Chapter 278: Winds Of Change
Su Rende entered the palace once, and upon coming out, he told his family about his matter of going on an expedition.
Zhang Zhaodi knew that this matter had already become a foregone conclusion, so she did not cry or make a fuss.
Su Rende held Zhang Zhaodi.
Seeing this, the others withdrew, leaving the space for this ill-fated husband and wife.
Su Yaoguang kicked at the stones on the ground, sullen and unhappy.
“What’s wrong?” Zhou Wangshu took her hand and pulled her into his arms. “Are you worried about your father-in-law?”
“I want to take my mother to the border, so she can be with my father, and I can feel at ease.” Su Yaoguang said.
“Good.”
“You don’t object?”
“I know you can’t bear to part from me, but looking at your mother-in-law’s current situation, if she doesn’t go along, I’m afraid she won’t be able to rest easy and nurture the fetus. She is already an advanced-age mother now, and the one in her belly is more delicate than usual; her mood is extremely important.”
“But once I leave, I don’t know when I’ll come back.”
“I’ll send more manpower with you. You send your mother-in-law to the border and then come back, alright?” Zhou Wangshu tapped her nose. “Your mother-in-law is unwilling to part from your father-in-law; can you bear to be separated from me?”
“Wangshu, you’re so good.” Su Yaoguang tiptoed and kissed his cheek.
Zhou Wangshu looked around, then lowered his head and kissed her lips.
“Actually, I could send more people with your mother-in-law; you don’t have to go along. But I know you won’t feel at ease.”
“Yes, I won’t feel at ease unless I personally see my mother arrive at the border.”
After Zhou Wangshu and Su Yaoguang finished discussing here, things had calmed down on Zhang Zhaodi and Su Rende’s side. When Su Yaoguang and Zhou Wangshu went to find Zhang Zhaodi and Su Rende, the couple talked for a full quarter of an hour even about parting words.
“You’re going to send me to the border?” Zhang Zhaodi was surprised. “No, the road to the border is long and far; why should you suffer this hardship?”
“Mother, I understand your worry. You had a trauma before; if I don’t let you go to the border to accompany Father, I’m afraid you won’t be able to nurture the fetus with peace of mind, which is not good for you or the child. With Father by your side, that is more effective than taking any miraculous medicine, so you must go.”
“As for me… I’m young, and I haven’t been to the border yet. Can’t you let me go and gain some experience?”
“Wangshu, can you bear it?” Su Rende asked.
“I can’t bear it, but I don’t want Yaoguang to be on tenterhooks all day. Father-in-law and mother-in-law, it’s settled then. We’ll pack things recently; once Father-in-law assembles the troops, Yaoguang and your mother-in-law’s merchant caravan will also set out.”
“Speaking of the merchant caravan, you’ve given me some inspiration.” Su Yaoguang said. “I need to prepare more goods. Supplies are short at the border; if we transport goods from here to sell there, we might make a big profit.”
“You, little money grubber.” Su Rende laughed. “But it’s a good idea; I think it’s feasible.”
Earlier, the couple had prepared to part, but now learning they didn’t have to separate, smiles returned to their faces.
Actually, not only did Zhang Zhaodi not want to part from Su Rende, Su Rende also did not want to part from Zhang Zhaodi. He had promised before to personally witness the birth of their second child, to make up for his past debt to his wife, but then this matter happened.
Su Rende began assembling troops and generals, planning to set out in ten days.
In these ten days, Su Yaoguang prepared the merchant caravan. She assembled a caravan of fifty people and brought good things from the capital city.
Now, the ones who couldn’t bear to part were probably Zhang Pandi and Zhang Yingdi and the others. They originally thought Zhang Zhaodi would give birth in the capital city, but now she was going to the border with Su Rende, so Zhang Pandi and Zhang Yingdi and the others wouldn’t get to see her, and naturally they were worried.
Zhang Zhaodi told Zhang Pandi to handle her marriage before she left.
Zhang Pandi had always listened to her eldest sister, and moreover, she was moved by that Master Song, so she held a banquet with him.
Master Song had no children, and treated Jia Chunni as his own daughter.
“Jing’er, that Heir of the Duke of Zhenguo has come to find you again.”
At Peach Blossom Workshop, the shop assistants saw the handsome young man entering the door and shouted to Jiang Jing, who was seeing a patient.
Jiang Jing was seeing a patient and turned a deaf ear to what the shop assistants said.
“Pull your clothes down a bit; let me see the red rash on you.”
The young man being seen blushed and pulled down his clothes, exposing his collarbone and below.
Jiang Jing leaned in closer to see clearly. She reached out, about to press the red rash, but someone grabbed her wrist, stopping her action.
Jiang Jing looked puzzled at the person in front of her and said, “What are you doing?”
The Heir of the Duke of Zhenguo glared unkindly at the patient being seen: “It’s just an ordinary allergy; it’ll be fine in a few days. Why be so delicate, big man?”
The patient was frightened by the Heir of the Duke of Zhenguo’s appearance, pulled up his clothes, and quickly left.
“Young Master, your wound is already healed; there’s no need to come find me anymore. What do you want now?” Jiang Jing was displeased.
“This Heir feels the wound still hurts badly; is it that your medical skill is not refined?” The Heir of the Duke of Zhenguo sat down in front of her. “As my doctor, as long as this patient hasn’t said it’s good, you must re-examine me and check my body.”
Jiang Jing lifted his trouser leg.
The Heir of the Duke of Zhenguo hurriedly stopped her action: “What are you doing? In broad daylight, with so many people around!”
Jiang Jing looked at him speechlessly: “Young Master, I am a doctor.”
Everything at Peach Blossom Workshop was running normally. Even without Su Yaoguang here, everyone performed their duties, allowing Peach Blossom Workshop to operate smoothly.
Ten days later, the Great General Who Protects the Nation led the army on expedition.
Not long after the army set out, a merchant caravan also left the capital city.
Zhou Wangshu stood on the city wall, looking in the direction the merchant caravan left, his heart full of reluctance.
These past few days, whenever he caught an opportunity, he would cling to Su Yaoguang. However, he didn’t dare let her get pregnant; he just wanted to spend more time with her and have her spend more time with him.
“How long does it take from here to the border?”
“If traveling light, it would take just over twenty days. But they are a merchant caravan; they’ll definitely stop along the way, so probably a month and a half to arrive! Of course, that’s without any delays. If they encounter heavy rain or snow, it will definitely be postponed.”
“So, without any delays, it would take about half a year for me to see my wife again.”
“Exactly.”
“It’s good that she left; the capital city hasn’t been peaceful lately. With her not in the capital city, I can feel at ease doing some things.”
The army cleared the way ahead, and the merchant caravan followed smoothly, proceeding without any hindrance.
Perhaps due to Su Rende’s arrangements ahead, wherever they went, the post stations prioritized accommodations for them.
Su Yaoguang did business along the way, and the silver notes in her pouch grew more and more. To take care of Zhang Zhaodi, she hired two doctors to travel with the merchant caravan, one with a lot of midwifery experience, the other skilled in postpartum conditioning the body.
A month and a half later, they arrived at the border.
At this time, people sent by Su Rende received them at the city gate and took them to the Great General Who Protects the Nation’s mansion at the border.
The butler led all the servants to greet them at the doorway. When they got off the horse-drawn carriage, everyone bowed in unison: “We have seen Madam, we have seen Eldest Daughter.”
“Mother, we’ve finally arrived.” Su Yaoguang said. “How do you feel?”
Zhang Zhaodi said, “I feel good.”
Seeing that she was fine, Su Yaoguang felt relieved.
Fortunately, she hadn’t made the wrong decision.
To say she wasn’t worried was impossible; after all, traveling long distances with a pregnant woman, if anything went wrong, she would be the greatest sinner.
The butler had received the news early and prepared a welcome for Zhang Zhaodi and Su Yaoguang to wash off the dust of travel.
“Madam, Eldest Daughter, the Great General instructed early on that you would arrive soon. The border is unsettled; the Great General has taken his men to the front line. Whatever you need, just tell this old servant, and he will arrange it for you.”
“We’re not fussy people; you just need to take good care of my pregnant mother. I brought a merchant caravan; send a few people to arrange it. For this period, they’ll stay at the post station, no need to stay at the general’s mansion.”
“Yes.”
Su Rende had gone to the front line, and the situation there was indeed very critical.
Su Yaoguang said to the butler, “Actually, there are still some caravans behind our merchant caravan; those caravans are transporting large amounts of grain and medicine. Send people to the city gate to receive them; they should arrive in about these two days.”
“Were those things procured by Eldest Daughter?” the butler asked.
“I procured them on the road; because there were too many, I had them sent directly to the border.” Su Yaoguang said. “Since I procured supplies for the border, they wouldn’t dare not deliver.”
After settling Zhang Zhaodi, Su Yaoguang couldn’t stay idle and wandered around the border with two guards.
As she walked, she stopped.
Looking at the figure ahead, she shouted, “Stop.”
That person seemed not to hear and strode into the crowd, disappearing among the people.
“Eldest Daughter, what’s wrong?” the guard asked.
“There was a figure just now; I don’t know if I saw wrong, but anyway… it seemed like an enemy.”
Xiao Yanci.
Xiao Yanci had been exiled as a convict soldier.
Wait, where was Xiao Yanci exiled to? She should have paid attention earlier.
“Help me investigate a person.” Su Yaoguang said to the guards beside her. “A person exiled as a convict soldier.”
“Anyone exiled as a convict soldier is definitely registered at the yamen. This subordinate will go verify right away.”
“No need to wait; go now. Check for someone named Xiao Yanci or Xiao Ci.” Su Yaoguang said. “He should have arrived recently, not long ago.”
Su Yaoguang returned to the Protector General’s Mansion early.
Conditions at the border were poor; food, use, and clothing were all simple and plain. For Su Yaoguang and Zhang Zhaodi, they had endured all kinds of hard days before, so they didn’t find returning to a simple life bad.
However, Zhang Zhaodi was now eating for two, so daily meals were very important. Su Yaoguang personally cooked for Zhang Zhaodi, and only then could she manage to eat a little. Otherwise, along the way, she had barely eaten anything.
It wasn’t that the one in her belly was delicate, but rather that one region’s water and soil nurture its people; the local customs differed greatly, and tastes in food varied immensely.
Zhang Zhaodi stood at the doorway, watching Su Yaoguang prepare food for her.
“Yaoguang, when do you plan to return?” Zhang Zhaodi said. “Mother will stay here to accompany your father, but you don’t need to stay here forever; otherwise, what about Wangshu? Such a good son-in-law; you can’t leave him alone guarding an empty room.”
“Mother, I’ve only just arrived and haven’t learned about the local customs yet; let me stay a while to adjust.”
“Half a month, is that enough?”
“Mother, how can you kick away the grinder after using the donkey? I’ve only just arrived, and you’re already chasing me away.”
“Mother is just worried. Wangshu has such good conditions; so many women have their eyes on him. If someone takes advantage of your absence to pursue him, and that boy can’t hold firm, then such a good son-in-law of mine wouldn’t be defiled by others?”
“If he were that kind of person, it would actually save me trouble. Since we don’t have children yet, I could still make another choice.”
“I don’t care; at most half a month, no lingering longer.”
Su Yaoguang made Zhang Zhaodi her favorite small dishes.
While Zhang Zhaodi enjoyed the delicious food, Su Yaoguang saw the attendant she had sent to investigate earlier pacing outside the door.
She went out.
“Eldest Daughter, I investigated what you asked; there’s no one by that name.”
“Send people to check again; perhaps he is using a false name. That person has a decent appearance, with a scar here…” Su Yaoguang pointed to his neck.
Xiao Yanci’s scar was left before his exile.
“This subordinate will send people to inquire again.”
“This person is very important. If he is really at our border, that would be very dangerous; we must closely monitor his every move. In short, treat this matter with utmost importance.”
She would rather expend a lot of manpower searching for this person only to find it was a false alarm, that he wasn’t here at all.
She desperately hoped this person didn’t exist.
If Xiao Yanci was really at the border, she would have to be careful. Wherever this person was, blood and violence would surely ensue.
“Yaoguang, Yaoguang…” Zhang Zhaodi called out.
Su Yaoguang turned and rushed into the room: “Mother, what’s wrong?”
“Come feel; this child just kicked me.” Zhang Zhaodi said excitedly.
Su Yaoguang breathed a sigh of relief and placed her hand on Zhang Zhaodi’s belly.
When she felt the little one kick her hand, her expression was as amazed as Zhang Zhaodi’s.
“So strong; could it be a boy?”
“Whether boy or girl, Mother likes them all.” Zhang Zhaodi said. “Of course, Mother likes Yaoguang the most.”
Her Yaoguang had suffered a lot with her. Over these years, without Yaoguang accompanying her, she wouldn’t have made it to now.
The one she loved most was of course Yaoguang.
Su Yaoguang saw Zhang Zhaodi’s eyes reddening again and quickly coaxed, “I know Mother loves me the most. Don’t cry; the doctor said you need to rest well, no big emotional fluctuations.”
“Yaoguang, send someone to ask how your father is doing.”
Su Yaoguang said, “Good.”
News of Su Rende was easy to get; just knowing if there was fighting at the front line would tell what Su Rende was doing.
Fortunately, for now, there was nothing; everything was very calm. However, the flames of war could erupt at any time.
