Chapter 80: The Sky is High for Birds to Fly

Inside the horse carriage, there were four people.

You look at me, I look at you.

Their thoughts were each quite different.

Liu Zheng felt a sense of survival, having escaped with his life. He thought that although the process of this trip to Liangzhou had been extremely complicated, it could be considered a narrow escape. He had successfully helped his old man obtain a State Marquis title, and this title...

Liu Dahao's legs were still shaking like chaff, unable to control himself.

Feng Sanniang, meanwhile, was staring straight at Chen Ruoshi. The latter was flustered by her gaze, her little face turning bright red. Occasionally, her eyes would drift toward Liu Zheng, only to be shyly retracted as if she had been electrocuted.

The atmosphere was still somewhat awkward.

Especially for Liu Zheng; at this moment, he truly did not know how to face Chen Ruoshi. If not for her today, he and his old man would likely have been under house arrest in the Liangzhou Prefecture—this had been Chen Ping's goal all along. If he wanted to kill him, he certainly wouldn't have dared, as the Imperial Edict had just been issued... But if he kept him under house arrest until the Emperor passed away, and then looked at the Great Trend of the world, it would be hard to say what the situation would be then.

"Ahem..."

The more Feng Sanniang looked at Chen Ruoshi, the more she liked her. That look was exactly like a mother-in-law looking at her daughter-in-law. After coughing a few times, she sat over, grabbed Chen Ruoshi's hand, and beamed: "Oh my, Miss Chen is naturally beautiful; are you already betrothed to anyone?"

As she said this, she didn't forget to wink at Liu Zheng.

Liu Zheng was almost choked by his own saliva; he sat obediently to one side, not daring to speak.

The horse carriage was galloping, not slowing down in the slightest. What Liu Zheng was worried about at this time was still the safety of Zheng Yue Ru, Qin Zhangfeng, and Jiang Xuan in the city. No matter who they were, these people were all very important to Liu Zheng.

Chen Ruoshi's neck turned completely red from Feng Sanniang's actions. With a voice like a mosquito's hum, she answered Feng Sanniang's questions: well-read in the classics, a talented woman of Liangzhou, fond of poetry, born into a prestigious family, and not yet betrothed...

This made Feng Sanniang overjoyed, and she kept exclaiming that "Ruoshi is much better than that old thief Chen Ping," even beginning to suspect that she wasn't Chen Ping's biological daughter. She had already come to view Chen Ruoshi as her own daughter-in-law, and she no longer had any connection to that Inspector Chen Ping.

Liu Zheng listened, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Along the way, no further danger occurred.

Three days later.

The horse carriage finally rushed outside Yangzhou City. Seeing the city gate, the stone in Liu Zheng's heart finally fell. The Yangzhou Army was already waiting outside the city, putting on a full display. The people of Yangzhou were also looking forward to it with bated breath. Seeing Liu Dahao get off the carriage, the Captain of the Yangzhou Army, Zhang Pengguang, dressed in Plate Armor, shouted thunderously: "Welcome, Lord State Marquis!"

"Welcome, Lord State Marquis!"

Liu Dahao hurriedly stepped forward to express his thanks, welcoming the cheers of everyone.

This earth-shaking sound made Liu Zheng's blood boil and his pulse race. Now, Yangzhou, just like Yinzhou, was completely under his command. Seeing the Garrison and the people returning to his side, the sense of achievement and satisfaction in his heart was simply beyond words.

Qian Buqun?

He had long been left behind in Liangzhou. Having been a puppet County Marquis in Yangzhou for a few days, he couldn't even begin to describe that feeling, and he swore that he would rather die than come back. Moreover, it should be noted that in the Imperial Edict, Liu Dahao was enfeoffed as the "Yinyang State Marquis." What did this mean? It meant it was now clearly defined that Yinzhou and Yangzhou would henceforth be under Liu Dahao's jurisdiction. In such a situation, what use was his County Marquis title? So, the current Qian Buqun could only stay in Liangzhou, cursing that turtle-grandson Chen Ping, and crying at home while holding onto a County Marquis title for a place where he was supposed to serve.

Chen Ruoshi pulled her little hand out of Feng Sanniang's grasp and said with a blush: "Madam, then Ruoshi, Ruoshi will return now..."

Feng Sanniang grew anxious: "Oh my, Shishi, why do this? What is so good about Liangzhou? Stay in Yangzhou, stay in Yangzhou. Mother will make the decision for you, and we shall have you marry my stinky brat on an auspicious day!"

"Mother!"

Liu Zheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Chen Ruoshi's body also went limp, whether from shyness or shock, and without even looking at Liu Zheng, she said: "Madam, if Ruoshi does not return, Father will certainly not be at ease..."

Liu Dahao and Liu Zheng also tried to persuade her from the side, and only then did Feng Sanniang break down in tears, extremely reluctant to let her go.

Seeing this situation, Liu Zheng hurriedly instructed Zhang Pengguang to solemnly prepare a team to escort the Inspector's daughter back to Liangzhou. Zhang Pengguang did not dare to be negligent and immediately went to make arrangements.

"Lord State Marquis, please enter the city to rest!"

"Yes, Lord State Marquis, Yangzhou is stable, it cannot be without you!"

"My Lord, these are some farm eggs we prepared..."

Entering the city all the way, the people were full of enthusiasm. Liu Dahao no longer sat in the Horse Carriage, and the family walked all the way back to the County Marquis Mansion in Yangzhou. The Powerful Clans of Yangzhou were also very respectful. The reason was none other than the fact that the policies from Yinzhou had already been implemented in Yangzhou. Opening up wasteland for farming, exempting agricultural taxes, and hiring people for workshops and commerce—for a place like Yangzhou, Liu Zheng's biggest investment point was still the Iron Mine, so he had already expanded the scale of the Yangzhou Iron Mine and increased the monthly wages, which also solved a major employment and subsistence problem for Yangzhou.

Although the time was short, all of this allowed the people of Yangzhou to see a future. They truly wanted to keep the Liu family father and son in Yangzhou.

Feng Sanniang was quite surprised as she walked along. When she looked at Liu Dahao again, he had a proud look on his face, as if he were saying, "Look at your husband, isn't he very popular with the people?" Feng Sanniang immediately scoffed, naturally knowing that if it weren't for her son, Liu Dahao would likely have found it difficult even to enter the hall.

Just as the three of them were resting for a while and planning to set off for Yinzhou again, several horse carriages suddenly entered from outside.

When Liu Zheng looked, the person who arrived was actually Du Biao. Before he could even speak, Du Biao had a look of guilt on his face and shouted: "Brother Liu, it is this elder brother who has failed you! I only knew after returning to the city that the passage had long been known to Chen Ping, and I almost caused Brother trouble, this, this, this... Du Biao's life is cheap; even if I paid with my life, it wouldn't be enough!"

Speaking to the point of being heartbroken, Du Biao drew his Dagger and was about to commit suicide.

Liu Zheng was startled and hurriedly stopped him.

After his Dagger was snatched away by Liu Zheng, Du Biao beat his chest and stamped his feet, shouting: "Bring him up!"

In that horse carriage, the innkeeper had actually already been turned into a human pig; it was a miserable sight.

Du Biao cursed: "This son sold out his master for glory; the Heavenly Principle will not tolerate it. Today, this is to give Brother Liu an explanation!"

Liu Zheng took a deep breath, and Liu Dahao, standing beside him, almost vomited. Feng Sanniang, however, was expressionless, only looking at this Du Biao, thinking to herself that this person had extraordinary methods, and she didn't know if her son would be able to handle him in the future.

Before Liu Zheng could speak, Du Biao laughed heartily, and with a wave of his hand, several people stepped down from another horse carriage. They were none other than Zheng Yue Ru, Qin Zhangfeng, Jiang Xuan, and Jiang Xuan's underlings. Liu Zheng welcomed them with joy; after reuniting three days later, everyone was also very happy.

Du Biao laughed from the side: "That day, after returning to the city and learning that Brother Liu had been ambushed, I mobilized all the Baiya Army personnel in Liangzhou City to find Miss Zheng, General Qin, and Little Brother Jiang, thinking that I could never let them fall into the hands of that old thief Chen Ping again..."

The words were simple, but the hardships involved could naturally be imagined. Qin Zhangfeng also bowed deeply to express his gratitude.

"Third Leader, your great kindness cannot be repaid with words!"

Liu Zheng also couldn't say anything else and could only cup his hands in thanks.

Du Biao laughed heartily: "Brother Liu, what are you saying? It's just that along the way, I also discussed with Miss Zheng the possibility of our two Chambers of Commerce cooperating. What does Brother Liu think..."

Liu Zheng had long known this would happen and smiled frankly: "It is exactly what I wished for, but I dared not ask. If the Third Leader thinks highly of my Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce, I could ask for nothing more!"

The two men laughed, arm in arm.

That night, the County Marquis Mansion held a grand banquet to entertain Du Biao. The Powerful Clans in the city heard the news and also came to attend the banquet one after another; after all, being able to do business with the Baiya Army was something they had always dreamed of.

For a time, the County Marquis Mansion was full of harmony, with everyone drinking and merry.

It was just that no matter how Liu Zheng expressed himself, Zheng Yue Ru remained cold and wouldn't even look at him, which made Liu Zheng a bit depressed.

The next day, Du Biao took his leave.

Just as this group was about to return to Yinzhou, Feng Sanniang suddenly said that she couldn't go back and had to return to Jinghua once.

Liu Zheng was stunned and also reluctant: "Mother, you have only just been settled for a few days, and now this..."

Feng Sanniang touched Liu Zheng's face dotingly and laughed dashingly: "My son, your mother is just a life of rushing about; when is there ever a moment of leisure throughout the year? Hmph, this time that old man Chen Ping went too far. When I, your mother, go back, I will definitely file a complaint against him! At any rate, I am a Fifth-Rank Lady bestowed by the Emperor; how can I endure this kind of treatment from him!"

Liu Zheng was left speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

For one instance of "meritorious service in protecting the nation," the Emperor bestowed the title of Fifth-Rank Lady; this title of noble wife was originally an honor that only the mothers and wives of high-ranking officials were entitled to enjoy. But in their family, this situation had been turned upside down. His old man's title of State Marquis was only Sixth-Rank, yet his own wife was already Fifth-Rank...

No matter how Liu Zheng tried to make her stay, Feng Sanniang still left.

One person, one horse.

Watching her retreating figure, Liu Zheng suddenly heard that folk song.

"Feng Sanniang, Never Stopping Hooves..."

His mother really was a life of toil.

The group set off again, heading back to Yinzhou.

Liu Zheng was filled with ambition; upon this return, the sky would be high for birds to fly, and the sea would be wide for fish to leap!

Chen Ping, oh Chen Ping, you must be furious that you failed to keep us father and son, right?

Looking back at Liangzhou,

Once the Lantern Festival passed, the festive atmosphere of the New Year vanished in an instant.

Just as Liu Zheng had expected, having failed to keep the Liu family father and son, Chen Ping fell gravely ill upon returning, even feigning illness to avoid attending when the Empress departed for the palace three days later. Once Chen Ruoshi returned, she was locked up by an enraged Chen Ping.

Chen Ruoshi knew she was in the wrong and dared not defy her father.

She was a talented woman of Liangzhou, clever and intelligent, and she knew exactly how great a mistake she had made this time. With the Liu family father and son returning to Yinzhou carrying the Emperor's Imperial Edict, they would be like fish in water, and no one would be able to stop them. It was no exaggeration to say that in the future, Liangzhou might be home to three forces: the Liangzhou Prefecture, the Baiya Army, and the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce.

"Finally back!"

Upon reaching the borders of Yinzhou, Liu Zheng could not help but cheer, and everyone else was also filled with joy.

Yinzhou had previously been a place beyond governance, but Yinzhou was their base of operations.

Looking at the same dilapidated city walls of Yinzhou as always, Jiang Xuan could not help but ask, "Young Master, shouldn't we renovate the city walls of our Yinzhou?"

Liu Dahao also deeply agreed. Zheng Yue Ru had not been speaking to Liu Zheng, but upon hearing this question, she also nodded.

Liu Zheng, however, smiled slightly: "Do not renovate!"

"Not only will I not renovate them, I am going to tear them down!"

"Why?"

The group looked over in unison, filled with confusion.