CHAPTER 1522: CHAPTER 1522: A MIXED BAG OF GOOD AND BAD

In the afternoon, Zhulan skipped her midday rest and stood eagerly at the front gate of the residence, waiting for her son to return home. When she caught sight of the carriage, she said excitedly, "The carriage is here!"

Zhao hurried to follow her mother down the steps. "Mother, please take it slow."

The carriage came to a halt, and Chang Xhong jumped down after lifting the curtain. "Mother, your son has returned!"

Zhulan grabbed her son’s hand and then raised her hand to touch his face. If it weren’t for the norms of ancient times, she would have hugged him tightly. "You’ve grown taller; you’re already as tall as your mother. Good, very good."

Chang Xhong, however, burst into tears. "Mother, when I left, you were in good health and looked so dignified. It’s been a year and a half, and you’ve aged so much."

When he had left, his mother’s gray hair had been hidden and unnoticeable, but now there were considerably more strands of silver. He sobbed loudly.

Zhulan also wiped her tears. She hadn’t seen her son in over a year, and she had missed him terribly.

Zhao interjected promptly, "Mother, let’s talk inside—the place is filled with people out here."

Zhulan held her son’s hand tightly. "Indeed, let’s go inside to talk."

Chang Xhong didn’t forget about Lou Jiaqing. Turning to Steward Ding, he said, "This is Lou Jiaqing. Is Shen Xing at home? If he is, take him to meet Shen Xing."

Steward Ding smiled. "He is. Shen Xing returned to the capital just the day before yesterday and is currently resting at home. I’ll take this young master to meet him right away."

Chang Xhong addressed Lou Jiaqing, "I’ll come to meet you tomorrow."

Lou Jiaqing, without an indenture, was originally supposed to go to the Qin Prince Residence but had continued to follow him. Since his brother-in-law wasn’t in the capital at the moment, Shen Xing, as his mentor, was the only person he could turn to.

Lou Jiaqing glanced at the plaque of the Hou Residence. This wasn’t the kind of place he should stay, so he followed Steward Ding back into the carriage.

Zhulan already knew of Lou Jiaqing; her son had mentioned the boy extensively in his letters. Now, looking at him carefully, she noted his refined and handsome appearance. Tugging her son toward the front gate, she muttered, "This boy has such a valiant look."

His facial features were very well-defined, particularly his nose, which was the most striking. His posture was upright—a natural talent for martial training.

Chang Xhong, feeling a bit jealous, remarked, "Mother, what about your son?"

Zhulan chuckled. "My son is adorable."

Chang Xhong’s face flushed with embarrassment. "Mother, I’m grown up now—don’t call me adorable."

Zhulan laughed softly. "Alright, alright, my son has grown up."

Once they reached the main courtyard, Chang Xhong said, "Mother, Brother Wu Ming has entered the palace. When he leaves, he’ll return to the Wu Residence and asked me to let you know. He said he’ll come visit you and Father tomorrow. Also, he brought a lot of gifts for you and Father."

Zhulan glanced toward the entrance, noting four or five cargo carriages filled with boxes. "Such extravagance."

Chang Xhong smiled. "Some things that are valuable in the capital are much cheaper in the south."

He had seen plenty of treasures in the south—at the Treasure Pavilion, even displays made of half-human-height red coral were no rarity. In the areas under Brother Wu Ming’s jurisdiction, the merchants were all extraordinarily wealthy.

Leaving the government office, Zhou Shuren and Qiu Yan chatted as they stepped out. Hearing a cheerful "Father," Zhou Shuren exclaimed, "Oh, my youngest son is back! Quick, let me take a good look at you."

Qiu Yan, who also hadn’t seen the youngest son of the Zhou family in over a year, noted that the boy had grown significantly taller. Moreover, his attire looked more lavish now, and the jade pendant at his waist was of excellent quality.

Zhou Shuren affectionately embraced his son while muttering, "Ah, in a few more years, your father won’t be hugging you anymore."

"Why not?"

Zhou Shuren gestured humorously. "By then, you’ll have grown taller than me, and hugging you would seem ridiculous."

The visual image amused him—he didn’t even want to imagine it.

Chang Xhong burst into hearty laughter. "No problem—then your son will hug you."

"Does that make a difference?"

"No, hahaha! Or perhaps I’ll carry you on my back."

"That sounds more reasonable."

Qiu Yan stepped forward. "It’s good to have you back."

Chang Xhong greeted him respectfully. "Hello, Uncle Qiu."

Qiu Yan smiled warmly. "It’s good to see you back. Your father hasn’t stopped talking about you."

Chang Xhong grinned, his eyes curving with joy. "Hmm."

Qiu Yan looked at the father-son duo standing before him and clicked his tongue inwardly. Among Zhou Shuren’s sons, this youngest one was the most handsome. After exchanging a few more words, he made his departure.

Zhou Shuren questioned his son about his observations and experiences, not intending to test his studies. With Wu Ming overseeing those, his lessons wouldn’t lag. Instead, he was more interested in hearing about the situation in the south, which had developed rapidly since the trade routes opened. Over the past two years, the silver coins brought to the Imperial court from there had also stimulated considerable growth in the region.

Stroking his beard, Zhou Shuren mused, "The development in the south has exceeded my expectations."

"It’s not just you—your son personally witnessed how quickly things changed during his year in the south."

Zhou Shuren asked, "Didn’t you ever consider taking a boat to explore the seas?"

Chang Xhong spread his hands. "Your son didn’t have the opportunity."

He had been strict supervision the entire time.

The father and son returned home, where the meal was already prepared. Chang Xhong was soon surrounded by his two older brothers.

Zhou Shuren turned to his eldest nephew. "Did my eldest nephew miss me?"

Mingyun chuckled. "Of course, Uncle. Without you around, the household was much quieter."

To Ming Hui’s relief, the absence of someone to rely on in family disputes had made things far more peaceful.

Chang Xhong grinned. "I’ve brought gifts for everyone."

He had purchased these gifts with silver coins, and in his happiest moment, his mother hadn’t confiscated his remaining money. Right now, he was living rather extravagantly!

After dinner, Zhou Changyi, who was staying to share the family reunion meal, sought out his father alone in the study and discussed the proposal from his future in-laws. "Father, what do you think?"

Zhou Shuren paused in thought. "Since they’re considering this, don’t sell the medicinal herbs from Liufeng directly to the pharmacies this year. Selling to merchants would be better. If the county office moves directly toward the pharmacies, it’ll be reported upwards and attract too much attention in Zhangzhou Province. Next year, the Liu family might not even get the chance."

The problem wasn’t the Liu family’s lack of influence but Zhangzhou Province’s complex environment. The capital, with its abundance of nobility, was highly competitive, employing every conceivable tactic. For the Liu family to secure a stable place there, it wouldn’t be easy.

Chang Yi replied, "The Liu family anticipated this and contacted me ahead of time. They also mentioned that they would be responsible for procuring the medicinal herbs from Liufeng County."

Zhou Shuren tapped his desk. "Send a letter to Liufeng, instructing him to avoid making excessive reports for now. Wait until the Liu family arrives before filing reports—it’s not too late. Doing so can also avoid cases where someone suppresses the information and fails to report."

Liufeng, as the Zhou family’s grandson-in-law, wouldn’t face direct "peach-picking" actions. However, his reports could be suppressed or delayed until a new official arrived in Zhangzhou, allowing his superiors to determine the extent of Liufeng’s achievements. Even if forced to swallow a humiliation, the Zhou family wouldn’t be able to back him. Such situations would always be infuriating.

Chang Yi jotted down his father’s instructions. "I’ll go back and write the letter tonight. It will be sent urgently tomorrow."

Zhou Shuren nodded. "Tomorrow, inform the Liu family too. Since Liu Dacong intends to make the trip, they should assign a reliable person to accompany Liufeng. That way, next year, they’ll already be familiar with the situation."

Chang Yi made a note of this as well, then hesitated for a moment before saying, "Father, the Qie family currently controls the pharmacies. Do you think they’ll cause trouble in the future?"

Zhou Shuren chuckled coldly. "Who says the Qie family will always control the pharmacies?"

Upon hearing this, Chang Yi felt reassured. The elder master clearly had plans of his own. That explained why his father’s proposal didn’t seem to favor the Qie family at all. "Father, can you provide a hint to your son?"

Zhou Shuren didn’t even lift his eyelids and waved him off. "It’s late—go back and get some rest."