Chapter 93: Another Distinguished Guest Arrives

Du Wanchun’s eyes glistened with moisture as she looked up at her husband and smiled. “Husband, you don’t have to make such a fuss. This is just morning sickness.”

Zhou Ruizhen, however, was still on edge. He held her tightly in his arms, far more anxious than when he encountered wild beasts in the mountains. His heart ached with worry.

“If I had known pregnancy was this difficult, I would never have let you conceive.”

Du Wanchun chuckled and placed his hand gently on her belly. “Silly husband, the doctor said that the worse the morning sickness, the stronger the baby is growing. Look, our child is working so hard to grow! If they could hear what you just said, they would probably feel very sad.”

She was only a little over two months pregnant, and her belly had yet to show.

But as Zhou Ruizhen touched her soft abdomen, he could almost feel the baby’s heartbeat. It was a strong and determined rhythm, as if telling its father that it was eager to be born.

Zhou Ruizhen’s furrowed brows gradually relaxed, a gentle smile appearing on his face. His heart softened completely.

The carriage continued forward. Wang Qiu, driving at the front, overheard their conversation and couldn’t help but sigh.

To live a life like Zhou Ruizhen’s—having his wife and child by his side—was the greatest fortune one could ask for!

Smiling, he loosened the reins slightly, allowing the horse to slow its pace.

As the carriage moved more steadily, Du Wanchun felt much better.

By the time they arrived home, Madam Zhou had already started steaming sour jujubes.

Aunt Wang and Du Damei, having finished their work at the incense workshop, were now busy making sour jujube cakes together.

The process was meticulous. The fresh green jujubes were steamed until soft, then cooled and peeled. The fruit was mashed in a large basin until the flesh and seeds separated. The seeds were removed, and the remaining fruit pulp was mixed with white sugar. It was then shaped into small cakes, coated in perilla powder, and set out to dry. Once completely dried, the cakes could be eaten as a delicious snack.

This method came from Aunt Wang’s hometown. Madam Zhou had learned it from her a few times, and it was quite easy to master.

Watching from the side, Du Wanchun inhaled the rich aroma of the jujubes, and her appetite improved considerably. That night at dinner, she ate half a bowl more than usual and didn’t experience any nausea.

Madam Zhou was overjoyed and immediately prepared a few extra side dishes.

Du Wanchun ate until she was full, and before bed, she even had two pieces of pickled radish.

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Meanwhile, outside Qingzhou Prefecture, Zhou Feng was traveling home with his carriage driver.

The moonlight was hazy, and the official road was completely deserted.

Inside the carriage, Zhou Feng was taking a short rest.

Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, the carriage suddenly came to a halt.

Zhou Feng half-opened his eyes and asked the driver outside, “What’s going on?”

The driver remained silent.

Zhou Feng sensed that something was wrong. He immediately reached for the sword beside him—a weapon he had purchased specifically for self-defense on the journey home.

Just then, the curtain of the carriage was lifted. A man wearing a gray long robe and wielding a large blade grinned at him.

“Well, well, Shopkeeper Zhou! You really made me go through quite some trouble to find you!”

Zhou Feng frowned and asked coldly, “Who are you? What do you want?”

The man let out a sneer. “You don’t need to know who I am. All you need to know is that today is the day you die!”

With that, he swung his blade toward Zhou Feng.

Zhou Feng’s expression darkened. He quickly unsheathed his sword, blocking the incoming strike. His voice was cold and sharp. “Who sent you to kill me?!”

The man laughed mockingly. “A mere country bumpkin like you, thinking you can do business in the capital? Do you even know your own worth?”

With another swing, the assassin aimed for Zhou Feng again.

At that moment, Zhou Feng immediately realized who was behind this—none other than the Yuan family of the capital.

Before he had arrived in the capital, the Yuan family’s incense shop had been unrivaled. Not only did high-ranking officials frequent their store, but even members of the royal family purchased incense from them.

Now, Zhou Feng had opened his own incense shop, and within just half a month, he had already taken a share of their business. The Yuan family must have held a grudge against him and taken this opportunity to eliminate him while he was traveling back to his village.

To them, Zhou Feng was just a lowly countryman with no connections, no power, and no influence. Even if he were to die, it wouldn’t matter.

But they had gravely underestimated him.

Zhou Feng’s movements were swift and fluid. Without hesitation, he thrust his sword straight into the assassin’s throat.

His expression remained calm, his eyes not even blinking. His strike was as fast as it was ruthless.

Blood gushed from the assassin’s neck, spilling over the side of the carriage.

The man clutched his throat, his eyes wide with shock. He hadn’t even processed what had happened before his body toppled off the carriage. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Zhou Feng held his sword and immediately looked outside. His driver had been decapitated and lay lifeless on the ground.

With no other choice, he grabbed the reins and urged the horse forward.

The horse galloped at full speed, but Zhou Feng’s expression remained grim. He occasionally glanced back.

There was no way the Yuan family would have sent only one assassin. He needed to escape this place as quickly as possible.

Just as he was urging the horse onward, a figure suddenly leaped onto the carriage.

“Shopkeeper Zhou, no need to worry. I’ve already taken care of the small fry for you.”

Zhou Feng looked up and saw that it was none other than Han Yan’er, the eldest daughter of the Han family—the very same woman who had once come to his aid before.