Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

Zhou Feng withdrew his gaze and found an empty seat by the window.

Bai Lang and Tie Jianguo stood straight behind him, one on each side.

"You guys sit too." Zhou Feng gestured to the side with his chin. "Standing is tiring."

Bai Lang and Tie Jianguo exchanged a glance, then sat down.

Zhou Feng poured himself a cup of tea and sipped it slowly.

The tea was personally ordered by Zhao Pan'er. It was refreshing and had a lingering sweet aftertaste. Although he didn't know much about tea, he could still tell whether it tasted good or not.

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze following Zhao Pan'er as she bustled about in the teahouse. She was full of energy and exuded youthful vigor.

As he watched, Zhou Feng's lips curled up in a smile.

He had seen quite a few women in these worlds: some were like those in courtyard houses, calculating every penny of their daily lives; some were like those in high-class households, putting on airs as if they were dealing with the dead; and some were like Bai Ling, fiery and decisive.

But Zhao Pan'er was different. She did what she loved, her eyes shone with light, her hands were skilled, and she had a clear understanding of what she was doing. That confidence and composure that emanated from her very being was more captivating than any girl adorned with makeup.

This vibrant charm was incredibly attractive to Zhou Feng.

"What are you looking at?" Zhao Pan'er appeared in front of him at some point, carrying a plate of freshly made peach blossom fruit. She bent down and placed it on his table. "You've been looking at it for ages."

Zhou Feng snapped out of his daze and smiled, "Just looking at you."

Zhao Pan'er's ears turned slightly red, but she didn't shy away. Instead, she sat down opposite him gracefully and poured herself a cup of tea.

"Thank you for today."

Zhao Pan'er picked up her teacup and raised it towards him: "If it weren't for you, those shopkeepers wouldn't have given in so easily."

"Why are you being so polite with me?" Zhou Feng clinked glasses with her. "Besides, you were bound to win anyway."

Zhao Pan'er smiled, took a sip of tea, and looked out the window at the bustling streets. Her voice held a touch of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both admiration and reflection): "Having been in Tokyo for so long, today is the happiest day I've ever had."

"Things will get better in the future," Zhou Feng said.

Zhao Pan'er turned to look at him, her eyes sparkling. She seemed about to say something, but in the end, she only hummed in agreement. Then she stood up and pushed the plate towards him: "Eat more fruit. It's the new fruit that Third Sister made; it's even better than last time."

Zhou Feng responded and watched her rush off to get busy again, feeling that life was quite comfortable.

While they were having a comfortable time, Gao Guancha was not in such a good mood.

In front of him was a tray containing Yu Zhongquan's leg, which had been treated by Zhou Feng and the others.

At first, Gao Hu thought that Zhou Feng, the Heavenly Master personally appointed by the Emperor, was dissatisfied with him and was deliberately giving him a warning.

After questioning all the servants in the household, they still couldn't find any connection between their family and this Taoist master.

After reading the letter, he realized that it was actually his own daughter who, in order to curry favor with the emperor, sent someone to cause trouble for the Heavenly Master's fiancée!

What's most infuriating is that the person his own daughter sent was actually a subordinate of the Imperial City Guard!

Who are the Imperial City Guards?

They were directly under the emperor's command, and their core functions were to spy on officials, apprehend thieves, and monitor the army!

Not to mention the Three Offices, even the Privy Council couldn't control them. They were only responsible to the Emperor himself and belonged to the inner court.

However, his own family members were military officers, belonging to the category of external generals!

If a military officer actively befriends the Imperial City Guard, it means he is attempting to infiltrate, bribe, or interfere with the government's private intelligence system!

Even if the current government is the most virtuous, it will not tolerate such a thing happening!

The most terrifying thing is that the founding emperor of this dynasty seized power through the Chenqiao Mutiny, so collusion between military officers and the Imperial City Guard was an absolute red line in the eyes of successive emperors!

If civil officials are close to each other, it's at most considered factionalism, which the Emperor can tolerate. But if military officers collude with the Imperial City Guard, that's treason!

One wrong move and their entire government could face annihilation!

After reading the letter Zhou Feng sent him, Gao Hu's back was drenched in cold sweat.

He had no idea that in just a few days, his daughter would send him such a wonderful gift!

"Someone, bring the young lady's wet nurse to the courtyard!"

Gao Hu knew perfectly well how willful his daughter was.

But wasn't the reason he rose to this position to provide a good life for his descendants?

It's perfectly fine for a young lady to be a little willful.

Therefore, Gao Hu always turned a blind eye to the many slightly excessive things that Gao Hui had her wet nurse do, and even helped her clean up the mess.

But this won't do. That wet nurse was so reckless as to contact the Imperial City Guard for Gao Hui. He absolutely cannot let this go!

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the wet nurse was brought to Gao Hu with her hands and feet bound tightly. The latter didn't say much, but simply gestured.

The guards on both sides silently picked up the whips that had just been prepared and dipped in chili water.

The wet nurse and Gao Hui's maidservants, relying on their mistress's favor, didn't treat the guards well at all.

Now that she has made a mistake, she can't blame these guards for being ruthless!

The whip lashed down suddenly, tearing the wet nurse's silk clothes in an instant and even leaving bloodstains.

The chili water seeped in, causing the wet nurse to cry out in pain, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.

But the guards carrying out the execution did not hesitate at all.

They've seen far too many awful things this wet nurse has done!

Let alone whipping her so many times, even if the master beat her to death, it wouldn't be too much!

As the wet nurse was being punished, Gao Hui's maidservant hurriedly turned and ran towards her mistress's boudoir.

She and her wet nurse were always together, and now that the wet nurse has been punished, how could she not be afraid?

Upon hearing this, Gao Hui ran towards her own courtyard.

When she arrived, the wet nurse was trembling all over and almost fainted.

"Father, what are you doing? What wrong has the wet nurse done that warrants such a fuss?"

Gao Hui, her neck stiff, glared angrily at her father.

"Father, you are often away from home, and my wet nurse raised me single-handedly. If you insist on taking my wet nurse's life today, then I don't want to live either!"

As she spoke, Gao Hui threw herself onto the wet nurse, causing the guards who were carrying out the execution to stop, somewhat bewildered.

It's fine to hit a wet nurse, but if you hit this petty young lady, the retaliation she'll suffer in the future is unpredictable!

"How dare you! You, a young lady of the Gao family, intend to live and die with this wet nurse?"

Gao Guancha was truly enraged this time. He had already felt incredibly frustrated because Gao Hui had been constantly contradicting him on behalf of Ouyang Xu.

Now he's willing to die for this wet nurse, so what kind of father is he?

All these years of handling everything for her, what does the affection I've given her amount to?

"Miss! Don't blame your master. It was this old servant who embezzled money from the manor. I deserve to be beaten! This old servant is guilty!"

The old woman, with tears in her eyes, leaned weakly on Gao Hui's shoulder and said something.

Gao Hui's eyes immediately reddened, and tears streamed down her face: "What good is mere money? Why did it have to come to this?"

"Ha...money? You old servant, do you think you're so loyal? I'm beating you, do you need to cover it up?"

"Father!"

Gao Hui turned her head sharply, glaring angrily at Gao Hu: "The wet nurse has already been beaten like this, and you still dare to say such sarcastic things?"

"So what if I said it! I'm asking you, did you send this wet nurse to the Imperial City Guard to cause trouble for Zhao Pan'er?!"

Gao Hu's face was filled with rage, and the ferocity brought on by his anger made Gao Hui tremble. Her father had never shown her such an expression before!

"Yes...so what? That Zhao Pan'er is just a merchant girl from Qiantang. She pestered Ouyang all the way to Tokyo. What's wrong with me teaching her a lesson?"

Gao Hui stiffened her neck, showing no remorse whatsoever.

Let alone this common merchant girl, what difference would it make if she were the sister of a seventh or eighth-rank official?

She still tidies up whenever she wants, doesn't she?

"It's Ouyang Xu again!"

Now, when Gao Hu hears Ouyang Xu's name, he wishes he could chase after him to Xijing and kill him!

A mere third-place scholar has caused so much trouble for the Gao family!

"You think Zhao Pan'er is just a simple merchant girl from Qiantang? Let me tell you, she's the fiancée of the Emperor's currently favored Protector of the Nation! Even your father can't afford to offend her now, so what makes you think you can?"

"Furthermore, who authorized you to contact the Imperial City Guard? Military officers colluding with eunuchs—are you trying to kill me? Or do you think you're living too comfortably now and want the Emperor to confiscate my entire Gao family's property?"

Gao Hu grew angrier as he spoke, his eyes filled with murderous intent as he looked at the old woman kneeling there, and he unconsciously clenched his fists.

Gao Hui instinctively sensed the change in her father's expression, stepped aside to shield the wet nurse, and stood in front of her, saying, "Father, now that things have happened, what difference does it make if you kill the wet nurse? It's just a misunderstanding; some compensation will suffice!"

"Compensate with some money? The Imperial City Guard you sought out is already beheaded. Now that they've come to me, what can you do? Is Lei Jing of the Imperial City Guard someone to be trifled with? He didn't even react when his subordinates were killed. Do you think a little money can appease him? Don't even mention your father, even the virtuous concubine in the palace wouldn't dare to offend this Celestial Master who is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor!"

Gao Hu now deeply regrets his neglect of his daughter.

For a descendant of a family like his, the real danger isn't a spoiled brat or a willful person, but someone who is short-sighted and brainless.

He was extremely disappointed that his daughter lacked even this basic sensitivity.

But to be honest, he couldn't bear to punish Gao Hui like that.

Therefore, the only person who can take the punishment in place of Gao Hui is this wet nurse. The more severely the wet nurse is beaten, the more sincere the punishment will be.

After dealing with the wet nurse, he still wanted to personally visit her with Gao Hui to apologize!

"Hui'er, come inside with your father and we'll talk. This matter concerns the survival of the Gao family, and we cannot be careless in the slightest."

Gao Hu sighed and looked at his daughter with a meaningful expression.

If even this is the case, Gao Hui can still be willful and indifferent, only caring about the wet nurse, then he can only cruelly grant his daughter's wish and send her and the wet nurse to live in the outer residence.

At worst, I can try harder and have more offspring; that's better than being ruined and dying.

Fortunately, Gao Hui knew what was important and what was urgent. She gave the wet nurse a deep look, nodded, and followed Gao Hu into the main hall.

The teahouse was busy until dusk before the guests gradually dispersed.

Sun San Niang and her men were cleaning dishes in the kitchen, Song Yin Zhang was tidying up his pipa on the second floor, and Zhao Pan'er was sitting behind the counter, using an abacus to check accounts.

Zhou Feng then put away his phone, stood up, and stretched.

"Let's go, let's go back. Zhao Niangzi is treating us to dinner tonight, let's go to her house and freeload!"

Zhao Pan'er happened to look up from behind the counter and couldn't help but smile when she heard this: "My residence doesn't have anything good to offer you gentlemen."

"What's so important about age? In this entire city of Tokyo, everything made by Third Sister is the best!"

Zhou Feng patted Zhao Pan'er's shoulder with a grin, then looked up at the kitchen. Sun San Niang was turning her head to look this way. Hearing his words, her pretty face flushed, and she quickly turned away.

In this day and age, Zhou Feng's straightforward praise is still a bit too forward.

But he didn't care about any of that. With money and power, he could say whatever he wanted, regardless of anything else.

The group closed the teahouse door, boarded the carriage, and headed towards the house where Zhao Pan'er and the others lived.

This time, Zhou Feng didn't let Zhao Pan'er and Sun San Niang sit together. Instead, he grabbed Zhao Pan'er's hand in front of them and the two sat side by side on one side.

Sun San Niang and Song Yin Zhang both turned their attention to them.

Zhou Feng didn't care at all. Zhao Pan'er tried to pull his arm back but couldn't, so she had no choice but to let him have his way.

Having already shared a physical encounter on the second floor, although they hadn't actually kissed yet, Zhao Pan'er's attitude towards Zhou Feng had changed drastically.

With a powerful figure like Zhou Feng promising her the position of his principal wife, and having already spoken to the emperor, what reason did she have to be reserved?

Upon arriving at the gate of the house, Zhao Pan'er took out her key and opened the door, and Sun San Niang was the first to run inside.

She didn't want to see Zhou Feng and Zhao Pan'er being all lovey-dovey. Most importantly, she still had to go to the kitchen to cook, and she couldn't let this Celestial Master go hungry.

"Boss, you're being followed by someone, and there's only one person behind you. Should we deal with it?"

Lin Yin's report came through Zhou Feng's Bluetooth headset.

"If it's just one person, then there's no need. It's a good opportunity to find out who's watching us."

Sun San Niang prepared a simple meal, and the four of them had just sat down at the square table in the courtyard when there was a knock on the door.