Chang Zhi looked at the guards drinking tea outside with a wooden face. He had a headache. For a team of 100 people, he could only arrange for the newly built house of his family. His cheeks hurt a little, but he had to grit his teeth and said, "My father built a new house in my hometown. It was only in the past few days that he completely packed it up. There is no shortage of furniture. All we need is some bedding. Your Highness can live in the new house."
King Liang was very satisfied with Zhou Changzhi's advice and said with a smile: "Sorry to bother you. As for the bedding, I will arrange it myself."
Changzhi smiled, "..."
If he was really willing to buy it, he would not want King Liang to live in the new house. But there was no way. Even if he did not mention it, King Liang would ask for it, and King Liang would not be polite to him. If his father was here, he could stop him. He had a hunch that King Liang's arrival would cause chaos.
King Liang felt much better after drinking the tea. "Is there no drought here?"
Changzhi replied, "It rained heavily a few days ago, which alleviated the drought."
King Liang did not ask any more questions. He looked at the time and said, "I have traveled all the way from the capital and am exhausted. I am going to rest first. Please lead the way, Master Zhou."
Chang Zhi didn't want everyone to stand in the yard, so he stood up and said, "Your Highness Prince Liang, please."
The Zhou family’s newly built house is very large, nestled against the mountains and next to water. There are several wells in the house. Because of the drought, vegetables and crops are planted in the garden inside the house, which is also a nice sight.
King Liang looked around and was even more satisfied. The furniture was all new and the house was very clean. "Excuse me."
Chang Zhi said: "Your Highness, you have worked hard on the journey. I will go back first. If you need anything, please let me know at any time."
King Liang nodded. He did not come to Zhoujia Village to cause trouble.
In the capital, Zhulan was riding in a carriage back to her house. When she got home, she was stunned. There were several adults and children at the gate of the house. They looked like refugees? Or better than refugees? "What's going on?"
The servant jumped off the carriage. Zhulan followed suit and the gatekeeper opened the mansion door. Butler Wang had been standing at the door and hurried over. "Madam."
The people blocking the door looked over. The child timidly took a few steps back. The adults also looked a little scared.
Zhulan asked, "Who are they? Why are they blocking the door?"
Butler Wang was at a loss for words and whispered, "They said it was the Second Madam's maternal relatives? The Second Madam went to the Gu family, and I didn't dare let anyone in. I remember? The Second Madam only had one brother."
Who did Zhulan think of instantly? The Zhao family? Relatives of Zhao’s father’s generation. She remembered that Zhao’s father had died. She had looked for Zhao at first, but was later sent away. This time, he was amazing and actually went to Beijing.
When Butler Wang saw the mistress's expression, he knew what was going on. What these people said must be true. "Madam, what do you think?"
It would not be a good idea to keep blocking the door, so he said his wife was not at home, so they decided not to leave and waited.
Zhulan didn't want to worry about this. This was the Second House's business. She should have come a few days earlier. The Second Housewife was still at home and everything was handled properly. "Send someone to find the Second Housewife."
As she spoke, Zhulan entered the yard. It wasn't that she was cold-blooded, but she didn't want to get involved. These people didn't look like they wanted to be in trouble either. When she entered the yard, she said to the gatekeeper, "Bring out some water and cakes. Several children have cracked lips."
The doorman agreed and Zhulan returned to the main courtyard.
Mrs. Song asked, "Don't you care?"
Zhulan said as she changed her clothes, "No matter what, Zhao will take care of it."
She didn't intervene so as not to affect Zhao's handling of the matter.
In Zhoujia Village, Changzhi returned home and the clan leader had already arrived. The clan leader asked in surprise, "Is it really King Liang?"
Chang Zhi nodded, "Yes, King Liang will stay for a few days. The clan leader notified the clan members to try not to disturb him."
After a pause, he whispered, "My father has been troubled before. I don't know what task King Liang has been given this time. We'd better be careful. Besides, this man is not an easy person to deal with. Don't let him lose his life if he fails to curry favor with you."
The clan leader's eyes widened. He knew Chang Zhi would not exaggerate, and said worriedly, "I will inform everyone. If there are people who want to get close to me, I won't stop them. Everyone has their own destiny."
Chang Zhi said dimly: "Just don't implicate the entire clan. My father doesn't have the ability to save the entire clan."
The clan leader said, "...anyone who has evil intentions will be expelled from the clan."
Chang Zhi was satisfied. He still had to criticize when it was time to criticize. Don't think his father was so awesome. The tribe was united, but there were still some small thoughts. "Excuse me, tribe leader."
The clan leader looked at Chang Zhi deeply. The boy who didn't care about anything back then, now has many tricks and can be cruel. "Yeah."
King Liang was already lying comfortably in the rocking chair, listening to the report. Zhoujia Village was not big, and King Liang curled his lips, "Tomorrow we can go to the Zhou family's clan school to take a look. Lord Zhou is really dedicated to the family and even sent back so many books."
The guard asked, "The village is not big, and the Zhou family is relatively united. Do we need to continue asking?"
King Liang waved his hand, "There is nothing to inquire about. I am not here to dig up the Zhou family. I still need to investigate. This place is quite close to the coffin. Send more people to investigate everywhere tomorrow. I have a feeling that my luck is coming."
Guard, "..."
To be honest, our prince’s luck is really not that good.
Zhao hurried back to Zhou's house in the capital. She saw people at the door as soon as she got off the carriage and looked carefully. The adult looked much older than her, but she knew that people who worked in the countryside looked older. There were really no elders, but she recognized two of them. Well, they were from two families, two cousins!
Zhao didn't say anything, and the two Zhao brothers didn't dare to say anything either, because the cousin was completely different from the cousin in their memory. The cousin before always kept her head down and shrank like a little mouse, but the cousin now wore clothes made of material they had never seen before and wore a dazzling hairpin on her head. She was silent and they were intimidated.
Zhao had never wanted to have any contact with the Zhao family. She sent them away back then, but now they have found them in the capital. It is not a good thing to stand outside. When the time comes to go to the yamen, the entire Zhou family will be lost.
Zhao took a deep breath and said to the housekeeper, "Take them in."
Having said that, Zhao took the maid and the old woman away first. She wanted to go and tell her mother-in-law.
Seeing Zhao's cold face, Zhulan knew what was going on. "Are you really a member of the Zhao family?"
Zhao nodded, "My two cousins, I just don't know how they knew we were in the capital and were able to come here."
Zhu Lan smiled and said, "We can't run away from Zhoujia Village. We don't even need to enter Zhoujia Village to know that we have entered the capital. As for finding the door, it is also easy. We spent money to enter the capital, and someone will show us the way."
Zhao was upset. "Mother, I don't want to see them. I don't owe them anything. I have already paid off the grain I paid for that year. Why are they looking for me?"
Zhulan held Zhao's hand and said, "Mother knows that you can't get over it, but you are no longer the Zhao Qiuniang who endured being bullied. You are the daughter-in-law of the Minister of Revenue, the wife of a seventh-rank official of the Ministry of Rites, and a lady recognized by the court. Sometimes, you can't avoid some people even if you send them away. You have become the hope of the Zhao family. Go and deal with it."
Zhao smiled and said, "Mom, is it true that no matter how big the matter is, it is nothing in your eyes?"
"My status has changed. The things I used to care about are no longer a big deal. You are torturing yourself by being stuck in the past. Don't you think there will be better scenery in the future?"
Zhao said sincerely: "Sister-in-law is right, mother is the best mother-in-law."
Which mother-in-law would guide and teach her daughter-in-law like this? No one, only my own mother-in-law!