“After you return, report the truth. The Regent already knows,” Shen Ruilin understood very well. Yuwen Chu was warning him. Nothing could be hidden from him in this world; whether to help or not depended solely on his whim. It was also a way to keep himself informed and not to get involved in these matters, focusing on leading troops into battle. This was the so-called art of imperial manipulation.
Fu Mingzheng naturally understood the reason behind it and said lightly, “It’s easy to find wealth, but hard to find a capable general. He values you a lot, Little Shen.”
Shen Ruilin smiled but didn’t speak. Yuwen Chu had indeed been very good to him, entrusting him with important tasks and showing great trust. However, considering the incident from before, he naturally understood why Yuwen Chu was so cautious.
He was a straightforward person, but that didn’t mean he was foolish. Why did Yuwen Chu show up drunk in his room back then, and why did he have a connection with Mingzhu ever since? And during their time in Yicheng, why was he always called away whenever he tried to speak to Mingzhu? As someone directly involved in the matter, he understood better than anyone else. It was just a matter of male jealousy.
He had wondered if he would do the same if the man by Mingzhu’s side were him. The answer was no. Because of different temperaments, he didn’t have as many schemes, nor did he have the strength to discreetly scare off any threatening men around Mingzhu.
Perhaps because he knew things were irreversible, Fu Mingzheng gradually revived from the blow. He began to probe Shen Ruilin, “Little Shen, Mingzhu shouldn’t have involved you in this matter.”
Shen Ruilin replied calmly, “There’s no ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t.’ It’s my own willingness. And next time, I’ll still be willing.”
Fu Mingzheng chuckled, “You’re really something! Aren’t you afraid that jealous guy will pick on you?”
Shen Ruilin said seriously, “Although he’s jealous, he’s not malicious. I trust him.”
Fu Mingzheng patted his shoulder. “You’re a lucky person. I’m leaving. If there’s any news about second brother, remember to tell me first.”
“Of course.” Shen Ruilin felt somewhat melancholic. If there was news about Fu Mingzhao again, it would probably be time to handle his funeral, right?
Fu Mingzheng’s eyes couldn’t help but redden. “Although he joined the military early, he’s very neat and tidy. Remember to tidy him up nicely, dress him in the best clothes, and use the best coffin.”
Shen Ruilin silently saw off Fu Mingzheng. He didn’t write to Mingzhu, not because he was afraid of Yuwen Chu, but because he thought it would be better for Mingzhu this way.
At the end of July in the capital, there was already a hint of chill in the morning and evening. Millet was already one year old, able to walk around proficiently. But after the initial excitement wore off, she refused to walk most of the time, often asking to be carried. During this time, Zhuangzhuang would come to attract her attention, either with delicious food or fun toys, playing and teasing her, making their interactions lively.
Mingzhu didn’t care much about the siblings’ little affairs. She had more important matters to attend to, such as the medical women’s class, planting sweet potatoes, accompanying her parents, managing household affairs, and even gradually assuming a role similar to that of Qi Wangfei – when there were fights in the imperial family or noble families that couldn’t be resolved internally but weren’t serious enough to go to court, they would come to her for justice. Of course, six out of ten of these incidents were related to concubines.
Mingzhu was annoyed. What did it have to do with her if the concubines fought? Why did they have to drag her into it? After pushing it off several times in a row, she couldn’t help but complain to Yuwen Chu. Yuwen Chu listened to her complaints while looking at documents and summarized with a smile, “Because you killed Lady Yang with one blow, so everyone has hope. Just ignore them. These things usually only lead to trouble.”
But he praised her, “Of course, it’s also a good thing. It shows that you have more prestige than before, and everyone trusts you more. Once you establish the rules – what can be managed, what cannot, strictly enforce them without exceptions, over time, everyone will know what matters they can’t come to you for.”
Mingzhu proudly said, “That’s what I’ve been doing. I just complained to you a bit.” Her mood had been relatively good recently. After she took Jiang Zhouzi out of the palace, there had been no new actions. And Fu Mingzheng was about to arrive in the capital. Although he didn’t mention Fu Mingzhao in the letter to her, she believed he would arrange for second brother properly.
“Look at you being all smug.” Yuwen Chu tapped her nose lightly, feeling somewhat heavy-hearted. Counting the days, Fu Mingzheng should be arriving in the capital these two days. He wanted to talk to Mingzhu about this matter properly to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. After careful consideration, he decided to invite Mingzhu for tea. “Last time I invited you for tea, we didn’t fully enjoy it. Today, with fewer matters, shall I invite you for tea again?”
“Fewer matters?” Mingzhu glanced at the stack of documents piled high on the table, sensing a bad feeling. Could it be that news had leaked about the things she did behind his back? But drinking tea was a must. “It’s rare for Your Highness to want to relax. Naturally, I’ll accompany you.”
The two of them went to the pavilion by the lake. This time, they didn’t have any maidservants to help, relying entirely on themselves. After three rounds of tea, Yuwen Chu started, “There are three things today. The first is to thank you for your hard work. Millet has turned one year old. You’ve been through a lot. It was not easy for you to give birth to her, and you’ve done so many big things in between. Now, both children have safely grown up for a year. Thank you for your hard work.”
Mingzhu naturally had to thank him too, “Your Highness has also not had it easy. With you here, there’s a family, and I can raise the children with peace of mind.”
“The second is good news, and I want to thank you again.” Yuwen Chu leaned close to Mingzhu’s ear and whispered, “Ban Jian and Caiyun have improved the range of the cannons, and they’ve also come up with a very powerful new thing. After filling it with gunpowder, burying it underground, it will explode when stepped on by humans or animals, with extremely strong lethality. I want to see whether the hooves of the Xiongnu people are powerful or my Thunderbolt is.”
Mingzhu thought about it. Ban Jian and Caiyun were both people she had fought for, so she deserved this thanks. She accepted it calmly and praised Yuwen Chu again, “It’s all thanks to Your Highness’s wisdom, tolerance, and ability that they can exert their talents. Otherwise, no matter how talented they are, it would be useless with someone else.”
Yuwen Chu smiled and didn’t continue with the third matter. Instead, he said, “By my calculations, Fourth Brother-in-law should be arriving in the capital these two days.”
Finally, Mingzhu’s heart skipped a beat. She decided to remain unchanged and see how he would respond.
Yuwen Chu glanced at her and said, “Since the incident with your second brother, you’ve never actively asked me what to do. Why?”
