Wan Shu was somewhat stunned.
She wasn't a narcissistic person, but Emperor Hongxing's words made her think more deeply...
However, to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings, she still cautiously confirmed it.
"Leaving with you... May I ask, how exactly do I leave with you?"
Emperor Hongxing did not hide his inner thoughts, looking at Wan Shu frankly.
"You are the most unique woman I have ever met. I must say, I have fallen for you. If you are willing to leave with me, I will take you back to the palace and give you the highest honors."
After saying that, he thought for a moment and added another sentence.
"Dazhu and the others can also return to the palace with me. I will treat them as my own children and give them money, power, and status that they cannot currently attain."
Wan Shu: "..."
After hearing Emperor Hongxing's words, Wan Shu did not reply immediately.
She seemed shocked, and after a brief silence, she spoke again, asking the question with a hint of caution.
"Your Majesty, may I ask first? If I refuse, you are so wise, surely you won't become enraged like King Wen and try to force me?"
This question, though seemingly a inquiry, actually gave him the answer and subtly reminded him that he was a wise emperor and could not, like King Wen, resort to underhanded tactics to force her.
As expected of Wan Shu, she truly is the woman he has set his sights on.
Emperor Hongxing was not angry at all; in fact, he laughed heartily: "Hahahaha, of course not. But I would like to know, what is your reason for refusing?"
Of course, it's because I don't like you, and I don't want to compete with so many women in my harem for one man.
And most importantly, she remains a staunch non-marriage advocate, just as she was before she transmigrated.
This idea may change in the future as she gains more experience and changes her mindset, but it remains unchanged for now.
She enjoys her life now and is unwilling to change for a man.
Of course, she also understood that if you told an ancient emperor about such a forward-thinking idea, he would definitely not understand you, so she changed her approach.
“Your Majesty, think about it carefully. You don’t really like me. As you said, I may be the most unique woman you’ve ever met. Sometimes, novelty can overlap with the feeling of liking someone, but they are not the same.”
"And even if you really like me, what you like is the quality in me that makes me different from the women in your harem."
"And once you bring me back to the palace and make me one of the women in your harem, I will gradually become like them."
“I don’t want to end up like that, and I believe you don’t want to see me become like that either.”
This was the first time in his life that Emperor Hongxing had been rejected by a woman.
However, he was not surprised; on the contrary, he felt that it was expected.
Wan Shu is right. What he likes is indeed Wan Shu's unique qualities, which set her apart from the other women in his harem.
He sighed, "You're right. If I take you back to the palace, you will no longer be yourself."
After saying this, Emperor Hongxing left Qingshui Village without uttering a word.
...
Three days later, Emperor Hongxing left Sishui County for good.
Before leaving, Emperor Hongxing sent someone to announce an imperial edict.
The gist of it is that Wan Shu was rewarded for saving the emperor's life, and in addition to the contributions of potatoes and allicin, Wan Shu was granted the title of Fifth-Rank Shu Yiren, and was also awarded a thousand taels of gold and a hundred acres of fertile land.
The newly appointed magistrate, who came to deliver the imperial decree, bowed and scraped before Wan Shu, his face full of flattery.
"Congratulations, Lady Shu! Even for the ladies of prominent families in the capital, His Majesty has never bestowed such a high honor upon you, exceeding so many ranks. This shows how much His Majesty values you, Lady Shu!"
As he spoke, the newly appointed magistrate took out a letter sealed in yellow paper.
"Furthermore, this is a letter His Majesty wrote to Consort Shu, which His Majesty specifically asked me to deliver to you!"
Now almost everyone in the village is gathered outside her house to watch the spectacle, along with a considerable number of guards and soldiers.
To avoid attracting too much attention, Wan Shu did not open the envelope immediately.
She first politely saw off the new magistrate, and then asked the Wan family for help to prepare a feast and invite the villagers to celebrate.
They were busy until evening, seeing all the villagers off before finally opening the envelope.
Wan Shu can't write traditional Chinese characters, but she can still understand them by guessing.
The letter was very brief and its contents were simple.
Basically, Emperor Hongxing knew that Wan Shu had always wanted more land to grow vegetables, so he granted her a hundred acres of fertile land in the hope that she could live a comfortable life.
In addition, if Wan Shu encounters any trouble in the future, he can go to the capital to find him at any time.
Although he didn't say much, the concern in Emperor Hongxing's words was evident.
It's clear that he's let it go, since he hasn't brought up the matter of bringing her into the palace again.
"Mother, Mother, how is it? What did His Majesty write?"
"This is His Majesty's own calligraphy! Aunt Liang, could you let us see it too?"
There was nothing in the letter that was off-limits, so Wan Shu didn't hide it and handed it to them, letting them read it one by one.
"Your Majesty is so kind; he still remembers that Mother wanted more land to grow vegetables!"
"If anyone tries to make things difficult for us again, we won't be afraid! His Majesty will uphold justice for us!"
"That's true, but we can't be too arrogant, or His Majesty will definitely be unhappy if he finds out."
"Yes, it's better to keep a low profile."
The five little ones in the family, along with the eldest daughter chattering away, didn't seem to notice anything unusual.
Meng Wenyuan, on the other hand, was more knowledgeable and, after reading the letter, couldn't help but find it somewhat strange.
"For such a small matter, His Majesty could have simply sent someone to deliver a message. Why bother writing a letter? It just feels a bit odd."
Upon hearing this, Wan Shu smiled and looked at Meng Wenyuan.
"Young Master Meng, I find you acting strangely. Meng Zhenshou has already been brought to justice, and Headmaster Meng will be back soon. Why are you still unwilling to return to the county town?"
Upon hearing this, Meng Wenyuan immediately lost all interest in thinking about anything else.
He glanced at Er Ya furtively, his face flushed, and said guiltily, "I... I've spent so much time with you all, Auntie, and I consider you family. Besides, I can study here and teach Da Zhu and the others to read. It's a win-win situation, so there's absolutely no need for me to go back!"
Wan Shu noticed Meng Wenyuan's gaze as he secretly looked at Er Ya, but she didn't point it out; she just smiled.
Pretending to take it from his sleeve, but actually from the store, he took out a lot of seeds and handed them to Dazhu.
"These are chili seeds, these are spices, and these are some fruits. Mother got them all from a master. We'll plant them all when we have time. Mother can't wait to be self-sufficient!"
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