Chapter 330 Lotus Roots
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Yuwen Chu didn’t care whether Mingzhu was reminded of Yuwen You. He said softly, “Such projects are a waste of manpower and resources. Your father was strongly opposed to it. So, since Consort Zhou likes to eat lotus roots, why not dig a pond in the Great Temple and cultivate lotus roots there? Royal Father said, ‘Is Consort Zhou the only one who eats? The Empress also eats, the crown prince also eats, as well as Imperial Consort Min and other concubines, and the children. The imperial relatives, the meritorious officials, who wouldn’t want to taste them?’ This way, your father couldn’t oppose it anymore. In fact, Consort Zhou couldn’t do without lotus roots every day. The lotus roots she needed had to be carefully selected, with only the sweetest and fullest pieces chosen. Selecting the best pieces for a plate of lotus roots costs a lot. How could a mere pond of lotus roots be enough for her?”
His tone and expression were calm. Mingzhu couldn’t tell whether he harbored resentment towards the late emperor or not. She just chuckled, “The late emperor was indeed considerate to the fairer sex.” Thinking about her own aunt and Imperial Consort Min’s suffering, she couldn’t help but feel worried. If Yuwen Chu were to encounter such a scheming fox spirit in the future, she wouldn’t be able to bear it. She added, “But overdoing it is not good either. Small desires and hobbies are fine, but going too far is not good. The Great Empress Dowager is indeed virtuous. If it were me, I definitely couldn’t bear it.”
Yuwen Chu looked at her and said, “Who wouldn’t say so? The Great Empress Dowager is indeed virtuous and magnanimous, beyond the reach of ordinary people. But if one cannot bear it, how would today’s situation come about?”
Mingzhu understood his meaning. Most royal couples, even if they appear harmonious, are actually distant. Which empress hasn’t endured? Those lucky enough to survive until the emperor’s death and see their sons take power can finally breathe easy. But those unlucky ones either die early or watch as someone else’s son takes their own son’s position, and then sees someone else take their place. Mingzhu shivered suddenly and whispered, “But I always feel that it’s too difficult and painful. If it were me, I don’t know if I could endure it.”
A waterfowl in the distance leisurely preened its feathers, then flapped its wings and flew away. Yuwen Chu bent down to pick up a pebble, ready to throw it at the waterfowl, but Mingzhu quickly grabbed his arm and exclaimed, “Don’t, it’s flying so well. Don’t hurt it.”
Yuwen Chu smiled, “I just wanted to add an extra dish to your dinner.”
Mingzhu looked at the stone that had fallen into the water and then at the waterfowl flying far away. She realized that there was no way the stone could hit the bird from here. She couldn’t help but playfully pat his arm and said, “You’re deceiving me again.”
Yuwen Chu sighed, restraining his laughter. “Who made you so easy to deceive?” He gestured for her to watch her step in the puddle and said seriously, “Although royal couples are different from ordinary couples, there are still loving couples among them. Mingzhu, I don’t need you to be virtuous, nor do I need you to endure. I just hope that in the future, no matter how difficult it is, we can be of one heart, hand in hand, not forsaking each other, not betraying each other, without any calculations, loving each other sincerely.”
Mingzhu’s heart was filled with emotion. Who wouldn’t want such a marriage? But achieving it is not easy, especially in their situation, with conflicting interests and not completely aligned positions. Considering all they had been through since their marriage, she knew it wouldn’t be easy. However, she was willing to try. She looked up at Yuwen Chu’s eyes and said slowly and firmly, “Your Highness treats me well, and I like Your Highness. I really want to be with you forever, so I will try my best.”
Her eyes were clear and determined, her expression sincere and resolute. Yuwen Chu was moved and wanted to hug her tightly, but he couldn’t. There were too many people around, and she was dressed as a man. Two men embracing each other would surely lead to rumors of Ying Wang having homosexual tendencies, and that wouldn’t be good for Mingzhu’s reputation.
Yuwen Chu restrained himself and squeezed Mingzhu’s hand tightly, pointing to the crowd ahead with a smile. “Look how lively it is up ahead. They must have found something good.” He turned to Wei Tiande and signaled for him to come forward. “Go and see what’s going on.”
Wei Tiande hurriedly went ahead and came back excitedly, gesturing to Mingzhu and Yuwen Chu, “Your Highness, Wangfei, they caught a big pair of carp. They’re golden and must weigh over ten kilograms each, with such long whiskers! One alone is not rare, but it’s rare to find a pair. It’s an auspicious sign.”
Mingzhu immediately forgot her previous worries and pulled Yuwen Chu’s sleeve. “Let’s go take a look.”
Yuwen Chu smiled and let her lead him towards the crowd.
Indeed, it was a very beautiful and rare pair of carp. Even though they were used to seeing good things, they couldn’t help but praise them repeatedly. Cao Jinran had also rushed over upon hearing the news and smiled, “This is His Highness’s luck. Let’s offer them to His Highness?”
Although this item was rare, it wasn’t particularly rare. Moreover, coming from the imperial estate and being considered auspicious, it couldn’t be taken lightly. It was no wonder Cao Jinran was demoted here. Mingzhu tugged at Yuwen Chu’s sleeve twice, knowing he was more astute than she was, but she couldn’t help but want to remind him.
Yuwen Chu smiled at Mingzhu and politely declined Cao Jinran’s offer, “Since it’s such a rare find and comes from the imperial estate, why not offer it to His Majesty? I’m sure His Majesty would be very pleased.”
Cao Jinran immediately understood and blushed with embarrassment. “Your Highness, I…”
“I understand.” Yuwen Chu raised his hand to stop him from speaking further and smiled. He then turned and said, “Find the person who is most skilled at growing lotus roots and have them explain how to cultivate lotus roots to me.”
Cao Jinran arranged for someone to stand aside and demonstrate. Mingzhu had never seen this before, but she found it quite interesting to listen to. Whenever she didn’t understand something, she asked repeatedly. She also personally picked some sturdy and neat lotus roots to take back for cooking.
Yuwen Chu stood quietly on the side, occasionally asking Cao Jinran about agricultural harvests. As the evening approached, he said, “It’s almost done. It’s time to hit the road.”
Mingzhu was still reluctant to leave. She instructed Wei Tiande to reward Cao Jinran and the farmer who taught her how to plant lotus roots. Excitedly, she followed behind Yuwen Chu, chattering, “So planting lotus roots is actually quite simple! When I go back, I’ll plant some lotus roots in our pond for you to eat, and also offer them to the elders.”
Yuwen Chu didn’t believe it at all. “You just talk and have others do the planting, right?”
Mingzhu playfully stuck out her tongue at him. “You caught me, but I will actually instruct them on the side. So I deserve some credit too.”
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