Ninth Imperial Glorious Phoenix Chapter 668

Chapter 668: A Fortunate Encounter

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Someone called from afar, “Your Highness, there’s a matter in Chongzheng Hall that requires your attention. The Great Empress Dowager also requests your presence in Changxin Palace.”

Yuwen Chu refused without hesitation, “I’m busy. Let them wait.” This moment with Mingzhu was crucial. Unless it was an emergency, he wouldn’t miss this opportunity. The palace was full of dangers, and if they didn’t clear things up now, others could use their misunderstandings against them.

Since none of his advisors were around, no one dared question his decision. The area soon quieted down, with only the sound of the cold wind rustling the bamboo outside. Mingzhu calmed down and began to tell her story.

Halfway through, Wei Tiande returned with dry clothes and shoes. They helped each other change and resumed their conversation at the tea table.

Yuwen Chu listened attentively, interrupting several times, “Why did Old Nine do this? If he didn’t want to marry you, there were ways to avoid it. Since he did, why make it so difficult?”

This question really can’t be answered. Mingzhu sighed. “If only I knew what he was really thinking.” She originally wanted to tell him about the terrifying experiences she had gone through with Yuwen You, but when it came to her lips, she just couldn’t bring herself to say it. Such unbearable things, she feared, would only disgust people if she spoke of them. 

Even though Yuwen Chu was magnanimous, she didn’t believe he could accept these things without any obstacles. Yuwen Chu instinctively sensed that Mingzhu had something else to tell him. Judging by her resistance and fear towards married life when they first got married, he could probably guess some of it. He tactfully refrained from asking further and silently listened, ultimately giving a conclusion: “You were blind, and he was even blinder.” At this point, his gaze towards Mingzhu appeared particularly sympathetic and pitiful. 

Mingzhu felt uncomfortable under his gaze and retorted with a tough exterior, “Don’t always blame me. Where do you think you stand in all of this? You still ended up marrying Jiang Shanshan. When you married her, you must have known she wasn’t a good person, but you still married her for the blueprint, right? If you married her for that reason, then I have nothing more to say.”

Yuwen Chu looked at her with clear eyes and said, “I haven’t experienced such a situation, so I don’t know exactly what I would have thought at the time. But I can be certain of one thing: in such a situation, I would never harm you or your family. You asked me before if I would harm your family, and I told you that if they hadn’t harmed or targeted me, I wouldn’t harm them. That was the truth. According to you, the Fu family posed no threat to me at that time, so there was absolutely no need for me to act against them. You must remember and understand this clearly.”

Whether it was a dream or real experience, he believed this was the most crucial issue. Because Jiang Shanshan was once his “wife” and directly involved in persecuting the Fu family, as her “husband,” he was highly suspect. He needed to clarify this with Mingzhu.

Mingzhu knew he was telling the truth. Back then, they had just gotten married. If he had passionately assured her that he would never harm her family, that would have been a lie. She nodded, “Yes, when I first found out that the bed crossbow design came from Jiang Shanshan, I was very upset. I thought you were involved, so I kept my guard up against you. But later, I realized you wouldn’t waste effort on someone who wasn’t a threat. So, this matter should have nothing to do with you.”

“Not should, but definitely. I have confidence in myself,” Yuwen Chu recalled many details from before and after their marriage that he hadn’t understood at the time but made sense now.

Her sadness and pain in the Linkong winding walking, her sudden fallout with Yuwen You, her determination to annul their marriage even at great risk, her efforts to stop Yuwen Xue from marrying the Wusun, the conflict she stirred between the Fu and Min families, her constant targeting after learning Jiang Shanshan had the bed crossbow design, her vigilance against the plain-looking Zhou Nushi while disregarding the beautiful Ping Nushi, her bold killing of Yang Yizun, her early understanding of Zhongshan Wang’s ambitions, and her mixed feelings of fear and desire for pregnancy—all stemmed from her past experiences.

He couldn’t help but marvel at the world’s wonders and his fortune to encounter such extraordinary events. Jiang Shanshan’s situation was rare enough, but then Mingzhu’s was even rarer. He got up and paced around the room before sitting down again. “I need to sort through everything you’ve told me.” There was a lot of information, and he needed time to process it all.

The charcoal fire had gradually died out, and the room was cold enough to see their breath, but Mingzhu didn’t feel cold. Instead, she felt a great sense of relief. She had said everything she needed to say, with no more secrets. As for the future, she would take it one step at a time; it couldn’t be worse than before.

Yuwen Chu had listened calmly, so it was reasonable for him to take time to think it over. If it were her, she wouldn’t be able to accept it immediately either. She felt a bit embarrassed, “I overreacted before, but you didn’t know how I felt then—so hurt, so desperate. I thought you wouldn’t accept me anymore, that you’d see me as a monster.”

Yuwen Chu understood, “It’s my fault for not being considerate enough. But next time, if the window is over shallow water, you can jump. If it’s a deep abyss or something dangerous, I suggest you don’t jump in a fit of anger, okay?”

Mingzhu lowered her eyes and remained silent. She wouldn’t tell him that if it were a real abyss or danger, she wouldn’t jump. Zhuang Zhuang needed her, her family needed her. Reckless actions like before were foolish, and she wouldn’t repeat them.

Someone came urging again, “Your Highness, it’s urgent. The Great Empress Dowager wants to make County Prince Yanping the emperor. The Imperial Observatory has been ordered to choose an auspicious day, and now all the royal family and ministers are gathered in Chongzheng Hall, waiting for the decree. Only you are missing.”

Mingzhu urged Yuwen Chu, “You should go. I need to fetch Zhuang Zhuang.”

Yuwen Chu nodded, “Don’t worry. Once I’m done, we’ll find time to sit down and talk properly.”

“Mm.” Mingzhu watched him leave, lying on the tea table. As he reached the door, he turned back, extending his hand, “Come here, let me hold you.”

Mingzhu actually felt very tired. The ordeal just now had drained all her energy, but she still stood up lazily, hugged Yuwen Chu’s waist, and he hugged her tightly in return, whispering softly, “Inexplicable, but fortunate.”

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