It was late autumn, and morning in the Zhong Estate was quiet and serene.
Yellow, white, and purple chrysanthemums bloomed with enchanting brilliance, their striking colors and rich fragrance captivating the senses. Intertwined emerald-green vines draped over pink courtyard walls, swaying gently in the breeze. Clear spring water gurgled smoothly over garden rocks, making a gentle, musical sound. In rows of carved bird cages hanging inside a pavilion, thrushes, parrots, and mynas tuned their voices, each singing its own song. In the winding lotus pond fed by an external stream, ripples gleamed, fish swam lazily in the shallow depths, and butterflies fluttered about.
Zhong Ziheng and his wife had long been accustomed to sleeping early and rising early, living a disciplined life. Now successful and accomplished, Zhong Ziheng was still young, yet he placed great emphasis on physical fitness and self-cultivation. Although his business spanned the entire country and his daily affairs were complex and demanding, his exceptional leadership and managerial talent kept everything running like clockwork. He devised strategies within the command tent that assured victory a thousand miles away.
Chapter 80