You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 95 Rising at the Rooster's Crow
Zhong Lingxi sat in front of the dressing table, looking aggrieved, letting the maids do her makeup and dress her up.

She recalled the events of the previous night, and her cheeks and ears burned again.

At that most terrifying moment, she suddenly went into shock, her mind went blank for a moment, and she was so confused that she didn't feel any pain, but her body still feels a burning pain afterward.

When has Miss Zhong ever suffered such a loss? In the mansion, if her stepmother says a few words to her, Zhong Lingxi will scratch her if she gets upset.

I was 'beaten' so badly last night.

Besides, I didn't do anything wrong. I obediently rode in the carriage for so long that my buttocks were numb. Why should I have to suffer the pain?

"What a wicked thing!"

Chen Shao woke up early in the morning, and after washing up, he went to find Liu Guanglie without even eating breakfast.

Through the matchmaking of Liu San Gongzi, Chen Shao wanted to establish connections with the officials of Fuyan Road.

Liu Yanqing, the old minister of Fuyan Road, was leading his troops to follow Tong Guan and was heading towards Hebei.

Liu Guangshi, on the other hand, was training under Zhong Shidao in Yongle City.

Fuyan Road and Hongzhou are right next to each other, and the local officials are very enthusiastic. Those who received invitations arrived early, and those who did not receive them also came shamelessly.

The areas under Chen Shao's rule, such as Yanzhou and Youzhou, were rich in cattle and sheep, salt and iron, licorice, horses, and furs. Each of these products was a best-seller.

Who wouldn't want to make a profit from it?

Previously, the Western Xia and the Song Dynasty fought every day, so their Fuyan Road bordered Hongzhou, a strategic springboard, which was extremely unlucky for them.

Now things are completely different; what was once a war zone has become a trade route, and its future prosperity is already foreseeable.

Chen Shao was very accommodating; by maintaining good relations with these minor officials, he didn't need them to do anything. As long as they didn't cause trouble, it was a great convenience.

Therefore, it is necessary to give them some benefits.

This is a classic example of spending little money to accomplish great things. Otherwise, no matter you are the Dingnan Army Commissioner, you are useless!
You have no jurisdiction over Fuyan Road, and if the officials make things difficult for you, they have a million ways to do it.

Seeing that Chen Shao is so easy to talk to and very frank, if you give him a hint, he'll dare to directly state his terms.

As a result, these officials gradually became bolder.

Chen Shao went out early and came back drunk.

Zhong Lingxi had just finished bathing with the help of her maids, and her hair was still wet.

Seeing Chen Shao come in, she was angry and turned her head away to continue drying her hair.

Her long, smooth, jet-black hair had some sparse, short, untrimmed hairs along her hairline. These stray hairs blended with her fair skin, making it appear even whiter and more enchanting, and sparking the imagination.

She slowly tidied herself up, inserting a real gold flower into her hair. The light-colored dress, with a touch of bright yellow, made her look more relaxed and comfortable at home.

The young lady was quite vain, Chen Shao thought to himself with a smile. His wife was about the same age as Chun Tao, and their personalities were somewhat similar.

Seeing that she wasn't talking to him, Chen Shao, though drunk, wouldn't argue with a little girl, so he took the initiative to ask, "Are you getting used to sleeping here?"

"I'm not used to it!"

Zhong Lingxi is young and has a clear, crisp voice, with a touch of innocent naivety.

Chen Shao heard it, and although it sounded fierce, he couldn't feel any disgust. Instead, he found it quite cute.

I lost my virginity to Chun Tao a few days ago and it took me a long time to coax her, let alone this new wife whom I only met a day ago and who I don't even really know.

A maid brought over a cup of hangover soup, and Chen Shao drank it without feeling anything.

Neither its effectiveness nor its taste was nearly as good as what Li Shishi made for him, but fortunately he wasn't a picky person.

“It’s alright, stay a few more days, then we’ll go back to Youzhou. I’ll give you a courtyard; you can tidy it up however you like.” Although Zhong Lingxi had a stern face, she had developed a very special feeling for Chen Shao since that night.

It was a kind of dependence that was hard to explain.

She secretly hoped he would talk to her more, especially in such a gentle way.

"I heard your stepmother call you Huanhuan?"

“That’s someone’s childhood name. Only the closest people can call her that. My stepmother gave me her prettiest dress, and that’s why I allowed her to call me that.”

After a long day of socializing and scheming, Chen Shao felt incredibly refreshed talking to such a lovely young woman when he got home.

"Can I call it that?"

Zhong Lingxi suddenly felt a little shy. She blushed and thought for a while before nodding seriously.

The next morning.

Just as dawn was breaking, a rooster crowed "Cock-a-doodle-doo" outside the window.

The loud crowing of a rooster does indeed possess a unique power.

No wonder the ancients would rise at the crowing of the rooster to practice martial arts.

Chen Shao stretched his body; it was time to get up and start his day.

At this time every day, when he opens his eyes, there are countless things to deal with and a multitude of tasks waiting for him to handle.

It's not easy to rule a region alone, especially in an era when separatism is not a common practice.

Many things require balance and careful consideration; even a small matter can lead to unexpected consequences.

The autumn mornings are cool, and it's so comfortable and pleasant to snuggle under a thin blanket, holding a soft, smooth, and warm young girl's body in your arms.

He glanced down at Zhong Lingxi; she was sleeping soundly, soft, sweet snores escaping her nose, her long eyelashes fluttering gently, utterly serene, like a cute little kitten.

Last night, I just promised not to poke her, and she was overjoyed. When I held her last night, Huanhuan took the initiative to tell me a lot of funny stories from her childhood.

Most of them were with her stepmother.

Through her narration, Chen Shao gradually came to understand that these were two lively characters.

In the Zhong family, their seniority is too high. For example, Zhong Shidao's wife is almost seventy years old, but she still has to call Zhe Shi "auntie".

This allowed the two of them to act with impunity in the Zhong family mansion.
Chen Shao carefully pulled his arm out from under her head, sat up, and started to get dressed.

At this moment, Zhong Lingxi turned over, muttered something, kicked off the quilt with her legs, and lay on the bed with her petite, delicate, and fair body, which made Chen Shao's heart flutter.

After covering her with the blanket, Chen Shao went outside, where two maids had already prepared breakfast.

Chen Shao only ate a bowl of porridge with a few light side dishes. His stomach didn't belong to him right now; he had to eat and drink for the people of Dingnan Five Prefectures.

The maid brought willow twigs and salt to help Chen Shaosi wash up and brush his teeth.

Chen Shao looked at the two maids and felt that they were a bit reserved. In fact, most women are like that; they are respectful when you keep them at a distance, but disrespectful when you get close.

As the male head of the household, he was not yet familiar with them, and they did not understand his character, so he would naturally be cautious.

After Chen Shao finished dressing and fastening his belt, he said, "Madam is young and doesn't understand many things. You should teach her more often."

The two maids blushed and responded.

(End of this chapter)