Golden Branch

"If the salt matter is really as Wang Mian said... I'll give her another credit!"

The people Lou Yu sent out to investigate have not returned yet. However, more than ten years have passed, and the truth about the secret medicine is now before his eyes. He has long believed Wang Mian.

"Well, of course I should give her credit. Amian suffers the disadvantage of being a woman."

Thinking of Di Zhanggui's achievements over the years, Wang Heng felt very sorry for her.

Not to mention anything else, just the huge amount of money and food she raised for the prince and the court should be enough to reward her handsomely.

Unfortunately, she was a woman of humble origin, and it was a sign of the saint and the prince's kindness that she was granted the title of a princess before her marriage.

If it were a more foolish king, he might have attributed Wang Mian's achievements to her father, brother, or husband.

In ancient times, even in Dayu, where people were relatively open-minded, there were huge differences between men and women.

Fortunately, Wang Mian is broad-minded, or rather, she has always been self-deprecating and never thinks how great her contributions are.

She is also open-minded and believes that "if I succeed, it's my fate; if I lose, it's my luck".

Wang Henghui and Wang Mian have maintained their friendship for more than ten years. Even after they got married and started their own families, they did not drift apart. This was because she admired Wang Mian very much.

"Aheng, fortune and misfortune go hand in hand! As a woman, Wang Mian has indeed lost the glory that should have belonged to her, but it is also precisely because she is a woman that she has avoided certain crises!"

As a male superior, Lou Yu thinks more and more complicatedly.

Wang Mian's origins are strange, and the knowledge she possesses is too magical. Not to mention anything else, just a small porcelain bottle... If she were a man, mastering so many magical methods would definitely arouse the fear of those in power.

Of course, neither the saint nor the prince is such a petty, foolish and incompetent person.

However, those in power will more or less be on guard against uncontrollable strong people.

Wang Mian’s current condition is just right.

The saint and the prince will continue to value her and give her enough glory and wealth.

As for Wang Mian, her achievements may be reduced, but she will not become more powerful than her master and eventually bring disaster upon herself.

Wang Heng listened to Lou Yu's words, thought about it, and nodded slowly: "Brother, you are really thoughtful. Amian is the best."

After a few small talk, Wang Heng brought the topic back to the point: "That former governor is quite a perceptive person."

Wang Heng said he was "insightful", not only because he could greet the couple respectfully outside the governor's mansion.

Two months ago, the Ministry of Personnel issued the appointment document.

Lou Yu became the governor of Nanzhou, and the former governor of Nanzhou was transferred to the capital.

According to official practice, the former governor could leave Nanzhou and go to Beijing to take up his post after receiving the transfer document from the Ministry of Personnel.

As for the handover affairs of Nanzhou, they will be handled by assistant officials such as Beijia and Changshi.

The former governor of Nanzhou was not in a hurry to leave. He first vacated the governor's mansion and then waited in Nanzhou.

Such respect and humility not only showed his reverence for the two noble ladies, Princess Langya and Duke Qi, but also his eagerness to make friends with them.

"This person has mediocre abilities, but he's quite clever!"

Lou Yu did not have a high opinion of the former governor.

After all, for someone as intelligent and almost demonic as him, the former governor who had wasted more than ten years in office could not be considered capable.

Fortunately, the former governor was just incompetent, not stupid.

Lou Yu was willing to pretend to be nice to him.

"He specifically waited for us in Nanzhou. Not only did he want to show his affection, he probably also wanted to do us a favor!"

Lou Yu said calmly, "Let's wait and see. If what he brings out is valuable, I'll give him a certain reward!"

"……Um!"

Wang Heng nodded and did not continue the discussion.

This is how she and Lou Yu get along. Lou Yu will not hide his official duties outside from her, but she will not interfere too much either.

After discussing some more matters, Lou Yu looked at Wang Heng with concern: "Heng, you must be tired!"

His little girl was already delicate, and now that she was pregnant and had to travel a long distance, she must be very tired.

Lou Yu said as he stood up and picked up Wang Heng. "Go to the bathroom first, wash up, and then have a good rest!"

Although there were spacious four-wheeled carriages on the road, and we never had to make do with them just to get by, being on the road was not as good as being in a fixed courtyard.

Although the backyard of the Governor's Mansion was narrow and dilapidated, it was a house that had been renovated according to Wang Heng's preferences and was barely habitable.

After some time, when everything is settled and Lou Yu has dealt with all the threats from Nanzhou and Nanbang, Wang Heng can live in the villa outside the city.

"I'm sorry to have to bear with Ah Heng for the time being!"

Lou Yu carried Wang Heng to the bathroom while whispering his plans.

Wang Heng reached out and put her arms around Lou Yu's neck. "Brother, it's good that you understand my grievances!"

She can be a spoiled little drama queen, but she won't be so understanding as to say "I'm not wronged" when she feels guilty about her husband.

She just feels wronged!

From childhood to adulthood, in the nearly twenty years of her life, she has never suffered any hardship.

Now, she traveled to southern Xinjiang for love, suffered a difficult journey, and arrived in a dilapidated house. How could she not feel wronged?

Lou Yu smiled, his eyes full of doting: Ah Heng is like this, pretentious and acting like a spoiled child.

But it is also the most real and vivid.

A certain little pervert who has disguised himself deep in his soul, likes Wang Heng's true nature the most.

Lou Yu dismissed the servants and personally helped Wang Heng wash and change into her pajamas.

A pair of fox eyes couldn't help but be stained with lust.

It's been three months now, and both the Imperial Physician and Divine Doctor Li have said that it's OK—

However, thinking that they had just arrived and Ah Heng had not yet adjusted, Lou Yu swallowed hard and forced himself to suppress his surging emotions.

Lou Yu carried Wang Heng back to the dormitory and placed her on the newly made bed. He then pulled a thin silk quilt over her.

He kissed her cheek gently, "Go to sleep!"

"Well! Brother, please settle down as soon as possible!"

Wang Heng yawned, said something to Lou Yu while her consciousness was fading, and then fell into a deep sleep.

Looking at Wang Heng sleeping soundly, Lou Yu leaned over and kissed her forehead and nose again... before leaving reluctantly.

He did not rest early as Wang Heng suggested, but returned to the study to continue handling affairs.

In addition to many matters such as Nanzhou and Nanbang, his desk was also piled with news from the capital, as well as the northwest, Liaodong and other border areas.

Although located in the remote southwest, we are not disconnected from the outside world.

Lou Yu has been operating for many years, and his secret guards and spies are already spread all over the world.

Especially the capital, which is his base camp and his foundation, he will never relax.

"After two years, Gaochang and Tuyuhun were successively conquered, and the Western Expedition Army finally returned to the capital..."

Just two months after Lou Yu left the capital, he and Wang Heng were still on the road, while generals Xiao Wuji and others returned to the capital.

Lou Yu just missed Xiao Wuji perfectly.

"The sage led his army straight to Goguryeo on the ninth day of the seventh month. The crown prince is acting as regent, and Zhou Jiming has been promoted to General of the Hundred Cavalry Division..."

Lou Yu used his fingernails to pinch hard on the line of words, leaving marks.

There were early signs that the sage would lead the army in person.

It is even more reasonable for the crown prince to regent.

Only this week will it become clear——

"He is becoming more and more favored by the Saint!"

Lou Yu could sense Zhou Jiming's ill will towards him, and he could also guess the reason.

He had no grudge against Zhou Jiming, but he was still full of malice towards him.

There is no other reason except jealousy.

Perhaps in Zhou Jiming's eyes, Lou Yu is just a lucky man because of his background.

But he never knew that when Lou Yu was studying, he only slept two hours a day.

In Yizhou, he chose to follow the Prince of Qi, which was also a huge risk.

At that time, the struggle between the Emperor and the Saint had reached a fever pitch.

Several of the saint's confidants were framed.

Even though he was the crown prince of Qi, he was constrained and the credit for the canal was snatched away. This is an obvious fact.

Even the Prince of Qi suffered injustice, let alone his little follower.

Many of the things that Lou Yu suffered are unknown to outsiders and even more difficult to imagine.

There was also the Xuanwu Gate incident, in which Lou Yu sneaked into the capital and, by playing the emotional card, stole the Lou family's heirloom, and then stole 100,000 Lou family soldiers.

Speaking of this matter, it seems like just a light sentence.

In fact, it was Lou Yu who gambled with his own life.

Before he went to the Duke of Anguo's Mansion, he was even prepared to "rob by force if he failed to cheat."

And snatching things from the battle-hardened general Lou Jin is like teasing a tiger's whiskers.

Lou Jin does have some father-son affection for Lou Yu, but not much.

Lou Yu never expected to be favored and indulged by Lou Jin.

If you fail, you may be regarded as a rebellious son of the family.

They were punished by the masters or even expelled from the clan.

...For the losers, they are at the mercy of others.

In addition to Lou Jin, there is also the Lou family army.

Tsk, do you really think that a Lou family ancestral Fang Tian Ji can easily fool those arrogant and powerful generals?

Lou Yu was able to control General Lou by relying on his absolute crushing force of force.

With a halberd, Lou Yu knocked down several lieutenant generals from their horses, which frightened the Lou family army. He then led them out of Sanguan and into the grassland, achieving great military exploits!

Lou Yu only has a face as white as jade and flawless.

There were scars all over his body under his clothes.

The most severe one is on the chest, a four or five-inch scar that is hideous and terrifying.

His hands, which looked very handsome, turned over and his palms were covered with thick calluses.

...However, these were erased by "Zhou Jiming" and others.

It was as if he was born with a good life, with a noble title, a smooth career, and the infinite favor of the saint and the prince, all of which seemed to be within his reach!

"Oh! How can I be so lucky?"

"Even His Majesty and His Highness have made great sacrifices to achieve what they have today!"

Lou Yu knows his own hardships and can understand the efforts of others.

Unfortunately, there are some people who only envy the glory of others but are unwilling to acknowledge their efforts!

"Zhou Jiming, you are a villain!"

He's also a villain with malicious intentions towards him.

Although Lou Yu was far away from the capital, he would not relax his surveillance of the "enemy".

Lou Yu picked up a pen and began to write down all the latest information about Zhou Jiming.

This booklet was the "evidence" he used to deal with Zhou Jiming later.

Lou Yu kept many similar books, including those for Zhou Jiming and other officials in the court.

……

It was late at night and Wang Heng had fallen asleep peacefully.

Lou Yu was still working at his desk.

The couple were busy with their own things and completely forgot one thing -

There is also a "guest" in their team.

"Princess, they, they just left like that?"

Anu was a little confused. How come everyone dispersed in just a blink of an eye?

The huge convoy quickly dispersed. Some followed Lou Yu and his wife into the Governor's Mansion, some were busy moving things, and some were patrolling around the Governor's Mansion...

There is no need for the master to give any orders, as a group of slaves, guards, etc. all work in an orderly manner and perform their duties.

Soon, there was only one carriage left outside the noisy gate of the Governor's Mansion.

Anu looked around, completely confused: "Princess, what should we do?"

Should I enter the Governor's Mansion and continue to rely on Governor Lou's family, or go to the stronghold in Nanzhou?

Nanbang is adjacent to Nanzhou. Ashlin, the princess of Nanbang, once studied in Nanzhou and has been building up her power in Nanzhou in the past two years.

She has more than one base in Nanzhou.

There are properties both inside and outside the city.

There are also many spies hidden in all walks of life, and even in the inner courtyards of wealthy families.

In addition, with the help of charm and secret medicine, Ashlin also made several officials of the state government her slaves.

These people are all extremely obsessed with Ashlin.

Not to mention that they were just "staying here temporarily", even if Ashlin wanted their lives, they would be willing to die.

Asilin can't do whatever she wants in Nanzhou, but she won't end up with nowhere to go either.

She had too many choices, but Ashlin was still in a very bad mood at the moment——

It was obvious that Wang Jiu was the one begging her, and Wang Jiu was already at a disadvantage in front of her. Wang Jiu should have served her and praised her.

She should be Wang Jiu's distinguished guest and should be respectfully invited into the governor's mansion.

huh~~

A damp and sultry wind blew, and on the spacious government street, there were only two petite figures, which looked quite desolate.

Ashlin:...Wang Jiu, don’t you want the secret medicine anymore?

Or is it that after a few words of praise from state officials, your princess syndrome has come back?

it is good!

very good!

I want to see if you are really that patient!

When Ashlin was in Nanzhou, she was used to being praised.

After getting to know Lou Yu and his wife, he had to be servile and fawn on them for the sake of his own plans.

She endured for several months, and finally found an opportunity to "fight back" after Wang Heng became pregnant.

Wang Heng was indeed bewitched by the secret medicine and began to weaken in front of Ashlin.

In the past half month, Ashlin has regained that feeling of being high above and looking down on everyone.

But just when she thought she had Wang Heng under control, she was slapped hard in the face.

Ashlin was both embarrassed and annoyed, and couldn't help but swear inwardly: "Wang Jiu, you need something from me, yet you dare to be so arrogant!"

"Just wait, I'll find a way to make you beg me!"

Pregnant women are naturally sensitive.

Ashlin didn't believe that Wang Heng could really resist the temptation of the secret medicine.

As long as Wang Jiu still wants the secret medicine, he has to lower his head, bend over, or even kneel down.

"To the inn!"

Although Ashlin was furious, she did not completely lose her mind.

Her base in Nanzhou cannot be exposed.

Even if you have to be exposed, you have to wait for the fish to take the bait.

Wang Heng: ...As long as you are happy!

Next, a new game began, and Ashlin had been kicked out of Wang Heng's game...