Chapter 464: Unlucky Yuwen You (Part 1)
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Teacher Lin said, “There’s a Wuyi Lane in the east of the city, where I rented a house and took in a few disciples to make a living. If you want to come, just let someone inform me in advance, and I’ll wait for you.”
The Wusun Princess, hearing about his difficult situation, couldn’t bear it. “Otherwise, Teacher, just come with me to the prince’s mansion.”
Teacher Lin shook his head with a smile, firmly refusing.
The Wusun Princess had no choice but to bid farewell and leave.
Teacher Lin stood on the deserted street and watched her carriage leave, then turned and entered the small shop. After packing up the milk tea, pastries, and other things, he left quietly.
The Wusun Princess returned to the Yuwen Mansion and smelled the stench of mud from the bottom of the lotus pond in the Suiyu Pavilion. Countless torches were lit by the Dali Temple and the Central City Military Department, as if they wanted to turn the Suiyu Pavilion, the lotus pond, and Jingting Pavilion upside down.
The Wusun Princess, feeling annoyed, retreated to the bridal chamber. However, the trivial matters outside still wouldn’t let her off. Sometimes it was the people from the Dali Temple wanting to eat, complaining about the poor quality of the oil and meat, mocking the stinginess of the Yuwen Mansion; sometimes it was the people from the Central City Military Department wanting to drink to warm themselves up, complaining about the poor quality of the wine and speaking nonsense; sometimes it was Yuwen You sending someone back from the Dali Temple, asking her to prepare money and goods to send them off.
Since the Changshi Ruan Qingshang was also taken away for questioning, the Momos in the Yuwen Mansion were not very obedient. The Wusun Princess was overwhelmed, unable to help but envy Fu Mingzhu, who could block the Longlin Guards with a group of men and dared to assassinate Yang Yizun on the spot.
The more she compared, the more desolate she felt, and the more desolate she felt, the more jealous she became. The Wusun Princess couldn’t sit still. She was also a good daughter who could ride and march. How come she was confined behind these tall walls? The Wusun Princess suddenly remembered Teacher Lin’s question: “Where has your prince been most frequently these days?”
She immediately stood up, intending to go to Yuwen You’s study. Maybe her husband had hidden some secrets in the study. If she didn’t go now, when would she go?
She couldn’t enter the study. Even the leader of the guards, Shen Nan, was taken away. The outside of Yuwen You’s study was still heavily guarded. The steward guarding the study stubbornly refused to let her in, pretending to be dumb and not allowing her entry. Even if she got angry, she could only kneel on the ground and kowtow repeatedly, but she couldn’t get through.
The Wusun Princess felt like she had been slapped in the face, embarrassed and unable to get off the stage. She had to stand outside the study and confront the guardian. She felt wronged and couldn’t help but think that maybe there were portraits of Fu Mingzhu or something else in Yuwen You’s study… She stood there for a long time, but the guardian still showed no signs of yielding. However, she couldn’t stay here for long and had to find a way to leave.
Fortunately, someone from the Central City Military Department came to ask her questions, allowing her to leave gracefully.
The interrogator was a young and handsome young man, with thick eyebrows and bright eyes, full of righteousness. Although he was slender, it didn’t affect his handsomeness. He stood there, respectfully saluting the Wusun Princess, “I am Li Haixing, here to inquire about the situation under orders.”
The Wusun Princess liked his clean and respectful appearance, and gave him face. “Ask.”
Li Haixing asked the same question as Teacher Lin, “On the day of the wedding, after the marriage ceremony, it is said that the prince left the bridal chamber and went out alone for some time before returning. Is this true? It’s a matter of great importance, so I ask Wangfei to answer truthfully.”
Without hesitation, the Wusun Princess said, “There’s no such thing. Our Highness has been with me all the time. This, the Momos around me can all testify.” She glanced at Li Haixing, providing him with another piece of information, “But I heard about another situation. That night, Ying Wangfei also left the banquet halfway and went to Jingting Pavilion, accompanied by a highly skilled female attendant. Many people have heard about this and even witnessed it. Perhaps Ying Wangfei knows something.”
Li Haixing listened and wrote with a good hand. The Wusun Princess chuckled, “Mr. Li writes like a girl.”
Li Haixing’s hand paused, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. “Wangfei is really good at joking.” Then he got up and took his leave.
The Wusun Princess stared at his back for a while, then turned back and asked the Momo beside her, “Is it possible for women to hold official positions in places like the Central City Military Department?”
The Momo in the mansion was puzzled. “What?”
The Wusun Princess smiled and didn’t say anything. This Li Haixing clearly disguised himself and was a woman. Strange things happened every year, especially this year. Let this Li Haixing go and talk to Fu Mingzhu. She didn’t believe that Fu Mingzhu would refuse to see people from the Central City Military Department.
In the middle of the night, the Wusun Princess was awakened by the noise. Yuwen You’s study was robbed, and the guardian of the study was very vigilant. He discovered the thief in time and fought with him. During the struggle, the lamp was accidentally knocked over, igniting the study.
The weather was dry, and the study was filled with flammable items. It quickly became a raging inferno, illuminating the street. Fortunately, people from the Central City Military Department and the Dali Temple who were handling the case had not left yet and timely helped extinguish the fire, avoiding it from spreading to other buildings in the Yuwen Mansion.
But the study was almost completely burnt, and nothing intact was taken out. What’s most hateful is that the thief disappeared without a trace, and the only steward who witnessed the thief also went missing in the fire. It’s unclear whether he fled out of fear or was tied up or even died in the fire.
Looking at the devastated Yuwen Mansion, the Wusun Princess couldn’t help but cry out in sadness. As fellow Wangfeis, Ying Wang was detained in the palace, and the Longlin Guards were arresting people. Fu Mingzhu could still keep Ying Wangfei’s mansion in good order, even kill someone and walk away unscathed, still able to move around and join forces with the royal family to rescue Ying Wang from the palace. But she couldn’t even manage her own home. Not only was her home in a mess, but her study was also burnt down.
If it really was her fault, if she was really incompetent, then she would accept it. But it wasn’t her fault at all. How could she accept it?!
The sunlight shone through the window lattice onto Yuwen You’s face. He blinked his eyelashes, opened his eyes, and saw Fu Mingzheng’s malicious smile. “Your Highness is awake? Did you sleep well last night?”
Yuwen You lazily stood up and stretched. “Not bad. Thanks to Fourth Brother Fu for his warm hospitality. I will remember this and repay you twice as much in the future.”
Fu Mingzheng smiled smugly. “Great. But before that, there’s something I have to tell Your Highness.” He changed his tone to a solemn one, showing great sympathy. “Last night, there was a thief in the mansion, and the steward and guards bravely caught the thief, but accidentally burned down Your Highness’s study. With the recent dry weather, the whole street was lit up, and I heard that nothing inside was left intact.”
Yuwen You’s face immediately turned green.
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