CHAPTER 1530: CHAPTER 1530: BLOCKING THE WAY

Zhulan listened to Lady Li’s explanation, realizing it was Ran Wan who noticed the matter first. Lady Li had kept it in mind after hearing, indicating that as a mother-in-law, she was genuinely considerate of her daughter-in-law.

Lady Li said, "Mother, I was a bit worried about Lau Jia. Now it’s resolved, and I don’t need to think about it anymore."

"Hmm, keep this matter under wraps for now. Wait until it’s confirmed before telling the old man."

The old man had been waiting for this child for quite some time. Though he understood Ming Teng was busy, he would still bring up the matter of children with Zhou Shuren. If Ming Teng weren’t from the Zhou family, the old man might have considered taking a concubine for Ming Teng. Fortunately, Zhou Shuren managed to extinguish that idea before it materialized.

In Zhangzhou Province, Lau Jia dared not follow along, regretting that she couldn’t teach the village girls to read and write.

Yushuang consoled, "Your priority now is to take care of your health; don’t overthink."

Lau Jia gently touched her lower abdomen, smiling often these days. Although confirmation would still take some time, she was certain of her condition. "Hmm."

Yushuang was about to give birth; this pregnancy had troubled her considerably. Now that her belly was round and full, the baby seemed calmer, to her delight. "I hope this baby is a girl."

Lau Jia commented, "A daughter would complete the character for ’good.’"

Just as Yushuang was about to respond, Ming Teng returned. "I brought back some fish; shall we have fish for lunch?"

Yushuang asked, "Where did you get the fish?"

Ming Teng replied, "The nearby village was cleaning out their fish ponds. I happened to pass by and bought some. The fish are quite big, around three to four pounds each."

"Ask the steward to buy more later. There’s a pond in the courtyard; we can keep them there and catch them when we want to eat."

She hadn’t kept many fish herself, and the bigger ones had already been eaten. It couldn’t be helped; good things in this area were scarce.

Ming Teng responded, "Alright, I’ll get more. They’ll be perfect for nourishment after you give birth."

Lately, he had been traveling frequently with Liufeng and had noticed the lack of quality goods in the area. Even large fish were hard to come by.

Liufeng returned at noon, seeing the fish feast, and exclaimed happily, "Bring out the fine wine I’ve been hiding!"

Chang Xhong said, "Nephew-in-law, your batch of medicinal herbs is almost collected. We are preparing to return to the capital."

Liufeng asked, "Uncle, can’t you stay a few more days?"

Chang Xhong shook his head and replied, "No, we’ve been away for quite some time. It’s time to go back."

Liufeng thought about it and agreed; it had indeed been some time. "Alright, I’ll prepare some things to send back to the capital."

Recently, he walked with a light step. His efforts in cultivating medicinal herbs had succeeded, ensuring they wouldn’t have trouble selling them in the future. The common folk now had some money. Silver Coin had been distributed recently, and the townsfolk had become more lively, no longer dull and lifeless.

Liufeng thought about his father-in-law’s generosity and pondered what to send back. Alas, there were few good things here; he could only pick something thoughtful to send.

At the imperial palace in the capital, Zhou Shuren was dining with the Retired Emperor. The Retired Emperor first mentioned how the selected seeds this year were good ones and predicted the autumn harvest would yield 10% more.

Zhou Shuren expressed little excitement. "It needs to remain stable for a few generations."

All the seeds planted this year had been carefully chosen, so naturally the yield was higher. A single good harvest could not be considered reliable.

The Retired Emperor glared. "Can’t you let me have some joy?"

"Honest words are hard to hear."

The Retired Emperor huffed in frustration. Fine, he had indeed envisioned a scene of increased grain production and even considered spreading the good news. Now, having been drenched in cold water, the Retired Emperor calmed down. "You’re good at throwing cold water."

Zhou Shuren inwardly rolled his eyes. He was afraid—afraid some provinces would falsify reports for their own career advancement, leading to deceit. "We’re already short on grain. I fear false reporting; when the people need relief grain, they’ll come to me for it. Where would I get it?"

The Retired Emperor lost his appetite. "We can’t completely prevent it."

"Haha."

The Retired Emperor snorted, "Now you’re mocking me too."

"Please, be joyful. I am merely one of the rare ones who speaks the truth."

Over the years, having held a high position, he was acutely aware of the rampant deception in the system. Some things were beyond his control, but when it came to the populace, he couldn’t ignore it. Last year, the grain shortage had caused many deaths. If falsified reports continued, it would be the people who ultimately suffered.

The Retired Emperor sighed deeply. "I understand."

The thought of spreading news of increased yield was completely abandoned.

Zhou Shuren knew the Retired Emperor well and felt reassured this time. This was why he was considered the Emperor’s favored minister—his words truly influenced the Imperial Family’s decisions.

The Retired Emperor shifted the topic, saying casually, "You’re a good one; your Marquis Zhou family is deserving."

Zhou Shuren pondered over the sudden remark, aware that there must be some underlying meaning. Recently, the Zhou family had distanced itself from the Wang clan. He chuckled. "I’ve always understood my position."

A minister is always a minister and must follow the Emperor’s orders while discerning his thoughts.

The Retired Emperor pushed a dish forward, saying, "This is your favorite."

Feeling moved, Zhou Shuren couldn’t deny that the Retired Emperor had treated him generously. Every meal they shared included dishes he enjoyed. Regardless of whether it was a demonstration of imperial strategy, having the Emperor focus his attention on you was an achievement in itself.

Time passed swiftly. In the blink of an eye, Ming Teng and his party had returned to the capital. That day, Lau Jia’s pregnancy was officially confirmed, and the most delighted was Old Master Rong—finally, there was an heir for the Rong family.

Zhulan personally went to inform her uncle of the good news. "Old Master, you can rest easy now."

The old man laughed heartily. "Good, good."

If it weren’t inappropriate, he would’ve gone to see her himself. In his heart, he prayed repeatedly for a son—he hoped it would be a son.

Zhulan didn’t stay long. Upon returning to the main courtyard, she learned that the old man had sent numerous gifts to Lau Jia and smiled.

News reached the Lau Residence, and Madam Ma personally came over. When she saw Zhulan, she recited "Amitabha" multiple times. "Now I can finally be at ease."

Zhulan remarked, "We’ll rely on your care and assistance in the coming days."

Madam Ma replied with a smile, "Of course, of course."

Zhulan invited Madam Ma to join her for dinner. "Later, when the government office closes, have Ming Teng fetch Sir Lau."

Madam Ma agreed readily. "Alright."

At the close of day, Lau Jing left the Ministry of Justice and quickened his steps when he spotted his son-in-law. "Why are you here?"

Ming Teng grinned broadly. "My wife is expecting, so I’ve come to bring you home for a meal."

Lau Jing was stunned for a few seconds before breaking into a smile. His daughter had married into a distinguished family, and she had been married for quite some time without bearing children. As her father, he couldn’t help but worry. In front of his son-in-law, he often felt inadequate. Now, everything was resolved. "Good, good."

Back at the Zhou Residence, Zhou Shuren had just returned home as well. Lau Jing immediately greeted him. "Marquis Zhou."

Zhou Shuren had already heard the good news from his steward. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, same to you."

After dinner, Zhou Shuren invited Lau Jing for a private conversation in the garden pavilion. Without any preamble, Zhou Shuren asked, "You’ve been at the Ministry of Justice for years without advancement. Have you considered your future?"

Lau Jing was stunned but kept his composure, holding his cup steadily. "What do you mean, Marquis?"

Zhou Shuren gazed at the lake. "It’s been too long—things ought to change."

At the Ministry of Justice, Lau Jing’s prospects for promotion were slim. Without catching the Emperor’s attention, he could only endure the stagnation. Additionally, staying in the same position for too long also blocked opportunities for others.

Lau Jing felt uneasy, his thoughts racing. He didn’t feel he had performed poorly, yet here was the Marquis seemingly offering a hand. "Do you mean to say that I’ve been obstructing others?"