Chapter 999 - 997: Sacrificing Others to Save Oneself

Words : 1361 Updated : Sep 25th, 2025

Chapter 224 of "The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure" begins with suspense: Chapter 999: Chapter 997: Sacrificing Others to Save Oneself As the saying goes, better you than... Don’t stop reading!

Chapter 999: Chapter 997: Sacrificing Others to Save Oneself As the saying goes, better you than me! At a time like this, if you can find someone to take the blame, do it! If the two of them were plotting against Duke Weiguo on their own, they might have to think twice, for although Duke Weiguo seems a bit muddled when it comes to matters of succession in his own household, when it comes to the affairs of the Imperial Court, he is incredibly shrewd. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have managed to secure such a crucial position. But with the two of them joining forces, there’s nothing to fear! Especially Zhu Haoran, who harbors a small secret he cannot reveal to outsiders. In the Qi City matter, although he ultimately handled it smoothly and received commendation from His Majesty along with a promotion, it was a near death experience for him. He worked tirelessly to capture Gao Jin and his associates, restored order in Qi City, and then, burdened with the pressure, returned to the Capital City with the criminals in tow, anxious all the way. Upon arrival, he handed over the criminals and then had to report the entire Qi City case to His Majesty. As exhausted as he was, like a dead dog, he didn’t expect that when merit was being rewarded, Duke Weiguo was ranked ahead of him. Zhu Haoran couldn’t help but feel a knot in his heart despite his generous nature, not to mention later discovering that the people Gao Jin sent to assassinate him knew his whereabouts by following Duke Weiguo’s ship. Claiming Duke Weiguo didn’t know someone was tailing them would be a joke! It was deliberate on his part; he was leaving Qi City openly so as not to implicate himself! Especially when he learned about the assassination attempt on him, he even feigned regret in front of His Majesty, apologizing and saying that in the haste of it all, he forgot to keep his whereabouts confidential, almost causing embarrassment to others. The words were sincere, and his demeanor composed. What could Zhu Haoran do in front of His Majesty? Slap Duke Weiguo in the face and tell him to stop pretending? Of course not! Not only couldn’t he do that, but he also had to hold in his resentment and thank Duke Weiguo, saying it was thanks to his accurate information that his task had gone so smoothly. The two of them eventually shook hands and made peace in front of His Majesty, acting as if they were family brothers. Upon returning home, Zhu Haoran was almost sick with anger. Now, Zhu Haoran sneered privately, His Majesty valued that object greatly, otherwise, he wouldn’t have assigned him and Governor Chen to handle it together. Now that all the Qi Family members are dead, Qi Huan is His Majesty’s last hope. If it isn’t here, then perhaps no one in the world knows the whereabouts of that object. Thinking that His Majesty won’t get his hands on this item, he must be displeased. And Duke Weiguo is likely to face some repercussions. With that thought, Zhu Haoran felt quite satisfied, longing to see Duke Weiguo get his comeuppance. "Lord Chen, since we can’t find this thing, there’s no progress in staying here. Why don’t we return to the Capital City and report to His Majesty to see what he decides?" Zhu Haoran tentatively suggested. Governor Chen also nodded, "You’re right, let’s give the order to prepare for the return. Tomorrow we shall visit Old Du’s house, and perhaps we can procure some of Du’s Health-preserving Pills, and some tea leaves would be great to bring back!" Zhu Haoran was reminded and exclaimed, "That Song Chongjin is Duke Weiguo’s bloodline, this time we return, we must report to His Majesty, and who knows how His Majesty will handle it?" Governor Chen raised an eyebrow lightly, "As ministers, we must adhere to our duties, how can we speculate on His Majesty’s intentions?" Zhu Haoran blushed and showed an awkward expression. Governor Chen knew well that Zhu Haoran is now a favored minister of His Majesty and close to him. Although not as intimate as his own years of friendship with the emperor, he was stationed outside and even though he could return to the Capital City this time, he would be there only ten days or half a month before he would have to leave again. Zhu Haoran, being a close aide to His Majesty, had more influence in front of the emperor than himself, so he couldn’t afford to offend him. So he only mentioned it lightly, and then sincerely advised, "Although these words might sound harsh, they’re the honest truth. Brother Zhu, being by His Majesty’s side and highly valued, must maintain the utmost integrity and steadiness! That’s the path to longevity!" Zhu Haoran, not being foolish, knew Governor Chen was offering him advice, and since the two were currently partners in this matter, he accepted the advice modestly and sincerely thanked Governor Chen. The two shared a laugh, and the matter quietly subsided. ※※※ Due to being exhausted, and since they had reached the estate, they needed to organize a bit. Wang Yongzhu and the others didn’t plan on returning to the city and intended to stay at the estate for a few days. Lady Qi now regarded Wang Yongzhu as her own daughter, thinking that Wang Yongzhu probably didn’t understand how to manage the estate, she decided to stay. Imperial Doctor Du also liked the location of the estate, and since his wife was staying, he wouldn’t leave either. He only let the servants return to bring the changes of clothes needed for the next few days. As for Yang Zongbao, he left two men to guard the entrance, and left himself. The estate, although not large, has two or three sections, with enough rooms. They just hadn’t been cleaned yet, Old Granny Wu led Gu Yu and the family looking after the estate to tidy up the rooms for the owners. The family staying in the courtyard was getting bored, also noticing the flower garden abloom with vibrant colors. Jasmine, gardenias, roses, wisteria, all blooming beautifully, providing a refreshing sight. With the sun not as harsh now, they simply changed into lighter attire, strolled down the hill, and went to admire the flowers. The workers tending the garden knew the owners would visit today, so they all waited below. Seeing a large group descending from the estate, they realized this was the new owner. They had heard, the former owner had their property confiscated, this garden was first said to be returned to the Huang Family, but later it somehow transferred to the current owner, the Scholar Master. Ever since the transfer, the workers had been anxious, fearing that the Scholar Master might not approve of them and would dismiss them, leaving their families without a livelihood. Upon seeing the new owners, they became a bit confused, rubbing their hands nervously, smiling humbly and ingratiatingly. It was the man who guarded the estate that quickly introduced Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu. These people then frantically knelt to show their respects. Song Chongjin only said that the estate was under Wang Yongzhu’s name, and everything was up to Wang Yongzhu’s discretion, and then he stepped aside with Imperial Doctor Du. So the head worker reported on the condition of the flower garden to Wang Yongzhu, while Lady Qi and Old Granny Zhang listened beside them. When something didn’t sound right, Lady Qi immediately pointed it out. The head worker realized this elderly lady was quite knowledgeable; he had intentionally made a small mistake to test the new owner. If they proved to be not easily fooled, they’d honestly do their work. If they encountered someone soft-hearted and inexperienced, it’s not to say they’d greatly betray the master, but skimming some extra benefits would be inevitable. However, he hadn’t anticipated that this elderly lady beside the new owner would notice the discrepancies at once. Instantly, he shelved his probing intent, not daring to pull any more tricks, and sincerely reported the situation.

Chapter 999 - 997: Sacrificing Others to Save Oneself

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