◎He never felt that not dying in remonstrance was wrong.◎

The young couple had stayed in the study too long, and faint crying sounds could even be heard—Nanny Zhao was anxious to death!

She stamped her feet, saying repeatedly: “Oh dear, oh dear!”

She actually had somewhat adopted Nanny Qian’s usual manner.

Then she lifted the food box she had long prepared and asked: “Still can’t send it in?”

Nanny Qian peeled vegetable leaves while laughing: “What are you anxious about? A man who can cry is a good thing. Being able to cry for so long is a rare skill indeed.”

She waved her hand, telling Nanny Zhao to be at ease, then tossed the vegetable leaves into the basket and said cheerfully: “The old saying goes, ‘A virtuous woman fears a persistent suitor.’ If Young Master Yu cries enough, perhaps he’ll cry his way into her room—there aren’t many men in the world willing to cry.”

One willing to strike, one willing to be struck. Shanjun’s spine was too straight, her tears too deep—she needed someone like Young Master Yu to match her.

Nanny Zhao’s heart still favored Lan Shanjun. She said hesitantly: “Perhaps the young mistress also cried? I fear she’ll have nightmares again tonight.”

Nanny Qian looked at her and shook her head. “If Shanjun could cry so freely, I wouldn’t worry.”

She stood up holding the vegetable basket. “Come, let’s not interfere.”

But after just a few steps, she saw the study door in the distance open. Lan Shanjun called to them: “Nanny Qian, I’m hungry.”

Nanny Qian smiled and quickly carried the food box over with Nanny Zhao. “Come, let’s eat. If it’s not enough, call us again.”

Lan Shanjun responded with a sound, thanked them, turned to enter the room, closed the door, then bent down to take out the dishes from the food box and arrange them.

The sky had darkened. Yu Qingwu lit a lamp on one side. From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed this scene and suddenly remembered that in the Eastern Palace, the Crown Princess had also arranged meals for the Crown Prince like this.

His heart stirred. He carried the lamp over, placed it on the table, and began serving rice.

One bowl for each person.

The two sat facing each other to eat.

While his chopsticks were still clean, Yu Qingwu tentatively picked up some bamboo shoots with meat for her. “Shanjun, do you know the reason I died?”

Lan Shanjun had been silently looking at the food in her bowl. Hearing this, she paused and shook her head: “I don’t know.”

She said apologetically: “At that time I didn’t pay attention to court politics… Now thinking back, I don’t understand my former self, why I couldn’t see people and events outside the Duke Songguo residence.”

Age and experience truly made one constrain oneself.

However, “Your reputation wasn’t good.”

She said: “At banquets I heard people say you formed factions for personal gain, greedily seized power and profit, and betrayed your teacher’s kindness.”

Yu Qingwu thought for a moment and said: “This charge is too general. It seems they had no good charge against me but were eager to kill me—I estimate the Crown Prince must have died.”

Lan Shanjun frowned. “But at that time I hadn’t heard news of the Crown Prince’s death.”

Yu Qingwu picked up some lotus root tips for her. “Do you know, when the Late Crown Prince died that year, the news also only came out after seven days?”

Yu Qingwu: “If the Crown Prince were still alive, they would at least fabricate a specific charge for me, and Song Zhiwei wouldn’t dare send you away.”

Lan Shanjun had previously speculated the Crown Prince had been defeated, but hadn’t speculated he had already died. She pressed her lips together, lost in thought for a moment.

But Yu Qingwu called to her: “Shanjun, the bamboo shoots with meat and lotus root tips are very delicious.”

Lan Shanjun came back to herself and ate a few bites. They were indeed quite good.

Her mind relaxed. After finishing eating, she saw Yu Qingwu had changed to a new pair of chopsticks to pick up food for her. She hurriedly said: “I’ll do it myself.”

Yu Qingwu’s hand paused. He turned the food around and placed it in his own bowl, saying: “Alright.”

Just one word, and Lan Shanjun thought he might not be very happy.

This was truly a strange feeling.

He clearly hadn’t said anything, but she just knew.

She fell silent again. Then she discovered that Yu Qingwu ate half a bowl of rice with just that first bite of food, stubbornly not picking up a second piece.

Her heart wavered—when Yu Qingwu wasn’t crying, he was actually like jade branches and orchids, elegant and refined, born with the face of an upright gentleman. But precisely because of this, when such a person lowered his head before her, it made it seem like she was bullying him.

She sighed and still picked up some food for him. “Don’t be so pitiful.”

Yu Qingwu smiled. “Alright.”

He said, “I’m not being pitiful.”

“This is just how I am.”

But Lan Shanjun looked at his curved eyes and raised head, and a phrase flashed through her mind: Clear sky and bright moon, gentle night breeze.

This was good.

After the two finished eating, they discussed Ni Wanyuan’s matter.

Yu Qingwu’s expression was solemn. “With his death like this, the Ni family cannot escape blame either.”

First there was Old Minister Su dying in remonstrance. The Emperor, considering his past merits, didn’t hold it against him, demonstrating his magnanimity as an enlightened ruler of the age. But this didn’t mean others could still die in remonstrance in his hall.

If there was one, there would be a second—how could he preserve his reputation then?

The Emperor had to make an example to intimidate others.

Yu Qingwu pondered: “The Ni family—I wonder if they can be saved.”

He said: “Minister Ni has been in the Ministry of War for over twenty years and has actually accomplished real things. It’s just that he was unwilling to stand out, never offended anyone, and remained obscure all along, allowing Song Zhiwei to rise above him.”

Lan Shanjun: “You want to save him?”

Yu Qingwu nodded. “I want to, but I don’t know if it’s possible.”

Regardless of what conspiracies were mixed into Ni Wanyuan’s death remonstrance, who participated in it, Ni Wanyuan himself was not wrong, nor was Ni Tao.

Yu Qingwu thought: “But when someone dies in remonstrance, they must fear implicating their family. Even Old Minister Su sent Miss Su out of Luoyang. Why would Ni Wanyuan dare to die in remonstrance without considering so many people in the Ni family?”

But Lan Shanjun said: “Wu Qingchuan…”

Yu Qingwu: “Hm?”

Lan Shanjun: “Wu Qingchuan—besides you and me hating him, in the eyes of Imperial Academy students and others, he’s actually a very good person.”

“You should know better than me that he has a mouth that speaks of righteousness as soon as it opens.”

She said: “Perhaps Wu Qingchuan promised to protect his whole family’s lives afterwards.”

Yu Qingwu’s brow furrowed deeper. “This isn’t his usual way of doing things.”

There must be something else involved here.

Lan Shanjun also couldn’t recall anything related to the Ni father and son.

She had no dealings with that family’s wives.

She said regretfully: “If someone else had my opportunity, they might turn heaven and earth upside down.”

But Yu Qingwu said seriously: “Shanjun, no era progresses through one person alone. But some people in this era, because of your return, are already living better and better.”

Like him.

This person was clearly living better and better.

When he escorted Lan Shanjun back, he still couldn’t help but ask: “Back then, why did you choose to marry someone like me? Now that I think about it, after you learned of the Crown Prince’s relationship with you, you should have been able to have better choices.”

Shanjun was a capable young woman. If she wanted to balance against the Song family, choosing an easily controlled man, choosing a good family background for support, could actually achieve her goals.

Hearing this, Lan Shanjun was startled, then smiled and said: “At that time, I first felt our fates were so similar—we both deserved to live.”

“But if we couldn’t live…”

“Then regardless of who died first, the one who died first should have a coffin.”

She took the lantern from his hand and turned to leave: “In our past lives, neither of us was laid to rest. If we could have a tombstone, that would be very good.”

And now… her steps paused. Though she didn’t turn back, her words were gentle: “Now I feel that from the moment you entered my eyes, there’s been no one more suitable than you to live life with.”

Before death was life. It was the joy of the living, day by day.

Being with Yu Qingwu was truly joyful.

Yu Qingwu was startled, then overjoyed. He ran to the kitchen forcing Nanny Qian to boil six eggs for him: “You were right, I’ve already climbed halfway up the mountain.”

The other half of the mountain, he certainly had to climb up as well.

Nanny Qian said irritably: “I already told you, eating too many is no good!”

Yu Qingwu rubbed his hands: “It’s fine, it’s better to have more of heaven and earth’s energy.”

Thinking it over, the reason Shanjun didn’t reject him too much today might be because he secretly ate six eggs this morning.

Nanny Qian rolled her eyes dramatically: “This is all superstition! Young Master Yu, are you really a Third Place Scholar? Really the Minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud?”

Yu Qingwu firmly believed: “There’s still some logic to it.”

Nanny Qian: “Then boil them yourself! It’s not like you don’t know how to boil eggs!”

Yu Qingwu hemmed and hawed: “But you, old lady, are mine and Shanjun’s matchmaker. When you boil them, they become celebration eggs.”

Celebration eggs, celebration eggs—double the efficacy.

Nanny Qian: “…”

—

The next day before morning court, Yu Qingwu was stopped by the Crown Prince, who privately advised: “His Majesty’s fury hasn’t dissipated yet. You absolutely must not speak much.”

Yu Qingwu nodded in acknowledgment, then suddenly asked: “Your Highness, if His Majesty insists the Court of the Imperial Stud provide silver, what would you do?”

The Crown Prince fell silent, finally saying: “Your life or death has nothing to do with me. Whether you do it or not, I’m willing for you to try. But when necessary…”

That sentence “when necessary I won’t protect you” he couldn’t say aloud.

As they spent time together, he could no longer see Yu Qingwu as simply a blade.

This was his capable general, and also his brother-in-law.

He took a deep breath. “In any case, we’ve reached this step with difficulty. Don’t act impulsively.”

He said: “Before I do things, I think of Yuanniang. Before you do things, you should also think of Shanjun.”

Yu Qingwu made no comment, but before the Crown Prince left, he suddenly said: “I won’t act impulsively. I’m reluctant to die and very much want to live.”

“But Shanjun has already prepared a coffin for me.”

The Crown Prince understood his meaning. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and nodded: “Good.”

In court, the Emperor indeed became angry, rebuking Minister of War Yang Kui for poor supervision and fining him a year’s salary, rebuking the Ni family for disloyalty and lack of filial piety deserving extermination of the entire family, rebuking Song Zhiwei for collecting borrowed silver too slowly, rebuking Duke Songguo for being useless… rebuking many people. Finally he turned his gaze to the Court of the Imperial Stud. “Now the court has no silver. Yu Qingwu, We had you organize the warhorses—how is it going?”

Yu Qingwu stepped forward. “Reporting to Your Majesty, it’s not yet complete.”

The Emperor was displeased: “Why isn’t it finished yet?”

Yu Qingwu: “While organizing, this minister discovered that some horses, though recorded in the registers, do not actually exist.”

The Emperor was startled: “What?”

Yu Qingwu: “Are all the horses in the court’s registers truly there?”

He bowed: “Your Majesty, this major reorganization should thoroughly cleanse the court’s corrupt officials and find all those who consume horse provisions fraudulently.”

The Emperor frowned.

Yu Qingwu said loudly: “The common people have no horses to provide the court and can only use silver to buy horses. But where are there horses to sell? Naturally in the hands of local Court of the Imperial Stud officials.”

“The people give five taels of silver. They take it but don’t provide horses, only writing an empty entry in the register. Thus they collect the silver but there are no horses.”

“Without horses, the usual horse provisions can be saved, which for them is another source of income.”

“Your Majesty, think about it—if buying and raising one horse costs ten taels of silver, what about ten horses? What about a hundred horses?”

He said: “The court struggles to save silver, yet they’re earning pots full of money… Your Majesty, this matter must be investigated clearly. It cannot be delayed.”

The Emperor’s face was iron blue. He had always looked down on such things and felt that when water is too clear there are no fish—some matters didn’t need to be absolutely without error.

But at this moment when Yu Qingwu calculated the accounts, his heart raged: “These corrupt officials must be severely punished!”

He was being forced to provide silver, yet others dared to embezzle?

After court, on his way back to the Court of the Imperial Stud, Yu Qingwu was stopped by Wu Qingchuan.

He walked forward with a cold face, unwilling to listen to Wu Qingchuan’s mockery.

But Wu Qingchuan said: “Don’t you want to know why Ni Wanyuan went to die in remonstrance?”

Yu Qingwu’s steps paused, then he smiled. “Grand Secretary Wu, you’ve come before me to show off again.”

But Wu Qingchuan wasn’t angered. Instead he commented on Yu Qingwu’s arguments in court today: “You want to use the matter of fraudulent horse provisions to delay His Majesty making the Court of the Imperial Stud provide silver. This isn’t wrong, but how long can you delay?”

Yu Qingwu didn’t speak.

Wu Qingchuan: “The Ministry of War still has no silver for the border soldiers—you’ve protected those herdsmen, but have you thought about how the border soldiers should manage? Aren’t you afraid of mutiny?”

He pressed step by step, attacking his resolve: “Yu Qingwu, if war and chaos occur because of your stubbornness, innocent civilians and soldiers die, what use are these herdsmen you’re protecting now? Will they be grateful to you?”

“Acting like this, you’re only getting more people killed.”

From Wu Qingchuan’s words, Yu Qingwu glimpsed the attitude most officials had held toward the Court of the Imperial Stud selling supply horses all these years: they wanted to sacrifice the herdsmen to maintain the greatest number of people’s interests.

They even felt this was righteous.

He laughed bitterly, shook his head, and looked at Wu Qingchuan: “Grand Secretary truly thinks too highly of me. Placing the rise and fall of the realm entirely on my shoulders.”

“I only do what I believe is right. As for military provisions…”

Before he could finish, Wu Qingchuan suddenly interjected: “Are you hoping the realm descends into chaos… do you think that if the realm falls into chaos and someone else becomes emperor, it might still be a good thing?”

Yu Qingwu’s eyes narrowed. “Grand Secretary Wu, your words are too presumptuous.”

But Wu Qingchuan smiled without continuing, instead saying: “Qingwu, hasn’t your path grown increasingly crooked?”

He straightened his sleeves. “Seeing Ni Wanyuan die like this, what do you feel in your heart?”

“Right now, Imperial Academy students should already be surrounding the Ministry of Justice crying injustice for the Ni family—they, like Ni Wanyuan, fear neither life nor death, only dying for the righteousness in their hearts. Aren’t they nobler than you? Aren’t they more virtuous than your current barely clinging to life?”

Yu Qingwu heard this: “What exactly are you trying to say?”

Wu Qingchuan looked at him quietly. “Yu Qingwu, don’t pretend to be virtuous.”

“You and I are no different.”

Yu Qingwu laughed once, carefully scrutinized him for a long while, then shook his head: “In the past, I walked a path, and with Grand Secretary it was divergent roads. I couldn’t say who was right or wrong.”

“But now Grand Secretary’s hands are covered in fresh blood. The path I walk is clear, and with Grand Secretary it is clearly distinct. As for right and wrong, in decades, hundreds of years, even thousands of years… posterity will see at a glance who between us is right and wrong.”

He never felt that not dying in remonstrance was wrong.

He said: “I know what I’m doing.”

Wu Qingchuan sneered: “After you know more, I hope you can still say these words.”

He said meaningfully: “You married the young lady from Duke Zhenguo’s residence. Now thinking about it, there’s actually some fate there.”

[Author’s Note]

There are two more major plot points and one emotional development before the main text concludes ^O^

However, there are quite a few extras for this book, because I want to write about the past life and about Yu Qingwu in a parallel world seeing Shanjun’s notebook—a story of fate, hehe.

But don’t worry, my extras are generally updated in ten-thousand-character installments, and each small arc finishes in just a few chapters at most.