Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Master Zhou, I can't accept this," Xiao Luolan forcefully pulled back her hand, hastily removing the gold thread from her wrist and placing it on the desk, creating a crisp sound that broke the silence of the study.

Standing up, Xiao Luolan retreated in a flurry of panic, accidentally knocking over the inkstone on the desk with her robe. The black ink spilled over, staining the papers she had been writing on, blurring the words into indistinct blobs. The ink dripped off the edge of the desk onto the green mat.

Zhou Xu's face still wore a smile. The few streaks of grey at his temples added a touch of elegance to his stern features, softening his imposing aura. Sitting calmly, he first placed the gold thread in a clean corner of the desk, then righted the overturned inkstone, and tidied up the books on the desk before placing them on the floor. His actions were unhurried and composed.

Xiao Luolan looked at the mess on the desk and floor with regret but refused to step closer.

Ever since returning from the cave that day, she had been haunted by the image of Master Zhou's gaze at the cave entrance. In the dim shadows, he seemed like a fierce wolf, his eyes piercing and covetous, causing her to wake in cold sweats, restless. Fearful of her daughter noticing her distress, she had deliberately arranged for her daughter to sleep in the neighboring Apricot Flower Residence.

"This Master Zhou is completely different from the one I usually interact with, as if he is wearing a mask," thought Xiao Luolan, growing increasingly fearful. She never intended to seek him out, thinking he had forgotten about them, but unexpectedly, he came on his own.

Xiao Luolan's mind was in chaos, unable to fathom why Master Zhou harbored such feelings for her.

Xiao Luolan looked out the large open window. Her daughter was reading in a small pavilion in the middle of the lake, with Fang Yun fanning her.

Under her wide sleeves, Xiao Luolan's hands were clasped together, sweaty and uneasy. Struggling with her emotions, she finally didn’t confront the truth, feigning ignorance to Master Zhou, "Thank you for your kindness, Master Zhou, but this Dragon Boat Festival gift is too valuable, I cannot accept it."

Zhou Xu, hearing her much more indirect refusal than before, stood up and straightened his robe, intending to approach her, but she suddenly said, "Don't."

Xiao Luolan, standing by an antique shelf and seeing Master Zhou coming closer, hurriedly said, "Master Zhou, please don't come over."

Zhou Xu glanced out the window and understood her thoughts.

She didn’t want her daughter to see, nor did she want to get close to him. The boundary between them was clear.

Zhou Xu smiled and walked away. As he approached, Xiao Luolan's cheeks flushed with urgency, and she hastily moved away from the window, standing outside the study, head bowed.

Zhou Xu leaned against a column, looking at the uneasy Lady Xiao, and sighed, "Lady Xiao, your avoidance pains me."

Xiao Luolan couldn't tell if he was joking or serious, as even then, Master Zhou was smiling.

Zhou Xu approached her, and as her body tensed, he lifted her hand and placed the long-life thread back on her wrist. After a moment, he said, "If you don't like it, throw it into the lake. Once given, I, Zhou Xu, never take things back."

Xiao Luolan watched his tall figure leaving and removed the golden thread he had given her once again.

That night, in the Eastern Pavilion, Xiao Luolan lay in bed. She had already organized her clothes and jewelry in a small wooden box during the afternoon. Master Zhou's gifts were also neatly packed away. Staring into the dark night, occasionally hearing the night watchmen on the street, she thought about her plans for the next day, finding it hard to sleep.

Besides practicing calligraphy every day, she had almost read through all the books in the Bamboo Pavilion and often chatted with Fang Yun and the servants in the Dou residence. She gradually understood how to integrate into this ancient era. The first step was acquiring a household registration. As Taiyang County was a rare place untouched by the wars, with its water transport and influx of merchants, laborers, and refugees, the household registration system was much more relaxed. Many unregistered residents could acquire local residency after living there for a year. Being strangers in this land without relatives or property, she thought of bribing the head of household registration to get a local residency, perhaps as a Guofang resident.

Originally, Xiao Luolan planned to do this in Langge, but now she had to change her plans. She wanted to find an opportunity to discreetly proceed, hoping to be successful. It was worth a try.

Xiao Luolan, touching the silver coins in her pouch, felt a tumult of emotions. She was genuinely grateful to Master Zhou for helping her in her time of helplessness and resolved to repay him if the opportunity ever arose.

Sometimes, Xiao Luolan wished she was just overthinking things, her mind a mess of thoughts. Eventually, she drifted into a restless sleep.

The next day, hearing her mother's words, Xiao Qingxue put down her steamed bun and thoughtfully asked, "Mom, are we not going to Langge anymore?"

"I think Taiyang is quite nice. In a few days, we'll see if we can get a household registration here. If possible, we'll settle down here. Langge is a big city, and living costs are certainly much higher than here," Xiao Luolan said, holding her daughter's hand. "What do you think?"

"I'll be wherever you are, Mom," Xiao Qingxue pondered and then added, "But the Governor of Taiyang and Master Zhou are not allies. If Master Zhou leaves, what if the Governor targets us?"

Xiao Luolan remembered the scene of Governor Li scolding Master Zhou, and the bubbling hope in her heart deflated. Could it be possible, but what if Governor Li was a vindictive man?

Xiao Luolan felt trapped in a dilemma, wondering if it might be better to continue following Master Zhou to Xunjiang or Nanning counties.

"We'll go and see this afternoon," Xiao Luolan told her daughter, to familiarize themselves with the household registration process. They couldn't rely on Master Zhou for everything.

Xiao Qingxue naturally had no objections: "Okay."

In the afternoon, hearing that Lady Xiao and her beloved daughter were going out, Lady Dou prepared a carriage for them.

Xiao Luolan, standing at the doorway with a veil hat to avoid attracting too much attention, watched Xiao Qingxue also wearing a white veil hat. Lifting the corner of her hat, she saw Dou Daliang dismounting, and the servants leading the horse to the stable.

Dou Daliang looked quite different from his younger brother; while the County Magistrate was rather rotund, Dou Daliang was so thin he looked as if a gust of wind could blow him over. It was hard to believe they were brothers.

"My respects to Mother," Dou Shengming greeted.

"Hmm, Daliang, are you tired from working with Judge Xu?" Lady Dou asked with concern for her rarely home elder son.

Dou Daliang's face was stern and serious: "I am not tired."

After a brief exchange with her son, Lady Dou turned to Lady Xiao, "Lady Xiao, where would you like to go for a stroll?"

"We just plan to wander the streets casually, thank you for lending us your carriage," Xiao Luolan replied, giving Lady Dou a deep bow of gratitude.

Remembering the military governor's special regard for Lady Xiao, Mrs. Dou arranged four robust servants specifically to drive Lady Xiao's carriage.

After they left, Dou Shengming led a horse from the stable and followed behind Madame Xiao's carriage. After a while, he noticed that he wasn't the only one following; a few Lei clan riders were trailing the carriage too, one of whom he vaguely recognized as an elite member of the Lei family, often guarding the Jiedushi.

As Dou Shengming pondered, he discreetly followed the carriage. The Lei clan rider noticed him and became even more covert.

However, both of them realized that Madame Xiao's carriage was heading to the household registration office in the north market.

The office, located at the northwest corner of the north market county yamen, consisted of five connected rooms. The wide doors were open, with people queuing in long lines, and a clerk was working at a long table.

Xiao Luolan instructed the coachman to stop the carriage nearby. Looking at the people handling their household registrations, Fang Yun kneeled on the carriage, asking, "Master, are you here to register for household residency?"

"Fang Yun, my previous registration is far away. Now, I want to get a new one. Is that possible?" Xiao Luolan asked nervously.

Fang Yun, with limited experience, struggled with her master's question, sharing her knowledge: "I am not sure, but I remember a man in my hometown who escaped taxes and married a widow. When the amnesty came, he reported to the village head and got registered after verification."

Realizing this was possible, Xiao Luolan saw the long line of ordinary people in plain clothes, some of whom were curiously looking at the luxurious tung oil carriage parked nearby.

The Dou family's robust servants drove the carriage farther away, puzzled about why the noble person from their household was visiting the registration office.

Xiao Luolan thought hard and felt her plan was feasible, combining what she learned from Fang Yun, books, and her daughter's historical knowledge.

She deduced that the dynasty's household registration system was collapsing under heavy taxation, causing lower-class people to become refugees to evade taxes, leading to situations like Fang Yun mentioned. The growing power of Jiedushi made it hard for the government to manage registrations effectively, prompting policies for refugees in the survivable regions of Youzhou.

"Mother, it's about registering with the local authorities," Xiao Qingxue reminded her smilingly, thinking like her mother that it was easier to get registered during chaotic times, a vital step for survival.

"Let's come early tomorrow," Xiao Qingxue suggested, seeing the end of the long queue.

Xiao Luolan watched for a while before returning. Passing by the north market county yamen, she saw the Taiyuan prefecture magistrate's residence, its gates tightly closed. Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves echoed, followed by Lei Hu and Lei Bao riding quickly with several Lei clan riders from the Daining Square, startling many prominent households in the area.

Xiao Luolan and Xiao Qingxue, seeing Lei Hu and Lei Bao after a long time, noticed Lei Hu with a young, dirtied, and drunken man bound on horseback, gagged with cloth, desperately crying towards the Li mansion.

Behind Lei Bao was a long line of bound servants from the Li household.

Xiao Luolan intended to steer the carriage away but then saw Zhou Zongzhu riding slowly towards them with a black whip.

Xiao Luolan lowered the bamboo curtain, her heart skipping a beat, hoping he wouldn't notice the Dou family carriage.

Lei Hu dismounted and dragged the man from his horse.

Soon, the gates of the Li mansion opened.

Li Bobo emerged with others, hands clasped behind his back. Upon seeing his eldest son, his hands clenched tightly, his face turning ashen.

Zhou Xu, sitting on his horse, smiled and said, "I heard Governor Li was looking for his son. By chance, I found someone among the beggars and refugees who greatly resembles your son. Please take a look and see if he is the one."

Zhou Xu drew his long sword, its bright blade reflecting a dazzling light. Next to Li Bobo, Zhang Wei and his daughter-in-law nearly lost their breath in shock, with the woman shouting loudly, "Zhou of Youzhou!"

Zhou Xu used his sword to lift the young man's chin, revealing his face: "Governor Li, please take a good look."

The young man's eyes were filled with rage, struggling on the ground, but his hands and feet were tied with leather thongs, rendering him immobile.

Li Bobo's cheeks twitched violently. Li Hanzhang remained stoic, neither speaking. Unable to bear it any longer, Zhang Wei and her daughter-in-law ran to the steps. The daughter-in-law embraced the dirty young man and wept silently, while Zhang Wei, terrified of Zhou of Youzhou and despite her resentment, dared not make a scene, pleading softly, "Zhou of Youzhou, he is indeed our eldest son. Please, let him go."

Zhou Xu smoothly withdrew his sword and sheathed it: "I thought so. After all, I found the Zhang family crest on this gentleman. Madam Li, as the beloved daughter of the Zhang Fengche Commander, do you recognize this copper emblem?"

Zhou Xu produced a copper badge, engraved with the character 'Zhang' in an ancient style, with a gun pattern on the back.

The woman, recognizing the badge given by her father, glanced at her son's evasive eyes, and felt faint. Knowing the special status of Youzhou, her father had specially provided her with a hundred household troops at her marriage, all well-trained by veteran soldiers for her protection.

She vaguely recalled how, a month ago, her eldest son pestered her for the badge, saying he wanted to take some young troops to hunt in the suburbs. She hadn't thought much of it then and had given it to him.

Zhang Wei, looking at Zhou of Youzhou's cold, piercing eyes on horseback, turned pale, realizing the gravity of her son's offense.

Li Bobo stepped forward, stopping his wife from continuing: "Zhou of Youzhou, thank you for bringing the eldest son of the house back."

Zhou Xu tossed the badge into his saddlebag, grasping the reins and declared, "Governor Li, I came only to confirm this person's identity as your son. However, your eldest son is implicated in the assassination attempt against me. I certainly cannot let him go."

After saying this, he leaned down and grabbed Li's eldest son by his belt, lifting him up and tossing him onto Lei Hu's horse, face down, like a sack.

Zhou Xu laughed heartily as he rode off, followed by a troop of light cavalry. Yang Duwei bid farewell with a salute. Soon after, the cries and wails of the Li family's womenfolk could be heard.

Xiao Luolan witnessed all this and saw the Li Governor sending servants to help his wife and daughter-in-law inside.

The Dou family's carriage quietly passed through the north market, with Xiao Qingxue sitting beside her mother, whispering, "Mother, it seems Zhou Zongzhu is taking action against Governor Li."

Xiao Qingxue always felt Zhou Zongzhu, with his unrestrained laughter, was like a major villain, especially since the Li family members were quite presentable. Li Hanzhang was handsome and cultured, and Governor Li was a refined middle-aged man. Standing beside the crude Lei clan, they looked like the victims of a villain's oppression if one didn't know the details.

Xiao Qingxue was about to say more when the window's bamboo curtain was suddenly lifted by a black whip.

Zhou Xu greeted them, "Madame Xiao, what a coincidence. Are you and young Miss Xiao out shopping?"

Xiao Qingxue was startled, secretly relieved she hadn't voiced her thoughts.

Xiao Luolan was also startled, then nodded in agreement: "Yes."

Zhou Xu, noticing only a single jade bracelet on Madame Xiao's wrist, twirled his whip and smiled, "Since you're shopping, I won't disturb Madame Xiao and young Miss Xiao."

Xiao Luolan breathed a sigh of relief, not daring to raise her head to look at Zhou Zongzhu.

After the carriage had gone a distance, Zhou Xu returned to the yamen with his riders, handing over Li's eldest son to Judge Xu. By evening, after the interrogation, he returned to the Dou residence. A Lei clan scout of average appearance reported in detail every move Madame Xiao made outside, and then quietly excused himself after finishing.

Xiao Luolan was about to bathe, removing her hairpin and about to take off her peony flower decoration, when she heard the meowing of her cat, Snowball, at the window. It was meowing quite loudly, so she approached the window to open it, and unexpectedly saw Zhou Zongzhu.

Zhou Xu released the cat in his arms, allowing it to leave, still dressed in his daytime attire: a dark robe, leather belt, and black boots, with his black whip still at his waist.

Xiao Luolan, upon seeing Zhou Zongzhu, paused for a moment before averting her gaze, "Zhou Zongzhu, it's late. Is there something you need?"

Standing at the window, Zhou Xu looked at Madame Xiao and said somewhat roguishly, "Can't I visit Madame Xiao without a reason? I wanted to see you, so here I am." He had started his day at dawn to capture the 'little mouse' from the Li mansion, a task that proved time-consuming and frustrating. Returning to hear his scout's report, Zhou Xu felt a fire burning within him.

"Madame Xiao once promised to call me 'Young Master Zhou'. Does that not hold true anymore?"

"Previously, Madame Xiao and I spent many nights discussing poetry..."

Xiao Luolan bit her lip, interrupting him, "Zhou Zongzhu, I am a married woman. It's inappropriate to meet frequently. Please refrain from such remarks."

Xiao Luolan was relieved that at least one aspect of her identity was true – to others, she was a married woman. She hoped this would make Zhou Zongzhu more considerate. She was willing to be friends with Zhou Zongzhu, but nothing beyond that, to avoid entanglements with someone from this ancient era.

Zhou Xu's smile faded upon hearing this.

Xiao Luolan was startled by Zhou Zongzhu's reaction but still resolutely met his gaze.

Under the faint moonlight, Madame Xiao's loose raven hair fell behind her, with only a blooming peony in her hairdo, similar to what Zhou Xu had seen the day before. Her pale wrists were bare, her eyes defiantly meeting his, her lips slightly bitten, adding to her allure.

Zhou Xu smiled faintly, acknowledging that indeed, Madame Xiao was a married woman, something he had known from the beginning.

He proceeded to do what he had intended the day before with Madame Xiao.

Zhou Xu reached out to remove the peony flower from the temple of Madame Xiao. Xiao Luolan, thinking he would hold the flower before her eyes and intending to step back, found his hand suddenly dropping.

Xiao Luolan was startled, then flushed with embarrassment and indignation.

Zhou Xu leaned in, enveloped in the fragrant aroma of the vibrant peonies amidst the undulating snowy peaks.

Xiao Luolan, watching Zhou Zongzhu deeply inhale the scent of the peony, felt almost faint and pushed him away forcefully, her cheeks blazing red.

Zhou Xu, nonchalantly chewing on the peony petals, said, "I know you are a married woman."

But what does it matter if she is married? Can't he, Zhou Xu, still pursue her?