My Husband Became the Most Powerful Minister - Chapter 42

Lu Wuyou had still been in the mood to make jokes in his heart earlier, but now he nearly stumbled—of course, it was only almost.

His eyes darkened, and he suddenly turned around, only to find He Lan Ci asking very sincerely, with a look of inquiry in her eyes, as if she were merely asking him, “Are you not having dinner tonight?” If it weren’t for Lu Wuyou having gotten to know her somewhat over these past days, he might have thought she was seeking revenge.

——To get back at him for those words of his that, though seemingly proper, still sounded like flirtation.

At least Lu Wuyou now felt a hint of embarrassment that he had never felt before. He wanted to throw the quilt he was holding aside, and then… Just lying on the bed was already very painful before, but judging from the reaction that day, there was no doubt that his resistance had decreased again. If he continued to kiss her, it was hard to say what kind of beastly thing he would do. It was not impossible that he would force himself on her.

…Seriously, how could she be this careless?

Lu Wuyou mumbled for a while, his gaze shifting from dark to light, and no longer lingering on Helan Ci. Instead, he shrugged nonchalantly and said, “No kiss tonight, maybe not for a while…” He found the most ridiculous excuse, “Work has been quite busy lately…”

Who would have thought that Helan Ci would just thought for a moment and then nodded in understanding, saying,  “Then you go ahead and get busy, I won’t disturb you, but…”

Lu Wuyou couldn’t help but turn his head back again.

He saw Helan Ci walk over to the cabinet, take out sleepwear and a mattress cover, then grab a soft pillow from the bed. She carried them all over and held them up in front of Lu Wuyou with both hands, saying very earnestly, “Take them all with you. That way you’ll sleep more comfortably.”

Lu Wuyou looked at her clear and bright eyes, and with great difficulty, said, “…You are really considerate.”

Helan Ci, afraid that he might misunderstand her, added, “My father used to be busy with work like this too. Don’t worry, I can understand.”

Lu Wuyou looked at her again.

Helan Ci said, “Is there anything else?”

Lu Wuyou was silent for a moment. He knew that this kind of attitude from her was actually quite good, but somehow he still felt that her lack of any other reaction wasn’t quite right. With that subtle feeling, he finally said, “It’s okay, you should rest well.”

After finishing speaking, Lu Wuyou picked up the large pile of items and strode to his study.

It was a peaceful and uneventful night.

——Master and furen were sleeping in separate beds!

This juicy gossip spread throughout the manor within a day. Though the couple normally disliked being waited on when dressing and washing, and preferred not to let people near the bedroom, which significantly reduced eavesdropping opportunities…

But previously, the master stayed in the furen’s room every day, and often kissed her regardless of the occasion or place, making everyone blush and forcing everyone to master excellent dodging and escape skills.

It’s only been a short time since the wedding, and yet, with such a lady, they are already sleeping in separate beds. It really makes one sigh—

Their master’s self-restraint was truly no joke!

No wonder he was the kind of man who could place first in six consecutive exams!

*****

Although the memorial had already been written, they still had to wait for the evidence of powerful families seizing farmland to be fully collected. Once everything was organized, it would be submitted together during morning court by the Ministry of Revenue. That would be the most impactful—Hanlin officials giving daily lectures were, after all, not suited to submitting remonstrations directly.

Still, all names were attached at the bottom, totaling eleven officials of various ranks, mostly young people from different departments.

Lu Wuyou’s name is written first in the list.

As for him, he continued to go to Wenhua Hall as usual for daily lectures.

The eldest prince, Xiao Nanbo, is earnest and kind-hearted, the second prince, Xiao Nanxun, is capricious, and the third prince, Xiao Nanqing, is calm and composed. Having just turned fourteen, he is still far from the time when he will leave the palace to establish his own household. However, his literary skills are quite impressive, and compared to his two elder brothers, he possesses a bit more talent.

Although the Hanlin Academy officials did not say it openly, they inevitably had a sense of comparison.

After the lecture, Xiao Nanqing came over with a classic text in hand, asking Lu Wuyou questions. Lu Wuyou hadn’t yet responded when he noticed Xiao Nanxun staring fixedly at him, as if daring him to say one more word so he could accuse him of “privately advising a prince with ulterior motives.”

The accusation was, of course, nonsense—but still infuriating.

However, the most problematic thing is—

Xiao Nanxun looked at him with a half-smile and said, “I heard that Lu Zhuangyuan has newly established a residence. I wonder if there are enough staff in the residence? I am quite worried about this. Lu Zhuangyuan, being a pillar of the nation and so frail, how can all the affairs be properly taken care of? Therefore, I have two beautiful maids who are very skilled in serving people. Today, I will send them to Lu Zhuangyuan’s residence today, as a token of appreciation for your tireless efforts in delivering lectures these past days.”

—He clearly wasn’t concerned at all about any so-called “privately advising a prince” when it came to himself.

*****

Evening, in the Lu Residence.

Helan Ci had just loosened the soil around a young sapling that had recently been planted and was growing well, when she saw Lu Wuyou entering while rubbing his temples. Just as she was about to greet him, she noticed the two charming young women following behind him.

They truly were graceful and charming. Though their looks didn’t surpass Helan Ci’s, their grace and charm were something Helan Ci had never seen before.

The two young ladies walked gracefully, their waists swaying gently, just like willows swaying in the wind, their shoulders and waists slender, looking pitifully delicate.

One has a brow that seems slightly furpaddled, with a hint of light sorrow, but in her watery eyes, there is a deep, affectionate gaze; the other has a smile like a blooming flower, charming and graceful, laughing even before she speaks, with her brows and eyes curved, exuding a naturally endearing and captivating demeanor, her eyes seemingly capable of enchanting anyone.

Helan Ci was momentarily stunned.

Mainly because she had never seen anyone like them before.

Lu Wuyou saw Helan Ci, changed his route to come over, and upon seeing her dazed expression, his brows and eyes relaxed instead. He lowered his voice and said softly, “Xiao Nanxun forced this on me. He might really have some issues—”

Before Helan Ci could respond, the two girls had already noticed her. They both bowed gracefully towards her, making one feel a sense of pity.

“Yulian greets Furen.” This was the one with the sorrowful air.

“Ruoyan greets Furen.” This was the smiling one.

Helan Ci finally came to her senses, nodded, then pulled Lu Wuyou a bit closer and whispered, “…What are you going to do about them?”

Lu Wuyou lowered his voice even further and said, “…How would I know? You’re the head of the household.”

Helan Ci: “……?”

Lu Wuyou added, “You decide, I’ll go back to the study.”

Who would have thought, before he could even leave, his sleeve was grabbed by Helan Ci. She pulled him a bit further away and said softly, “I can’t handle this, aren’t you good at it? Why don’t you take care of it?”

Lu Wuyou said, “……? Who told you I’m good at it?”

Helan Ci said, “Uh, I saw it with my own eyes.”

She has seen him with those young ladies before, dancing gracefully among the flowers, as if he were a butterfly flitting from bloom to bloom, leaving no trace behind.

Lu Wuyou had to lean in a bit closer and said, “That’s not the same situation at all. I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it. And didn’t I tell you? I really don’t like going through the motions with this kind of thing… I only do it when I have no choice.”

He thought Helan Ci would finally let him go.

Unexpectedly, she continued to insist, “…Then just do it one more time.”

Lu Wuyou looked at the Helan Ci.

Helan Ci also stared at him intently.

The two stared at each other, rarely having such an opportunity after marriage, not willing to give an inch.

Lu Wuyou tentatively said, “How about I let my sister handle it?”

Helan Ci exclaimed, “……What kind of nonsense is this? We can’t just let Weiling go and beat them up—”

Lu Wuyou said, “You’re overthinking it. Weiling wouldn’t attack unless they had bad intentions. Her instincts are pretty sharp on that front. At most, she’d just pull them aside to read storybooks together.”

Helan Ci pondered for a moment and said, “better not, what if Weiling gets misled?”

Her sister-in-law really was pure and naïve—she looked like the type who could be easily led astray.

“You’re really overthinking this… never mind…” he sighed in a complicated way. “But aren’t you worried at all, asking me to deal with them?”

Helan Ci paused, confused: “Worried about what?”

Lu Wuyou also paused. His lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, but didn’t know how. After a moment, he said, “You… really aren’t worried at all?”

At first Helan Ci didn’t understand what he meant, but now she finally realized.

She hesitated and said, “You wouldn’t be thinking…”

Helan Ci turned her head again to look at the two young ladies. They stood a bit further away, and indeed, they could be considered unparalleled beauties. Their attire and grooming were like that of noble ladies, but they had an extra touch of alluring charm and a pitifully delicate demeanor that made one’s heart flutter. Even a woman couldn’t help but feel a sense of pity and affection upon seeing them.

Lu Wuyou said, “I didn’t think of anything.”

To Helan Ci’s ears, his words sounded a bit contradictory. Her voice finally carried a touch of disbelief,  “Lu Daren, you spoke so confidently before, how did you say it? Do you still remember? You wouldn’t…”

How long has it been?

He couldn’t possibly already be starting to waver, could he?

Lu Wuyou said with a slightly annoyed tone, “I said I’m not. Not even the tiniest bit.”

Realizing that his current attitude might be more easily misunderstood as a flustered anger after being exposed. Lu Wuyou slightly regulated his breathing, adjusted his emotions, and tried to return to normal. Then he slowly smiled and said, “Miss Helan, I’ve already married you. This kind of matter… shouldn’t it be within your ability to help me with?”

Helan Ci was still clearly suspicious, especially because of his earlier embarrassment and testing behavior.

It didn’t quite resemble the Lu Wuyou of the past, making it hard not to feel that something was off.

She pondered and said, “Other matters are manageable, but I’m really not good at handling this, and I won’t help you with it…” Helan Ci hesitated slightly.

Lu Wuyou was somewhat speechless. He realized that he had been talking nonsense to her too much lately, which had now backfired on him. He steadied himself and said, “Don’t you know I’m not an easy person?”

Helan Ci pondered for a moment and said, “But… they seem quite willing.”

Indeed, not to mention his career prospects, just Lu Wuyou’s handsome appearance is enough to make most women feel a stir in their hearts.  At least for now, Helan Ci saw the two girls sneaking glances at Lu Wuyou, cheeks flushed, eyes full of affection and expectation.

Although she herself is not entirely unwilling.

Lu Wuyou slightly raised an eyebrow and said, “There are plenty of people willing, but what does it have to do with me? I’m not…” He leaned dangerously close to her ear and said slowly, “If you keep misunderstanding me, I’ll come to your room tonight and kiss you again, like that time outside.”

Helan Ci froze slightly, an image flashing through her mind of when Lu Wuyou kissed her until her legs gave out in the wilderness, sliding down the tree trunk—rendering her speechless for a moment. Then she was very confused.

…Is this also considered a threat?

Lu Wuyou seemed quite satisfied with her dazed expression. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Forget it, if you really don’t want to deal with thm, just leave it to Qingye. He’ll find something for them to do.”

*****

That evening, as usual, Lu Wuyou was in the study preparing his daily lecture notes. In recent days, the memorials to impeach him had become increasingly scarce—leaving him with fewer opportunities to shine, almost as if he were drawing his sword and looking around in confusion.

It must be similar to when his father wielded the heavy sword that he realized the loneliness of being invincible in the world.

He hadn’t even finished half of the lecture draft when he sensed someone pushing the door open.

Without looking up, Lu Wuyou knew it must be Helan Ci—only she would come in at this hour without knocking. She used to knock, but later Lu Wuyou told her not to at night, as it disturbed his thoughts.

While flipping through the classics and continuing to write with his hand, he saw a bowl of white fungus and red date sweet soup placed in front of him. Lu Wuyou raised his head—He Lan Ci had never served him supper before—then he saw that the girl, who should be Mo Ruoyan, was holding a tray in her hand. Besides the sweet soup, the tray also contained a delicate incense burner and a box of intricately carved incense.

She chuckled and said, “Master, you work hard into the night, so this humble one specially prepared some late-night snacks for you. And this incense, it has the effect of refreshing the mind and clearing the head. It’s my favorite fragrance, you can give it a try…”

Helan Ci was still tidying up the articles she had read in her study.

Lu Wuyou had asked her to pick out the good ones and pass them to him, then return the name cards. Anyway, Lu Wuyou was not in charge of the imperial examination now, so he was not afraid of being accused for cheating.

Although most of these candidates were older than Lu Wuyou—age never mattered in officialdom. It wasn’t unheard of for young men to hold high positions.

At first, Lu Wuyou would glance over them himself, but later he simply let her handle it entirely.

Helan Ci was still organizing when she suddenly saw Lu Wuyou strode over quickly. She was taken aback and said, “What’s wrong?”

Lu Wuyou placed the half-prepared manuscript and the open classic texts on the Helan Ci table and said, “I want to beat Qingye.”

Helan Ci: “……?”

Lu Wuyou said, “Do you smell anything on me?”

Helan Ci leaned in and sniffed as told. There really was a delicate and lingering fragrance on Lu Wuyou, subtly enveloping him. She understood and said, “Don’t tell me…”

Lu Wuyou nodded and said, “It’s pretty much what you think. I’m not really looking for a red sleeve to add fragrance… Someone came into my study in the middle of the night and he didn’t stop her, so I thought he deserved a bit of a beating.” He paused, looked around, and asked, “Are there any extra chairs?”

Helan Ci said, “……You want to stay here?”

Lu Wuyou replied, “My study reeks of overpowering incense. Let me sit here for a while. Or you could go over there instead.”

Helan Ci couldn’t help but ask, “What about that girl?”

“What else can I do? I sent her back to her room and grounded her.” Lu Wuyou had already taken the initiative to find a chair, dragged it over, and sat down. “I have an elderly relative who, in the past, in order to have grandchildren, used to sneak girls into people’s rooms in the middle of the night. It was truly terrifying. I hope Xiao Nanxun isn’t up to the same tricks. I’ll find someone to question tomorrow.”

Helan Ci suddenly recalled the conversation with the Second Prince during that palace banquet.

——You speak so grandly, but can you guarantee that he won’t have someone new by his side in the future?

Suddenly, I understood the second prince’s actions, but why?

Sending women into Lu Wuyou’s quarters was to prove that all men were the same—lustful, forgetful, and prone to change. Whether or not he accepted it, it would be a blow to her.

Although at this stage she is willing to believe that Lu Wuyou is not that kind of person, no one can predict what will happen in the future.

Helan Ci also sat down, turning her head slightly to look at Lu Wuyou.

Lu Wuyou paused his writing and said, “Why are you looking at me ?”

Helan Ci pondered, unsure of how to start, and hesitantly said, “You told me before that you weren’t really interested in matters between men and women.”

Lu Wuyou’s hand holding the brush slightly stiffened.

To help him remember, Helan Ci reminded him, “It was during the suburban sacrifice, after I hit Ling Ting on the head. You said it after telling me you’d deal with Ling Ting.”

Lu Wuyou almost couldn’t hold his brush. He tried to cover it up by putting his brush down, pulled the classic text in front of him, and casually flipped through the pages with his long fingers, saying in a nonchalant manner, “Hmm, so?”

Helan Ci didn’t notice his state at all and, feeling somewhat embarrassed, tangled in her own thoughts, said, “… Do you still think that way now?”

Lu Wuyou: “……”

Helan Ci saw him silent and couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious.

From her understanding, such matters were about mutual affection. Though she and Lu Wuyou had some fondness, it couldn’t yet be called love. Besides, she didn’t think she’d pleased him all that much. Moreover, Lu Wuyou’s mood came and went—completely unpredictable.

If he had developed feelings and wanted to seek pleasure elsewhere in the future, it’d be best to discuss it now.

Lu Wuyou lowered his head, picked up Helan Ci’s tea cup, took a sip, and slowly said, “…Why are you asking me that?”

Helan Ci honestly said, “I want… to discuss it.”

Lu Wuyou also began to deliberate. He realized that indeed, writing memorials to scold people was a pleasure; he hardly needed to think, and the words flowed like a divine inspiration, smooth and exhilarating, immensely satisfying. But now, it seemed that even picking up the brush to write a single character was quite difficult.

As though suffering writer’s block for the first time.

Lu Wuyou said vaguely, “…… Then, just go with the flow, right? What else can I say?”

Helan Ci listened to his words and immediately felt something was off, said, “……Have you changed your mind?”

Lu Wuyou changed the subject and said, “Are you not planning to let me continue working?”

He Lan Ci hesitated for a moment. Lu Wu You was indeed in the middle of writing. It wasn’t very appropriate to disturb him with such frivolous matters late at night, so she changed her mind and said, “Then you write first.”

Lu Wuyou lifted the cup again and drank her tea. Looking down at the lecture draft he had been so engaged with earlier, his train of thought had completely vanished—he couldn’t even remember what he had wanted to write.

Fortunately, it wasn’t needed for tomorrow.

Helan Ci continued organizing the articles. After a long while, she saw that Lu Wuyou hadn’t written a single word—just kept drinking tea.

She was very concerned and asked, “Are you thirsty?”

Lu Wuyou said, “Your tea is not bad.”

Helan Ci was slightly puzzled: “The tea used in the house is all the same.”

Lu Wuyou casually said, “The first brew, the second brew, the type of water used, the brewing time, whether the tea is awakened or not, all make a difference…”

Helan Ci saw that he was getting more and more absurd and couldn’t help but say, “I just casually grabbed some tea leaves and put them in the pot to steep… Why is your face a bit red?”

Lu Wuyou hadn’t felt thirsty until she mentioned it. Only then did he realize his lips were indeed dry, which was unusual. He pressed his pulse and felt an unusual heat surging within her veins.

——In an instant, it became clear that the incense burner lit by the woman Xiao Nanxun sent earlier probably had some problem.

Because it was so faint, Lu Wuyou hadn’t noticed. He had high resistance to poison—but poison and medicine were two different things. It was indeed very light, light enough that he should be able to easily suppress it with his internal energy, so he didn’t need to worry about it. However…

Lu Wuyou’s throat moved slightly.

Helan Ci pressed her cool hand against his forehead, muttering, “You’re a bit warm. You haven’t caught a cold from sleeping in the study these past few days, have you?”

She remembered that when she went to check on him that time, he was indeed lying in bed fully clothed, even forgetting to cover himself with a blanket. Moreover, he had been staying up late frequently to write memorials a few days ago. Although Lu Wuyou was strong and robust, she had heard that the stronger a person was, the more severe their illness could be when it struck.

Thinking about this, she reached out and touched his cheek again.

Lu Wuyou let her fingertips rest against his face, feeling that internal heat like a small flame slowly burning.

Helan Ci asked, “You’re not seriously—”

Lu Wuyou raised a hand and covered hers, moving his lips to say—almost against his will, “If I’ve caught a cold… will you take care of me?”