Chapter 456: A Bowl of Porridge’s Love
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Due to the unanimous resistance and opposition from the royal family, this greatly hurt Yuwen Bai’s proud and young heart. He angrily killed several palace servants in the Chongzheng Hall but still felt unsatisfied, so he found fault with the guards to vent his anger.
Fu Cong stood by and watched coldly. He advised a few times, but when Yuwen Bai didn’t listen, he stopped bothering. Some people just wouldn’t stop until they died. Even if others didn’t want them dead, they would bring it upon themselves. Yuwen Bai was such a person.
Two days later, the Great Empress Dowager finally made a public appearance. She first ordered a thorough investigation into Yang Jing Song’s case and the incident where Yang Yizun trespassed into Ying Wang’s Mansion and attempted to assassinate Mingzhu. Then she ordered Yuwen Chu to be released and instructed a thorough investigation into the case of Jiang Shanshan’s disappearance.
The royal family and nobles, who were reassured, praised the Great Empress Dowager, but before they finished their flattering words, the Great Empress Dowager issued another edict. She posthumously honored her late elder brother, Fu Zhen, as the Marquis of Huaiyin, and his son, Fu Mingcheng, inherited the title and was appointed as a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Personnel. She also granted a mansion next to the Imperial City as the Marquis of Huaiyin’s Mansion and ordered the Ministry of Works to renovate it and move in on a chosen date.
These two incidents happening together left people speechless. The people on Ying Wang’s and Fu’s side naturally opposed Fu Mingcheng’s appointment. However, the Great Empress Dowager’s previous edict was a gesture of goodwill. Opposing the latter edict meant losing the benefits of the former. The Min faction, which opposed investigating Yang Yizun’s case, also welcomed the division of the Fu family, so they all kept their mouths shut.
The Great Empress Dowager emerged as the biggest winner in this situation. Anything she wanted, she got.
Knowing that Yuwen Chu was coming home, Mingzhu quickly arranged for a horse carriage, prepared fragrant baths and hot water, delicious food, and even firecrackers. She dressed up beautifully herself and eagerly waited outside the palace gate for Yuwen Chu.
Yuwen Chu was carried out by someone, lying on a shoulder pole, covered with the tiger skin blanket Mingzhu had brought in two days ago. He laid there with his eyes closed, his face pale, and his lips extremely faint, looking seriously ill.
Mingzhu’s eyes turned red, feeling both angry and heartbroken. Didn’t he take the medicine she sent in properly? Or was it Tang Chunlai’s medicine that wasn’t good enough? She couldn’t bear to blame Yuwen Chu, so she vented her anger on Tang Chunlai, “Is it that your medicine isn’t good enough? Didn’t you say it would cure him?”
Even if his medicine was good, it had to be taken care of properly. Otherwise, how could he get better if he was exposed to cold winds all the time and ate cold food every day? Tang Chunlai felt quite aggrieved but could only endure Mingzhu’s anger with a stiff neck. He hurried over to treat Yuwen Chu, but as soon as his hand touched Yuwen Chu’s, it was snatched away by Mingzhu. Mingzhu scolded him again, “Treating him here? Did you come up with such an idea? Can’t you see that lying comfortably in the carriage would be better?”
Tang Chunlai sighed and stepped aside. He felt he had been scolded by Mingzhu just now. What was the point of competing with Wangfei for a man at such a time? It clearly seemed like vying for favor and flattery. It was a lose-lose situation; if His Highness found fault with him, Wangfei would also find him bothersome. It was truly not easy to survive in Ying Wang’s residence.
Mingzhu directed her people to lift Yuwen Chu onto the carriage as if handling a delicate snow doll. She personally inspected him, ensuring all parts were intact before allowing Tang Chunlai to enter. She watched vigilantly from the side.
Tang Chunlai nervously checked Yuwen Chu, confirming he was not seriously injured and was only pretending to be unconscious. Not knowing Yuwen Chu’s intentions and unable to tell Mingzhu directly, he said, “Your Highness, he’s… ill.” Lovesickness? Major illness? Pretending to be ill? Any illness would suffice.
Mingzhu almost scratched him. “Do you think I don’t know he’s ill?”
Tang Chunlai hurriedly added, “He’s ill, feeling hungry and cold, weak. Just warm him up, feed him, and he’ll be fine. It’s nothing serious; Your Highness, please don’t worry.”
Relieved to hear there was no issue, Mingzhu began dismissing people. “Mr. Tang, you go back first, prescribe medicine, brew it, don’t delay.”
She was finding him bothersome again. Tang Chunlai awkwardly smiled and retreated, riding his horse back hastily in the cold wind.
Mingzhu took Yuwen Chu’s hand and placed it on her face. Yuwen Chu recoiled slightly, opening his eyes and softly saying, “Don’t, it’s dirty.”
“You’re awake?” Mingzhu realized, then pinched him. “You’re pretending so convincingly! You worried me, I’ve scolded Tang Chunlai for you.”
Yuwen Chu looked at her tenderly. “I heard.” He had suffered such a loss; if he didn’t double it back to Yuwen Bai and the Great Empress Dowager, how could he be satisfied? Pretending to be sick was just the beginning.
Mingzhu felt relieved when she saw him well, grasping his hand tightly. “Tang Chunlai is really not easy. Just a simple illness, but he has to think of various excuses, not knowing when Your Highness is sincere or not, trying to achieve Your Highness’s goals without offending anyone and not scaring me. It’s not easy at all. When we go back, I’ll give him extra money and food.”
“Whatever you say.” Yuwen Chu held Mingzhu’s hand back, softly saying, “You’ve worked hard.”
Mingzhu’s eyes reddened, feeling like acting spoiled, she pushed him gently, trying to lie down beside him. Yuwen Chu stopped her, “Don’t, the place I’ve stayed these days has poor conditions, who knows what dirty things are there. Besides, I’m really sick, afraid of infecting you. Endure for a while, when I go back, wash up, change clothes, then you can come.”
His words were somewhat harsh. What did he mean by “endure for a while, then you can come”? It sounded as if she were desperate. Mingzhu was unhappy, saying, “Your Highness, rest assured, I don’t need to endure anything because I don’t need it.”
So petty, he had just come out, and she was already acting coquettish. Yuwen Chu indulgently said, “Alright, it’s me who needs to endure, enduring every day is quite difficult, alright?”
That’s about right. Mingzhu picked up various pastries and fruits, asking him incessantly, “Your Highness, are you hungry? Have some of this to fill your stomach first? Or this?”
Yuwen Chu just shook his head. “Right now, I just want a bowl of warm porridge.” Seeing Mingzhu fall silent, he laughed again, “I’m joking with you, don’t take it seriously, I have no appetite.”
Little did he know, Mingzhu, with a smile on her face, triumphantly brought out a food box from the corner, layer by layer, revealing a bowl of well-cooked porridge in the middle. The rice had formed a layer of skin, reflecting light, exuding a fragrant aroma, enticing one’s appetite.
Mingzhu handed a warm towel to Yuwen Chu to wipe his hands and personally presented the porridge to him, along with the side dishes. “Eat, eat. I knew you wouldn’t have an appetite and would want porridge. When I heard you were coming back, I made this. Eating it will help with digestion and nourishment.”
Yuwen Chu didn’t expect Mingzhu to actually prepare it. He couldn’t say anything, looking at her sparkling eyes. This bowl of porridge was the most delicious thing he had ever eaten in his life, without a doubt.
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
