Ninth Imperial Glorious Phoenix Chapter 750

Chapter 750: I Know You Better Than You Know Yourself

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Yuwen Chu quickly said, “Come here, let Daddy hold you.” After all, they had been together for so long, surely Zhuangzhuang would give him some face?

Unexpectedly, Zhuangzhuang shook his head without hesitation, crawling into Mingzhu’s arms. “Mommy hold.”

Yuwen Chu, feeling a bit sour, thought to himself how this little rascal so easily favors the new over the old. He had painstakingly taken care of him for so long, yet Mingzhu could effortlessly win him over with just a few coaxing words. Determined to foster some father-daughter affection, he decided to hold Miliet. After all, this little one couldn’t talk or walk yet, so she would just go along with whatever the adults did.

However, to his surprise, Millet, despite her laziness, turned out to be quite formidable. The moment he picked her up, she began wailing as if they were being torn apart, desperately reaching out for Mingzhu while crying her heart out.

Mingzhu proudly took Millet and placed her next to Zhuangzhuang. “Don’t cry, play with your brother.” Zhuangzhuang immediately handed a toy horse to Millet. Despite still having tears in her eyes, Millet stopped crying at once.

Mingzhu added, “Daddy holding you means he cares about you. Even if you don’t want to, you shouldn’t act like that. It will make Daddy sad.”

Yuwen Chu felt so frustrated that he wanted to scratch the walls. He let out a few dry laughs and then sternly said, “It’s time to go. We can’t keep the elders waiting, can we?” Without waiting for the children’s reactions, he pulled Mingzhu off the couch, taking the opportunity to get back at her. “If you care for the children, you need to set an example for them. Being punctual and respecting elders are basic virtues. Hurry up.” With a glance, the nursemaids stepped in to take the children to get ready.

Mingzhu didn’t expose Yuwen Chu’s intentions. She had already prepared, just waiting for him to return so they could go together. Now, all she needed was to tidy her hair in front of the mirror and change into an outer garment. After getting ready, she saw Yuwen Chu still wearing his official attire and drinking tea, not moving. Curiously, she asked, “Weren’t you in a hurry to leave, Your Highness? Why haven’t you changed?”

Yuwen Chu replied calmly, “I thought you had already forgotten about me.”

Such a strong sense of jealousy. Mingzhu couldn’t help but laugh. “Your Highness is being childish. I may forget anyone but never the father of my children.”

Yuwen Chu sighed deeply. “You don’t need to remind me. I know that well. I’m just a tool for having children. Now that you have a son and a daughter, I, as their father, am of no use.”

Mingzhu scoffed. “Your Highness is the illustrious, powerful Regent, young and handsome, with a successful career. Many noble ladies must dream of you. How could someone as unruly and petty as me be a match for you?”

“Exactly,” Yuwen Chu suddenly laughed. “I knew you were angry with me over Ji Hui.”

“Really? This has nothing to do with her. How does our marital matter involve her?” Mingzhu refused to admit it and cunningly asked, “Or does Your Highness think it involves her? How?”

Yuwen Chu motioned for her to stand up. “Come with me.”

Mingzhu laughed. “Where to? Weren’t we in a hurry to leave? Being punctual and respecting elders are virtues, and we should set an example for the children.”

“Stop talking nonsense.” Yuwen Chu pulled her into the small study, making her look at the portrait on the wall. “This is what I painted, stroke by stroke, from memory after you left. It took me a month, and I would bring Zhuangzhuang here to see it, telling him it was you. Otherwise, do you think he would have taken to you so quickly?”

The portrait showed Fu Mingzhu in a flowing red dress, her brows and eyes full of life, as radiant as the sun. Even if Mingzhu intended to find fault, she couldn’t deny that the portrait captured her essence. Believing Yuwen Chu’s words and thinking of Zhuangzhuang’s reaction, her heart softened, and tears fell. “She’s younger, prettier, more talented in the arts, more gentle and sensible, a noble descendant of the previous dynasty, carrying the hopes of the northern aristocracy and the welfare of the people…”

Younger, meaning less experienced!

Prettier, but beauty can’t feed you!

More talented in the arts, but a Regent’s Wangfei doesn’t need to perform arts every day!

More gentle and sensible, she wouldn’t survive the palace women!

The eldest legitimate granddaughter of the 49th generation of the previous dynasty’s royal family, yet she still ended up with her nation destroyed and had to become someone’s concubine!

Carrying the hopes of the aristocracy? Mingzhu had Prime Minister Fu and the Fu family, and the brave Little General Shen!

As for the welfare of the people, if they pin their hopes on such marriages, they deserve to be oppressed!

Tears welled up in Mingzhu’s eyes as she bitterly retorted in her mind and spoke in an overly dramatic manner, “Your Highness, you never mentioned this person or matter to me before. Even when I brought it up last night, you wouldn’t talk about it. Do you expect me to step aside willingly or to handle it for you? I’m not that clever. If you don’t make it clear, even if I wanted to, I’d be afraid of misunderstanding and incurring your displeasure. What would I do then?” 

Yuwen Chu, seeing her tears and hearing her bitter words, could already guess what she was thinking—she was likely cursing inwardly. However, seeing her red eyes and nose made him feel genuinely sorry for her. He sighed and said, “Why make yourself suffer like this? I didn’t mention it because I thought it was unimportant and impossible, not worth troubling you over. Bringing it up would only make it seem significant.”

This response was similar to Mingzhu’s reply to the Great Empress Dowager. She took a breath, still not satisfied. “Even so, you should have told me to avoid misunderstandings and provocations.”

Yuwen Chu looked at her deeply. “After the Jiang Shanshan incident, I thought you understood my feelings. I didn’t agree to Jiang Shanshan despite her capabilities, and moving qualities. How could I for Ji Hui?”

Mingzhu stubbornly argued, “But she’s younger, prettier, more…”

Yuwen Chu covered her mouth, exasperated. “I know, I know. Beauty doesn’t feed you, youth means inexperience, a Regent’s Wangfei doesn’t need to perform arts, and handling palace women requires someone like you.”

Mingzhu couldn’t help but laugh. “How do you know my thoughts, Your Highness?”

Yuwen Chu solemnly answered, “I know you better than you know yourself.”

Mingzhu remembered how he always said this after their intimate moments, blushing. “Yes, Your Highness is like a worm in my belly.”

Yuwen Chu pretended to be angry. “How dare you insult me!”

Mingzhu responded seriously, “I’m not well-read and don’t know how to praise people. I say what I think…” This was what she had said when mocking Fu Zifei. Yuwen Chu laughed. “Fine, I won’t argue with a coarse person.”

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