A Good Country Wife-Chapter 677 - 670_1

"Your Excellency has worked hard and has indeed lived up to My expectations. This year has been tough, with floods followed by droughts, and many places in the north have been hit by disaster. It’s regrettable that the imperial treasury is empty, and relief funds cannot be distributed. Your timely return has resolved a pressing crisis for Me, and I shall surely reward you handsomely!" Huangfu Jing was very pleased to see Zhao Erhu, and set aside his stance to personally help Zhao Erhu rise. Although Zhao Erhu held no official title, Huangfu Jing kept calling him ’Your Excellency.’ Given Huangfu Jing’s nature, such a mistake would not occur unless he had some plans in mind, such as considering bestowing an official position upon Zhao Erhu. However, how the court would react to such a matter was yet unknown.

Huangfu Jing’s original intention was to grant Zhao Erhu a somewhat higher official position. First, because Zhao Erhu had performed a great service and deserved reward, and also to show everyone his eagerness to recruit talents without being confined by convention. However, he had yet to secure full control over the court, and upon making such a decision, those old fossils from the aristocratic families would surely leap out to oppose and cause trouble. Therefore, he had not discussed it with Zhao Erhu yet, as an empty promise, if unfulfilled, would disappoint Zhao Erhu and also cause him, the Emperor, to lose face. Despite this, Huangfu Jing’s words had already hinted at his thoughts.

Zhao Erhu did have ambitions, wanting to gain enough power and wealth to protect his wife and family through hard work. However, given his background, he had never considered holding an official position. He only sought to gain the Emperor’s trust through this affair, thereby establishing his own business empire, so that no one would dare look down on him. Therefore, he paid no attention to Huangfu Jing’s verbal gestures, focusing solely on settling the capital’s affairs quickly to return home to Zhao Family Village and see his wife and son. Months had passed, and he wondered whether his wife had undergone any changes and whether she missed him.

The more Zhao Erhu thought about it, the more earnest he felt. Clutching the ledger in his hand, he knew the Emperor’s urgency and did not say much, directly handing over the ledger, "This is the account book, Your Majesty, please review it."

Huangfu Jing wasn’t much in the mood for pleasantries with Zhao Erhu, but it wouldn’t have been good to rush into business upon his arrival, as it might have made him appear too indifferent as an Emperor. Hence, he patiently exchanged a few words before eagerly taking the ledger from Zhao Erhu’s hands and starting to review it carefully.

"Good, this is excellent! I hadn’t expected overseas trade to be so immensely profitable. The income is several times more than I had anticipated. With this addition to the imperial treasury, there will be enough for the disaster relief funds, and the surplus silver coins will allow Me to undertake more projects that benefit the public welfare."

Zhao Erhu knew that the Emperor’s comments were not meant to prompt a response from him, so he just silently listened. Having been overseas, he was completely out of the loop regarding the situation in Dazhou, so this was the first time learning about the flooding and the drought. He worried about whether his family had been affected by the disasters.

Even after Huangfu Jing had finished reviewing the ledger, Zhao Erhu was still lost in thoughts about his family. Seeing Zhao Erhu’s concerned expression and recalling what he had mentioned earlier, Huangfu Jing roughly understood what Zhao Erhu was worried about. However, he didn’t think less of Zhao Erhu for being sentimental; such a man with deep feelings was good at weighing his priorities and wouldn’t act recklessly for his family’s sake. Moreover, once someone had a vulnerability, Huangfu Jing felt more reassured using him with that leverage in hand.

Thinking of this, he felt somewhat relieved. Luckily, Zhao Erhu’s wife was clever and quick-witted, coming up with a solution for the refugee crisis just in time. Otherwise, by the time he had received the news, it would have been too late to send help, even if he had wanted to. It was fortunate that Zhao Erhu’s wife had successfully dealt with it herself. Otherwise, having previously promised Zhao Erhu that he would look after his family, if anything had happened to Lin Yue, he would have had difficulty justifying himself to his subjects.

"Are you worried about your family, Your Excellency? Rest assured. Though the flood has caused some dangerous refugee situations, fortunately, your wife has resolved them smoothly. A few days ago, I sent Eunuch Li to Zhao Family Village with gifts from Me and also conveyed the news of your return to your family. With that gesture, anyone with a bit of brains and eyesight would know that the Zhao Family is under My protection, and they wouldn’t dare trouble your wife and family in your absence. Be at ease and serve Me well," said the Emperor.

Although the Emperor reassured him, Zhao Erhu could not entirely let go of his worries, particularly after hearing that his wife had personally resolved the refugee crisis, which made him even more concerned. However, since the Emperor had consoled him, he did not dare to show his anxiety and instead presented a visage full of gratitude and undying loyalty.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your compassion. I shall dedicate myself wholeheartedly to carrying out my duties," said Zhao Erhu.

Huangfu Jing nodded with satisfaction upon hearing Zhao Erhu’s eager response. Though Zhao Erhu was somewhat overly sentimental about his family, at least he was clearheaded about his priorities.

Huangfu Jing then inquired about some details of the overseas trade, and Zhao Erhu answered each question. Finally, when Huangfu Jing finished and allowed him to leave the palace, Zhao Erhu went straight to visit Jiang Ziqi at the Jiang Family. Jiang Ziqi had always been attentive to Lin Yue’s affairs, and with the close cooperation between their families, he should be fully aware of the events at home and Lin Yue’s recent situation. There was no better source for news than asking Jiang Ziqi.

When Zhao Erhu arrived at the Jiang Family, the servants ushered him in immediately upon recognizing him. It turned out that Jiang Ziqi, knowing Zhao Erhu would return in a day or two, had instructed his servants to wait at the entrance and welcome him upon his arrival.

"Mr. Zhao is becoming more capable by the day. You’ve handled your tasks well and gained the Emperor’s favor. It’s only a matter of time before you’re appointed an official. You must be quite proud to have the time to visit my residence. Are you here to inquire about news from Zhao Family Village?" Jiang Ziqi greeted Zhao Erhu with a mix of sarcasm and mockery the moment he walked through the door.

Zhao Erhu was somewhat baffled, unsure of how he had offended Jiang Ziqi, especially since he had just returned from overseas. Despite Jiang Ziqi’s attitude, Zhao Erhu wasn’t angered. After all, he had known Jiang Ziqi for a long time and was well acquainted with his temperament. Moreover, he still sought to learn about his village from Jiang Ziqi.

"Brother Jiang, I hope you are well. However, such a tone is somewhat... unsettling. I wonder what has happened during my absence that would provoke such ridicule from you upon our meeting," Zhao Erhu knew it was better to voice his questions directly than to guess in his mind.