Chapter 307: Worries
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Yuwen Chu smiled, “I’ll give you two hints. First, why were Zhaoyang Palace and Chongzheng Hall so arrogant yesterday but suddenly changed their tune this morning? Why did Empress Dowager Min take His Majesty to Changxin Palace to plead and kneel? Second, why did the Great Empress Dowager insist on handling affairs in person today? And why did she change from her low-key demeanor of the past two days to being so domineering and fierce?”
So there must be some opportunity and change in between. Mingzhu saw that although Yuwen Chu’s face was calm, his eyes contained a hint of satisfaction, so she turned her eyes around and tentatively said, “I know! It must be that Your Highness caught someone last night! That’s what gave the Great Empress Dowager confidence!”
Yuwen Chu neither confirmed nor denied it, just smiled even more brightly.
Such a good pretense. Mingzhu glanced at him sideways, then suddenly threw herself at him, clinging to him, and said coquettishly, “Tell me, we have the most wise prince.”
Yuwen Chu thoroughly enjoyed her clinginess, especially after being apart for a night, feeling a bit like a honeymoon after a short separation. So he hugged her, whispered softly, “It’s nothing much. As I told you before, while we were investigating the capital’s sewers during the autumn rains, we found several secret passages. Instead of publicizing it, we stationed people nearby to monitor. With the recent turmoil in the palace, I guessed that someone wouldn’t be able to resist, and sure enough, someone appeared after midnight yesterday.”
Fu Mingzheng led his men, waiting for this person to leave the secret passage and meet with the Min family, then rushed out like a hungry tiger, catching the person on the spot. Then, under the guise of a foreign spy, they quickly pinned the blame on him, while also including Eunuch Rong and the Great Empress Dowager in this case. Thus, it became a malicious event where the enemy spy intentionally slandered and framed the Great Empress Dowager and the Emperor’s relationship, causing discord between them and tarnishing the Great Empress Dowager’s reputation.
Whether it was the Great Empress Dowager, Yuwen Bai, Empress Dowager Min, or the involvement of Zhongshan Wang, the conflicts among them were all covered up by this layer of shame. Everyone returned to a delicate balance. Empress Dowager Min was frightened by the terrible accusation of “colluding with foreign countries,” and Zhongshan Wang’s hands were tied by the label of “enemy spy.” Nobody dared to admit that this was their doing or investigate further because they were all afraid of digging up dirt on themselves.
When someone was caught, and the public opinion was released again, the Great Empress Dowager naturally gained the upper hand. So the Great Empress Dowager’s confidence suddenly rose, and Empress Dowager Min’s arrogance was suppressed, leading to the morning’s tearful apology and the charade of punishing a disobedient servant.
At the same time, another reason for not choosing to capture the person near the secret passage was to avoid alerting the enemy and giving them the false impression that “this secret passage has not been exposed yet,” making it easier to continue waiting for them to fall into the trap next time.
Yuwen Chu spoke slowly and meticulously, pausing at intervals, waiting for Mingzhu to ask him whenever she didn’t understand.
Mingzhu listened very attentively, completely understanding the whole process. She couldn’t help but sigh. So much had happened last night! No wonder everything had changed completely overnight! Everyone seemed to be busy. She thought she had been worried enough, not sleeping well all night, worrying about the Great Empress Dowager and whether anyone had brought supper for Yuwen Chu. But from the Great Empress Dowager to the entire Fu family, including Zhongshan Wang, Empress Dowager Min, Yuwen Chu, everyone was busier and more worried than her.
She chuckled and applauded a few times, praising, “Your Highness is truly capable! My fourth brother is also very capable!” At this point, she suddenly realized why Fu Mingzheng was the first to die in her previous life, and why he died in such a tragic manner. It was because Fu Mingzheng was too sharp. To prevent a sharp knife from hurting people, the best way was to break it.
Mingzhu shivered with apprehension and worried, “Will my fourth brother be too sharp?”
Yuwen Chu wasn’t concerned, “Someone from the Fu family has to step up. Even if it’s not your fourth brother, it will be another brother. Each person has their specialty, and he is the most suitable.” Afraid that Mingzhu would ask why it wasn’t him who stepped up, he explained, “I am of royal blood, so it’s not convenient for me to step up. Otherwise, it will change the dynamic.”
Mingzhu said, “I understand. If Your Highness were to step up, people would misunderstand and think you covet the throne. Not only would the Great Empress Dowager be uncomfortable, but other royals would also be uncomfortable. The conflicts between the Fu family and Empress Dowager Min would also intensify.”
It wasn’t a misunderstanding; he really had that intention. Yuwen Chu hesitated to clarify this matter with Mingzhu for the time being. Anyway, when it was time for her to know, she would naturally find out. So he skipped over this topic and comforted Mingzhu in his heart, “I found two experts in close combat to protect your fourth brother, so you don’t need to worry too much.”
Mingzhu thought about it. She had done everything she could, including reminding and pleading with Yuwen Chu. She couldn’t do much more. Otherwise, it would be best for Fu Mingzheng to completely withdraw, stay silent, and not get involved in this matter anymore. However, the entire Fu family was interconnected, and if one part fell, the whole family would suffer. Even if he temporarily avoided trouble, he would not escape a tragic fate later on. So she decided not to think about it too much.
Mingzhu sighed, “I’m really in trouble. I have to be very careful during this time. I can’t make any mistakes. Otherwise, even if it’s just a trivial matter, as long as Zhaoyang Palace catches onto it, she will have an excuse to torture me.”
“She dares,” Yuwen Chu said lightly, with a slight smile. Then he raised an eyebrow, “This time, Min Shiwang’s position s no longer secure. Even if we don’t trouble Empress Dowager Min, he still has to give up this position!” After calculating for a long time, including taking Mingzhu out for dinner and picking a pomegranate, he finally found an opportunity to reveal it.
Mingzhu bounced up from the bed, knelt on it, and hugged Yuwen Chu’s face, giving him a big kiss on the forehead, “With Your Highness here, I truly feel worry-free.”
Yuwen Chu hugged her, casually asking, “I heard you saved He Zhengtu’s life?”
Mingzhu couldn’t decide whether to mention her suspicion of their affair or not. After thinking about it, she changed her wording, “Wasn’t he pretending to be pitiful in front of me? I remembered when we visited the palace the day after our wedding, he quietly reminded us that the madman was acting up and to be careful. I guess Your Highness probably has some acquaintance with him, so I let him go.”
“He and I do have some acquaintance. You helping him isn’t without reason,” Yuwen Chu admitted frankly, then asked, “So how did Zhaoyang Palace provoke you again?”
Mingzhu was immediately embarrassed.
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
