HomeScheme of the Legitimate DaughterYao Yao You Qi - Chapter 532: Husband and Wife Conversation

Yao Yao You Qi – Chapter 532: Husband and Wife Conversation

When the food was placed before her, Ren Yaoqi realized she was truly hungry. She seriously ate two bowls of congee, one basket of steamed dumplings, one and a half spring rolls, plus some side dishes.

Just as she was beginning to feel full, Xiao Jingxi returned.

“Have you eaten your fill?” Xiao Jingxi sat down beside Ren Yaoqi.

Ren Yaoqi nodded, then Xiao Jingxi took over Ren Yaoqi’s bowl and chopsticks, picking up the half spring roll left on her plate and eating it.

Sangshen, who was serving nearby, quickly said: “This servant will have the kitchen send more food.”

Xiao Jingxi looked up and smiled: “No need. I still have to go out later. What’s on the table is enough for me.”

Ren Yaoqi said nothing and had Sangshen and the others withdraw. Then she ladled a bowl of congee for Xiao Jingxi, sat there watching him eat, and served him dishes.

Only after Xiao Jingxi put down his chopsticks did Ren Yaoqi call for the maids to come and clear the dining table.

After finishing the meal, Xiao Jingxi didn’t rush to leave immediately. Instead, he helped Ren Yaoqi sit on the southern kang. The two leaned against each other in silence, neither speaking.

“How are things outside now?” Ren Yaoqi asked softly while nestled in Xiao Jingxi’s embrace, breaking the warm silence in the room.

“Xiao Heng’s people have been completely cleared out, and the troops outside the city have also withdrawn. Don’t worry, everything is fine now.” Xiao Jingxi stroked Ren Yaoqi’s cool, smooth hair and said gently.

“Did you send word to the Prince of Hezhong’s residence?” Xiao Jingxi asked, looking down.

Ren Yaoqi paused, then nodded: “I entered your study and examined your documents. I guessed that the court might make major moves, so… I don’t know if I did the right thing. I’m sorry, this time I overstepped my bounds.”

Xiao Jingxi gently tapped Ren Yaoqi’s head and laughed: “Foolish words! Who said you overstepped? I permitted you to enter my study. In the Prince of Yanbei’s residence, anywhere I can go, you can go too. Moreover, this time it was thanks to your quick reaction. If not for the Prince of Hezhong’s forces making large-scale, frequent movements that deterred those people in the south, how could the forces surrounding Yunyang City today be limited to just these? This move of yours was brilliant. My subordinates all say I have flawless strategies, able to restrain most of the southern forces without the Prince of Hezhong’s residence actually deploying a single soldier, thus resolving Yanbei’s crisis. I’m truly too ashamed to tell them that it’s not because I’m so capable, but purely because I have good fortune – I married an extremely capable wife.”

Hearing the teasing tone in Xiao Jingxi’s words, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but find it amusing. Finally, she sighed: “I couldn’t ask Grandfather to openly send troops to Yanbei. To avoid criticism, even the strategy of besieging Wei to save Zhao couldn’t be used well. I could only use deterrence. It’s also fortunate that those people in the south have stayed too long in their pleasure districts – their courage has been corroded away.”

No matter how close the relationship between the Prince of Yanbei’s residence and the Prince of Hezhong’s residence, it wouldn’t be appropriate for the Prince of Hezhong’s residence to send troops to Yanbei – that would invite suspicion. If the Prince of Hezhong’s residence truly sent people to surround the capital to resolve Yanbei’s crisis, in the world’s eyes, it would appear that the Prince of Yanbei’s residence and the Prince of Hezhong’s residence were colluding with each other, making the court’s actions seem justified instead. The Prince of Yanbei’s residence and the Prince of Hezhong’s residence would be at a disadvantage in public opinion, and might even give the Liao people an opportunity to exploit.

So after careful consideration, Ren Yaoqi didn’t request the Prince of Hezhong’s residence to send troops for assistance, but instead had them make frequent troop movement gestures. Because the court always remained wary of the Prince of Hezhong’s residence – this tiger temporarily crouching at their feet that could jump up and threaten their lives at any moment – they didn’t dare deploy all their forces to Yanbei in a desperate gamble.

“How are things in Ningxia?” Ren Yaoqi asked again.

Hearing this, Xiao Jingxi showed some surprise on his face: “Ningxia? What happened in Ningxia?”

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help rolling her eyes, looking at him sideways: “During the time you disappeared, didn’t you go to Ningxia to resolve the Zeng family matter?”

Xiao Jingxi couldn’t help laughing, sighing half-truthfully: “Yaoyao, if you were born male…”

When Ren Yaoqi heard Xiao Jingxi stop mid-sentence, she couldn’t help asking curiously: “If I were born male, what then?”

Xiao Jingxi pretended to look troubled, his face full of difficulty: “No, even if you were born male, I’d still have to marry you. It’s just that it would be rather difficult to arrange…”

Ren Yaoqi’s face reddened as she glared at him: “Nonsense.” Though she said this, undeniably, Ren Yaoqi felt pleased in her heart.

Xiao Jingxi cupped her face, turned her head toward him, kissed her cheek, and smiled: “I’m being serious. Fortunately, you were born female, otherwise, the world would scold me for being absurd.”

Ren Yaoqi pressed the back of her hand to her face, saying uncomfortably: “What exactly is the situation with the Zeng family now?”

Seeing her embarrassment, Xiao Jingxi stopped teasing her and continued holding her: “The Zeng family… The evidence of Zeng Pu colluding with the Liao people to ambush the Second Young Master of the Prince of Yanbei’s residence is conclusive. So he probably can’t continue as garrison commander.”

Ren Yaoqi frowned: “The attack on you in Wuzhou was truly related to the Zeng family?”

Hearing this, Xiao Jingxi smiled carelessly: “Whether it’s related or not, what does it matter? However, the Zeng family’s desire to seize power during the chaos was real – they just didn’t succeed in the end. After this incident, the Di family’s momentum in Ningxia has greatly increased. It won’t be long before they can replace the Wu family. With the northwest stabilized, Yanbei’s rear will also be stable.”

Though Ren Yaoqi heard Xiao Jingxi speak lightly of it, she knew the matter certainly wasn’t so simple. Although Ningxia wasn’t considered large, the various forces there were extremely complex. Xiao Jingxi, taking this opportunity to move against the Zeng family and support the Di family’s rise to power, must have involved much deliberation.

“Where are Zeng Pu and his son now?”

The Zeng family remained a thorn in Ren Yaoqi’s heart. She understood better than anyone that when dealing with people like Zeng Pu and Zeng Kui, either don’t fight them at all, or if you do fight, you must kill them with one blow. Otherwise, there would be endless future troubles. So, despite hearing that the Zeng father and son had already lost power in Ningxia, Ren Yaoqi still didn’t dare to be careless.

Xiao Jingxi, who had clashed with the Zeng family several times, also understood this principle. Hearing her question, he smiled reassuringly at Ren Yaoqi: “This time, I eliminated most of the Zeng family’s wings. I left the aftermath to the Di family to handle – after all, it’s Ningxia’s affair, and I can’t openly interfere. But don’t worry either. The Zeng father and son are now like grasshoppers after autumn – they won’t be able to jump around much longer.”

Seeing Xiao Jingxi speak so confidently, Ren Yaoqi felt much more at ease: “What about Madam Wu?”

Ren Yaoqi remembered that Xiao Wei had also gathered some forces that remained loyal to the Wu family. However, most of these forces had been lost after Wu Xiaohe’s posthumous son was born. This woman wasn’t clever, but her ambitions were considerable. Given the Xiao family’s control over Ningxia, it would be difficult for her to stir up trouble there again.

Though the Prince of Yanbei didn’t have much sibling affection for Xiao Wei, he still maintained some sibling sentiment. Ren Yaoqi had heard the Princess Consort mention before that the Prince wanted to bring Xiao Wei and Wu Yiyu back to the Prince of Yanbei’s residence to accompany the Old Princess Consort. The Old Princess Consort had also mentioned this many times. However, now that the Old Princess Consort had died at Xiao Heng’s hands, if Xiao Wei and her daughter returned, the Prince of Yanbei’s residence probably wouldn’t be peaceful.

Privately, Ren Yaoqi was unwilling to have Xiao Wei and Wu Yiyu return. This mother-daughter pair was too troublesome and had ill intentions.

Xiao Jingxi seemed to understand what was in Ren Yaoqi’s heart and smiled: “Madam Wu’s son is in Ningxia, so naturally she can’t be too far away either. Although Young Master Wu is still young, he shoulders heavy responsibilities. How can he be without an elder to watch over him?”

Ren Yaoqi was stunned, then realized that the son of Madam Wu that Xiao Jingxi mentioned was Wu Xiaohe’s posthumous son born to his Di family wife. She couldn’t help but laugh, looking at the cunning man beside her: “You handed Madam Wu over to the Di family? You’re so wicked!”

Xiao Jingxi pinched Ren Yaoqi’s face, displeased: “Wife, you can’t speak carelessly. Your husband is talented and handsome, a good man you could encounter but not seek. Where am I wicked?”

Ren Yaoqi: “…”

“Everyone has their place. If they stand in the wrong position, it will cause chaos. Since Madam Wu has already married into the Wu family, she is a member of the Wu family. She should follow her husband when she marries, and follow her son when her husband dies – these are the rules she should observe. As for Wu Yiyu, she is still the Young Madam Zeng now. When the day comes that the Zeng father and son are no more, the place she should return to is her natal family, not her uncle’s family.” Wu Yiyu’s natal family would naturally be with her younger brother, Young Master Wu.

When Xiao Jingxi said these words, his tone was light but very firm.

Someone like Xiao Jingxi naturally understood that not just any stray cats and dogs could be brought into one’s backyard. The Prince of Yanbei considered sibling affection, but he didn’t need to be concerned with that – his heart was harder than the Prince of Yanbei’s. But Xiao Jingxi’s hardness gave peace of mind to those close to him.

As the husband and wife were talking, Pingguo came in to report that the Princess Consort was asking Xiao Jingxi to come over.

Xiao Jingxi said to Ren Yaoqi, “Mother is looking for me, probably about the Old Princess Consort’s funeral. I’ll go to Jiuyang Palace.”

The Old Princess Consort’s body had already been sent back to the Prince of Yanbei’s residence, and the Princess Consort had ordered people to set up a mourning hall. The Princess Consort told Ren Yaoqi to stay in Zhaoning Palace and not come out, because the Old Princess Consort hadn’t died of natural causes. The Princess Consort feared it would disturb the child in Ren Yaoqi’s womb. Of course, the Princess Consort wouldn’t say such things explicitly, publicly; she only said Ren Yaoqi had been frightened.

Ren Yaoqi got up to see Xiao Jingxi off.

“Is Jinglin also coming back?”

Originally, Xiao Jinglin wouldn’t return so soon, but with the Old Princess Consort’s death, as a granddaughter, she needed to return for the funeral.

Xiao Jingxi nodded: “Word has already been sent. Jinglin will return in the next few days. You go back inside. The wind is strong outside today – don’t go out.”

Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi didn’t insist on seeing him off further. After Xiao Jingxi left, she turned and went back inside. Having slept earlier, Ren Yaoqi was in good spirits. Thinking to find some leisure reading in the study to pass time while waiting for Xiao Jingxi’s return, when she reached the study, she heard two cleaning maids talking quietly.

“…The Princess Consort sent Physician Zhang, Physician Li, and Physician Gu all to the Yun family, but he was injured too severely. We don’t know if he can be saved.”

“He must be saved! Otherwise, our Yanbei will lose Second Young Master Yun, such a fierce general.”

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