My Husband Became the Most Powerful Minister - Chapter 46

In the evening, they stayed at a local inn. Helan Ci indeed felt her legs and feet sore; she had hardly walked such long distances before, and the rugged and bumpy paths in the fields made it even harder. Shuangzhi helped her clean off the mud and sand from her shoes and socks, inevitably feeling a bit distressed.

“How about we just wait inside the house tomorrow?”

Helan Ci shook her head, her expression relaxed. Since bathing outside was inconvenient, she had only done a simple wipe-down. She rubbed her calves and knees and said, “Actually… I’m quite happy.”

It just felt different from her previously dull life.

Lu Wuyou returned from socializing, carrying a faint scent of alcohol. But he was still quite clear-headed. His peach blossom eyes sparkling brightly, and his expression was slightly lazy. He casually loosened his collar and changed into his regular clothes.

After changing, he seemed to remember something. He took out a bottle of medicinal ointment from his chest and placed it on the table. “If you’re still sore, apply some of this on your hands and rub it in.” After a pause, he added, “I can help you massage it too.”

“Oh.” Helan Ci replied, hesitating for a moment, and said, “Then… will you help me?”

Lu Wuyou suddenly turned his head: “……?”

He had just said that casually.

Helan Ci seemed to realize that too. “You’ve had a tiring day as well. Forget it, I’ll do it myself.”

Before she could get up, he was held down by Lu Wuyou. He slightly changed his expression and said, “Do you really want me to?”

Helan Ci nodded lightly. Although it felt somewhat unnecessary, she still added, “If you need me to, I can help you massage too…”

Lu Wuyou had already taken the medicine bottle and sat beside her.

Helan Ci lowered her head, rolled up her pant leg. Her knees were round, slightly red. Her long, straight legs were fair and slender, with just the right curves, tapering down to delicate ankles. She was still a little embarrassed—her snow-white toes curled slightly.

Lu Wuyou dabbed some ointment and asked her where it hurt.

Helan Ci pointed to her calf.

Lu Wuyou’s slightly warm fingers pressed against her. Helan Ci had been leaning on her knee but now involuntarily leaned back, her eyes still lowered. Lu Wuyou’s fingers, coated with ointment, gently massaged along her calf.

His eyes were also lowered, his movements gentle, almost like caressing. Helan Ci’s  eyes blinked slowly, but her breath was somewhat hot.

The leg she had curled slowly relaxed with his movements.

Helan Ci didn’t speak, and neither did Lu Wuyou. But wherever his hand passed, a faint shiver followed. These places were no different from her body; not to mention letting others touch them, she had never even exposed them in daily life—she wouldn’t go down to the river to catch fish.

Such closeness seemed to be becoming more and more natural.

The arch of her foot was taut. She suppressed the urge to withdraw her leg, moved her lips, and said, “You…”

Lu Wuyou seemed to come back to himself and suddenly raised his head. “Your legs are not bad.”

Helan Ci awkwardly said, “…Thank you.”

…What kind of strange compliment was that?

“But still too soft…” Lu Wuyou returned to his usual tone. “Not enough strength. You should train more. Don’t start panting after just a few steps.”

Helan Ci had to argue back, “I walked for a long time.”

Lu Wuyou chuckled, “You call that long? Wait until you travel for three days and nights straight.”

Helan Ci couldn’t help but ask, “…Have you done that?”

“Of course not,” he said shamelessly. “I have lightness skill. Why would I run on foot?”

Helan Ci: “…”

But faced with his lack of filter, she actually felt more at ease. Ignoring the subtle discomfort, the soreness in her calves was indeed greatly relieved. She relaxed slightly and slowly lowered her other leg as well. Lu Wuyou unconsciously looked at her again, seemingly about to say something but holding back.

Helan Ci said, “What’s wrong?”

Lu Wuyou lowered his gaze again and said, “You are really… completely defenseless against me.”

Helan Ci paused and then bent that leg back up again.

Lu Wuyou lightly patted her knee. “If you’re going to put it down, put it down. Don’t keep moving around—it’s distracting.”

“……Oh.”

After massaging for about a quarter of an hour, Lu Wuyou switched to the other calf, massaged for a while longer, and casually asked, “Do you want your thighs massaged?”

Helan Ci’s face flushed subtly. Her thighs were also a bit sore, though not as much as her calves. She hadn’t planned to worry about them. She hadn’t planned to care about it, but hesitated and, almost unconsciously, said, “You… decide.”

Lu Wuyou paused for a moment, always feeling that this girl seemed to be becoming more and more casual with him.

Was it… because he can endure too much?

His fingertips slid up along the trouser leg, barely touched her thigh when Helan Ci shivered first, her body tensing up as she bit her lip—what was this all about really? Lu Wuyou withdrew his hand again.

The two legs he had massaged for some time lay quietly in front of him, glaringly white and very eye-catching.

Helan Ci’s skin was as pale as her face.

Lu Wuyou composed himself, doing his best to adopt a pure, clinical mindset, lest he appear like someone harboring improper intentions. He lifted one of Helan Ci’s ankles, checked it again, saw no redness or swelling, then got up to clean up the ointment and wash his hands.

Helan Ci lay on the bed for a while to calm down before pulling down her pants and getting out of bed.

She had noted everything she saw and asked during the day in her little blank notebook. But since she had asked many people and wasn’t fully confident, and knowing Lu Wuyou had a good memory, she came to confirm.

As expected, after glancing through it, Lu Wuyou was able to recite what the tenant farmer said almost word for word.

Helan Ci filled in the gaps. At that moment, she really felt that his good memory was quite a useful thing, really impressive.

*****

In the following days, Helan Ci continued to ask questions and take notes. Lu Wuyou felt she was even more enthusiastic than when they went to Lotus Pool outside the city. Every day the two of them left early and returned at dusk. The other officials looked at him with particularly subtle expressions, a mix of shock and a hint of envy.

Lu Wuyou tried to explain, “I just accompanied my lady for a stroll.”

The other officials, however, were all skeptical—what’s there to see in this rural village with  such a beautiful lady?

Especially when that beautiful lady always comes back completely exhausted everyday.

Young people really do have boundless energy.

Unknowingly, their land survey had been going on for quite a while.

Most of the cooperative ones had already been surveyed. But now, more and more stewards gradually starting to shirk their responsibilities, refusing to cooperate, or deliberately causing trouble and making things difficult, dragging everything out.

One steward even cried, “Our manor flooded a few days ago, and the fertile fields were all destroyed! The tenants’ ledgers were all lost in a fire! There’s nothing left to check, sirs…”

As both sides argued, Helan Ci slightly opened her mouth as if wanting to speak. Lu Wu You patted her shoulder, encouraging her to speak if she wanted to.

Helan Ci boldly said, “I’ve already checked the place by the river, only a few mu of land were affected. I’ve also asked the tenants. If needed, I can help recreate the ledgers.”

The Ministry of Revenue officials were too busy with the land survey, so there are no extra hands available.

After reviewing Helan Ci’s meticulous household-by-household records, they were surprised and looked to Lu Wuyou, thinking he had done it. But unexpectedly, Lu Wuyou smiled slightly and said, “This is my wife’s hobby, so there’s no need to be surprised. If it can help everyone, that would be best.”

Only then did everyone remember that this peerlessly beautiful lady was also the daughter of the famously relentless  Chief Censor, Helan Daren.

She was just so beautiful that people tended to overlook everything else about her.

The carriage moved along and soon reached the most troublesome part: the lands of several powerful nobles.

The stewards in these estates were harsh, cold, and unreasonable. In the past, they generally wielded power and acted tyrannically, not even bothering to listen to the local officials’ accounts. Though they showed some restraint now with imperial envoys, they still refused entry.

They didn’t have enough officers with them and had to borrow local ones. Even the county magistrate was helpless. “Those are hereditary nobles! They have a close relationship with the emperor. I’m in a difficult position here. If I offend them too much, they could easily take my official hat off my head…”

But the surveying had to continue. The two sides clashed—and actually came to blows. They physically barred the officers from entering.

Angered, one of the Ministry of Revenue officials couldn’t help but curse, “Do they want to rebel? Once I get back to the capital, I will definitely report them!”

Helan Ci was also quite shaken. When the two groups were fighting, she would sit in the carriage and spy on them, watching as both sides picked up their weapons and beat each other fiercely. It was either a brawl or a brutal fight, and it was not uncommon for someone to end up with a bloody head, collapsing to the ground in a pool of bl00d.

Lu Wuyou also said helplessly, “Why do you insist on seeing everything?”

Helan Ci honestly said, “…… Gaining experience.” Then, very nervously added, “They’re okay, right?”

Lu Wuyou said, “Everyone knows their limits. It’s just flesh wounds, at most some bruised muscles and bones. No one will die, and it would be hard to explain if we didn’t fight.”

Helan Ci said, “Then how will you handle the land survey?”

Lu Wuyou also lifted the curtain to take a look, and casually said, “To save time, let’s go with the shady route.”

Helan Ci: “Hmm?”

That night, a group of unknown bandits stealthily infiltrated the manors, beat up the manor’s steward and others who had been so arrogant during the day, leaving them thoroughly dazed and unable to fight back. They then took all the gold and silver from the warehouse and scattered it across the fields.

In broad daylight, it shone with a dazzling golden light, instantly catching the eye, yet no one dared to picked it up—everyone was stunned.

And so, with no resistance left, the surveying resumed.

Even a fool knows which side did it that night, but that gang really is like the wind, and we can’t catch any evidence.

The officials from the capital were also greatly shocked and said, “Such a thing actually happened! The local bandits are so rampant! We will definitely report this to the Emperor and come to capture those bandits on a another day.”

“The officers and soldiers we brought are still lying in bed, we really didn’t expect such evil deeds to happen…”

“Yeah, if we had known it would be like this, we would have come a few days later.”

The famous Zhuangyuan, with innocent expression, said, “Last night, my wife and I slept very well. We truly knew nothing about it.”

Beside Helan Ci, they worked hard to cooperate and nodded.

Because they are good-looking, their words seem particularly persuasive.

In short, the opposing side can only silently bear this hidden loss.

The carriage moved forward for a while further, and this time the steward’s attitude was extremely good. He, along with the local county magistrate, had arrived early to wait on both sides of the road, setting up a feast to welcome them. This place was visibly much more prosperous than before, and the banquet was also held in a restaurant.

Helan Ci changed into a new outfit and went to the banquet with Lu Wuyou.

A few days ago, everyone had gotten used to seeing her in a coarse brown robe, but now she had changed into the usual white dress and white skirt she often wore, and the ethereal aura that had faded a bit in the past few days suddenly returned to her.

Truly, she was as bright as the moon in the sky, unattainable, drawing countless glances from passersby along the way.

Lu Wuyou said, “I’m more accustomed to seeing you dressed like this.”

Helan Ci said, “…… It’s more convenient to wear men’s clothes before.”

Lu Wuyou turned his head to admire her for a while and said, “So why did you change?”

Helan Ci said, “Uh, since we’re going to a banquet, I’m afraid… it might embarrass you.”

“……”

Lu Wuyou was silent for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh out loud. His heart itched to kiss her, but it wasn’t appropriate to do so in public, so he just leaned close to her ear and said, “Don’t worry, I don’t think you’ll ever embarrass me.”

The food and wine were served, and the banquet was in full swing. As the private room was quite spacious, there was even a musical performance on the side—two veiled musicians plucking strings with delicate fingers, softly singing melodiously.

Helan Ci buried her head in her food, and all those who came to toast her were blocked by Lu Wuyou.

He seems to have a natural talent for socializing; no matter what kind of conversation comes his way, he can handle it with grace and make others feel comfortable. He raises his glass and drinks more heartily than anyone else.

This was also Helan Ci’s first time seeing Lu Wuyou’s drinking capacity. He accepted every drink without refusal and even helped her by blocking drinks. As they passed cups back and forth, Lu Wuyou downed several cups without changing his expression.

She watched Lu Wuyou’s performance for a while, then leaned in and whispered, “Are you really okay drinking that much?”

Lu Wuyou replied quietly, “You’re worrying too early. I’ve only had a few glasses, this is not even the beginning.”

Helan Ci encouraged him, “Then you work hard.”

Lu Wuyou raised his glass and said, “…You’re not going to show a little more concern?”

Helan Ci considered it and said, “I’ll boil you some hangover soup when we get back.”

Lu Wuyou couldn’t help but smile.

Just then, the local magistrate clapped his hands, and several more women entered from the back. They were beautiful, dressed lightly, each holding a golden jug of fine wine, and approached with smiles to offer drinks.

when one of the women reached Lu Wuyou, her eyes lit up. Before she could even flash a flirtatious smile, she caught sight of Helan Ci sitting beside him. Her expression changed instantly, and she could only reluctantly move on to the next person.

Lu Wuyou continued sipping his wine, but a subtle shift came over his expression.

The people around were all drunk, and with a beauty beside them urging them to drink, the atmosphere became even more lively. One woman even sat directly on one of the officials’ laps, feeding him wine with her mouth, leaving Helan Ci dumbfounded.

The magistrate, who hadn’t drunk much himself, said with a wide grin, “Honored officials, you are all here as guests. It has been quite a journey, and if the banquet didn’t meet your expectations, I have a small token of appreciation to offer.”

Servants brought out several inconspicuous wooden boxes. When opened, each one revealed neatly stacked gold ingots.

It was truly dazzling, and enough to make one sober.

The magistrate said, “Please rest assured, these gold ingots have been recast; there’s no way to trace their source. It’s just a token of appreciation. I only hope…” He pulled out a ledger, “I hope you esteemed lords can consider my humble suggestions when tallying the amount.”

The Helan Ci breathes lightly.

Just now, the harmonious sound of drinking filled the entire venue, but it suddenly fell silent.

“This might not be very appropriate…”

“What’s inappropriate about it? You gentlemen have had your drinks, eaten your food, and enjoyed the beauties,” the magistrate said with a smile. “Although the officials of Dayong are not allowed to consort with courtesans, these ladies are renowned in the flower houses. I put in a great deal of effort to bring them here.” He raised his cup and drank again, adding, “I heard that a nearby village of mine encountered a bandit attack. I’m quite worried… what if we get ambushed at midnight too?”

At this moment, outside the door, one can faintly hear the sound of footsteps gathering, as if the entire tavern has already been surrounded.

The magistrate added, “I also heard that an official who was surveying the land encountered a rockslide on the way and couldn’t dodge in time. The entire convoy was buried in the mud. We have always been plagued by disasters, and rockslides can happen even in the suburbs…”

Everyone had heard this news and thought it was an accident. Who could have imagined that it might not be an accident? Their faces changed slightly for a moment.

Only Lu Wuyou still appeared calm.

He suddenly spoke up and said, “I would like to ask, how did your previous magistrate in the county die? Before coming here, I checked the records and found that he died in an accident during disaster relief efforts. Then, a sum of money and grain went missing. The conclusion was that he embezzled funds and committed suicide out of guilt. Is that right?”

The magistrate’s expression also changed, and then he smiled and said, “Scholar, knowing too much can be troublesome. It’s best if you don’t meddle too much. Look at your beautiful new wife by your side, just newly wed, such a stunning wife. Are you really willing to let her accompany you to the underworld?”

Helan Ci saw Lu Wuyou’s calm demeanor and, knowing he had plans, casually said, “I don’t really matter.”

The magistrate who had just been trying to threaten them: “…?”

Lu Wuyou also said, “Since my wife has said so, what do I have to be afraid of?” He put down his wine, smiled, and said, “Shall we get serious?”

The other officials nearby were shocked.

This is a newborn calf that doesn’t fear tigers!

So reckless!

Weren’t you quite good at socializing just now? Why aren’t you buying time like the rest of us?  Let’s all think of a solution together! There’s no need to provoke each other head on!

The magistrate’s expression changed several times, finally realizing that this person was beyond negotiation. He immediately tore his face and said, “If you insist on fighting to death, there’s nothing I can do. Come in!”

As he spoke, several doors of the private room swung open.

Armed militiamen flooded in from all sides, all with bandit-like expressions, seemingly ready to risk their lives.

The magistrate’s eyes finally filled with malice as he said, “You refuse a toast, so you’ll drink punishment wine instead. Don’t worry, Zhuangyuan. Your wife is so beautiful—I wouldn’t let her die. Once you’re dead, of course I’ll make sure to…”

Before he could finish speaking, a wine glass flew straight at him, hitting his face directly. The glass shattered instantly, and his mouth was left bleeding from the impact.

Lu Wuyou said plainly, “Watch your mouth.”

The magistrate angrily said, “Someone, arrest him!”

Who would have thought that Lu Wuyou would just casually go up and grab the magistrate by the throat? The magistrate didn’t even have time to react, and the other officials were equally shocked. Is this young man really that fast?

Especially Lu Wuyou, who indeed looked quite ordinary in his movements, and even his speed wasn’t particularly fast, but for some reason, the opponent just couldn’t dodge—perhaps due to his old age and lack of exercise.

“Although there’s nothing wrong with you complimenting my wife on her beauty, having bad intentions is not acceptable.”

Lu Wuyou pressed his throat and said, “Apologize quickly.”

Only the magistrate knows how terrifying the fingers clamped around his throat are, they are even harder than iron pincers… They clearly said that these officials were not very skilled in martial arts, and even this Zhuangyuan was somewhat frail…

Can this be called frail!?

He struggled and said, “It’s an order from above. Even if you kill me, it’s impossible to escape…”

Almost as if to prove his point, the militia began ignoring him and rushed to grab the others, especially Helan Ci. The moment some of them laid eyes on her, greed lit up their faces.

This beauty, who seems like she could only exist in a dream, is worth a second glance, and just looking at her feels like a gain.

Lu Wuyou casually tossed aside the magistrate, grabbed Helan Ci’s wrist, and broke through the crowd to start running outside. Helan Ci stumbled from being pulled, but her reaction was quick; she immediately lifted her skirt and hurriedly followed him.

Though they had said the place was surrounded, there weren’t that many people. Lu Wuyou, seemingly invincible, continuously knocked a few people aside, forcing a path through and actually charging out of the tavern with Helan Ci.

She ran with her heart racing.

“You…”

Helan Ci originally wanted to say, “Aren’t you highly skilled in martial arts?” But then she thought about it and realized that two fists can’t fight against four hands. With so many people, he probably couldn’t handle them all. Suddenly, she understood and felt the danger had been even greater than she realized. She gripped his hand and, panting, said, “You’re not…”  Before she could finish her sentence, she saw a cut on his arm, likely from a blade while breaking through the crowd.

“Wait…”

Helan Ci She stared at the wound, panic rising in her chest.

Luu Wuyou thought she was worried about the other officials, so he spoke very quickly, “I offended them alone and ran out. They should chase me first and won’t make things difficult for the other officials so quickly. They can still discuss it… The previous disaster relief grain issue seemed suspicious to the Emperor, so he sent me to investigate. I sent word to the Censorate last night asking them to dispatch troops—but they might not have arrived yet. There were too many people earlier—I couldn’t reveal my skills. Now I have to lead these soldiers away—”

He hadn’t finished speaking when the pursuers arrived.

Lu Wuyou said again, “Come here, I’ll carry you.”

Helan Ci remembered the injury on his arm and immediately said, “No need, I can run. You hurry and run, stop talking!”

She kept gasping, but her tone was stubborn.

Lu Wuyou stopped speaking, took her hand, deliberately slowed down, leading those soldiers to chase them, each time seeming to be on the verge of being caught, only to immediately evade.

Helan Ci followed closely beside him, alternating between stopping and running, her lungs burning, her legs feeling weak, but she still felt she could hold on for a while longer.

Not knowing how much time had passed, he faintly heard the sound of a group of officials and soldiers arriving. In the distance, someone shouted loudly, “Make way! The Censorate’s investigator has arrived!”

The pursuers chasing them also suddenly stopped, caught in a dilemma of whether to advance or retreat.

When the pursuers gradually ceased their sounds, Helan Ci was in a dark alley, pressed against Lu Wuyou’s chest, her breathing chaotic, her forehead covered in sweat. In contrast, Lu Wuyou, apart from the minor injuries he bore, was otherwise unharmed.

The alley entrance is narrow, and the two are pressed closely together.

Lu Wuyou raised his hand to brush aside her damp hair on her forehead, suddenly smiled, and said, “Were you a bit nervous just now?”

Helan Ci paused for a moment, then nodded.

Lu Wuyou pressed his forehead against hers and said, “You’re making progress quite quickly. Who knows, maybe in ten years or so, you’ll really be able to master martial arts and become a skilled expert.”

Helan Ci actually didn’t even have the strength to speak, and just wanted to slide down to the ground, relying entirely on the hand holding Lu Wuyou’s to support herself. Hearing his effortless voice, she could only intermittently say, “Weren’t you scared just now… with all the injuries on your body…”

“Do I have injuries on me? Oh, this? Don’t mind it. As for being scared…” Lu Wuyou whispered in her ear, “Actually, I could have avoided provoking them and just stalled for time, but I just felt like… doing something exciting. Don’t you think it’s exciting?”

Helan Ci was stunned for a moment, never expecting it to be for this reason.

Lu Wuyou was also panting lightly, his heartbeat faster than usual. He couldn’t help but lick along the edge of her ear.

Helan Ci trembled instantly.

Seeing that she didn’t react, Lu Wuyou licked again, as if tasting petals.

A surge of emotion that couldn’t quite be identified as anger or something else surged within Helan Ci. Looking at Lu Wuyou’s neck, which was so close, she couldn’t help but open her mouth, slightly tilt her head, and bite down.

Lu Wuyou turned his head slightly in surprise.

Hean Ci bit a spot on his neck. And as he turned, she moved straight to his Adam’s apple.

When he spoke, swallowed, or even breathed, it would subtly move here; the throat area had always been the weakest point for martial artists. Lu Wuyou’s Adam’s apple slid with difficulty, and he could feel her teeth lightly bumping against his protruding throat bone.

“……Miss Helan, what do you want to do?”

Helan Ci mumbled, “I’m a bit angry, I want to bite you.”

Lu Wuyou remained silent for a moment, letting her bite, and said, “Do you know, this doesn’t feel like you’re angry, it feels like flirting.”

Helan Ci froze and slowly parted her lips.

Lu Wuyou tilted his neck back, his voice hoarse as he said, “Why are you letting go? Not going to bite anymore? Or… if you want to bite somewhere else, that’s fine too. I’m a reasonable person. If you’re really angry, there’s no part of me you can’t bite.”

Helan Ci felt that there was something wrong with what he said, but she couldn’t quite figure it out.

Her breathing gradually slowed down, and aside from a slight burning sensation in her lungs, she didn’t feel much other discomfort. Helan Ci steadied herself and said, “I didn’t really mean to hurt you, I just… got a bit carried away.”

“It’s okay, I often get carried away too,” Lu Wuyou said without thinking, trying to comfort him. “You really won’t bite again? I guess it would take some effort for you to actually hurt me. You usually have a sharp tongue, but your mouth is just soft… But honestly, it doesn’t matter if you do hurt me…”

Helan Ci moved from the position where she was pressed closely against him, remained speechless for a while, and then said, “Besides your arm, is there anywhere else that got injured?”

Lu Wuyou raised his intoxicated peach blossom eyes to look at her. Clearly, he had just drunk so much alcohol, and before his eyes didn’t show any signs of drunkenness. Now, it was as if he had just downed another thousand cups. He said, “I don’t know either. That little injury doesn’t hurt or itch… If you want to know, we can go back, and you can see for yourself.”

Helan Ci hesitated for a moment and said, “……Okay.”

Lu Wuyou: “……?” Really?

Helan Ci said with slight concern, “And your official robe seems to be… all tattered and torn.”

If an official robe is damaged, the court won’t replace it for you; you’ll have to pay to have a new one made, and it usually doesn’t come cheap.

Lu Wuyou subconsciously said, “Then you help me sew it.”

Helan Ci: “……?” You actually think I can do it?