The memorials that Yun Qing and Yuxi had sent out privately were intercepted halfway through, and not only did they not reach the capital, but the delivery men were also killed. Unbeknownst to the interceptors, Yuxi had sent out a third group of people, but they carried a letter instead of a memorial.
Han Jianming received this letter from Yuxi ten days later, and after reading it, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Yun Qing really isn't dead."
Mr Zhao was astonished after reading the letter and said, "Not only did General Yun not die, but he has made such a great achievement. Grand Chancellor Yu will help him rise to the top this time." Under such difficult circumstances, Yun Qing could even think of burning the enemy's provisions. It was hard not to admire him.
Han Jianming sneered. "All the private letters have been delivered safely to the capital, but there is no news of the memorials. These people are really bold." The memorials from Yu City usually arrived in six or seven days. But Yuxi said they had sent their memorials ten days ago, since they hadn't yet reached the capital, they must have been held up halfway.
Mr Zhao said with a smile, "Fourth Miss expected this. Otherwise, she wouldn't have delivered this letter." Qin Zhao and the Xu family could not have predicted that Yuxi would send an unrelated person to deliver a letter to the capital, while they obstructed the delivery of the memorials.
Han Jianming laughed a little. "With such a big handle on him, even if we don't end him, we can at least peel of his skin." Even if there was no evidence of Qin Zhao's involvement in leaking military information, he still had to be held accountable.
After the two men had discussed the matter, Han Jianming sent a message to the Eldest Master Yu, and they met at the usual place.
After reading the letter, Eldest Master Yu told Han Jianming, "I will discuss this with my father." There was no other way. Although Eldest Master Yu was now Assistant Minister of Revenue and a third-ranking official, Grand Chancellor Yu still had to decide on all important matters of the Yu family.
Han Jianming nodded his head and then spoke of another topic. "This time, the situation in Yu City is so urgent with both the Tongzhi[1] and Zhizhou[2] having fled and abandoned the city. I wonder what the Lord Grand Chancellor and Lord Eldest Master have in mind?" He was not interested in punishing those people. What interested him was the vacancies. This was an excellent opportunity for his subordinates to fill them!
Eldest Master Yu naturally heard the implication behind Han Jianming's words. He nodded with a smile. "If you have a good candidate, you may recommend his name." The vacancies in Xinping City were unpopular among the officials, and no one wanted to be posted in Yu City. Who would like to go to that place if there was a risk of the city being breached and their lives being endangered? Only those with no higher connections or who offended others would be thrown over there.
Han Jianming was overjoyed to hear this. He had gathered just the right number of disciples to fill all the vacancies. Han Jianming didn't think that Yu City was unsafe. As long as Yun Qing was in power, and Yuxi assisted from the sidelines, Yu City would be safe. So, there was nothing to worry about.
Eldest Master Yu quickly agreed. To make a horse run, you must constantly feed it grass. Han Jianming would do his best to reap the benefits as well.
When Eldest Master Yu returned to the Yu residence and heard that his father hadn't yet returned either, he wasn't worried. The matter wasn't that urgent anyway. When his father returned from the palace that evening, Eldest Master Yu told him about the incident in the northwest and commented, "Father, not only did Han Shi not get stimulated by the fact that Yun Qing's life and death were still unknown, but she was also able to calmly organise the people of Yu City to help the soldiers at the frontline. We shouldn't underestimate a person with that kind of mind." He hadn't paid much attention to Han Shi before, but only now, after this incident did he become a little worried about Han Yuxi. She was cold-blooded and ruthless towards her husband; just having that kind of mind and ability was enough to scare people.
Grand Chancellor Yu said, "The more capable Han Shi is, the better." Yun Qing hated the Song family to the bone[3]. He was too weak to have any influence over the Song family before. Now, with Han Shi's support, Yun Qing was like a tiger that had grown wings[4]. The stronger Yun Qing was, the stronger the blow he could deal to the Song family.
Eldest Master Yu argued, "I'm afraid we won't be able to control him by then." With such a mind and ability, he worried they would lose control of Yun Qing then.
Grand Chancellor Yu responded, "Yun Qing is a reckless man, and no matter how capable Han Shi is, she is only a woman." Han Shi was intelligent, but she could only assist Yun Qing. It was a pity that not only Yun Qing wasn't a schemer, but he also had a bad temper. At most, such a person would become a local tyrant and not cause them much harm.
When Eldest Master Yu heard his father's explanation, he thought it was very reasonable. "Father, Han Jianming has asked to fill the vacancies in Yu City with his people, and I have already promised him."
Grand Chancellor Yu nodded slightly. "With Yun Qing at the top and Han Shi supporting him from the sidelines, Yu City will be the couple's world. We just need to put someone there to spy on them." Since they wanted to work together, they should show generosity and sincerity to lay the foundation for closer cooperation.
When Eldest Master Yu heard that Yu City would become the domain of Yun Qing and his wife, he was somewhat displeased in his heart. "Father, this isn't quite right, is it?"
Grand Chancellor Yu glanced at the Eldest Master Yu and secretly sighed. His biggest worry was not the fight with the Song family but not having a good son to carry on everything he had done. Of his several sons, only the eldest was alright in every way. It was just that he didn't know how to let go of some things. As for the grandsons, two of them were very bright but still too young. "You have to remember that Yun Qing is working with us. He is not the same as those disciples who relied on us. It is enough for us that Yun Qing can protect Yu City from being invaded by enemy forces." Besides, Yun Qing had the strength to fight the Song family to death, while they could sit back and become fishermen who reaped the benefits.
It was not that Grand Chancellor Yu didn't want his trusted confidant to replace Yun Qing. Unfortunately, no one around him was qualified enough for Qin Zhao's position. It was better to give it to someone who had the ability than to find a straw bag[5] that would eventually ruin the city and bring countless hidden dangers.
Eldest Master Yu nodded. "I know, Father."
There would be quarrels if there were too many people in one place, and this saying could be applied anywhere. This was true in the Imperial Court, and it was also true in the backyard.
Yuchen was watching her children play in the house when she heard a maid come in briskly and report, "Niangniang[6], Wang Meiren[7] has pregnancy complications." Since Wang Meiren[7] had become pregnant, Yuchen had allowed her to settle down in her own courtyard during her pregnancy and even excused Wang Meiren[7] from paying her respects.
Hearing this news, Yuchen frowned momentarily and asked the runiang[8] to take the two children away. She then instructed Shiqin to invite the Imperial Physician before leaving her courtyard to visit Wang Meiren[7].
When Wang Meiren[7] heard the Imperial Physician say that her child could not be saved, she cried, "My child......" Before she could finish her sentence, her eyes rolled back, and she passed out.
The entire wangfu[9] was under Yuchen's control. Usually, she would have turned a blind eye when Wang Meiren[7] and Li Meiren[7] were competing for Jing Wang[10]'s favour, but not now. As the matter of heirs was not to be taken lightly, Yuchen ordered a thorough investigation into the matter and soon found out that Li Meiren[7] had caused Wang Meiren[7] to lose her child, and Yuchen had complete evidence to prove it. Since Li Meiren[7] had been rewarded by Song Guifei[11], Yuchen did not deal with her, but told Song Guifei[11] about the incident and let her do it instead.
Song Guifei[11] looked at Yuchen coldly. She did not believe that Yuchen was innocent. Even if Yuchen had not done it personally, she must have pushed the wave and added to the billows[12]. "If a person comes to the wangfu[9], that person is a member of the wangfu[9]. You can deal with this matter yourself!" Seeing Yuchen made her depressed, so she said, "You can withdraw!" If she hadn't thought of her son's recent cold attitude towards her, she wouldn't have submitted to this humiliation[13].
Of course, Yuchen would not personally dispose of Li Meiren[7], who was very much in Jing Wang[10]'s favour. Who knew what Jing Wang[10] would think if she disposed of Li Meiren[7] privately without his consent?
A noob translator, きつね, translated this noob translation. Please read this chapter at xin-shou.site. If you read this in another location other than site stated, it has been taken without the translator's permission. Please don't support this kind of act.
When Jing Wang[10] learned about this, he said after a moment of silence, "Send her to the family temple! If Mu Fei[14] rewards you with another woman, don't accept her. If Mu Fei[14] is displeased with this, you can just say it was my intention." He had seen enough of this kind of drama and was sick of it.
Yuchen's eyes lit up as she said, "Okay", with joy. Whether her heart was truly happy or not, only Yuchen herself knew.
Looking at his wife's bright smile, Jing Wang[10] said softly, "I have wronged you in the past. We will have another child when you are well again." He knew that although Yuchen didn't say anything, she still greatly missed the unborn child.
The smile on Yuchen's face faded for a moment. She lowered her head and said, "Let's talk about this when my body fully recovers!" Ironically, the twins were born without difficulty, and their birth went smoothly, but for this second child, it was like walking to King Yan's hall. Because the child had been aborted at almost full term, the damage to the mother's body was so significant that she was now prone to fainting and felt unwell at the slightest exertion. Although the Imperial Physician said she could have another child after nursing her body for two to three years, Yuchen was determined to not have another one until her body was completely healed.
Seeing Yuchen's appearance, Jing Wang[10] felt uncomfortable, but who should be blamed for this? Should he blame his Mu Fei[14] for forcing him to marry Song Ling'er that day? Or blame Song Ling'er for being too vicious and dealing such a fatal blow? Jing Wang[10] pushed these distracting thoughts aside as he held Yuchen's hand and said, "Don't think about it anymore. Take care of your body. We will have eight or ten more in the future." He, too, was sad to lose his child, but he could not dwell on this pain forever.
Yuchen chuckled slightly. "Eight or ten more? Do you think I'm a sow?"
Just then, someone from outside passed a message, "Your Highness, His Highness the Crown Prince invites you to the Imperial Palace." Jing Wang[10] was still the Crown Prince's right-hand man.
Hearing this message, Jing Wang[10] had a troubled look on his face.
Yuchen noticed his expression but did not ask. For one, women were not allowed to interfere in court matters, and second, she was not interested in knowing about it. In any case, the court was about power and money.
When Jing Wang[10] left, Momo[15] Gui persuaded Yuchen, "Niangniang[6], it's time for you to let things go." The child was already gone, and no amount of grieving could bring the child back.
Yuchen laughed bitterly. "When I thought that I, as a mother, had failed to protect him and had not even given him a chance to be born, I felt so terrible." If she hadn't been unable to let go of her two children then, worried that they would suffer without their mother in the royal palace, she wouldn't have been able to hold on and would have followed her dead child.
Momo[15] Gui said, "Madam, you must look forward. It's not good for your health to dwell on the past!" She feared Yuchen would not be well if she went on like this.
Yuchen didn't react to Momo[15] Gui's words but asked, "According to calculations, Yuxi should be giving birth soon, right?" If she remembered correctly, Yuxi would be due next month!
Momo[15] Gui felt very uncomfortable, but she nodded anyway. "The Fourth Miss is due in the middle of the fifth lunar month. There's less than a month left."
Yuchen said, "Speaking of which, Yuxi is also lucky. Even though Yun Qing's life and death are still unknown, she still stands her ground." If Yuchen had to face such a terrible thing, she might not have survived.
Momo[15] Gui said, "Niangniang[6], there will be more children in the future."
Yuchen replied indifferently, "Actually, I'm kind of envious of Yuxi. Although Yun Qing has a bad reputation outside, he is honest and sincere with Yuxi." She envied that when Yuxi was nine months pregnant, Yun Qing had taken his concubine out of the house so that Yuxi could nurse her pregnancy in peace. Jing Wang[10], on the other hand, said that he loved her, but look at what happened! He said he was forced by Song Guifei[11] to make Song Ling'er a Ce Fei[16], and even said that he was tricked into getting Song Ling'er pregnant....... She didn't even bother to think or talk about this anymore.
Momo[15] Gui's heart skipped a beat as she replied, "Niangniang[6], what is there to envy about the Fourth Miss? She has to worry all day long and she has never had a peaceful day." Niangniang[6] had been in a depressed mood since the miscarriage. This was not good!
After hearing these words, Yuchen sighed weakly. "That's right. Everyone has their own difficulties."
PS (Author): I read a chapter of a book yesterday and was so angry that my whole body shook and my heart ached that I couldn't sleep well all night. Come to think of it, I was drunk too. D*mn, I was too invested in the story.
Footnotes Full List
- an old word for deputy prefect during the Ming and Qing dynasties
- prefect (an official); magistrate of a prefecture. 🦊: Should I use the translation of this word or the Pinyin? 🤔
- Idiom: bear a bitter hatred for sb.; to hate sb. bitterly
- Chinese idiom: redoubled in strength; further strengthened
- (fig.)a good-for-nothing
- addressing or referring to an empress or an imperial concubine
- lit. beautiful lady. Used as a rank for a royal consort
- wet nurse
- wang=king, fu=residence
- king
- noble consort
- Chinese idiom: to add momentum / to encourage sth to get bigger / to add fuel to the fire
- Chinese idiom: stifle one's indignation; eat dirt; put one's pride in one's pocket
- mu=mother, fei=consort
- a term for an elderly woman
- side concubine
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi