Running Off on a Whim

As the saying goes, you can't judge a book by its cover. Although Eunuch Hai did hate the Feng Clan family, he never actually killed Feng Clan.

Otherwise, the Feng Clan wouldn't have remained unscathed for so many years.

Zhou Wanwan looked at Eunuch Hai and said:

"You'll stay here for a while. Didn't you say you were going to check on the disaster victims in Dongshan Prefecture?"

"Shall I take you to see it now?"

Eunuch Hai laughed and said:

With you taking care of those disaster victims, what do I have to fear?

The purpose of this trip is to obtain the military funds. Noble Consort Ning's intention is to sell all the military funds to the enemy country and turn them into her private property.

The power struggles within the palace are intensifying, and everyone is making preparations.

I risked being beheaded to go back this time, after all, I didn't meet Noble Consort Ning's requirements."

Zhou Wanwan looked at him and said, "Beheading? Surely not?"

Eunuch Hai looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Do you think Noble Consort Ning will forgive me for not doing my job well?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at Eunuch Hai and said, "Then let's not go back! Anyway, you said Dongshan Prefecture is quite nice."

Eunuch Hai sighed and said:

"This place is indeed quite nice, but if I don't go back, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Those eunuchs and palace maids who followed me are in deep trouble."

Zhou Wanwan said helplessly, "Fine! I'll go back with you then. I'm also curious about what the capital is like."

Eunuch Hai advised, "I'm not talking about you, little girl, but the palace is no place for humans. You'd better not go."

Zhou Wanwan was determined to leave, and it became difficult for Eunuch Hai to persuade her otherwise.

He looked at Zhao Qingxi and said, "Qingxi, are you still willing to come with me? I am now... I am now crippled, I'm afraid I am no longer worthy of you."

Zhao Qingxi's eyes reddened as she looked at him and said, "What's with all this talk of being incomplete? Besides, we're both getting on in years. Spending our lives together is more important than anything else."

Eunuch Hai also reddened, and he nodded, saying, "Qingxi, you shall come with me!"

"Um."

Zhao Qingxi respectfully kowtowed three times to Zhou Wanwan and said, "Miss, rest assured, I will be yours for life. If you ever need me, I will help you anytime, anywhere."

Zhou Wanwan looked at her and said, "There's no need for that. Just live your life properly. And here's your wages."

Zhou Wanwan had someone give her 100 taels of silver, but Zhao Qingxi waved her hand and said, "That's too much, I can't accept it."

Zhou Wanwan shook her head and said, "You've been in our embroidery workshop for almost a year; this is what you deserve."

Eunuch Hai took Zhao Qingxi directly back to the villa. Zheng Xing'an looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Miss, shall we go back too?"

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Finally, we got rid of that old eunuch. I'm so tired!"

Zheng Xing'an looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "I don't understand, is what happened today real or fake?"

Zhou Wanwan smiled and said:

"Of course it's true. The Ning Clan was indeed involved in those things back then."

In addition, Eunuch Hai is a nice person, so I finally laid things out with him today.

That way he can become one of us.

Back home, Liu Su'e looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Wanwan, you're back?"

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Mother, I plan to go to the capital."

Liu Su'e nodded and said, "If we're going, our whole family will go together. There's no reason for you to Upper Capital City alone."

Zhou Wanwan asked in surprise, "Didn't you prefer staying at Black Wind Stronghold? Why do you suddenly want to go to the capital?"

Liu Su'e looked at her and said:

"We'll all be going to the capital sooner or later; your eldest brother's and third brother's wives are both there."

Our family will have to go sooner or later, so we might as well go early to get used to it and avoid being looked down upon later.

Zhou Fusheng looked at Zhou Wanwan and said:

"Wanwan, I was thinking of going to the capital to see if I could find my biological parents."

My parents are quite old now, and I want to ask them why they abandoned me back then.

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and nodded, saying, "Okay, then let's Upper Capital City together as a family."

Then we heard Old Madam Zhou's voice:

"Oh! Are you planning to move to the capital?"

We're also planning a trip to Beijing soon! We're going the same way, so maybe we can look out for each other.

Zhou Wanwan rolled her eyes and said, "Why are you here again?"

Old Madam Zhou:

"What? This is my son's house. I can come and go as I please."

Fusheng! Look at your mother, she's so old and her legs aren't strong enough. How can you bear to leave me here in the countryside?"

Zhou Fusheng curled his lip and said, "Mom, to be honest, I think your legs are quite nimble; you walk faster than me!"

Old Madam Zhou sighed and said:

"Fusheng! How can you talk like that, child?"

I didn't mean anything by it. Aren't you guys going to the Upper Capital?

"Can you take me with you?"

Zhou Wanwan was also puzzled. "If your family wants to go to Beijing, they can go to Beijing. Why do you have to come with us?"

Old Man Zhou also came over and sighed:

"Didn't Qingzhou have a lot of debts outside?"

My family can't pay back the money, so I have no choice but to go to Beijing.

When are you leaving? Please look out for each other on the way.

Zhou Fusheng's lips twitched as he said:

"I don't know either. It depends on when Eunuch Hai is willing to leave. I'm afraid we'll have to wait a few more days!"

I'll come and call you when I leave.

Old Madam Zhou nodded, looking at their carriage driveway. "Okay, remember to come pick us up then, we can use any of these carriages."

After they left, Liu Su'e looked at Zhou Fusheng and said, "You really plan to take them with you to the capital?"

Zhou Fusheng said helplessly:

I have no choice but to agree for now.

Otherwise, it will never end. Wanwan, when do you think we should leave?

Zhou Wanwan said, "We can leave anytime we want, so let's leave tonight!"

They don't need horse-drawn carriages!

Zhou Wanwan asked the Old Scholar Tree to take them, and that was incredibly fast.

It can arrive on the same day, much faster than a horse-drawn carriage.

That very evening, Old Scholar Tree hurriedly led his entire family to the capital, without even taking Eunuch Hai with them.

The next day, when Eunuch Hai woke up, he received a letter from the steward.

He cursed as he dressed, "That little brat, running away like that, didn't he even think about how I felt?"

Zhao Qingxi said, "Wanwan must have had something to do and left first. Don't worry, let's take our time getting back to the capital."

Eunuch Hai sighed and said:

"If we really go back to the capital, I don't know how long I'll live. If you come back to the capital with me..."

I'll find you a mountain resort to settle you in. Don't worry, I won't let these things become a burden to you.

Zhao Qingxi looked at him and said:

"Don't bring up the topic of being a burden or not. The fact that we can be together again means there's no such thing as being a burden or not."

I'm willing to go back to the capital with you because I want us to live a good life together for the rest of our lives. As long as you listen to Miss, you can survive."

Eunuch Hai looked at Zhao Qingxi and asked, "Do you think Zhou Wanwan is reliable?"