The Second Sister of a Farmer's Family's Path to Imperial Destiny

Chapter 127 I can’t help myself

Another ten days passed, and Zhao He had been in Suining City for quite some time. If the account books were stable today, he would go somewhere else and continue to be a playboy prince.

On the carved wooden table, there were two thick stacks of account books on both sides. Zhao He was leaning on the couch with the account books in his hands, his brows relaxed and the corners of his mouth raised.

"The silver in this account book is quite stable. I think it will be enough for my third brother. Then I won't have to worry about it and can continue to travel around the beautiful land of Dazhao." Zhao He murmured.

Not long after he finished speaking, Wen Yan came in with a bamboo tube in his hand and said, "Your Highness, there is another letter from the capital."

Zhao He's relaxed brows suddenly frowned again and asked, "Why did you write again? Hasn't the issue of Third Brother's money been resolved?"

Zhao He opened the letter and sighed for a long time.

"I just want to be an ordinary man, a free and easy prince. Why don't those people in the capital want to let me go?" Zhao He looked at Wen Yan and asked.

Wen Yan naturally didn't dare to say much, and only said: "Perhaps it is because Your Highness has a unique talent that makes everyone so reluctant to let you go out and become an idle prince."

Zhao He snorted coldly and said, "Do you know what happened in the capital? The General of the Cavalry is willing to join the fight for the throne, and he has joined my third brother."

"Isn't this a good thing? In this way, His Majesty the Third Prince will have a very powerful helper!"

Wen Yan said in surprise, and then he suddenly realized that if it was a good thing, the master would not be so angry. He thought that something bad must have happened, so he kept silent.

"If it was just a simple surrender, it would be a good thing, but the general surrendered to my third brother on the condition that after my third brother ascended to that position, I would become a powerful official and would not be able to roam freely around Dazhao."

After hearing this, Wen Yan dared not say a word, because he had always wanted his master to return to Beijing. It was much better than wandering around the world. Besides, even though he had followed his master for so long, he was not unaccustomed to the food outside.

"Wen Yan, what do you think? Should I agree?"

Wen Yan had been trying his best to reduce his presence. When he heard Zhao He's question, he stammered, "Master, I think maybe, maybe, you can go back to the capital. I also know how many good things you have done outside over the years."

"But if you are not in a high position, the power of your master is ultimately a drop in the bucket. Just like the refugees in Suining City, you know where the problem lies, but you have no way to intervene. You can only build a relief house, but the relief house cannot save so many people. That is why there are so many women and children on the street who are forced to sell their bodies."

"But, if the master has a legitimate official position..." Wen Yan stopped talking here, paused, and then said, "It's just that I have always hoped that the master would return to the capital, so perhaps my idea is a little biased."

Zhao He pursed his lips and said nothing. The sunlight came in and shone through the trees outside the window. The shadow fell on his face, swaying.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhao He's breathing suddenly became rapid, and he said, "I'll go out for a walk and get some fresh air."

Zhao He drove the carriage outside the downtown area and stopped. He jumped off and blended into the bustling crowd. Perhaps he was thinking about something, so even though he was walking aimlessly on the street, he came to the orphanage he opened.

He looked at the simple wooden door, which seemed even simpler than the houses where ordinary people lived. He pulled the door lock with a verdigris color and knocked on the door rhythmically.

Not long after, a man who looked like the manager of the orphanage came out to open the door and asked respectfully, "But is it the master?"

Zhao He nodded slightly and said nothing.

The steward led Zhao He in and introduced, "Sir, we carefully selected those who have good conduct and are ambitious from among the refugees in this relief house. You will definitely not eat for free in this relief house."

Zhao He just nodded to indicate that he was listening, but his eyes were looking around the yard. Since the construction of the orphanage, he had rarely come here to visit, except for when the orphanage was first built.

Later, in order to avoid exposing the fact that he had built the orphanage and thus attracting many flatterers to disrupt the situation, he only checked the account books and important events regularly and did not ask about other things.

After leaving this orphanage, he saw some other things.

The relief home is a courtyard with two entrances, but its furnishings are somewhat different from those in the courtyards where ordinary people live. Except for two relatively spacious rooms, the rest are identical side rooms, which are very crowded and filled with beds.

The yard was filled with people's clothes, and tables were placed in the gaps between the clothes. Many children sat on them, and a teacher who was specially invited to teach skills was giving a lesson at the front.

A closer look revealed that the yard was filled with men, working with their bare chests.

Zhao He asked, "Why are there only men in this relief home? Most of the children are men too. Where are all the women?"

The steward smiled and said, "Sir, you don't know that it is inappropriate for men and women to sleep together in the beds of this orphanage. Although your idea is to separate men and women, the women in this orphanage can only do housework."

"So, you think that women cannot bring any benefits to the orphanage, so you let them go out and fend for themselves, right?" Zhao He was slightly angry because this was not his original intention.

"Sir, please calm down. This was not something we wanted to cause, and those women left the orphanage voluntarily."

Zhao He smiled and asked another question, "Why are there mostly boys in this yard? What about girls?"

"When the women left, most of them couldn't bear to see their girls stay alone in the orphanage. Some of them took their girls away, while others had to leave them behind. But don't worry, sir. We strictly separate boys and girls for children."

Zhao He didn't know what to say. He just felt that this relief home seemed different from the original one. Moreover, it was a big hidden danger for this little girl to live alone in this place dominated by men. Even though they had chosen people with good character when selecting the refugees to enter the relief home, it was still difficult to guard against human nature.

Zhao He glanced coldly at the manager who was leading the way in front of him, and made up his mind that after he left, he would have someone replace this manager. If it weren't for this self-willed manager, the orphanage would not have become like this.

The steward was walking in front and felt a chill in his heart, and he shivered.