Chapter 223: Time Changes, People Change

"Hmm?"

Before the lakeside, when they saw that languid figure reclining in the wicker chair, Wen Changjing and the others, who were originally filled with fear and helplessness, were suddenly struck dumb, their eyes widening.

Su Yi!?

Although more than a month had passed since they last saw him, how could Wen Changjing and the others not recognize who that young man in the green robe, lying in the wicker chair, was?

Startled, Qin Jing blurted out, "Freeloader, what are you doing here?"

Silence fell over the scene.

Zhou Zhili, Mu Zhongting, Chajin, and the others all looked at Qin Jing in unison. Freeloader? This woman had quite the audacity.

Under their gaze, Qin Jing became increasingly uncomfortable and uneasy, wondering what was going on.

Not only her, even Wen Changjing and Wen Changtai had yet to react, feeling that everything before their eyes was peculiar and out of the ordinary.

Madam Wen vaguely understood something, her eyes fixed on Su Yi, her expression flickering.

At this moment, Su Yi said to Chajin beside him, "Go make some tea."

Chajin hurriedly complied.

Su Yi then said to Mu Zhongting, "Master Mu, please bring over some chairs."

Mu Zhongting laughed heartily, "Su Young Master, there's no need to be so polite. It's my duty!"

With that, he went off to take care of it.

Seeing all this, Wen Changjing and the others were so shocked that their jaws almost dropped. Wasn't this Master Mu the newly appointed Governor of Gunzhou? How could he willingly allow himself to be ordered around by Su Yi like a servant!?

Madam Wen suddenly took a deep breath, her gaze complicated, and said, "Su Yi, don't you plan on explaining things to us? Must you watch us like clowns, startled and flustered?"

Su Yi replied, "Didn't Ling Zhao tell you all about me?"

"No," Madam Wen shook her head.

Wen Changjing, Wen Changtai, and Qin Jing all had bewildered expressions on their faces.

Su Yi couldn't help but rub his temples; explaining this matter would be too troublesome.

At this moment, Mu Zhongting returned with a stack of chairs.

Seeing this, Su Yi immediately said, "Please, have a seat."

"Everyone, please take a seat."

Mu Zhongting, the newly appointed Governor of Gunzhou, at this moment, was like an attendant, personally inviting Wen Changjing and the others to take a seat, leaving them feeling both honored and surprised.

Su Yi felt a slight sense of strangeness in his heart.

He didn't expect to see Wen Changjing and the others again at this moment.

There was no hatred or joy to speak of.

But just thinking about the year he spent in the Wen family before his memory awakening, Su Yi couldn't help but feel a bit emotional.

Time changes, people change indeed.

"Please enjoy the tea, everyone."

Chajin arrived, holding a tea tray, her smile enchanting.

Wen Changjing and the others hurriedly expressed their thanks, their hearts churning. How could such a beautiful woman be serving by Su Yi's side like a maid?

Since leaving Guangling City until now, what had happened to Su Yi? One question after another surged in Wen Changjing and the others' hearts.

"What do you want to ask? Let Chajin answer your questions," Su Yi pointed to Chajin.

Chajin smiled lightly and said, "What would you like to know?"

Madam Wen fell silent. She had too many doubts and didn't know where to start.

Qin Jing, on the other hand, didn't overthink and asked directly, "Miss, who are these two gentlemen?"

As she spoke, she glanced cautiously at Zhou Zhili and Mu Zhongting.

Zhou Zhili paused for a moment and took the initiative to introduce with a smile, "This is Mu Zhongting, previously the Prefect of Yonghe County and now the newly appointed Governor of Gunzhou. As for me... my name is Zhou Zhili, from the imperial Zhou family, ranking sixth. My father is the current Emperor of the Great Zhou."

Qin Jing exclaimed, "Oh my god! Is this really true?!"

Wen Changjing's buttocks felt uneasy, and he took a sharp breath.

Madam Wen's body tensed, and her expression changed several times.

Even Wen Changtai, who was usually honest and modest, was dumbfounded at this moment.

Even though they had already guessed some of the answers, hearing it directly from the other party still brought them great shock.

Ordinary people might not truly understand the significance of titles like "governor" or "prince." But how could Wen Changjing and the others not understand?

Especially Madam Wen, who had served as a maid in the Su family in Yujing City when she was young, she undoubtedly knew the esteemed status of a prince and the immense power held by a provincial governor!

Yet, these two important figures were showing extreme respect for Su Yi at this moment!

How could Madam Wen remain calm?

She couldn't help but look at Su Yi and said, "Su Yi, are you now acting in the name of the Su family's scion?"

In her eyes, the only way Su Yi could have reached this level in just over a month was by using the identity of the Third Young Master of the Su family in Yujing City.

Otherwise, what they witnessed today made no sense at all.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhili and Mu Zhongting were both startled.

Chajin was about to say something but was stopped by Su Yi waving his hand.

He looked up at Madam Wen and said, "If I remember correctly, when we were in Guangling City, I told you that I, Su Yi, would not do things like that in the past, and I will never do them in the future."

"Then..." Madam Wen hesitated to speak.

Zhou Zhili immediately said solemnly, "Madam, let me inform you that yesterday, a steward named Yue Changyuan from the Su family in Yujing City lost his life due to defaming Brother Su."

Yue Changyuan!

Madam Wen's face changed drastically. She knew this person well, and she also knew that Yue Changyuan was under the command of Su family's Fourth Lady, You Qingzhi!

But she never expected that Yue Changyuan had died...

This completely exceeded Madam Wen's expectations, leaving her stunned and unable to regain her composure for a long time.

What on earth was happening?

"Is Mr. Su available? I, Yuan Luoyu, along with my father and sister, have come to visit!"

At this moment, Yuan Luoyu's voice came from outside the courtyard gate.

Su Yi paused for a moment and waved his hand, "Go and open the door."

Chajin hurriedly went to open the door.

Not long after, Yuan Wutong, Yuan Luoxi, and Yuan Luoyu arrived together.

"Mr. Su, I, Yuan, have seen you. I have also seen His Highness the Sixth Prince and Mr. Mu," Yuan Wutong smiled and bowed, paying his respects one by one.

Yuan Luoxi and Yuan Luoyu followed suit and greeted them one after another.

"Mr. Yuan?!" Wen Changjing was surprised. He stood up abruptly and exclaimed.

Although he didn't know Mu Zhongting or Zhou Zhili before, how could he not know Yuan Wutong, the leader of the Yuan family, one of the top four influential forces in Yunhe County, even in Guangling City?

It should be noted that Guangling City was one of the nineteen cities in Yunhe County.

For the Wen family in Guangling City, the Yuan family, which held sway in Yunhe County, was already a formidable entity to be admired.

"And who is this friend?" Yuan Wutong was taken aback.

Yuan Luoxi quickly said, "Father, this is Wen Changjing, the head of the Wen family. I met him briefly when I went to Guangling City."

Yuan Wutong suddenly realized and smiled as he clasped his hands, "So you're the head of the Wen family. If we have the opportunity, let's exchange ideas more in the future."

Wen Changjing quickly returned the greeting, with a humble smile, saying, "It's an honor for me, Wen, to meet you."

At this point, Wen Changtai and Qin Jing became even more cautious. They were all dumbfounded. How could the head of the Yuan family in Yunhe County come here?

Moreover, they keenly noticed that Yuan Wutong greeted Su Yi first before paying his respects to the Sixth Prince and the Governor one by one.

The implied meaning behind such a sequence of greetings was truly frightening!

"Please have a seat as you wish," Su Yi, sitting in the rattan chair, spoke.

Yuan Wutong, Yuan Luoyu, and Yuan Luoxi all smiled and agreed.

Witnessing this scene, Wen Changjing and the others, who were initially full of doubts, became even more silent.

Even Qin Jing had already realized at this point—

The present Su Yi was no longer the son-in-law she could freely scold and admonish!

Don't you see how even the esteemed Sixth Prince, the Governor of Gunzhou, and the head of the powerful Yuan family in Yunhe County were all showing utmost respect to Su Yi?

As long as one wasn't blind, they could see that the current Su Yi was far beyond what he used to be!

"Uncle Su, my father and I have come to visit you!"

Not long after, a soft and sweet voice came from outside the courtyard.

Zheng Tianhe and Zheng Muyao had arrived together.

The head of the prominent Zheng family in Gunzhou City also paid his respects to Su Yi before greeting the others one by one.

Without the need for inquiry, through the conversation between the Zheng family and Su Yi, Wen Changjing and the others understood the identities of Zheng Tianhe and his daughter.

For a while, Wen Changjing and the others felt like they were sitting on pins and needles, feeling that everything they saw in front of them was unreal, like a dream.

But the surprises didn't end there.

Soon, accompanied by a melodious cry, Qinglin Eagle carried Ning Xuan and Shen Jiulong as they floated over.

Sixth Prince Zhou Zhili and Governor Mu Zhongting approached Ning Xuan and Shen Jiulong to pay their respects. In turn, Ning Xuan and Shen Jiulong first paid their respects to Su Yi.

These scenes left Wen Changjing and the others completely stunned, and they fell into a long silence.

Even the Dowager herself began to doubt herself. Based solely on the identity of Su Yi, the Third Young Master of the Su family in Yujing City, it seemed impossible for him to receive such respect from so many important figures.

Shuoshi Residence was lively, but Wen Changjing and the others felt detached from it all.

They only saw that these figures they could only look up to were now surrounding Su Yi, talking and laughing with respect evident in their demeanor.

Meanwhile, Su Yi lazily sat there, occasionally uttering a word, but most of the time, he couldn't even be bothered to speak...

The relaxed and composed posture of Su Yi caused turmoil in the hearts of Wen Changjing and the others.

Not long after, Ning Xuan and Shen Jiulong took their leave.

They had achieved their purpose of this visit. They had discussed with Su Yi and agreed to set off together to the Bloodthorn Demon Mountain three days later when the beast tide erupted once every ten years.

Interestingly enough, when Su Yi was still in Yunhe County, he had promised the Marquis of Wuling, Chen Zheng, that he would visit the Bloodthorn Demon Mountain if he had the opportunity during the beast tide.

Ning Xuan and Shen Jiulong coming together to seek him out was also for this matter. They both planned to explore the Bloodthorn Demon Mountain, which can be said to be a coincidence with Su Yi.

Therefore, Su Yi readily agreed.

Soon, Zhou Zhili, Mu Zhongting, Zheng Tianhe and his daughter, and the entire Yuan family bid their farewells one by one and left.

Their purpose of coming here was nothing significant, just using the pretext of a visit to strengthen their relationship with Su Yi.

The formerly lively Shuoshi Residence returned to its peaceful state.

Su Yi stood up from the rattan chair and looked at the Dowager, saying, "Dowager, shall we find a place to talk privately?"

Wen Changjing and the others finally snapped out of their stunned, dazed, and lost state as if awakening from a dream.

The Dowager's expression fluctuated for a while, and after a long sigh, she got up and said, "If the Third Young Master invites, how can this old body refuse?"

She vaguely guessed what Su Yi wanted to ask.