Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 1004 - 102_1

Chapter 1004: 102_1

After Jingrui escorted Zhu Yan back to the palace for triple morning visits following their marriage, Jingrui entered the Imperial Palace to meet the emperor, spending a whole day there before returning.

Shangguan Xuanyi, Jingrui, Zhao Youwei and Di Shaowei walked out of the palace together, discussing the situation in the southern border as they walked.

For the past two years, the tax income from Dongguang had decreased significantly. The emperor doubted the reports, thus he arranged for Jingrui to go to the southern border to investigate the true situation.

At the palace gate, Xiao Fuzi greeted Shangguan Xuanyi and Jingrui, saluted them, and then told Shangguan Xuanyi, "Master, the princess says she’s going to dine at the Marquis Shengping Mansion and invites you to join her."

Shangguan Xuanyi nodded to show he understood.

"Have dinner at Marquis Shengping Mansion? Count me in!" Hearing this, Di Shaowei exclaimed. Then he turned to Zhao Youwei and said, "Youwei, come along. You’ve had the food at Marquis Shengping Mansion, you know it’s delicious. We’re leaving the Imperial Capital tomorrow, who knows when we’ll have such food again!" Just the thought of his pending departure to the southern border made his mouth water.

He must take a cook with him no matter what or life would be unbearable.

Going to the Shengping Mansion? There he’d see her. But he had a wife now, it was only right to avoid her and forget her as soon as possible. He had to focus on his princess wife, so Zhao Youwei shook his head after a moment of thought, "I cannot go. We’re setting off after tomorrow. I wish to spend more time in my mansion with my family."

Zhao Youwei indeed desired to spend more time with his princess. The place he was serving in was still radiating from where it was destroyed, so he had to take antidotes every month. He wouldn’t dare to take Fu Ranhui to such a dangerous place. Once he left this time, he did not know when he’d be able to return to the Imperial Capital.

He planned to have her accompany him after the radiation had vanished. He hadn’t mentioned this plan to Fu Ranhui yet — this mattered would not occur for him one or two years. He wasn’t sure if there would be any changes in the position.

Hearing this, Di Shaowei said, "Even if we have to invite the Princess along, she gets on well with Xiao’er. It would be fun to have dinner together. I’ll also bring Jingya and our two children."

Jingrui also urged, "Yes, invite the Princess to dinner at my mansion. After we assume our duties, we don’t know when we will get together."

Shangguan Xuanyi didn’t react: if he refused, that proved he knew his place.

"No, next time. The Princess had an appointment elsewhere today, I don’t know when she’ll return. And, I also made an appointment with the Prince. " Zhao Youwei refused. He could control his behavior, make himself forget her little by little, and avoid any occasions in which he might meet her.

Time will wash everything away. Also, the Princess was nice. He believed that he would naturally become fond of her if he spent more time with her.

After hearing these words, Di Shaowei did not insist. Zhao Youwei left on his own while the other three went towards the Marquis Shengping Mansion. But Di Shaowei turned around halfway to pick up his wife and children.

Xiao’er had been teaching Shangguan Wanru how to play the flute at Prince An’s Mansion all afternoon. Knowing that Jingrui was meeting the Emperor at the palace today, she went directly home for dinner, wanting to see when Jingrui would go back to Nanyue Prefecture.

At the moment, she was sitting by the lake in a pavilion and chatting with Zhu Yan.

Then Jingrui and Shangguan Xuanyi arrived.

"Finally back. I thought father had kept you two for dinner," Xiao’er joked as she saw the two men approaching.

"So many matters to attend to, everything has been delayed!" As regional officials it was rare to see the Emperor in person. There were a lot of issues the Emperor needed to explain to Jingrui. Combining the fact that the Emperor was always busy, and many ministers had requested to see him, Jingrui had to wait for more than an hour just to see the Emperor!

"So, when did father say you have to go down south at the latest?"

"I have to leave the day after tomorrow."

"So soon?" Zhu Yan couldn’t help exclaiming, the honeymoon for the officials was far too short.

"I requested leave to come back when Yun’er got married, so I must rush back the day after tomorrow. This time, I’m considering rushing back by myself first. After Yun’er’s marriage ceremony when I come back here, I will bring you along to assume our new roles. What do you think?" Jingrui looked at Zhu Yan apologetically.

Originally, he intended to go and assume their new roles together, but things had changed unexpectedly. He was promoted and had to go to his post immediately.

Jingrui planned to rush back alone, and get affairs in order so as not to delay too much time. If he went with Zhu Yan, they would definitely be delayed for a long time. That way, the time left to work would only be a month or so, which seemed a bit tight.

If he rushed back alone, the whole journey back and forth would spare him about half a month. That was enough time to arrange a lot of things. He would need a month to get familiar with everything, and then put some of his own people in place. Once his people were arranged, he would ask for leave to come back to the Imperial Capital. This would minimize possible doubts, which was also why the Emperor agreed to his leave.

He had already decided. Even if Zhu Yan went with him, she could only stay at home alone, as he wouldn’t have time to care for her. Rather than worrying about her being alone in the mansion, it would be better to leave her in the Imperial Capital, where everyone could look after each other.

After he had arranged his new tasks, he would then fetch her and go to the new post together. That would only take half a year, and it was not too long.

Zhu Yan never planned to go to assume a role with Jingrui that fast anyway. Firstly, she knew Yun’er was about to get married. Jingrui had just asked for leave and came back, and it was estimated that it would be impossible for him to ask for leave again to attend Yun’er’s wedding. So she felt it necessary as the elder sister-in-law to stay in the Imperial Capital on her husband’s behalf to see Yun’er marry.

"I didn’t plan to go to the post with you that soon. I should at least wait until Yun’er gets married. Otherwise, my mother wouldn’t be able to handle everything alone! I didn’t expect you to start your duty that soon." She was surprised because she didn’t expect Jingrui to start his duty to the south so soon. After all, they had just married three or four days ago. Anyone who experienced this would certainly feel reluctant.

Having to be apart for a long time just after their wedding night, no one would be happy if such thing happened to them. Seeing Zhu Yan was a bit down, in order to lighten the atmosphere, Xiao’er jokingly said, "Brother, big sister-in-law just can’t bear to leave you. You two are newlyweds now, the sweetest time for couples, yet you have to leave each other. You must accompany big sister-in-law thoroughly tomorrow. Don’t do anything else!"

A newlywed couple is supposed to be inseparable. Zhu Yan and Jingrui both seemed to have understood something and simultaneously blushed unspokenly.

"I don’t..." Zhu Yan instinctively denied, but her red face unconsciously revealed contrary emotions.

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