The abstinent and powerful minister is cold and aloof during the day, but he adores her in his dream

Chapter 110 Destroyed overnight

The next day, the sky finally cleared up.

As soon as Zhiwan opened the window, she heard Chen Jiu asking Shuang'er, "Has Miss Shuang'er gotten up yet?"

"I'm up, but is my cousin looking for me?" Zhiwan quickly asked.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiu went around to the window and reported, "Miss, the young master said that it's not raining today, and he sent me to ask you if you want to go back to Jurong to sweep the tombs?"

“Yes, please tell my cousin and I’ll be right there,” Zhiwan said immediately.

"Yes, Miss, once you've finished getting ready, please wait outside the villa." Chen Jiu finished speaking and left.

After Zhiwan finished getting ready, she took Ouyang Zhenzhu to the gate of the villa, where Lu Zhan was already waiting.

"cousin."

"Lord Lu."

The two stepped forward and bowed.

Lu Zhan nodded slightly. "Get in the car."

Zhiwan nodded and was about to get into the carriage when a carriage sped up and stopped in front of the villa. Then, a middle-aged man got off the carriage.

He stepped forward and bowed to Lu Zhan, saying, "I am Liang Qixian, the prefect of Yangzhou. I am unaware of your arrival in Yangzhou and have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me."

Lu Zhan stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly, "Ignorance is no excuse, Lord Liang need not take it to heart."

Upon hearing this, Liang Qixian secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He had actually received news that the Emperor had appointed Lu Zhan, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, as an imperial envoy to inspect Jiangnan, and had made preparations to welcome him. He just did not expect that Lu Zhan would arrive in Yangzhou so discreetly and quietly enter the city.

He was startled when he heard yesterday that Lu Zhanren had arrived in Yangzhou.

They thought the imperial envoy had come to Yangzhou incognito to do something important, but unexpectedly, that very evening they received news that Lu Zhan had visited all the brothels in Yangzhou.

His heart, which had been hanging in suspense, instantly calmed down.

This so-called Minister of the Court of Judicial Review is not as incorruptible and upright as rumored.

A libertine who frequents brothels is not difficult to deal with.

He already had a plan in mind. When he saw Zhiwan beside Lu Zhan, he paused and asked, "Is this your wife?"

Zhiwan was taken aback and was about to deny it when Lu Zhan spoke first, "Lord Liang has misunderstood. This is my younger sister."

Liang Qixian was surprised, but an embarrassed expression appeared on his face. "I was blind. Please forgive my offense."

"It's alright," Lu Zhan said calmly. "My sister and I have to go out, so please excuse us."

Upon hearing this, Liang Qixian quickly and tactfully said, "This humble official will respectfully see off Lord Lu and Miss Lu. When Lord Lu returns, this humble official will host a banquet at Hongyun Restaurant. I would be honored if Lord Lu and Miss Lu would grace us with their presence."

"We'll see when the time comes." Lu Zhan neither refused nor immediately agreed.

“Yes.” Liang Qixian stepped aside.

After Zhiwan and Ouyang Zhenzhu boarded the carriage, Lu Zhan boarded another carriage.

Before long, the group set off.

Liang Qixian stood outside the gate of the villa and watched the carriage drive away before leaving.

At this moment, Lu Zhan was in his carriage.

Chen Jiu poured Lu Zhan a cup of tea and then stepped aside.

Lu Zhan picked up his cup, took a sip, and asked in a calm voice, "Did you find anything yesterday?"

"Your Highness is right. Prefect Liang Qixian and Vice Prefect Zeng Gong of Yangzhou are secretly colluding. I haven't had time to investigate the specifics yet," Chen Jiu replied immediately.

Lu Zhan nodded and said nothing more.

Seeing this, Chen Jiu shut his mouth. He knew that the prince's real purpose in coming to Jiangnan was to secretly investigate the descendants of the Prince of Jin, but he would never let go of corrupt officials like Liang Qixian and Zeng Gong.

That's why they made him deliberately spread the news of his visit to a brothel last night, in order to lower Liang Qixian and Zeng Gong's guard against the heir.

This would make it much easier to investigate the two individuals thoroughly. Jurong is half a day's journey from Yangzhou.

It was already afternoon when the group arrived in Jurong.

Stepping back into this county town, Zhiwan was filled with countless thoughts.

Her feelings became even more complicated when the carriage passed by the county government office.

When she was young, her father served as the magistrate of Jurong County. Although his official position was not high, the family lived happily. Her father was well loved by the local people because of his fairness and integrity.

But unexpectedly, all the happiness was destroyed overnight.

Her parents went to Yangzhou, but on their way back, they were attacked by bandits and died tragically at their hands.

Later, thieves broke into the house and ransacked it.

She became a helpless orphan...

She pushed open the window and looked at the house next door with the county government plaque hanging high above it; her eyes welled up with tears.

Five years have passed, and she has only dreamt of this place.

Unexpectedly, one day she was able to come back.

Seeing her staring blankly at the county government office, Ouyang Zhenzhu asked in confusion, "What's so interesting about a shabby county government office?"

Zhiwan snapped out of her daze and retorted, "This place isn't dilapidated. Back then..." She paused, her eyes dimming.

During her father's tenure, Jurong was well-governed and prosperous.

But now, the desolation and decay are everywhere.

"Back then what?" Ouyang Zhenzhu asked curiously. After asking, she remembered that Zhiwan had lived in this place. She paused and asked softly, "I always forgot to ask you, what did your parents do before? And why... did they pass away?"

Zhiwan paused for a moment before saying, "My father was the county magistrate here. He and my mother were killed by bandits."

Ouyang Zhenzhu was so shocked that she couldn't speak. When she realized what had happened, she felt very guilty and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's alright, so much time has passed," Zhiwan said, trying to sound cheerful.

Ouyang Zhenzhu hugged her tightly with a look of heartache and didn't say anything more.

The atmosphere inside the carriage became somewhat somber.

Shuang'er broke the silence with feigned ease, "Miss, I remember that not far ahead is Zhang's Pastry Shop, the one you loved to eat at when you were little. I'll go down and check if it's still open. If it is, I'll buy you some of your favorite pastries."

Zhiwan composed herself and nodded, "Okay."

“Then you must buy more, I want to eat too.” Ouyang Zhenzhu deliberately showed great interest and said to Shuang’er.

"I understand." Shuang'er nodded with a smile.

Lu Zhan was reading a book in the carriage in front when Jiang Shile suddenly stopped the carriage.

Chen Jiu opened the door and asked, "Have we arrived?"

Jiang Shi shook his head, "The young lady's carriage has stopped, and Shuang'er went to a shop."

Chen Jiu leaned out and looked behind him, and sure enough, he saw the carriage parked by the roadside.

He quickly jumped off the carriage and went over to ask, just as Shuang'er finished buying pastries and came out of the shop.

"Why did you stop?" Chen Jiu asked.

Shuang'er quickly pulled him aside and whispered, "Just now, when we passed by the county government office, Miss was reminded of Master and Madam. The pastries at this shop are what Miss loved to eat when she was a child. I thought I wanted to cheer Miss up, so I stopped and bought some pastries."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiu suddenly realized what was going on.

"I bought a few extra so that the young master can have some too." Shuang'er handed him a bag of pastries.

Chen Jiu took it and returned to the carriage in front.

"What is it?" Lu Zhan put down his book and asked.

(End of this chapter)