Chapter 359: All Specially Prepared for You (2)

“Zhengfei, bring our bows and arrows.”

Xiao Zhengfei was taken aback: “Bows and arrows? Prince, aren’t we going to meet the Princess Consort? Why…”

“Just bring them. When we get near Qingshui County, hunt some fine game.” A glint flashed in Zhao Zun’s eyes.

“Did I not tell Sun Wenyuan that we were hunting in Fufeng County? He has worked hard overseeing the construction of the Prince Mansion, let’s send him some game!”

Xiao Zhengfei suddenly realized and smiled, “The Prince is always thorough. I will go fetch the bow immediately.”

Zhao Zun mounted his horse, pulled the reins, and the steed raised its front hooves with a long neigh.

He looked back at the Yong’an City Military Camp, which had long changed its appearance, with a slight smile on his lips, thinking to himself, “Girl, the Prince is here.”

Amid the flying dust, a group of riders galloped out of the city toward Qingshui County.

Under the scorching sun, Zhao Zun’s figure appeared especially tall and sturdy, his robes fluttering like a ready-to-strike fierce tiger.

This trip to Qingshui County, he was concerned about the disaster-stricken citizens, worried for his loved one’s situation, and harbored a hidden political intrigue…

Three days later, at the construction site of the Prince Mansion in Qingshui County, the sun was blazing and cicadas were buzzing noisily.

The Canzhou Zhizhou, Sun Wenyuan, had taken off his indigo blue robe, embroidered with cloud and geese, wearing only a moon-white linen inner garment, and sprawling on a rattan recliner under the old locust tree.

Among the dappled shadows of the tree, his fatty, white belly heaved with his breath, resembling a stranded pufferfish.

“Put some more effort in! Haven’t you eaten?”

Suddenly Sun Wenyuan glared round-eyed at the maid fanning him, scolding.

The little maid shivered with fright, almost losing grip on the bamboo handle of the round fan, hurriedly adding more strength.

Nevertheless, sweat dripped down the Zhizhou’s thick chin, leaving dark marks on the linen inner garment.

In this hot weather, the craftsmen were all rushing the tasks indoors, and the sounds of hammering could be heard from afar.

Sun Wenyuan squinted his triangular eyes towards the Prince Mansion, which was already taking shape. The vermilion-painted corridor columns were only halfway colored, and dozens of craftsmen were setting up scaffolding under the eaves to carve flowers.

Looking at the progress at the Prince Mansion site, he puzzled.

In February, Canzhou King Zhao Zun had come to Canzhou and received a decree from the court to be responsible for selecting a site to build the Prince Mansion.

To please this newly arrived Vassal King and ensure smoother governance in Canzhou, he specially left the comfort of Zhizhou Mansion in Huachang County to personally cater to the Canzhou King, staking his roots in Qingshui County, supervising the construction of the Prince Mansion, working day and night.

He hadn’t returned home for months, not even for the birthday of his favored ninth concubine. Every day, he dutifully stayed here, not daring to leave for a moment.

He feared that once he left, Canzhou King would arrive, missing his chance to display before the King.

Unexpectedly, Canzhou King was an odd one, not keen on building a residence, but instead went to remote Fufeng County to gather land and build a hunting ground, hunting and playing every day.

Several months had passed, and the Prince Mansion was nearly completed. This odd Canzhou King hadn’t visited once.

He wanted to claim credit but couldn’t even see the main person.

The more Sun Wenyuan thought about it, the more depressed he became, wiping the sweat from his forehead, feeling like he might be sun-dried into fish jerky.

He picked up a pickled plum from the plate beside him and popped it into his mouth, only to wince at the sourness that made his features crinkle like a bun fold.

At this moment, the adviser jogged over, holding his robe corner, with sweat soaking through his headscarf. “Sir, there’s trouble at the East City Gate!”

He approached, wiping sweat, saying: “Many refugees have arrived from Jingzhou, fearing there might be ten thousand, Mr. Luo not only didn’t stop them from entering the city but set up porridge stalls inside, preparing soup to aid them.”

“What?!”

Sun Wenyuan scrambled up, his jade pendant clattering against the rattan chair.

His slip-on cloud-patterned shoes nearly tripped him, but the adviser was quick enough to hold him.

“Prepare the carriage! Quickly, prepare the carriage!” he shouted hoarsely, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

“This Luo Hai is out to ruin me! Canzhou is already poor, where is the surplus grain to aid refugees? Besides, so many disaster victims entering the city, if it causes an epidemic or riot, what should be done?”

In short, as the Zhizhou of Canzhou, Sun Wenyuan wanted to hold office peacefully and live effortlessly.

He simply didn’t want these disaster-stricken citizens to flood into Canzhou, adding burdens to his governance.

The eight carriers’ sedan dashed along the bluestone road, the curtain fluttering noisily by Sun Wenyuan.