Chapter 561: Money Box
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Yuwen Chu triumphantly motioned to Mingzhu, “Come here and massage my feet.”
Mingzhu glanced at him, “Your Highness, aren’t you afraid my hands will hurt and not heal properly?”
Yuwen Chu smiled, “Just a little massage won’t hurt.”
So Mingzhu went over, stood behind him, and massaged his shoulders. After just a few strokes, he pulled her over and hugged her tightly, kissing her cheek, “I’ve arranged a marriage between Fourth Uncle and Li Shumei. How will you thank me?”
Mingzhu smiled and hooked her arms around Yuwen Chu’s neck, giving him a long kiss. He couldn’t resist and pushed her away, laughing triumphantly, “This was something you didn’t want, not that I lacked sincerity.”
Yuwen Chu drank a large glass of water to cool himself down before glaring at Mingzhu, “You wicked thing with ill intentions.”
“Am I as bad as you? Your tricks to deceive people are endless.” But thinking that her awkward fourth brother could finally be together with the girl he liked, Mingzhu was still very happy. She hugged Yuwen Chu’s arm and shook it vigorously, “You’re the best, Your Highness, the best, a smart and capable good person.”
Yuwen Chu, busy as he was, still had time to take care of his family’s affairs for her. If this wasn’t genuine kindness from the heart, she would turn the character ‘Fu’ upside down. Mingzhu looked at Yuwen Chu with love in her eyes. He was so pleasing to the eye, and anyone who dared to snatch him from her would have to fight her to the death.
Yuwen Chu enjoyed Mingzhu’s attentive service and sweet words. He said, “Since you know I’m good, don’t nag at me in the future. Whatever I ask you to do, just do it, got it?” While speaking, he sneakily glanced at Mingzhu’s chest, which was quite impressive.
Blushing at his gaze, Mingzhu remained silent and chatted with him for a while before asking, “Did my Fourth Brother go to see Miss Li later?”
Yuwen Chu chuckled mischievously, “He did, why wouldn’t he? But she didn’t see him. He didn’t even get to enter her house; Li Haixing just chased him out with a broom. Madam Li spoke up, saying their daughter wasn’t someone any Tom, Dick, or Harry could see. If he really wanted to see her, he should go through proper channels for engagement. They don’t receive anyone like him!”
“Good!” Mingzhu had no sympathy for Fu Mingzheng at all. She laughed along with Yuwen Chu. This time, the whole family was mobilized to force a marriage. No matter how clever Fu Mingzheng was, he would never have expected that his serious and stern father and the honest child, Fu Lin, would become accomplices.
She went to fetch the money box Yuwen Chu had brought back home. “Look, my Fourth Brother has been worrying about Miss Li. Look, these gold ingots, silver ingots, and silver coins he received during the New Year are all inside. They even sent him silver tickets and deeds of property as filial piety. All gifts must be exchanged into whole amounts before being sent out, yet he’s just sending them out haphazardly. Is he trying to make Miss Li feel sorry for him and not marry?”
Yuwen Chu had been displeased with Fu Mingzheng for a long time. Now that he had the chance to cause trouble, he wouldn’t let it pass easily. “Don’t return this box to him. Pretend you don’t know anything and let him fret. See if he has the nerve to come and ask you for it.”
It would cost a lot of money to marry a wife, just like when he spent so much money to marry Mingzhu. Fu Mingzheng’s marriage would require additional expenses, although they were from a noble family. There were established rules. If he wanted to handle the marriage nicely, he would have to subsidize it himself. Even a penny is difficult for a hero to earn. Yuwen Chu wanted to see how Fu Mingzheng would handle it.
Mingzhu took it with a smile. “Alright. Your Highness said so.” Although she said so, she felt a little sad. She planned to wait for Yuwen Chu to leave, then immediately put some good things in it and have someone send it back to Fu Mingzheng.
Seeing her reluctant appearance, Yuwen Chu knew that his words would probably be disobeyed in secret. He could only reluctantly agree, “Forget it, forget it. He’s helped us so much anyway, and we have to give him a generous gift. When the matchmaker confirms it, put the gift we gave together with it in the box and have someone deliver it to him. When the time comes, send another gift to the mansion.”
“The money I privately give to Fu Mingzheng is to supplement him, so there’s no need to take it out and submit it to the authorities. However, the gifts given on the wedding day should go through the proper channels. After all, when living together as a large family, everything must be done according to the rules, or else conflicts will arise.” This is another thoughtful consideration from Yuwen Chu. Mingzhu didn’t hesitate to praise him, “Your Highness is truly the most thoughtful and generous person in the world! In the future, if Fourth Brother argues with you again, I will firmly stand by your side.”
“When did I ever argue with him? I’m so busy with important matters that I don’t have time to argue with him,” Yuwen Chu firmly denied that he and Fu Mingzheng had any mutual dislike.
Mingzhu smiled and didn’t argue with him either. She just asked Su Lan to open the box and put a stack of her own silver notes inside, saying, “Use my dowry for what you give to Fourth Brother privately. On the wedding day, Your Highness can cover the expenses.”
Yuwen Chu didn’t argue with Mingzhu about who should pay or who shouldn’t. He let her handle it, and he would give her another valuable set of jewelry in a few days. What’s the point of dividing everything so clearly when they’re going to spend their lives together?
Mingzhu filled Fu Mingzheng’s money box and then brought up the matter of Mu Gugu and Yuwen Fu coming to see her earlier.
Mu Gugu was still as kind to her as ever, but Yuwen Fu looked at her with a scrutinizing gaze. After they had seen Zhuang Zhuang, Yuwen Fu placed a jade pendant in Zhuang Zhuang’s crib and then indicated that he wanted to speak privately with Mingzhu. Seeing that Mu Gugu didn’t object, Mingzhu sent the others away and asked Yuwen Fu how he was feeling. After hesitating for a long time, Yuwen Fu asked softly, “Aunt, am I going to die?”
Mingzhu sighed and said to Yuwen Chu, “I didn’t expect him to say such things to me. Naturally, I told him he wouldn’t die, and I also promised that as long as I could, I would protect him just like last time.”
This child, as expected, was not really despondent but scared. People are actually very smart. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to see Mingzhu alone while Yuwen Chu was away to say these things. Obviously, he wanted to soften Mingzhu’s heart and beg her to save his life. Yuwen Chu remained silent for a moment before asking, “What did he say?”
“He said he trusts me.” Remembering Yuwen Fu’s expression at the time, Mingzhu also felt a headache. Yuwen Fu didn’t believe that Yuwen Chu sincerely didn’t want him to die. But it’s also not surprising. The two of them were inherently opposed. The Great Empress Dowager was determined to put Yuwen Fu on the throne, but Yuwen Chu also wanted that position. One was too strong, the other too weak. Could the weaker one trust that the stronger one didn’t want his life? Even she couldn’t.
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