Chapter 375: You Are the One Chosen by the Late Emperor
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Jiang Shanshan took a deep breath and put on a sweet smile. “This thing is an extraordinary weapon. I always thought that even if Your Highness couldn’t use it now, it might be useful in the future. I’ll stay here for now. Your Highness can think it over carefully and let me know when you’ve made up your mind. Everything can be discussed.”
Yuwen You lowered his eyes and took a sip of tea, chuckling lightly. “I thought Second Miss Jiang came to inquire about Scholar Liao’s marriage. Who knew I was overthinking.”
“Didn’t they say the Great Empress Dowager promised him the eldest daughter of the Left Shilang of the Ministry of Revenue, Peng Liang? He’ll soon be promoted to be a Zhongshu Sheren.” Jiang Shanshan smiled, recounting the fresh palace rumors from this morning to show that she hadn’t reached the end of her rope yet.
Yuwen You indeed looked at her with renewed interest and didn’t send her away immediately. Jiang Shanshan was also patient, waiting calmly. After a while, Yuwen You thought for a moment and said, “In consideration of our past cooperation, I’ll help you through this difficult time first. This blueprint is worthless as it is.”
Worthless as it is, but I don’t see you returning it to me. Jiang Shanshan disdainfully thought, smiling as she stood up to take her leave. “In that case, I’ll eagerly await good news from Your Highness.”
“I won’t send you off.” Yuwen You nodded, indicating for Ruan Qingshang to help see Jiang Shanshan out.
Jiang Shanshan turned around, her smile fading. Fu Mingzhu was pregnant, the Min family and the Fu family had completely torn their faces apart, the Great Empress Dowager and Fu family harbored resentment against each other. Yuwen Chu must be in a flurry right now. She had to find an opportunity to rise again. She absolutely couldn’t accept Fu Mingzhu living so smoothly like this. It’s not gentlemanly to not return a favor, Fu Mingzhu should wait and see!
Yuwen You picked up the half piece of the blueprint, unable to contain his excitement. If this thing could really be manufactured, it would be extraordinary. Where did Jiang Shanshan get it from? This woman is really unfathomable, always able to produce so many strange things.
The Changshi, Ruan Qingshang, hurried in and whispered, “Your Highness, another visitor has arrived.”
Yuwen You instinctively hid the half piece of the blueprint in his sleeve and pretended to be impatient. “Who’s the visitor? I don’t want to see them!”
Ruan Qingshang leaned close to his ear and whispered a few words, then handed over a token. It was a black-gold square token engraved with the four characters “Zhongshan Wang command” in seal script. Yuwen You’s heart almost jumped out of his throat, and he quickly said, “Quick, please.” As he walked out, he asked Ruan Qingshang, “Who is it?”
Ruan Qingshang shook his head. “I don’t know. He refused to say.”
Yuwen You walked into the main hall for formal receptions and saw a young man in a sky-blue Confucian robe standing in the center of the room with his back to him, gazing up at the painting personally penned by the late emperor. He cleared his throat lightly and said, “This is a painting personally penned by the late emperor.”
“I recognize it.” The young man turned around and smiled at him, his originally plain features almost becoming vivid in an instant, dazzling.
Even though Yuwen You prided himself on his outstanding appearance, he couldn’t help but be distracted by the man’s smile. He immediately recognized him. Wasn’t this the person who mocked him together with Fu Mingzhu when he was at the Longsheng Great Eldest Princess’s mansion? Feeling both angry and embarrassed, he greeted with a sardonic smile, “May I ask the name of this esteemed gentleman?”
The young man smiled and bowed respectfully. “I am Cui Zhang, a distant relative of Longsheng Great Eldest Princess’s husband. I have offended you before, and I hope Your Highness won’t take offense.”
Yuwen You sneered coldly. Just a distant relative of Cui the husband, yet dared to mock him so recklessly. It turned out it was because he had the support of Zhongshan Wang. Without inviting Cui Zhang to sit, he took the main seat himself and raised his leg to sway it, speaking with a pompous tone, “What brings you here, Young Master Cui?”
Unexpectedly, Cui Zhang showed no signs of unfamiliarity, and casually sat down beside him, smiling kindly. “Seeing the token is like seeing the person. Your Highness should know the rules.”
Yuwen You snorted, “How do I know if it’s real or fake?”
With a smile, Cui Zhang recited a passage and asked him, “Is this not what Your Highness wrote in the letter to Zhongshan Wang in June?”
Yuwen You’s face turned red all of a sudden. This letter was his plea for help to Zhongshan Wang, expressing his dire situation and extreme pitifulness. Why did this despicable Cui Zhang specifically choose to mention this part?
Cui Zhang sighed and said, “Oh, it’s not that I intended to offend Your Highness. It’s just a coincidence that I happened to see this letter, and since Your Highness doesn’t trust me, I had no choice.”
Yuwen You sulked for a while, feeling unhappy, and asked grumpily, “What do you want?”
Cui Zhang smiled and leaned in close to him, whispering softly in his ear, “Our lord asked me to pass a message to Your Highness. The country needs a wise ruler, and the prosperity of the nation is essential. Nowadays, with the emperor’s incompetence and the power of the relatives, the court is in chaos. It’s heartbreaking and distressing to see the country and the people suffer.”
What does he mean? Yuwen You suddenly felt uneasy, his heart pounding in his chest. He struggled to control himself and said expressionlessly, “That’s not my concern. Just being able to live well is not easy.”
“Is it really not Your Highness’s concern?” Cui Zhang smiled ambiguously. “Are you not afraid of facing the late Emperor with shame when you go underground?” He then changed his expression abruptly, his tone turning angry. “The rise and fall of a nation is the responsibility of every man! Especially for someone like Your Highness, a scion of the royal family. Are you really going to stand by and watch the Yuwen family’s legacy fall into someone else’s hands? Are you going to ignore the devastation of the land and the displacement of the people?”
“I…” Yuwen You was unwilling to accept his scolding, feeling helpless and unable to find a rebuttal. In his frustration, he blurted out, “It’s easy for you to talk! I have nothing. What can I do?”
Cui Zhang whispered, “What if my lord is willing to be Your Highness’s backing?”
Yuwen You dared not believe it. He had nothing. Why would his uncle want to help him? It felt like a trap.
As if reading his thoughts, Cui Zhang calmly said, “Our lord is not as you imagine. He has guarded the border for decades, seeking nothing but peace for the realm and the lasting prosperity of the Yuwen family’s legacy. He believes that Your Highness will be a wise ruler. It’s that simple.”
“Why would it be me?” Yuwen You murmured after a long while.
“Because Your Highness was the late Emperor’s most beloved person. Before his death, the late Emperor left a secret decree to our lord, instructing him to eliminate evil and uphold justice if the Fu family came to power, and to restore peace to the Yuwen family’s legacy. And you are the one chosen by the late Emperor.”
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