Chapter 104: Should
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The sky had finally turned completely dark. Servants brought candles, but fearing to disturb Yuwen Chu, they sought help from Jing Song, who had been standing guard in the corridor.
Jing Song took the candles and walked to the door, softly calling out, “Your Highness?”
“Do you think she was involved in this matter after all?” Yuwen Chu suddenly asked without preamble.
Jing Song quickly understood that Yuwen Chu was asking if Jiang Shanshan had been involved in the plot against Mingzhu’s marriage. After thinking for a moment, he answered very cautiously, “Second Miss Jiang doesn’t seem like that kind of person. Perhaps she gave Yuwen Xue some advice or even helped her overtly or covertly, but she has always been tactful in her gestures towards the Imperial Harem.”
Jiang Shanshan was a very smart and capable woman, there was no doubt about that. If not, his Mother wouldn’t value her so much and insist on marrying her to him.
Yuwen Chu said calmly, “That used to be the case. She used to consider my thoughts and situation, but it’s not necessarily the case now and in the future.”
Perhaps in the future, Jiang Shanshan would hold resentment in her heart, and the entire Changxing Marquis’s mansion would become his enemy. But what did it matter? He wasn’t even afraid of the Empress Dowager, so why would he fear one more enemy? As long as he could get what he wanted, he wasn’t afraid.
Although Jing Song understood Yuwen Chu’s thoughts, he didn’t think that marrying Mingzhu would necessarily be better than marrying Jiang Shanshan. Jiang Shanshan’s cleverness far exceeded Mingzhu’s by many times, not to mention her real talent. If she became the main consort of Ying Wang in the future, it would be very beneficial to Ying Wang’s mansion.
On the contrary, marrying Mingzhu against the Great Empress Dowager’s wishes would not only displease the Great Empress Dowager and make her suspicious, but also arouse Empress Dowager Min’s vigilance and provoke Yuwen You’s hatred.
Mingzhu’s identity was too sensitive and would attract more attention and vigilance, which was not conducive to the major plans they were about to undertake. The trouble would increase exponentially.
After careful consideration, Jing Song finally spoke up, “Second Miss Jiang has great insight and knows what is right. I believe that even if she is very sad and angry, she won’t deliberately make Your Highness unhappy.”
“Hopefully.” Yuwen Chu was well aware that Jiang Shanshan would make an excellent helpmate. If Fu Mingzhu had smoothly married Yuwen You and they lived happily together, he would eventually have resigned himself to marrying Jiang Shanshan. However, since Fu Mingzhu didn’t marry Yuwen You, he couldn’t control his own feelings. He couldn’t bear to watch her fall in love with someone else, marry someone else, cry for someone else, or laugh for someone else.
So he couldn’t just sit back and watch Fu Mingzhu happily but tearfully scheme against Shen Ruilin, whom she didn’t like. Shen Ruilin couldn’t compare to him in the slightest, and even if that day ever came, he might not be able to protect her!
No matter how many flaws Fu Mingzhu had, someday she would mature, and someday, her heart and mind would belong only to him.
Yuwen Chu smiled and turned to look at Jing Song with a confident tone, “The wise but cowardly will act selfishly in the face of danger; the talented but timid will forget their skills; the strong but cowardly will falter in battle. They will all meet their downfall. She is brave and not foolish. What she lacks is experience. She can be a good Ying Wang Consort.”
Jing Song saw his eyes shining brightly and suddenly couldn’t say anything to persuade him anymore.
He echoed, “Yes, Miss Fu is a kind and clever person.” He scratched his head, racked his brains, and found some more advantages of Mingzhu, “She has ideas, her painting is remarkable, and she handled the matter of clearing out the evil servants in the family with the help of the wet nurse very beautifully, and also… You don’t have to worry about her suffering losses; she’s very agile.”
“I never knew you were so eloquent.” Yuwen Chu laughed heartily, got up, and walked towards the study, “Bring Mr. Meng and the others over. We have a fierce battle waiting for us.”
Jiang Shanshan sat in the carriage with a sullen face, silent.
Her maid, Mu Di, comforted her sympathetically, “Miss, if you want to cry, just cry out loud. It’s not your fault, and there’s no shame in it.”
“Since it’s not my fault, why should I cry?” Jiang Shanshan said coldly, “Besides, what’s the use of crying?” She cried so grievously and pitifully in front of Yuwen Chu, but it didn’t make him pity her at all. Now that he’s not here, why should she continue crying? Cry for whom? What’s the point?
Mu Di started to curse Mingzhu, “She’s shameless. She wants everything she sees and dares to do anything shameless. She has completely lost Fu’s face. She’s shameless, and the Great Empress Dowager and her family don’t manage her at all.”
Jiang Shanshan listened quietly, her hands clenched into fists hidden in her sleeves, nails digging deeply into her palms, but she didn’t feel any pain. Just like Fu Mingzhu and Yuwen You had known each other since childhood, she had known Yuwen Chu since childhood too, but in a completely different way.
In Mingzhu’s heart and eyes, there was only Yuwen You and not Yuwen Chu, and in Yuwen Chu’s eyes, there was only Mingzhu and not her.
This doesn’t matter. She’s not an ordinary woman confined to the inner chambers; she understands the knowledge of this era that women and men don’t. She knows the outcome they don’t, and she knows Yuwen Chu is extraordinary, with lofty ambitions bound to soar one day. She’s lucky to be born into such a prestigious family, blessed with such beauty. She’s destined to sit on the phoenix throne, to walk alongside Yuwen Chu, and to overlook the world.
She’s long known that Fu Mingzhu doesn’t love Yuwen Chu. Even if Yuwen Chu wanted to vie with his own younger brother, he couldn’t overcome Fu Mingzhu’s determination to marry Yuwen You. All she has to do is patiently wait, showcase her virtues and strengths, and he’ll eventually understand who truly suits him. It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t love her. As the days go by, she’ll strategize everything for him, achieve greatness for him. She’ll bear his children, manage the harem, and he’ll eventually realize who truly holds his heart. He’s so intelligent, knows how to weigh pros and cons, knows what the right choice is.
But d*mn Fu Mingzhu, why did she suddenly change her mind? Since the day she learned of Fu Mingzhu’s remorse, she hasn’t had a peaceful sleep, always fearing that day would come. At the banquet of Imperial Consort Min’s birthday, she saw the way Yuwen Chu looked at Fu Mingzhu, and she knew it was all over. But she’s never been one to sit and wait for her doom. She’s determined, resilient, and talented. Many of the things she can do would surprise these people.
What does Fu Mingzhu have? Just beauty and luck, yet she doesn’t know how to cherish it, doesn’t know contentment. It’s not that she can’t get along with Fu Mingzhu; it’s that Fu Mingzhu can’t get along with her. Such a person is a disaster if left behind. Since the Wusun people need her, why not give her to them?
Unfortunately, it’s a missed opportunity. She underestimated Yuwen Chu’s abilities and his level of concern for Fu Mingzhu, and overestimated Empress Dowager Min’s stupidity and cunning. From the development of this matter, Fu Cong, the old fox, must have joined forces with Yuwen Chu.
Jiang Shanshan bit her lip hard. She would make Yuwen Chu regret it, make Fu regret it. It’s time to bring out her trump card. She’d like to see if His Highness, the ambitious Ying Wang who’s set on ascending the throne, would still reject her from miles away when he sees the treasures she brings out. Fu Mingzhu, let’s see who has the last laugh.
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