Zheng Cheng and Zheng Qian have been in Swamp Prefecture for some time. Naturally, Grand mandant Zheng, as their father, misses them. It’s normal for him to want to visit the Swamp Prefecture to see his two sons.
While Zheng Cheng was happy about Grand mandant Zheng’s visit, Zheng Qian was somewhat displeased. Zheng Qian felt that his father’s purpose in ing to Swamp Prefecture was not to see them but to specifically check on the situation in Swamp Prefecture.
Zheng Qian opposed Grand mandant Zheng’s visit to Swamp Prefecture, but his opposition was in vain. Grand mandant Zheng was determined to e to the Swamp Prefecture.
"Your Highness, my father doesn’t have good intentions. You should just shut him out." They were doing well in Swamp Prefecture and didn’t want his father’s arrival to disrupt their peaceful life there. Having witnessed Grand mandant Zheng’s influence since childhood, Zheng Qian feared that his father’s arrival would bring trouble to Swamp Prefecture. "Your Highness, my father is trouble, and he’s a cunning old fox. It’s best not to meet him."
Zheng Cheng was incredulous at how much Zheng Qian disliked Grand mandant Zheng.
"Little brother, how can you speak of Father like that?" What kind of son calls his father trouble and a cunning old fox?
Zheng Qian coldly retorted, "Am I wrong?"
His question left Zheng Cheng speechless because Zheng Qian wasn’t entirely wrong.
"Speaking of Father like that..." Father is indeed a cunning old fox, but you can’t say that in front of His Highness.
Zheng Qian interrupted Zheng Cheng, continuing to speak to Zhao Yao, "Your Highness, if others find out my father is ing to Swamp Prefecture, it won’t just trouble you; it will also put you in danger." Zheng Qian was well aware of the Imperial Court’s attempts to win over his father. If Prince Dai and the others found out about his father’s visit, they would certainly suspect Your Highness of colluding with his father, and they would see Your Highness as a rival.
Your Highness is not interested in the struggle for the throne and doesn’t wish to be drawn into its bloody chaos, which is why he has e to Swamp Prefecture. If his father’s arrival led to attention from the capital, the Princes there would certainly see Your Highness as a thorn in their side. Your Highness’s situation would bee very perilous.
Although Zheng Cheng was not interested in politics, he was not pletely ignorant. Hearing Zheng Qian’s words now, he immediately understood the impact their father’s visit to Swamp Prefecture would have on Zhao Yao.
He had been very happy about Grand mandant Zheng’s visit before, but now he was anxious and quickly agreed, "Your Highness, my brother is right, my father cannot e to Swamp Prefecture." He wondered why he hadn’t thought of it from this perspective before.
Upon hearing the brothers’ words, a trace of warmth flickered in Zhao Yao’s heart.
"Grand mandant Zheng is your father. Worried about you, he es to Swamp Prefecture to see you out of deep familial affection; I have no reason to shut Grand mandant Zheng out." Zhao Yao saw the concern in their eyes and smiled reassuringly, "I think Grand mandant Zheng will visit Swamp Prefecture not as a Grand mandant but as a father. Besides, it’s been a long time since you’ve seen Grand mandant Zheng. Don’t you want to see him?"
Zheng Qian replied without hesitation, "No, I don’t."
Zheng Cheng did not answer because deep down, he did want to see Grand mandant Zheng.
"How is Grand mandant Zheng planning to e here? Is he ing by boat from Quanting County?" Grand mandant Zheng’s hometown is near Quanting County, which is by the sea. Since the maritime ban was lifted, the coast of Quanting County has bee very bustling, and sea transportation has bee very prosperous and convenient. Most of the inland merchants attending the trade conference are arriving in Swamp Prefecture by sea from the docks of Quanting County.
Zheng Qian said with a stern face, "He is already on his way to Swamp Prefecture and will probably arrive at the Swamp Prefecture docks after the trade conference ends." Zheng Qian was very displeased with Grand mandant Zheng’s "act first, report later" behavior.
"That’s only a few days away. At that time, you two brothers should go to the docks to meet Grand mandant Zheng." Zhao Yao did not plan to meet Grand mandant Zheng at the docks since Grand mandant Zheng was ing to Swamp Prefecture to see his sons as a father, not as an official to visit Prince Han. Besides, if he went to meet Grand mandant Zheng at the docks, it would be too conspicuous. He dared to bet that within a few days, the news of Grand mandant Zheng’s visit to Swamp Prefecture would spread throughout the capital, and then even the Yellow River wouldn’t be able to clear him of suspicion.
"Your Highness, just send him back directly."
"Whether public or private, I cannot send Grand mandant Zheng away." Zhao Yao looked with amusement at Zheng Qian’s displeased face, "When Grand mandant Zheng arrives, you two brothers should entertain him well and show him around Swamp Prefecture."
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