~ At Least You Found a Good Wife ~
Hearing Ling Wang voice his opposition, the officials in the grand hall fell silent immediately. Choosing a Crown Prince was a matter that affected the entire realm, so no one dared take it lightly. Yet judging from His Majesty’s earlier demeanor, it seemed he had already made up his mind, which made everyone uneasy. Just last night, there had been an incident at the banquet targeting Yue Wang and Grand Princess Yide, and now, today, His Majesty was rushing to name the Crown Prince. No matter how you looked at it, something about the situation felt off.
Was he trying to intimidate the Li family by such means, to show his displeasure with Ling Wang and the Li family? Or did His Majesty truly favor Yu Wang, intending to place him to become the next Emperor?
Ling Wang was so furious that his eyes reddened. He took two steps forward and knelt down. “Imperial Father, in your son’s humble view, the position of Crown Prince is of extreme importance and should be entrusted to the most virtuous and capable person. Second Imperial Brother may be valiant and skilled in battle, but his strengths are limited to the battlefield. He may serve as a commander and as a fine general, yet it will be difficult for him to become an outstanding Crown Prince. I beg Imperial Father to reconsider.”
The officials who supported Ling Wang immediately knelt down as well. “We beg Your Majesty to reconsider.”
The Emperor looked at Ling Wang with a cold expression. “Since you believe Yu Wang is unfit, then who do you think can assume the position of Crown Prince?”
“Imperial Father, this is a serious matter. It should be discussed jointly by the court ministers, so they can recommend a candidate, and then you can make the final decision.” Ling Wang dearly wished to put himself forward—worthy men should not avoid recommending their own kin, after all—but doing so would look far too selfish. To display fairness, it was better to let the officials make the nomination.
Yu Wang stepped forward. “Imperial Father, your son knows he has many shortcomings. I am indeed not the best choice for Crown Prince at present, but I am willing to work hard and improve myself, to uphold Imperial Father’s principles of governance, and to lead the Dali Dynasty become even more prosperous.”
“Second Imperial Brother,” Ling Wang said, “Governing a country isn’t something you can accomplish with words alone. It requires intellect, wisdom, stratagem, courage—more importantly, the ability to see the situation clearly, to know what should be done and what must never be done. And it requires powerful backing. Not one of these can be missing. Second Imperial Brother, I understandthat the Crown Prince’s seat is tempting. But you cannot, out of greed, disregard the people of the Dali Dynasty. Remember this: an incompetent marshal may ruin an army; an unwise sovereign will ruin a nation!”
Yu Wang looked at Ling Wang. Their gazes met in midair, and for an instant, it was as though thunder flashed between them. The bearing on both men was pressing, sharp enough to cut. After a long moment, Yu Wang was the first to look away. “Imperial Father, I believe Elder Imperial Brother speaks with reason. Perhaps we should wait for a while longer and have the hundred officials recommend a suitable candidate for the position of Crown Prince.”
The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, a glint of light passing through them. “Very well. Since you are determined, set the deadline as the year’s end. Decide the Crown Prince by then, so I can pass the New Year in peace.”
“Yes.” Ling Wang was unwilling, but this was already the best path. Besides, when it came to controlling the court ministers, Yu Wang could not possibly compare with him. In the coming period, so long as he maintained his connections, securing the recommendation of more than half the officials would be as easy as taking something from his own pocket.
The news swiftly reached the rear palace. Mu Yunyao set the food box on the table, propping her forehead with one hand as she waited for Yue Wang to return. She had slept poorly the previous night, and now, with the palace so quiet, drowsiness came in waves.
A quarter of an hour later, Yue Wang walked into the hall, looking calm and distant. As soon as he saw the person by the table, he paused.
Mu Yunyao leaned her cheek on her hand, her lashes lowered like butterfly wings. Sunlight shone on her, as though casting a faint halo of iridescent color. A soft flush tinged her delicate cheeks. In the light, her skin seemed nearly translucent, making one want, involuntarily, to reach out and touch her.
Mu Yunyao leaned her cheek on her hand, her eyelashes lowered. Sunlight shone on her, giving her a gentle glow. A light blush colored her cheeks, and in the sunlight, her skin looked almost see-through, making her seem especially delicate.
Yue Wang softened his steps, moved to her side, and sat down. Then he lifted a hand to support her forehead and gently guided her to lean against his shoulder.
Mu Yunyao woke in a haze. “Fourth Master?”
“Why did you come so early?” he asked.
“I made breakfast. I thought you probably hadn’t eaten anything before attending court, so I brought some for you.”
“Yao’er… if I amount to nothing, will you regret being with me?”
Mu Yunyao blinked and started counting on her fingers. “I remember the first time I met Fourth Master, you were badly wounded and looked terribly rough—almost no different from a beggar—yet I still kindly helped you. When we met again, you put a sword to my throat, but I didn’t hold it against you. I even gave you thirty percent of Ni Yun Fang’s profits and sent you nearly thirty thousand taels of silver. That should’ve resolved a great many of Fourth Master’s difficulties, shouldn’t it?”
“It did,” he said. “Those thirty thousand taels helped immensely.”
Mu Yunyao nodded and pressed down her second finger. “After that, I learned Yuexi was bitterly cold and harsh, and many people didn’t even have enough to eat. I had Steward Qin help transport ginger tea over there. That cost me no small fortune, you know—and I never asked you to pay me back.”
“If not for that shipment of ginger tea, many would have starved to death that winter in Yuexi.” He had been doing everything he could to develop Yuexi, but even the cleverest cook could not prepare a meal without rice. Yuexi’s foundations were far too poor, and on top of that, he was secretly cultivating his own forces. The silver he managed to earn was simply not enough to supply his needs.
Mu Yunyao went on, pressing down another finger. “And then there was the salt tax case—I helped you make a fortune in one stroke. With the income from Bu Xian Lou, and the silver I lent you afterward… I can barely finish counting on ten fingers.”
Yue Wang looked at her clenched hands, then reached out to gather them and hold them in his palm. “Hearing you say it like this, it sounds as though I’ve been useless from the very beginning.”
Mu Yunyao shook her head, meeting his gaze with earnest sincerity. “Fourth Master endured the harsh cold of Yuexi for so many years without a single complaint, kept your honest heart, and always looked for chances to improve things. You worked hard to build something you could count on. Afterward, you helped me many times. I remember it all. Without you, Ni Yun Fang and Bu Xian Lou would never have gone so smoothly. One could even say… I’ve been able to reach where I am today entirely because of Fourth Master.”
Her eyes were clear, full of trust and warmth, enough to melt even the coldest heart.
Yue Wang only felt his heart grow hot. “Yao’er, I don’t care what others think. I simply don’t want you to be disappointed.”
“Fourth Master has never made me feel disappointed.” Mu Yunyao’s voice was gentle. “I listed all those things just now to let Fourth Master see what I’m capable of. If in the future you can’t even manage to remain a prince, you can simply let me support you. In just these few short months, the silver Ni Yun Fang has earned is enough for us to live on for more than a dozen years. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Yue Wang couldn’t help laughing. “Very well. If I end up accomplishing nothing in the future, I’ll come rely on you for support.”
“Mm.” Mu Yunyao nodded. “But Fourth Master needn’t worry too much. You won’t amount to anything. At the very least, when people speak of you, they’ll say you had good taste—you found a good wife.”
Yue Wang laughed aloud, then lowered his head and kissed her forehead lightly. “Yes. All the luck I have in this lifetime… I used it to find a wife.”
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