The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

Chapter 254

Soon, the brothers Lin Lu and Lin Zhi also arrived at the Tang residence.

Because of the recent rainy season, Zhou Chu had Lin Lu train the Tiger Legion's marching and combat skills in the rain at the Tiger Legion's camp. This is an essential part of special training.

Given the physical condition of the Tiger Legion, they rarely catch a cold from getting wet in the rain. However, even if they do, Zhou Chu had already prepared some famous doctors from Suzhou Prefecture to keep on standby in the military camp.

Many people in later generations believe that colds are difficult to treat without antibiotics such as amoxicillin, but this is actually a huge misconception. In traditional Chinese medicine, a cold is nothing more than wind-cold, a cold syndrome, and can be cured with a single prescription of appropriate Western medicine.

The main purpose of antibiotics is to quickly suppress external injuries in the military and civilians. Moreover, the strength of antibiotics lies in their replicability, which allows for rapid production in large quantities.

Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes treating the symptoms. If there is a large-area injury, there aren't enough doctors to see everyone individually, so antibiotics are the best option.

"Mother, Yao Yao."

Lin Zhi was very happy to see Princess Deqing and Lin Yao. Lin Lu was also happy, but she was much more composed than Lin Zhi.

Princess Deqing looked at her second son, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, took Lin Zhi's hand, and felt a pang of heartache.

He's grown taller, thinner, and much darker, but he looks like he's ready to grow up.

Princess Deqing rambled on a bit.

After all, she was her own flesh and blood. Back in the capital, she had been nitpicking and finding fault with Lin Zhi, but after being separated for so long, Princess Deqing's eyes had long since lost all their flaws, and all she could see was heartache.

"Brother, this is a letter that my sister-in-law asked me to bring to you."

As she spoke, Lin Yao took out a letter and handed it to Lin Lu.

Upon hearing this, Lin Lu was overjoyed and took the letter from Lin Yao. Not long after their grand wedding in the capital, Lin Lu followed Zhou Chu to Suzhou. They had been separated for nearly half a year, and Lin Lu missed his beloved wife dearly. The two had been exchanging letters frequently during these months.

"Look, this is what they call forgetting your mother after getting a wife."

Princess Deqing looked at her son's worthless appearance and teased him.

Lin Lu, who was always decisive and ruthless, was a little embarrassed by such teasing, and her ears turned red.

"Lin Lu and Lin Zhi, you are granted half a day's leave today to spend some quality time with the princess and the county magistrate. You shall return to your posts tomorrow."

Seeing this, Zhou Chu couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes, my lord."

Upon hearing this, the two brothers, Lin Lu and Lin Zhi, hurriedly spoke up.

"Teacher, Your Highness, I have some urgent business to attend to."

Zhou Chu looked at Tang Bohu and Princess Deqing and said.

"You go ahead and get busy; national affairs are important."

Princess Deqing quickly replied.

As for Tang Bohu, there was no need for him to express his opinion; he and Zhou Chu had already reached a tacit understanding.

After hearing this, Zhou Chu bowed and left the Tang residence.

"Mother, Yao Yao, why have you suddenly come to Suzhou Prefecture?"

Lin Lu asked in confusion.

Upon hearing this, Princess Deqing couldn't help but look at Lin Yao standing to the side.

"It's all because of this brat. She keeps nagging about the weighing scales. His Majesty couldn't stand her nagging anymore, so he gave us, mother and daughter, an imperial decree allowing us to come to Jiangnan for sightseeing."

Lin Yao blushed upon hearing this.

"mother!"

As she spoke, she shook Princess Deqing's arm.

Upon hearing this, Lin Lu and Lin Zhi immediately understood what was going on.

"Yaoyao, if you really love Lord Zhou, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a few more years, at least not for the next year or two."

Lin Lu said with a serious expression.

"Why?"

Before Lin Yao could speak, Princess Deqing asked with a puzzled look.

"Lord Zhou is wholeheartedly devoted to the country and its people, and has never had any selfish desires. He may seem to be enjoying great success now, but in reality, he is in great danger. One wrong step and he will be doomed."

Lin Lu sighed.

"Mother, do you know how many assassination attempts and fires Brother Zhou has faced since he left the capital?"

Lin Zhi added from the side.

Princess Deqing shook her head blankly upon hearing this.

Lin Lu recounted the assassination attempts Zhou Chu had encountered on his way to Suzhou Prefecture, as well as the previous attempts when he was surveying the land.

After hearing this, not only Princess Deqing and Lin Yao, but even Tang Bohu felt a chill run down his spine and was extremely worried.

Zhou Chu always reported good news to Tang Bohu, never bad. No matter how big the event was, he never told Tang Bohu about it. The two of them only talked about family matters and drank and made merry.

Upon hearing this, Tang Bohu finally understood the kind of situation his disciple was facing outside. Just thinking about it made Tang Bohu's scalp tingle. If it were him, he would have died countless times already.

No wonder he always made excuses to refuse whenever I suggested taking Hengqi to a brothel.

It's probably for their own safety.

The thought of Zhou Chu facing such dangers outside at all times, while having to pretend to be nonchalant in front of him, brought tears to Tang Bohu's eyes without him realizing it.

A man doesn't easily shed tears, unless he's truly heartbroken.

Not only Tang Bohu, but Lin Yao also couldn't help but shed two lines of tears after hearing these words.

When she was in the capital, all she heard was how her brother Hengqi was dominating Jiangnan. Every time she heard this, Lin Yao was incredibly excited and wished she could stay by Zhou Chu's side. Now she realized what Zhou Chu had to bear behind all this, and she felt incredibly sorry for him.

Lin Yao had long heard Princess Deqing say that the reason why the emperor was able to take control of the entire court so quickly and even recover Annam was due to Zhou Hengqi's efforts. Only now did Lin Yao directly realize what kind of trials and tribulations Zhou Chu had faced for the sake of the Ming Dynasty and the emperor.

"I'm not afraid, I want to stay by Hengqi's side."

Lin Yao said with heartache.

After Lin Yao finished speaking, without Lin Lu needing to refute her, Princess Deqing looked at Lin Yao with a disappointed expression.

“What can you do besides causing trouble for Hengqi? Now Hengqi has no worries and no burdens. What the boss said is right. Even if you are in love with Hengqi, you have to wait a few years. Hengqi is not in the mood for romance right now.”

Princess Deqing truly lives up to her title; her insight into people and situations is remarkably sharp.

“That’s right, Yao Yao. Right now, you’re just a burden to adults. And in what way do you think you can compare to adults?”

Lin Lu actually looked down on his younger sister. After all, he, as her older brother, knew Lin Yao's character best from childhood, and he didn't think his sister was worthy of Lord Zhou.

Lord Zhou is a man of exceptional talent and skill, and how many women in the entire Ming Dynasty could be worthy of him?

Hearing this, Lin Yao felt a little wronged, but she didn't refute it. She even felt that her older brother was right. She was indeed inferior to Hengqi in every aspect. Her family background used to be okay, and Zhou Chu's family background wasn't bad either.

Moreover, Lin Yao knew very well that with Zhou Chu's abilities, it was highly likely that he would be enfeoffed as a marquis or even a duke in the future.

When Lin Yao and her companions set off from the capital, there were still a few days before the rebellion broke out, so they were unaware that Zhou Chu had already been enfeoffed as a marquis, and even a marquis with a thousand households.

“The princess is right. Now that this child has such power, the only place he can come to is my Tang residence, and the only person he can talk to is this old man.”

Tang Bohu sighed.

“His path was destined to be difficult, so he didn’t want to implicate anyone because of himself. Wen Zhengming and I are considered well-known families in Suzhou Prefecture, so no one will touch us. Otherwise, Hengqi wouldn’t even have a place to speak.”

Only then did Tang Bohu understand the source of his disciple's long-standing sense of loneliness.