Chapter 1489 - 1487: Request for an Audience
Chapter 1489: Chapter 1487: Request for an Audience
Leaving the medical hall, the two took a carriage to find an inn.
Seeing the familiar buildings flash by outside the curtain, Xia Ruqing felt a bit emotional.
"When was the last time we came here? I’ve almost forgotten!"
Zhao Junyao didn’t respond to her words and simply asked,
"Qingqing, are you sure you want to stay at an inn?"
"After coming so far, aren’t you going to visit Jingfeng and the others?"
Speaking of Xia Jingfeng,
In recent years, his performance as an official in Jiangnan has been outstanding, receiving excellent evaluations from the Ministry of Personnel year after year.
The Jiangnan, which used to frequently suffer from floods,
has seen not a single flood in recent years. Even the crops’ harvests and the standard of living for ordinary people have improved significantly compared to earlier years.
This place is originally a land of fish and rice.
It was just that in the past, frequent floods kept the people from improving their lives.
Now that the flood problems have been dealt with, combined with the people’s relentless efforts and favorable weather, consecutive years have yielded bountiful harvests.
Families have surplus grain, each household has silver, they eat well and dress in fine silks, and life is undoubtedly flourishing.
This is how ordinary people are.
Once their lives have hope, they focus all their strength in a positive direction.
With their persistent efforts, the following year’s harvest surpasses that of the previous year.
Over time, this has created a positive cycle.
Six or seven years have passed, and Jiangnan is now greatly transformed and significantly wealthier than before.
The streets have become lively, and passersby are no longer in a hurry. Both sides of the street are filled with vendors’ stalls, and business is booming.
Scholars gather in groups of three or five to admire the beautiful scenery, sometimes composing poetry or painting.
Well-dressed ladies stroll leisurely down the streets under oil-paper umbrellas, either admiring the exquisite trinkets by the roadside or visiting rouge shops in groups.
Children from the east house want candied haws, while the child from the west house craves pancakes.
The old madam of a southern family desires pastries, while the old gentleman from the north is out to buy alcohol.
Amidst the comings and goings, there’s an air of bustling prosperity and leisure.
Xia Ruqing leaned on the edge of the carriage, gazing outside with longing eyes.
"I really like it here!"
Though she knew no one, it felt familiar.
Perhaps she lived her last life in such a bustling place, which is why it always feels familiar.
Zhao Junyao nodded.
"Do you like it here? Why don’t we find a place nearby to stay?"
"Let’s be honest, I don’t like staying in inns!"
He didn’t like staying at inns where things had been used by many others.
Xia Ruqing recalled this and quickly nodded.
"Alright!"
"Let’s do as you say. I’m fine with staying anywhere!"
Thinking back to the time after her grandmother’s passing in her previous life, she almost ended up on the streets.
It was through her own efforts that she gradually moved into slightly better housing.
Indeed, the small rental room in a farmers’ building was already quite good for her; at least it provided shelter from the wind and rain.
Xia Ruqing shook her head.
"Strange!"
Why did she keep recalling things from her past life recently? Could she be going back?
"What is it?"
Zhao Junyao didn’t understand what was on her mind and asked when he noticed her pale face.
"It’s nothing!"
"I just remembered some things from childhood!" She made an excuse casually.
Zhao Junyao nodded knowingly.
"Oh, this is your hometown, so it’s natural for you to feel more attached!"
Xia Ruqing gave an awkward smile and said nothing,
all the while complaining internally: "Hometown my foot, I don’t even know where my hometown is!"
The most important thing is, I can’t go back!
...
The carriage traveled down the street, and Xia Ruqing was torn all the way.
An hour later, having nearly toured the entire Jinling City, she still hadn’t decided where to stay or whether to visit Jingfeng.
Zhao Junyao couldn’t help raising his eyebrows at her several times.
"Is it that hard?"
Xia Ruqing was very conflicted.
"Yes, it’s really hard!"
"If I go, though, Jingfeng is now a governor and must be very busy! I’ve never met his wife, and showing up suddenly would surely scare them!"
"If I don’t go, I don’t know if I’ll regret it! We’re off to Guangnan, and who knows when we’ll be back!"
She went back and forth, still unsure whether to go or not.
Zhao Junyao calmly issued an order to the carriage driver outside.
"Head to the Governor Xia’s Mansion!"
"Yes!"
The eunuch driving the carriage responded, and the carriage moved off.
Xia Ruqing opened her mouth to say something, but Zhao Junyao stopped her.
"There’s nothing left to say!"
"You’re just going back and forth in circles; even if he’s busy, he’ll still have time to host you!"
"Besides, even if it startles them, it’s better than you regretting it later!"
"That’s true!" Xia Ruqing nodded.
Then she happily rode the carriage to Xia Residence.
It’s the Governor Xia’s Mansion.
...
Xia Ruqing guessed correctly; Xia Jingfeng was indeed busy.
However, his busyness wasn’t about current matters but arranging for the coming months.
Guangnan had suffered storms and flash floods, causing severe damage.
Although this had nothing to do with Jiangnan, still... as the saying goes, when the lips are gone, the teeth get cold.
Guangnan borders Jiangnan, and in the face of disaster, there are many displaced people, and epidemics may arise anytime.
If they don’t make preparations in advance, the consequences will be unimaginable if the refugees pour in.
As the parent official of Jiangnan, he is obliged to minimize these foreseeable risks.
That day,
he was, as usual, busy in his study, reading history books.
Reading history can offer foresight. He wanted to see if similar disasters had been faced in history and how they were handled.
Just as he selected a satisfactory history book to read in detail, he heard a servant boy report from outside.
"My lord! There’s a gentleman and a madam seeking an audience!"
"Hmm?"
Xia Jingfeng’s eyes showed a trace of suspicion, but his steady face showed no expression.
By middle age, well-read and with years of field experience, he had mastered the art of not showing his emotions.
Most people couldn’t discern any expression from his face.
Xia Ruqing secretly complained about this: What’s with these men, is the deadpan look so amusing?
After the servant boy described the visitors’ attire, Xia Jingfeng still harbored doubts.
(It’s been years since they’ve seen each other, and they’re dressed plainly, how could he recognize them from that!)
Having eliminated all familiar faces from his mind, he was tired of guessing.
"Since they’ve come to request an audience, there must be important business. Bring them to the council hall, I’ll be there shortly!"
"Yes!"
The servant boy complied and left.
Xia Jingfeng adjusted his attire before a mirror and then strode out.
Over the years, from being pale and thin and bullied by the household servants to now being the head of the family with many servants,
he still couldn’t get used to being served by others.
He felt that personal matters had to be managed by himself to be at ease.