Chapter 159: Chapter 159: The Lucky Farr is at Ease, While the Husband with No Heirs is Busy Pursuing His Wife 19
“Yes, Mom, when my sister and I grow up, we want to buy you lots and lots of jewelry, and lots and lots of houses!” Zheye clenched her little fists, her chubby little face filled with determination.
Su Zhiruan smiled and stroked the children’s hair, “Alright, then Mom will wait for you two to grow up, and if there’s a chance, you might even get to et your dad.”
The two children nodded like pecking chicks and then fell asleep, comforted by Su Zhiruan.
After the children had fallen asleep, Su Zhiruan quietly got up and left.
*
Elsewhere, Fu Huaichu obtained all the background information about the two children and that manor house.
In the flickering candlelight, his expression was inscrutable.
All the information on the docunt perfectly matched the entire Su Family village, and the initiator of the trade association was a beautiful woman, who had never been seen with her husband. However, she gave birth to a pair of boy and girl twins, respectively nad Su Zhezhi and Su Zheyue.
He sat in the chair, looking at it for a long, long ti.
That ant the boy and girl he ran into on the road today were his children—his and Su Zhiruan’s children.
They actually had children, and they were boy and girl twins!
Fu Huaichu’s grip on the docunt tightened.
A whole three years!
She hadn’t died, and the Su Family village hadn’t been massacred, hadn’t been burned down!
He sat there, stunned, for a long ti.
The candle burned quietly, and at the end, the wick flared up, crackling and popping.
And Fu Huaichu, in his study, sat up the entire night until dawn broke in the east.
The next day, when a servant entered, he was shocked to find the Crown Prince sitting upright by the desk, his eyes alarmingly red. The servant, in great distress, imdiately knelt down to salute, “Your Highness, peace be upon you—”
“Rise,” Fu Huaichu glanced at him and calmly had him stand up.
Seeing this, the servant looked up to read Fu Huaichu’s expression, but seeing him appear normal, the servant boldly spoke up, “If I may be so bold to ask, Your Highness… did you not sleep at all last night? I will go make the bed for you.”
“There’s no need, don’t worry,” Fu Huaichu put down the docunt, suppressing the urge in his heart to rush off to find Su Zhiruan, and calmly instructed the servant, “Go call An Ying here.”
The servant imdiately obeyed, “Yes, Your Highness.”
An Ying hurried over, and seeing Fu Huaichu in the sa clothes as yesterday, plus his bloodshot eyes, he imdiately understood.
“Your Highness,” An Ying stepped forward to salute, “This is…”
“The two children from yesterday, they are mine.”
His voice wasn’t loud, his tone was even.
But on hearing this, An Ying was outright shocked, “What?! Your Highness! They really are—”
Fu Huaichu nodded.
At that mont, An Ying felt as if the whole world was in turmoil. The two children they’d encountered on the street by chance were none other than the children of their master, the Crown Prince, which ant these two children were originally ant to be the Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess.
“Go find the Prefect of Jiangnan Prefecture,” Fu Huaichu commanded An Ying, having made up his mind.
*
The next day.
Su Zhiruan received word that all the heads of the trade association had been invited to et with the Prefect.
The Prefect’s power in this region is vast, controlling the entirety of Jiangnan Prefecture. When he requested to et with the leaders of the rchants’ associations, there was no room for refusal.
The banquet was set for the evening, and Su Zhiruan had the carriage readied, watching as Zhezhi and Zheyue, who were eagerly gazing at her, waited. She took two small gifts from a servant’s hand and handed them to Zhezhi and Zheyue, consoling them, “Mother will be back tonight. Play by yourselves at ho and don’t run around. If anything happens, go find the steward, understood?”
“Mother, can’t we really co with you?” Zhezhi’s eyes brimd with tears, and her aggrieved little face turned pink at the tip of her nose.
Zheyue looked at his sister and stepped forward. “Yes, Mother, what if we et bad people on the way? What if those people have ill intentions? It would be better if my sister and I accompanied you.”
“Very well, very well,” Su Zhiruan couldn’t help but chuckle. She didn’t squash their spirits; instead, she smiled and gave a thumbs up. “Zhezhi and Zheyue have grown up, capable of protecting Mother. But for today, you two should play at ho. Now, Mother will protect you, and in the future, you will protect Mother, alright?”
“Alright!” The two children chid in unison.
Zheyue touched his little wooden sword and, tugging his sister along, moved away. “Zhezhi, let’s go practice sword-fighting. If you want to check the accounts, just ask Uncle Steward to bring the account books back.”
“Oh.”
…
The two little radish heads walked away together.
It wasn’t until they were out of sight that Su Zhiruan boarded the carriage.
The auntie stood by her side with a sowhat anxious expression, pacing back and forth with her hands behind her back. “Ruanruan, do you think there might be danger this ti out? The Lord Prefect hasn’t called for a banquet in many years. Why suddenly summon a few people from the rchants’ associations?”
“I’m not sure,” Su Zhiruan shook her head, equally puzzled.
Jiangnan Prefecture’s strategic location, economic prosperity, and convenient transportation attract a large number of rchants and countless business transactions.
In the past, the Prefect didn’t pay much attention to this aspect because the Jiangnan rchant circle had already ford a set of norms. Aside from the state-managed salt and iron industries, other sectors flourished, contributing significant tax revenue to Jiangnan Prefecture every year.
“Auntie, there’s no need to worry. Since the Lord Prefect has summoned , there must be sothing to discuss. It’s unlikely that they would make things difficult for ,” Su Zhiruan reassured the auntie instead.
While she was curious, she wasn’t really concerned about her own safety. Having spent a considerable ti in Jiangnan, she was backed by a complicated network of power. Removing her would cause significant upheaval, and she believed the Prefect wouldn’t be foolish to that extent.
She traveled by carriage and quickly arrived at the Prefect’s yan.
“Who goes there?” The Protectors at the gate ca to inspect the carriage. Upon seeing Su Zhiruan, their faces brightened with a smile. “It turns out to be Madam Su, please do co in!”
“Madam Su, the Master has been waiting for you for so ti. The evening banquet is already prepared in the main hall, please co in.”
“Thank you both,” Su Zhiruan disembarked from the carriage, signaling her maids to slip so money to the Protectors, then asked, “May I inquire where are the other leaders of the rchants’ associations? I haven’t seen them around.”
“This…” The two Protectors looked at each other, unable to speak.
One who was quicker-witted hastily said, “Perhaps they haven’t arrived yet, or they might have co in through the back door. Please, you should enter first.”
Su Zhiruan’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she said no more and stepped inside.
She wanted to see what kind of ga the Prefect was playing.
Passing through an elegant small garden, viewing the rockery and the ornantal koi, she followed the leading maid with her own two close maids, silently noting the location.
“Madam Su, this is the main hall. Please, go ahead,” said the little maid with a bow, indicating Su Zhiruan could enter.
She stood at the doorway, looking at the warm candlelight inside, and pushed open the door.
Upon seeing the person at the head of the main hall, she paused, then stood completely still in shock.
The man, on seeing her, glided forward with a sweep of his long sleeves and a smile across his jade-like face. He approached her and spoke softly.
“Ruanruan, it’s been a long ti.”
It was none other than Fu Huaichu!
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