Chapter 206 Silly and Gentle
Chen Jue slowly withdrew his hand, the silver light instantly disappearing into its sheath, and the bone-chilling cold vanished.
"Excellent!" She bent down to help her newly acquired virtuous minister up, beaming from ear to ear. "Minister Zhang is exceptionally wise and resourceful. I have you as Duke Huan of Qi had Guan Zhong. With your assistance, the great cause of restoration is just around the corner!" As the prefect of Yingzhou Prefecture, Zhang Ting was the absolute leader. With her covert cooperation, it would be incredibly easy for him to raise military supplies, train troops, and plot a rebellion here.
Zhang Ting, in high spirits, clasped his hands and declared resolutely, "Your Highness is like a fine horse meeting a discerning eye; I am deeply grateful for your kindness and will serve you with my life!"
The emperor and his minister held hands, their eyes met, and they felt a deep connection, tears glistening in their eyes.
What a harmonious scene of ruler and subject! Liu Wang was so moved that she wiped her eyes and sighed deeply. She knew that Lord Zhang and His Highness would have a close and harmonious relationship.
In reality, the emperor and his ministers each harbored their own ulterior motives.
Chen Jue: Luckily, I didn't marry Xiaoyi off back then, otherwise I would have missed out on a big fish!
The only and innocent victim: It's like an old lady leaning against the wall eating porridge—despicable, vulgar, and shameless!
Chen Jue, appearing every bit the benevolent ruler, said to her, "Minister Zhang has been here for quite some time now; someone outside is probably already looking for you. You should go back now."
"Your humble servant takes his leave." Zhang Ting felt as if he had heard heavenly music; he could finally slip away.
She had only taken two steps when she said, "Let's meet again in two days."
Zhang Ting's raised eyebrows instantly drooped, she answered listlessly, and left with a sullen face.
A thousand-year-old tortoise, a ten-thousand-year-old turtle, she lost by a single move and had to admit defeat.
Zong Suyi had already finished catching up with her maternal grandfather and waited anxiously for Zhang Ting in the courtyard for quite a while before she finally came out looking as if she had lost her parents, as if she had lost ten thousand taels of gold.
He rushed forward, "What's wrong?"
Zhang Ting shook her head weakly, nuzzled against his neck, and said, "It's nothing." Her tone revealed a hint of grievance.
Zong Suyi put her arms around her shoulders, pressed her face against hers, and said in a very soft voice, "It's okay. If this place makes you unhappy, let's go home."
Zhang Ting mumbled, "Mmm." She hung her head dejectedly, like a little dog that had fallen into the water.
Zong Suyi's heart softened at the sight, feeling both heartache and affection, and he gently coaxed her all the way.
Cui watched this scene from the doorway, then silently turned and went to the kitchen.
Although fate caused Xiaoyi to fall into the mud, it also brought him a golden and beautiful marriage that was longed for but could never be attained.
He lowered his eyes; his eldest son could finally rest in peace underground.
Chen Lanshan only dared to come out after everyone had left, and asked furtively, "Father, was that man really Zong Suyi?" Wasn't he demoted to a slave? He should be even more miserable than me, so how come he still has such a beautiful and powerful wife protecting him? Her delicate skin looks even whiter and smoother than before she was married!
Cui looked up at him and said coldly, "Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask. If anything goes wrong, I'll skin you alive."
Chen Lanshan shivered and retreated hesitantly.
He stood at the doorway spitting behind him, cursing inwardly: "He still thinks he's the Crown Prince's husband and the eldest son of the Cui family! We're all commoners' relatives, who's more noble than whom?"
...
She was off duty today, and there was no need for her to handle official business.
Zhang Ting's expression was not good; she leaned against Zong Suyi, her brows furrowed with worry.
Zong Suyi held her like a child, and would occasionally say something funny to coax her.
"What has stumped our Lord Zhang?" He playfully brushed her nose with his hair.
Zhang Ting didn't say anything, burying her face in his chest; she just wanted to get home as soon as possible.
Seeing this, Zong Suyi stopped talking, patted her head, and hugged her tightly in his arms, like a fox enclosing a treasure in its softest fur.
Back at the mansion, Tun Tun, who hadn't seen her parents for a long time, rushed out, opening her arms for her mother and father to hug her.
Zhang Ting wasn't in the mood to play with the children, so she asked someone to remove her from the room.
I strode forward, passing through long corridors, archways, and gardens, and finally arrived at the main house.
She kicked off her shoes and crawled into bed, feeling a long-lost sense of security and relaxation.
Zong Suyi closed the door and followed her in, sitting on the edge of the bed with a worried look on her face: "What did they say to you that made you feel so gloomy?"
Zhang Ting placed her hands on her lower abdomen, looked at the dome, and said calmly, "We're just talking about some trivial matters."
Zong Suyi breathed a sigh of relief.
"It was just a small rebellion we all did together." She pulled the blanket over her face, unable to bear recalling the past.
"?!" Zong Suyi's eyes widened. What nonsense was his wife spouting?!
"Are you so angry you've gone mad? Don't scare me." His heart was in his throat as he looked at her with concern.
Zhang Ting lifted the covers and stared at him expressionlessly.
His expression was calm, not at all like he was joking.
Zong Suyi paced anxiously, "My lady, please don't do anything rash! Rebellion is a capital offense!" He was perfectly fine before he left, how did he become a rebel upon his return? Even when he hated Emperor Chengtai the most, he wouldn't dare to rebel!
Zhang Ting not only knew that rebellion would result in execution, but she also knew that it would lead to the extermination of nine generations of one's family.
She told him what had happened that day, and then clutched her head, feeling overwhelmed.
This is all Emperor Chengtai's fault. Why did he have to send her to Yingzhou Prefecture as the prefect? He practically forced her onto a pirate ship.
The Great Yong Dynasty has a vast territory; there are many places where she could serve as a prefect. Why did she have to come to Yingzhou Prefecture? At the very least, she could give up this prefecture and return to Zhangzhou Prefecture to continue serving as the prefect!
Zhang Ting felt her life was truly miserable. She dutifully served the old woman, only to find out that the old woman was a slut who gave her to a younger man. The younger man was no better and tried to force her into prostitution!
Alas! With a tyrannical ruler in power, the people are suffering. I struggle to navigate between them, trying to mend the ravaged land, only to become a political sacrifice in the end.
This world doesn't give good people a way out!
It's better to be a bad guy; she should just stay a bad guy.
Zong Suyi was furious. He cursed Chen Jue as a scoundrel and used all the insults he had ever learned to hurl at him, even cursing his ancestors for eighteen generations.
Zhang Ting hesitated, wanting her husband to tone it down and not include her in the insults.
“If she were to rebel, even if it didn’t involve my wife, as the local prefect, I would still be held responsible,” Zhang Ting reassured him. “At the very least, we found out sooner, didn’t we?” This effectively prevented the tragic end of dying without even knowing why.
Zong Suyi sat down, took her hand, and said with a worried expression, "My wife, you can't mess around with her. She's old and tired of living, but you have a husband and children. What will we do if something happens to you?"
Zhang Ting looked at him helplessly, "Now that things have come to this, it's not something I want to do, it's something I have to do. I have no other choice." Chen Jue, on the contrary, based on her kinship and geographical ties, was the first person Emperor Chengtai suspected. Even if you hadn't been on Chen Jue's pirate ship, who would believe or dare to believe her?
Anyway, if it were Zhang Ting herself, adhering to the principle of "better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free," she would at least arrange for this person's entire family to be executed.
Zong Suyi frowned and stood up, pacing back and forth.
Zhang Ting watched as her husband spun around and around, like an ant on a hot pan, moving faster and faster until he was almost a blur. She was amazed and clicked her tongue. Anyone who didn't know better would think her husband was practicing some kind of evil magic.
Suddenly he turned around, a glint of inspiration in his eyes, and suggested, "My lady, why don't we report her to the court?"
Zhang Ting was speechless, thinking to herself, "You are so filial. If Chen Jue knew, he would definitely be moved to tears."
The suggestion was unrealistic, but she was pleased with it and comforted herself, saying, "I've overcome so many obstacles as a wife, what's a little rebellion? Who knows if it's a blessing or a curse?"
This argument didn't hold water, but Zong Suyi frowned and pondered for a long time before being convinced. Yes, that's right, his wife was the most powerful, the best in the world!
Zhang Ting watched him stand there smiling, looking silly, but felt a sense of comfort in her heart, as if a warm current was flowing through her, and a soft, relaxed smile appeared on her lips.
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