Chapter 105: We are a team aren't we

The Governor's mansion

About Forty minutes into her conversation with these women, Su Liya concluded that these women had too much time in their hands and nothing to do. She was bored of these baseless conversations the women brought up, in the beginning, they seem to launch an Inquisition into Lu Yaozhu and herself.

However, the conversation progressed onto a gossip fest, they threw around information concerning other madams. Su Liya initially found their conversation interesting since their gossip provided some necessary information on the other members of the upper-class families of Ningzhuo, but it got tiring. 

It was like she had been seated here for ages, she was tired of their aimless conversation and desperately needed little rescue. She was very happy when Ah Lan reported that the governor was waiting in her room. It was just the right excuse that she needed to get out of this situation.

The women must have gotten sick of her tight lip responses to their prying questions because they didn't argue when she informed them that the Governor was asking for her. They just said a few words and quickly exited the mansion.

Su Liya let out a breath of relief after they were led out by Baozhai, "finally! I am free. Hopefully, they won't come looking for me again. She shook her head and sighed "I really can't stand those women, let's get back to fangxi Pavillion".

Ah Lan greeted her as she got into the pavilion, Su Liya noticed that the annoying maid that acted as a permanent fixture at the entrance of her rooms was absent. How could she miss an opportunity to interact with her dream husband, She looked around before finally asking the girl in front of her "Where is Ah Mei?"

Ah Lan blinked quickly then looked up at her usually quiet young madam, "answering madam Lu, Ah Mei stepped out to handle a few things at the maids quarters".

Su Liya didn't say anything and just replied with an "Oh". She continued inside as if it was nothing but deep inside she felt her heart steady. She was just at the entrance of her living room when she ordered Rong Rong to bring in some food. Lu Yaozhu left for City Hall very early in the morning, he must be famished and after running on just breakfast. 

Su Liya went in alone while Rong Rong ran out to arrange their lunch. Lu Yaozhu was asleep when she walked in. He was seated by the window, with his head leaning by the wall. The book that he was previously reading was on the floor by his foot.

It must have fallen at some point, this was her first time seeing him this relaxed since they met. He was always so alert and serious in whatever he did, even when they shared a room during their trip to Ningzhuo. Lu Yaozhu slept later than she did and woke up earlier than she did. 

He was always on edge, maybe it was because of the present situation in northern Wei and the Emperor's paranoia. He looked so peaceful and cute, he wasn't so dazzling but he was still good looking. The scar on his left eye made him look a little rougher, he looked mature as opposed to the usual boyish good look typical in the male leads in most romance books.

Her lips tugged up as she watched him silently, moments like this made her wish she had a cell phone but that was impossible. Cell phones weren't invented until over 500 years from now, she walked silently into her bedroom and mixed up a light blanket.

She draped the blanket on her shoulders, as she bent to Pick the fallen book. She locked eyes with him as she stood, "Yaozhu, you are up. Sorry did I was you. I didn't mean to do that". She shook the book a little, "Your book fell".

Lu Yaozhu didn't respond, he glanced from her to the book then to the blanket draped over her shoulders, "you wanted to place a blanketing shoulder? That would have woken me, next time just let me sleep".

"but what if you catch a cold?"

"I will take some medicine for that, I can not risk injuring you because I felt a slight movement around me. After surviving a few assassinations, I am not always in the right mind", he said standing and stretching a little.

"Oh ... okay, let me return the blanket" she walked briskly into her bedroom and folded the blanket then placed it on the table. 

Back at the living room, Lu Yaozhu heard some hurried footsteps as Rong Rong returned with the kitchen staff. They all bowed on seeing Lu Yaozhu, He nodded and stepped back to give the space to work. He appreciated their arrival, he was hungry enough to eat a cow whole.

Su Liya returned as the maids left, Lu Yaozhu watched his hands in a watching hand basin then sat on one end of the table while Su Liya sat on the other end of the table. 

Su Liya saw him dive in hastily and sighed "Ah Lan said that you have been waiting for me, I am sorry for keeping you waiting. The madams were quite relentless, they were like wolves".

Lu Yaozhu smiled, " I guessed much, hope you didn't run into any difficulties with them?"

"No, they were harmless. Just your typical nosy neighbours, it can not be easy in court how was today's meeting?"

"Unproductive, Deputy Sun is as stubborn as it gets. He has the other officials following his lead"

Su Liya froze as she heard him mention Deputy Sun, "not just the officials but also the army?"

Lu Yaozhu looked up, "You have heard something?"

"Yes, it was nothing good. Deputy Sun and the Lau family are bad news, Yaozhu"

Lu Yaozhu gazed at her thoughtful but while she thought he was considering her words about deputy Sun. His thoughts were far from that. 

Lu Yaozhu thought, 'There it is again, she called me Yaozhu. Is she even aware that she has done so? Has our relationship grown that she was now comfortable calling me by my name and not general'

She said a few more things but none of that registered in his head. Lu Yaozhu expected hearing her call his name to feel a little awkward but it felt good. He was happy to hear his name out of her lips. Su Liya noticed that he had stopped eating and glanced at him, "You are not eating what is wrong? Did I step out of bounds by talking about politics? I know that women are not supposed to talk about these things".

Lu Yaozhu laughed, "you didn't step out of bounds, it just that I.... I am sometimes amazed by what you say".

Su Liya's cheeks heated up, she laughed nervously, "Is that a good thing, because if not you do not need to listen to my nonsense just ignore me".

"But I like hearing your nonsense, who cares about social convention. Unlike most officials, I believe that everyone's opinion should be taken into consideration even women. I was raised by my Imperial aunt, who by the way is the smartest woman I know. My father always said that if she wasn't a woman, she would have become the Duke of Wu, not him. It is a pity that she held back by the Emperor"

Su Liya looked down at her arms self-consciously, and nodded "Imperial mother is very fair in her treatment of everyone, after that incident although she was suspicious of me, she treated me respectfully".

"Well, that is my Imperial aunt for you, as to that bit about women not talking about politics. That is just pathetic to me, it doesn't apply to me. Like I said, the day we got married, husband and wife are one. We live or die together, you have proven time and time again to be a smart woman. I would be stupid not to listen to you"

Su Liya tilted her head to the side and mattered "you know how to say the sweetest things. Since you said something that nice, I will give you bonus content. Apart from mismanagement of public funds, Deputy Sun is in bed with the bandits and has some hold on the battalion stationed here".

Lu Yaozhu wasn't shocked, he had suspected as much and his spies had discovered that but he didn't say anything to her. He just smiled and replied "there is no need to give me any bonus since I didn't properly fulfil my end of our bargain last time"

"What do you mean?"

"While the brother Ling didn't marry Zhu Fenfang as the main wife, he still brought her in as a concubine."

"What about the commandery Princess? Did the grand princess refuse, Imperial mother?"

"No, she didn't, everything went as planned on that end. Commandery Princess Xia and brother Ling would be married in five days as planned but Zhu Fenfang still got into the royal family albeit as a concubine"

Su Liya was silent for a few seconds, she hadn't expected this but it looked like things were still progressing according to the original plot. All they had achieved was just twisting the plot a little but not changing it.

"It would seem that a union between those two is destined to happen. That's alright certain things aren't left to human control but ones faith".