Chapter 8 The Struggle

The wind picked up again in the evening, ruffling the banks of the Yangtze River and stirring up layers of damp vapor. The heat made it stifling and difficult to breathe.

Only the Yu family members remained in the dungeon at this moment.

The group endured several days of hardship in the underground palace, and all of them looked haggard, withered, and lifeless.

Yu Heyue paced anxiously in the dungeon, "The Prime Minister sent someone to summon the old nanny today, why hasn't she returned yet?"

Madam Nie was also feeling apprehensive at this moment. This morning, she called Hanqiao away, and in the afternoon, she also asked the two nannies around her to leave.

"I reckon they've found your older sister... or perhaps they should send the servants to clean and tidy up our new place?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Heyue asked, "You found your older sister?"

“She had been missing for several days, and then suddenly she was found. Who knew she…” Before Madam Nie could finish speaking, a heavy sound of doors opening came from the entrance of the underground palace.

This sound caused the people inside the underground palace to stand up one after another.

Outside the underground palace, a light drizzle fell like mist.

Yu Sheng saw Chu Yu walking out of the underground palace. He was covered in the cool scent of rain, and his eyes and hair were glistening with dewdrops, which made his features appear even softer.

This time, Yu Sheng became reserved and dared not be as close to him as before. He bowed respectfully and changed his address to "Prime Minister".

Regardless, everyone else has left, and Chu Yu couldn't possibly have locked them up here for no reason.

After thinking it over, Yu Sheng realized that it must be because of something they had left unsaid.

They angered Chu Yu.

This gentle young man may not show it on his face, but his methods are extremely unpleasant.

The underground palace was cold and damp. He and his wife were getting on in years, and after two days they were sore all over.

Moreover, there were snakes, insects, rats, and ants that might carry diseases. The family spent several nights worrying and didn't get a full night's sleep.

Chu Yu bowed as usual, still addressing her affectionately, "My dear wife has suffered. The situation outside has been uncertain lately. For the safety of your family, please understand that your son-in-law has hidden your family here."

This made Yu Sheng very uneasy. "We naturally know that the Prime Minister has good intentions. The Prime Minister has been working hard these past few days."

Yu Sheng hesitated, "But have we found Yao Yao?"

"Yaoyao is doing well and is waiting to reunite with your family."

Yu Sheng breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."

Nie stepped forward and said with a smile, "I knew Yaoyao was a lucky child, she would be alright."

Chu Yu gestured, "Yes, it's safe outside now, so I've come to invite you and your family out. I also have some gifts for you to look at."

Chu Yu's attendant stepped forward and presented the three wooden boxes to Yu Sheng and Nie Shi respectively.

Madam Nie accepted it with a smile, saying, "From now on we're family, there's no need for this... Ah!"

The box was opened, and inside was Han Qiao's severed head!

The remaining two are the two head maids who serve Nie Shi.

Nie was so frightened that her whole body went limp, and she threw the box away in terror.

The human head fell out of the box and rolled back to her feet, startling Ms. Nie into screaming repeatedly.

Yu Heyue quickly helped her mother up.

Chu Yu's gentle, clear voice rang out, "Don't be afraid."

Yu Sheng's face turned deathly pale. "Prime Minister!"

"This matter is all the fault of your servants," Chu Yu said, seemingly trying to smooth things over for them, but every word he uttered was cutting. "I took it upon myself to deal with some of your servants who were not good enough, so as to save you the trouble. Consider this a gift."

Nie cried out, "This, this is my head maid, why..."

"I asked Hanqiao, and some of the unfounded rumors about Yaoyao came from my aunt's head maid." Chu Yu deliberately emphasized the words "head maid," "It must be that the servants were blind and had nothing to do with my aunt."

"Even if I fall into my aunt's hands, she will definitely punish me in the same way, right?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Nie immediately understood what kind of lie he was referring to, and felt a pang of guilt. She could only agree with Chu Yu's words, saying, "Yes, yes, it's fortunate that the Prime Minister noticed something. I had no idea."

"To compensate my aunt, I'm giving you a few maids to manage the household. They're all well-mannered and knowledgeable, so you can use them with peace of mind."

Nie's lips twitched, and she hurriedly thanked him.

Chu Yu was about to leave when he turned back, "Oh, right."

"For the sake of my husband's family, when I talk to outsiders, I say that Yao Yao has never been lost and has not been in contact with anyone except me."

"If any more unfounded rumors are spread, it will endanger the safety of the entire Yu family."

Yu Sheng quickly agreed, "I understand the Prime Minister's good intentions."

Chu Yu nodded, "Then let's go."

Yu Sheng and Nie Shi were tense all over, and it was only after they stepped out of the underground palace that they seemed to come back to life.

Yu Wanyin stayed in the Forbidden Garden for a whole day.

The Forbidden Garden is the most suitable place in this compound to escape the summer heat, as it is cool and comfortable all around.

The evening breeze and drizzle carried the scent of flowers and plants into the room, and Yu Wanyin couldn't help but think of that ruthless bandit king.

Yu Wanyin felt a chill run down her spine.

In particular, the village in the mountains has been preparing for the grand wedding these past few days.

Even the houses have been renovated, and red lanterns adorn all four sides of the village.

Yu Wanyin once said that there was no need for such a grand ceremony, but they all said that it was a joyous occasion after all, and it had to be celebrated in a grand manner.

She's been brought back now...

Guilt is one layer.

If it were before, Yu Wanyin would find it hard to imagine that she would feel guilty towards a group of bandits.

But now, she actually thinks that group of people is quite nice.

besides.

Yu Wanyin didn't want to think too much about how Rong Si would react if he couldn't find the person in the streets and alleys.

But she clearly remembered how Rong Si treated the traitors in the village on the first night.

The ruthlessness with which he wielded the knife, drawing blood and sealing lives, certainly lived up to his reputation as a bandit.

Is she a traitor?

He just left with his enemy...

She also concealed the fact that she was his enemy's fiancée and agreed to be with him.

And on the eve of her marriage to him, she left with his enemy.

"..."

They don't seem innocent.

Yu Wanyin sighed in frustration.

She was always just a little unlucky.

All they can do now is pray that they don't find them.

Fortunately, we'll be back in Shang'an tomorrow; it's only a few hundred miles between Shang'an and Jiangling.

She should be safe for the time being.

Yu Wanyin stared blankly at the curtain of fine rain hanging on the treetops and branches outside the window.

The once quiet Forbidden Garden was no longer so peaceful once someone entered.

But Yu Wanyin didn't hear it, or perhaps she didn't care.

Qing Song brought in a nourishing meal from the outer corridor and saw Yu Wanyin sitting by the window in the distance.

Her delicate face was translucent, her skin as smooth as ice and her bones as white as jade. She leaned against the window, lost in thought, captivating all who looked upon her.

Qing Song snapped out of her daze and called to her, "Miss, it's time for dinner."

Yu Wanyin stood up upon hearing the sound, only then noticing the commotion in the courtyard. "Has someone come?"

"It was the Prime Minister who brought your father back to reunite with the young lady."

Yu Wanyin gave a very soft "oh," as if she had no interest in their return.

"Would you like to go take a look, young lady?"

“I’m not going.” Yu Wanyin sat at the table. “If anyone asks, just say I’m not feeling well and have gone to bed.”

Qing Song nodded knowingly.

Once Yu Sheng settled down, he was bound to call Yu Wanyin to come to the hall for a visit. However, when he went to invite her, he received this news and found no one there.

Yu Sheng remained silent.

Instead, Madam Nie picked up on a different meaning, "Unwell? How are you unwell?"

The servant explained, "I heard they just returned today and must be exhausted from the journey."

Nie moved her lips, about to say something, but Yu Sheng interrupted her, "Stop talking nonsense. Didn't the Prime Minister teach you enough today?"

"As long as she comes back safely, let's just pretend she was never lost."

Madam Nie retorted, "Why are you yelling at me? I'm just concerned about the child. She's our own family, after all. If anything were to happen, wouldn't I, as the matriarch, know? You, a man, can't care about your daughter, but I can't?"

Yu Sheng realized he had overreacted and quickly said, "Madam, please don't be angry. I've been preoccupied all day and misunderstood you."

Yu Sheng said to her, "The Prime Minister's words are very clear. He does not want any words that are detrimental to Yao Yao to spread in the mansion."

Madam Nie's eyebrows twitched slightly. "I absolutely do not wish for such words to be spoken. If the servants gossip, how can we control them?"

"Didn't today tell us the consequences of not being able to control things?" Yu Sheng pondered. "I reckon the Prime Minister is at the height of his power. If something happens to Yao Yao, there will be a lot of gossip about him. If it's something we spread ourselves, he'll inevitably be angry."

Madam Nie hesitated, "Then this marriage..."

“He must have a plan in mind, as arranged by the Prime Minister.”

Nie lowered her eyes, and after a while, her tone softened.

She never let Yu Sheng know what she was thinking.

To be fair, Yu Sheng used to care about this daughter.

After all, he looked remarkably like his deceased wife.

The more this happened, the more a thorn pierced Nie's heart.

She had never met his deceased wife, but just by looking at Yu Wanyin, she knew what an absolute beauty she was.

Unfortunately, she was short-lived and died during childbirth, which also affected Yu Wanyin, making her physically weak.

But men, once they've taken a second wife, what's the point of talking about love? After a while, looks become just another face in the sky.

She gave him a son and a daughter, but Yu Sheng was so busy with his family that he had no idea about his deceased wife's daughter.

Yu Wanyin was quiet and reserved, and rarely received attention.

That's the problem.

One day, at a royal banquet, the still-living Marquis Jiang saw this beautiful flower and composed a poem about it.

Yu Wanyin's fame soared instantly, and nobles flocked to her.

Originally, Madam Nie wanted to arrange a good marriage for her daughter, but everyone who came asked Yu Wanyin for her opinion.

Some people even mentioned Yu Sheng's deceased wife, which was disgusting.

Even if she wasn't as beautiful, in what other ways was she inferior to his deceased wife?

Men in this world are all superficial; she just wants to climb up by stepping on others.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken on the difficult task of becoming a second wife.

Her children were too.

At the very least, the outcome of that nightmare must never be repeated.

That evening, Nie went to Yu Heyue's room.

Yu Heyue was tidying up her things in the house when she saw her mother arrive. She got up and went to greet her, "Mother."

Nie raised her hand to gesture for her to sit down, and Yu Heyue obediently took her seat.

Looking at her daughter's appearance and recalling her dream, Madam Nie felt even more resentful. "It seems that their marriage is not going to change anytime soon."

Yu Heyue paused for a moment, thinking about how Chu Yu had silenced her to protect Yu Wanyin's reputation earlier that day. "It seems the Prime Minister really likes my elder sister."

"I like her, but it's just that I like her face." Madam Nie's voice was deep. "How long can this kind of liking last?"

Yu Heyue remained silent for a moment; she was indeed in love with Chu Yu.

Who wouldn't like such a refined and noble young man? Sometimes she would be jealous of her older sister for being so well protected. But when it comes to looks, she was indeed no match for her older sister.

"My daughter can visit other people's homes."

"No!" Madam Nie suddenly objected. "Yingzhou has no decent young men these days, and even the royal family is extremely mediocre. It might collapse any day now!"

Yu Heyue was startled by her mother and didn't dare to make a sound for a moment.

Nie stared intently at her, the image of Yu Heyue being snatched away by several Northern Chi generals flashing through her mind. "If you marry a useless man, you'll end up as a prisoner!"

"None of them have a better chance of winning than the Prime Minister!"

Yu Heyue frowned slightly, "But now the Prime Minister is going to marry my sister."

Nie pondered, "Your elder sister is in poor health, and it's possible that she, like her mother, is not good at conceiving."

If an official's wife was unable to bear children, he would either divorce her or take a concubine.

He can't just leave her alone.

In addition, there was sometimes a custom in the court where daughters were married off: powerful and influential families would bring their wives' younger sisters along as concubines.

If Yu Wanyin is not good at having children, then her sister-in-law is the best choice.

Yu Heyue understood her mother's meaning. Although she also liked Chu Yu, "I do not want to be a concubine."

In the past, Madam Nie would never have wanted to send her daughter to be a concubine. "I come from a merchant family, and this second wife is the best I can do. You should choose a person based on their future prospects, not on immediate gains or losses."

When she became Yu Sheng's second wife, Yu Sheng was only a fourth-rank official. Who could have predicted that he would one day become one of the Three Dukes? "If the Prime Minister will have immense power in the future, what's wrong with being a concubine?"

The scenes from that nightmare kept haunting her; half of the court officials were imprisoned on the road.

Beautiful girls are taken by the enemy to become military prostitutes. What use is it for them to marry these useless people?

Nie rebuked, "Only in times of peace do people care about the titles and status of wives and concubines. In times of chaos, what matters is the struggle for power."

If the very survival of a dynasty is in question, would it be better to be mediocre and have one's wife die, or to be shrewd and have one's concubine live?

It's a good choice.

After careful consideration, Madam Nie grasped Yu Heyue's hand and said, "Regardless of anything else, remember this: your most important task right now is to find a way to cling to the Prime Minister as your powerful backer."

"Even if she becomes a concubine, there will be plenty of opportunities to make her the principal wife in the future."

"With your abilities, are you afraid you can't even compete with your older sister?"

*

The next morning, the parade team prepared to pack up and set off.

King Jiang summoned everyone to the main hall of the temporary palace and asked his ministers to investigate the remaining poison of Qi Zhong's rebellion.

King Jiang had just ascended the throne and was only a seventeen-year-old boy. He listened while yawning, completely oblivious to what was happening.

Occasionally, he would express his own opinion, saying, "The fact that I was able to reverse the situation and cause my uncle's defeat at such a dangerous time shows that I am lucky and that our country is prosperous."

Many of his ministers followed suit and flattered him.

Some people still couldn't stand it and stepped forward to report, "Your Majesty, even so, when Qi Zhong's house was searched the next day, a pair of severed hands were found."

"A severed hand?" King Jiang frowned and asked dismissively, "Whose? Isn't it common to lose hands and feet in fights?"

Chu Yu then explained, "According to the investigation, the severed hand should have come from the long-lost son of Qi Zhong. Someone kidnapped Qi Zhong's son to take revenge."

King Jiang asked, puzzled, "So?"

"Qi Zhong originally had no weapons, but suddenly he raised an army and opened fire, which clearly indicates that he was helped by someone. In the latter half of the night, his firepower was insufficient and no one provided assistance. Then, Qi Zhong's son was taken hostage and his hand was severed. I suspect that there was a rift between Qi Zhong and the person who assisted him, and they failed to reach an agreement."

"But their modus operandi is very similar to that of civilian bandits."

King Jiang still didn't understand, "What's there to fear about mere bandits? Didn't they lose anyway?"

Chu Yu patiently said, "The real problem lies in the rampant banditry among the people."

"If it weren't for so many bandits, this rebellion wouldn't have happened, I believe..."

"Chu Qing," King Jiang yawned again, "Why should I bother with such nonsense about a bunch of commoners? Don't say such things again."

Chu Yu fell silent.

King Jiang looked down and said, "Is there anything else? If not, let's hurry back to Shang'an. I've really had enough of this godforsaken place."

No one spoke.

King Jiang then dismissed the crowd and told them to set off.

He didn't forget to remind the eunuch beside him, "Bring that dancer you recently recruited to my carriage."

Chu Yu suddenly chuckled.

He's really making a foolish mistake; there's no need to offer any useful political advice to royalty like that.

We can simply watch them bring about their own destruction.

Upon seeing Chu Yu emerge, the attendant stepped forward and asked, "Has His Majesty approved our mission to suppress the bandits?"

Chu Yu walked out, leaving behind the words, "Take a rest."

The convoy set off that day, leaving the city in a grand procession.

Rong Si sat atop the mountain, chewing on a lemongrass, watching the slowly moving procession in the distance.

Having grown tired of looking at them, he glanced out of the corner of his eye at the wild geese flying by.

Rong Si stood up, took out an arrow from his quiver, nocked the arrow, and drew his bow.

Zong Cheng rode up the mountain to find him before dismounting.

He stepped forward and discovered that from Rong Si's perspective, he could see the marching troops over there.

Zong Cheng hesitated. After all, this was a major matter, and he had no choice but to speak, "Master..."

Rong Si didn't respond, focusing intently on aiming.

Zong Cheng continued, "Now that Yingzhou is in Shang'an, the position of Taiguanling has long since disappeared."

Rong Si's sword-like eyebrows furrowed, and a layer of gray ink seeped into the depths of his amber eyes.

His arrow flew out and struck the wild goose circling in the sky.

A lonely, long cry.

The wild goose landed heavily, and by sheer coincidence, it crashed into the front of the carriage where Yu Wanyin was.

Yu Wanyin was startled and asked what had happened while sitting in the car.

Qing Songcai quickly explained that someone was hunting geese and they accidentally dropped them here.

Yu Wanyin understood, but didn't take it seriously. Suddenly, she realized something, and a strange shiver swept through her body!

She instinctively reached out to lift the curtain and look outside, but stopped abruptly when her fingertips touched the curtain.

Hunting geese requires extremely high hunting skills and abilities.

And so far, she has only ever seen one person who can kill with a single arrow...

High on the mountain, Rong Si casually wiped the bow and arrows clean, and sneered silently, "So it's just a little fox."

Zong Cheng vaguely sensed a chilling undertone in that smile.

Yes, the wedding tents are all ready.

We ended up being tricked, despite all the meticulous preparation...

Zong Cheng moved his lips, but ultimately decided not to add fuel to the fire for his master.

Since the person ran away, the master had no way to vent his anger. If they really angered him, they would be the ones who would suffer.

Zong Cheng naturally shifted the focus away from the danger by changing the subject, "There's something else. Someone sent a message wanting to discuss business."

"who?"

"A border general of the Northern Chi tribe."

Rong Si then looked at Zong Cheng, "A barbarian?"

Even Zong Cheng knew that this deal was unusual.

The fact that the border generals of the Northern Chi tribes are demanding weapons and ammunition, targeting Yingzhou, indicates that Yingzhou will soon be in danger.

"Yes, they said that once we enter the country, we can set the terms."

"Get lost." Rong Si knew perfectly well, "What good would it do me if the barbarians invaded?"

In previous years, Rong Si only dealt with some prefectures and counties he was familiar with, and these prefectures and counties were generally in a position of self-preservation.

They don't sell weapons for offensive purposes, so their business is small.

However, just two years ago, a small country to the west withstood an invasion thanks to its military might and turned the tide.

Many people then learned of his name, and his business grew.

Many people came looking for us, including all sorts of demons and monsters.

For example, this one.

But even if he doesn't do this deal.

The fact that the Northern Chi tribe had this idea shows that they would find a way to obtain weapons and invade Yingzhou no matter what.

The fall of Yingzhou came much faster than expected.

Rong Si stared at the procession in the distance; most of these princes and nobles were still unaware of what was happening.

He chewed on a lemongrass, turned around, mounted his horse, and said, "Come on, let's go see what's going on."

Zong Cheng didn't understand, "Where to?"

"Good day."