From a son-in-law to a favorite of the empress

Chapter 253

Zhou Yuan and Zhao Jianjia dressed neatly, walked out of the room hand in hand, and came to the dining room.

Then, the two stood at the door of the dining room, staring at the front like fools.

Zhao Jianjia's face flushed, lowered her head, and gritted her teeth and said, "I'm a little sleepy, I'm going to sleep for a while."

Zhou Yuan said, "I remembered that I still have something to do at the North City Military Department, so I left first."

Qu Ling was wearing a goose yellow long skirt, a jade pendant hanging around her waist, and a bright gem on her wrist. She was radiant and energetic.

She tilted her head, smiled, and said; "What's wrong! You two are in love, and you have to show affection during the day. I should be jealous!"

Wanyan Daichan chuckled and said, "Miss Qu is right. I envy that voice. I can't calm down sitting here."

Mo Xiang covered her mouth and didn't say anything, just blinked at Zhou Yuan.

"Wow, I'm too embarrassed to see anyone! It's all your fault!"

Zhao Jianjia kicked Zhou Yuan and ran away, covering her face.

Zhou Yuan was sweating profusely and laughed dryly: "Well...you are all here! Qu Ling, long time no see."

Damn, I miscalculated. I never expected that there would be guests today!

Even though Zhou Yuan was thick-skinned, he felt a little embarrassed.

Qu Ling still had that quirky temperament, and her oval face looked very delicate and energetic.

She smiled and said, "Our Lord Zhou sent a letter directly to Lin'an Prefecture. How dare I not come? I spent the New Year on the boat. I arrived in Shenjing on the first day of the New Year, but I didn't see him."

"Now I can say that I haven't seen him, but I have heard his voice."

Zhou Yuan walked over and said in a low voice, "Don't mention it. Give me some face."

Qu Ling also hummed softly, "You are shameless and blame me, you stinky hooligan."

Wanyan Daichan smiled and said, "I was whispering. I am good at martial arts and can hear it."

Zhou Yuan felt a headache and couldn't help but spread his hands and said, "Miss Yan, why are you here too!"

Wanyan Daichan said, "Who doesn't know that the Holy Lord is back in Beijing today? The whole Shenjing City is very lively. Everyone knows that you are back home, so I came to see you. Who knew that I would run into such a good thing."

Zhou Yuan rolled his eyes and didn't bother to pay attention to her.

He finally walked to the side of the woman in white, smiled at her and said, "Ningyue, you finally came to Shenjing."

Xue Ningyue's eyes were clear and her expression was calm. She bowed to Zhou Yuan and said, "Ningyue greets Brother Zhou."

After more than three months of separation, Ningyue still looked the same as before. When she smiled, there were shallow dimples on her face.

Her fair skin and delicate features exuded a soft charm. Every frown and smile had the elegance and grace of a Jiangnan woman.

Zhou Yuan couldn't help but take her hand and whispered, "You have come so far north and walked so fast. Are you tired?"

Xue Ningyue's face flushed slightly. She felt embarrassed to be held by the hand and whispered, "I'm not tired, Brother Zhou."

She quickly changed the subject and said, "Dad said that this time I can be reinstated, all thanks to Brother Zhou's support. Let me thank you very much."

Her emotions were turbulent, but she expressed them in a restrained way.

Ningyue seems to be like this forever, always giving people the most gentle care.

"Sit down and talk."

Zhou Yuan smiled and said, "I will tell you what happened in the past few months, and I will also listen to you talk about your own things."

He pulled Xue Ningyue to sit down, and the two smiled at each other, and everything was said without words.

Qu Ling snorted and said, "Lord Zhou is really gentle to Sister Xue, but it's different with us. He even grins when he talks to us."

Zhou Yuan smiled and said, "You want to hold hands too! Just say it. Zhou is still very generous in this regard."

"Don't be so conceited!"

Qu Ling rolled her eyes and said, "I just can't stand you deceiving Sister Xue. Sister Xue is simple-minded and can't stand your bullying."

Xue Ningyue smiled bitterly and said, "Sister Qu, let's eat quickly. It's not easy for us to reunite in Shenjing."

Qu Ling also laughed and couldn't help saying, "I just said one thing to him, and you can't help but protect him. Sister Xue, be careful that this stinky man will deceive you."

Xue Ningyue hurriedly said, "Brother Zhou won't lie to me. He treats me very well."

After she finished speaking, she realized that she was a little too nervous. She lowered her head again, her pretty face flushed.

Wanyan Daichan was so angry that her teeth itched. This bastard was really too romantic. My Cai Ni is still alone in her empty room.

"Mo Xiang!"

Zhou Yuan didn't dare to let the topic continue, and hurriedly said: "Mo Xiang, go and call Jianjia out to eat together."

"Okay, sir."

Mo Xiang covered her mouth and smiled, and invited the embarrassed Zhao Jianjia out, and everyone at the table was seated.

Zhou Yuan sat at the top, with Zhao Jianjia on the left and Xue Ningyue on the right.

Wanyan Daichan andQu Ling sat on both sides, followed by the three maids Zi Yuan, Qing Yuan and Mo Xiang.

A total of eight people sat around the big round table, with wine and food filling the table. It was a belated reunion, and everyone started eating happily.

Zhou Yuan told them the details of King Jing's rebellion this time. The thrilling things made everyone exclaim again and again.

Zhao Jianjia looked at Zhou Yuan's appearance and listened to his story, and the smile on her face could not be stopped.

Xue Ningyue was terrified, especially when she heard about kneeling in the snow for two days, she felt even more distressed. How did Brother Zhou survive such a big snowstorm?

Finally, Qu Ling smiled and said, "Then we have to toast to the Earl of Zhongwu. It's different. Now he is the Earl!"

All the women raised their glasses, and those who could drink and those who couldn't drink took a sip.

Qu Ling said, "Master Zhou, your Earl's Mansion is still a little small after all. There will be more and more people in the mansion, and I'm afraid it will soon be crowded."

Zhou Yuan nodded and said, "Yes, it's time to change to a big house. The Earl's appearance is still necessary, otherwise it will be inconvenient to entertain guests in the future."

"Tomorrow I will ask someone to find out where there are idle mansions for sale."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qu Ling waved his hand and said, "Don't worry about this kind of thing, Mo Xiang, go and get the things."

"Yes, Miss."

Mo Xiang hurried to the main hall and soon came back with a small box.

Qu Ling opened the box and said with a smile: "The fourth street outside the imperial city is full of dukes and earls' mansions, and ministers in the court also live here."

"This is a six-room mansion, covering an area of ​​20 acres, with a garden pond, rockery square, and everything else."

"This is the title deed, take it, it's my New Year's gift to you."

Everyone at the table looked at each other, with only shock in their eyes.

A 20-acre mansion, four streets away from the imperial city, this... this is too generous.

Zhou Yuan was stunned and said with wide eyes: "This is a super mansion worth millions of taels of silver, right?"

Qu Ling smiled and said: "It's not that exaggerated. It only takes 400,000 or 500,000 taels of silver to build such a house. But the land is valuable, so it is estimated to be worth 600,000 or 700,000 taels. It adds up to more than a million."

Zhou Yuan took a deep breath and said: "I can sell it for cash!"

Qu Ling glared at him: "No one can afford it, and those who can afford it don't lack that house. Besides, this is a reward from the late emperor to my grandfather. Who is willing to sell it!"

"Then give it back to me!"

"Anyway, no one lives in it. My family has two better and bigger houses in Shenjing."

Zhou Yuan couldn't help but give a thumbs up. The Prime Minister of the Cabinet is rich. Qu Shuyuan has been the Prime Minister of the Cabinet for decades. This amount of family wealth is really nothing.

Zhao Jianjia waved her hands and said, "It's too expensive, husband, we can't take it."

"Sister Qu, you're always offering a million taels, we can't afford it."

At the end, she couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Qu Ling said, "We're all friends, and Zhou Yuan's "Three Kingdoms" really helped me make a lot of money. It's been updated and sold continuously for three months, and it's added up to 400,000 or 500,000 taels. Who in the whole Jin doesn't know it!"

"Besides, my Mo Yun Zhai has become the leading bookstore in Jin, and its potential value has long exceeded one million. Giving this to Zhou Yuan is nothing more than a reward."

At this point, she looked at Zhou Yuan and said viciously, "If you dare to refuse, I'll never let you go! Call me to Shenjing on New Year's Day, and you are not allowed to give me face."

Zhou Yuan sighed and said, "It feels great to be kept by a rich woman!"

"What nonsense! You think I'm keeping a mistress!"

Qu Ling roared, and everyone couldn't help laughing.