Chapter 340: Lecturing Fourth Brother
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“Don’t waste your effort, you won’t find him.” Fu Mingzheng knew what Mingzhu was looking for and poured a bucket of cold water on her without mercy. “He’s the commander-in-chief, the most important figure. If someone like you could easily find him, those intruders would have killed him long ago.”
“Do they dare?” Mingzhu immediately retorted, “He’s a prince, who dares to openly challenge him like this?”
“Really? Do they not dare?” Even if Mingzhu couldn’t see Fu Mingzheng’s expression, she could hear the mockery in his words. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, and your brain, which was just starting to clear up, is starting to act foolish again. Think about it, even if they don’t dare outside, what about here? If they kill him here, we’ll have to come up with a good excuse to cover it up. Otherwise, not only will you be implicated, but the Imperial Consort in the palace will probably force us to commit suicide.”
Because what they were doing was equivalent to treason.
Naturally, Mingzhu understood what it meant for a giant weapon like the bed crossbow to fall into private hands. She suddenly remembered the rumor of “nine golden dragons protected body” of Yuwen Chu. She began to understand something. The Great Empress Dowager wanted to support Yuwen Fu, but Yuwen Chu had other ideas. So what should she and Fu Mingzheng do? She grabbed Fu Mingzheng’s arm, her voice trembling with nervousness, “Fourth Brother, why is he getting involved with us? You said he’s a prince. If he’s considering the interests of the country, he should inform people of us of treason. Since he hasn’t, what does he want in return?”
Fu Mingzheng mercilessly pulled her hand away, sneering, “Fu Mingzhu, stop pretending to be ignorant when you clearly understand! Don’t you really understand? Use your brain to think it through!”
Mingzhu blinked. “I really don’t understand. Teach me, Fourth Brother.”
Fu Mingzheng chuckled coldly, turning to face her. “Don’t play dumb with me in front of me! You already know what he wants to do, but you’re afraid of saying it yourself, fearing that you might say the wrong thing and invite trouble for your father and brother instead. By asking me, you’re trying to understand the true attitude of the family through me. You’re really something, playing games even with me! Truly, ‘birds of a feather flock together!’ Following bad people, aren’t you learning well!”
Mingzhu was scolded by him, her eyes reddening with embarrassment, guilt, and frustration. What he said was true, but what else could she do if she didn’t want to? These people didn’t confide in her about anything, and now they came to scold her!
With a forceful push, Mingzhu exclaimed angrily, “You’re right about everything! So what should I do? Clearly state it. If he’s plotting treason, are you going to help him? Or are you going to kill him to eliminate future trouble? How do you answer me? If you help him, with so many people in the family, this is not a small matter! If you don’t help and kill him, can you say it in front of me?
You don’t tell me anything because you’re afraid I’ll worry, right? I may be playing games, but I don’t want to make things difficult for you, I want to leave room for each other! If the family doesn’t want to help, just find an excuse to send me away. If you are sincere, you can answer me clearly. No matter what I say, you always mock and ridicule me. What do you really want? I know you really care about me, but not all good things have to be said in this way! It hurts! I also have feelings, you know?”
After saying this, Mingzhu turned and stormed off. She had intended to leave gracefully, but she couldn’t see the layout of the room clearly and was afraid of tripping, so she had to pout and grope her way forward.
Fu Mingzheng seemed to be stunned by her shouting, standing still for a long time before taking a deep breath. “Are you lecturing me just now?”
“Yes! I am lecturing you! Don’t talk to me! Even a steamed bun will bite when it’s forced!” Mingzhu was still angry. If it weren’t for the fear that their conversation would be overheard by others outside, she would have had to deal with Fu Mingzheng more seriously.
Fu Mingzheng chuckled lightly, speaking kindly, “Little steamed bun, come here.”
Mingzhu ignored him. “No!”
“Then I’ll leave.” Fu Mingzheng pretended to leave.
“If you want to leave, then leave. Why bother being so naggy?” Although she knew he couldn’t see, Mingzhu still rolled her eyes at him and whispered, “A real person who wants to leave wouldn’t keep saying they want to leave repeatedly. Just leave!” That’s called posing!
Fu Mingzheng was speechless at her words, feeling helpless. “Alright, Fourth Brother apologizes to you, Fourth Brother said the wrong thing. Fourth Brother is worried that the intruders are unknown and might cause big trouble for the family, so he’s a little irritable.”
That’s about right. Mingzhu raised her head, generously saying, “Okay, I reluctantly accept your explanation. Let’s forget about it this time. If there’s another time, I won’t be so polite with you. My liver will also be irritable.”
“How domineering! Are you always like this in front of His Majesty?” Fu Mingzheng gestured for her to come over. “Sit down. Since we’re talking about this, I have something to tell you.”
“His Highness never scolds me like you do.” Mingzhu sat down, shamelessly praising Yuwen Chu for a few words, then silently criticizing him. Yuwen Chu was a bit petty.
Fu Mingzheng didn’t continue to argue with her, carefully choosing his words. “Sooner or later, you’ll know. It’s better to tell you now. Aunt and Father have different political views. In front of outsiders, we are still a family, but in reality, you should understand what Aunt wants. But Father doesn’t think highly of a child. This country doesn’t need an ignorant little emperor; it needs a strong, visionary monarch. Otherwise, if another little emperor is installed, chaos will inevitably ensue, and soon we’ll become someone else’s prey.”
Just one Yuwen Bai has already caused chaos, but can Yuwen Chu really do it? Mingzhu remembered that she had personally pushed Yuwen Fu to the Great Empress Dowager. If she understood and knew how to compromise, there would still be a way out. If she didn’t know how to compromise, her fate in the future could be imagined. Also, since Father and Aunt have different political views, there will inevitably be major conflicts. As Ying Wangfei, what should she do? Mingzhu thought of this, inevitably feeling as frustrated and rebellious as Fu Mingzheng.
Fu Mingzheng’s voice came from the darkness, “I have one more thing to tell you, which you must remember. In intimate relations, things are fine when they’re good, but once they go bad, everything is wrong. He is a prince, with a noble status from childhood. No one dares to speak loudly in front of him. Such a person is the proudest and cannot stand even a hint of idle anger. At this moment, you’re young and beautiful, he likes you, and he needs our help, so no matter what you do, he thinks it’s pleasing to the eye.
When Father and Brother are old, and there are no capable heirs in the family, and the former glory and power are no longer there, he will rise step by step, no longer needing the Fu family, and you will change from a newcomer to an old one, but still as arrogant and domineering as before. So his dissatisfaction with you will grow day by day, until one day…”
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