Chu Xun naturally understood Zhang Anxiu's feelings. The older they got, the shorter the days they could spend together in the future.
Having such a wife, what more could a husband ask for.
Supporting Zhang Anxiu, they walked slowly towards ho.
Passing by Shitou's house, Qiaohua, who was drying dried fish, looked up and saw them, hurriedly greeting, "Village Chief, Auntie."
Chu Xun and Zhang Anxiu went over and chatted for a few words. Liao Licheng was still in the house studying essays and didn't co out.
Qiaohua hoped her son could be like Huan'er, studying to beco a talent, and not fighting on the battlefield like Shitou.
But Liao Licheng was not material for studying. Even his handwriting was very ugly, and no matter how he was taught, he couldn't learn.
On the contrary, the Six-Style Saber Technique of the Army that Shitou ca back to teach him a few years ago, he wielded it with the wind roaring, extrely proficiently.
Unfortunately, Qiaohua wouldn't let him join the army, so this saber technique had no place to be used.
After chatting for a while, Chu Xun continued to support Zhang Anxiu and walked ho.
Looking at the backs of the two, Qiaohua couldn't help but sigh with emotion, "The Village Chief and Auntie are really getting old..."
At the sa ti, she was very envious of them staying together and growing old together.
That pair of figures supporting each other was sothing many people couldn't envy enough.
Just like her, obviously her husband was still alive, but it was like she was living as a widow.
Qiaohua sighed heavily, turned around, and went back to pour out the dried fish from the bamboo basket.
She cut open their bellies one by one, pulled out the fish intestines and gills, and then laid them out on the stone slab in the courtyard to dry.
The direction of every fish's mouth faced east.
From large to small, from long to short, neatly arranged.
Raising a child alone for so many years had made her develop such a habit.
If it wasn't neat, she felt like ants were crawling all over her body.
The sound of a book closing heavily ca from the house, followed closely by a young man's sigh.
"Studying is so hard!!"
Over the next few days, Chu Xun bought many expensive dicinal herbs to replenish vitality and blood.
Along with that old ginseng, he cut a small slice every day for Zhang Anxiu to brew tea and drink.
Such a precious treasure that could hang onto a person's last breath, how could Zhang Anxiu not know its value.
But she didn't hesitate at all, nor did she feel heartache; she was very active in brewing ginseng tea every day.
It could be seen that she really wanted to nurse her body back to health.
A month later, just as Chu Xun had said.
Among the thirteen Princes, the Sixth Prince ultimately won and ascended the throne as Emperor.
The reign title was Chongming.
Rumors in the streets said that of the thirteen Princes, six died, and five were confined.
Only the youngest Thirteenth Prince, because he shared the sa mother as the Sixth Prince, was spared.
The new Emperor ascended the throne, and the governnt decrees of the Six Ministries flew out of the Capital City like snowflakes.
However, the one-month window period resulted in the local military and political power being firmly held, and the imperial decrees no longer had the deterrent power they had before.
Great General Han Shizhong, who had agreed to return upon receiving the Emperor's imperial edict, used the excuse of clearing out the remnants of the barbarians to continue entrenching himself in the southwest.
The Ma tribe, which had rested and recuperated for over a decade, now also began to tentatively invade the borders.
Internal troubles and external threats left Emperor Chongming with no ti to deal with Han Shizhong for the mont.
He ordered people to reorganize a group of secret spies and plant them in all the prefectures and counties across the country to find evidence of corruption and perversion of the law, and then use it to control them.
If there were disobedient ones, he would have the Imperial Censors step forward to impeach them.
Considering the intricate and complex factions of the court officials, in order not to leak information.
The person responsible for organizing this group of people and commanding them in secret was Eunuch Zhang Li, who had accompanied Emperor Chongming growing up.
He was a tall and thin eunuch who always kept his hands tucked in his sleeves and never looked people straight in the eye.
According to hearsay, the Red Sleeve Brothel, which had the most girls and the best tricks in the Capital City, was opened by him.
While suppressing a group of disobedient officials, Emperor Chongming also promoted and won over a group of people.
Among them were Tang Shijun and Huan'er; one was promoted to Minister of Revenue, and the other was promoted to Prefect of Long'an Prefecture.
There were many young officials promoted to Prefect at the sa ti, almost all of them in Lower Prefectures, holding Rank 5 official positions.
So even with Tang Shijun, a Rank 2a Minister, the other ministers didn't pay too much attention.
One Minister plus over a dozen Lower Prefecture Prefects was nothing.
As for the impeachnt by Imperial Censors, it was even more inconsequential.
The court was full of factions, allying with each other. Impeached and demoted today, they would find an excuse to be promoted again tomorrow.
This made Emperor Chongming's paranoia even heavier.
He hated the aristocratic families and nobles even more.
In the blink of an eye, three years passed.
Severe coughing sounds ca from the house.
Chu Xun held the dicine bowl, scooped up the dark brown dicinal juice, blew on it to cool it slightly, and then brought it to Zhang Anxiu's lips.
Zhang Anxiu's face was a bit pale. Although the dicinal juice was very bitter, she still opened her mouth and drank it.
Ever since she caught a chill three years ago, her health had not been very good.
After inviting a famous doctor for diagnosis, it was said to be ridian blockage.
It was suspected to be caused by the accumulation of always working barefoot in the fields when she was young.
It was also thanks to those three fruits, plus the old ginseng for replenishnt, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to get up long ago.
After all, Zhang Anxiu was fifty-six years old, and many commoners at this age had already passed away.
After feeding a bowl of dicine, Chu Xun was just about to get up when he was grabbed by Zhang Anxiu.
Looking at her full head of white hair, her eyes still pitiful, Chu Xun gently patted the back of her hand, "Huan'er is still waiting outside, I'll go say a few words and co back, you rest for a while."
A few small weasels jumped up from the edge of the bed, sniffed at Zhang Anxiu's face, and stuck out their soft, tender tongues to lick the bitter dicinal juice at the corners of her mouth.
This generation of weasels no longer had any foul sll.
With the corners of her mouth licked by them, she couldn't feel too bitter a taste.
The small weasels obediently nestled by Zhang Anxiu's ear, as if wanting to use their body temperature to help her get better faster.
Only then did Zhang Anxiu let go, and Chu Xun got up and walked out.
The man with a mustache and a steady temperant at the door saw him co out and imdiately asked, "Uncle, how is Aunt doing?"
"She just drank her dicine, there's no major issue," Chu Xun said.
Huan'er was already thirty-four years old this year, no longer the child from before.
Many familiar people said he looked more like Chu Xun's child.
Even the mustache around his mouth was similar to Chu Xun's during his middle age.
The sound of flapping wings ca from the air. The two looked up and saw dozens of huge crows flying over from afar.
Soon they flew into the courtyard, most of them landing on the eaves.
Only one old crow landed in front of Chu Xun and cawed a few tis.
Even Huan'er heard the urgency in the caws and couldn't help asking, "Uncle, what's wrong with them?"
"It's nothing, I asked them to help find sothing, it seems they didn't find it," Chu Xun said.
Huan'er was sowhat puzzled. What kind of thing required crows to find?
Chu Xun didn't explain, only asking, "How is your father doing now?"
Zhang Sanchun was two years older than Chu Xun, already sixty this year.
His body was usually considered robust, but a few days ago it suddenly rained, and he was in a hurry to bring back the roasted goods from the stall outside, accidentally taking a fall.
Chu Xun had already gone to visit him; the injury was neither light nor heavy, and he would probably have to stay in bed to recuperate for a few months.
"He's alright, but I wanted to take him to Long'an Prefecture, and he refused, saying he was worried about Aunt."
Huan'er sighed and said, "I always feel that my father has lived his whole life for others, never thinking about living happily for a few days for himself."
"Everyone has their own way of living. You are not him, how do you know if he is happy or not," Chu Xun said.
"On the contrary, you made a special trip back, is there sothing you want to say?"
Huan'er nodded. He indeed had a very important matter returning this ti.
He should have gone directly to find his teacher Tang Shijun, but thinking about it, he decided to first go ho to visit his parents and relatives, and ask for Chu Xun's opinion along the way.
Under the heavens, the person Huan'er admired the most, besides Tang Shijun, was his Uncle Chu Xun.
"This is the national policy I drafted, Uncle please help take a look to see if there is anything inappropriate," Huan'er said, handing over a few pieces of parchnt.
This kind of parchnt was not afraid of water, and to a certain extent not afraid of scratching, and could be preserved for a long ti.
But it was not easy to make and was expensive, so ordinary people wouldn't be willing to write things on it.
Chu Xun took it and glanced at it. After a mont of silence, he looked up at Huan'er.
"Aren't you afraid of death?"
[End of Chapter]
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