Chapter 235: A Frightening Gentleman
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Mingzhu didn’t care, “Actually, I didn’t want to come at first, but later, the Great Empress Dowager told me that being a girl and being a daughter-in-law are different. There are no tigers here, and even if there were, I should be the one to knock them down. I can’t just keep avoiding because I’m afraid of being bullied or gossip. I haven’t done anything wrong, so why should I feel guilty and hide? If anything, it should be him hiding from me!”
It was indeed a straightforward answer. Yuwen Chu looked at Mingzhu’s confident demeanor, and for some reason, he felt very good. Even the frustration he felt earlier upon hearing that she wanted to stay in the Great Empress Dowager’s palace for a few days dissipated. How righteous she was! It felt so fulfilling! Maybe she was just naive, or perhaps she was truly straightforward, but he liked it.
Fu Mingzhu should be like this. “I like you, so I’m not afraid for people to know; if I don’t like you anymore, I won’t drag things out. If I haven’t done anything wrong, why should I hide? If you want to avoid a conflict, avoid it, but if you don’t, then bring it on!” That’s how it should be. She should tell him what she’s thinking; hiding things is not good.
Yuwen Chu praised Mingzhu enthusiastically, “Yes, exactly! We’re straightforward, why should we hide from others? If anyone should hide, it should be them hiding from us, right? Being petty and causing trouble, then stabbing oneself in the foot in someone else’s house—that’s not us, right?”
Mingzhu wanted to agree, but she felt something was off. She was always straightforward, but when did Yuwen Chu become like this? Wasn’t he the kind of person who would subtly convey multiple meanings in one sentence? And he could lie without even blinking. So was he actually encouraging her to continue being like this in front of him?
She continued to act foolish in front of him, while he remained clever in front of her. Was this satisfying for him? Mingzhu felt somewhat dissatisfied, “People usually like someone gentle and considerate. Am I really good in your eyes, Your Highness, even though I cause trouble everywhere?”
Yuwen Chu glanced at her, “Otherwise? Can I change you if I want to?” Before Mingzhu could say she could change, he quickly vetoed, “Jiang Shan* is difficult to change; it’s your nature. You don’t need to force yourself. I know you won’t stir up trouble for no reason, but if you can’t argue with someone or beat them, don’t force it. In any case, you still have me.”
*the country
“In any case, you still have me.” It sounded like a casual joke, but it was actually a promise. At least, that’s how Mingzhu perceived it. She contentedly rested her head on Yuwen Chu’s shoulder, hugging his arm tightly, and whispered with a smile, “I vented my anger today.”
“I heard.” Her performance in Changxin Palace today was commendable. She almost mustered all her strength to pull everyone she could to her side to deal with Jiang Shanshan. Her attitude towards Royal Mother and Funing also pleased him. It should be like this. Yuwen Chu felt that since Mingzhu was poisoned, she had changed significantly, becoming more proactive and methodical in her actions.
Just as he thought everything was going well, Mingzhu started complaining again, “Funing annoyed me again today! She repeatedly embarrassed me in front of so many people. I don’t even know who she considers her real sister-in-law!” Then, changing the subject to boast, “I didn’t confront her at all! When she scolded me, I pretended not to hear, and I didn’t argue with her at all! I didn’t let people laugh at our family! Later, when she and Jiang Shanshan left the palace, I even remembered to advise her to listen to the Momo!”
This was a mix of complaining and boasting! Yuwen Chu couldn’t help but smile. He remembered promising Mingzhu that if Funing misbehaved, he would discipline her himself. He couldn’t resist being a bit affectionate, “Good, Mingzhu, you did very well today! I was going to give Funing a few fox fur coats this winter, but not anymore! She treated you badly, didn’t she?” He added, “Oh, today she and Jiang Shanshan went out of the palace and had a quarrel.”
They were as close as sisters, so how could they quarrel? Jiang Shanshan always tried to please Funing, almost worshiping her, while Funing respected Jiang Shanshan a lot. How could they have a conflict? Mingzhu instinctively felt that something was wrong but couldn’t pinpoint it, “Why? They were fine when they left. Funing was almost about to jump out to defend Jiang Shanshan.”
“They had a quarrel. Jiang Shanshan wanted to send Funing back to the palace, but Funing refused, so a servant from the Jiang family came to our mansion to send a letter.” Yuwen Chu had just finished his business and received the news, so he hurried over with his entourage. Funing’s carriage was causing chaos on the streets, but when she saw him, she calmed down and followed him back to the palace. He asked about what happened on the way, but didn’t get much information. He only heard that Funing wanted to do something, but Jiang Shanshan didn’t allow it, and they ended up having a falling out.
“I feel something’s off.” Mingzhu was afraid that Yuwen Chu wouldn’t believe her intuition, so she sought his confirmation, “Do you think Jiang Shanshan is the kind of person who would offend others for their own good? She seems to be someone who would do anything for her own benefit.” Then, shamelessly praising herself, “Being straightforward and not afraid to offend others for their good is actually me.”
Yuwen Chu teased her, “Your skin is really thick.” He reassured her, “Don’t worry, I’ll find out.” Funing’s temperament, whether due to her inherent shortcomings or being spoiled, was sometimes similar to the young emperor, Yuwen Bai. The palace servants feared her, but that wasn’t a problem. As long as he wanted to know, he would find out.
This matter was temporarily set aside, but Yuwen Chu was still concerned about another issue, “How do you feel about getting along with Qi Wangfei and the others? Did you learn anything?”
Mingzhu refused to tell him, proudly raising her chin, “What do you take me for? Even if I haven’t seen a pig run, I’ve seen one in books. I’ve been with the Great Empress Dowager and my Mother for a long time. They’re not just idly enjoying themselves; even if I haven’t done much, I’ve seen enough. It’s just a matter of whether I care or not. If I want to do something, I can do it well.”
“Wait and see.” Yuwen Chu smiled as he listened to her, gently saying, “You should know that the Great Empress Dowager didn’t send you here to hunt tigers at the Linan Wang Mansion. She just hopes you can quickly get acquainted with Qi Wangfei and the others, get closer to them, and that will benefit you.”
He seemed to be enjoying teaching her. Before, when she was dealing with Jiang Shanshan using oils and borax, he waited for her to ask for advice. Now, he seemed to have taken on the role of a teacher. Mingzhu suddenly felt scared. Was she going to be forced to learn from him like this in the future?
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