The Marquis' Wife
Drafts

"So you're guessing that your uncle set that trap for you?" Zhao Fan asked while sipping a wine that was more delicious than the previous wine.

"Yes teacher. At first I did not think of Lu Huanran as one of the people I suspected but my brother Lu Cheng said that my youngest uncle often did indirect provocations and traps for our family while still living at the Lu family home".

Zhao Fan let out a long sigh when he heard what his disciple had gone through in the past, he did not expect that his disciple's life was full of twists and turns before meeting Adelia. He patted Lu Xiang's shoulder excitedly. "You've been successful now and your family won't dare to appear before you again. I'll find out if your uncle sent people to make you fail the exam. You take it easy".

Lu Xiang smiled, he then told about what the yamen officer Fucheng told him made Zhao Fan's eyes grow bigger.

"I didn't know that you wrote down such a brilliant idea in your last test Lu Xiang!!". Zhao Fan forgot to ask about the idea that Lu Xiang had written on the ideological and moral examination due to the problem of such traps and short time.

"But I'm afraid of making Prefect Zhong disappointed by not having any detailed ideas to be realized, what do you think I should do teacher?".

Zhao Fan waved his hand casually. "You don't have to worry, you just say what you think about the idea. Prefect Zhong was a person who would not get angry over something like that, if you brag about the idea and finally it is revealed that you only have the outline idea maybe Prefect Zhong will be angry but instead of you already telling the truth. Just meet Prefect Zhong and discuss about the idea, you'll get a broad insight from him".

Zhao Fan was proud that his disciple was so brilliant that he could think of a solution that had stuck in the hearts of the farmers. He was sure if this idea could be realized then his students would become famous even to the capital.

"By the way, the wine you brought is more delicious than before, did you give me regular wine before this good wine?!" Accuse Zhao Fan of narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

Lu Xiang smiled proudly. "This wine is made from longyan wine given by manager Xu, so this wine is more delicious than the previous wine".

Zhao Fan was stunned. "Adelia sold this wine to Fuyuan's restaurant?". He only knew that Adelia was selling liquid chocolate at Fuyuan's restaurant.

"Yes teacher. Is there a problem?" Lu Xiang asked carefully when he saw the serious look on his teacher's face.

Zhao Fan let out a heavy sigh, if the chocolate melted then there would be no problem because after all not everyone likes chocolate and the transaction is also small but different from wine. Wine became one of the important drinks in Murong Kingdom, therefore there was a royal businessman who presented wine to the Emperor, the most important and high-status person in Murong Kingdom.

"The Cheng family of restaurant owner Fuyuan is the maternal family of the crown prince. I didn't say this before because I thought you were too early to know such a complicated thing".

Lu Xiang was surprised. If he goes to the capital to take the exam and pass then he must stay in the capital to enter the royal government but he does not want to bind himself with the prince who will seize the throne because he knows with his little background he would just be a scapegoat.

"What should I do, teacher?" Lu Xiang clenched a strong hand.

"You still have plenty of time to find the right solution to this problem. For now, if you can't sell wine to Fuyuan's restaurant, find a good reason to refuse".

"Well teacher, I'm going to make Adelia's reason for getting pregnant as an excuse to no longer sell wine at Fuyuan's restaurant, adelia made an agreement that she would only sell wine within a year". Lu Xiang recalled the agreement letter that he and Adelia signed and became relieved.

"Good if so. That won't be a big deal going forward. But if you can implement your idea of a moat that drains water to some peasant then you will be under the Emperor's watch when you arrive at the capital and the princes will not snatch you out of hand the Emperor, you can breathe a sigh of relief and do your duty well and carefully, I'm sure you won't get into trouble".

"Thank you for the teacher's advice, your students will listen and carry it out". Lu Xiang bowed lowly to Zhao Fan, feeling very grateful to get such a kind and great teacher like his teacher.

Zhao Fan felt awkward about the gratitude Lu Xiang said, he cleared his throat and switched the conversation. "Other times bring me a big jug of wine, yesterday you brought a jug of wine but why now even lower it to a small jug? Is this the gratitude you said?".

Lu Xiang smiled wryly. "I just have a little wine jug. You even took my ration of wine a while ago".

Zhao Fan cleared his throat concealing the shame of squeezing wine from his disciple. "Even little jars are okay, tomorrow bring me some more wine".

Lu Xiang rolled his eyes. "Teacher, your wife will scold me for bringing you a lot of wine". He looked behind Zhao Fan and lowered his face.

"My wife. It's not wine, it's regular water mixed with grapes. Trust me!".

Zhao Fan's wife let out a long sigh and smiled sweetly at her husband which made Zhao Fan put down the wine glass weakly knowing his wife would scold him all out for not knowing his age and still drinking like youthfulness.

Lu Xiang hid a smile seeing the look of his teacher's defeat.

That night, Lu Xiang told Adelia about his discussion with Zhao Fan, leaving the woman stunned.

"Fuyuan's restaurant owner is the crown prince's maternal family?" Adelia asked in disbelief.

"Yes darling. Therefore you can no longer sell wine to Manager Xu, I do not want our family to be a stepping stone caught in the struggle for the throne by the princes".

Adelia was still stunned. He did not expect that the backing he had expected when Lu Xiang and he went to the capital was the crown prince's own maternal family.

"You don't need to worry, didn't you send a wine order from Uncle Xu. Now you're pregnant and make it a reason to refuse Uncle Xu's wine order until the time of the agreement is over". Lu Xiang hugged his wife to calm down.

"In addition if I can realize my idea with Prefect Zhong then we will enter the Emperor's supporting faction, it's better than putting hope on the prince who has not ascended the throne".

Adelia nodded in agreement then her eyes widened considering her collection book in the lotus space about growing crops.

"Just a second!". Adelia closed her eyes into the space looking for the book. He has collected many books about many things that he can use in ancient times or the zombie world because of his obsession with transmigration to another world after getting a lotus space.

Adelia picked up a book on how to farm efficiently and opened her eyes again. A book appeared in his hand and he smiled widely.

"Lu Xiang, do you know what this is?" Adelia waved the book in front of Lu Xiang.

"What's this?" Lu Xiang asked following his wife's play.

"Hehe, this is a book about growing crops that are much more efficient . In this book there is also a trench draining water called irrigation and levees".

Lu Xiang was stunned. "really?"

Adelia nodded enthusiastically, she opened the book and read the table of contents and began reading about the understanding of levees and irrigation and its benefits for agriculture, especially for farmers who grow rice.

Lu Xiang listened carefully, slowly shining brighter and brighter until he finally picked up the paper and described the ideas he had and the explanation of the book Adelia read.

Lu Xiang made large dikes for water flowing from dams and small dikes for wastewater collection. He then drew irrigation in the form of a trench connected to the embankment so that it can flow water to all the rice field land on the left and the drainage channel that will flow to the dike on the right.

Adelia looked at the astonishment of the rice field plan that Lu Xiang had drawn just based on the explanation he had read. "You are so great Lu Xiang. You can understand a lot just from the explanations I read".

Lu Xiang hugged Adelia tightly and fondled her within lips of teasing his wife. "Thank you dear. You are my sun that always shines on me that goes into the darkness".

"Pft, you're praising too much darling". Adelia laughed funnyly at the words of her husband. The two men looked at each other and began making out again.