Wu Zhenhai is watering the sycamore tree.
Summer is not a good time for transplanting, and we've put so much effort into this tree, but now it looks listless and on its last legs.
The gardener standing nearby stood with his hands clasped, barely daring to breathe.
What he fears most right now is Wu Zhenhai asking, "Will you survive?"
Especially since there was a tombstone right under the tree, it really gave him the creeps.
However, he was lucky today. Wu Zhenhai wanted to speak with Zhou Xu alone for a while, so he let him go down.
The gardener, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, turned and ran.
"Ruanruan, do you not want to leave me anything? You've always been so heartless," Wu Zhenhai murmured, stroking the tombstone.
The tombstone is carved from white marble; it depicts her smiling at him.
Unfortunately, the craftsman's skills were limited, and he failed to capture her beauty at all.
The servants in the mansion whispered among themselves that she was eerie, but Wu Zhenhai felt at ease only when he looked at her.
"Ruanruan," Wu Zhenhai pressed his face against the statue's, cool as her slightly chilly skin, "You should laugh at me now. Because Old Cabbage Stalk, it really isn't working..."
It's not that no one sends him women, but now he can't even be bothered to glance at them.
Wu Zhenhai doubted his ability to perform.
But he wasn't flustered at all; in fact, he felt a kind of numbness.
"Are you mocking me?" Wu Zhenhai said self-deprecatingly, "Xiao Huai, you need to be taught a lesson."
He paused, then murmured, "Ruanruan, has anyone bullied you? Did you receive all the things I burned for you? Are those guards any good?"
The paper craft shops in the border town have been incredibly busy lately, and they're basically not taking orders from other shops.
--Wu Zhenhai wanted guards today and carriages tomorrow; in short, he took on almost all the business.
The paper craft shop made a fortune, but it also lived in constant fear.
If it's not done well, the shop might get smashed.
"The two young masters born into the Prince's mansion are celebrating their one-month birthday today; I sent gifts for you. Your aunt should be doing well there... I'm too ashamed to see her now, so let's wait a bit. Don't worry, I'll take care of them for you, just like I would my own mother..."
"My lord..." The servant stood at the courtyard gate, not daring to step forward, and called out tremblingly.
"What is it?" Wu Zhenhai's expression instantly turned cold.
The servant stammered, "Yes, yes, the young master has returned..."
"Get out! Tell him to get out, get as far away as possible!"
Wu Zhenhai was completely disappointed in this son.
He sent ten thousand taels of silver to Wu Shao, severing all ties with his father.
Unexpectedly, Wu Shao returned in such a short time.
So much silver, and it's all gone so quickly?
Wu Zhenhai was deeply saddened.
"No, no," the servant stammered, "Please calm down, sir. The young master has returned to apologize to you. He's kneeling at the gate right now, and many people are watching..."
Everyone was waiting to see the Wu family make a fool of themselves! So he had no choice but to come and report back.
Wu Zhenhai frowned and pondered for a moment, then said, "Tell him to get lost!"
"Grown ups--"
Wu Zhenhai suddenly stood up. "If you won't go, I will!"
The servant watched his retreating figure and silently breathed a sigh of relief.
When it comes to family members, adults are always tough on the outside but soft on the inside.
Since he was willing to go and see, it means he eventually softened his heart.
As it turns out, even ordinary people have their own wisdom, and the servant's guess was absolutely correct.
After giving Wu Shao, who was shirtless and carrying a bundle of thorns to apologize, Wu Zhenhai slapped him twice before letting him return to his residence.
--They're all my own children, what can I do?
Hopefully, he's learned his lesson this time and knows his place.
Wu Shao now in a sorry state, looking like a beggar.
When Wu Zhenhai asked him where the ten thousand taels of silver had gone, he shamelessly shoveled food into his mouth and said, "It was stolen."
Wu Zhenhai was so angry he couldn't speak.
Even if you give a son like that mountains of gold and silver, he simply cannot keep him.
What terrible things has he done?!
Oh well, at least there's a little one. He doesn't seem that stupid. I'll help out this idiot from now on.
Keep your own son at home and don't let him go out and embarrass you.
Wu Zhenhai gave Wu Shao a warning, but did not mention Zhou Fu again.
He also saved face for Wu Shao.
Besides, Zhou Fu was already gone before she even entered the house; there's no need for the father and son to say anything more about her.
It can be said that Wu Zhenhai felt he had done his best as a father.
However, he never expected that Wu Shao would do two "major things" upon his return.
In the afternoon, Wu Zhenhai received a message from the Zhou Family, saying that Governor-General Zhou wanted to see him about important matters.
Wu Zhenhai figured that many people must have come to the Prince's Mansion for this joyous occasion.
Governor-General Zhou was definitely unhappy and wanted to summon him to discuss with him who might have surrendered to Prince of Jin.
Wu Zhenhai went there, and before leaving, he stroked Zhou Xu's tombstone and said, "Ruanruan, I'll be right back. I'll be back for dinner tonight, don't be afraid."
He instructed his servants to immediately hang lanterns on the trees and around the area when it got dark.
He's Ruanruan and afraid of the dark.
He placed four Mingzhu at the four corners of Zhou Xu's coffin.
Ruanruan, look, I've always remembered.
That poor little girl never had a moment of freedom in her life; whenever Wu Zhenhai thought of this, his heart ached as if it were being torn apart.
He wasn't a particularly affectionate person; it was just that Zhou Xu had suffered too much, and he realized his feelings too late.
He's still not over it.
When Wu Zhenhai arrived at the Zhou Family, he was told that the governor was receiving guests and asked to wait.
Unexpectedly, the wait lasted for nearly two hours.
As the brilliant sunset spread out and hung on the mountaintop in its final struggle, Wu Zhenhai could no longer contain himself. He grabbed a servant and asked, "Who exactly is the Governor-General meeting?"
The servant looked completely bewildered. "The Governor-General went to the Prince's residence for drinks today and hasn't returned yet!"
Wu Zhenhai was greatly surprised.
The one who brought him here and fooled him is clearly one of the governor's close aides.
He had a bad feeling and turned to leave.
When he returned home, he found everything calm and peaceful, as if nothing unusual had happened.
Wu Zhenhai temporarily put his mind at ease and then sent someone to investigate the servant from the Zhou Residence who delivered the letter and deliberately misled him.
However, for some reason, his heart was still pounding.
Wu Zhenhai walked to the sycamore tree and was about to touch the tombstone when he suddenly felt something was wrong.
Because he noticed that the soil appeared to be loose.
Someone has tampered with this place!
This discovery immediately enraged Wu Zhenhai, his anger reaching its peak.
"Guards!" he shouted angrily.
The servant rushed in from outside.
Who entered my yard?
The servant said, "There are no outsiders, only the eldest young master, who brought an old Daoist priest and his apprentice. They said they've come to check out the feng shui..."
Okay, okay, okay.
Wu Zhenhai was trembling with rage. "Bring that beast to me immediately!"
"Yes, yes!"
However, after a while, Wu Shao was not brought in, and bad news followed one after another.