The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 672 - 671: No Loss-Making Deals

Chapter 672: Chapter 671: No Loss-Making Deals

With the information intentionally leaked by Song Hong, Song Chongjin had a target and immediately sent people to investigate who exactly this Lord Zhu was.

In just a few days, news came.

This Lord Zhu went by the name Zhu Hao, styled Haoran, and was the Tanhua of the first imperial examination held after The Emperor’s ascension. Notably handsome and dignified, he was originally the top candidate of the palace examination. The Emperor, seeing his talents and appearance, personally appointed him as Tanhua.

Since then, he had caught The Emperor’s eye. In just four to five years in the Hanlin Academy, he had become one of The Emperor’s close ministers. He was now the Vice Minister of the Personnel and evidently the successor to the Minister of Personnel.

He truly was one of The Emperor’s trusted favorites.

The Imperial Court assigning Zhu Haoran to the investigation of the secret mines likely meant that the court could no longer tolerate the issue and had decided to take drastic measures.

Song Chongjin reviewed the information about Zhu Haoran he had collected with Wang Yongzhu repeatedly and discussed it for a long time before finally making up his mind.

Song Chongjin packed all the evidence, hugged Wang Yongzhu, and kissed the top of her head, "Yongzhu, if there is any oversight when I go, you must immediately take mother and brothers back to Qilidun and don’t worry about me. I have ways to get out. At worst, with Song Hong, my newly recognized godfather, I believe he won’t miss the opportunity to repay his kindness to me."

"So, you must remember, your safety is the most important! As long as you are safe, I can be at ease. Do you understand?" Song Chongjin, although confident that Zhu Haoran should not pose a problem, believed that caution is the parent of safety.

They did not know much about the officialdom and dared not pin all their hopes on Zhu Haoran.

After speaking, he held Wang Yongzhu, whispered a few instructions in her ear, and then left home without looking back.

Wang Yongzhu watched Song Chongjin’s retreating back, lowered her eyes, and only after a long time did she wipe away her tears and went back inside to instruct Old Granny Zhang and the others to pack their belongings. They might need to return to Qilidun at any moment.

Wang Yongping, Wang Yonggui, and Jinhoo were all stifling their curiosity. Hearing that they might return to Qilidun, they didn’t ask further questions and hurried into their rooms to pack.

Only Old Granny Zhang, sensing that something was amiss—why was everyone suddenly preparing to leave after being told not to go out just a few days earlier? What had happened?

She quietly pulled Wang Yongzhu aside to ask and learned the whole story.

After mentally cursing Wang Yongan, she took Wang Yongzhu’s hand earnestly and said, "Zhuzhu, if something really happens to Chongjin, remember, even if you have to use all your belongings, you must save him, understand?"

Wang Yongzhu hadn’t expected Old Granny Zhang to say such words. She had long made up her mind that if something happened to Song Chongjin, she would definitely not let him be in danger. If it came down to it, even if it meant revealing the System, she would save him.

Seeing her daughter still looking dazed, Old Granny Zhang felt frustrated that her silly girl misunderstood. She had to break it down and explain it to Wang Yongzhu thoroughly.

"Let’s not even mention that Chongjin is a good kid who is devoted to you. Just for that devotion, we must remember and not abandon him. Now that you’re his wife, if you don’t save him, your conscience won’t allow it, and you’ll likely be drowned in the spit of others!"

"There’s a saying, ’As long as there’s true devotion, even a stone can be warmed.’ If there’s no effort made, it’s like the fire in the stove; no matter how high and fierce it burns, without adding wood, all that’s left in the end is a handful of cold ashes."

"Between this couple, no matter how much affection there is, how well they treat you, if you don’t cherish their sincerity and reciprocate with your own, over time, even the warmest feelings will fade. I didn’t use to like Chongjin, thought he was taciturn, dark-faced, and sharp-tongued, and he was also returned to you, which was a blow to our family’s face. But it was because of you, our little calamity star, that I held my nose and accepted him."

"He knows that I and the family don’t care for him, but for your sake, for both of your sakes, have you seen how much he’s silently done behind the scenes? His whole heart is devoted to you. Such a good kid, you mustn’t let his heart grow cold!"

"This recent incident, to speak the truth, is also a way our family has implicated him! In life, we cannot be heartless; if something happens to Chongjin because of this, if he’s arrested or beaten, we must save him even if it means ruining ourselves financially, understand?"

"Although there’s an old saying that spouses are like birds in the same forest who fly separately when disaster strikes, we must not be such people! To speak unpleasantly, his real father might just be waiting for us to ignore the situation, so he can step in, rescue Chongjin, and then sow discord between us. Who knows if Chongjin’s feelings might shift toward his real father and harbor resentment against us, wouldn’t that just give an advantage to Chongjin’s no-good real father? We cannot engage in such a loss-making deal! Now that kinship has been established, and the formalities are complete, Chongjin is a member of our family! How could it be the place for some random interloper to step in? Do you hear me?"

Wang Yongzhu listened to Old Granny Zhang’s non-stop talk, finding it both amusing and touching, she hugged Old Granny Zhang’s shoulder, "Mother, don’t worry! Your daughter isn’t that foolish! Our own man, where is the sense in letting go and giving him away to someone else! Moreover, money that’s lost can be earned back, but how could it compare to Brother Song? I have everything in mind, so don’t you worry, just go pack the luggage!"

Old Granny Zhang was finally reassured and went to pack.

Wang Yongzhu left the room and went back to make her own preparations.

Chongjin had been out and hadn’t come back for several nights this time.

Worried about Wang Yongzhu, Old Granny Zhang simply moved in to sleep with her at night, keeping her daughter company and comforting her.

When he didn’t return on the first or second day, Old Granny Zhang comforted Wang Yongzhu, talking about the long journey and especially about those officials, who surely had many people protecting them; one needed to find the opportunity to meet them alone.

When he still hadn’t returned on the third or fourth day, Old Granny Zhang began to panic, but it was Wang Yongzhu who calmly reassured her that it was all right. Even if he met Lord Zhu and produced evidence, how could he prove he wasn’t one of Gao Jin’s men? It would surely require investigation and evidence. During this time, they wouldn’t allow Chongjin to come back.

The fifth day, the sixth day, still no return.

Neither Old Granny Zhang nor Wang Yongzhu had the heart to comfort each other anymore.

Wang Yongzhu clenched her teeth, "Mother, if Brother Song doesn’t come back tomorrow, I’ll go and have a look myself. Once the city’s lockdown is lifted, you all immediately head back to our home."

Old Granny Zhang wanted to stop her, but she was also worried about Chongjin.

She wanted to let Wang Yongzhu go but feared for what might happen; this was her own flesh and blood, her darling girl.

If she really had to choose between Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu, of course it would be her own Zhuzhu.

Thus, she was in a deep dilemma.

The night grew deep, and the mother and daughter lay awake in bed, tossing and turning.

In the end, they simply got up, lit a lamp, and stared blankly at each other.

Just then, Wang Yongzhu’s ears pricked up—something wasn’t right! There was a sound outside! Someone was sneaking in, in the middle of the night!