The Patriarch’s family prepared ten dishes to entertain Zhulan and Zhou Shuren. Because Zhulan and Zhou Shuren returned in the afternoon, they couldn’t buy any good pork, so the dishes on the table were either chicken or wild rabbit.

Zhulan ate with relish. She had spent most of her time eating outside during the days she was on the road, and her stomach was really starving.

After dinner, they chatted for a while before it got dark. Ever since Zhoujia Village was plagued by wolves last year, more families in the village have been raising dogs. Zhulan and Zhou Shuren returned home listening to the barking of dogs.

After returning to the courtyard, Zhou Shuren closed the gate. Jiang Sheng heard the noise and came out with his clothes on. “Dad and mom are back. I have boiled some hot water in the pot. I will bring it back to the house for them.”

Zhou Shuren had enjoyed being served by his son, but he had never enjoyed being served by his son-in-law. He was not used to it and waved his hand, “You don’t have to work hard, we can just get some hot water ourselves. It’s getting late, you should go to bed early!”

Jiang Sheng didn’t dare to disobey his father-in-law’s words, “Then Dad and Mom should go to bed early too.”

After Zhulan and Zhou Shuren simply wiped themselves and washed up, they lay on the kang. The room was pitch black. Zhulan sighed, “This reminds me of when I first came here. I really miss it when I live here again!”

Zhou Shuren hadn’t slept on a heated kang for a long time. He stretched his waist comfortably and said, “A heated kang is still more comfortable.”

As for nostalgia, Zhou Shuren didn’t feel as much as Zhulan.

Zhulan also felt comfortable in the warm bed. She was home and relieved. She could finally sleep comfortably. She hugged Zhou Shuren’s waist and said, “Go to sleep.”

Zhou Shuren dazedly responded, “Yeah.”

The next morning, Xuemei made breakfast. She cooked rice porridge, fried a plate of eggs, and boiled six eggs. Xuemei said, “Mom, I’m not as good at steaming buns as my sister-in-law, so I didn’t make them. Let’s have a simple breakfast first and have a good meal in the evening.”

Zhulan knew that Xuemei was going to the county to buy wine and food. She and Zhou Shuren finally went back to their daughter’s home. Xuemei and her husband felt uncomfortable because their daughter didn’t prepare a good meal. Zhulan didn’t refuse, “Okay, your father and I will wait for a good meal.”

Xuemei smiled happily. She and Jiang Sheng also wanted to show their filial piety. “Yes.”

After breakfast, Zhou Shuren drove the carriage. Zhulan did not get into the carriage and sat outside with Zhou Shuren. Zhulan leaned against Zhou Shuren and said, “Your driving skills are getting better and better.”

Zhou Shuren said: “I still want to learn how to ride a horse, but unfortunately I don’t have the chance.”

Zhulan said, “My father can ride a horse. Let him teach you when we get home. When you have learned it, you can teach me later.”

The original person didn’t know how to ride a horse, mainly because the Yang family had no horses to teach. Later, when the original person got married, she had even less chance to learn how to ride a horse.

Zhou Shuren really loved horses, and learning to ride a horse was as exciting as learning to drive a car. Ancient horses were comparable to modern cars, and top-quality horses were like high-end luxury cars. In the future, when he has more money, he plans to buy a few more good horses.

The horse carriage was faster than the ox cart and arrived at Yang’s house in less than half an hour.

Sun Shi thought she had seen it wrong, but after a closer look, she saw that it was her daughter who had returned. “Oh, I was wondering why there were magpies calling today. So it was you who had returned?”

Zhulan supported her mother and said, “I went on a long trip and just happened to pass by home when I came back, so I came to see Dad and Mom. Mom, where is my dad?”

Sun Shi held her daughter’s hand and said, “Your father can’t sit still. He’s still busy even in his old age. He’s going up the mountain again. Wait, you just said you guys just came back from a long trip?”

Zhulan nodded, “Yes, we went to the capital and just arrived at Zhoujia Village yesterday. What happened to mother?”

Sun clapped her hands, “Oh, your Elder brother just sent you a letter, thinking you were in Pingzhou City!”

Zhulan asked, “Mom, is there anything wrong at home?”

Sun smiled and said, “It’s not bad news; it’s good news. Wu Chun made a contribution. Last winter, he captured a QianhuThis was a military rank in ancient China, equivalent to a “Thousand Household Commander.” This officer was responsible for leading and managing a unit of approximately one thousand soldiers, playing a crucial role in the military hierarchy. from the enemy country and killed many enemy soldiers. This kid, relying on his skills and the protection of the Zheng family, is now a Zuò XiàowèiThis is an eighth-rank military officer in historical Chinese rankings, serving as an Assistant Captain. This position involves supporting higher-ranking officers and overseeing troops, reflecting a significant role in military organization and command.. He’s currently serving under the Zheng family’s Commandant.”

“This is a big deal, mother. Where are the other two nephews?”

Sun smiled and said, “They are all under Wu Chun’s command. The three brothers are together. Everything is fine.”

Zhulan helped her mother sit down, “It’s good that everything is alright. Being safe is the best news.”

Sun Shi’s heart, which had been weighing on her mind for half a year, finally settled down. “I can finally sleep peacefully. Your father was afraid that you would worry about him, so he wrote to you specially. It’s just the same to tell you in person now.”

Zhou Shuren asked, “Mom, did Wu Chun only say these and nothing else?”

Sun Shi said, “Mother doesn’t know many words. What I know is what your father told me. If you want to know something, wait for your father to come back and ask him.”

Sun Shi knew clearly that the old man would only tell her good things, and would not tell her anything else his grandson said. However, she could also see something from the changes in the old man, and if he was happy, she would not worry about it.

Zhulan chatted with her mother for a while about what happened in Pingzhou and what she saw in the capital. As for her mother’s family, Zhulan only told them that they had bought a house, but she did not specify how much they bought.

Sun Shi was impressed by her son-in-law’s ability and was happy that her daughter would be blessed in the future. As a mother, she was happy that the children in the family were good.

It was almost noon when Zhulan’s father Yang Dayong came back. Although Yang Dayong was not young, he was in good health.

Yang Dayong was really happy to see Zhulan and Zhou Shuren. With his sons around him, Yang Dayong was not worried about them, but about his little daughter. Pingzhou City was a good city, but life there might not be more comfortable than in Zhoujia Village. Seeing that his daughter and son-in-law were both fine, he could rest assured.

Zhou Shuren talked about what had happened recently and also told about what he had seen and heard in the capital, especially the planned use of troops.

Yang Dayong looked at his son-in-law a few more times. His son-in-law was very sensitive to the situation. If he really became an official one day, he would be relieved. He whispered, “Although Wu Chun’s good news did not reveal that he would use troops, I also analyzed that Wu Chun had not fought for a long time and estimated that he would use troops. There is no need to fight small battles anymore.”

Zhou Shuren admired his father-in-law and asked, “Do you mean to send troops to the northwest?”

Yang Dayong nodded. “Although the situation in the northwest is not the most tense, it is the most difficult. Our emperor does not like to kill chickens to scare monkeys but prefers to strike tigers to deter them. If the northwest wins, the northeast will be calmer.”

Zhou Shuren touched his chin. The foreign tribes in the northwest were also the most courageous. For more than ten years, the dynasty had been constantly testing and training its own soldiers. Even if there was no battle this year, there would be a major war in a few years.

At the same time, Zhou Shuren felt more relieved. He was still worried that a war would break out in the northeast. Although Pingzhou City was far away from the border, he was also afraid that the border defense would not be maintained and that someone would kill them.

A quarter of an hour later, Zhulan’s two brothers and sisters-in-law arrived. Zhulan distributed all the gifts she had brought. The two sisters-in-law put on the hairpins as soon as they got them, showing that they liked them very much.

Zhulan and Zhou Shuren returned to Zhoujia Village when it was almost dark.

Xuemei and her husband prepared the meal. Except for the stir-fried wild vegetables made by Xuemei, the rest of the pig’s trotters, braised meat, etc. were bought from the restaurant. Jiang Sheng also bought a pot of good wine.

Zhou Shuren and his son-in-law chatted while drinking. Zhou Shuren also gave his son-in-law some advice on how to get along with the county magistrate. The father-in-law and son-in-law chatted for a long time before leaving the table.

Zhulan helped her daughter clean up the table. Zhulan looked at Xuemei’s belly. Xuemei would probably give birth in October. Xuemei and her husband quarreled with Jiang Wang Shi, so she would not come to take care of her during the confinement period.

Zhulan counted the days on her fingers. Zhou Shuren would stay in Pingzhou for a while after the provincial examination. She and Zhou Shuren wanted to go to the capital as soon as possible, so they would naturally not wait until winter to set off. Setting off in winter would be even more painful, so they had to leave in November.

What should Xuemei do during her confinement?

Xuemei saw her mother staring at her belly, “Mom, why are you looking at me like that?”

Zhulan touched her daughter’s belly and said, “Mom is wondering who will take care of you during the confinement period.”

Xuemei was also stunned. Yes, she had a falling out with her mother-in-law, and her mother-in-law would not serve her. As for her mother, her mother was in Pingzhou, and her parents had helped her a lot. She couldn’t trouble her mother anymore. “It’s okay, mother. It’s the same if Jiang Sheng serves her. Didn’t my second brother serve my second sister-in-law back then? Jiang Sheng will have no problem either.”

Zhulan thought that she really couldn’t help, but she could ask Zhou Wang and Zheng for help.

On the second day, Zhulan and Zhou Shuren prepared to return to Pingzhou. Zhou Shuren went to the county to find a coachman to drive the carriage, while Zhulan went to visit Zheng Shi.

Zhulan said to Zheng Shi: “I was in a hurry to come back the afternoon before yesterday and didn’t come. I went back to my parents’ home yesterday and I only came to see you today. I’m really sorry. This is a gift for you. It’s just a small token of my appreciation. Please don’t despise it.”

Zheng Shi had seen good things before, so there was no need for Zhulan to say that she brought them back from the capital.

Zheng estimated that Yang would come today, “Look, you just came and brought gifts, it’s still too polite.”

Zhulan smiled, chatted with Zheng Shi for a while, asked Zheng to take good care of her daughter, and chatted for a while longer. When Zhou Shuren came back, Zhulan said goodbye.

Zhulan got on the carriage and said goodbye to her daughter. The driver drove the carriage and stopped it suddenly at the entrance of the village. Zhou Shuren lifted the curtain and asked, “What’s wrong?”

(End of this chapter)

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