most capable mother in the world."

"Okay, stop flattering me." Mother Hai sighed and said, "When I let you leave Qiongshan, I told you that a real man should learn from our fellow countryman Qiu Ge Lao, do something big, leave a good name in the world, and live up to your life in this world!"

Qiu Jun was the second assistant of the cabinet during the Hongzhi period, the highest official from Hainan. He was granted the title of "Famous Minister of Neo-Confucianism" by Emperor Hongzhi, and was known as the ancestor of the civil officials of the Ming Dynasty.

Among the ministers of the imperial court, he was the most strict in self-discipline, the most profound in Neo-Confucianism, and the most prolific in his writings. All the scholars in Hainan grew up listening to his stories and regarded him as their idol.

Hai Rui was no exception.

"Yes, mother's teachings, I will never forget them." He hurriedly said respectfully: "I am dull, I don't have one tenth of the talent of Wen Zhengong, I can only be diligent and disciplined, and never forget the people."

"What mother told you back then has not changed." Hai Mu said sternly, "Go ahead. I don't believe that the Xu family would kill another governor after killing one!"

"Mother." Upon hearing this, Hai Rui knelt in front of his mother, tears welling up in his eyes as he said, "I will still say what I said back then. I will never bring shame to the people of Qiongshan, and I will never let you down!"

"Okay." The mother nodded with satisfaction and said, "Don't worry about your family. Just let go and do your best. The result will not be worse than the year before last."

"I understand, son." Hai Rui kowtowed three times to his mother before helping her lie back down in the quilt.

The mother of the sea waved her hand and said, "It's late, go to bed."

"Yes, mother." Hai Rui went out and got a hot water bottle, stuffed it into the quilt, tucked the quilt corner for the little girl, then quietly closed the door and went out.

There was also a woman to deal with.

~~

When he returned to the east room, Wang had already prepared hot water for him and was obviously listening to the noise.

"You haven't slept yet." Hai Rui asked softly.

Wang nodded, silently helped her husband take off his outer robe, and handed him a hot towel.

Hai Rui took the towel and washed his face, and Wang handed him green salt and a boar-bristle toothbrush.

While brushing his teeth, Hai Rui asked vaguely, "Didn't I tell Hai An to tell you not to wait for me?"

"I can't sleep myself." Wang brought the foot washing water to the bedside and motioned Hai Rui to sit down.

"I can do it myself." Hai Rui spat out the words and wiped his mouth with a cotton towel.

However, Wang rarely listened to him. She helped Hai Rui take off his boots and squatted beside the bed to wash his feet.

"Did mother agree to let you go?" Wang asked while washing his feet carefully.

"Yes." Hai Rui nodded and asked, "How did you know?"

"You seem to be in a good mood." Wang said calmly, "If mother doesn't agree, you will have a long face when you come back."

"Am I really that incapable of covering up the problem?" Hai Rui couldn't help but laugh.

"That's it..." Wang stopped talking and concentrated on washing his feet. As she washed, her movements gradually slowed down, but her back began to tremble slightly.

Hai Rui reached out and gently patted his wife's frail back, saying in a soft and soothing voice:

"Don't cry, there's no chance of success. Even if it does work out, it's not bad. The governor's office is in Nanjing, and we don't have to move. We can live our lives as usual. You can even get a third-rank imperial decree."

"I don't want it." Wang suddenly raised her head, tears already rolling down her thin face, and said, "I don't want to be a first-rank lady, and I don't want to wear gold and silver. Don't you know what I want?"

"I know. You just want your family to live in peace." Hai Rui whispered.

"What did you promise me when I was sick?" Wang asked again in a sad voice.

"I promise you, I will never get involved again. I won't do anything dangerous or say anything offensive. Sooner or later, you'll find out." Hai Rui said helplessly, "Besides, you're fine now, aren't you?"

"I knew that men's words can be trusted, and sows can climb trees!" The straight man Hai Gangfeng successfully stepped on the landmine. Wang was so angry that she stood up suddenly, a little too quickly, and couldn't help feeling dizzy.

Hai Rui quickly hugged her.

"Let me go." Wang struggled.

"I won't let go!" Hai Rui was ashamed. If Zhao Hao saw him like this, his glorious image as a sea warrior would be ruined.

"Let go!" Wang remained frozen.

"Cui'er, I was wrong, I was really wrong..." Hai Rui had no choice but to use his trump card and called out his wife's maiden name. Wang Cui's body softened and she weakly pounded his shoulder and cried:

"Do you know how I got through the past few years? I just got back to life, why are you trying to kill me again?"

"What are you thinking about?" Hai Rui patted his wife on the back and coaxed her, "I want to be a provincial governor. If someone hears me, they'll think I'm going to be executed..."

Before she could finish her words, Wang Cui covered her mouth with her hand. "Bah, bah, stop talking nonsense."

"Okay, I won't tell you." Hai Rui took his wife's hand and comforted her, "Don't scare yourself. The Yingtian Governor has thousands of troops under his command, and there are hundreds of personal guards alone. He is representing the court and is in charge of a region, so you don't have to worry about your safety."

"What's going on with Lin Zhongcheng?"

"Uh..." Hai Rui paused and said, "It was an accident and a result of carelessness. But because of this, there is no need to worry about safety issues. If anyone dares to touch a governor again, the court will execute his entire family without hesitation. Everyone knows this."

"Does it have to be you? Can't someone else go?" Wang's attitude softened a little, but she still insisted: "There are so many officials in the Ming Dynasty, are you the only capable one?"

"Of course it's not necessarily me. It's just Zhao Hao's wishful thinking." Hai Rui tried to persuade him, thinking to himself, I'm sorry, Xiao Zhao, please take the blame for me first.

He sighed and said, "As the saying goes, one should be grateful to the one who has helped him. You said he saved my beloved wife. Can I refuse his request?"

After hearing what he said, Wang felt like she had eaten a mouthful of honey. Her mouth was no longer so bitter, and her heart was no longer so blocked. She felt much more accepting.

She muttered indignantly, "Master Zhao, do you have to catch a sheep and pluck its wool?"

"That's because other sheep don't have the wool he wants." Hai Rui said calmly, "He knows the situation in Jiangnan, and I'm the only one who can move forward with determination."

"Why can't others?" Wang came back to the point.

Hai Rui realized that he had no choice but to give a clear answer, so he gently put his arm around his wife's shoulders and said in a deep voice:

"The people respect and love me, the officials respect and fear me, Zhao Hao also looks up to me and treats me with respect. Have you ever thought about why?"

ps. This is the third update. Please give me a monthly vote. I will write another update.