The Minister: Cold by Day, Hot by Night-Chapter 104: What, Want to Take Him as a Live-in Husband
The night wind scattered Zhi Wan’s voice, and with the small boat already some distance from the larger ship, Lu Zhan didn’t hear her. He stood by the railing for a moment, then walked away.
’Be careful.’
Zhi Wan thought to herself.
"Wanwan, hurry and get under the covers before you freeze," Ouyang Zhenzhu said. She thoughtfully unfolded a blanket and draped it over Zhi Wan.
Zhi Wan snapped out of her reverie. Seeing the blanket on her, she felt a warmth spread through her heart.
It was already early summer, but the nights were still cool, especially out on the river.
The two of them huddled close together.
"If it weren’t for that business with the pirates earlier, I’d say this little boat ride is quite pleasant," Ouyang Zhenzhu remarked, gazing at the starry night sky.
"Yes," Zhi Wan agreed, also looking up at the stars. "But my cousin said the rest of the journey will be peaceful. There won’t be any more pirates."
"That’s a relief." Ouyang Zhenzhu yawned, rested her head on Zhi Wan’s shoulder, and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Zhi Wan couldn’t help but smile, seeing how quickly she had fallen asleep.
She hadn’t been sleepy, but listening to Ouyang Zhenzhu’s soft snores, she started to feel drowsy herself.
"Jiang Shi, thank you for your hard work," Zhi Wan said softly to him as he rowed, just before she fell asleep.
Jiang Shi remained silent as always and didn’t respond.
Zhi Wan paid it no mind. Seeing that Nanny Fang and the two maids were also asleep under their blankets, she rested her head against Ouyang Zhenzhu’s and gradually drifted off.
To her surprise, Zhi Wan slept soundly through the night. She was eventually woken by a lively clamor.
When she opened her eyes, she found it was already broad daylight. They had arrived at a pier, their small boat now moored at its edge. Many cargo ships were unloading goods, and the laborers carrying sacks were already hard at work, a scene of bustling activity.
"Jiang Shi, have we reached Yangzhou?" Zhi Wan asked.
"Yes," Jiang Shi replied from the stern.
Ouyang Zhenzhu and the others were now awake as well.
Jiang Shi glanced at them and said flatly, "You can go ashore now." With that, he disembarked first, then used an oar to help pull them up one by one. Afterward, he returned to the boat and moved their luggage onto the pier.
"Let’s go," Jiang Shi said, hoisting two heavy chests onto his shoulders and leading the way.
Shuang’er and Xi’er took the remaining lighter bundles.
"I’ve never seen this Jiang Shi before. He’s incredibly strong," Ouyang Zhenzhu whispered in Zhi Wan’s ear.
"He’s one of my cousin’s personal guards, too, but he’s usually stationed elsewhere," Zhi Wan explained, her gaze thoughtfully following Jiang Shi.
"No wonder," Ouyang Zhenzhu said with a nod.
After leaving the pier, Jiang Shi hired a carriage that took them to a private villa. He exchanged a few words with the villa’s caretaker, then departed.
"Jiang Shi certainly doesn’t act much like a servant," Ouyang Zhenzhu whispered.
"He’s my cousin’s guard and usually handles his affairs directly. Assigning him to look after us is something of a waste of his talents," Zhi Wan said.
Ouyang Zhenzhu watched Jiang Shi’s retreating figure, then suddenly leaned into Zhi Wan’s ear and said with a mischievous grin, "You seem to have taken quite a liking to him. What’s this? Are you thinking of having him marry into your family?"
Zhi Wan paused, then began to consider it seriously. "If he were willing, I actually would."
"What?" Ouyang Zhenzhu was stunned. "You’re actually thinking about it? But he’s just a servant."
"As long as a person is dependable and trustworthy, status isn’t that important," Zhi Wan said nonchalantly. ’Besides, what man from a good family would be willing to marry into his wife’s household?’
Ouyang Zhenzhu was about to say more, but just then, the caretaker approached. He bowed respectfully to Zhi Wan. "This old servant is Tian Zhong. Greetings, Miss."
Zhi Wan studied him for a moment.
He was a man of about fifty with a kind face. He was a household servant from the Duke Dingguo Mansion who had been sent here to look after the villa in his retirement.
Zhi Wan nodded. "Elder Tian, there’s no need for such formalities. We’ll be troubling you during our stay in Yangzhou."
"Not at all, not at all. It is this old servant’s duty to host you," Tian Zhong said politely. "Jiang Shi already informed me. The Princely Heir will be arriving later. For now, allow me to arrange your accommodations. This way, please, Miss."
Zhi Wan and her companions followed him to a courtyard.
The courtyard was spacious and immaculate, clearly well-maintained.
Everyone was quite pleased. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺
Tian Zhong gave a few instructions and then took his leave.
Although Zhi Wan and her party had slept well the previous night, they were still exhausted from the long boat journey. They spent the rest of the day resting in the courtyard instead of going out.
「The next day」
Just as Zhi Wan was preparing to go out with Ouyang Zhenzhu and the others, Jiang Shi appeared.
"Miss, the Princely Heir left instructions for you to wait for his return. He will accompany you to visit the grave."
Zhi Wan paused, frowning slightly. "Do you know when my cousin will be back?"
Her parents’ grave was in a county administered by Yangzhou, not in the city itself.
’If my cousin wasn’t returning soon, I had planned to go on my own.’
"Three days at the latest, two at the earliest," Jiang Shi said.
"I understand. I’ll wait for my cousin’s return before I go," Zhi Wan said. Seeing him standing there so stiffly with a serious expression, she couldn’t help but ask, "We were hoping to go out for a stroll. Is... my cousin not allowing that either?"
Jiang Shi replied, "He didn’t forbid it. But if you go out, Miss, I must accompany you."
Zhi Wan breathed a sigh of relief. "If you don’t mind the trouble, then you can come with us."
Hearing this, Jiang Shi also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He was away on assignments all year and rarely spent time in the mansion, so he didn’t know this cousin of the Princely Heir very well.
But after following the Princely Heir to Yangzhou this time, he’d discovered just how highly his master regarded her.
He had assumed that, like other sheltered young ladies, she would be spoiled, headstrong, and difficult to serve, and would refuse to let him follow her.
The group set off in high spirits.
It was Ouyang Zhenzhu’s first time in Yangzhou, and she felt its prosperity rivaled that of the Capital City. Everything she saw was new and exciting to her.
"Why is Yangzhou so lively?" Ouyang Zhenzhu asked in surprise.
"Yangzhou is at the crossroads of the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal," Zhi Wan explained. "The grain tribute from Jiangnan is transported to the Capital City along the canal, so all the grain barges must pass through here. Many other merchant ships have to come through here as well."
"No wonder it’s so prosperous here," Ouyang Zhenzhu said with a nod.
"Come on, I’ll take you to try some Yangzhou cuisine today," Zhi Wan said with a smile, pointing to a restaurant up ahead.
The mention of food made Ouyang Zhenzhu’s mouth water. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!" she said eagerly.
When they reached the restaurant Zhi Wan had pointed out, a waiter immediately came out to greet them.
"Welcome, esteemed guests. Would you prefer a private room or a table in the main hall?"
"A private room, please," Zhi Wan said.
The waiter smiled. "You’re in luck. We have exactly one private room left. Please, follow me."
Just as Zhi Wan and the others were about to accept, a young woman dressed as a maid strode over and demanded in a harsh tone, "Waiter, we need a private room!"
The waiter immediately looked troubled. "My apologies, but there’s only one private room left, and these guests have already requested it."
The maid’s expression soured. She shot Zhi Wan’s group a contemptuous look and said belligerently, "Who do they think they are? How dare they try to take a room from the young lady of the Prefectural Magistrate Mansion?"
