Chapter 768 Buddha Saves Those with Fate
Seeing her earnest expression, and how she had completely abandoned her usual guarded demeanor, leaning towards him and asking questions eagerly, Yuwen Qian's smile deepened.
He said, "When my sister-in-law helps those female students in schools and private academies throughout the city, she only needs to pay half of their tuition."
"half?"
"Yes, as we just said, some things are not cherished when they come too easily. So no matter what, they have to spend some money, even if it's just for the money they spend. Those students have to study hard."
Shang Ruyi thought about it carefully and nodded, "That makes sense."
Yuwen Qian continued, "Furthermore, instead of actively helping these poor families send their daughters to school, it would be better to wait until these families send their daughters to school. If they are indeed short of money, then you can help them."
This time, Shang Ruyi quickly understood and said, "What you mean is that only families who actively send their daughters to school truly hope that their daughters will learn to read and write and have a future."
Yuwen Qian nodded: "That's right."
"Although reading can enlighten one's mind, the surrounding environment and the people around one are also very important. If you let a girl read and understand the principles, but the surrounding environment does not allow her to spread her wings and fly, it will only make her more miserable."
"..."
"Similarly, a woman who is lazy and only wants to marry a man to make a living, even if you stick feathers all over her body, she still can't fly."
"..."
You can't help everyone.
Shang Ruyi felt something and murmured, "Buddha saves those who are destined to be saved."
"good,"
Yuwen Qian smiled and continued, "Buddha said not to have a discriminating mind, but this statement precisely illustrates that people in this world are different. Some are destined to meet, some are wise, and some are not. Even when different people read the same book and hear the same story, some can only see the conflict, harbor ill intentions, and utter evil words, while others can understand the author's good intentions, have kind thoughts, and strive to improve themselves."
"..."
“Sister-in-law, it is admirable that you want to help other women, but women have a long road ahead of them, and you can’t go far just by helping them. For example, you have spent so much effort and money to help them learn to read and understand things, so that they can pave a path in life. But some people, even if they have read and become literate, only think about matters of love and marriage, and want to climb the social ladder and live a lazy life. Some even don’t bother to study any good books.”
"..."
"Such people will still exist in a few hundred years."
Mentioning this made Shang Ruyi's heart skip a beat.
She suddenly remembered that Shen Wuzheng had asked Yu Mingyue about the books she was reading—about the Cold Palace and the concubines. If, hundreds of years later, women could not only read but also take the imperial examinations and become officials, yet still dreamed of becoming concubines, it seemed truly a pity. Beauty fades with age, but talent and ability can grow with time. A wise person knows what to rely on.
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "I don't think everyone is like that."
"certainly,"
Yuwen Qian smiled and said, "In the end, it depends on each person's cultivation, but even more so on their character."
His words went a bit off-topic, but Shang Ruyi didn't pay much attention to them. After all, even though she believed in Buddhism, she didn't intend to delve deeper into Buddhist teachings. She was only thinking about the suggestions Yuwen Qian had made earlier, and she was deeply moved. She realized that she was indeed careless in her work, and might even have spent more money but accomplished very little. This was not the kind of ability she should have as the Princess Consort of Qin.
It seems that being lazy and unwilling to put in much effort these days due to pregnancy, and simply handing things over to others, has indeed had its drawbacks.
Thinking of this, she composed herself, looked up at Yuwen Qian and said, "Thank you for the reminder, brother. I will go back and explain to my subordinates."
After saying that, she stood up, holding onto the railing beside her.
With her belly bigger and her body heavier, she was much slower to get up than usual. When Yuwen Qian heard that she was leaving, he was stunned for a moment, but when he saw that she was having some difficulty getting up, he immediately stood up and reached out to help her.
Tushe'er immediately rushed over to support Shang Ruyi and said to him, "Your Highness, let me handle these matters."
"……good."
Yuwen Qian's hand stiffened for a moment, then slowly lowered.
Shang Ruyi stood up, nodded to him again, and then, supported by Tusheer, turned and left.
Yuwen Qian remained standing in the same spot, a smile seemingly playing on his lips, but his eyes held a strange sense of loss. He watched the retreating figures of the master and servant without moving, until a fragrant breeze suddenly blew from behind.
Tushe'er helped Shang Ruyi walk forward for a long time until she was sure that she was far away from Liubuting before she breathed a sigh of relief.
Shang Ruyi turned to look at her and smiled, "What's wrong?"
Tushe'er said softly, "Why did the Princess Consort talk to the Crown Prince for so long just now?"
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi knew that she was about to "stir things up" again, and couldn't help but roll her eyes: "Do you know what we're talking about when you say such idle gossip?"
"ah?"
“I used half of my savings to start a school a few days ago, but I only found out today that there were some oversights. Not only will it be less effective, but it may also be a waste of money. The Crown Prince was just giving me some advice.”
As she spoke, Shang Ruyi reached out and poked her forehead: "We're talking about women's future, but is that all you can think about? Is it just about men and women?"
Tushe'er's head snapped back as she poked him.
But she immediately retorted, "Your Highness underestimates me too much. Even if I don't know anything else, I wouldn't necessarily think those things just because I see a man and a woman. I'm not that—"
She paused, probably because she couldn't find a suitable word to describe this kind of person. After thinking for a while, she could only manage to say, "Superficial!"
Seeing that she was already angry when she spoke, Shang Ruyi immediately smiled and said, "Oh, is that so?"
"snort!"
"Okay, I misunderstood you."
"snort!"
Seeing her start to act coy, Shang Ruyi was both annoyed and amused, and could only patiently coax her for a while before she was done. Tu She'er then said to her, "What the Princess Consort and His Highness the Crown Prince say is of course beyond my control, but I just think that we and the Crown Prince—in short, the Princess Consort should not get too close to them. I don't trust anyone else."
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi smiled, pursing her lips.
Of course she knew that Tushe'er's nervousness stemmed from the hawthorn cake incident. If they had been careless in even one aspect, her pregnancy would have been in jeopardy, and she might have fallen into an even deeper abyss. After that incident, it was no wonder that Tushe'er was nervous, and naturally, she would be extremely wary of anyone who approached her but wasn't "one of her own."
The crown prince was naturally also within her sphere of concern.
Shang Ruyi smiled and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you."
Tushe'er nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly revealed a mysterious smile and said, "Besides, I saw more than the Princess Consort did. While you were talking there, someone has been waiting for half a day."
"oh?"
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi was surprised: "Who is it?"
Tushe'er didn't answer directly. Instead, she turned her head and gestured towards the pavilion that had already disappeared into the distance. Shang Ruyi also turned her head and saw a graceful figure slowly walking into the pavilion and bowing to Yuwen Qian. Although her face was not clearly visible, it was evident that she was elegant and refined, possessing a natural charm.
Shang Ruyi looked at the unfamiliar face and said, "That is—"
"I heard that Lady Liangdi Lou's maiden name is Chanyue."
"Madam Lou? Oh."
Shang Ruyi nodded in realization. Although she hadn't paid much attention to court affairs these days because of her pregnancy, she had vaguely heard that not long after the victory celebration banquet, Yuwen Qian had two concubines by his side, who were the Crown Prince's secondary consorts, apparently bestowed upon him by Yuwen Yuan.
It seems that Yu Mingyue's filthy remarks at the celebration banquet angered Yuwen Yuan, so the crown princess conferment that should have been a natural outcome did not fall to her, and she was now being neglected; but Yuwen Qian had after all been conferred the title of crown prince, and even his second brother Yuwen Ye was about to become a father, so he shouldn't be left alone, lest it become a laughing stock and affect the continuation of the crown prince's lineage, hence the two concubines.
All of this was just hearsay; this was the first time Shang Ruyi had ever met one of the women, Madam Lou.
However, Lou Chanyue...
When I was a child, I just felt that the nickname Mingyue Nu suited me perfectly. But when I grew up and met Yuwen Ye, I realized that besides Empress Dowager Jiang Xinyue, he also had Princess Xinyue by his side. And after Yuwen Qian returned to the Yuwen family, besides Yu Mingyue, who gave him a lot of headaches, he now had Lou Chanyue by his side as well.
Shang Ruyi said irritably, "Did I really mess up something?"
Having said that, he lost interest in taking a walk to digest his food and prepared to return to Qianqiu Palace.
Just as she stepped off the Thousand-Step Corridor, she suddenly remembered something and paused: "Lou? That's not a common surname. Whose daughter is she?"
Tushe'er said softly as he helped her up, "This Lady Lou's father is General Lou Yingxiong of Ningyuan."
"oh……"
Shang Ruyi suddenly realized that Lou Yingxiong was also the Ningyuan General of the Daye Dynasty. He had guarded Anyang for several years and was the general who had fought the most against Wanggangzhai among the generals of the Daye Dynasty. Unfortunately, he had never achieved any success in battle.
After the fall of Luoyang and the death of Chu Yang in Jiangdu, the entire Henan Province was in chaos. Although Shang Ruyi and Shen Wuzheng went to Wanggang Village together on their way back to Chang'an with Yuwen Ye and destroyed most of its forces, they had no connection with General Ningyuan at that time. Presumably, he had already been unable to leave the country due to the chaos.
It was only after returning to Chang'an from the Battle of Taiyuan that Shang Ruyi learned that General Ningyuan had actually surrendered to the Great Sheng Dynasty with his family and subordinates. Yuwen Yuan was overjoyed and reinstated him to his original position.
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi couldn't help but look back again.
At this moment, Lou Chanyue, a beautiful woman whose fragrance attracted bees and butterflies to her, slowly walked to Yuwen Qian's side and bowed gracefully to him: "Your Highness."
"..."
Yuwen Qian was silent for a moment, then said, "Why are you here?"
Lou Chanyue smiled slightly: "I heard from them that Your Highness and the Duke discussed important matters and did not even have lunch. So I specially had someone prepare a meal and came to see if Your Highness had finished dealing with the matter. If the matter has been finished, it is better to have a meal as soon as possible, which is also good for your health."
Yuwen Qian glanced at her.
Although his concubine, Lady Lou, was not a beauty that could topple kingdoms, she was still quite pretty. Even though she was dressed simply, standing amidst such a beautiful scene of blooming flowers and green willows, she was not overshadowed by the scenery. On the contrary, she complemented the splendid spring light, becoming even more charming and captivating.
Yuwen Qian didn't say much, only nodded: "Okay, let's go."
After saying that, he got up and walked towards Chengqian Palace. Lou Chanyue also took a step back and followed him slowly after he had passed.
|
After Shang Ruyi returned to Qianqiu Palace, Tu She'er was supposed to help her to bed as Yuwen Ye had instructed before leaving. However, Shang Ruyi had just listened to Yuwen Qian's advice and couldn't sleep. She immediately sent someone to summon Jiang Kesheng, inquired about the arrangements for the past few days, and told him how to change course. Although Jiang Kesheng was a martial artist, he was quick-witted and immediately understood what she meant. He quickly went to carry it out.
By the time he left, it was almost late afternoon.
Normally, by this time, Shang Ruyi would have already taken a nap and read several pages of her book. Today, after finishing her business, she was exhausted and, despite the late hour, lay down on her bed to take a short rest. However, she ended up sleeping until 5 PM. When she woke up, she felt her mind was a complete mess and her body was sore and weak that she could barely get up.
As Tushe'er helped her up, she arranged for someone to deliver a message to the Imperial Kitchen, all the while complaining, "Your Highness, you should do things on time from now on. What will happen if Jiang Kesheng finds out a little later? Not only will it disturb your afternoon nap, but you're also not feeling well now. You slept for so long this afternoon, how will you be able to sleep tonight?"
Shang Ruyi's mind was already muddled, and after what she said, it became even more muddled.
So she frowned and said, "Alright, I'm not even that upset yet, but you've made me feel bad."
After saying that, she looked up outside again. The sun was already beginning to move westward. She asked, "Where is the King of Qin?"
Tushe'er said, "The King of Qin just sent someone back to say that he still has some things to take care of, so he won't be having dinner with the Princess."
"oh……"
Shang Ruyi lowered her eyes in disappointment.
During the day, she seemed to have been a bit "unreasonable." After thinking about it for a while, she realized that she had planned to have a good talk with Yuwen Ye during dinner and cover up what happened during the day. However, she did not expect him to not come back.
These days, he has been dining with me.
Perhaps it was because the two of them had spent too much time together lately, becoming even closer than during their honeymoon, that she couldn't help but feel more attached to Yuwen Ye. But thinking about it, this wasn't good either. Even though she was pregnant, he still had so many things to do. Besides, today's letter was from Shen Tu Tai, which was probably related to the war at the front. She couldn't help him, but she also couldn't hold him back.
Thinking this, she took a deep breath, abandoned her defeated and weak thoughts, and said, "Alright then, let's set out the meal, I'm hungry too."
So, he finished the whole meal by himself.
Not long after dinner, it got dark. Shang Ruyi leaned against the table and read for a while until her eyes became a little dry. Then she put down the book, which she hadn't really been able to read much of, and had Tu She'er help her wash up and go to bed.
Soon, she finished washing up, changed into comfortable pajamas, and got into bed.
It was nearing summer, and the weather was pleasant during the day and not cold at night. A thin blanket was enough to make one sleep peacefully. However, Shang Ruyi still felt a chill in the blanket for some reason, even though she hadn't felt cold at all these days.
After thinking for a while, she came to her senses—it was because Yuwen Ye wasn't around.
These days, whenever Shang Ruyi goes to bed, he is always by her side, holding her in his arms. His familiar and warm aura is like an invisible fortress, enveloping her as if shielding her from all the dangers and cold outside, allowing her to fall asleep peacefully.
Gradually, it became a habit.
Even though it's not cold anymore, and I'm pregnant so my body temperature is already higher than usual, I still feel uneasy when he's not around.
Habits, how can they be so terrible?
Shang Ruyi was somewhat frustrated, and also frustrated that she seemed to have become weak and even dependent on others. In a fit of pique, she decided to sleep alone. She tried to close her eyes tightly, but she had slept too late and for too long in the afternoon. She tossed and turned in bed for a long time, and she could hear the third watch drum outside before she finally fell asleep.
Just as I was drifting off to sleep, I felt a warm body approaching.
Shang Ruyi was a little slow to react, and instinctively moved closer to that warm breath. Then, she heard a soft laugh in her ear, and a familiar, strong arm reached out and wrapped around her waist, pulling her into an embrace.
Shang Ruyi slowly opened her eyes and met Yuwen Ye's smiling, crescent-shaped eyes.
He said softly, "Did I wake you up?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi hadn't fully woken up from her daze yet. She stared at him blankly for a while before asking, "Why did it take you so long to get back?"
Yuwen Ye smiled and said, "I have something to take care of."
"What's wrong?"
"The matter of Shen Tu Tai."
"Didn't he lead troops to attack Songzhou?"
"Yes, but there was a slight mishap in the middle. He couldn't afford to offend the King of Qi, so I had to step in to resolve it."
"...?!"
Although the conversation had been a question and answer, Yuwen Ye could tell that the young woman leaning against him, her eyelids half-closed and her expression blank, was asking questions instinctively based on his answers in a state of confusion. But upon hearing the last sentence, she suddenly snapped to attention, her eyes widening as she looked at Yuwen Ye: "Prince Qi? What trouble has Prince Qi caused this time?"
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