Those dwelling in prosperity will yearn for simplicity, while those living simply dream of entering prosperity—this is the duality of human nature. After consulting with Empress Zhangsun, Li Er stubbornly concluded that Yun Ye was having a nervous breakdown. His tantrum had no reasoning whatsoever—he had lived too many good days and needed to be disciplined.
The prosperity of the Lantern Festival gradually faded, and everything returned to normal. At least now no one mentioned the Western Expedition Army anymore, nor did anyone bring up that massacre that occurred in the desert. Yun Ye’s position was not reduced, and Du Ruhui’s retirement petition was also rejected. So Old Du remained Grand Master for Splendid Happiness and Minister of War, and Yun Ye was also Minister of War. However, the one actually managing the operations of the Ministry of War was Right Vice Minister Du Zhenglun.
General Li Jing returned and experienced the same process as Yun Ye, after which the title of Minister of War was also hung upon him. Others who simultaneously held the title of Minister of War included Zhang Jian, Qibi, and Niu Jinda. Cheng Yaojin, who was returning victorious from Dafei River, also received the title of Minister of War. For a time, Ministers of War flooded everywhere like a disaster.
Anything becomes worthless once it becomes abundant—take potatoes, for example. When they were scarce, Li Er practically wanted to store them in golden jars. Now that they were plentiful, many families used potatoes to feed pigs.
Now, as long as one was a great general who had fought bloody battles on horseback, the title of Minister of War would be hung on their head. Li Er was plainly and clearly telling Yun Ye that he had many candidates for Minister of War—he didn’t necessarily need to employ a hot-tempered general like Yun Ye.
Those who achieve success at a young age will always be somewhat arrogant and wild, like Huo Qubing who killed Li Guang’s son on the spot, or like Hou Junji among the older generation of great generals not long ago—they were all this type of person.
Blinded by the prosperity before their eyes, they could no longer distinguish what they could accomplish in this world, and they lacked an accurate positioning of themselves.
Yun Ye had not lost his way; he had merely lost the patience to deal with the court’s mutual deception and intrigue. Once the mask worn for so many years was removed, the entire person became an anomaly in the court—despised by chickens and disliked by dogs.
Blunt truths were the most unwelcome, especially that speech about Zhang Xingcheng spoken in front of everyone. The one whose face was torn off was definitely not just Zhang Xingcheng alone.
Since the Yun Family could not be used as an object of exploitation, everyone would consciously avoid them. Officials were originally a complete group. Since the Yun Family wanted to jump outside the three realms, they shouldn’t blame others for giving them the cold shoulder.
At that time in the palace, whether Yun Ye chose to counterattack or to accept adversity submissively, either would have been a normal response. No one cared about Zhang Xingcheng’s fate—even if he had been killed, everyone would have laughed it off upon meeting. This was perfectly normal in power struggles. What truly concerned everyone was that Yun Ye had spoken the truth at that moment.
Officials throughout the world wore various masks, playing gleefully at the Great Tang’s enormous masquerade ball. You seduce my wife, I entice your sister—complementing each other perfectly. Suddenly, someone removed their mask, revealed their true face, and refused to play anymore. This person’s only fate was to be expelled.
Li Gang was laughing so hard he couldn’t straighten his waist. If not for Xiao Wu vigorously helping the old gentleman pat his back, he might have laughed himself to death.
“I said this kid couldn’t pretend for long. He looks full of schemes, but in the entire court, he’s the most foolish. He simply can’t be a good person—he can’t harden his heart, can’t kill people. Being formidable outside is useless—when he returns home, doesn’t he still get criticized by others? He happens to be proud, so it’s best for him to stay at the academy teaching.”
“Teacher, my master wouldn’t be so frivolous. There must be deep meaning in this. When a general with brilliant military achievements suffers such humiliation, what’s wrong with speaking some truths? You’re right—those people’s mouths can’t speak truths. Being together with some swindlers would naturally drive one mad. Better to be straightforward like this.”
Li Gang answered with a smile: “Girl, things aren’t that simple. Since ancient times, those who are the only sober ones among the drunk have never had good endings. In fact, that phrase ‘those not of our kind must have different hearts’ is most appropriate here. Such attacks have never ceased. Why would your master be an exception?”
“Because my master is the smartest person in the world!” Xiao Wu answered decisively.
“Are you certain?” Li Gang now most enjoyed arguing with young people.
“Absolutely certain, because my master has never done foolish things, except for that time when he got drunk and held Aunt Lingdang all night mistaking her for my mistress—there’s never been another time.”
Li Gang laughed heartily, kicked the panda with his foot, and the bear cart slowly started moving. Only when they reached a place with no people did he say with a smile: “Your master is indeed a fox, neither too big nor too small. This time he’s probably deceived everyone in the world. This old man must say this fellow is cunning—one can’t help but admire him. This way, the Yun Family can truly become a clan that can be passed down through generations.”
“As a military household, it’s indeed inappropriate to have too much intersection with other officials. Just look at the Duan Family. Two generations have controlled the Xuanjia Army yet never had any connection with other aristocratic families. Even when marrying off daughters, they marry into military families. Everyone says your master is invincible under heaven, that Cheng Yaojin is brave and advancing, that Li Jing has the bearing of a famous general, that Niu Jinda is warmhearted and honorable, that Li Ji is incomparably resourceful. But what about the Duan Family? It seems everyone has forgotten this household, and also seems to have forgotten the existence of the Xuanjia Army.”
“Girl, sharks submerged in deep water are the true great sharks. Now your master feels he’s been exposed too much and also plans to submerge. With this submersion, he’ll probably stay underwater until the new emperor ascends the throne before surfacing to show his head once.”
“Being ruthless to others—what kind of ruthlessness is that? Being ruthless to oneself is true ruthlessness. Your master’s move has completely buried himself in the earth. There are truly few people with such vision.”
Xiao Wu smiled radiantly, embraced the old man, and bumped her forehead against his wrinkled brow. Driving the panda, she charged toward the Lost Forest in a cloud of dust. Today was the day for distributing poisonous insects. She loved those deep-fried centipedes most—she could eat them endlessly without tiring of them.
The entire Yun Family, young and old, went out to Jade Mountain to catch rabbits. This was a very interesting outdoor activity. Except for Xinyue, who didn’t particularly enjoy it, everyone else in the Yun Family had long been enchanted by such outdoor activities.
Xiao Miao had long changed her maiden’s hairstyle to the married woman’s drooping horse bun. Wearing a red cloak, she rode her warhorse galloping through the mountain valley. While others set traps for rabbits, only she chased them on horseback. Once a rabbit appeared in her field of vision, it had absolutely no chance to run.
An enormous lammergeier stood on Yun Ye’s shoulder, pressing down so heavily that Yun Ye couldn’t straighten his waist. This was one of the two lammergeiers brought back from the Kunlun Mountains. Its full eighty-pound weight pressed entirely on Yun Ye’s shoulder, and it couldn’t be driven away.
The lammergeier didn’t catch rabbits—rabbits were too small for it, making deployment once not worthwhile. The other lammergeier overhead suddenly issued a loud eagle cry. The one resting on Yun Ye’s shoulder fiercely stomped his shoulder, shot out, and only then spread its massive wings to flap them. In an instant, violent winds arose. Yun Ye was nearly kicked off Wang Cai’s back by the eagle. The brothers quickly ran away, only to discover this lammergeier had already shot up to mid-air.
They didn’t go to the back mountain of Jade Mountain—that place was full of traps. Only ghosts knew what one might encounter in the mountains. Li Tai had led people digging in the back mountain for more than ten years. They only saw living people enter; rarely did they see living people come out. Those digging tunnels in Jade Mountain were all prisoners of war. They never hired common people from Lantian County to enter the back mountain. Now the local people also knew those places couldn’t be casually entered. Once one mistakenly entered, there was no opportunity to come out. More than one or two shepherd boys had disappeared there.
A sheep fell from the sky and crashed before Yun Ye. The two eagles circled around Yun Ye as if claiming credit.
Yun Ye didn’t eat sheep smashed into pulp, so the two eagles descended and squatted around the sheep, pecking bite by bite at their delicacy.
Xiao Miao’s horse neck was covered with pheasants and wild rabbits. Na Rimu’s horse neck also hung several pheasants. Only Lingdang’s horse had nothing. As for Xinyue, she never rode horses at all.
“Shou’er took his younger siblings to the other side of the mountain. Husband, you don’t even care. I heard there are wolves there!”
“It doesn’t matter. Shou’er and Mu’er’s martial arts skills can handle a few wolves without difficulty. Hasn’t Wu She gone to the cabin there these days? The children are probably going to see Eunuch Wu She.”
At this moment, Yun Ye had completely lost the vexation from previous days. His entire person from top to bottom radiated vitality. Once the shackles were gone, he felt so light he could fly.
Xinyue squatted by the spring’s source preparing tea. Husband and wife sat under the bright sun discussing domestic matters.
“The heaven-reaching spring in Longxi still hasn’t stopped. I don’t know when it will finish gushing. A small lake has already appeared there. The people Manager Qian sent have guarded there for three years. Husband, tell me—our family exchanging an island for a mountain valley, is it worth it or not?”
Xinyue felt somewhat uncomfortable in her heart whenever she thought of this matter.
“Stop being foolish. That place is where the Yun Family will make its fortune. Do you say it’s important or not? I came from there. There are many mysteries that need to be unraveled from that place. Wu She seems to have discovered something again these days, which is why he moved alone to live in the valley. I’ll tell you another secret—that valley has a very large copper mine. Our family will sooner or later make a windfall.”
Hearing Yun Ye’s explanation, Xinyue immediately smiled. She wanted to say something, but seeing Na Rimu and the others laughing and running over, she immediately closed her mouth. She thought it was better not to tell those three about the Yun Family’s foundation.
“Ha! Xiao Miao caught the most. Husband, we made a bet—whoever catches the most game is where you’ll sleep tonight. Tsk tsk, look how hard Xiao Miao worked.” Na Rimu said to Yun Ye in an exaggerated tone.
These words shouldn’t be said. Once said, Xinyue would become angry. Except for those three, she showed a smiling face to everyone. Only when facing those three would she unleash her authority as the household manager. Her large almond-shaped eyes widened, and Na Rimu whooshed behind Yun Ye’s back and said nothing more.