Chapter 653: Chapter 655: Minister of War

"Your Excellency, I didn’t expect such a slippery character to show up." After Cen Gaosong left, Liu Xuan’s clerk said with a frown.

Liu Xuan’s face turned cold. "Hmph, he must have been coached by someone. If this man were truly clever, he’d be getting a promotion right now, not a lateral transfer to our post."

"So, are we really just going to wait here for that Ancient Wen Heng?"

Liu Xuan said, "It’s not the handover date yet. The roads on the way here aren’t easy to travel, so a delay would be perfectly normal. It’s just that I won’t have so much time to wait for him when the time comes."

"But what if..."

"There is no ’what if.’ The roads are difficult. A delay here and there will add up, and he’ll be late," Liu Xuan said coldly.

The clerk quickly agreed. "When you came to take office, Your Excellency, you were also delayed on the road. I truly hope Mr. Gu doesn’t run into any of those bandits or highwaymen and miss his handover date."

Liu Xuan’s face was grim, and he said no more. After a moment of silence, he dismissed everyone around him.

* * *

Ancient Wen Heng watched the road grow increasingly difficult, and his heart sank.

Jin Qianqian was also growing anxious. She had thought they had plenty of time, but the continuous delays on the road were making their schedule tighter and tighter.

That day, they entered a county town and checked into an inn. As soon as she got to their room, Jin Qianqian said, "Xu Dawang inquired with the dart masters from the escort agency earlier. While there have always been unexpected incidents on this road, they’ve been unusually frequent this time."

"It’s not that I’m being paranoid, but I feel like something isn’t right about this."

Ancient Wen Heng had been thinking about this all day, too. Landslides, falling rocks from the mountains, fallen trees blocking the path... there was always something.

Each day’s delay, bit by bit, was imperceptibly pushing back their originally planned arrival date.

"What will happen if you can’t take over the post on time?" Jin Qianqian immediately asked.

Ancient Wen Heng replied, "It won’t be a huge problem. As long as the delay isn’t too long, my superiors will understand."

"But I won’t be able to conduct a proper handover with my predecessor. If any problems arise during that transition, I’ll have to bear the full responsibility, no matter who is at fault."

He already had some suspicions. The string of incidents had put him on high alert.

"That explains it," Jin Qianqian said, gritting her teeth. "It seems someone doesn’t want you to arrive on time."

Ancient Wen Heng said, "I want to travel separately from you all tomorrow."

Jin Qianqian instantly understood his plan. "We need to think this through carefully..."

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, a man in the inn’s backyard drove away a donkey cart full of slop, humming a tune.

Once the sun was fully up, Jin Qianqian anxiously sent Xu Dawang into town to fetch a doctor. Ancient Wen Heng, she claimed, was sick with an upset stomach from being unaccustomed to the local conditions after days of travel.

「Shangjing」

The moment Zhou Shixiong arrived in Shangjing, he received news that Ancient Wen Heng had already departed for his new post.

He sighed silently. ’Just a few days off.’ He had traveled through the night with very few stops to rest, but he had still missed him.

"Marquis, the palace has sent some rewards. How do you wish to handle them?" Housekeeper He asked, holding a list and waiting by his side.

"You can see to putting them in storage. Thank you for your hard work managing things in Shangjing all these years."

"This is what I ought to do, my lord. However, it is high time our mansion had a proper Madam. There are many social engagements where it is truly inconvenient for an old servant like myself to appear."

Now that his master had returned, Housekeeper He wanted to bring this matter up urgently. The Marquis Mansion needed an heir, but that first required a Madam.

During his years away, what Zhou Shixiong dreaded most about returning was hearing this kind of nagging.

He had just heard it in the palace, and now he was hearing it again back in his own mansion.

"I am aware of all this. Before a new Madam enters the household, I will have to trouble you for a while longer."

Hearing this, Housekeeper He broke into a wide smile. "Excellent! In the future, I will finally have something to report to the Old Marquis."

’As long as he’s willing to marry, it won’t be long before we have a little master.’

The very next day, Zhou Shixiong was summoned by Empress Zhou.

Looking at Empress Zhou, whose presence was even more imposing than before, Zhou Shixiong completed the full set of ceremonial greetings before taking a seat to the side.

Empress Zhou’s two Princes both greeted their maternal uncle before Nanny Gong was instructed to lead them away.

With only the brother and sister left, Empress Zhou stared at Zhou Shixiong. Aside from the long scar on his face, he had no new wounds.

"Elder Brother, was your journey back smooth?"

"Everything was very smooth. These past few years have been the most carefree of my life," Zhou Shixiong said, his expression softening.

"Here in the Capital, I often hear of your deeds in Lu City. With these merits, Elder Brother, no one will be able to touch our Marquis Mansion in the future."

At this, Empress Zhou’s face filled with a smile. ’When my maternal family is strong, my life in the palace is much smoother.’

Zhou Shixiong glanced at the female officials and palace maids behind her, then lowered his eyes and said, "Empress, please speak cautiously. This is merely what your subject ought to do."

"I have no great ambitions in this life. My only desire is to protect my family. I ask for nothing more."

Empress Zhou’s expression turned serious. "This one has the same thought."

Zhou Shixiong kept his eyes lowered. "That is for the best. Is the Empress in good health?"

’At this moment, he truly felt how inconvenient it was at times not to have a lady in his household.’

Even though he was close with his own sister, there were some things that were inappropriate for him to ask.

When Empress Zhou brought up the matter of his marriage again, Zhou Shixiong did not refuse this time.

Hearing that her elder brother was finally willing to marry, Empress Zhou let out a sigh of relief.

He had delayed for so many years that people had started making inquiries with her. If it weren’t absolutely necessary, she truly did not want to adopt an heir from a side branch of the family.

Before his marriage was settled, Zhou Shixiong received an imperial decree appointing him as the new Minister of War.

The imperial court was in an uproar. Everyone had assumed he would, at most, be granted a higher noble title, not given a position with real power.

Everyone looked toward Cao Xiangqian, but they couldn’t read anything from his expression.

Observing his demeanor, he heard this sudden news without his expression changing in the slightest. He even wore a smile.

Now no one could understand it. ’His position was just snatched from right under him, yet he can be so composed?’

"Mr. Cao, what is the Holy Emperor’s meaning in this?"

"He didn’t say where you would be reassigned. Could there be something we don’t know?" Gold asked Cao Xiangqian in a low voice, bowing his head as he stood beside him.

Cao Xiangqian turned his head to look at him. "The Holy Emperor is wise. There is surely a purpose behind this arrangement."

"Besides, with Marquis Zhou’s accomplishments over the years, he is more than worthy of my position."

The courtiers around him were so shocked to hear him say this that their jaws nearly dropped.

’Is a military man’s mind built differently from ours? He’s just been usurped, yet he can still speak in the other party’s favor.’

"Then does Mr. Cao know how the Holy Emperor plans to reassign you?"

They were all Standard First Rank. It was impossible for the Minister of War to be promoted any higher. As for being ennobled with a new title, they had never even considered it.

Since this Emperor ascended the throne, forget being ennobled; these old courtiers were lucky not to be demoted.

Cao Xiangqian maintained the same smile. "I am but a brick in the Holy Emperor’s hands. He may place me wherever he wishes."

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