Chapter 397 - A New Partnership with Luo Sang (1/2)

Yuwen Tong had never mentioned to Ling Zhang anything about his intention of adopting children, which was why Ling Zhang was now quite surprised, but he felt that it was indeed the best solution.

Ling Zhaowu suggested that Ling Zhang do his best to bond with the children. Ling Zhang said, “I know what you mean, Father, but it’ll take time.”

Although Yuwen Tong had had the adoption planned out, it was still too early to talk about it, given the current circ.u.mstances.

This matter could wait. After all, right now he didn’t even know how to take care of children. If Yuwen Tong really brought a baby to the palace straight away, he wouldn’t be able to give it the care it needed, so there was no hurry about it. Children were not objects, and if he was to adopt some, he must be responsible for them.

There was, in addition, another matter. Presently he was a little unaccustomed to the idea of adopting children, faintly against it, actually.

Ling Zhaowu, who knew his son well, didn’t make him start to learn parenting skills right off. He just reminded him, “Although this matter is not urgent, it won’t be long before you have to face it. Both Yuwen Feng’s and Yuwen Qian’s wives have been pregnant for several months. Their babies would be born next spring.”

People didn’t have to specially make some inquiries to get information about the situation in the Abode of the Marquess Fuan (AKA the Marquess of Fortune and Peace) or the Abode of the Marquess Huaiwen (AKA the Marquess of Moderation), so Ling Zhaowu, who was Ling Zhang’s father and had been paying attention to the activities of the various forces in the capital city, naturally was aware of what had been going on in the two families.

There was a moderate amount of time before next spring.

Ling Zhang said with an inclination of the head, “I know.”

All members of the Ling family had been privately informed of Yuwen Tong’s decision. Ling Xingzhong and Ji Yin were both very pleased with it. From the perspective of Ling Zhang, this was the best solution.

…

With Ling Zhang’s return to the Ling Mansion, he and Yuwen Tong became like two “separated” lovebirds once again. For them, each day without seeing each other felt like a year.

Every night, Yuwen Tong still went out of the palace and to the Ling Mansion, had a good night’s sleep with Ling Zhang in his arms and then returned to the palace before daybreak the next day.

As the wedding ceremony drew closer, people in the Ling Mansion were getting even busier. It was as though everybody had an endless list of things to do.

Ling Zhang, however, had got a lot of leisure. Seeing he was becoming an idler, Ling Zhaowu, who happened to be going to the drugstore to meet the leader of the Fangcun commercial fleet, shooed him out of the residence, intending to bring him to the drugstore.

The moment Ling Zhang left the Ling Mansion, Miao s.h.i.+ba, w.a.n.g Dashan and some others followed him overtly, while some secret bodyguards followed in his wake covertly, forming a safety net by stealth.

If it weren’t for the fact that Ling Zhang was sitting in a horse-drawn carriage and pedestrians couldn’t see him, there would definitely have been even more guards escorting him.

The carriage reached the drugstore in the trading center located in the west of the city and then directly drove through the back gates. Ling Zhang and Ling Zhaowu entered the store and went straight upstairs.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Young Master.” w.a.n.g Qing was very excited to see Ling Zhang, for he hadn’t seen Ling Zhang for a long time.

“How’s business?” Ling Zhang asked him. Lately his father had been in charge of all the matters in this store.

w.a.n.g Qing handed the account book to him and started filling him in on the recent transactions.

After getting a general idea of it, Ling Zhang came to know how things stood, returned the account book to w.a.n.g Qing and inquired, “When will Luo Sang be arriving?”

“We agreed to meet here at Si Hour (9:00 a.m.). He should be here soon,” answered w.a.n.g Qing.

Ling Zhang said to Ling Zhaowu, “Maybe it’s best if I go and sit in the cubicle. Luo Sang’s trading fleet has dealings with the government of the Fangcun Kingdom, so it’s inconvenient for me to meet him now.”

Ling Zhaowu inclined his head. “Have w.a.n.g Qing get you some snack.”

Ling Zhang said, “That won’t be necessary. I’m not a kid any more.”

But Ling Zhaowu insisted and had w.a.n.g Qing deliver some food and drink to the cubicle. Ling Zhang accepted it resignedly. The cubicle was a small private room where people could rest. It was separated from the main part of the room by wooden boards covered with sculpted reliefs. There was a soft couch, a table and some chairs in it.

w.a.n.g Qing put the food and drink down onto the table and then took his leave. Luo Sang would soon arrive, so he went downstairs to take a look.

Ling Zhang had sat in the cubicle for only a short while when Luo Sang walked upstairs with w.a.n.g Qing. His voice was the same as it had been the last time Ling Zhang had met him. “Mr. Ling, have you made a decision about the matter we discussed a couple of days ago?”