~ AT LEAST YOU STILL HAVE A GOOD WIFE ~
Upon hearing Ling Wang’s objection, the officials in the grand hall fell silent. The succession of the Crown Prince was a matter of national importance, one that could not be treated lightly. Yet the Emperor's demeanor moments ago seemed resolute, leaving the assembly uneasy. After all, the incident involving Yue Wang and Grand Princess Yi De at last night’s banquet had only just occurred. For the Emperor to rush to designate an heir today carried an air of unusual urgency.
Was this an attempt to intimidate the Li family, signaling the Emperor's displeasure with both Ling Wang and the Li family? Or did the Emperor genuinely favor Yu Wang, intending him to inherit the throne?
Ling Wang’s eyes flashed crimson with fury. He strode forward and knelt abruptly: “Imperial Father, the position of Crown Prince carries immense weight. It should be entrusted to the most virtuous and capable. Though my Second Imperial Brother excels in battle, his prowess is confined to the battlefield. He may be a great commander and a valiant general, but he is hardly suited to be Crown Prince. I implore Your Majesty to reconsider.”
Officials supporting Ling Wang knelt in unison, pleading: “Your Majesty, please reconsider.”
The Emperor regarded Ling Wang coldly: “Since you deem Yu Wang unfit, who do you propose as a suitable Crown Prince?”
“Imperial Father, the position of Crown Prince carries immense weight. It should be deliberated upon by all court ministers, who should collectively propose candidates for your final decision.” Ling Wang was tempted to propose himself directly, disregarding familial ties, but that would appear overly self-serving. To demonstrate impartiality, having the officials propose a candidate was most appropriate.
Yu Wang stepped forward: ”Imperial Father, I know I have many shortcomings and am not currently the most suitable candidate for Crown Prince. But I am willing to strive for improvement, uphold your governance principles, and lead the Dali Dynasty to greater prosperity and glory.”
“Second Imperial Brother, governing a nation is not merely a matter of words. It demands intellect, wisdom, strategy, and courage. More crucially, it requires discernment—knowing what actions to take and what to avoid—along with formidable backing. Not one of these qualities can be lacking. Second Imperial Brother, I know the Crown Prince’s position is tempting, but you must not let greed blind you to the welfare of the people of the Dali Dynasty. Remember: a corrupt general can destroy an army, but a blind ruler can destroy a nation!”
Yu Wang looked at Ling Wang. Their gazes met in midair, and for a moment, it felt as though thunder had flashed. An aura of overwhelming power emanated from both men. After a long moment, Yu Wang was the first to look away. “Imperial Father, I believe Eldest Imperial Brother speaks wisely. Perhaps we should wait a while longer and invite the officials to nominate suitable candidates for the Crown Prince position.”
The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, a glint of light flashing within them. “Very well. Since you are so eager, let the New Year be the deadline. Once the Crown Prince is decided, I can enjoy the holiday in peace.“
”Yes, Your Majesty.” Though reluctant, Ling Wang accepted this as the best solution. However, when it came to influence over the court ministers, Yu Wang was no match for him. Over the coming days, as long as he maintained his connections, securing the endorsement of over half the ministers would be as easy as taking candy from a baby.
News swiftly reached the inner Palace. Mu Yunyao set the food box on the table, propping her forehead with one hand as she waited for Yue Wang’s return. Having slept poorly the night before, the Palace's stillness now made drowsiness steadily creep over her.
A quarter of an hour later, Yue Wang entered the chamber with a calm expression. Spotting the figure by the table, he abruptly halted.
Mu Yunyao’s hand rested on her cheek, butterfly-like eyelids softly lowered. Sunlight spilled down, seeming to diffuse into a rainbow of hues. A faint blush graced her delicate cheeks, rendered almost translucent in the light, tempting one to reach out and touch her.
Yue Wang softened his steps, slowly approaching to sit beside Mu Yunyao. He gently cupped her forehead, guiding her to rest her head against his shoulder.
Mu Yunyao stirred, drowsy. “Fourth Master?”
“Why did you come so early?”
“I prepared breakfast. I thought you might not have eaten before court, so I brought some over.”
“Yao’er, if I achieve nothing in life, would you regret being with me?”
Mu Yunyao blinked, counting on her fingers: “I remember when we first met, Your Royal Highness was gravely wounded, looking utterly wretched—no different from a vagrant. Yet I still kindly helped you. When we met again, you actually held a sword to my throat. Yet I still didn’t hold it against you. I even gave you a third of Ni Yun Fang’s profits—nearly thirty thousand taels of silver in total. That must have helped the Fourth Master through some severe hardship, right?“
”Yes, those thirty thousand taels were a tremendous help.”
Mu Yunyao nodded and pressed her second finger. “Later, learning how harsh and cold Western Guangdong was, where many couldn’t even eat their fill, I had Manager Qin arrange for ginger tea shipments there. That cost me a fortune, yet I never asked you to reimburse me.”
“Without that ginger tea shipment, countless people would have starved to death that winter in Western Guangdong.” He had been striving to develop the region, but even the most skilled cook cannot work miracles without ingredients. Western Guangdong’s foundations were too weak, and with him secretly building his own power base, the silver he earned couldn’t keep pace with the expenditures.
Mu Yunyao pressed her finger down further: “See? Then there was the salt tax case. I helped you rake in a fortune from that. Add in the profits from Bu Xian Lou, plus the silver I lent you later—I’d need more than ten fingers to count it all.”
Yue Wang gazed at her clenched fists, then gently cupped them in his own palm. “Hearing you speak like this, Yao’er, it feels as though I’ve been utterly useless from the start.”
Mu Yunyao shook her head, her eyes sincere as she looked at Yue Wang. Fourth Master endured the harsh cold of Western Guangdong for all these years without complaint, preserving his pure and innocent heart. He sought opportunities to build his own strength, and later, he helped me time and again. I remember it all. Without the Fourth Master, Ni Yun Fang and Bu Xian Lou wouldn’t have prospered so smoothly. In truth, I owe everything I am today to Fourth Master.”
Her gaze was clear and pure, radiating such trust and warmth that it could melt even the hardest ice.
Yue Wang felt his heart burn: “Yao’er, I care not for others’ opinions. I only refuse to disappoint you.”
“Fourth Master has never disappointed me. I listed those things earlier only to show you my capabilities. If you, Fourth Master, can’t even become a prince in the future, you can always rely on me to support you. In just these past few months, Ni Yun Fang has earned enough silver to last us over a decade. There’s absolutely no need to worry.“
Yue Wang couldn’t help but laugh aloud: ”Fine. If I end up accomplishing nothing in the future, I’ll come rely on you for support.”
“Hmm, but Your Royal Highness needn’t worry too much. You won’t amount to anything. At the very least, when others speak of you, they'll say you have good taste—that you found yourself a goodwife..”
Yue Wang couldn’t help but laugh aloud, lowering his head to kiss her forehead lightly. “Indeed. All the luck I had in this life was spent finding a wife.”
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