My Husband Became the Most Powerful Minister - Chapter 15
Although Helan Ci was eager to learn, it was absolutely not in such a public setting. She immediately declined, saying, “No need to trouble you, I’ll just watch from the side.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she found an inconspicuous corner to sit.
Though it was said to be inconspicuous, as soon as Helan Ci sat down, that spot instantly became as bright as if seven or eight lanterns had been lit. It was incredibly eye-catching, even more so than the noble ladies and princesses of higher status who were openly showing their faces. Helan Ci couldn’t hide her presence and could only try to maintain a calm expression.
Chu Lan asked again, “…Are you really not going?”
Previously, Chu Lan had misunderstood her, and now she probably wanted to make amends.
Helan Ci understood and nodded, softly saying, “Miss Chu can go, no need to mind me.”
After hesitating for a while, Chu Lan finally left.
But her cheeks were slightly flushed when she left, which puzzled Helan Ci for a long time. It couldn’t be that she was angry with her.
While waiting for the competition to start, Helan Ci cautiously looked around and finally spotted her father among the officials from a distance.
Helan Jin was wearing a crimson robe with a rhinoceros belt, looking thin and gaunt. The official robe had a patch of embroidered peacock on the lapel. The night before, it had torn again, and it was Shuang Zhi who sewed it up. The patched-up old robe looked somewhat shabby among the high-ranking officials.
However, he stood straight.
Helan Ci unconsciously straightened her back as well.
Just as she was about to withdraw her gaze, someone beside her asked, “Ahem… Miss Helan, will you be riding a horse later?”
Helan Ci politely replied, “No need, thank you.”
“Then… I see Miss Helan is dressed lightly, this fox fur… if you don’t mind, I would like to give it to you.”
“No need, thank you.”
“Miss Helan, this is your first time at the Changyong Hunting Grounds, and I am quite familiar with this place. If you are interested, I can show you around the nearby areas.”
“No need, thank you.”
Miss Helan’s expression grew even colder, but it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the men who had gathered around.
This is the reason why she doesn’t like going out.
Around her, there were not only young masters vying for her favor but also curious onlookers wondering what had happened in this corner. Even those on horseback turned to take a look, making her feel less like a person and more like a beautiful object of admiration, as if all her worth lay in her face.
As for what kind of person lay beneath this exterior, no one cared.
Fortunately, the competition was about to start, and the man in front of her had to register with the official, whether he wanted to or not; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to compete later.
Helan Ci finally found some peace, but as soon as she looked up, she saw Xiao Nanxun’s cold eyes from the high platform looking over.
“…”
It was a chilling gaze.
Helan Ci immediately felt a chill run down her spine and quickly lowered her head, pretending to cough.
Fortunately, Xiao Nanxun only glanced at her casually and did not continue to stare.
The high platform was filled with royal relatives, and the one sitting at the top was the Eldest Prince Xiao Nanbo.
Unlike Xiao Nanxun, he was kind-hearted, with a benevolent demeanor, resembling his father. Unfortunately, his mother was just a palace maid whom the Emperor had taken a fancy to by chance. Although she was elevated to a consort because of her son, she received no favor from the Emperor, and neither did he. At his age, he should have been conferred a title and appointed as the heir, but the Emperor had been dragging it out.
The outside world claimed that this Eldest Prince was somewhat too soft.
Taking advantage of Xiao Nanxun turning his head, Helan Ci glanced at the Eldest Prince. He indeed looked harmless, and compared to Xiao Nanxun, he appeared even more docile.
So much so that she even felt a bit of concern.
The heir to the dynasty is usually the eldest legitimate son first, then the eldest son. The Empress had been in seclusion for a long time, and with only one deceased daughter under her, and having not been close to the Emperor for many years, it was unlikely they would have a legitimate son again. The most likely candidate for the heir was the Eldest Prince—yet the Emperor was wholeheartedly favoring the Second Prince.
Currently, these were the only two adult princes of Great Yong.
Xiao Nanxun considered a great candidate for his status. If the throne really fell into his hands, whatever he wanted to do, Helan Ci, even if she married someone, would probably be of no help.
Just thinking about it makes the future seem bleak.
Just as she was thinking, Helan Ci saw a pair of youthful, infatuated eyes filled with concern, gazing elsewhere.
The girl’s gaze was fixed on someone who looked even more delicate than her, with a face as pale as paper, brows slightly furrowed, as if enduring a severe illness, still stubbornly sitting upright at the table, occasionally revealing a faint yet gentle smile.
What a sickly, delicate young master.
***
“Ji’an, why don’t you go back and rest? I’ll speak to the people at the Taichang Temple for you later.”
Lu Wuyou slowly shook his head, “I just didn’t rest well last night, it’s nothing serious.” The show must go on, he coughed lightly and said, “Really, don’t mind me. Let’s just watch the competition first.”
In the competition, the civil officials who entered the government through the imperial examination naturally had to rest on the sidelines.
The young military generals and the aristocratic youths who had practiced riding and archery since childhood were all spirited and full of vigor, riding on horseback with long bows and quivers, exuding an air of invincibility. However, many of them frequently glanced in one direction.
Some even couldn’t help but lean towards that direction while riding.
Even those competing in archery seemed to be showing off their strength, with exaggerated and flashy moves, such as shooting from the hip, shooting from behind, jumping and shooting, and even shooting three arrows at once… like a group of peacocks spreading their feathers.
“…Before seeing her in person, I didn’t expect Miss Helan to be so… uh, outstanding.”
A scholar beside Lu Wuyou pondered.
Indeed, the girl in white sat in a corner of the schoolyard, the gentle morning light pouring over her clothes and hair without reservation. Her pale skin seemed to emit a faint glow, her dark lashes fluttering like a summer night blooming night-blooming, or like a thousand-year-old snow lotus atop an ice mountain, always shrouded in an ethereal and illusory aura—making one suspect that what they saw was merely an illusion.
Perhaps this is what a celestial being descending to the mortal realm would look like.
It was hard not to attract everyone’s attention.
However, the girl in white seemed oblivious. She lowered her head to adjust her skirt and softly coughed.
The scholar’s heart ached, and he couldn’t help but say, “Miss Helan, why is she look so unwell…” He turned around and saw Lu Wuyou’s face, “Uh… it seems a bit like your illness, Jiaan.”
Lu Wuyou gave a weak smile and thought to herself, she learned from me, of course it looks similar.
***
A competition where the young masters vied for supremacy had just concluded, and someone descended from the high platform.
The Second Prince, Xiao Nanxun, was seen wearing a dark riding outfit, a black gauze hat adorned with colorful jade beads, a golden hairpin, and a red tassel. His handsome face bore a cold and indifferent expression as he held a black-gold wooden crescent bow.
Without waiting for the officials from the Imperial Horse Department to lead his horse, he casually grabbed one, mounted it, drew an arrow from behind, and shot.
The arrow flew with a whoosh, hitting the bullseye.
The entire sequence of actions was incredibly smooth, instantly drawing cheers from the crowd—whether genuine or feigned, no one dared to challenge him anymore.
The Emperor, seated at the center of the high platform, was very pleased and immediately said, “Someone, reward the Second Prince.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Xiao Nanxun smiled slightly, showing little joy on his face. He stroked the long bow and said, “When I was young, my elder brother taught me horse riding skills. Today, I want to see my elder brother’s horsemanship.”
Everyone knew that when Xiao Nanxun returned from Qingquan Temple, he was thin and weak. Not only did he not dare to ride a horse, but he also didn’t even dare to approach one, causing quite a few laughs.
Of course, that time was not the same as now.
When the First Prince, Xiao Nanbo, was called upon, he looked a bit flustered. “My horsemanship is not as good as the Second Brother’s, so I should pass.”
“Why be so modest, elder brother?”
Xiao Nanxun dismounted and strode over, even handing the bow to Xiao Nanbo.
Xiao Nanbo wanted to decline, but the Emperor had already spoken, “Just do it, why are you hesitating?” His tone even carried a hint of impatience, completely different from his earlier attitude when speaking to Xiao Nanxun.
Helan Ci had only known that the Emperor was biased, but he never expected him to be biased to such an extent, it was simply astonishing.
Since the Emperor had spoken, Xiao Nanbo had no choice but to take the bow and step down. His riding skills were decent, but his archery skills were clearly just average. He shot two arrows, and only one hit the target, and it was far from the bullseye.
Naturally, there were no boos in the arena, but it was obvious that Xiao Nanbo had lost a lot of face.
Emperor Shun didn’t say anything, as if he never had any expectations for this son. He just turned to talk to Noble Consort Li.
Xiao Nanbo awkwardly returned the bow to Xiao Nanxun, who also said nothing. He just smiled at his elder brother, then took another arrow, played with it in his hand for a while, and suddenly drew the bow, seemingly casually shooting an arrow that arched towards the sky.
Helan Ci was still a bit distracted when the arrow, after curving in mid-air, shot straight towards her.
“Be careful!”
“…… Miss Helan, be careful!”
Exclamations rose and fell within the training ground, with some even trying to rush over to save the beauty.
Even the courtier beside Lu Wuyou couldn’t help but stand up, but Lu Wuyou glanced over and knew the arrow wouldn’t hit.
Sure enough—
The arrowhead, just a step in front of Helan Ci, had already embedded itself into the ground.
Helan Ci, still shaken, looked up and, before she could even react, Xiao Nanxun had already stepped in front of her. He bent down, forcefully pulled out the arrowhead, its sharp tip glinting coldly. He opened his lips, his voice icy: “A moment of carelessness, scared the young lady.”
He was undoubtedly deliberate.
As if it were all for the sake of the crowd.
Xiao Nanxun looked down at her, his words still polite, but the predatory intent in his eyes was almost undisguised: “…… Did the young lady get hurt anywhere? Would you like me to take a look?”
Helan Ci, suppressing her wildly beating heart, took a step back: “This humble girl is unhurt, thank you for your concern, Your Highness.”
——For a moment just now, she truly thought she might die.
“Your Highness.”
Helan Jin hurriedly rushed over from his seat, pulling Helan Ci behind him: “Since the young lady is uninjured, there is no need for Your Highness to worry.”
Xiao Nanxun’s gaze swept over Helan Jin’s crimson official robe, and with a smile, he said, “It was my mistake. I’ll come by another day to apologize to Miss Helan.” After saying this, without waiting for Helan Jin’s response, he turned around, holding the arrowhead.
After this commotion, even if others wanted to flatter the beauty again, they had to weigh the obvious intentions of the Second Prince.
Helan Jin comforted her, saying it was nothing to worry about, telling her not to overthink it. In reality, Helan Ci could sense from Helan Jin’s unconscious frown that her two suitors were probably in trouble.
At this moment, everyone was also discussing and speculating based on their past understanding of the Second Prince.
His temperament was eccentric, and he only acted on things that piqued his interest. Although it was publicly stated that he accidentally shot at Miss Helan, anyone with eyes could see what really happened.
“Is the Second Prince really interested in Miss Helan?”
“It’s so obvious, why are you still asking such silly questions! It’s more like, which man wouldn’t be interested in Miss Helan…”
“But the Second Prince is already engaged… Is he trying to make Miss Helan a concubine?”
“Helan daren probably wouldn’t agree.”
“Even if she doesn’t marry, with the Second Prince having such intentions… who would dare to marry her… better watch your head…”
***
On the second night at the Changyong Hunting Grounds, Helan Ci still hadn’t slept well.
However, today was the day she was to participate in the hunting trials. She wouldn’t be riding horses but would accompany other noblewomen to the Changyong Hunting Grounds to watch the hunting from the side. Even if she arrived late, no one would notice.
As she was washing up and tying her hair before heading out, someone suddenly called her.
The person held her father’s hand slips* and handed it to her, looking extremely anxious. “Miss Helan, Lord Helan… Lord Helan seems to have had some health issues this morning and fainted.”
Helan Ci immediately panicked. Her father had been overworked for many years, and his health was indeed not good. Every time she wanted to call a doctor, her father would always brush it off, saying it was nothing serious and not worth wasting money on.
However, when she was young, he had spent money to treat her illnesses and even borrowed some from her uncle, gradually paying it back over the years.
She asked anxiously, “Where is my father?”
“Miss, please don’t worry. A royal physician has already been called to see him. I’ll take you there right away…”
The person quickly led her out of the women’s quarters, through the main hall, corridors, and several archways, to the eastern courtyard where the officials were staying. Most of the officials had gone hunting early in the morning, and they didn’t encounter many people along the way.
It wasn’t until they walked further into the secluded area that Helan Ci vaguely felt something was off.
“Here we are, go inside.”
But the hand slips was indeed her father’s. Just as Helan Ci hesitated, she felt someone grip her shoulders tightly and push her forward. She stumbled a few steps, her hands instinctively pushed open the door in front of her, and she fell inside. Immediately, the door behind her was closed by someone.
Helan Ci’s mind went blank for a moment.
She was fearless because of her father’s official position; the Second Prince should not go completely insane for now.
Could it be that the Second Prince couldn’t wait for her father to be reassigned and had already gone mad, or… had he already taken action against her before that dream?
Just as she was in a daze, a male voice came from behind her.
Helan Ci suddenly turned around and then froze.
“Helan Ci, are you surprised… you wretched woman!”
Standing there was Li Ting, who had already been stripped of his title as heir. His eyes were bloodshot and his features somewhat twisted. He grabbed Helan Ci’s arm and threw her onto the bed.
“You’ve ruined me so badly, and you still dare to seduce the Second Prince… you wretched woman…” Li Ting’s voice was full of resentment and hatred. “So that’s why you turned against me, because you’ve climbed to a higher branch. The Second Prince is more noble than me and can give you wealth and honor, right? Bah! Ask the Second Prince if he would annul the engagement for you. He would never marry you!”
As he spoke, he lunged forward, reaching for Helan Ci’s clothes.
“What’s not your handwriting? Do you think I would believe you? You venomous woman with a heart of a scorpion, you’ve ruined me, and I will ruin you too. Let’s see how you go on living after losing your reputation…”
Before he could finish, a flash of silver appeared. Helan Ci held a silver hairpin to his throat. A moment ago, she had been pushed into the room, and she had indeed been flustered, but at this moment, an unusual calm appeared on her beautiful face.
The cold hairpin pressed against Li Ting’s neck. He tried to grab Helan Ci’s arm but found his strength waning.
Helan Ci’s heartbeat grew increasingly rapid.
She had applied the medicine Lu Wuyou gave her to the hairpin, wrapped it in a silk handkerchief, and kept it close to her body, originally intending to find an opportunity to test its effectiveness, but she didn’t expect the opportunity to come so quickly.
With such a disparity in strength, she could only bet that the medicine was indeed effective and that Lu Wuyou hadn’t lied to her.
Li Ting’s reaction had indeed slowed down.
Seizing the opportunity, Helan Ci pushed him away with all her might, rolled over, and was about to get off the bed when her foot sank. She turned back to find Li Ting gripping her ankle.
“…Did you drug me? When did you drug me? You bitch!”
Li Ting’s strength had been drained, but fueled by anger, he lunged forward, trying to use his body weight to pin Helan Ci down and prevent her from escaping.
Helan Ci had no choice but to stab the pin into him with all her might.
Blood gushed out.
Li Ting let out a muffled groan but stubbornly refused to let go. The pain seemed to have restored some of his strength.
Helan Ci’s scalp tingled.
Realizing that the hairpin’s lethality was insufficient, Li Ting grabbed her belt, almost pressing his entire body against her. Without thinking, Helan Ci ordered her body to react. She grabbed a vase with a twisted branch design from the stool by the bed and, without hesitation, used all her strength to smash it onto Li Ting’s head.
A crisp sound.
The vase and Li Ting’s head smashed together.
Li Ting instantly lost consciousness, blood streaming from his head.
Sharp shards of porcelain scattered everywhere.
Helan Ci instantly lost all her strength. She didn’t even have the energy to push Li Ting off her. Her arm, which had smashed the vase, gradually throbbed with pain due to the excessive force.
The entire room resembled a crime scene, her white clothes stained with splatters of blood.
Helan Ci then realized her hands were slowly trembling.
She leaned against the bed’s edge, a wave of nausea rising, almost making her vomit—her mind filled with mixed emotions of thrill, disgust, and fear.
Just then, the door was pushed open.
Helan Ci’s mind was already in such a bad state that it couldn’t handle any more shocks. She looked up in a daze.
Morning light streamed in through the door, dispelling the gloom in the room.
The young man in the azure official robe was surrounded by a halo of white light, his face ethereal, his brows and eyes like a painting, as if he had been carved and polished.
Lu Wuyou looked at the mess on the floor, his expression unchanged, as if the scene before him was nothing unusual. He closed the door with a flick of his hand and then explained to her, “I claimed to be ill and didn’t go. I just heard the noise and came over. I should be the only one who heard it… Hmm, Miss Helan, can you still move?”
He extended his hand, his voice gentle, “I’ll pull you out.”
- 笏, commonly known as memorial board , chao board , hand board , hand slips , jade board , etc., is a curved board held by ancient Chinese ministers when going to court.