Chapter 75
Lu Huaying took a nap.
After the banquet, Mangbao and Mote came to visit her, excitedly telling her that they were going to Luoyang with the chief to pay homage to the queen.
Lu Huaying smiled and congratulated them.
Mang Bao invited her to come along: "Afei, I heard you are also going back to the capital? We can go together! We can't speak the language of the Central Plains, please teach us. We also need to learn the etiquette of the Han people, so that we won't be laughed at when we get to the capital. We are both very stupid, please don't look down on us."
Mote scratched his head with a wry smile and said, "You don't need to teach me too much. Just teach me how to greet your Queen. If you teach me too much, I'll forget it quickly."
Lu Huaying couldn't help but smile and said, "Learning those things is not difficult at all. You are all so smart, you'll get it with more practice. If we can travel together, I'll teach you."
The Empress pardoned the Lu family and summoned them back to Luoyang. Worried about Wei Mingsu, she returned to Xizhou alone, disobeying the imperial decree. Fortunately, Fan Hui made arrangements for her, saying that she had suddenly fallen ill and needed to stay to recuperate before setting off again.
Now she has to go back to Luoyang.
After seeing off the beaming Mang Bao and Mo Te, Lu Huaying entered Wei Mingsu's courtyard.
Wei Mingsu, dressed in a blue robe, with his hair tied up and no turban, sat by the window writing something. Fan Hui stood beside him, and Wei Mingsu, pale-faced, spoke to Fan Hui as he wrote.
Tong Jin said, "My lord, Third Sister has arrived."
The two inside stopped talking. Fan Hui looked up at the courtyard with a smile on his face, while Wei Mingsu kept his head down and continued writing, looking very focused.
Lu Huaying walked over.
Fan Hui glanced at Wei Mingsu, smiled, and walked out of the house, asking Lu Huaying if her injuries were serious.
The two chatted idly in the corridor. Wei Mingsu remained focused on writing and made no attempt to interrupt. Fan Hui, however, said he had to go discuss the tribe's submission and the inscription of merits with his subordinates, and then left.
Tong Jin and A Yu were also taken away by him.
Only Wei Mingsu and Lu Huaying remained in the courtyard.
It was already mid-spring. At this time, Luoyang should be full of peach and plum blossoms, and locust flowers should be in full bloom. The willow groves and flower bushes along the Luo River should be full of people dressed up and enjoying the spring scenery. However, the western part of the region was still desolate and devoid of spring colors. In front of the window, there was an old gray-brown tree with a straight and upright trunk and withered branches that had not yet sprouted.
Lu Huaying walked past the tree, went inside, and said softly, "Prefect Wei, I'm going back to Shendu."
Wei Mingsu lowered his head and said, "The people of the Duosang and Tulun tribes also need to return to the capital. You will travel with them. Once Fan Hui has finished processing the documents for settling the tribes, you will set off together."
His tone was businesslike and indifferent.
Lu Huaying nodded and asked, "Where is Governor Wei? When are you going back?"
The Empress summoned him, and he also wanted to return to Luoyang.
Wei Mingsu said, "I have official business to attend to and will not travel with you."
Lu Huaying thought for a moment and said, "My old injury is almost healed. Ayu doesn't need to follow me anymore. Let him go back to your side."
Wei Mingsu frowned slightly.
Lu Huaying looked at him and said, "Chief Secretary Fan hasn't captured Nie Zijie yet, so your situation is very dangerous. You should bring several close attendants with you. I'm going back to the capital with Mang Bao and the others. They want to see His Majesty, and there will definitely be officials escorting us along the way. Nothing will happen."
Wei Mingsu was silent for a moment, then said calmly, "Okay."
"Then I won't bother you anymore."
Lu Huaying smiled slightly, turned around and left.
"Third Sister".
Wei Mingsu called her.
Lu Huaying stopped and turned around.
Wei Mingsu looked up. He had lost some weight, and his features were more defined. He wasn't wearing a turban, and you could see the silver strands at his temples extending into his hair ornament. He said, word by word, "You don't owe me anything, and you don't need to repay me for anything. Don't do such dangerous things next time."
Lu Huaying was taken aback, recalling the question Yi Xi had asked her that day. After hesitating for a moment, she asked, "Prefect Wei... can we be friends?"
The moment the words left her mouth, she realized she had been too impulsive. She had hurt Wei Mingsu, leaving him heartbroken, yet he held no grudge against her and treated her so well. She was already more than content with their current situation.
Why are you pushing your luck and demanding that Wei Mingsu treat her as a friend?
It's one thing for him to be willing to help her, but whether he can treat her as a friend emotionally is another matter entirely.
Lu Huaying was somewhat annoyed and dared not look at Wei Mingsu.
The room fell silent for a moment.
Wei Mingsu lowered his eyes, dipped his brush in the inkstone, and said, "Third Sister, I don't need friends."
Lu Huaying gave a self-deprecating laugh.
I turned and left, feeling a little frustrated.
She walked down the steps, crossed the courtyard, and her figure disappeared at the doorway.
Wei Mingsu closed his eyes.
...
Fan Hui and the others didn't go far; they stood outside talking.
With a creak, Lu Huaying opened the courtyard gate and walked out.
The three of them looked at each other in surprise at how quickly she came out.
Fan Hui frowned and strode into the courtyard: "Wei Mingsu, I truly admire you."
For Wei Mingsu's sake, Lu Huaying risked her life to seek help from the Tulun tribe. The two survived against all odds, yet he remained so indifferent to Lu Huaying.
They are absolutely heartless.
Wei Mingsu heard the sarcasm in Fan Hui's voice, but his expression remained unchanged. He handed the completed memorial to Fan Hui and said, "Send someone to deliver it to the capital."
Fan Hui picked up the memorial.
"...Lu San Niang...ventured into dangerous territory...and persuaded the Tulun tribe..."
Fan Hui put away the mocking expression on his face.
Wei Mingsu was indifferent to Lu Huaying, but just now, every word, every stroke, every line he wrote was Lu Huaying's.
Fan Hui's expression changed, and he asked, "Hasn't the memorial requesting commendation already been sent to Luoyang?"
He also signed his name on the memorial requesting commendation.
Ma Yan deliberately refused to help Wei Mingsu, putting him in a life-threatening situation. Wei Mingsu returned safely, and the officials of Xizhou were waiting for a good show. However, to their surprise, Wei Mingsu's report on the military situation did not mention a single word about it.
The crowd was puzzled and discussed it privately, believing that Wei Mingsu might not dare to offend the Wu family behind Ma Yan.
Only Fan Hui knew that this was an exchange of interests.
The western region has suffered repeated setbacks, and the situation is dire.
After the Empress ascended the throne, she adjusted her previous strategy and was determined to recover the four towns, so she sent Wei Mingsu to Xizhou to look for opportunities.
The fact that the two major tribes abandoned Xiliang and returned to Zhou shows that the Empress has the support of the people, which can greatly boost morale. The Empress can also use this event to suppress the officials in the court who oppose sending troops to recover the four towns.
The Queen would surely reward all the officials of the tribes who came to their aid with such merits that could be inscribed on stone.
Officials from the Ministry of War and Xizhou would inevitably vie for credit, submitting reports on military affairs. Ultimately, the credit would fall on superiors like General Ma, even though these people had never left the government office and knew nothing about Wei Mingsu's plans.
No one thought of recommending Lu Huaying and Shabona for credit. One was a woman and the other was a foreign merchant. Although their contributions were great, their status was low. How could the officials be willing to give up the benefits that were within their grasp?
Their names don't even appear on the memorials.
Wei Mingsu finished writing the memorial before the officials could claim credit, and General Ma signed it, which was tantamount to him and Wei Mingsu jointly requesting credit for the two of them.
In exchange, Wei Mingsu did not hold General Ma's failure to come to his aid in his time of need.
Everyone was happy.
The memorial has already been sent out.
Wei Mingsu explained, "That one is a joint petition, and this one is a secret report that I submitted."
Fan Hui understood.
The two memorials are as follows: one is a joint petition that takes into account the interests of all parties, ensuring that everyone shares in the credit. The petition, signed by everyone, requests credit for Lu Huaying and Shabona to gain public support, so that when the court bestows rewards, the others won't be too resentful. The other is a secret report from Wei Mingsu to the Empress regarding intelligence on Xiliang, which will be sent directly to Shangyang Palace.
Fan Hui asked, "You've put so much effort into this, why don't you just apply for commendation for them in your own name?"
Wei Mingsu shook his head: "I've made too many enemies in the capital, and they'll be implicated because of me."
Fan Hui sighed and said, "Third Sister doesn't care about being implicated by you; she would go through fire and water for you."
A smile appeared on Wei Mingsu's face.
"I know."
She wanted to be friends with him.
If he agrees, she will definitely say that since they are friends, she will not hesitate to take risks for her friends.
Therefore, he could not agree.
Fan Hui was filled with emotion and asked, "Wei Mingsu, what is it that you are asking for?"
Wei Mingsu looked at the gray-brown tree outside the window.
Winter has passed, and this withered tree will sprout green leaves and flourish again under the nourishment of spring breezes and rain.
Feifei's old wounds have healed, and she can let go of all her burdens and start anew.
That's what he wanted.
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