My Husband Became the Most Powerful Minister - Chapter 40

Helan Ci had always thought Lu Wuyou’s writing style was too sharp and incisive. Although it was indeed eloquent, it might be disliked by the examiners because it was too ostentatious. Later, when He Lan Ci got hold of Lu Wuyou’s Zhuangyuan article in the imperial examination, she realized that this guy had switched to a much more gentle and upright style for the exam, which was as deceptive as his usual appearance.

In her hand, a memorial clearly shows no restraint. The scolding in it is quite thorough and unrestrained.

Helan Ci flipped through the impeachment memorials against Lu Wuyou and realized that the other party was indeed just looking for trouble. Lu Wuyou’s daily remarks, which were merely casual comments, were considered as “disrespecting Confucius and Mencius, being arrogant and overbearing.” Luckily, they hadn’t heard the kinds of “bold declarations” he usually made.

Lu Wuyou’s replies were much simpler and straightforward; if someone says one thing to him, he responds with ten or more, quoting classics and using sharp words, his arguments are impeccable. After reading through, it sounds as if he is accusing the other person of everything from offending the heavens and the sages to betraying the kindness of their parents, and in the end, he even points out and curses their concubines and mistresses.

——After all, there’s really nothing to criticize about Lu Wuyou on this area.

In theory, Dayong upheld the ideal of monogamy for scholars and officials—cultivating oneself and managing one’s household. In practice, though, taking concubines was something people often turned a blind eye to.

Moreover, Lu Wuyou doesn’t just insult; he also writes in a very sarcastic manner. Many of his sentences seem to praise at first glance but actually criticize. At first glance, you might not even realize he’s insulting someone; it seems like praise. Upon closer inspection, the entire piece is full of hidden meanings. Coupled with his outstanding literary flair, the result was sharp, witty, and thoroughly entertaining—readers couldn’t help but sing his praises.

Except for the person being scolded, others might find it amusing when they read it.

At least Helan Ci was already laughing.

Lu Wuyou paused in his furious writing to look up at her. Helan Ci was resting her chin on her hand, lips slightly pursed in a light smile, with a glimmer in her eyes that shimmered with colors. Taking a rare break from his busyness, he raised the corner of his lips and said, “…Aren’t I pretty impressive?”

Helan Ci said, “I always thought your writing was good.”

Lu Wuyou blurted out, “Then why were you targeting me so much in Qingzhou?”

Helan Ci almost forgot about this matter. After pondering for a while, she straightforwardly recounted the whole story, and finally said, “How do you know I’m targeting you? What if I…”

“Others admire me and see me in one way, while you see me in another. I still have a clear understanding of myself.” Lu Wuyou simply put down the pen and said, “So it was a misunderstanding from the beginning? I don’t even remember what your cousin looks like, let alone have any dealings with her. If she came crying to you, that’s not on me.”

Helan Ci said, “I… never mind, this matter is my fault, I’ll make it up to you.”

Lu Wuyou paused for a moment, then slowly lifted his eyelashes, lowered his voice, and dragged out the words, “…… What are you going to do to make it up to me?”

Helan Ci had already become very familiar with his antics. After hesitating and holding back for a while, not for too long, she slightly straightened up, propped herself up on the table with both hands, quickly leaned over, and lightly touched Lu Wuyou’s lips, saying, “… like this?”

Lu Wuyou pressed his lips together for a moment, then smiled and said, “I haven’t said anything yet.”

Helan Ci felt a slight sense of shame: “……Then you say.”

Lu Wuyou’s lips curled up even more as he said, “We kiss every day anyway, so what’s this as an apology? If you really want to make amends, grab a pen and help me scold people.”

Helan Ci: “……?”

Lu Wuyou said, “Why are you looking at me like that? Not all the memorials from other colleagues are written by themselves; many are ghostwritten by their aides. Since Miss Helan, you’ve studied for so many years, you shouldn’t waste it.” He seemed to remember something, “Or is it because Helan Daren is in the Censorate, and you feel a bit embarrassed?”

Most of the memorials criticizing Lu Wuyou were written by the censors of the Censorate, who were subordinates of Helan Jin.

However, even though they were technically under her father, the censors in the Censorate all had their own agendas and often fought among themselves. The last time they united to attack Duke Cao’s son was only because the current generation of the Duke’s household, while wealthy, held no real power. With no backing, they were easy prey—hence the Duke’s wife had tried to arrange a marriage alliance with Yunyang Junzhu, daughter of Cheng Wang. Unfortunately, that ended up being a miscalculation.

Helan Ci shook her head and said, “That’s not it. It’s just… I’ve never scolded anyone before.”

Lu Wuyou pulled out a few blank memorials and handed them to Helan Ci, then picked up his pen again and said, “Just do it the way you scolded me in Qingzhou before. The more you scold, the more familiar you’ll be with it. You’ve read so many books; if you can’t put them to use with your brush, it’s a waste.”

Helan Ci thought he had a lot of twisted reasoning: “…Reading books isn’t supposed to be for scolding people.”

Lu Wuyou said, “If we don’t scold, we can’t wake the world up. It has to be loud and clear—your father is in the Censorate. Haven’t you seen the memorials from the censors there? Saying that the censors are arrogant is not just talk. I’m still being polite compared to them. The other memorials for impeachment are basically written with the intention of executing entire families. Just from reading them, it sounds like everyone’s getting their heads chopped off. That’s why, every time they submit one, we have to write another begging the emperor for resignation. Of course, no one actually plans to resign…” As he spoke, he bent down to write again. “Don’t be nervous. Just help me with a couple of drafts.”

Helan Ci had no choice but to take a brush as well.

Although she had written quite a few articles, she had never written a memorial before. She roughly knew the format, but as she lowered her head and wrote nervously for a while, she heard Lu Wuyou’s voice, tinged with a smile, saying, “Don’t worry. If it’s not good, I’ve got plenty of blank memorials—we’ll keep trying until you’re happy with it.”

*****

At the Secretary of Communication Office¹, also commonly known as the Silver Gate, has been very lively recently, with many onlookers coming to see the spectacle.

This place is where memorials are submitted and exchanged. Usually, a minister brings one or two in the morning, and that’s about it. However, recently, every day, you can see the renowned Lu Liuyuan² carrying a stack of memorials and walking briskly.

——Of course, everyone knew he’d been caught up in a wave of impeachments lately. It was indeed quite a mess.

Some of those impeaching him even knew him personally. One such person patted Lu Wuyou’s shoulder and said helplessly, “I have no choice either, Lu Liuyuan, please bear with it…”

Everyone knows that the one who wants to get rid of him is none other than the prince who is eyeing the Eastern Palace³.

Lu Wuyou reponded very kindly, saying, “The memorials I submitted, please bear with it.”

Soon enough, everyone saw Lu Wuyou launch into a full-blown written battle, fighting back with incredible vigor. If he could finish scolding someone today, he absolutely wouldn’t wait until tomorrow. Sometimes, he’d even fire back with three or four replies. His combat power was so strong that it left people in awe.

Even though only one refined version would be submitted, because the memorials need to be processed through the Secretary of Communication Office. But they are always public and fair, and copies will be filed in the public office for backup, basically, once this process is completed, everyone will know whats written before being processed.

Lu Liuyuan’s reputation is well-known, and even his memorials attract many people who wish to read them.

And once people started reading them, they were in awe. His insults were truly brilliant, leaving people clapping in admiration. Some officials from the Secretary of Communication couldn’t help but burst into laughter in the public hall after reading it, which attracted even more officials to come and read. It was indeed a series of brilliant pieces, each one interesting. Some people even copied a few to secretly circulate.

Before long, the entire court knew that Lu Liuyuan not only excelled in the imperial examination essays but also had a unique flair for scolding people.

Just seeing him walk over made people want to laugh.

Of course, the ones being scolded didn’t feel that way. That guy who had patted his shoulder before now avoided him at all costs. It didn’t help that Lu Wuyou had so little shame—that even when that guy recently got internal hemorrhoids and couldn’t sit or stand comfortably, Lu Wuyou still had to imply in the memorial that it was due to his recent lack of virtue and good deeds, recklessly stirring up his liver, resulting in the internal disorder. It was very devious of him.

It was said that even among the common people, many have started collecting Lu Wuyou’s memorials, intending to compile them into ‘a comprehensive compilation of Lu Ji’an’s rebuttals’ and sell it in bookstores.

Lu Wuyou felt particularly refreshed today. He stood in line to submit his memorials, then clasped his hands and left with a smile.

As soon as he left, everyone immediately opened the package and read them, repeatedly exclaiming, “Wonderful!”

“However, today’s memorials seem to be much more restrained in their wording, and they carry quite a bit of an air of aloofness, but the writing style remains as always….”

“In its tactfulness, there seems to be something worthy of careful appreciation…” Ethical.

“Why do I feel that being more reserved makes it feels even more…” sinister.

*****

Helan Ci knew nothing about it; she had fallen asleep at her desk while writing last night and was eventually carried into the room by Lu Wuyou.

Tonight, seeing Lu Wuyou flex his wrist and prepare for another round, Helan Ci brought over a stack of essays she had reviewed. “I’ve gone through them for you. These ten or so are the ones I think have good writing and content. They aren’t just empty talk; they are substantial and the family backgrounds are suitable as well. If you want to hire aides, you can consider them.”

Articles usually come with a formal letter, clearly stating the family background, examination name, and even the intention to serve as an aide if applicable.

Lu Wuyou looked up at her with some confusion and said, “You don’t want to help me write anymore? That’s fine—I can manage on my own.”

Helan Ci also had a somewhat confused expression and said, “Are you really letting me help you write?”

Lu Wuyou patted the chair next to him and said, “You’re quite good at writing, why not join me in scolding people?”

…What kind of ridiculous invitation was this?

Helan Ci grumbled inwardly and sat beside him. She rolled up her sleeves and picked up a brush. She happened to catch a glimpse of Lu Wuyou’s serious profile—one couldn’t tell he was scolding people at all—his expression was very serious.

When they were in Qingzhou, the classes were segregated by gender, He Lan Ci had no chance to see him studying or practicing calligraphy.

Just once, as she was leaving class and passing through the corridor, she saw Lu Wuyou still sitting in the classroom, holding a brush and writing with his head down. Several girls by the window were stealing glances, chattering like chirping birds, but he seemed completely unaware, continuing to write as if nothing in the world could disturb him.

At that time, she had a strong prejudice against Lu Wuyou, thinking he was just putting on an act to deliberately attract women’s attention, just like he had bewitched her little cousin.

At least now, she no longer thought that way…

When Lu Wuyou was most focused, he didn’t even notice when she passed by. It was only when Helan Ci coughed or spoke up that he would notice. Lu Wuyou still firmly said, “In my own house, I don’t need to be so vigilant, do I?”

This seriousness and focus of his didn’t seem fake either.

Lu Wuyou finished writing that part, and was about to moisten his brush when he turned his head and met Helan Ci’s gaze. He couldn’t help but curl his lips and say, “Miss Helan, even if I don’t expect you to grace me with a red-sleeved fragrance⁴), there’s no need to disturb me like this, right?”

Helan Ci turned her head and flipped through the memorials criticizing Lu Wuyou, then picked up her brush and began to write: “I did not disturb you.”

Lu Wuyou spoke in an ordinary tone, “Staring at me like that makes me want to kiss you.”

Helan Ci responded in the same ordinary tone, “Oh, then I won’t look. You bear it for a bit.”

Lu Wuyou picked up the teacup beside him, took a light sip, and said, “Isn’t your tone a bit too cam?”

Helan Ci lowered her head and said, “You’ve kissed me so many times, what special reaction do you expect from me?”

Lu Wuyou couldn’t help but feel he was being provoked.

He nearly stood up again to press Helan Ci down and do something, but when he looked down at the half-written memorial—forget it, finish writing first, scolding others was more important now.

*****

The impeachment plan against Lu Wuyou not only failed to work but also made his reputation even greater.

Lu Wuyou could still even agave lesson to Second Prince as usual, with a smile on his face, a gentle and warm tone, without a hint of anger. When Second Prince made another attempt to make things difficult, he could still explain to him word by word with extreme patience, almost like a clay figure without any temper.

Seeing this, a few of Lu Wuyou’s colleagues couldn’t help but feel a bit of admiration.
“However, Ji’an, what exactly did you do to offend His Highness? Why don’t you go and apologize to see if it can be resolved?”

“He can’t still be holding a grudge—you’ve already been married for quite a while now…”

“You might run into more difficulties in the future.”

In contrast, the other princes had a good attitude towards Lu Wuyou, especially the younger princes—the reason was quite simple. Lu Wuyou was good-looking, had a pleasant voice, and was witty and humorous. When he read and discussed the classics, he often didn’t just recite them verbatim but instead turned them into intriguing little stories filled with suspense, enlightening and quoting classics as he spoke.

In the Hanlin Academy, those who can become daily lecturers are all well-versed in the classics, having read extensively, but often they may not be able to explain things clearly.

Moreover, some Hanlin scholars from small places speak with very strong accents, their enunciation is unclear and mumbling, and the most exaggerated cases even require an official to translate beside them; otherwise, they are completely incomprehensible. As for stage fright and stuttering, those can only be considered minor issues.

Lu Wuyou had none of these issues. He spoke standard official speech flawlessly, enunciated clearly and fluently, carried himself with poise. Though not much older than the princes, he already had the demeanor of a proper teacher.

—Of course, compared to the other lecturers, being good-looking might also be a crucial factor.

He was the youngest from the Hanlin Academy. Standing there, he looked like a gentle and patient refined young man. Even the palace maids serving the princes blushed and dared not look directly at him.

Some say that for men entering the officialdom, looks don’t matter, but that’s definitely nonsense. Since ancient times, being good-looking has always been an advantage. The practice of selecting handsome candidates for the third place in the imperial examination is well-known. When the emperor chooses his trusted aides, those who are too ugly might be directly replaced. No one wanted sore eyes right under their nose.

Lu Wuyou had been lecturing for less than half a month when a young prince tugged at his sleeve and said, “Lecturer Lu, when we have lunch in the corridor, can you tell me more stories?”

At mealtime, the dishes served to him were always a few more than those for others, on the pretext that Lecturer Lu was still young and weak, so he should eat more to nourish his body—everyone looked at Lu Wuyou’s tall and robust figure and was quite speechless.

Of course, Lu Wuyou would politely share some of his food with his colleagues, saying he truly couldn’t eat that much. Everyone remained on good terms.

Regarding this, Helan Ci’s understanding was: every now and then, he could bring back some strange reward.

For example, a pure silver nine-linked chain.

Lu Wuyou said, “I forgot whether it was the Fourth Prince or the Fifth Prince who gave it to me. I think he might have gotten bored with it and casually gave it away. No worries, if you’re not interested, I’ll send it for Weiling later.”

……Hua Weiling really likes it.

Just as Helan Ci watched her play for a while, she attempted to pry it open with brute force. Seeing that she actually managed to open it, Helan Ci was somewhat shocked.

Hua Weiling’s days were very leisurely, and there was no shortage of places to have fun in the capital. Being Lu Wuyou’s sister, there were plenty of people willing to accompany her. However, after having fun for a while, Helan Ci noticed that she often ran to that room.

Helan Ci couldn’t help but begin to worry again.

Hua Weiling said, “Oh, it was because I showed him my story book a few days ago. He said he couldn’t repay the favor of saving his life, so he decided to write some stories for me to read.”

Helan Ci: “……! He can write?”

Hua Weiling took out two booklets from the room and said, “They’re quite interesting, called ‘Chronicles of Gods and Demons.’ Sister-in-law, do you want to read them?”

It was outside Helan Ci’s realm of knowledge.

As soon as she opened the first page, she saw lines like “Divine and demonic forces clashed for three hundred years, shaking heaven and earth, dimming sun and moon,” and “a beam of light descended, and out of the chaos came a handsome man in purple robes with a divine appearance.” Helan Ci hesitated for a moment and said, “If… if you like it, that’s fine.”

Hua Weiling held a piece of pastry, eating while saying, “He writes a chapter every day, and his speed is quite fast, almost as intense as my brother’s frantic writing at night.” Saying this, she handed a piece of pastry to Helan Ci, winking and asking, “Sister-in-law, do you want to eat?”

Helan Ci politely declined.

One had say that they are indeed siblings; their tastes are quite similar, cloyingly sweet.

*****

On his day off, Lu Wuyou didn’t rest at all and early in the morning dragged Helan Ci onto the carriage.

Helan Ci lifted the curtain and, seeing the carriage heading toward the city gate, asked with some surprise, “Going out for an outing again?”

Lu Wuyou said, “On the surface, that’s the case, but actually, I’m planning to… seek death.”

Helan Ci: “……Huh???”

Lu Wuyou said, “Didn’t my sister say there was a famine along the way when she came?”

Helan Ci nodded and said, “……Is it still happening now?”

Lu Wuyou said, “Yes, the situation seems to be getting worse. There are quite a few outside the capital as well. Don’t be scared when we leave the city later. However, we’re not going there to provide disaster relief—there’s not enough grain for that. My colleagues and I plan to go to the court to request the reclamation of some land that the nobles have taken over, so they can give some back for emergency use. So today, under the guise of an outing, we’re going to do a little scouting.”

It sounds like an easy thing, but you can imagine how much it would offend people.

Seeing Helan Ci’s face slightly change, Lu Wuyou chuckled and said, “We’ve never been on the same side as those nobles anyway, so offending them is no big deal. Don’t worry, this is just a typical case of seeking death. I’ve been speaking quite well recently, even the Emperor praised me, and I still have some favor from the Emperor. Even if the memorial is rejected, it won’t be a big problem. At most, I’ll get a salary deduction and a suspension.”

He spoke lightly, but Helan Ci’s heart tightened. Then she slowly relaxed her grip and asked, “How do you plan to investigate?”

The carriage left the city, and the scenery was no longer the leisurely sight that Helan Ci had seen last time.

The grand carriage traveled through the dust, but along the way, one could see some ragged people resembling beggars, with disheveled hair and dirt-streaked faces, pleading in a mournful voice. Their cheeks seemed somewhat sunken, and their eyes gradually lost their luster.

Helan Ci had only been looking for a short while when she felt a hand covering her eyes.

“Don’t look anymore.” Lu Wuyou said softly, “There are too many people. Even if my sister gives out porridge along the way, it won’t help much. Only the court opening granaries to distribute grain would be effective. But the capital must prioritize the nobility—releasing too much is impossible. The local prefectures are also strapped for resources. Forcing the nobles to give up grain is just a last resort. But they really have hoarded a lot. Want to know how outrageous? They report only one mu⁵ out of eight.”

Helan Ci took Lu Wu You’s hand down and said, “…… but I want to see.”

Lu Wuyou looked at her, slightly surprised.

Helan Ci said, “I haven’t seen much of this before. So I want to take a good look. Just in case, one day…”

Lu Wuyou reached out to ruffle her hair again. “It will only add to your sadness, and besides, you have too much of a sense of crisis. I’m not going to let you starve.”

Helan Ci said seriously, “What if something happens to you?”

Lu Wuyou sighed with a bit of helplessness: “Can’t you hope for something good to happen to me? Even if I’m not around….” He paused for a moment,“Nothing will happen to me. Haven’t you heard the saying ‘evil people live a thousand years’? I haven’t even seized all the power in the world yet.”

Helan Ci exposed him: “You sound very unconvincing this time.”

Lu Wuyou slowly approached her and whispered, “…I think it might be your problem.”

Helan Ci: “……Hmm?”

Lu Wuyou stopped at a position where his breathing could be heard, his tone unusually gentle: “Miss Helan, you should have a bit more confidence in me, and stop thinking about when we will part ways.”

Helan Ci’s breath became slightly disordered due to his close proximity, and she moved back a bit: “……Then, Lu Daren, you should work hard.”

The carriage jolted, and the two people almost collided, then quickly separated.

After a while, the driver in front whispered, “Sir, we’ve arrived.”

Lu Wuyou helped Helan Ci get off the carriage. Not far ahead was a field ridge, and there were no signs of famine here. The wheat was growing lush and green, swaying in the wind as far as the eye could see. It should be ready for harvest soon.

He Lan Ci: “…..This is?”

Lu Wuyou said, “The estate under the Duke of Cao. I plan to report roughly five out of every ten from the other nobles’ estates to save face. But for the Duke of Cao, I’ll make sure not a single inch goes unmeasured.”

Helan Ci turned her head to look at him, not very sure: “Is he it because of Cao Shizi? Isn’t he the one who…” turned stupid.

Lu Wuyou also turned and said, “A father is responsible for failing to teach his son. What’s the problem?”

Helan Ci said quietly, “Nothing. That’s good.”

Lu Wuyou calculated with his fingers and said, “Let’s first draft a report, summarizing the situation. There are also issues of land encroachment and people being beaten. We previously sent someone to investigate, so we should have some leads. Anyway, the more evidence we have, the better…” Just as he was speaking, he suddenly heard a noise. Lu Wuyou’s eyebrows moved, he grabbed Helan Ci’s arm with one hand, and said decisively,”You get on the carriage first.”

Helan Ci hadn’t even finished processing the information when Lu Wuyou shoved her back in the carriage.

Outside, there were soon other people’s voices.

“Who are you! Where did you come from! Quickly leave behind all your silver and valuables!” The speaker’s voice was high-pitched, but there was a hoarse, almost tearing quality to it. “Sir, we won’t harm anyone’s life. Just let us search the carriage and take whatever is valuable!”

Helan Ci immediately understood; it was the bandits mentioned by Hua Weiling before.

But they’d barely left the city—weren’t these people a bit too bold?

She slightly lifted the curtain and saw Lu Wuyou standing there with a calm expression, saying, “You picked the wrong person.” As he spoke, more than ten figures in green flew over, each holding various weapons.

Helan Ci looked back again and saw that the people who were said to be ’bandits’ were actually all dressed in tattered clothes, holding hoes and sickles, with their faces covered in dust. Seeing that the people beside Lu Wuyou were coming with an aggressive momentum, these people already had the intention to retreat.
Lu Wuyou hesitated again: “The small silver coins I have on me can be given to you, but the carriage…”

He hadn’t finished speaking when he saw Helan Ci getting off the carriage.

Lu Wuyou subconsciously said, “You…”

But before he could finish, he suddenly heard another loud voice say, “Fairy! It’s a fairy! I’ve seen her!”

“The fairy you mentioned can’t be…”

“Yes, it’s Helan Daren’s daughter! Helan Daren is a righteous official! Back then, when I followed my uncle to the capital to seek justice, we knocked our heads and no one would listen to us. It was Helan Daren who helped us to preside over the case. I’ve seen his daughter, and she looked just like this… I will never forget it for the rest of my life! Look at how simply she’s dressed, it must be her!”

The remaining few people exchanged glances.

“Are you really Helan Daren’s daughter?”

“……We were blind for not recognizing the great person! Miss, please don’t hold it against us!”

“We’re leaving right now, immediately! By the way, there’s another group of real bandits west of here—armed with real weapons, so don’t head that way.”

Helan Ci whispered, “Thank you for letting us know. Did you all come here to escape the disaster?”

“Yeah, Miss Helan, our fields are all flooded, and the city can’t provide any grain either. If it weren’t for the unbearable hunger, who would come here to rob?”

“My wife just gave birth, and she’s still at home… her milk won’t come out, and our baby is crying out of hunger.”

Lu Wuyou understood her thoughts. He took out all his silver, asked for more from his men, and handed it over. “Wait just a little longer—grain will be distributed.”

“This we…”

The group of robbers looked at each other, and none of them wanted to take it.

Lu Wuyou smiled and said, “Miss Helan gave this to you, so don’t worry about it. She’s not angry, just a bit shy. We won’t starve to death on our way to the capital.”

That group of robbers then cautiously accepted the silver.

“Thank you, Miss Helan, thank you, young master!”

“Why call him ‘young master’? This must be her husband! You two look so good together. Wishing you a hundred years of happiness, early arrival of a precious child, and a long life!”

“Miss Helan, please also extend my regards to Helan Daren!”

After getting back on the carriage, Lu Wuyou took out a handkerchief and handed it over, speaking very gently, “Why are your eyes all red?”

Helan Ci said, “It’s just the wind and sand.”

Lu Wuyou couldn’t help but laugh: “This lame excuse of yours, my sister stopped using it when she was ten. Just say you’re moved, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. If an official does good work, people remember.”

Helan Ci rubbed her eyes hard. “If my father knew, he’d probably be happy.”

Lu Wuyou said, “He definitely knows. Isn’t that why he has been working so hard? I don’t remember if I ever told you this, but I don’t just want to be a powerful official, wanting to hold power over the world. I also want to be called ‘Lu Qingtian⁶‘ by people.”

Helan Ci turned to look at him for a moment, as if seeing Lu Wuyou for the first time. However, she quickly smiled and said, “You’re from the Hanlin Academy, so you don’t handle criminal cases. It should be quite difficult for you.”

Lu Wuyou smiled too. “It’s all about effort. I want everything.”

“Now you’re confident again.”

“I’ve always been confident. Just now I was… because of you… never mind…” He told the coachman, “Let’s go west.”

Helan Ci couldn’t help saying, “Didn’t they say there are bandits there?”

“Yeah, getting rid of what harms the people. We officials, in theory, don’t support robbery, and besides…” Lu Wuyou flexed his wrists a few times, “It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything, my hands are itching.”

“……Your second half of the sentence is the truth, right?”