Capítulo 1306: Chapter 1306: Request for an Audience

Who knows how Jinhoo later convinced Lord Du.

Even though Lord Du still felt discontent, he eventually held it in.

Jinhoo helped him fetch water, letting Lord Du wash his body and soak his feet before extinguishing the lamp and laying down.

After a day of bumping along and watching over Lord Du, Jinhoo also felt exhausted and fell asleep as soon as he lay down on the kang.

As for Lord Du, who knows how long he tossed and turned on the kang before he finally fell into a muddled sleep.

It seemed he had just fallen asleep when someone shook him awake with all their might: “Wake up, hurry, pack up, it’s time to hit the road!”

Lord Du groggily didn’t even open his eyes, grabbing the pillow and throwing it: “Get out—”

And then the world went silent.

Lord Du turned over and continued to sleep.

Just as he was about to fall asleep again, he felt like his whole body was being shaken apart: “Why are you still sleeping? If you don’t get up, the carriage will leave and you’ll be the only one left! Do you want to walk back? Get up!”

Was it a familiar voice?

Jinhoo?

Lord Du reluctantly woke up, opened his eyes, and of course, it was Jinhoo.

Jinhoo had already woken up early, fed the horses, packed the luggage, and was getting ready to eat breakfast. But seeing his roommate Lord Du hadn’t yet woken, he became anxious.

You should know he had left home for a year, and dreaming of home in the night would bring him to tears.

The closer he got to home on this journey, the more nervous and excited he became.

His heart had flown back to Qilidun; he could barely wait to sprout wings to fly back.

So, when he saw Lord Du, who hadn’t gotten up despite the bright sky, wasn’t this making everyone wait for him?

Without thinking much, he simply shook Lord Du awake.

Lord Du hadn’t slept well and was called up, looking at Jinhoo’s face hiding an unmistakable smile, only finding Jinhoo’s smile particularly irritating.

He, a proper son of the Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau, was forced to this desolate land, living through difficult days.

Every night, he thought of home, his mother, his father, his brother, his relatives.

He didn’t know when he could return to the Capital City.

Looking at Jinhoo laughing so happily, he’s about to see his family, right?

Compared to this, Lord Du only felt pitiful.

He had figured it out during this journey; uncle-in-law was just a wife’s lackey, utterly failing as a scholar, a dignified Imperial Court Official without an ounce of masculinity before his little aunt.

Whatever little aunt said was law! Simply made Lord Du furious.

Not talking about others, just their Du family’s dynamic was male in charge outside, female inside, decisions made primarily by men.

Like this time, no matter how unwilling Lady Yan was, once Father decided, Mother had to obey.

Moreover, Father never discussed outside matters with Mother.

What Father often said was, don’t worry about outside affairs, just take care of the home for me to have peace of mind.

This relationship seemed typical for families he knew in the Capital City, including his parents.

How unlike aunt and uncle-in-law, who discussed everything, regardless of size, with little aunt, with uncle-in-law practically following little aunt’s lead.

Lord Du hadn’t seen such a man.

He wasn’t foolish, having figured it out after staying up late last night.

Grandfather sent him to be with little aunt; did he want him to learn from uncle-in-law? Since he was preparing for the imperial exams, Du Family did not follow that path and lacked experience.

Uncle-in-law was a dignified Second Class Imperial Graduate, learning from him would naturally be better than others.

But why didn’t Grandfather say directly? Frankly requesting uncle-in-law to guide him, wouldn’t that work?

Why handed him over to little aunt? Let him endure hardships in the countryside?

The perplexing point for Lord Du lay here.

Is it for him to learn from little aunt too?

But what does little aunt possess for him to learn from? Medical techniques? If so, he’d rather learn from Grandfather and Father.

Learn business? Heard little aunt was good at business and earned money. But his future was in the imperial exams, naturally wouldn’t fraternize with the stench of copper.

Other than these, what could a mere woman teach him?

Lord Du couldn’t figure it out!

However, after a night, he realized he wasn’t favored here, if delayed further, there’d be more gossip.

So he hastily got up, hurriedly attempting to fetch hot water for washing.

Jinhoo rolled his eyes speechlessly, fetched a bucket of well water from the well: “What’s with wanting hot water like a woman? As men, just use well water, it’s invigorating!”

Lord Du quietly finished washing with well water, following Jinhoo into the opposite courtyard.

Breakfast was bought from outside and was fairly abundant, tofu pudding, buns, fried dough, noodles, two tables were set up in the courtyard, anyone could take whatever they wanted.

Personal soldiers took what they wanted, squatting in the yard, and ate noisily.

Lord Du restrained himself today, lowered his head, not looking at them, just followed Jinhoo, also took two items, seeing Jinhoo squatting to eat, was dumbfounded.

Hesitantly looking at Jinhoo, then himself, couldn’t cross the hurdle in his heart, couldn’t bring himself to squat and eat.

Glancing around at the surroundings, in the opened main room door, Wang Yongzhu and others were sitting and eating, the table laid full.

Seeing Lord Du with his pitiful expression looking over, Wang Yongzhu finally felt a bit sympathetic, motioned for Lord Du to come in.

Lord Du breathed a sigh of relief, quickly entered the room, greeted the three, cautiously sat down, lowered his head, and started eating.

Wang Yongzhu watched Lord Du eat almost finished, then said: “You will ride with me in the carriage later, I have something to tell you.”

Lord Du’s heart tightened, quickly said: “Yes, little aunt.”

Just after breakfast, someone came to report, saying Shopkeeper Wu requested a meeting.

Wang Yongzhu was taken aback, ever since the dyehouse opened, Shopkeeper Wu caught the eye of the Lee Family.

Currently managing the dyehouse segment, moved his family to Qingzhou Prefecture last year.

Why returned to Shiqiao Town?

Even with doubts, hurriedly sent for him in.

Soon, Shopkeeper Wu came, nearly half a year since last seen, now seen again, was really delighted.

Wang Yongzhu just stood up, before speaking, Shopkeeper Wu had already knelt down properly: “I, Wu Changan, pay respects to Lord Song, Lady Wang—”

Wang Yongzhu startled, quickly reached out to help Shopkeeper Wu up: “Shopkeeper Wu, what are you doing? Get up—”

Shopkeeper Wu got up with a smile: “Courtesies mustn’t be neglected!”

Wang Yongzhu quickly invited him to sit down, poured tea, exchanged pleasantries, then asked if Shopkeeper Wu had any matters?

Shopkeeper Wu laughed: “There’s nothing significant.”

The attendants in the room were perceptive, withdrew, leaving only Wang Yongzhu, Old Granny Zhang, and Song Chongjin.