Chapter 742: Returning to the Capital
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In the afternoon, Mingzhu dressed in full attire as a Wangfei, stood by the roadside waiting as instructed by the officials from the Ministry of Rites. The sky was particularly blue after the snow, and the distant white snow reflected the sunlight, making her eyes sting. The wind blew, and the cold was piercing.
Despite this, everyone was excited, whispering among themselves, “I heard the emperor is coming… He’s really giving face to the Regent and Regent Wangfei…”
“And he should. When things were chaotic over there, it was Regent Wangfei who risked her life to go, calming things down and helping to quell the rebellion together…”
There were also discordant voices, “But for a mere woman to make the emperor personally come ten miles out of the capital to greet her, this is not a good omen.”
“Yes, there’s never been such a precedent in history. It’s too arrogant.”
Mingzhu heard it all but didn’t care. Yuwen Chu had no intention of having Yuwen Guang come out of the capital to greet her, and Yuwen Guang had shown no intention either. It was a last-minute decision when a eunuch, exhausted like a dead dog, ran from the palace to deliver the decree.
Naturally, she was apprehensive. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be standing in the cold wind, stretching her neck waiting. It was really cold today. Despite the sunny weather, the north wind was blowing fiercely. Just as she was lamenting this, she sneezed, and tears came to her eyes.
Seeing this, Li Peifeng, the head of the Ministry of Rites’ Etiquette Office and one of Yuwen Chu’s men, gently suggested, “The emperor won’t arrive for at least another hour. Why don’t you go to the tent nearby, have some hot tea, warm up by the fire, and come out when the advance party arrives?”
He meant well, but Mingzhu didn’t want to accept. She smiled lightly, “The emperor is the Son of Heaven. If he doesn’t fear the cold or the long journey to come here, how can I, fearing the cold, lose my respect?”
Despite this, rumors had already spread. If she went to the tent to wait, who knew how much worse the talk would get? Until Yuwen Chu achieved his ultimate goal, she had to uphold her duty and not cause any trouble for him.
As time went on, some people began to feel uncomfortable. But seeing Mingzhu standing there unwaveringly, they couldn’t complain. They stood until Yuwen Guang’s carriage arrived, then knelt to welcome him, thanking him for his grace, and went through endless formalities.
Yuwen Chu, worried that Mingzhu would freeze from standing outside too long, hinted to the officials from the Ministry of Rites to remind Yuwen Guang it was time to return to the capital. Mingzhu noticed and purposely prolonged the conversation with Yuwen Guang, expressing her heartfelt sentiments. When moved, she even shed tears, “During the Yicheng rebellion, I thought I’d never see Your Majesty again…” This led to the young emperor comforting her for a long time, delaying their departure.
Mingzhu was never this talkative. Yuwen Chu knew something was up but let her be. Only after the lengthy display of deep familial affection did they finally set off. Once in the carriage, the warmth made Mingzhu sneeze loudly. Yuwen Chu followed her in, teasing, “I told you to come back earlier, but you wouldn’t listen.”
Mingzhu smiled, “I have a carriage, a brazier, and a hand warmer. I’ll warm up quickly. Unlike those gossiping officials, who have to endure the cold wind. Didn’t they say it’s inappropriate for a mere woman to trouble the emperor? Well, let them suffer a bit.”
Yuwen Chu then realized she had overheard the gossip and deliberately made those people suffer. He laughed, “Why take them seriously? You can’t stop their mouths, so why get angry?”
“I’m not angry. They mean nothing to me. But since I had the chance, I made them suffer a bit. If they dare to speak nonsense, they should be prepared to face the consequences. Besides, I’m merciful. I only let them freeze a bit without planning to retaliate.” Mingzhu lifted the curtain, signaling Yuwen Chu to look outside. “Your Highness, look.”
Yuwen Chu followed her gaze and saw several orthodox officials hunched over on horseback, looking pale and sickly, as if they’d collapse with the next gust of wind. He chuckled, “You’re quite crafty.”
Mingzhu snorted, “It’s a welcome gift. After being away so long, many have forgotten my temper.”
“Alright, let them know that you, Fu Mingzhu, have returned.” Yuwen Chu smiled lazily. After winning several battles and subduing the faction of Huan Wang, the overall situation had greatly improved for him. No matter what Mingzhu did, he had the ability to handle it. Besides, she was becoming increasingly prudent in her actions, making him more and more at ease.
Late in the afternoon, the procession grandly entered the capital. Hearing the lively noise outside the carriage, Mingzhu couldn’t resist lifting the curtain to look out. She sighed, “I have really missed the bustling capital.” Suddenly, she saw the streets filled with citizens, even the teahouses and restaurants were crowded with people. She quickly put the curtain down, “The people of the capital still love a good spectacle.”
Yuwen Chu smiled, “Naturally, Regent Wangfei, who has survived countless dangers and achieved great merits, returning safely, should be welcomed with great fanfare. Moreover, the emperor’s tour always attracts much attention.”
Suddenly, they heard someone shouting loudly outside, “Regent, Regent.”
Surprised, Mingzhu opened a small slit in the curtain to peek outside. She saw a group of young men and women holding offerings like oranges, pastries, and wine, standing excitedly by the roadside, their eyes fervently fixed on this direction, continuously expressing their gratitude to the Regent for his efforts against the northern Zhongshan rebels, the southern defeat of Huan Wang, and the western battle against Qiuli Wang, as well as for handling last autumn’s locust and flood disasters. They wanted to offer him some food as a token of their appreciation.
Feeling a mix of sour jealousy and pride, Mingzhu remarked, “Why does it seem like you’re the only one receiving all the glory?”
Yuwen Chu chuckled, “What’s the rush?”
Sure enough, a few children’s clear voices followed, “It’s Regent Wangfei! Mother, she’s the one who secretly sent us food and saved you…”
This started a chorus of praise, all for the couple, with no mention of the young emperor Yuwen Guang.
Mingzhu looked at Yuwen Chu, “I wonder how His Majesty and the others feel hearing this?”
Yuwen Chu calmly brushed his sleeve, “It’s unavoidable. Whoever does the most and the best work will naturally be remembered by the people. It’s not something I orchestrated intentionally. If it makes them uncomfortable, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
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