Chapter 151 The wife is gone, the husband is bored…
The lamp was dim, casting long shadows throughout the room.
Zong Suyi leaned against her chest, half asleep, his hands still unconsciously clutching his stomach.
Zhang Ting opened his eyes and stared at the roof beam, wondering if there was any suitable place outside where his father and son could temporarily settle down.
After much deliberation, it was a pity that in such a vast world, there was nowhere safe to stay. Moreover, Zong Suyi's identity was sensitive; if she were to wander off, there was no guarantee that people wouldn't use it against her.
She gently stroked the back of the person in her arms, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep. Let's take it one step at a time; success or failure is still uncertain, isn't it?
The next morning, Zhang Ting was to go to the prefectural city with Prefect He and his entourage. Zong Suyi was already very pregnant and could not bear the bumpy mountain road, so she had to leave Master Li, Wang Wu, and Liu Da with him and only took Zheng Er with her.
At this moment, Liu Da awkwardly stepped forward. "Master, I really miss home..." She scratched her head embarrassedly. "Please consider that I have worked for you for so many years, and even if I have not made any great contributions, I have still worked hard. Why don't you let me go back now?"
Li Ruilian glared angrily, gritting her teeth as she cursed, "You ungrateful bastard Liu Da! The master has treated us well, and now is the time to use you, yet you abandon us!" How could she face her master with such a treacherous subordinate?
Liu Da blushed. "Boss, I really miss home... My husband just had a daughter and he's waiting for me to come back and hold the baby."
Zheng Er sneered, "You used to hide in the cornfield with that young widow at the edge of the village, not seeing each other for half a year. You didn't write letters, and you weren't willing to send any money. How come we didn't know you were such a love-struck fool?"
When his past scandals were exposed in public, Liu Da stammered and couldn't explain himself. He was so embarrassed that he wished he could disappear into the ground.
Wang Wu was unaware of this matter. Liu Da had mentioned it to her before, and at the time she thought Liu Da was really homesick and that's why he betrayed his master. Unexpectedly, she was tricked so badly that she spat on the ground in anger, clenched her fists, and slammed them forward fiercely.
"You lying bastard! I'll beat you to a pulp!" Liu Da was punched and landed with a thud.
Wang Wu gritted his teeth and stepped forward, his eyes fixed on her. "You dare to lie to your aunt! You're ungrateful and treacherous, yet you tricked your aunt into running away with you!"
Liu Da's left cheek was swollen, and he mumbled, "Fifth Sister, let me explain!" He stumbled and got up from the ground, but before he could stand up, he was punched to the ground again.
At this moment, Liu Da also got angry, raised his fist to retaliate, and the two rolled on the ground, fighting fiercely.
"Enough!" Li Ruilian snapped, her face cold and stern. "The master is still here! What kind of behavior is this?!"
She took a deep breath and turned to Zhang Ting. "Master, it is my fault for not disciplining my younger sisters properly, resulting in such a traitor and this farce today... It is all my fault, please punish me!"
Zheng Er lowered his head apologetically and said, "Boss is wrong, and I am also wrong. As your steward, I failed to discover Liu Da's disloyalty earlier and to advise him in advance, which led to this mess. Master, please punish me!"
Zhang Ting gently waved her finger, signaling the two to step back. She had just told Zong Suyi that parting and reunion were common occurrences in life, and this was no big deal.
She mounted her horse and said calmly, "Liu Da, go and settle your monthly wages with the accountant." She glanced at the injuries on the other woman's face, and, considering their past relationship as master and servant, added, "Report the injuries as well, and I'll settle the bill for you as well."
Finally, he added, "Speaking of which, I haven't given you a gift yet for your daughter's one-month celebration." He tossed her a jade pendant from his waist, smiling, and said, "Take it! My daughter's ambitions lie in all directions; may you be like a roc soaring into the sea, stirring up waves for thousands of miles!"
It was getting late, so she spurred her horse and rode off, urging Zheng Er, "Hurry up and catch up!"
Liu Da stared blankly at the jade pendant, gazing at her master's departing figure. The scolding and cursing she expected never came. Instead, she felt empty and indescribably melancholy.
Wang Wu looked at her with disdain, "Who does she think she is! Now she knows she regrets it?" With a bruise on her lip, she crossed her arms and turned to leave.
Li Ruilian frowned, and finally sighed deeply, "Liu Da, you'd better watch yourself." In the distance, the morning sun peeked out, casting a golden light on the woman, dazzling and radiant.
Whether as an official or as a person, the master is a rare and virtuous individual, truly flawless.
She relaxed her brow, turned her back, and walked away.
Whether it's right or wrong, everyone has their own way of living, and you can't force them to.
...
Zong Suyi stayed in his room and didn't dare to go out. He was afraid that if he went to see them off, he would be reluctant to leave and would insist on going with them no matter what.
He held his large, protruding belly and couldn't help but pat it, as if scolding a child, "You're so naughty, you don't even know how to be sensible and should have entered Daddy's belly sooner!" He slumped listlessly on the table, looking utterly dejected.
"Your father has never been separated from your mother for this long."
"Wait, how long will it take for Zhangzhou Prefecture to handle the disaster?" He sat up abruptly, covering his face in shock. Oh no, he forgot to ask!
Zong Suyi picked up his belly, stood up, and slowly chased after her. Halfway there, he suddenly remembered that his wife had already left, so he ran back to the study, picked up his pen, and wrote a letter.
This was the first time he had written a letter to Zhang Ting, and he felt a unique mix of emotions.
"My lady, it is as if we are meeting in person: Have you settled in the city? If it is inconvenient, then I will come and take care of you." He wrote down his thoughts without thinking, then clicked his tongue, crossed it out, and changed it to: "My lady, I am far away at home, missing you and longing for your return every day. I am writing this letter to inquire about your return date."
Perfect.
He smiled with satisfaction, quickly packed the envelope, and with heavy steps handed it to the gatekeeper to mail.
The gatekeeper solemnly accepted the letter and hurriedly ran out to carry out his duties.
The lady has only been gone a moment, and her husband is already sending her a letter. This must be such an important and urgent matter!
The doorman quickened his pace. No, this matter cannot be delayed even for a moment!
Zong Suyi returned to his room, lazily reclining on a small couch, and called a servant to trim his nails.
A servant came to report that Liu Da had abandoned his lord and fled.
That ungrateful bastard!
Zong Suyi immediately sat up in anger, causing the nail-trimming knife to almost dig into his flesh, and the servant's face changed color.
"My lord!"
He realized what had happened, his eyes widened in shock, and he slowly curled back into the tatami mat. Luckily, he wasn't hurt, otherwise his wife would have scolded him for his recklessness when she got home.
Adopting the dignity of a 'legitimate husband,' he said to his subordinates, 'Since the lord has said to settle the score with her, then we shall do as the lord commands.'
She gave the servant a haughty look and said, "Keep cutting."
He still needs to check the accounts this afternoon. Last month, he bought a farm in Fengxian. There was a flood recently, so the purchase price was cheap. He plans to use it to grow some vegetables and fruits, such as lychees. Hmm... I heard that Fengxian is famous for its peaches, so he'll try growing some there.
Although the imperial court explicitly forbids officials from engaging in business and acquiring property, there's always a way around the rules. Otherwise, the annual salary of a county magistrate of forty-five taels wouldn't even cover a month's expenses for his family.
After Emperor Chengtai's ransacking, their family suffered heavy losses. Zong Suyi, after much agonizing reflection, devised many ways to secretly acquire properties and shops in various places, and buried the excess silver in the safest way possible.
That way, even if their property is raided again for no apparent reason, they won't be too passive.
Thinking of Emperor Chengtai, Zong Suyi pictured a kind and benevolent old man. She bit her lip and dug her fingertips into her flesh.
All that talk of love and attention, and the 'Duke of the County' bestowed upon him by His Majesty, was just a smokescreen to deceive his grandmother and mother. Their real intention was to humiliate and torment him!
Killing his entire family wasn't enough; he manipulated power and stirred up trouble, causing his wife, once a newly appointed top scholar whom all the officials fawned over, to fall from grace, suffering endless scorn and ridicule! Zong Suyi always remembered this debt, and one day, when he had the chance, he would exact his revenge on that person!
Inside, the servants suddenly felt a deep chill, shivering uncontrollably. Their hearts felt as heavy as if a mountain was pressing down on them, and they all knelt down with their heads bowed.
With the lord gone, the young master seems like a completely different person...
Zong Suyi's eyes were sinister, like ice studded with thorns, his chest heaving slightly as he tried his best to suppress his anger.
Suddenly, he felt a pain in his abdomen and looked down in surprise to see that Xiao Guai had kicked him.
Is the baby trying to comfort him?
Zong Suyi's gaze softened involuntarily, and he gently stroked the baby with tenderness. This was the fruit of his and his wife's love. He didn't know if it was a boy or a girl, but he hoped it would be a girl, as smart and beautiful as Zhang Ting, and not so fond of lying.
He stroked his belly again and again, tirelessly, as if he were communicating silently with his child.
My dear child, Daddy will love you well. Hmm... only a little less than he loves your mother.
So, do you prefer pink or misty blue clothes?
It's okay, Dad has made both sets for you.
It will be lunchtime soon.
Since becoming pregnant, Zong Suyi had been eating small, frequent meals. Although he wasn't hungry yet because his stomach was full, he still went to the dining room to eat.
Zhang Ting left so suddenly that the kitchen staff hadn't fully grasped the situation yet. Half of the dishes on the table were covered in deep red chilies, while the other half were light and bland, a stark contrast.
Eating alone is really boring. Zong Suyi poked at the empty bowl with a nonchalant expression, then suddenly looked up and thought of a brilliant idea, his eyes crinkling with laughter.
He moved the stool to the middle, took two bowls and placed them on either side of his hands. Then he used his chopsticks to put some spicy food into the bowl on his right, pretending to give it to his wife. Then he put some chopsticks into his own bowl, pretending that he had already eaten.
As he continued eating, based on his past memories, he estimated that he was roughly full, smiled with satisfaction, and then turned to frantically stuff the bowl on his right with spicy food, eating and eating. There was a hole in his stomach filled with chili peppers, and no matter how much he stuffed, it would never be full. He would often sneak out to have a treat! You thought he didn't know!
The bowl was stuffed full, piled high like a small red mountain, exuding a spicy aroma. Zong Suyi got tired of picking at the food, put down her chopsticks, and rested her cheeks on her hands.
Staring at that mountain of fiery red chili peppers, she frowned in confusion. How come she never gets constipated when she eats so many chili peppers every day, at every meal?
How strange!
Zong Suyi wouldn't dwell on things he couldn't understand. He straightened his sleeves, slowly stood up, and instructed his servants: "The county magistrate is kind and compassionate towards the poor. Please distribute these dishes on the table to the elderly, widows, and children in the county."
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