Chapter 726: You’re Safe Now
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“He’s with me,” a voice said.
Everyone made way as Yuwen You approached with the terrified child in his arms. He knelt in front of Yuwen Qiang and said softly, “The heir is here.”
Yuwen Qiang’s eyes filled with killing intent. “Was it you?”
Having witnessed Yuwen Qiang’s brutal dismemberment of Yuwen Cong, Yuwen You felt a chill. He held the child tighter and exposed his back, smiling bitterly, “Do you think I have a death wish?”
Yuwen You’s back showed arrow wounds from the earlier barrage. Yuwen Qiang felt a bit better, chuckling coldly, “I never thought I’d die here. Bring my son closer.”
The heir, pushed forward, knelt in front of him, still in shock. Witnessing his parents’ gruesome deaths would terrify any child. Yuwen Qiang, feeling a rare pang of tenderness, gently touched his son’s head. “From now on, you’re on your own. Listen carefully to what I have to say.”
The heir, coming to his senses, burst into tears. “Father, you’ll be fine… I want Mother…” His cries were incoherent.
Yuwen Qiang waited patiently for him to finish crying, then spoke softly, “After I die, Yicheng will fall into chaos. Your uncles will fight for this position. You’re no match for them. Take your siblings and go to the capital.” He looked at Yuwen You. “Linan Wang, if you can take this child and Huan Wang’s seal to the capital, it will be a great merit for you. Can you promise me that?”
Seeing the deep father-son bond, Yuwen You was reminded of his late father and felt his eyes sting. “I will do my best.”
Yuwen Qiang sighed, his strength fading.
In the summer of the first year of Jianxing, Huan Wang Yuwen Qiang and Zhongshan Wang’s fifth son Yuwen Cong died in the outskirts. After Yuwen Qiang’s death, his brothers and generals fought for power, leading to chaos in Yicheng. The factions of Zhongshan Wang and Huan Wang blamed each other for the deaths, and surviving witnesses suspected the initial arrow attack as the cause, but those who wielded the crossbows vanished without a trace.
The cavalry that ambushed Yuwen Cong also disappeared like the wind, almost as if they were an illusion.
But Yuwen You knew it wasn’t a hallucination. He recognized the crossbows from the secret workshops of the Fu clan and the Ying Wang mansion. These crossbows had been improved and were much more powerful. He didn’t know if Fu Mingzhu was involved but felt a growing sense of unease.
So, when Ruan Qingshang sought his opinion on reporting the Regent Wangfei’s death at the Yang mansion to the capital, he hesitated. He felt a pair of eyes watching his every move, and feared a sudden arrow rain could turn him into a sieve once he took Fu Mingzhu along.
Ruan Qingshang saw that Yuwen You was too distressed and tried to persuade him, “Your Highness, keeping her here is of no use. Why not present her as a token of goodwill? For instance, if Yicheng is left leaderless and you are stationed here, you will have a strong backing in the future.”
Yuwen You sneered, “I would like that, but would they agree? Would they be willing? Would they trust me?” Ruan Qingshang wanted to say more but was interrupted, “Enough. This matter is too much for me to handle right now. Even if I do want it, it’s something for the future.”
He stepped outside. Huan Wang’s residence was draped in white, and the sound of crying filled the air, creating a mournful atmosphere. He wandered through the residence like a ghost and instructed Shen Nan, “I need to see Fu Mingzhu.”
It was noon. Mingzhu had washed her hair and was sitting under the veranda, drying it. Du Heng was playing with a small pet mouse nearby. The mouse squeaked, its pink paws nimble and delicate. Mingzhu felt itchy just looking at it and shooed Du Heng away, “Move further away. Just seeing it makes me itch all over.”
Du Heng was happy to oblige, carrying the mouse further away. Otherwise, this pampered woman might ask him to help her comb her hair, which would be troublesome. He knew he had to keep his distance, especially since that jealous person would certainly give him a hard time once he found out about these interactions.
Mingzhu was unaware of the outside world’s turmoil. She found it odd that after nearly ten days here, Yuwen You had only appeared twice and then vanished. The guards weren’t as strict, allowing her to bask in the sun or take short walks in the courtyard. However, Jiang Zhouzi was still nowhere to be seen, leaving her uncertain of his fate. She knew Yuwen You would have made him suffer for offending him back in the capital.
She glanced at Du Heng, who remained composed and only told her not to worry, never mentioning outside events. One night, she had clearly heard Du Heng whispering to someone, but when she asked, he dismissed it as her imagination. So she stopped asking and waited patiently.
Outside, a peddler’s cries could be heard. Mingzhu looked up at the blue sky and softly said, “Du Heng, I really want some osmanthus sugar. Do you think this peddler sells it?”
Du Heng smiled, “Whether or not he sells it, the Wangfei will definitely have osmanthus sugar tonight.”
Mingzhu got excited, “How do you know?”
Du Heng whispered, “Because that peddler is one of us. He’s signaling that someone has arrived, and this person will bring good news.”
Sure enough, not long after, Yuwen You walked in slowly from outside. He stood in the courtyard, silently looking at Mingzhu with a complex expression.
Mingzhu, supporting her waist, stood up and stared back at him.
Du Heng hid the mouse in his sleeve and stood respectfully in a corner, listening intently.
“You all leave,” Yuwen You commanded, signaling Du Heng and the others to withdraw.
Mingzhu grew nervous, but Du Heng shook his head, indicating she shouldn’t be afraid, and went inside.
Yuwen You approached Mingzhu and kindly gestured for her to sit, “Such good weather, perfect for a chat.”
Mingzhu sat down, her silence expressing her reluctance. Who wanted to chat with him? She wasn’t in the mood.
Yuwen You didn’t expect her to respond and continued, “You probably don’t know what’s happened outside these past few days… Yuwen Cong and Yuwen Qiang are both dead. You are now safe and free.”
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