Chapter 15 This is His Majesty's grace.

After Lu Min left, Shi Mi didn't rest either. The Grand Tutor's mansion was so large that there were many places worth exploring.

However, the servants and maids in this mansion were all lifeless and overly disciplined, mostly standing with their heads down or working. Looking at these people, she seemed to see a large army of Yanren. This mansion in the capital was similar to Lirenfang. At least in Lirenfang, there were Ran Dian and the others. The servants here were silent. If you asked them a question, they would answer you directly without saying a word of unnecessary utterance.

Sigh, how boring. She grabbed the official and asked, "Doesn't the Grand Tutor have any trusted confidants who have served him closely for over ten or twenty years? Like his study companions or servants."

The official in charge of the palace replied with his hands tucked in, "Those who served me before have either returned to their hometowns or married and started their own families. The Grand Tutor is magnanimous and will not force them to stay."

Shi Mi realized that this man was too cautious and too strong-willed. Keeping someone he knew well by his side was a potential threat; they might inadvertently reveal that he was suffering from bone poison. His colleagues who had fought alongside him to establish the empire, and even Emperor Sheng Yuan himself, probably only knew that he was ill and weak; no one knew he was on the verge of death. And whether the renowned physicians who had treated him were still alive after examining his pulse was likely unknown.

So the seemingly refined and scholarly Grand Tutor is actually ruthless, which is something that makes him quite likable.

Shi Mi raised her eyebrows in satisfaction and instructed the official to prepare her meal, requesting the chef's signature dishes. She then ascended the southeastern watchtower to gaze upon the central hub of Baiyujing.

Dragon City was built by the founding emperor of the Yu Dynasty and has stood for thirty-nine years. Thirty-nine years of wind and rain have not faded the splendor of this magnificent building. She still remembers that there is a huge lake on the west side of Dragon City, with a platform built on the lake. On the fifteenth of each month, the palace is lit up, and oil-paper fans of all sizes are scattered in the air, with horn lanterns hanging from their handles, making the night as bright as day.

However, her time living in Dragon City was short. One day, a highly skilled immortal master arrived and took a liking to her, a worldly young woman whose six senses were not yet pure. The immortal master exclaimed, "This girl is extraordinary!" But in truth, she was extraordinary in no way! In any case, she left Jade Capital and went into seclusion with her master. Her memories of Dragon City were sealed when she was six years old, and they have never been altered since.

If Dragon City was the moon, then the surrounding mansions were the stars that guarded it. Her gaze followed the straight roads in all four directions; each cluster of lights represented a residence. Next, she needed to figure out who lived in which house, after all, the Grand Tutor's wife needed to socialize on behalf of her husband. And then there were the people of Dragon City… so many vibrant people…

How old was Emperor Shengyuan this year? It's said he was actually of mediocre talent, brave but lacking in strategy. For a brilliant strategist like the Grand Tutor to assist him, he must have needed a strong belief to sustain him!

However, this indirectly confirms the claim that when the Yan army attacked the Yu Dynasty, the Grand Tutor was the one who truly gave orders. Later, after achieving his goal, he retired and went to the secondary capital to recuperate. If he hadn't met Yanshi, he might have found a secluded place and died quietly.

Looking down from the tower, the official, with his face upturned, relayed the message: "Lady, dinner is ready. Please move in."

Shimi came to her senses and realized that she had accompanied the group under the guise of a maid. She had been pretending to be a maid, but she had forgotten! There was nothing she could do; it seemed that her demeanor was not that of a maid. No matter how she insisted that she was a servant, the servants in the manor would not believe her.

Feeling smug, she leisurely descended the watchtower and went to the main hall for her meal. The chefs at the Grand Tutor's mansion were quite skilled, no less so than those at the Sparrow Tower. After eating alone, she brewed a pot of tea and, gazing at the shadows cast above the courtyard wall and enjoying the cool breeze wafting from the corridor, wondered if Ali Dao and the others had already returned by now.

With nothing better to do, she spent her time alone drawing cards to predict good or bad fortune, and before she knew it, it was almost midnight. Waiting for Lu Min to return was too tedious; the longer she waited, the more impatient she became. She stood up, paced around the hall twice, and thought, "Forget it, I'll just go back to sleep."

Just as I was about to go back to my room, I heard a noise at the door. Two rows of lanterns entered, announcing that the Grand Tutor had returned to his residence.

She looked over and saw two young, alluring women appear first. She realized that the woman had indeed returned with a reward, but instead of pastries and fine silks, she had brought back living, breathing people!

Finally, the imperial carriage came to a stop, and Lu Min got off the carriage. He remained as usual in his expression and demeanor as ever, showing none of the smugness that Xiao Dengke had displayed.

The two young women followed him into the courtyard, and he casually instructed the official, "Settle them in." As he passed Shimi, he grabbed her sleeve and pulled her into the inner chamber. After dismissing the servants, he clutched his chest, panting heavily, and said weakly, "Is it time? I feel like I can't catch my breath."

A quick calculation told her it was still a long way off. Shimi retreated and sat down in the armchair, comforting him, "You've had a long and tiring journey. You haven't fully mastered this body yet. Don't worry, just rest a bit." Then, pointing outside, she asked, "Were those two ladies brought from the palace?"

He held his breath, struggled to unfasten the cufflinks on his wrist, and lowered his eyes to say, "His Majesty saw that I looked much better and said that I should have someone to serve me, so he bestowed two ladies upon me."

Shi Mi clicked his tongue, "A wise ruler and virtuous minister reward women, not paintings and classics. This is truly unheard of."

Lu Min had his own worldly wisdom: "It's good to have something to appreciate. When there's nothing left to appreciate, the only thing left to appreciate is death."

So serving the emperor is truly dangerous; it's bad to have no merit, and it's also bad to have great merit.

The astute man asked, "Are you giving me these women so that I will marry them? What is their background?"

"What kind of background do they have? Anyone who can enter Dragon City must have a background." Lu Min said, "We'll know tomorrow. They're all young ladies from official families."

Shi Mi felt a little sorry for him, "Two people at once, I'm really afraid you'll lose your life. If you had bought that bottle of medicine while strolling around Shili Lanshan last night, that would have been so much better! Look at the mess you've made now!"

Then he glanced at her and said, "I have informed His Majesty that you are engaged to him and cannot marry anyone else."

Hey, there really is a ready-made decoy, which is very useful in a critical moment.

Shimi was still somewhat regretful, "I planned to claim that I was a maid, but now I can't hide it anymore."

Lu Min said, “You have never looked like a maid on this journey. And if you call yourself a maid this time, people all over the capital will spread rumors that I married a maid. Although your background is unknown, I believe you are a girl from a good family, so there is no need to belittle yourself and lower your status.”

Therefore, the reason the Grand Tutor was able to become Grand Tutor was because of his extraordinary wisdom and ability to weigh the pros and cons. Even helping someone in a time of emergency could be seen as an act of kindness; she should thank him for affirming her status as a respectable young lady.

"There's something I wonder if Grand Tutor still remembers. The plaque in Lirenfang reads 'Lu Residence,' and the Marquis of Wu and the Six Guards of Zhongdu probably all know I'm your cousin." She chuckled awkwardly, crossing her fingers. "What should we do? If this is overturned, you'll either marry a maid or a liar."

Lu Min's expression was not good, but she still had a plan in mind. "Just say that you are Uncle's adopted daughter who was taken in by someone outside the family."

That would be acceptable, but Shi Mi has already deduced the rumors that are about to arise. "Keeping her outside will make people speculate. Do you think they will believe that I am an adopted daughter? What if the rumors spread that I am an illegitimate child... In the end, the Grand Tutor will still be implicated."

He chuckled after hearing this, "It's clear that they went to great lengths to lure me in."

Shi Mi hurriedly protested his innocence, "I never expected that the Master would make me marry you. Oh well, since it has already happened, there's no need to hold back. The more complicated the relationship, the more unpredictable you are, and the more history will have to record it all."

She knew that even if the sky fell, one could use it as a blanket. Lu Min sighed helplessly, "Anyway, you don't need to worry about this matter. I will take care of it."

Shi Mi said, "It's getting late, Grand Tutor, please make your arrangements." After saying that, he left the inner chamber.

He walked outside, then thought it wasn't quite right, so he turned back, leaned against the doorframe, and asked, "His Majesty knows we are engaged. Has he expressed any desire to see me?"

Lu Min said no, "The wedding hasn't taken place yet, and there are endless variables."

Shi Mi was a little disappointed, but not discouraged. "Then let's get married when we return to Chong'an City. There's no need to make a big fuss about it. Just write me a marriage certificate."

Having said that, she was truly relieved and went back to sleep. These days, there aren't many women like her who disregard traditional etiquette; if Lu Min is sensible, she should hurry up and get things done.

The next day, Shimi slept until late morning. After getting up, she heard that the Grand Tutor had already gone out to attend the court assembly. With nothing to do, she wandered to the front hall and immediately saw the two young women sitting there. Their hair was piled high in a high bun, and they wore heavy makeup. Their snow-white faces had two arched eyebrows and dark cherry lips. Even in broad daylight, they looked like ghosts.

When the women noticed her arrival, they stood up and smiled awkwardly at each other, since none of them knew anything about the other.

Shi Mi had seen this kind of dramatic makeup before; it was a fashionable look that originated in the South. Although it looked somewhat world-weary, it was undeniably exquisite and elegant, worthy of being dressed to the nines.

Looking at herself, she realized she had been too casual. Fortunately, she was never self-conscious and readily introduced Xia Fang, learning that one of them was named Yu Hu and the other Bu Guo, both unusual names, comparable to Ran Dian and Yan Dian. Upon closer inspection of their appearances, she noticed they seemed to have some non-Han ancestry.

Just as Shi Mi was about to inquire further, the young woman named Bu Guo spoke first, "I've heard that you are engaged to the Grand Tutor? We were all sent by the palace, and we hope you will take good care of us in the future."

Those sent from the palace are, to put it bluntly, the emperor's eyes and ears, used to monitor the Grand Tutor's every move. Shimi, well aware of the methods of those in power, nodded repeatedly, "Of course, of course."

"The news of our entry into the Grand Tutor's mansion reached home last night, and my father and brothers will surely come to pay their respects today." Yu Hu turned and exchanged a glance with Bu Guo. "Please ask the Grand Tutor and his wife to make arrangements for us, so that we can give our families an explanation."

Dealing with these kinds of household chores was definitely not Shimi's forte, and she began to feel that each day was an eternity, frequently looking outside, "Why hasn't the Grand Tutor returned yet..."

However, the two young ladies' fathers arrived faster than the Grand Tutor. Both were dressed in official robes and held public office. Upon seeing their daughters, they didn't show much affection, routinely instructing them to abide by the rules of the Grand Tutor's residence.

Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Shimi was about to leave the hall when a father called out to him, "Hey, when will the Grand Tutor return?"

Shi Mi smiled and looked at the man. He had thick eyebrows, eagle eyes, a yellow beard, and a frail body. He was panting heavily when he spoke. He was a challenging role model.

Fortunately, the young woman stopped her father's rudeness and whispered in his ear to explain her background. In return, she was given a scrutinizing look and reluctantly apologized, saying that she had been very impolite.

At this moment, guards stood guard at the gate, and Lu Min entered through it. As one of the Three Dukes, his court robes were black with red trim and gold thread trim, unlike ordinary official robes. Normally, seeing someone dressed like this would be considered an offense, but now that he was being asked to establish a kinship, his two elderly fathers were not only very pleased, but also a little flattered.

However, before long, the Grand Tutor spoke first, "Thanks to His Majesty's favor, two young ladies have been bestowed upon us. There are still vacancies for the position of Inner Attendant in the palace. Let the officials make arrangements accordingly."

The so-called "inner maid" is an elegant term for a high-ranking maid in the official residence. The two old fathers came with great enthusiasm, but not to witness their daughters becoming maids.

"Grand Tutor...this is His Majesty's grace..."

Lu Minwei raised her voice, "His Majesty bestowed the favor first, and only later learned of my engagement. Fate is beyond our control, so he told me to make my own decision."

Four pairs of eyes immediately turned to Shimi, who was about to slip away. "There can only be one principal wife, but two or three concubines. The Grand Tutor cannot disappoint His Majesty's good intentions..."

Lu Min said, "Therefore, I ask that the ladies temporarily serve as inner attendants, and that they be promoted after two years."

Two years? By then, it'll be too late. Everyone knows this: the lower your starting point, the harder it is to get promoted. Looking at the Grand Tutor before them, and then at these two young ladies, the fathers weren't very confident that their daughters would win the Grand Tutor's favor in two years.

“There is another way out,” Lu Min handed the official tablet to the censor and said with a friendly smile, “My health has always been poor, and I dare not delay the young ladies. If the young ladies wish to marry on their own, I will ask His Majesty for this favor and give them land and money to help them get married in style.”

Compared to a hopeless wait, the latter seemed more worthwhile. After discussing for a while, the two pairs of fathers and daughters finally decided to leave.

Shimi watched the women walk away with their high buns, his gaze never leaving the fan-shaped backs of their heads. "If they're willing to wait, what do you plan to do?"

The sunlight after the snow fell on his face, highlighting his high brows and deep-set eyes. His tone was calm and collected, “Then I’ll have to rely on the puppeteer to make two puppets for me, modeled after them.”

A note from the author:

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