My Husband Became the Most Powerful Minister - Chapter 58

Helan Ci was used to his unconventional way of speaking, but still felt slightly uncomfortable. “Is this… jealousy?” She suddenly realized the topic had been diverted and quickly returned to it. “You… are you sure you don’t have these thoughts about anyone else?”

 

Lu Wuyou found himself in a somewhat amusing yet exasperating situation.

 

“Although I’m glad you’re so worried about me, but…” Lu Wuyou raised an eyebrow, “Do I really look like someone who lacks self-restraint?”

 

Helan Ci couldn’t be certain. “You jus look very happy when talking about that kind of thing, and…” she added, “especially unfiltered with your words.”

 

“That’s because…”

 

Lu Wuyou stepped back, finally composed himself. He forced himself to appear like a serious man. “Anyone who’s held back for a while would want to let loose a bit. I thought that was only human nature.”

 

Was this person’s idea of letting loose just talking absolute nonsense?

 

Helan Ci couldn’t help but say, “But you didn’t have to go from one extreme… to another. It’s a bit hard to get used to.”

 

Lu Wuyou likely realized he had been a bit too unruly earlier. He lowered his gaze slightly and said, “Alright, I’ll restrain myself. But you have to believe me — I really haven’t thought about that with anyone else. I only think about you. If you don’t believe me… you can come test it.” As he spoke, his tone began to drag again.

 

Helan Ci said, “This is your idea of restraint…”

 

Lu Wuyou replied helplessly, “You won’t even let me talk. How about you just shut my mouth for me——it’s even better if you’re the one who blocks it.”

 

…This man was probably beyond saving now.

 

On the day of the banquet to entertain the Northern Di envoys, Helan Ci had firmly decided not to attend, but she was still a little worried.

 

Lu Wuyou said, “If you’re that worried, just kiss me a few more times.”

 

Helan Ci: “…???”

 

Lu Wuyou adjusted the front of his qilin-patterned robe and said matter-of-factly, “Honestly, I’m not particularly afraid of that little Northern Di prince. What I said that day was because of you, not him. If you give me a few more kisses, my heart will be at ease, and I won’t be afraid of anything.”

 

How can he say it so grandly?

 

Helan Ci was silent for a moment before saying, “How many kisses do you want?”

 

“Two… or maybe three…” Lu Wuyou cupped her cheeks, then changed his mind. “No, better make it one. Otherwise, I might not be able to stop, and miss the appointed time.”

 

Helan Ci glanced at the sky and reminded him, “Then hurry up…”

 

Before she could finish, Lu Wuyou had already leaned in and kissed her deeply—long enough to nearly make him late.

 

The Northern Di envoys this time claimed to seek a marriage alliance, but their visit seemed to carry a hint of provocation.

 

Though Dayong was still relatively prosperous, the region bordering the Northern Di wasn’t exactly a stronghold. Most of the time, they were barely holding the line. The envoys brought with them thirty strongmen and a dozen or so self-proclaimed scholars to “debate the classics” with Dayong’s finest minds.

 

Of course, the Northern Di’s version of “debating the classics” didn’t differ much from quibbling and sophistry.

 

This part was handled by the Hanlin Academy. Lu Wuyou took a sip of tea, cleared his throat, and volunteered to go up first. And so began his verbal duel with the scholars—actually, it wasn’t difficult for him at all. In fact, he’d been holding back for so long that when he started, he spoke with such sharpness and unending flow that Shen Daren, the head of the academy beside him, couldn’t help coughing a few times to signal him to tone it down. Only then did Lu Wuyou slightly rein himself in, clasped his hands, and courteously said, “If my words were in any way lacking, I welcome your corrections.”

 

Everyone around them thought the same thing—Lacking? What nonsense! You’ve already said it like that, and you still expect someone to correct you!

 

The Northern Di scholar opposite him was left panting, gripping the table for support, unable to argue and fuming with frustration.

 

Lu Wuyou seemed to have an innate gift for cursing people without a single vulgar word. When debating, he displayed the same flair he had when writing scathing memorials, which delighted the emperor greatly, and he rewarded him with some gifts.

 

Everyone around offered congratulations.

 

“Ji’an, you’re way too articulate…”

 

“By the way, just now, did you speak for—what, seven hundred characters straight? Or a thousand?”

 

Only the Northern Di prince, Luo Chen, was still looking at him with a strange, indecipherable expression.

 

Lu Wuyou ignored him.

 

He calmly waited for the performances of his other colleagues.

 

As for the strongman portion of the challenge, that was up to the Ministry of War or the Five Military Commissions, or the North Pacification Office to handle. Lu Wuyou was just about to step back when he suddenly saw a group of Taoists enter from the opposite side. They were dressed in grand robes, looking like immortals descended to the mortal realm. Beside them, Eunuch Peng from the Directorate of Ceremonies was smiling and leading them in.

 

Eunuch Peng was one of the Emperor’s closest attendants—even a third-rank official might not get a smile from him on a regular day.

 

A colleague, seeing this, said with some envy, “I heard they’re Taoist priests from Longhu Mountain. Supposedly, they know the art of ascension to immortality and are highly favored by His Majesty. The Emperor even plans to build them a grand temple here in the capital.”

 

“Not just that. He wants to rebuild the burned-down Chongguang Hall and build an Ascension Tower reaching the clouds right next to it.”

 

“Well, the Emperor just wants a long and prosperous life…”

 

Looking at Emperor Shun’s complexion, it did seem a bit unwell. At this stage of life, it was natural to begin fearing death and to seek ways to delay it.

 

Lu Wuyou said nothing.

 

When they rested for a while at the Hanlin Academy, someone suddenly rushed in and said, “Ji’an, something’s wrong!”

 

Lu Wuyou remained calm as he poured himself some tea. “Don’t panic. Speak slowly.”

 

The man paused to catch his breath and said, “His Majesty seems to be planning to summon your wife to the palace.”

 

Lu Wuyou immediately set the teapot down. “What’s going on?”

 

In literary debates, Dayong held its own. In martial contests, however, it clearly couldn’t compare to the Northern Di.

 

The Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions had been discussing and drafted a list—mostly generals in the capital or past martial exam champions. These people were fine at commanding troops in battle, but when it came to one-on-one combat, several of them were clearly no match for the Northern Di warriors.

 

Even in mounted archery, they suffered a crushing defeat.

 

After several rounds of competition, the Emperor’s expression grew increasingly grim.

 

By the end, the Northern Di even boldly sent out a woman. That woman held a longbow, dressed in Northern Di attire, with a slender waist and long legs, silver chains clinking lightly as she moved. She was beautiful in a wild and unrestrained way, her smile bright as she said, “You men of Dayong are truly useless. How about competing with me in archery?”

 

That was nothing short of an insult.

 

There was no way they could actually have a Dayong man compete against a woman from the Northern Di.

 

Then, out of nowhere, a eunuch suggested with strange inspiration, “There should still be daughters of military families in the capital—some are said to be skilled in riding and archery. Why not summon a few to compete? At this point, we might as well treat a dead horse as a live one.”

 

The humiliation of the day was already more than enough.

 

“Like the second daughter of Chu Daren, Commander of Yizhou, or perhaps…”

 

Everyone began naming names all at once, and another eunuch said, “I heard that back during the wedding banquet of Wenyang Xianzhu, that Northern Di prince even mentioned wanting to compete with Assistant Minister Lu’s wife…”

 

—Wenyang Xianzhu was none other than Second Miss Wei.

 

Another eunuch kicked him and snapped, “What nonsense are you spouting before the Emperor! Assistant Minister Lu’s wife only spoke of competing on behalf of her husband for the sake of his pride. How could a daughter of a civil official truly be capable of combat?”

 

“But this is only archery we’re talking about. Why not ask Minister Lu first? Is his wife just talking nonsense, or does she actually have some skill? If she has learned, as long as she can hit the target with that arrow, it wouldn’t be too disgraceful. Besides…”

 

Besides, everyone in and out of the palace knew that Madam Helan was a peerless beauty. Her mere presence could boost their side’s appearance and suppress the momentum of that Northern Di woman.

 

Admittedly, the suggestion was rather shameless.

 

The Emperor was probably still angry and didn’t dismiss it outright, but instead said, “Guards, first bring them here for questioning.”

 

***

 

Helan Ci was still at home diligently working on her embroidery when she received the imperial summons to enter the palace—making her particularly bewildered. The eunuch delivering the decree even requested that she bring her trusty bow and arrows.

 

A vague, uneasy suspicion surfaced in her mind, but she still brought along the bow she had been practicing with most frequently, and, puzzled, stepped into the sedan chair.

 

It wasn’t until she entered the palace and saw Lu Wuyou that he leaned in and whispered, “Your archery should be decent, right?”

 

Helan Ci replied in a low voice, “Don’t tell me they really want me to compete…”

 

Lu Wuyou said, “That’s hard to say. But most likely, they just want you to stand there and show your face. If you really don’t want to do it, I can help you decline to the emperor. If it comes to a competition, you probably only need to get an arrow on the target—not necessarily hit the bullseye.”

 

Helan Ci frowned slightly, displeased. “But wouldn’t that mean I’ll definitely lose?”

 

Lu Wuyou’s tone remained light. “Doesn’t matter. If it comes to that, I have a backup plan.”

 

Once Helan Ci entered the grand hall, she saw Miss Chu Lan, whom she had previously met during the suburban sacrificial rites. Chu Lan was still dressed in black riding clothes, long spear in hand, her expression slightly tense. Beside her stood several other young women who looked valiant and spirited. Some Helan Ci recognized from the previous suburban rites; others she had never seen before.

 

Chu Lan seemed not to notice Helan Ci at all, wholely focused on her archery.

 

Standing near her was an exceptionally radiant woman, bright as dazzling sunlight, also holding a longbow.

 

Her eyes were deep-set, with a high nose bridge—clearly a Northern Di woman. Her skin was a warm honey tone, somewhere between the darker men of Northern Di and the fairer women of Dayong. She looked to be no more than twenty, yet exuded a striking and mature allure that was utterly captivating. Her body-hugging Northern Di attire and the confident, brilliant smile on her face made her impossible to ignore. One glance drew the eye; a second glance left one subconsciously swallowing.

 

A completely different type from Helan Ci.

 

In that instant, Helan Ci understood why she had been summoned. Indeed, as Lu Wuyou said, just showing her face would be enough.

 

As she entered, the grand hall seemed to shift into a contest of beauty.

 

Helan Ci couldn’t help but glance toward Lu Wuyou. He had been ordered to escort her, so naturally he also saw that striking woman. But when she turned her eyes, she found herself meeting his gaze. Lu Wuyou softly reassured her, “It’s fine, just treat it like watching a play.”

 

So Helan Ci then started watching the play.

 

Helan Ci remembered that Chu Lan’s archery was quite good. After they had parted ways at the suburban rites, she seemed to have gone off to challenge the men in horseback archery—carrying a spirit that rivaled any man’s.

 

But now, the archery competition between the two women was fiercely intense.

 

Each round involved ten arrows. Both of them already had seven embedded in the bullseye—neck and neck. But on the next shot, the Northern Di woman hit the center dead-on, while Chu Lan, slightly nervous, missed and landed in the outer ring.

 

The people of Dayong, regardless of gender, couldn’t help but feel their hearts ache.

 

Even Helan Ci found herself clutching at Lu Wuyou’s sleeve. Lu Wuyou had been watching seriously, but when he noticed, he looked down and gently clasped her tense, slender fingers. In a voice barely audible, he said, “Why are you grabbing the sleeve? Hold me.”

 

Helan Ci was taken aback.

 

At this moment, everyone was focused on the competition, and no one noticed that the hands of the two were clasped together, hidden beneath the long sleeves of his Qilin robe. He even extended a fingertip, gently scratching Helan Ci’s palm.

 

Helan Ci tried to pull away, and finally managed to extract her fingers. At that moment, she heard Lu Wuyou let out a soft chuckle.

 

“All right, I’ll stop teasing.”

 

Only then could Helan Ci refocus on the match.

 

In the last two shots, Chu Lan performed normally, but couldn’t make up for the earlier mistake. The Northern Di woman ran her fingers through her long silver-ringed, chain-adorned hair and smiled. “You’re quite good, but unfortunately—I’m just a bit better.”

 

Chu Lan clenched her teeth, her face full of stubborn unwillingness: “One more round.”

 

“So many people here—perhaps later.”

 

Her gaze swept across the gathered daughters of military officials, finally landing on Helan Ci. She looked her over with amused interest before saying, “You know archery too?” It was clear that this one was brought in to add some color to Dayong side.

 

Helan Ci remained composed, “I know a little.”

 

The Northern Di woman gave a flirtatious smile and said, “I’d like to compete with her. I wonder if His Majesty the Emperor of Dayong would agree?”

 

Helan Ci had no choice but to say, “But I really only knows a little.”

 

The Northern Di woman said, “It’s alright. I can give myself a handicap—out of ten arrows, if just one of yours is more accurate than mine, then you win.”

 

She had said it so plainly that it was almost impossible to politely decline.

 

The eunuch beside His Majesty even came over to comfort Helan Ci, saying, “Lady An¹, there’s no need to be nervous. His Majesty has said, you can go ahead and compete. Even if you lose, there will still be a reward.”

 

Holding the bow, Helan Ci felt a flicker of regret—had she known this was going to happen, she wouldn’t have spent so much time on embroidery or practicing those close-combat techniques Lu Wuyou taught her. She would’ve thrown herself into archery training instead—who would have thought it would actually come in handy?

 

Clearly, it’s never too early to prepare for a rainy day.

 

Lu Wuyou, however, didn’t seem the least bit anxious. He merely said in a low voice, “Just shoot two arrows first.”

 

Helan Ci’s bow was specially customized by Lu Wuyou, lightweight and relatively easy to draw, but the shooting power remained unchanged. The target wasn’t set that far away either. Helan Ci took a breath, calmed her heart, and began to draw the bow with the same mindset as when she practiced back at the residence.

 

Seeing her posture, steady and proper as she drew the bow, although people had vaguely known she might actually be capable, it still took them by surprise. After all, Helan Ci always seemed like the type skilled only in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting—archery felt utterly out of place for her.

 

“Helan furen can really draw a bow…”

 

“She won’t hurt herself with it, will she?”

 

“But Assistant Minister Lu seems very calm.”

 

As the bowstring drew taut, Helan Ci’s mind grew even clearer. Lu Wuyou had said she had decent talent. After these days of training, she could hit the target with six or seven arrows out of ten. And truthfully, she did find it quite fun. Helan Ci held her breath and focused, just like when she practiced calligraphy—forgetting all distractions, blocking out all noise. Her movements were swift and clean as she released the first arrow.

 

“Whoosh——”

 

The arrow struck firmly on the target. Though slightly off-center, someone still couldn’t help but clap.

 

Once the Northern Di woman had taken her shot, Helan Ci nocked a second arrow. Bow lowered slightly, eyes locked on the bullseye, she adjusted her angle. She didn’t even check how well she had done just now—she approached it like she did everything else, with total seriousness and unshakable focus. Pinching the end of the arrow, she drew it back, then released.

 

The arrow flew—

 

This time, it landed even closer to the center than before.

 

Helan Ci let out a sigh, feeling a bit lightheaded, hot bl00d rushing to her brain.

 

Lu Wuyou walked over to her, and just as Helan Ci was about to speak, she saw him smile slightly and say, “Not bad.” Then he patted her shoulder, and a warm current of energy surged into her body.

 

In an instant, she suddenly felt filled with strength, her posture also becoming much lighter. The movements that were a bit strenuous just now seemed to have lost their weight.

 

Lu Wuyou said again, “Nock your arrow.”

 

His voice was soft.

 

Without hesitation, Helan Ci nocked another arrow. Her mind now was electrified, buzzing—she felt invincible, as if she could conquer anything. As if she had practiced this a thousand times—though in fact, she had indeed practiced many times. At that moment, the target looked as though it was just within reach. Her twin pupils focused. She could do it. Helan Ci took a deep breath, pulled the bowstring to its limit, held onto that fleeting moment of calm clarity—and let go.

 

The long arrow left the bowstring, like a flash of lightning shooting straight ahead.

 

Accompanied by the clear sound of the wind, the strands of Helan Ci’s hair by her ears were blown up by the pulling airflow.

 

Everyone was momentarily stunned.

 

The arrow carried with it an unstoppable force—and drove deep into the center of the bullseye.

 

Helan Ci’s fingers were sore, but she couldn’t even feel it.

 

All she felt was—truly exhilarating!

 

Then, thunderous applause erupted around her. Helan Ci slowly came back to herself, realizing that Lu Wuyou had already stepped back and was now standing among the crowd, smiling and clapping. Even the Northern Di woman was staring at her with a stunned expression.

 

“…Did my eyes just deceive me?”

 

“Was that really Helan Furen?”

 

“Did she just hit the bullseye?”

 

“…She did! Really! And just now that Northern Di girl missed slightly!”

 

***

 

Sitting in the carriage on the way back to the residence, Helan Ci’s body was still buzzing with excitement. She couldn’t help but ask Lu Wuyou, ““Did I really hit the bullseye just now? Was there something in that warm energy you transferred to me?”

 

Lu Wuyou pulled out her fingers and examined them carefully before saying, “There’s a difference in strength to begin with, so it wasn’t exactly fair. That was just to give you a bit more power, help you shoot more easily—that arrow was yours. Although I did have a bad idea at first.”

 

Helan Ci said: “What idea?”

 

Lu Wuyou smiled and said, “To calibrate your aim and press on an acupoint in your hand—so you’d only need to let go and the arrow would hit the mark. But then I saw how much fun you were having.”

 

Helan Ci nodded. “Yes, It was fun.”

 

Although she had hit the bullseye a few times during practice, the chances were slim. She might hit the bullseye only once in a hundred shots. After all, archery and drawing the bow were still a bit strenuous for her. She hadn’t expected that she would really land a bullseye under the gaze of so many.

 

Lu Wuyou grasped her hand and kneaded it. Helan Ci seemed completely unresponsive, allowing him to knead her palm.

 

She looks unusually lively at the moment.

 

Helan Ci said, “But that Northern Di woman was really impressive.”

 

Her archery skills were nearly on par with the average man’s, and she carried herself with ease and confidence. At first, Helan Ci had been surprised, but then she began to sense the extraordinary world that Lu Wuyou had described.

 

Lu Wuyou casually said, “She’s quite impressive, but…” He paused, “Later I was too busy watching my Miss Helan’s remarkable performance.”

 

Helan Ci said: “Daren Lu! speak properly!”

 

But Lu Wuyou’s eyes gleamed as he countered, “Then why bring her up? Don’t tell me you’re worried I might have thoughts about her?”

 

Helan Ci turned her head. “Do you?”

 

“If you think I don’t, then that’s fine.” Lu Wuyou pondered for a moment. “Have I completely ruined my image in your eyes?”

 

Helan Ci couldn’t help but say, “…What kind of image did you think you had?”

 

Lu Wuyou said, “Why don’t you tell me? I believe Miss Helan has known me for long enough to have a deep understanding of me.”

 

Usually, Helan Ci wouldn’t banter with him like this—she respond perfunctorily with a line or two and be done. But today, Helan Ci was a bit excited, and without much thought, he directly said, “A pampered young master.”

 

Lu Wuyou accepted it easily: “What else?”

 

“Not very frugal.”

 

Lu Wuyou said, “Isn’t this the same thing?”

 

Helan Ci continued, “You’re always asking me such shameful questions, and then asking if I agree. Do you think I’m a fool?”

 

Lu Wuyou smiled and said, “Why would you think like that? I’m sincerely discussing things with you. If you don’t agree, I can’t force it.”

 

Helan Ci’s cheeks turned faintly red. “But I don’t think everything needs to be asked, and you even ask me how that feels. Are you seriously not teasing me? The more I think about it, the weirder i feels.”

 

Lu Wuyou said, “Well, what else am I supposed to do? If you feel uncomfortable and I didn’t ask, should I just push through²?”

 

Helan Ci was briefly speechless.

 

Lu Wuyou said, “I even went through all the artbooks³ my colleagues gave me. Only then did I realize there are still so many styles to explore. Indeed, the sea of knowledge is boundless; one mustn’t grow complacent. Even after reading thousands of books, one must remain humble and seek progress.”

 

“……”

 

That’s enough of this person.

 

Helan Ci changed the topic and said, “Speaking of which, this arrow made my arm a bit sore. Next time, I should really increase my strength. Do you have any methods to boost strength?”

 

Lu Wuyou raised an eyebrow at her: “Exercise⁴…There are definitely ways. Your strength isn’t great to begin with—have you rested long enough?”

 

Helan Ci: “Be serious!”

 

Lu Wuyou said with a hint of mild blame, “Who told you to stop playing⁵ with me?”

 

…can’t continue playing around, Helan Ci was on her period.

 

Her cycles were irregular, but the only fortunate thing was that since recovering in Qingzhou, they weren’t especially painful. Usually, she wouldn’t mention it to Lu Wuyou. She’d quietly clean up herself, and he never asked.

 

She didn’t expect him to start asking all sorts of questions, and he even looked like he was seriously studying things.

 

Helan Ci was so embarrassed that she couldn’t find the words: “Shut up, please, Lu Daren.”

 

Lu Wuyou said, “Aren’t I just trying to help you with your worries and troubles? I don’t have this problem, but seeing you do, it really pains me. Do you want me to write you a nourishing prescription and get you some medicine? And can this period be shortened? Are you really going to be unwell for so long?”

 

Helan Ci clutched her stomach. “Don’t you know the answer to that?”

 

“Why don’t you let others take care of you? Do you want me to give you some energy again? You used to…” Lu Wuyou paused, “avoiding me?”

 

Helan Ci also sometimes doesn’t sleep in the room, and Lu Wuyou thought that everyone has times when they want to be alone, so he didn’t pay much attention to it.

 

She shook her head, not wanting to respond.

 

Lu Wuyou softly asked, “Does it hurt badly?”

 

Helan Ci shook her head. “Not too bad.”

 

“Any way to relieve it?”

 

“I just have to endure it for a bit.”

 

“How about I hold you, would that help?” Lu Wuyou said generously, opening his arms, “I don’t mind you sitting in my lap. I could rub it for you… Is it your abdomen or above your navel? I haven’t read any medical texts on this, but I’ll study them later.”

 

Helan Ci said, “…Stop coming up with weird ideas, Lu Daren!”

 

Lu Wuyou sighed helplessly. “Fine, fine.”

 

He circled around her for a while, as if spinning around her. Helan Ci felt a little dizzy from his turning—strangely enough, it made the pain seem less intense.

 

“Then let’s talk about something else, you might find it interesting and it could help distract you,” Lu Wuyou said as he pulled out some documents to show her. “I’ve been looking into the situation in Yizhou, including some past murder cases. Honestly, it’s hard to find much on the surface. The documents I have access to are limited. But I feel there’s something suspicious about a particular case. The Inspector Censor assigned to Yizhou went there on patrol not long ago and ended up killed by bandits. The case was closed hastily.”

 

Helan Ci caught the key detail: “Bandits… that last time we went there was also mentioned…”

 

Lu Wuyou said: “Exactly. But with no suspects to verify anything, the bandit theory holds. I asked a friend in the Ministry of Justice—the case file isn’t completely sealed, but there’s not enough information to draw conclusions. I did hear that the Censor had previously filed reports with the Censorate, but I don’t have access to those. Gathering information won’t be hard, but if I want real evidence, I’m afraid I’ll have to go to Yizhou myself. Coincidentally, there’s an opportunity from the Hanlin Academy—someone needs to go to Yizhou to deliver an imperial edict. This is a hard job and no one is willing to go. I was thinking… “

 

Although the Hanlin Academy rarely sends people out before promotions, there are occasional official trips. The most coveted assignment is being an examiner for the provincial exams. great for building connections. The least desirable task was delivering edicts to vassal kings, which was both arduous, unrewarding, and not much merit to gain.

 

Helan Ci realized: “You’re planning to go?”

 

Lu Wuyou replied, “Honestly, I don’t really want to.”

 

Helan Ci could understand that.

 

“The reason is that Yizhou’s waters run deep⁶. This trip carries some risks, so it’s not convenient to bring you along. However…” He propped his chin on his hand, He propped his chin in his hand. “After digging for so long, I’m not quite willing to give up. Besides, just like in your dream, rumors are floating around—looks like Lord Helan may be getting reassigned.”

 

“But what will you do if I leave?

 

Helan Ci listened seriously and tightly held his stomach, saying, “Don’t worry. You go. I can handle it.”

 

Lu Wuyou sighed faintly. “Miss Helan, even if I go, it won’t be for a little while yet. Isn’t there some kind of… encouragement you can give me?”

 

Helan Ci paused for a moment, then said, “…Wait until my monthly cycle is over first.”