Chapter 49

Qingyang City, the capital of Qingyang Prefecture, is also the stronghold of the Zhao family. Here, the Zhao family wields immense power. As the saying goes, "the sky is high and the emperor is far away," and even the Emperor of Tianhua has little control over this place. Apart from setting up some institutions and appointing a few officials, he has little influence. These officials sent from above do not seek trouble for themselves and do not oppose the Zhao family. They obediently accept the extra salaries provided by the Zhao family and speak well of them to their superiors. This is a win-win strategy.

The Zhao family's carriage slowly entered Qingyang City. Seeing the carriage pulled by four horses, the people of Qingyang City stopped and made way. The Zhao family enjoys a high reputation here, especially after the news of the complete elimination of the three Wolfes spread. People are even more grateful to the Zhao family because too many Tianhua people have died at the hands of those three. Zhao Zheng avenged everyone, and the people naturally feel grateful.

Through the carriage window, He Ping observed Qingyang City. Although the population had already increased along the way, with the number of farmlands and farmers significantly increasing, followed by the appearance of some small towns, the further they went, the more prosperous it became. When the carriage officially entered Qingyang City, He Ping was stunned by the scene before him. He had thought that a Level 2 civilized world like the Military Realm would not have such a prosperous city, but what he saw far exceeded his imagination.

Brick and wooden houses lined up neatly, pavilions and terraces were everywhere. The streets were full of vitality, with passersby coming and going, shops lining the streets, street vendors shouting to attract customers, children playing and laughing, and performing troupes. This ancient city, similar to ancient China but different from any dynasty, made He Ping feel a bit dazed, curious, and out of place.

The carriage did not stop, and every passerby who saw it automatically made way for it. Under the watchful eyes of the onlookers, the carriage moved forward and finally stopped in front of a gate near the city center. Without even mentioning the endless walls, just the grand gate, which looked like a city gate with a plaque reading "Zhao Family Residence," made He Ping realize the power of the Zhao family once again.

When the Zhao family's young lady returned, there was no grand scene as He Ping had imagined. There were no large numbers of servants to welcome her, no special ceremonies. At the gate stood a beautiful and dignified woman who bore a resemblance to Zhao Xiaoyue, accompanied by a few young maids. This low-key behavior surprised He Ping. It seemed that the Zhao family had the means to establish and maintain their rule here for many years. However, he did not know if this was a common practice among Tianhua nobles or unique to the Zhao family.

"Mother!" Zhao Xiaoyue, helped by the maids, immediately rushed into the woman's arms. It was clear that this woman was Zhao Xiaoyue's mother, Lady Zhao Wen, the wife of Zhao Zheng.

"Xiaoyue!" Holding Zhao Xiaoyue in her arms, Lady Zhao Wen quickly stroked her hair and said, "Xiaoyue, let me see if you've tanned or lost weight. Was the journey tiring? Have you eaten? Do you need to rest?"

Seeing Lady Zhao Wen's actions, He Ping couldn't help but laugh. They say that a couple will gradually resemble each other over time, and these two certainly looked like a married couple. At least in how they treated their daughter, their behavior was identical. When Zhao Zheng saw Zhao Xiaoyue at the military camp, he lost his usual authority, and now his wife was the same, showing no sign of being the matriarch of the Zhao family in Qingyang Prefecture.

"Aunt! Don't worry, with me here, Xiaoyue won't be wronged." At this moment, Wen Fang also came forward to greet Lady Zhao Wen. He is the son of Lady Zhao Wen's brother. In the military, he had to call Zhao Zheng "General," but now, outside the military, he could call her "Aunt." "By the way, Aunt, let me introduce you to Mr. He Ping."

"Mrs. Zhao!" He Ping, following Tianhua customs, raised his hand in a salute. To be honest, He Ping was still a bit uneasy. Although he knew that Zhao Zheng had certainly sent letters home, and these letters must have mentioned him, he was still a person of unknown origin. In the military, people were straightforward and didn't pay much attention to such details, but as the matriarch of the Zhao family, how Lady Zhao Wen would treat him was still unknown. He even prepared himself for a cold reception.

"Come, come, you must be He Ping." However, what He Ping imagined did not happen. Lady Zhao Wen warmly welcomed him, stroking his face and said, "Don't call me Mrs. Zhao like a little adult. If you want, you can call me Aunt. I see that you are about the same age as Xiaoyue, so it's not too presumptuous."

As she spoke, Lady Zhao Wen led Wen Fang and the guards, holding He Ping's hand with one hand and Zhao Xiaoyue's with the other, talking to the children on both sides as they walked into the gate. This treatment left He Ping momentarily speechless. It was different from what he had imagined, and Lady Zhao Wen was quite considerate of him along the way. It seemed almost as if she was treating him like a son-in-law. Confused, He Ping was led by Lady Zhao Wen to the inner courtyard of the Zhao family residence, where the Zhao family lived.

Only when he saw that only Wen Fang and a few maids followed him did He Ping finally realize what was happening. He had always considered himself an adult, and in the military, people valued strength over appearance, so they treated him as an equal and did not see him as a child. However, his appearance had not changed. To a mother of a teenager, he was just a cute little boy, and since he was about the same age as Zhao Xiaoyue, it naturally aroused her maternal instincts.

Realizing this, He Ping was both amused and frustrated. At this moment, he noticed that Wen Fang was smiling, his face red from holding back laughter. This made He Ping even more depressed. He imagined that Wen Fang would tell Zhao Zheng and others about today's events when he returned to the military camp, and the image of a mature adult he had worked hard to build would be completely ruined. However, He Ping could not refuse Lady Zhao Wen's kindness. This young mother also reminded him of his own mother, Yin Xiulan.

"Come here, He Ping, look, this is the room I prepared for you. Next to it is where Xiaoyue lives." The group followed Lady Zhao Wen to a courtyard. The scenery here was beautiful, with a small pond in the yard where a few red and black fish swam. There were three rooms in total, all suites, which almost made He Ping, who had never lived in a space larger than 100 square meters, feel like a country bumpkin again.

"Are you satisfied? If you need anything, just tell Aunt Zhao."

"Satisfied, very satisfied!" He Ping nodded quickly, like a chicken pecking at grain. This independent courtyard was exactly what he had in mind as the best base.

[PS: First update of the day! I've signed up for the Dream Cup, but it doesn't seem to have much to do with me. I'm just joining in for the fun. After all, signing up only takes a click...]

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