After Rebirth, My Wife Turned Out to Be Myself - Chapter 60

“Commander Zhou!”

Just as Zhou Ning was about to leave, Li Mingxin chased after her.

“Official Li.”

“Commander Zhou, I haven’t seen you much in the palace lately,” Li Mingxin said with a smile, though a hint of strain showed at the corners of her mouth.

Was she deliberately avoiding her?

Li Mingxin didn’t know.

But if it wasn’t deliberate avoidance, the Imperial Palace wasn’t that big; how could they not have met for so long?

Zhou Ning explained, “Her Majesty assigned me a task, and I was out of the palace for a period.”

The matter of Her Majesty feigning illness and going to the Northern region was likely unknown to Li Mingxin.

Li Mingxin was startled. “So that’s it.” Suddenly, she thought of something and waved her hands repeatedly. “I, I didn’t mean to pry into Commander Zhou’s whereabouts.”

“Are you heading back to your manor now?” Zhou Ning asked directly.

“No, I need to go to the Ministry of Works…”

“Then let’s go.”

Li Mingxin: ?

Watching Zhou Ning walk ahead, Li Mingxin hurried to catch up. “Commander Zhou, are you also leaving the palace?”

“Yes. I’ll give you a ride since it’s on the way.”

“Has the task Her Majesty assigned you outside the palace already finished?”

“It’s finished.”

“Commander Zhou has been away for quite some time. Where did you go?” Li Mingxin was actually puzzled. Zhou Ning was highly skilled in martial arts and the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards. She should have been by Her Majesty’s side, protecting Her Majesty’s safety.

Why was she sent out when Her Majesty was seriously ill?

“To the Northern region, to inspect the results of the Ministry of Works’ efforts during this period.”

Li Mingxin truly hadn’t expected that Zhou Ning’s assignment outside the palace was related to her.

Zhou Ning turned her head to look at her. “The Ministry of Works did very well, Official Li’s contribution is indispensable. Once Her Majesty recovers, you will surely be greatly rewarded. Perhaps by the second half of the year, you should be addressed as Minister.”

Li Mingxin’s breath hitched. She said, “Commander Zhou exaggerates. The Ministry of Works merely acted according to Her Majesty’s instructions… Commander Zhou, could you elaborate on the results you inspected?”

Li Mingxin had been to the Northern region for disaster relief and had seen some of the local conditions. But she hadn’t personally witnessed how the roads were built, the extent of agricultural technology popularization, and other aspects.

She had only gathered people and formulated plans from behind the scenes. The results… she hadn’t even seen them herself.

“Let’s talk as we walk.”

Li Mingxin was happy that Zhou Ning was willing to talk to her and immediately quickened her pace to follow. “Yes!”

Sitting in the carriage leaving the palace, Li Mingxin listened to Zhou Ning’s experiences along the way, finding them all quite surprising.

“…I even encountered the Winter Flower Fest there.”

“The Winter Flower Fest! I know about it!” Li Mingxin interjected with a smile. “When I went to the Northern region for disaster relief, I heard the local people talk about it. Although the Winter Flower Fest is not a festival in the Da Yue’s laws, it is a local custom of the Northern people. They believe that the Snow Plum Blossoms blooming in winter are a blessing from the Flower God and a medium through which the Flower God bestows blessings.”

“…Mm.” Zhou Ning hadn’t expected that Li Mingxin already knew most of it without her saying anything.

Indeed, literati loved such elegant things.

“Then have you seen Snow Plum Blossoms?” Zhou Ning suddenly asked.

“No.” Li Mingxin smiled. “When I went to the Northern region for disaster relief, let alone winter, autumn hadn’t even arrived yet.” So she hadn’t been to the Winter Flower Fest and hadn’t seen the Snow Plum Blossoms that only bloomed in the Northern region in winter.

“I heard Snow Plum Blossoms are very beautiful.”

“I’ve seen them.”

Li Mingxin stiffened, feeling a bit depressed. “Commander Zhou has been talking for so long, and it turns out you just wanted to show off to your subordinate.”

Zhou Ning curved her lips. “Not entirely.”

Li Mingxin: ?

“I brought Snow Plum Blossoms back from the Northern region,” Zhou Ning said.

Li Mingxin’s eyes lit up.

“But unfortunately, they’re not very vibrant anymore,” Zhou Ning said, taking out the somewhat wilted Snow Plum Blossom from her wide sleeve.

The petals of the Snow Plum Blossom were already drooping, no longer tightly pressed together, and there was a faint layer of yellowing around the edges of the petals.

Li Mingxin looked at the wilted Snow Plum Blossom before her, seemingly able to imagine what it looked like at its most beautiful.

Although called Snow Plum Blossom, it was clearly a different variety from the winter plum blossoms in the south.

Compared to southern plums, they were larger, with pure white petals and bright red stamens. When it snowed, they would blend with the snowscape, only the tiny red stamens visible amidst the vast expanse of white.

Like specks of affection in the cold winter, completely laid bare and presented before one’s eyes.

Snow Plum, in the Northern region, represented heartfelt feelings.

“Commander Zhou, did you bring it back to give to someone?” Li Mingxin asked softly, unable to deny a hint of bitterness in her heart. “It’s such a pity, it’s about to wither.”

“It’s not very polite to give someone a withered flower.” Zhou Ning nodded calmly. “So I want to ask Official Li for a favor.”

Li Mingxin said, “Commander, please speak.”

“I’ve heard that Official Li’s painting skills are exceptional. I’d like to ask Official Li to help me paint this Snow Plum Blossom, naturally, in its vibrant state.”

Li Mingxin instinctively wanted to refuse. “…Regarding painting skills, there are many in the capital better than me, such as Minister Xie, for example… many others. Why would the Commander seek me out?”

She harbored romantic feelings for Zhou Ning, yet she was asked to paint a flower for her to give to someone else?

Li Mingxin lowered her head, unsure of her feelings.

Blame Zhou Ning?

But what had Zhou Ning done wrong?

“I am more familiar with Official Li. Elder Brother Xie is busy with countless matters, it’s not easy to ask him. As for others… I’m not familiar with them, and I don’t want to seek them out.”

Hearing her say this, Li Mingxin felt even more helpless.

“Since Commander Zhou thinks highly of me, I won’t refuse. However, if I am to paint this flower for the Commander, the Commander should also tell me who this painting is to be given to, right?”

“I’ll tell you after it’s painted. This flower, I’ll lend it to Official Li for reference.” With that, Zhou Ning handed over the flower.

Li Mingxin carefully took it, looking at the nearly withered flower, her heart filled with melancholy.

“Does Official seem troubled? Is this painting difficult to paint?”

Li Mingxin shook her head and quickly smiled, saying, “The Commander is mistaken, there’s no trouble. The Commander has helped me a lot before, and it’s time for me to repay that kindness.”

Zhou Ning watched her with her arms crossed, seemingly not noticing anything amiss, nodded, and closed her eyes.

“Commander?”

“I’m a bit tired. I rushed back to the capital and haven’t slept for two nights.”

Li Mingxin immediately said, “Then take a nap in the carriage for a while.”

“…Mm.” After responding, she fell completely silent.

Li Mingxin looked at the flower in her hand, feeling a bit depressed. She knew that the Commander was likely rushing back to the capital under Her Majesty’s orders, but it wasn’t impossible that it was to deliver this flower to someone before its blooming period ended.

Was Commander Zhou eager to return for someone?

Li Mingxin tightened her grip on the flower stem and stopped talking.

But when she looked up and noticed the steady breathing of the person beside her, the romantic feelings in her heart suddenly grew like wild vines, sprouting branches uncontrollably, even she couldn’t control them.

Just then, the person beside her suddenly shifted—

Li Mingxin felt a weight on her shoulder.

Turning her head, she saw that Zhou Ning had leaned her head on her shoulder.

Li Mingxin: !

Facing the person so close, Li Mingxin couldn’t help but lift her shoulder slightly. She wasn’t as tall as Commander Zhou, so it probably wouldn’t be very comfortable for her to sleep.

So Li Mingxin straightened her body, hoping she could rest more comfortably.

Speaking of which, it reminded her of a few months ago.

At that time, due to the busy affairs of the Ministry of Works, she was also exhausted. Her Majesty sent Commander Zhou to escort her out of the palace, and she had slept on Commander Zhou’s shoulder the whole way.

When she woke up, she was naturally terrified.

But Commander Zhou hadn’t blamed her.

It was because of this that the two became acquainted.

Now, it was the other way around.

Li Mingxin’s state of mind suddenly became much calmer.

She was one of the few people Commander Zhou could sleep beside without any guard.

It was a good thing that Commander Zhou had someone she liked. When she got married in the future, she, a colleague with a decent relationship, should be able to offer blessings with a smile, right?

Yes, probably.

At the same time, Her Majesty’s imperial decree arrived at the Censorate Office.

“I didn’t expect to trouble Minister Xie to personally come and receive this official.” Xu Ping, dressed in plain clothes, looked haggard and aged, clearly not having had a pleasant time in the Censorate Office.

Indeed, anyone who stayed in a dreadful place like the Censorate Office for several months, facing interrogations from different people from time to time, would be exhausted no matter how energetic they were.

Moreover, he had lost two sons.

Thinking of this, Xu Ping’s gaze towards Xie Yunyu outside the cell had turned sinister.

The Xie family, the Emperor…

Xie Yunyu remained unmoved, watching the jailer open the cell door and release Xu Ping. He presented the imperial decree and said calmly, “Congratulations, Prime Minister, on being reinstated to your original post.”

Xu Ping took the imperial decree and stood up, meeting Xie Yunyu’s gaze. “This official should also congratulate Minister Xie, rising all the way from Vice Minister to Minister.”

“This subordinate is humbled.” Although he said he was humbled, there was no such expression on Xie Yunyu’s face. He said flatly, “Her Majesty is seriously ill. It is truly excellent that Prime Minister Xu has returned to court at this time to stabilize the government.”

Excellent? What’s excellent about it?

Did he think he didn’t know while he was in the Censorate Office? His authority as Prime Minister was now almost entirely in Xie Yunyu’s hands. If he rashly intervened in court affairs, how many people would still listen to him? Even if they listened, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t be feigning compliance!

Xu Ping was very clear in his heart.

Although the current Xie Yunyu was one rank below him, in terms of actual power, he was inferior to this young man.

As Prime Minister, he admired Xie Yunyu, but such a young man bore the surname Xie.

The Xie family had caused the death of his two sons, leaving his Xu family without heirs. This was a death feud that could not be resolved.

But Xu Ping was not in a hurry. He would take his time to exact this revenge.

Walking past Xie Yunyu, Xu Ping only said in a low voice, “Minister Xie, this time, I won.”

These words were nonsensical.

But Xie Yunyu understood his meaning.

Keeping Xu Ping locked up in the Censorate Office for so long was Her Majesty’s intention. But in the end, Her Majesty had no choice but to release Xu Ping, so Her Majesty had made a misstep.

Xu Ping had been imprisoned and investigated for so long. Besides raising assassins, they hadn’t found anything else, but Xu Ping was cunning and experienced. Even if they could confirm he had done other things, the evidence was incomplete.

Without enough evidence to convict him, he could only be released.

“If I were the Prime Minister, I would protect my two sons, even if it meant sacrificing myself,” Xie Yunyu replied unhurriedly.

Xu Ping’s eyes were about to split. “How dare you mention my sons!”

“See, you haven’t necessarily won either,” Xie Yunyu said calmly, spreading his hands.

Xu Ping gritted his teeth, flung his sleeve heavily, and walked out.

“Sir, shall we…?”

“Return to the manor,” Xie Yunyu said.

Leaving the dungeon of the Censorate Office, the sky looked ominous.

A storm was brewing.

And Her Majesty was probably returning soon.

Xie Yunyu looked up at the sky and sighed softly.

In his view, Xu Ping was already at the end of his rope.

Even if Her Majesty couldn’t convict Xu Ping or execute him now, many of Xu Ping’s forces were already under strict surveillance. If he made any rash moves, he would surely face a thunderous strike.

Even if Xu Ping was released, he no longer had the capital to stir up trouble.

Her Majesty hadn’t told him more.

But looking at it now, the current Xu Ping seemed more like bait.

What kind of fish was Her Majesty trying to catch?