Shipin Dalizheng

Zheng Changzhi returned to the boat and continued to rush back. Half an hour later, he arrived at the dock where he boarded the boat. He changed to a carriage with the Zheng family emblem and returned to the city. Another half hour later, he entered the south gate of Shangjing.

A servant was already waiting at the city gate. When he saw him arrive, he stepped forward and greeted him, "Master, the Madam wants to see you. I have been waiting here for a long time."

This time, Madam Zheng was the half-sister of the deceased Cui. This was how it was in large families. The two families that were married would not break off their relationship just because a woman died. The woman's family would choose another daughter to marry as the principal wife.

Unfortunately, Miss Cui Si did not give birth to her own children, so she adopted a concubine's son and raised him by her side, who was Zheng Changning.

He probably knew what Mrs. Zheng wanted to talk to him about, but he had no interest at all.

After returning to Zheng's house, he changed into a wheelchair. All the servants he met along the way bowed respectfully and called him "Young Master" until he reached the outer study where Prime Minister Zheng was.

The servant who received him said, "Master, the Madam is waiting."

"Let her wait for a moment. I have something to ask my father."

The servant shut up and turned back to report.

Prime Minister Zheng was discussing the current situation at court with his staff. "Your Majesty intends to reclaim Jiangnan, but the Ministry of Revenue is short of money and grain. We've also heard that Jiangnan has been plagued by repeated floods and disasters. North of the Yangtze River has been suffering from a prolonged drought, and many people were said to have prepared to flee north. Suddenly, the river surged overnight, flooding several severely affected counties downstream. The people have been forced to endure for two more months. They're currently relying on grass roots and tree bark to hold out until relief arrives after the autumn harvest."

The staff member said, "The river is rising at the perfect time. Did it rain upstream?"

Prime Minister Zheng said, "Officials upstream have also written to us saying that it hasn't rained, but that a sudden, massive surge of water rushed into the Yangtze River one night. They say it might have been a backflow of water from the Jiangnan River."

The staff member stroked his beard and sighed, "Floods are happening south of the Yangtze River, drought is happening north of the Yangtze River, and the river water from south of the Yangtze River is flowing back, which actually benefits the people in the north of the Yangtze River. It's really hard to explain the cause and effect. Unfortunately, with the Yangtze River between us, we can't get any information back on what's happening over there in a timely manner."

"That is why Your Majesty wants to unify Dai Viet as soon as possible."

In fact, Emperor Xuanning felt that he was not young anymore and wanted to make Dayue intact before his death so that he could meet the ancestors of the Nangong family.

After a few more conversations and discussions about some details of state affairs, Prime Minister Zheng finally looked at his eldest son. This son was incredibly intelligent and would have been the perfect heir to the Zheng family. Unfortunately...

"Changzhi, what do you have to say?"

Zheng Changzhi nodded slightly and said something surprising, "Father, I think I have news about my second brother."

Unexpectedly, Prime Minister Zheng didn't understand for a moment, "What happened to Changning? Isn't he in the military camp?"

Zheng Changzhi's mouth corners curled up inexplicably, as expected.

"It's Jiuan."

Twenty-seven years ago, Mrs. Cui had a difficult childbirth. After she died, Doctor Zhang, despite worldly opposition, performed a caesarean section and took out two baby boys, one named Changzhi and the other Jiuan.

Prime Minister Zheng stared blankly. He hadn't seen his second son, Zheng Jiuan, for more than twenty years.

Twenty years ago, the stepmother Cui took her two children to the Jokhang Temple in Jiangnan to pray for blessings, which took half a year. At that time, the royal brothers were fighting for the throne and Nangong He divided the country into two parts. Cui went through untold hardships and only brought back the eldest son Zheng Changzhi, while leaving Zheng Jiuan in Jiangnan.

Fifteen years ago, the Zheng family received news that Zheng Jiuan had been adopted by a distant branch of the Zheng family, nominally becoming the second son of that family. After repeated attempts to bring him back, they were unsuccessful. Finally, Tang Chuyun, the son of Tang Yuanze, a former Dali Temple official, approached them, offering to travel alone to Jiangnan to accompany him in exchange for the Zheng family caring for his widowed mother.

At that time, the eldest branch of the Tang family had no head of the family, and a group of brothers and relatives bullied them, an orphan and a widow, and wanted to embezzle their meager property.

Prime Minister Zheng agreed to Tang Chuyun's conditions, so Tang Chuyun was sent to Jiangnan, and since then, there has been no news of him.

Over the past decade or so, Prime Minister Zheng had tried every possible means to communicate with his second son. It wasn't entirely true that there was no communication between the north and the south. Certain merchants, armed with tokens, allowed trade. Prime Minister Zheng had passed countless messages through these merchants, but none had ever returned any useful information.

He had accepted the possibility that the child was gone.

His voice was hoarse for a moment, "Jiuan, how is he? Is he okay? What does he look like?"

Zheng Changzhi lowered his eyes. "In the south, his name should be Zheng Jiu, or something with the same pronunciation. He looks like me, the kind that could be mistaken for me."

Prime Minister Zheng was excited. Perhaps he was not completely sure at the moment, but in more than ten years, this was the only information closest to the truth.

"Where did you get this information? Do you have any more? Bring someone to see me and I'll ask them myself."

Zheng Changzhi shook his head slightly. "No, Father, we can't let anyone else know about my second brother. It might put him in danger. Fortunately, we have a name, so it will be easier to send someone over to look for him."

Prime Minister Zheng's face twitched quickly. "You're right."

If Zheng Jiuan's identity is exposed in the south, he will become Nangong He's weak point in threatening the Zheng family.

Of course, Prime Minister Zheng doesn’t know yet that his rib is not soft at all, but rather the hardest among his sons.

Outside the study, Mrs. Cui, whose steps were as light as a cat, stood for a moment and then turned back.

In the study, Old Wen moved his ears but didn't say anything.

The father and son exchanged a few more words, and Prime Minister Zheng began his usual remarks, "You should also pay attention to the marriage your mother has found for you. You are not young anymore, it is time to start a family. At the very least, have a few children to carry on the family line."

Zheng Changzhi found this particularly jarring. His father's expectations of him had been reduced to the bare minimum of carrying on the family line. It was true, he just didn't have feet, not roots.

"The son went out first, the father is busy."

Old Wen turned the wheelchair, and Prime Minister Zheng looked worried. Did he not value his eldest son? But if he did this, he wouldn't be able to serve in the court or earn military merit. It would be better to have more children. After all, they would be legitimate grandchildren of the eldest son, and he could be raised again while he was still young.

The wheelchair was pushed into the courtyard, and Old Wen whispered, "Sir, the Madam has been here."

Old Wen has amazing internal strength, and even the footsteps of acquaintances cannot escape his ears.

"Are you still going to the Madam's courtyard?"

Zheng Changzhi said calmly: "No."

Hearing her caring words, introducing the daughters of officials she was on good terms with to him one by one, and giving her personal maid to him as a concubine, Zheng Changzhi had the illusion that he was being monitored by her day and night for twelve hours.

Did Zheng Changzhi need a woman to marry? Not at all! Although he was born without legs, he was incredibly handsome, ranking alongside Prince Han Jing as the most handsome man in the capital.

Countless noble ladies cried and begged to marry him, but he refused them all.

My thoughts drifted back to the person in red clothes I saw in the villa a few days ago. He was so lively and playful. I’m afraid the whole Shangjing City couldn’t imagine that it was Rong Tang?

"Old Wen, go back to the villa. Xuanque, go inform Tang Fuyun to have the new wheelchair completed as soon as possible. The time for delivery is when the letter of recommendation will be given to him."

The villa is just across the wall from the Tang Mansion, which is very convenient.

"Put away the red dress I asked you to wash. You'll need it in a few days."

Xuanque curled his lips. That pervert, a grown man wearing women's clothes and running away, he is not a man.