Chapter 76 Zhou Congxian Reunited
"It was my oversight," Zhou Congyu said, looking utterly remorseful.
"Recently, there has been a lot of rain, which has damaged many mountain roads and washed away many bridges. I have been so busy that I have forgotten about the repair of the guesthouse."
Chief Steward Qing smiled and said, "Your Excellency is dedicated to the country and its people, and His Highness is naturally understanding."
Zhou Congyu nodded, "It's good that Your Highness understands my situation."
As he spoke, he glanced at Zhou Congxian again, "Well, Lord Zhou has come all the way from the capital this time. I originally wanted to meet with Lord Zhou before going to the horse farm on official business."
Steward Qing said, "My lord, please go ahead with your work. His Highness has enough people with him and had no intention of disturbing the local area."
The sounds from outside the door came intermittently.
Yao Shisan's heart was pounding in his throat!
Why can't we chat outside? Why do we have to chat at her doorstep?
“Brother Xian, since His Highness cannot see you now, I will accompany you to the horse farm first.”
Zhou Congyu turned his head and saw Zhou Congxian's solemn expression.
A slight smile played on his lips. "Your Highness has been traveling from Ningzhou for several days. As your subjects, we should be understanding."
King Cheng came from Ningzhou by carriage.
Zhou Congxian, however, rushed over from the capital at breakneck speed.
King Cheng's home was confiscated by Zhou Congxian, and he was forced to leave the capital.
How could His Highness Prince Cheng possibly forget this debt?
How could Zhou Congxian not know what Zhou Congyu was thinking?
But what he really wanted to know was what the voice inside the door sounded like.
She really is Madam Yao.
Or... Lady Yao!
Zhou Congxian pursed his lips, stepped forward, and pushed open the door in front of him.
A peony screen blocked his view, allowing him to barely make out the top of a woman's head.
Steward Qing's expression changed, and he stepped forward to block the doorway.
"Does Lord Zhou intend to force his way in?"
Zhou Congxian snapped out of his daze, his eyes sweeping over the beautiful figure reflected on the screen.
"I just suddenly remembered a method to deal with acclimatization problems and wanted to offer it to Your Highness."
"Massaging and pressing Zusanli (ST36) can relieve abdominal distension and loss of appetite."
Zhou Congyu looked thoughtfully at Zhou Congxian's reaction.
The Zhou Congxian he knew would never be this out of control.
Could it be...
It's this beautiful woman inside.
He snorted coldly; he hadn't succeeded in getting that beauty back then.
Could it be that Zhou Congxian's new lover failed to win the bid to become king?
Zhou Congxian had already taken two steps back. "Your Highness and Madam, please forgive my rudeness."
His eyes were lowered and fixed on his toes.
If only the person inside would say one more word.
He can tell just by listening to one sentence.
Yao Shisan felt as if someone had choked him, and he could barely breathe!
Zhou, Zhou Congxian!
It's Zhou Congxian's voice!
Through the screen, you can still vaguely see a few figures at the door.
Zhou Congxian's voice came through clearly.
Even if she were reduced to ashes, she would never mistake her!
Her mind was a complete mess!
How could it be Zhou Congxian!
The gate was wide open.
If the screen had been any lower, she would have been doomed!
The figure at the door remained motionless; he seemed to be waiting for her response.
It seemed she wouldn't leave until she responded.
Yao Shisan's back was covered in cold sweat.
She's already traveled all the way from the capital to Hezhou, so why is this man still haunting her?
Zhou Congxian did not receive a response, so he slowly raised his head.
I was just about to speak.
"Does Prince Zhou want to raid Prince Cheng's residence now after he has already confiscated it?"
Wenxi came over carrying three bowls of ginger soup, her face displeased.
As she spoke, her gaze swept between Zhou Congxian and Zhou Congyu.
"Ah, so Governor Zhou is Prince Zhou's informant. What crime has he caught His Highness with this time?"
Zhou Congyu said, "Miss, you misunderstand. This humble official and Lord Zhou were merely paying our respects as usual."
Wenxi stopped looking at them and said, "Go and leave after you've paid your respects."
"I don't want to see anyone with the surname Zhou!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she hooked the door shut with her foot.
Zhou Congxian stared at the tightly closed door in front of him.
For some reason, he had a strange feeling.
Jiang Shiyao is inside.
She avoided him.
Yao Shisan, inside the door, broke out in a cold sweat.
If Wenxi hadn't arrived in time, she would definitely have been exposed.
She slumped limply onto the footrest, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to leap out of her mouth.
Her fingers trembled uncontrollably, "Does he know...?"
Her voice was even hoarser than before.
Wenxi placed the ginger tea on the small table, helped her up, and comforted her.
No, it won't.
"With your voice right now, if I weren't looking at you, I wouldn't be able to tell who you are."
She looked up at Wenxi with trembling eyes, "Really not?"
Wenxi didn't know why she was so afraid of Zhou Congxian. "No, you should drink this ginger soup first, and make sure you don't catch a cold."
For some reason, when Yao Shisan heard Zhou Congxian's voice, waves of near-death pain from her previous life washed over her.
She, her daughter, and the child who was never born.
In this life, she finally managed to escape that place.
She seemed to have seen the light at the end of the tunnel.
It's right within easy reach.
Zhou Congxian's appearance pulled her back.
As long as she returns to the Duke of Ying's mansion, Song Jiyun will not let her go.
They will not spare her children either!
No one is on her side.
Even if she did nothing wrong, she still has to bear the consequences of others' mistakes.
Zhou Congxian is one of the culprits!
Seeing the fear in her eyes, Wenxi reached out and hugged her.
"You are Yao Shisan, not Jiang Shiyao."
Yao Shisan came to his senses and said, "Yes, I am Yao Shisan."
"Wenxi, let's not rest anymore. I'll have Steward Qing go and urge Lu Shu to hurry up later!"
"Once we leave Hezhou, we'll set up camp on the road and rest for two more days!"
Wenxi said, "Okay, I'll go find Steward Qing."
*
The Hezhou Horse Ranch covers several hills.
They kept tens of thousands of warhorses.
Logically speaking, Hezhou, which raises warhorses, shouldn't be poor.
But the annual funding doesn't seem to decrease.
The situation only improved slightly in the last few years after Zhou Congyu took office.
Well, it's only slightly better.
Zhou Congyu rode his horse alongside Zhou Congxian.
"Brother Xian, you should see for yourself. Raising horses these days isn't easy."
"These horses consume tens of thousands of taels of silver every day just from food and water. If even one horse falls ill, the entire mountain will be ruined!"
Warhorses were the most important strategic resource.
The imperial court allocates funds separately for each project.
Zhou Congxian turned his head and glanced at Zhou Congyu.
Although the Prefect of Hezhou was just a local official, he was considered a superior prefecture due to his unique status, despite being a prefect in the same capacity.
The governor of Ningzhou was only a fourth-rank official, while the governor of Hezhou was a third-rank official.
I'd like to meet who's in charge of the horse farm.
Zhou Congyu gestured with his chin towards the front, "The horse farm is under Lord Shang's jurisdiction."
Zhou Congxian lightly nudged the horse's belly, and the horse galloped forward.
Zhou Congyu did not follow, but only watched from a distance.
He was still replaying Zhou Congxian's reaction in the guesthouse in his mind.
"interesting."
A smirk appeared on his lips.
If he doesn't watch the show properly, how can he live up to the great opportunity that Heaven has given him, which is simultaneously the opportunity presented by King Cheng and Zhou Congxian?
The next morning, Steward Qing came to urge Lu Shu, but he came to no avail.
The diligent and conscientious Lord Zhou has already gone to inspect the area.
When Lord Zhou went on his second trip at noon, he went to the destroyed mountain road outside the city.
In the afternoon, someone was sent to inquire again, and it turned out that Lord Zhou had gone to the horse farm once more.
All day long, Steward Qing kept catching sight of Zhou Congyu.
Unlike Ningzhou, the governor of Ningzhou was determined to see His Highness.
However, no one could be found in Hezhou from beginning to end.
He is indeed a good official who serves the people.
Yao Shisan paced anxiously back and forth in the guesthouse, coughing as he did so.
Even if you can't recognize her voice now, she'll give herself away as soon as Fu'er opens her mouth!
Wenxi is back.
She shook her head slightly. "This Zhou Congyu is really a capable official. Chief Steward Qing went there three times today but still couldn't find him."
Yao Shisan's heart sank. "Then...did he leave?"
Wen Xi paused for a moment, then shook her head. "Not yet."
"I heard they came for the warhorses and haven't left yet."
She gritted her teeth, "I can't leave Ningzhou, and I can't leave Hezhou either!"
"Prince Cheng is such a failure as a prince; any official can block his travel documents."
Wen Xi, “…”
Thankfully, His Highness is not here...
Yao Shisan walked back and forth, biting his fingers.
"What should we do...? Maybe we should follow His Highness Prince Cheng's example and sneak away, leaving an empty carriage here!"
Shuang'er quickly objected, "What if we encounter bandits again!"
Last time, His Highness was able to arrive in time, but now His Highness isn't even at the residence, so there's no one left to rescue them.
When Yao Shisan heard that it was Shuang'er speaking, he hesitated again.
There are bandits even on just one mountain in Ningzhou.
With so many mountains in Hezhou, who knows how many bandits are hiding there!
Shuang'er: "Anyway, we won't go out or see anyone!"
"His Highness is going to his fiefdom; surely the governor won't issue travel documents for him forever!"
She felt that the only way to stay inside the guesthouse was to remain indoors, where no one would know who was inside.
Although it's a bit of a coward.
But it's also the best way.
The three were still huddled together, discussing how not to be recognized.
Someone knocked on the door.
Yao Shisan and Shuang'er embraced Fu'er and quickly hid behind the curtain.
When Wenxi came in with a post, her expression was somewhat indescribable.
"What's wrong?"
Yao Shisan peeked out and looked at her; his heart pounded again.
Wen Xi raised the invitation in her hand, "It's an invitation from Madam Chen, the wife of the Prefect."
She stepped out from behind the curtain. "The Prefect's wife?"
Why did she send me that invitation?
Wenxi handed her the invitation: "Full Moon Banquet."
It would be easier to decline other banquets.
However, if one does not attend the full moon banquet, it seems as if the governor's mansion would lose face.
After all, she was just a "lady," not a high and mighty "princess."
Yao Shisan said in a hoarse voice, "If I'm like this, I'm afraid I'll pass on my illness to the child."
"Reject it!"
Wenxi pointed to the back of the post, "This Chen said that she knows the steward has made many trips for the road book, so she will get the road book for us and hand it to Madam Yao in person at the banquet to apologize."
Yao Shisan's lips twitched slightly.
"Why do I feel like this is someone threatening me with the road map?"
Thinking about it, it's impossible; who would dare threaten King Cheng?
It's just too much of a coincidence.
Moreover, Zhou Congyu's child is Zhou Congxian's nephew.
How could Zhou Congxian not attend the full moon celebration?
Wenxi said, "I'll disguise you. As long as you don't get wet, you can get away with it."
"Take the route map and find an excuse to come back immediately."
The next day.
Yao Shisan was dressed in formal attire.
The moment I got out of the car, I was met with a pair of sharp eyes.
Her heart jumped into her throat.
Zhou Congxian was standing at the entrance of the governor's mansion.
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