So what if I traveled through time? I'll continue to roll in another place

Zhou Yao and Wen Xiong packed the samples to be brought to the capital and prepared to leave the smelter.

Qian Xing nervously handed over a list with the names and division of labor of the workers recorded according to Zhou Yao's requirements. "Sir Zhou, this is the list I compiled. Please take a look."

Zhou Yao took the list and glanced through it. "Mr. Qian is thoughtful." He nodded with satisfaction.

"These are all people who have made contributions. I will report the truth to the court and ask for rewards for them." Zhou Yao put away the list and patted Qian Xing on the shoulder.

"I don't deserve it. This is what little people do." Qian Xing's waist was almost bent to the ground.

"Lord Qian has made an indispensable contribution to the successful completion of the new furnace. After returning to Beijing, Lord Zhou will definitely speak well of you in front of His Majesty." Wen Xiong also added at the right time.

After hearing this, Qian Xing was moved to tears and bowed repeatedly to express his gratitude.

"Thank you, Master Zhou and Master Wen, for your cultivation! I will work harder in the future to serve you!"

After enough pleasantries, the group returned to the county government office, preparing to set off for Beijing the next day.

Yan Luo had long known that Lord Zhou had succeeded in improving the smelting furnace. He had also heard about the new weapon that could cut through even a hair and had a blade that would not curl. After seeing the real thing, he found it to be excellent. This Lord Zhou was indeed quite capable.

Zhang Baiyu received the news and rushed to Nantai County to personally escort Zhou Yao out of Xizhou.

Kong Nanlu was also very happy. She finally had the opportunity to contact Zhou Yao. If they didn't meet again, she didn't know how she would complete the task.

Even if he failed to seduce Zhou Yao, if he could steal the blueprints or research results and present them to Mrs. Shen, his merits and demerits would be offset.

She still has a way to go to Beijing to take action. Zhou Yao can't always be on guard against her.

After some pleasantries, the team set out as scheduled the next morning.

Zhou Xing led a team of people to clear the way in front. The carriage shared by Zhang Baiyu and Zhou Yao and Wen Xiong's carriage were in the middle of the team. Zhou Yao specially hired a carriage for Kong Nanlu to ride alone, while Zhou Hong led a team of people to cover the rear.

Zhou Yaodu and Zhang Baiyu were having a great time talking along the way, while Kong Nanlu's carriage followed far behind Wenxiong's carriage. She opened the curtain and looked at the backs of the convoy in front of her, feeling very uncomfortable, not knowing how long she would have to follow.

Zhang Baiyu sent Zhou Yao to Puhe County on the border of Xizhou. Puhe County Magistrate Hou Hongying was there to welcome the adults. Zhou's father had calculated the date and was waiting at the post station with Jiashu.

Seeing that the Tongzhi had arrived, Zhang Baiyu of course had to host a banquet to entertain him.

Zhou Qitai was filled with emotion as he looked at his son. His son had experienced life and death in Jiangzhou, and was the main speaker at the Autumn Banquet. Now, he had brought this newly made and improved ironware to Beijing, which was another great achievement. In less than a year, his son already made him feel very strange and proud.

"Jiashu!" Zhou Yao couldn't help but walk over and hugged this good brother who had been through thick and thin with him. He was a hundred times more affectionate than seeing his nominal father. "Are you okay? How are your injuries?" His eyes were red as he looked at Jiashu carefully.

"Thank you for your concern, sir. I am grateful for your kindness. Now I am fine and can go back to serve you." Jiashu's face was already covered with tears.

After he was rehabilitated and released, he was taken back to the Zhou family to recuperate. He learned a lot of exaggerated news from the people in his family. In his opinion, Zhou Yao went through hardships to return to Beijing to file a complaint with the emperor after being separated from him just to save him and the people of Jiangzhou. He was extremely loyal to this adult.

After the dinner, the adults exchanged greetings for a while. Zhang Baiyu, Wen Xiong, Hou Hongying and others tactfully stepped aside to give the father and son some space.

But Kong Nanlu didn't think so. She forced a smile, walked up to Zhou Qitai and bowed, "Hello, Uncle Zhou." She called uncle sweetly, but Zhou Qitai had no idea who she was.

Zhou Qitai looked at Kong Nanlu, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He turned to Zhou Yao and said, "Who is this?"

Zhou Yao could only introduce: "This is Miss Kong. She used to be acquainted with Yue Shan. She was stranded in Nantai and I happened to rescue her. I let her come to Beijing with me and let Yue Shan settle her down."

Zhou Qitai nodded and said nothing more. He realized that Kong Nanlu's appearance might cause some trouble for Zhou Yao, but he didn't show it in front of Kong Nanlu. He just smiled and greeted Kong Nanlu, and asked her to leave. "Miss Kong, Yao'er and I have a few more words to say, please go on."

Kong Nanlu could only bow and leave, her eyes never leaving the conversation between the father and son.

"Yao'er, you are smart, but you are young and full of vigor. How can you bring a woman with you when you go out on official business? It's really inappropriate." Zhou Qitai couldn't help but remind him.

Zhou Yao said helplessly: "Father, she is Yueshan's friend. I couldn't bear to see her become a prostitute, so I helped her. I didn't have any other thoughts." There was no other way. He could only use his wife's name as a pretext, otherwise he couldn't explain it clearly.

Zhou Qitai sighed, "You are still young and don't understand many things. This woman's identity is unknown. If you rashly bring her with you, you will probably cause a lot of trouble."

He said earnestly: "I know you have a kind heart, but you must be on guard against others. The officialdom is like a battlefield, and you will gradually experience the insidiousness and cunningness of it."

Zhou Yao nodded thoughtfully. He had been busy with smelting for the past few months and had no time to think about why Kong Nanlu appeared in Xizhou and was presented to him by Yan Luo. "Father taught me a lesson. I will be careful."

At this time, Wenxiong came over and said with a smile: "Master Zhou, it's getting late, we should also set off."

Zhou Qitai patted Zhou Yao on the shoulder and said, "Go ahead, and be careful on the road."

Zhou Yao said goodbye to his father, boarded the carriage, and the group continued to head toward the capital. Kong Nanlu looked at Zhou Qitai and the others who were gradually getting smaller, thinking that she finally had a chance to get close to Zhou Yao.

One day, a sudden snowstorm hit, and the team entered a forest. Zhou Yao asked the team to take shelter from the snowstorm and rest for a while before setting off again. Kong Nanlu thought this was a good opportunity, so she quietly got off the car and walked towards Zhou Yao's carriage.

However, before she got close to the carriage, Jiashu discovered her. "What do you want to do?" Jiashu stopped her.

"I...I just want to see Lord Zhou." Kong Nanlu said a little panicked.

"No need, Miss Kong, please go back." Jiashu said bluntly.

Kong Nanlu gritted her teeth and turned back. Jiashu's cold voice sounded behind her, "The Lord and the Young Madam have a very good relationship. I just advise some people not to think too much."

Kong Nanlu gritted her teeth. Zhou Yao had always kept her at a distance, and now there came Zhou Jiashu who was like a guard dog. Not only could she not access Zhou Yao's luggage drawings, she couldn't even get close to Zhou Yao. She really didn't know what to do.

Zhou Yao was eager to go home, and fortunately, except for Wen Xiong who was a little older, the others were all young men. The convoy traveled very fast, and it took less time to get back than it did to go there.

As soon as she entered the capital, Kong Nanlu had been thinking about a solution all the way and finally waited for this opportunity.

When the convoy passed Changxing Lane, she actually fell out of the carriage. Now, every household in Changxing Lane knew that Mr. Zhou had returned, and he had brought back a woman.