After Rebirth, My Wife Turned Out to Be Myself - Chapter 44

After Prime Minister Xu was imprisoned, the atmosphere in the imperial court shifted slightly.

The faction once led by Xu Ping seemed to have completely fallen silent.

Most of these civil officials kept their eyes down, fearing that after Prime Minister Xu’s downfall, they would be next.

But there were also those, like the Minister of Rites, who believed that since Prime Minister Xu hadn’t been sentenced to death, he wasn’t completely defeated.

And some worried that with the Xu family gone, the Xie family would become too dominant, which might not be a good thing either.

However, Xie Wan did not respond to anyone’s speculations.

Her focus began to shift towards the development of the North—

First, build roads.

Li Mingxin, the Vice Minister of Works, and Xie Yunyu, the Vice Minister of Revenue, were still frequent visitors to the Imperial Study.

Without the Xu family, Xie Wan’s orders were executed faster, and the road construction project was quickly put on the agenda.

Xie Wan was still tired from being Emperor.

But it was much better than when she first arrived.

Just as Xiao Anyu had said, she now had many capable people around her.

She could finally catch her breath.

But only just.

“Your Majesty, a military report has arrived from the North. The Northern tribes have repeatedly encroached upon the northern border, and several looting incidents have occurred. According to investigations, the Northern tribes have assembled troops and likely intend to further probe our Da Yue’s northern border. General Xie has already erected defenses and is preparing to confront the Northern tribes’ army,” the Minister of War called out.

“These Northern rascals, do they want war?!”

“But the Northern tribes are fierce warriors. If war truly breaks out, it would not be good for Da Yue.” The North had just suffered a disaster, and the people’s production and lives had not yet recovered. If war broke out at this time…

Moreover, the national treasury had spent a considerable amount of silver on disaster relief. If war truly started, logistics and military supplies would likely not keep up.

“But the Northern tribes’ repeated probing is probably because they know the North of Da Yue has suffered a disaster and want to bite off a piece of flesh while Da Yue is weak!

“Fortunately, Your Majesty had foresight and arranged for General Xie to go to the North early.”

“Exactly. Young General Xie also brought a considerable force with him this time. He will surely catch the Northern tribes off guard!”

Xie Wan gently closed her eyes, her mind clear about the situation.

The Northern tribes would never dare to truly invade.

Although the Northern tribes had vast territory, they were sparsely populated and lacked resources. While their army was fierce and their equipment relatively good, their logistics were unsustainable.

At least at this time, the Northern tribes would never dare to truly fight Da Yue. The disparity in military strength was too great, and Da Yue was not yet at the end of its rope.

This time, with Da Yue suffering a disaster, the Northern tribes assembling troops was simple: they wanted to gnaw on a piece of fat.

They seemed to have calculated that the court was busy with disaster relief and had no time to spare for the border cities.

But the Northern tribes’ ambition this time was destined to fail. She had already sent Xie Yunliang to guard the northern border.

The territory of Da Yue would not tolerate even a sliver of covetousness from those rascals!

“Minister Zhou, military reports from the North are to be presented immediately. If there is any delay that causes a missed opportunity, I will hold you accountable!”

“Yes!”

After the court session, Xie Wan sat in the Imperial Study as usual, summoning Xie Yunyu and Li Mingxin to hear the progress of the road construction in the North.

Li Mingxin reported the progress word by word. Xie Wan listened for a while, then stopped her from speaking.

Nothing else, Li Mingxin’s complexion seemed abnormal.

“Minister Li, how many days have you gone without sleep?”

This Li Mingxin, though seemingly delicate, had strong resilience.

The Ministry of Works was originally a leisurely place, but due to Her Majesty’s series of policies, it was now the busiest.

But despite being so busy that she hadn’t slept for days, Li Mingxin hadn’t asked for leave.

Li Mingxin paused, then slowly said, “Your Majesty, I am fine.”

Xie Wan shook her head. She stood up and stretched. “That’s enough for today. I’ll go to the Martial Arts Ground for a while later. You two should also return to your residences.”

“There’s a saying that goes, work and rest go hand in hand. Both of you must take care of your health. If you fall ill from overwork, it would be a loss for me.”

Li Mingxin nodded. “Yes… This humble minister takes her leave.”

Xie Yunyu also said, “Minister Li, please rest well after returning home.”

Li Mingxin nodded. “Minister Xie, rest assured, I understand.”

She walked out unsteadily.

She happened to pass Zhou Ning, who was coming towards the Imperial Study.

She didn’t see her?

Zhou Ning looked up and watched Li Mingxin’s retreating figure. She was walking towards the palace exit.

“Your Majesty, Commander Zhou has arrived,” Zhaoxia called from outside the door.

“Your Majesty, I have brought what you requested.”

Xie Wan looked at Xie Yunyu, who was still standing before her, and said to the outside, “Give the items to Zhaoxia. Commander Zhou, go escort Minister Li for me. Ensure Minister Li is safely delivered to her residence.”

Zhou Ning: ?

“…Yes.”

When Zhou Ning caught up, Li Mingxin was still walking towards the palace exit.

She patted her face, forcing herself to stay alert. This was a critical time, and Her Majesty had entrusted her with important responsibilities. How could she rest easily? It wasn’t time to rest yet.

The palace gate was in sight, but she only felt her vision darken, about to collapse—

Suddenly, a figure flashed before her eyes, and an arm quickly supported her as she was about to fall.

Li Mingxin instinctively said, “Thank you…”

“Minister Li.”

A clear female voice sounded in front of her. Li Mingxin looked up from the person’s embrace. The person in front of her was naturally not Xie Yunyu, but the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, Zhou Ning, who had appeared out of nowhere.

Li Mingxin quickly stood steady. “So it’s Commander Zhou. Thank you for lending me an arm.”

Zhou Ning looked down at her.

The female official, who already looked delicate, was now pale and haggard, clearly forcing herself to stay awake.

“No need for formalities. I am here on Her Majesty’s orders to escort you back,” Zhou Ning said. “Let’s go.”

Li Mingxin: Huh?

Seeing her not moving, Zhou Ning extended an arm. “Need help?”

Li Mingxin quickly shook her head. “No, no. But I… I can go back myself. There’s a carriage outside the palace gate…”

Zhou Ning sighed. “It’s Her Majesty’s decree.”

If she didn’t escort her, it would be disobeying an imperial decree.

“…” Li Mingxin wiped her face and smiled. “Her Majesty is truly considerate of this humble minister. I am deeply moved.”

But, having the Commander of the Imperial Guards escort her back to her residence, wasn’t that overkill?

“Let’s go.”

A quarter of an hour later.

Sitting in the carriage, Zhou Ning glanced at Li Mingxin, who was leaning against her shoulder, fast asleep.

No wonder Her Majesty sent her to escort her.

In Li Mingxin’s state, she probably wouldn’t even notice if she was kidnapped.

However…

Zhou Ning looked at her a couple more times. Her sleeping posture was quite well-behaved.

After Zhou Ning left, the area outside the Imperial Study returned to quiet.

Xie Wan sat down again, raising her eyes to look at him. “Minister Xie, do you have something else to say?”

Xie Yunyu said, “Your Majesty, regarding the Northern tribes’ incursions, this minister believes we should send more troops and deliver a decisive blow to the Northern tribes. As long as we deter them, this minister guarantees they will not dare to offend us again for three years.”

“Oh? I have already sent Xie Yunliang to guard the northern border. You think that’s not enough?”

“Yes.” Xie Yunyu steeled himself and said, “This minister believes that if Lady Consort Wan could lead troops to reinforce the northern border, it would be the best strategy.”

Xie Wan stared at him. After a long pause, she smiled. “Minister Xie.”

“This minister is here.”

“You don’t think Xie Yunliang is insufficient for the northern border; you are reminding me that it’s time to let Anyu leave the palace.”

His purpose was revealed by her in one sentence, so Xie Yunyu simply admitted, “Yes.”

“Is this the intention of you, her eldest cousin, or Great General Xie?”

“Your Majesty, it is the intention of the entire Xie family.”

Xie Wan was displeased upon hearing this. “Keeping Anyu by my side makes you so anxious? I believe I have treated Anyu very well.”

Xie Yunyu remained neither humble nor arrogant. “Precisely because Your Majesty treats my sister so well, this humble minister is anxious. Your Majesty is as bright and pure as the moon, even Young Master Xu is infatuated with Your Majesty. My sister is still young, and at the age when she is first experiencing love… The Xie family does not wish for her to waste her youth like this.”

Xie Wan sneered, “Waste her youth… Minister Xie, are you blaming me for causing Xu Shengwen to send people to assassinate Consort Wan?”

Xie Yunyu sighed. “This minister would not dare. This humble minister is merely afraid that Anyu will be assassinated again, and even more afraid that she will fall in love with Your Majesty and suffer eternal damnation.”

“You are the only one who dares to say falling in love with me is eternal damnation!” Xie Wan looked at her eldest cousin with a complex expression.

Xie Yunyu knelt down on the spot. “This minister dares to ask, does Your Majesty have feelings of affection for my sister?”

Xie Wan: “…In my eyes, she is just a child.”

“Then please, Your Majesty, allow my sister to leave the palace.” Xie Yunyu kowtowed. “Anyu has the potential to be a general. I beg Your Majesty for this grace.”

Xie Wan closed her eyes. “Before you begged me, did you ask Anyu?”

Xie Yunyu stiffened.

“Your Minister Xie, your sister said she wants to be a general of Da Yue and also my consort. Even so, do you still want to forcefully send her out of the palace?”

Xie Wan’s smile seemed to carry a hint of bitterness.

Troubled, yet helpless.

Xie Yunyu hadn’t expected his words to actually come true.

“She is still young… In the future, she will surely understand that we are all doing this for her own good,” Xie Yunyu said with difficulty.

Xie Wan looked at him intently. “Minister Xie, do you truly think so?”

Those eyes seemed to see through everything, causing Xie Yunyu to fall completely silent.

“She is sixteen, not six.”

“I understand her. If I were to insist on throwing her out of the palace, revoking her consort title, and then sending her to the North, Anyu would hate me… Even if she becomes the general I rely on most in the future, she would only stand respectfully in the hall and shout ‘Long live Your Majesty’. But if I wanted to borrow her pillow again, it would be forever impossible.”

Xie Wan’s words startled Xie Yunyu.

Anyu would hate Her Majesty, but wouldn’t she also hate him, her eldest cousin?

The Xie family’s only young lady, who would still call him ‘Big Brother’ when she saw him, would never again risk great impropriety to copy rare books from the palace and secretly bring them to him, showing them off like treasures and saying, ‘Big Brother, look what this is?’

Xie Yunyu didn’t understand why Her Majesty understood Anyu better than he, her own brother, did, but hearing these words indeed made him feel a sense of dread.

“Your Majesty, is there a solution?” Xie Yunyu wiped his face.

Xie Wan raised an eyebrow. “No.”

That’s right, she didn’t.

She had simply chosen the latter between ‘making Xiao Anyu hate her’ and ‘Xiao Anyu always liking her’.

“However, Minister Xie’s suggestion is viable,” Xie Wan rubbed her chin. “Da Yue is in need of talent. There will be many opportunities to send Anyu out.”

When her little eaglet grew up, after seeing a wider sky and becoming a more mature person, perhaps she wouldn’t narrowly focus her gaze on her alone anymore.

After the brief talk in the Imperial Study, Xie Wan went to the Martial Arts Ground.

According to Doctor Xie’s instructions, she had to exercise for half an hour every day.

Martial Arts Ground.

Anyu and Xie Wan were both wearing training clothes, jogging slowly on the ground.

Anyu was naturally effortless, while Xie Wan was slightly out of breath.

In the past few days, the other Imperial Guards at the Martial Arts Ground had become accustomed to this scene.

It wasn’t strange for Lady Consort Wan to frequent the Martial Arts Ground, but for Her Majesty to come too, it had initially stunned many people.

Now everyone could keep their eyes down and pretend the two weren’t there.

Finally finished running, Xie Wan was panting, sweat already dampening some of her hair near her temples.

Anyu didn’t let her stop but pulled Xie Wan to walk slowly along the path around the Martial Arts Ground.

“The Northern tribes are invading the northern border? Big Brother’s suggestion is for me to lead troops to reinforce Second Cousin?” Anyu blinked, trying to digest what Her Majesty had just told her.

Suddenly realizing something, Anyu frowned. “Then my consort title…”

Xie Wan: “It won’t be revoked.”

“Then I’ll go!” Anyu quickly said. “When do I leave?”

“Your birthday is in a few days. Go after your birthday.” The situation in the North wasn’t that urgent.

Anyu smiled sweetly. “Okay.”

Seeing her so happy, Xie Wan felt a sense of guilt.

“You can tell me any birthday wish you have,” Xie Wan asked casually.

Anyu said without hesitation, “I want peace under heaven.”

Xie Wan: ?

“Isn’t that my birthday wish?”

Xie Anyu’s cheeks flushed slightly. “It’s mine from now on too!”

“Peace under heaven…” Xie Wan smiled. “Does that mean you don’t want a birthday gift?”

Anyu: !

“A birthday gift… I still want one,” Anyu said, fiddling with her fingers.

Xie Wan rubbed her head gently. “Okay, I understand.”

“Actually, I don’t have to have a birthday gift,” Anyu suddenly looked at her seriously. “I have a request, and I hope Your Majesty can grant it.”

Xie Wan paused, still smiling. “Tell me.”

Anyu took out a small notebook from her sleeve pocket.

“These are the combat records from the bandit suppression campaign. From the first stronghold to the last, I wrote them myself. There isn’t a single lie in them. I want to ask Your Majesty to read them. The last page is a list I wrote. These people on it… I want to request commendations for them.”

“Okay.” Xie Wan was surprised. “You wrote the combat records yourself?”

“Mm!” Anyu smiled, but as she handed the small notebook to Xie Wan, she felt a bit uneasy.

She had kept the small notebook with her all this time, but had been hesitant. She knew that if Her Majesty read this, Her Majesty would surely understand what she wanted to ask.

But…

Forget it. If she was really going to the North, then she should ask clearly before she left!