The Romantic Journey Through Time: Huanzhu's Tale - Chapter 40 (End)

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Chapter 183 Visiting Aunt

After finding an inconspicuous but tastefully decorated inn, Ertai and his party settled down in Dezhou City.

Once settled, Ertai instructed Fulu to invite Ji Xiaolan over. Fulu readily agreed and soon led Ji Xiaolan into Ertai's room.

Ertai politely invited Ji Xiaolan to sit down. After Fulu served tea and left, Ertai's smile faded, and he said seriously, "Brother Xiaolan, the situation in Shandong is probably not as simple as it seems on the surface. You must have seen what happened just now. Knowing that we are going to inspect Shandong in the next few days, these officials still didn't restrain themselves. I really don't know who gave them the audacity? Or do they simply not take us seriously?" Seeing Ertai's angry

expression, Ji Xiaolan smiled faintly. He had once served as an educational commissioner in the provinces, and he knew more about local affairs than Ertai, the second young master of the Fu family who had lived in the capital for a long time.

"Lord Fu, local affairs are always complex. The imperial court has its laws and policies, but at the local level, a different set of policies is followed. And even at the level of a prefecture or county, the policies vary. However, on the surface, everyone is in agreement. Therefore, I suspect that Shandong Governor Zhang Min, knowing we were coming, must have made arrangements in advance to stop all 'illegal' practices. Unfortunately, his orders were not effectively implemented." Ji Xiaolan picked up his teacup and took a sip to moisten his throat.

"Oh, you mean... outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant?" Upon hearing Ji Xiaolan's words, Ertai immediately understood. Although he lacked experience in governing local areas, he came from a wealthy family, possessed extremely high political acumen, and was also intelligent—in modern terms, had exceptionally high IQ and talent.

What Ertai meant was that he was here to oversee Shandong, and the officials at all levels in Shandong must have received orders from the Shandong Governor, Zhang Min, to strictly prohibit all "violations" and "illegal" activities, such as extorting money from passersby and ordinary people during the Shandong Heaven and Earth Society rebellion. This was to be explicitly forbidden, at least during Ertai's stay in Shandong.

The heads of the prefectures and counties naturally knew the seriousness and consequences if the imperial envoy were to witness such activities, and would undoubtedly order their subordinates to stop. However, whether these orders would be effectively implemented by the specific personnel in charge was another matter.

After all, no one can resist the temptation of money. Although such extorted money was ultimately to be handed over to the local authorities, i.e., to higher-level officials, the specific personnel in charge, and even ordinary soldiers, could still pocket some of it. Therefore, even if the higher-ups ordered a halt, the lower-level personnel might not necessarily comply.

"What's wrong with you officials? You have high-ranking positions and plenty of places to make money, so you might not care about this little bit of 'mosquito meat.' But we can't do that. We're in charge of this matter. If this stops, where will we make money?"

Most low-ranking officials have this mentality. However, since the order has been given, they dare not disobey. But how to obey is a bit tricky. For example, on the surface, they might stop, just to show the higher-ups, but in private, it doesn't stop them from secretly carrying it out. Even if an imperial envoy comes, they might not just happen to be caught doing it once or twice.

Furthermore, when imperial envoys inspect local areas, they always arrive with lavish entourages, beating drums and gongs, displaying their power as if they want everyone to know their identity. Before they even leave Hebei, Shandong receives the notification, and officials of all ranks come in droves to greet them. But now, the officials haven't arrived yet, which means the imperial envoy is still on his way. Why stop this "money-making journey" so early? Isn't that just throwing away a lot of money?

People always have a bit of wishful thinking, but unfortunately, it was just too coincidental that Ertai happened to witness it, and what's more, Ertai was traveling incognito…

"Lord Fu truly lives up to his reputation as a young talent..." Ji Xiaolan lightly patted Ertai, but only to a certain extent, lest too much flattery backfire. "It's precisely this hypocrisy of outwardly complying while inwardly resisting. The word 'official' has two mouths, one above and one below. In a large country, the emperor is the mouth above, while the court officials and regional governors are the mouths below. In a province, the governor is the mouth above, while the prefect and magistrate are the mouths below. In a small prefecture or county, the prefect and magistrate are the mouths above, while the yamen runners and clerks are the mouths below. These two mouths..." "They all need to be fed!"

Hearing this, Ertai nodded, then his expression turned serious. He understood what Ji Xiaolan meant, and he was also familiar with the rules of officialdom. For example, in Shandong, when disaster relief funds were embezzled, everyone from the governor, prefect, and county magistrate down to the lowest-ranking officials in charge received a share. And since these people had received the money, they naturally hoped to keep this "windfall" safe and sound. This explained why, after Zhang Jinghong, the censor of Shandong, reported the matter to the emperor, it triggered a joint impeachment and framing by officials at all levels in Shandong.

He had blocked the path to wealth for officials of all ranks in Shandong!

"How could my Great Qing Dynasty have raised such a bunch of parasites? All those years of hard study of the classics have gone to waste! A thousand-mile dike is destroyed by an ant hole. If this continues, the country will be ruined!" Ertai slammed his fist on the table in anger.

"Lord Fu is absolutely right." At this point, Ji Xiaolan's expression also became serious, even showing a hint of admiration for Ertai. "No wonder His Majesty appointed Lord Fu as Imperial Envoy. Just for your concern for the country and its people, I, Ji, am completely humbled. Lord Fu, I offer you this cup of tea in place of wine, on behalf of all the people under heaven, on behalf of the suffering people of Shandong."

Although Ji Xiaolan's words were somewhat grand, his expression was solemn, not feigned. Ertai smiled slightly, picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and then said solemnly, "Lord Ji, I think we should start investigating the matter in Shandong from Dezhou—starting with the 'framing innocent people as bandits' incident!"

When it came to business, Ertai's way of addressing Ji Xiaolan changed. He no longer addressed him as "Brother Xiaolan" but as "Lord Ji." This was to be expected; personal relationships were personal, but official business was official business, and they should not be confused.

"Yes, Lord Fu," Ji Xiaolan replied, bowing respectfully, adopting the demeanor of a subordinate.

After finishing their business, the two chatted casually, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed. Ji Xiaolan even revealed an 'insider secret' to Ertai, "Lord Fu, this Prefect of Dezhou, Zhang Wangyu, is truly a unique character among our Qing Dynasty officials."

"Oh? How so? Brother Xiaolan's assessment of him is quite high," Ertai said with interest, his curiosity tinged with amusement.

"Hehe, Lord Fu, you may not know, but this Zhang Wangyu is known as the 'Green Hat' Prefect," Ji Xiaolan said jokingly.

"Green Hat Prefect? Interesting, tell me more..." Ertai pressed on, his curiosity growing.

Ji Xiaolan sipped his tea and began to explain...

It turned out that Zhang Wangyu was an uneducated man from a young age, completely ignorant of the Four Books and Five Classics. However, his family was wealthy in the area, and through connections, they managed to get him a position as a probationary county magistrate, making him a minor official in the imperial court.

In the Qing Dynasty, candidates for county magistrate were as numerous as fish crossing a river; without connections, one could never hope to obtain a substantive post. However, Zhang Wangyu was quite capable; somehow he got in touch with Fukang'an. Later, Fukang'an took a liking to Zhang Wangyu's wife, and they became lovers. One day,

Fukang'an and his wife were enjoying themselves in Zhang Wangyu's study when he was suddenly caught in the act. However, Zhang Wangyu was quite composed; he showed no displeasure whatsoever, and even bowed to Fukang'an, saying, "Excuse me for disturbing you both," before leaving. Later, Zhang Wangyu's wife became Fukang'an's current concubine.

"Heh, interesting. This man certainly deserves the title of 'eccentric'," Ertai laughed heartily after hearing Ji Xiaolan's description, but then his face flushed red, thinking to himself, "Haven't I just given Ji Xiaolan a cuckold's horns?"

Ji Xiaolan was unaware of this at the time! However, Ertai, unwilling to continue the conversation on this matter, changed the subject, instructing Ji Xiaolan to secretly investigate the situation in Dezhou and not to reveal his identity. Ji Xiaolan, suppressing his teasing, quickly agreed.

...

Dezhou Prefectural Government.

Shandong Governor Zhang Min sat high in the main seat, flanked by dozens of officials of varying ranks from Shandong, all sent to welcome the Imperial Envoy, Fu Ertai.

Zhang Min's gaze swept across the faces of everyone present, then settled on the plump face of Dezhou Prefect Zhang Wangyu. "Dezhou Prefecture, have the arrangements for welcoming the Emperor been made?"

This question had two layers of meaning. The first, the explicit meaning, was asking if Zhang Wangyu had made the necessary preparations for welcoming the Imperial Envoy, such as food and lodging arrangements. The second, the implied meaning, was asking if he had handled the "clean-up" work properly, such as whether the illegal collection of taxes and the false accusations of bandits had ceased and been properly resolved.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, I have made all the arrangements," Zhang Wangyu replied with a slight bow.

"Hmm, I trust you with your work, but you must not be careless. The imperial envoy is here on the Emperor's orders; there can be no mishaps. Have the guards been arranged?" Zhang Min claimed to trust Zhang Wangyu, but in reality, he disliked this cuckolded prefect. This was evident in his curt address of Zhang Wangyu as "Prefect of Dezhou."

His sudden question about the guards was highly veiled, partly out of consideration for the envoy's arrangements, but more importantly, to prevent the envoy from interacting with the common people and to prevent any unforeseen incidents such as people blocking his carriage to lodge complaints.

Zhang Wangyu naturally understood Zhang Min's implication and nodded emphatically, indicating that everything was in order.

"Well, that's good. Everyone must learn from Dezhou Prefecture and arrange things properly and in an orderly manner. Those of you who haven't made arrangements yet, immediately send someone back to make arrangements. You must get ahead of the Imperial Envoy and let him see a 'harmonious' Shandong, a stable Shandong, a thriving Shandong. If anyone makes a mistake, I, the Vice Minister, will dismiss them from their posts."

As he said this, Zhang Min's stern gaze swept across everyone's faces. Everyone lowered their heads and avoided his gaze. Only Zhang Wangyu straightened his back, looking smug. He had been praised, so this was how it should be!

"Alright, you can all leave now. Tai'an Prefecture and Dezhou Prefecture, stay..." Zhang Min withdrew his gaze from everyone's faces and then waved his hand to signal everyone to leave.

After everyone left, the officials from Dezhou and Tai'an rose and bowed to Zhang Min, saying, "Your Excellency, what are your orders?"

"Alright, there are no outsiders here, so please don't stand on ceremony. Sit down and let's talk," Zhang Min said gently to the two, but his expression turned worried as he looked at the Tai'an prefect, his brows furrowed. He asked, "Prefect Zhou, have we still not received any news from Cangzhou?" Zhou Zuodong, the prefect of Tai'an, was Zhang Min's confidant, a fact evident from his form of address.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, news has come from Cangzhou, but they say they haven't seen the Imperial Envoy's whereabouts. I'm worried..." Zhou Zuomin, the prefect of Tai'an, hesitated.

"What are you worried about? There are no outsiders here, speak freely," Zhang Min said, his right eyelid twitching. He vaguely sensed that Zhou Zuomin's worries were exactly the same as his own.

"Yes, Your Excellency. I remember you wrote to the Grand Secretary and Your Excellency saying that the Imperial Envoy set off seven days ago. Judging by the dates, the Imperial Envoy should have arrived in Cangzhou two days ago. The Prefect of Cangzhou is my contemporary, and the two times the Imperial Envoy passed through Cangzhou, he wrote to me immediately. There's no reason for him not to report this time. So I suspect that the Imperial Envoy might be traveling incognito this time."

"Prefect Zhou, you've thought of the same thing as me. I also have this concern. If the Imperial Envoy is indeed traveling incognito, without any entourage, his journey will definitely be faster. I estimate he should arrive in Dezhou today, or perhaps he has already arrived—Dezhou Prefecture, go to the north gate of Dezhou yourself and ask if anyone resembling the Imperial Envoy has entered the city in the past two days. Report to me immediately."

Zhang Min's brows furrowed into a deep frown as he gave the order with a worried expression.

"Yes, I'll go right away." Seeing Zhang Min's solemn expression, Zhang Wangyu didn't dare to delay and hurriedly dragged his fat body away, panting.

After Zhang Wangyu left, Zhang Min instructed Zhou Zuomin, "Prefect Zhou, quickly inform Lord He about the 'Imperial Envoy's incognito visit' and ask him for a decision. Also, I don't trust Zhang Wangyu's work. Take my edict and go to the Dezhou prison tonight to clean up what needs to be cleaned up."

"Yes, I understand." After saying that, Zhou Zuomin was about to turn and leave when Zhang Min suddenly called him back, "By the way, have the accounts for the disaster relief funds and the amount of disaster relief grain distributed been matched up?"

"I have already made arrangements to ensure that the Imperial Envoy will not notice anything. You can rest assured, Your Excellency." Zhou Zuomin said confidently.

"It must be done flawlessly—alas, this imperial envoy is probably different from the previous two. We must be careful and not make the slightest mistake." Zhang Min sighed.

"Yes, Your Excellency will certainly comply." Zhou Zuomin said, bowing.

...

On the other side, Ertai whispered a few words to Fulu, then mounted a tall, brown horse that Fulu had chosen from the Dezhou mule and horse shop, and galloped towards the Jinan prefectural government office.

Chapter 184 Hiss!

Meanwhile, Zhang Wangyu of Dezhou Prefecture, having received an order from the Shandong Governor Zhang Min, hurriedly went to the north gate of Dezhou to inquire. In less than an hour, Zhang Wangyu returned to the Dezhou prefectural government office, covered in sweat, panting heavily, his face as black as the bottom of a pot, his expression filled with worry, fear, and panic.

"Your Excellency... Your Excellency... Something terrible has happened..." His obese body trembled as he took small, unsteady steps to the main hall of the back office, where he knelt down with a thud, his face ashen, not daring to look at Zhang Min's expression.

"What's the panic? You are a fourth-rank prefect, how can you behave like this? Get up and speak properly." Zhang Min put down his teacup and glared at Zhang Wangyu with some displeasure.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, it's... it's extremely urgent... something terrible has happened." Zhang Wangyu was favored by Fukang'an not only because he offered his wife, but also because he was eloquent. However, he was now stammering, which meant he was truly frightened by something.

"Hmph, what major event could possibly happen? Is the sky falling down? You're a senior prefect of Dezhou, what kind of behavior is this, all flustered and panicked? How have I always taught you all? Don't panic in the face of trouble, stay calm, remain composed even if Mount Tai collapses before you! Look at yourself now, where is the dignity of a prefect?" Zhang Min reprimanded dismissively, then picked up his teacup and sipped his fragrant tea.

"This humble official was...unworthy, I hope Your Excellency will forgive me. However, the situation is urgent, and I dared not act on my own authority, so I rushed back to seek Your Excellency's instructions."

Hearing Zhang Min's reprimand, Zhang Wangyu immediately regained his previous eloquence, thinking to himself, "Hmph, you're my superior. If things go wrong, you'll be the first to suffer. You're not worried, why should I be?"

“That’s right, that’s more like the style of a Shandong official. Alright, tell me, what exactly happened?” Zhang Min took a sip of tea, glancing sideways at Zhang Wangyu through the rising steam.

“Your Excellency, I went to the Debei city gate. According to the gatekeeper, four carriages passed through the Debei city gate at noon today. Judging from their accents, they seemed to be from the capital.”

At this point, Zhang Wangyu paused, observing Zhang Min’s reaction. Seeing that he was listening attentively, he continued, “The leader was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a refined appearance. The servants accompanying him seemed to be quite skilled.”

"Oh? Is that so? Tell me in detail, what is the young man's identity, where is he from, and what is he doing in Dezhou?" Upon hearing this, Zhang Min's heart skipped a beat, and she stared intently at Zhang Wangyu, pressing him with a stern expression.

"Yes—according to the city gate official, the man claimed to be the son of a wealthy merchant from Tianjin, and that he came to Shandong to purchase medicinal herbs, and also—and also—" Zhang Wangyu hesitated, considering whether he should report the truth to Zhang Min.

"And what? Tell me quickly!" A sense of foreboding suddenly rose in Zhang Min's heart. Seeing Zhang Wangyu's stammering, she couldn't help but feel angry and shouted impatiently.

"Yes, yes!" Seeing Zhang Min's genuine anger, Zhang Wangyu hurriedly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, bowing slightly and saying with a troubled expression, "Your Excellency, I was momentarily confused and failed to manage my men properly. Those people, they were... they paid 'tax silver' to enter the city."

"What! What did you say?" Upon hearing this, Zhang Min flew into a rage, smashing his teacup on the ground. The scene changed color, and he raised a trembling finger to poke Zhang Wangyu's forehead, shouting, "You bastard! Didn't I tell you to stop collecting taxes? Stop collecting taxes? Did you stuff donkey hair in your ears?"

Originally, Zhang Min was very conscious of his image, behaving with feigned politeness, but now, his anger was too intense, and he couldn't help but reveal his true colors, cursing Zhang Wangyu.

"Yes, yes, I know I was wrong. I have severely criticized the gatekeeper, and he promises he will never dare to do it again." Zhang Wangyu knelt down again with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly, his face full of remorse and pleading.

"Hmph, criticism, what's the use of criticism? He won't do it again. The deed is done, and he'll have another chance to do it. You scoundrel, how do you usually discipline your subordinates!" Zhang Min was furious. If it weren't for the fact that Zhang Wangyu was Fukang'an's confidant and usually treated him with respect, he would have dismissed him on the spot.

However, this thought was fleeting. He quickly dismissed it. At this moment, he had to remain calm and composed, and not let anything go wrong that would disobey the imperial envoy. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, but instead of suppressing his anger, he became flustered and unsettled. His face turned pale, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably, as if he were terrified.

Zhang Wangyu remained kneeling on the ground, secretly observing Zhang Min's reaction with his eyes. Seeing Zhang Min trembling and his face filled with fear, he couldn't help but sneer inwardly, "What kind of idiot is he? He was so righteous back then, saying things like 'Stay calm, don't panic,' 'Remain unmoved even if Mount Tai collapses before you,' but when it's his turn, he's a complete coward!"

Zhang Min disliked Zhang Wangyu, and Zhang Wangyu didn't like Zhang Min either. Sometimes, people dislike each other for no reason at all. "I just don't like you, so what?"

However, despite their mutual dislike, the incident had already occurred, and it happened in Dezhou. If the imperial envoy really investigated and dealt with it severely, Zhang Wangyu would be the first to lose his job. So, he cautiously raised his head and said to Zhang Min, "Your Excellency, please don't be angry all the time. Please give us an answer. How should this matter be handled?"

"Hmph, how can I not be angry? With such a big incident, how can I stay calm? " Hearing Zhang Wangyu's first words, Zhang Min was immediately furious and began to huff and puff. However, after hearing Zhang Wangyu's later words, he suddenly calmed down. The boy was right; what was done was done, and getting angry wouldn't help. The important thing was to think of a solution.

Thinking this, Zhang Min mentally went through the ins and outs of Zhang Wangyu's words. He felt that the person Zhang Wangyu mentioned was very likely the imperial envoy. A seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy—wasn't the imperial envoy Fu Ertai also seventeen or eighteen? Could the skilled servant be a palace guard in disguise? Coming from Tianjin, yet speaking with a Beijing accent—wasn't this just trying to cover something up? After mentally reviewing the situation

, Zhang Min concluded that there was a high probability that the so-called son of a wealthy merchant from Tianjin was the imperial envoy Fu Ertai. So he slammed his fist on the table and roared at Zhang Wangyu, who was kneeling on the ground, "Dezhou Prefecture, immediately dispatch all the runners of the prefecture to find the whereabouts of the imperial envoy! If you dare to make even the slightest mistake, I'll take your head!" “Yes, yes, yes… ”

Zhang Wangyu had already broken out in a cold sweat. Hearing that Zhang Min finally had an idea, he hurriedly agreed repeatedly, but then asked with difficulty, “Your Excellency, he, he, the Imperial Envoy is traveling incognito, and his whereabouts are uncertain. How, how can I investigate?”

“You idiot, are you a pig-brain!” Zhang Min glared at Zhang Wangyu resentfully, and shouted even more displeasedly, almost roaring, “Even if he is an Imperial Envoy, even if he is on behalf of Heaven to inspect the realm, he still needs to eat, drink, relieve himself, and sleep. Do I need to teach you that?”

“Yes, yes, I understand, I understand. I will go and investigate the whereabouts of the Imperial Envoy right away. ” "Actually, Zhang Wangyu isn't stupid; on the contrary, he's quite quick-witted. He was just confused from fright. Now, after Zhang Min's reminder, he immediately understood the direction of the search—the taverns, inns, and even post stations throughout the city.

" Having said that, Zhang Wangyu was about to rush out the door when he suddenly heard Zhang Min stop him from behind, "Wait!"

"Your Excellency, what else do you need?" Zhang Wangyu immediately stopped and turned to look at Zhang Min.

"Remember, don't conduct a large-scale investigation. It must be done secretly. Once you find the boy's whereabouts, don't alert him. Just send someone to keep an eye on him, and then report back to me immediately—also, find a way to make that gatekeeper from Debei 'shut up.' I don't care what method you use; I just don't want to see him again. If he's still alive tomorrow, I'll take your head! Go now!" After giving these instructions, Zhang Min waved her hand dismissively at Zhang Wangyu as if swatting a fly, too annoyed to even glance at his fat, pale face.

"Yes, yes, this humble official takes his leave, I'll take my leave now!" Zhang Wangyu bowed deeply to Zhang Min, then turned away and coldly snorted, "What a piece of trash, damn it!"

...

On the other side.

Ertai galloped towards the Jinan government office, his horse moving at great speed, kicking up clouds of dust. Even though these were fine horses, Ertai arrived at the Jinan government office at around 3:00 AM. Having

visited his aunt's place a few years ago with his father, Fulun, Ertai knew the way well and found the back courtyard of the government office. He dismounted and knocked on the door. A moment later, a sleepy voice came from inside, yawning repeatedly, and saying with a slightly annoyed tone, "Who is it, so late at night?"

"It's me, Fu Ertai!" Ertai replied calmly.

"Who? You say you are?" The voice inside tensed immediately.

"I am Fu Ertai," Ertai patiently repeated.

"Oh, it's Second Young Master! This old servant's hearing is failing; I didn't recognize your voice. Please forgive me." The voice inside apologized as it unlatched the door.

The wooden door opened, and Ertai saw an aged face—it was Uncle Fu, a servant of the Fu family's long-established business, over sixty years old, and the steward of Ertai's aunt Fu Ning's household.

"Hehe, Uncle Fu, your voice has become increasingly weathered; I almost didn't recognize you," Ertai said with a smile.

"Second Young Master, this old servant hasn't seen you for three or five years! You've really grown into a strong man. If you hadn't introduced yourself, I wouldn't have recognized you on the street," Uncle Fu said, grabbing Ertai's sleeve and looking at him with considerable excitement.

"Hehe, people always change, Uncle Fu. Has my aunt gone to sleep?" After exchanging a few pleasantries with Uncle Fu, Ertai inquired about his aunt.

"No, just now when this old servant was walking around the courtyard, I saw the light still on in the eldest mistress's room. Perhaps she hasn't gone to sleep yet."

"Hmm, then I'll trouble Uncle Fu to inform her that Ertai requests an audience with his aunt." In the Qing Dynasty, rules were extremely strict, especially in a large family like the Fu family. Relationships between elders and juniors were far from the casual interactions of ordinary families. For a nephew to see his aunt, a servant had to announce his arrival first.

"Alright, alright, Second Young Master, please follow this way." Uncle Fu, holding a candle, led Ertai towards his aunt's room.

Soon, they arrived at a quiet inner courtyard and reached a room with a light on. Uncle Fu gently knocked on the door, and in an instant, a pleasant, slightly languid voice came from inside, "Who is it?"

"Madam, it's Uncle Fu. Second Young Master has arrived." Uncle Fu said joyfully.

"Second Young Master? You mean Ertai has arrived?" The voice from inside was equally delighted. "Quickly, please come in."

"Second Young Master, please. This old servant won't go in." Uncle Fu stepped aside, and Ertai smiled at him before pushing open the door to his aunt's room.

Upon entering, Ertai was greeted by a fragrant aroma, mingled with a strong milky scent. He then walked around the screen and looked excitedly at his aunt on the bed. Just as he was about to greet her, he suddenly noticed that his aunt, half-sitting up against the headboard, was naked from the waist up, her face flushed as she hurriedly put on her undergarment.

'Hiss!' The young and impetuous Ertai couldn't help but gasp.

Chapter 185 Plumpness, Charm

'Gulp!'

After gasping, Ertai suddenly swallowed hard; his aunt's allure was simply too captivating.

Fu Ning's face was rosy and her features delicate. Half-naked, her fair, soft back leaned against the headboard. Her expression was languid, her hair tousled, and her breathing quickened due to Ertai's sudden appearance. This caused her already enormous pink breasts to tremble uncontrollably, almost making Ertai's eyes dizzy.

"Auntie's are so big," Ertai said, his eyes burning as he stared at his aunt's two delicate breasts, white and tender, exceptionally full, like two inflated balloons, plump and firm.

But the most beautiful and alluring feature was her bright red and pink nipples, swollen and erect, still bearing traces of sweet, milky milk.

Clearly, Fu Ning had just breastfed not long ago, and in her haste to put her daughter to sleep, she hadn't had time to wipe away the milk residue from her nipples or put on a bib.

Just then, Ertai suddenly arrived. Having not seen him for three years, Funing missed her nephew terribly and instinctively let him in. Suddenly remembering she wasn't dressed, she tried to stop him, but Ertai, equally eager to see his aunt, quickly reached her bedside and witnessed the erotic scene.

"Ertai, you, you go out first… wait until your aunt is ready before you come in…" Funing, seeing Ertai staring intently at her magnificent breasts, blushed deeply and shyly asked him to leave so she could put on her clothes.

"Oh… okay…" Ertai, engrossed in the sight, couldn't bear his aunt's dismissal and reluctantly turned away.

"Phew..." Seeing Ertai's figure disappear behind the screen, Fu Ning breathed a long sigh of relief. She raised her small hand to touch her pretty cheek, feeling her soft cheeks burning hot. She couldn't help but scold herself for being in such a hurry to let Ertai in. Now, her nephew had seen her entire upper body, how embarrassing!

Fu Ning's heart pounded, and she was momentarily lost in thought, not knowing what she was thinking. But then she shyly bit her lip with her pearly teeth, her face flushed, and began to put on her light red embroidered bodice.

During this process, Ertai hid behind the screen and secretly watched, carefully admiring Fu Ning's upper body. His throat was burning with desire, and he wished he could rush over and grab his aunt's pair of full, fragrant breasts and knead them properly.

However, this was just a thought; he dared not actually pounce on her, lest he anger his aunt and they lose their aunt-nephew relationship.

So he suppressed his restless desires, his eyes fixed even more intently on his aunt on the bed, not daring to look away for a moment. The bodice, originally quite loose, was stretched taut by his aunt's enormous, milk-filled breasts, barely concealing her voluptuous figure. A large expanse of white flesh peeked out from the sides of the bodice. Ertai suspected that if his aunt moved her upper body even slightly, those two enormous breasts would surely break free and spring out.

After putting on the bodice, Fu Ning gently lifted the quilt covering her, instantly revealing a fair, straight, beautiful leg. Even through a layer of pajama bottoms, it still caught Ertai's eye.

He followed his aunt's beautiful legs down and saw a delicate, fair foot, flawless and white like jade. Her sexy, soft toes were painted with black nail polish, adding a touch of wild charm to his elegant and dignified aunt.

Then, Ertai saw his aunt put on a thin silk nightgown, over which she draped a gossamer-thin veil. With dignified and elegant movements, she got out of bed, her small, white feet deftly slipping into pink embroidered shoes, and walked gracefully towards him.

Knowing he should hide, Ertai slipped out of the room, waiting for his aunt to call him in before pretending to have been waiting outside. He responded and entered the room.

When he returned, his aunt was already seated at the head of the table, smiling at Ertai, but the beautiful blush on her cheeks hadn't faded, revealing her lingering shyness and unease.

Ertai smiled and greeted his aunt, then sat down in the chair to her right, with a square table between them. Turning his head to look at his aunt's beautiful face, Ertai complained, "Auntie, it's such a hassle for you to change your clothes. I've caught a cold waiting outside... Achoo..." He

even pretended to sneeze at the end.

"Hehe, Ertai, your personality hasn't changed at all in these three years. You always try to flatter and fawn over your aunt. Don't I know you? You've practiced martial arts since you were little, you're very healthy. How could you catch a cold standing outside for a while?"

By this time, Fu Ning had recovered from her earlier embarrassment. Adjusting her mindset, she smiled mischievously and exposed Ertai's complaint. She knew Ertai was deliberately acting cute in front of her. She hadn't expected him to still be like this now that he was older, always acting like a child in her eyes. This pleased Fu Ning greatly.

"Hehe." Caught off guard by his aunt, Ertai blushed and chuckled, scratching the back of his head with his large hand.

*Pfft!*

Fu Ning was amused by Ertai's appearance. She lightly touched her delicate lips with her slender hand, her smile concealing her teeth—a picture of refined elegance. If any other man saw such a beautiful woman's captivating smile, his eyes would immediately fill with desire, and drool would stream down his face.

However, Ertai had already witnessed his aunt's enchanting smile before; now, he was more interested in the two large breasts that trembled with each laugh.

Fu Ning was smiling at Er Tai when she suddenly noticed that Er Tai's eyes, which had been fixed on her face, were now stealthily glancing at her chest. Her heart tightened instantly, and the scene of Er Tai's sudden intrusion earlier flashed through her mind, recalling the burning look in his eyes when he saw her breasts. A slight anger rose within her, mixed with a strange feeling, and her delicate body began to heat up.

"Er Tai!" Fu Ning, being a young woman, felt embarrassed by Er Tai's lack of restraint and had to remind him.

"Ah...hehe, Aunt, it's been years since I last saw you. You've become so much prettier, and much more...mature, hehe." Startled by Fu Ning's reminder, Er Tai reluctantly withdrew his gaze and looked at his aunt, but his mind was still reeling from the image of his aunt's undulating breasts, and he almost blurted out something he shouldn't have, but thankfully corrected himself in time.

"Do you even need to tell me I'm beautiful?" Fu Ning gave Ertai a charmingly sullen look, a slight hint of annoyance on her face. "But speaking of maturity, Auntie has really aged quite a bit over the years, and with just having a baby, she's gained a lot of weight too, sigh."

Women all love beauty! They're usually most concerned about things like getting older and gaining weight.

"No way, Auntie, you're still as stunning as ever, and you're not fat, you're just voluptuous. Before, you were too thin, now you're just right, hehe." Hearing his aunt sigh, Ertai quickly flattered her, knowing that women love to hear compliments, especially from men praising their looks and figures.

Sure enough, upon hearing Ertai's praise, Fu Ning's face immediately lit up with a smile, even more pronounced than before. Two rosy blushes even appeared on her fair cheeks, showing how happy she was. However, she said coyly, "Hehe, Ertai, you're just trying to make your aunt happy. You only say things that your aunt wants to hear. Whoever marries you will live in a honey pot every day!" "

Hehe, Auntie is joking. I'm serious. If you don't believe me, Auntie, look in the mirror and see if what I said is true." Ertai pretended to bring his aunt a mirror.

"Alright, Auntie believes you. Really, you're such a grown-up and still so serious. Hehe, by the way, Ertai, why are you here so late at night? Didn't your uncle come back with you?" Fu Ning stopped Ertai, but suddenly changed the subject.

Looking at his composed aunt, Ertai couldn't help but admire Fu Ning, who truly lived up to her reputation as a young lady of the Fu family and Fu Lun's younger sister. Even when facing her nephew Ertai, her words were impeccable.

Her question sounded like a casual chat, but its implied meaning was quite profound. The question, "Didn't you come back with your uncle?" was actually asking Ertai if he had met with his uncle and had a deep conversation with him. At the same time, it was also a test of Ertai's attitude, wanting to know how he planned to act as the imperial envoy.

Ertai understood his aunt's meaning perfectly, so he smiled and said, "Aunt, my trip to Shandong is an incognito visit to understand the local customs and traditions. If I were to travel in a sedan chair with drums and gongs, I'm afraid I wouldn't see anything of substance. Besides, I only arrived in Dezhou this afternoon and haven't had time to inform the local authorities yet."

"Oh! You only arrived in Dezhou this morning? No wonder you're only here in the middle of the night. You probably haven't eaten yet. I'll personally cook you some congee and side dishes," Fu Ning said to Ertai with a loving expression.

She understood Ertai's attitude from his words. She knew that Ertai was acting on imperial orders and was determined to investigate the Shandong case thoroughly, showing no leniency. However, his immediate visit to her home upon arriving in Dezhou was not simply out of longing for his aunt; there must be a deeper meaning—he wanted to find a way to exonerate Fu Ning's family.

"Hehe, okay, Aunt, now that you mention it, I really am feeling a bit hungry. It's been so many years since I've had a meal cooked by you, Aunt. I'm in for a treat today!"

"You, you, always so polite with your own aunt—you sit here and wait a bit, Aunt will personally cook you a couple of her signature dishes to satisfy your cravings, hehe."

With that, Fu Ning stood up and walked briskly towards the door. Her two heavy, plump breasts inevitably caused another wave of excitement, making Er Tai's blood boil.

...

After his aunt went to the kitchen, Er Tai took a few deep breaths to calm his agitated mind. Then he went to the bedside and sat down, looking at his little cousin, who was wrapped tightly in the blankets with only her head peeking out.

His little cousin was his aunt's youngest daughter, just over six months old. It was the first time Er Tai had seen her. Seeing her rosy, smooth face, he couldn't help but reach out and pinch her cheeks with affection.

In his past life, Ertai had always adored children, especially their cheeks. He found them soft and bouncy, and the texture was wonderful to hold.

This time, gazing at the sleeping baby's delicate face, he couldn't resist the urge to pinch his little cousin's cheek. He forgot that his internal strength was considerable after his transmigration. Although it was only a light pinch, it felt quite heavy on the baby's face. His little cousin immediately woke up, her sleepy eyes blinking as she looked at the unfamiliar young man before her. Suddenly, she let out a deafening wail.

Seeing that he had woken her, Ertai hurriedly scooped her up in his arms, gently rocking and trying to soothe her. However, his attempts only made her cry louder, as if Ertai were a devil.

Hearing his little cousin crying harder and harder, Ertai panicked and hurriedly carried her to the kitchen to ask his aunt for help.

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The Romantic Journey Through Time: Huanzhu's Tale - Chapter 40 (End)

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