Chapter 194: Yu Min

Chapter 194: Yu Min

Min Leyi sat in his room, idly honing a dagger.

The imperial court had undergone a dramatic transformation, and the new emperor was about to ascend the throne. The capital was under tight security, and Min Leyi could no longer go out for leisure as easily as before.

Wu Shen had already returned to the capital, but he was simultaneously managing the capital's defense and the military camp outside the city. He was so busy that he wished he could be in three places at once, and he hadn't found the right time to formally visit the Min family.

Although he couldn't come in person, small gifts and letters never stopped. Min Leyi received one daily, all delivered secretly to him through Hu Fu.

The gifts included daggers with various patterns, snacks from certain streets, and hydrangeas from a particular garden. It was obvious that they were picked on the fly during his official duties, and the letters also described daily life in the capital.

During this time when he couldn't go out freely, these letters became Min Leyi's greatest daily pastime and anticipation.

Now, Min Leyi faced only one pressing issue—how should he broach this with his family?

After the new emperor's coronation ceremony, the restrictions in the capital would gradually ease, and Wu Shen would also have more free time. By then, Wu Shen would come to formally visit the Min family.

Min Leyi could imagine the look on his brother and sister-in-law's faces if Wu Shen directly proposed marriage. Afterward, he would face endless questioning and teasing.

Setting aside the finely sharpened dagger, Min Leyi picked up the double-ring buckle on the shelf and began to lose himself in thought.

Wu Shen's absence these days made Min Leyi appreciate his thoughtfulness even more.

Only someone who truly cared for and respected him would carefully choose the right day to visit, ensuring he presented himself in the best possible light after settling external affairs and receiving official promotions.

Since Wu Shen's return to the capital, all of Min Leyi's insecurities had vanished, leaving only shyness and excitement. Not seeing him only made Min Leyi miss him more.

"Hu Fu, what if I just go and tell my brother straight out?"

As Hu Fu tidied up the shelf, he replied, "The yamen is closed, and the eldest young master has been at home. You can go and talk to him."

Min Leyi frowned, "If it were that simple, I would have done it ages ago."

How should he broach the subject with his brother? "You don't need to worry about my marriage anymore. I've found someone myself—the legendary Wu Shen. Aren't I amazing?"

Though it was true, if he put it that way, Min Leshi would first think his younger brother had lost his mind.

To explain the entire history between him and Wu Shen, he would have to start from the distant Xiangping Prefecture, then talk about the thrilling incident at the capital's City God Temple, the lanterns during the Lantern Festival, the prison outside the capital, the jade given at the alley entrance...

Min Leyi tallied up all the misdeeds he had committed in this chain of events and immediately lost his nerve.

Although his brother, like their father, was gentle and reserved, he was still an official in the Ministry of Justice. Over the years, he had accumulated a certain level of authority, and if he really put on a stern face, Min Leyi would still be a bit afraid.

Hu Fu, never one to avoid stirring the pot, said, "At worst, you'll be made to write and read, or grounded. Why are you so timid now?"

Even Hu Fu had been unaware of the relationship between Min Leyi and Wu Shen at first. This matter definitely needed some sarcastic commentary!

Min Leyi stared at the crystal-clear, round double-ring buckle for a moment, then suddenly clenched his hand, "Let's go!"

"Are you really going to see the eldest young master and his wife now?" Hu Fu was caught off guard.

"No, prepare the carriage. We're going to Brother Hua's house!"

...

Given Min Leyi's friendship with Qiu Huanian, there was no need to send a formal notice before visiting. He could just go directly.

With the capital under tight security, Min Leyi couldn't easily disguise himself and go out for leisure, but sitting obediently in a carriage to visit the Du residence was perfectly fine.

Previously, Min Leyi had been afraid to disturb Qiu Huanian, who had become busy after the palace coup, and thus had not visited. In less than a month, the appearance of the streets near the Du residence had changed significantly.

Hufu pressed his face against the carriage window, peering out, "Young master, look, many of the trees along this row have been replaced, and the soil looks freshly turned."

"There used to be many snack vendors here, but now they're all gone. I wonder if they'll come back."

"Hiss—is that shed down? It hasn’t been fixed yet."

Min Leyi's gaze swept over the bloodstains on the fallen pillars of the shed, and his heart tightened.

He had vaguely heard that on the day when commoners Jia Hongyi and Jia Honghan staged a palace coup, the Du residence had also been attacked multiple times. It was hard to fully grasp the situation through imagination alone, but seeing the remnants of the battle that hadn't been fully cleaned up nearby, Min Leyi finally felt the gravity of it all.

As the carriage turned into a narrow lane, the coachman, familiar with the route, approached the Du residence. Min Leyi averted his gaze, but his peripheral vision suddenly caught a figure.

"Young master?" Hufu was puzzled as Min Leyi's arm, resting on his shoulder, suddenly tightened.

Hufu looked in the direction Min Leyi had just been staring and was startled.

"That... that is..."

Min Leyi pursed his lips and turned his head away, "Hurry the carriage, don’t mind it."

However, things did not go as planned. The Du residence had been under siege during the palace coup and was now a key point for city defense inspections. A patrol of soldiers happened to pass by and, following protocol, stopped the unidentified carriage.

The coachman produced Min Leshi's waist token and explained his master's identity to the soldiers.

This delay allowed the person Min Leyi and Hufu had seen earlier to notice the carriage and hear who was inside.

A thin, haggard young man in white perked up at the sight of the quickly lowered carriage curtain, recalling the fleeting glimpse of the figure inside, but the light in his eyes gradually dimmed.

He hesitated on the spot, about to gather the courage to approach and greet them when the sound of hoofbeats suddenly came from the alley outside.

He saw General Wu Shen, now one of the top new nobles in the capital alongside Du Yunse, riding over on horseback, pulling the reins beside the carriage.

The tall steed snorted and came to a precise halt, its large hooves kicking up dust.

Wu Shen glanced at the coachman, "This is Young Master Min’s carriage from the Min family of the Dali Temple. No need to question; take the young master to the Du residence to speak with the County Lord."

Someone inside the carriage must have murmured something, as Wu Shen suddenly broke into a radiant smile and leaned down from his horse.

"I've just received an edict to report to the palace. In a few days, my mother will come to the capital, and we'll meet then."

With imperial orders to attend to, he couldn't stay long. After speaking, Wu Shen rode off, and the Min family's carriage continued forward.

The young man in white stared blankly at the receding carriage, his usually sharp mind in turmoil, unsure of what to think.

Wu Shen on horseback suddenly turned back, glanced at him, and rode off without a second thought.

...

When Min Leyi arrived, Qiu Huanian was going over the accounts. This summer wasn't as hot as previous years, and Qiu Huanian was using the large ship-shaped ice basin that Sixteen had given him last year. The main room was pleasantly cool and comfortable.

Qiu Huanian put aside the accounts of Qiu's Six Staples and the household, and had someone bring out iced tofu pudding and assorted chilled fruits to entertain Min Leyi.

Min Leyi was physically robust and had a strong stomach. While most young men couldn't handle too much cold, he had no such worries.

"I've been swamped these days and haven't had time for our Leyi. What brings you here all of a sudden?"

Min Leyi hadn't come before, and his visit before the coronation ceremony surely meant something was up.

Min Leyi was still thinking about what had happened outside earlier and, after a moment of hesitation, said, "Couldn't it just be that I missed Gu Gu and Yang Yang?"

Qiu Huanian chose not to press the issue for now. "Gu Gu and Yang Yang have been learning to grab things recently, and they smile whenever they see people. I'll take you to see them."

At nearly seven months old, the babies were already crawling proficiently. The nursery in the east wing had been refitted again, with a crawling bed the size of a regular bed placed by the window on the right. The bed was surrounded by a two-foot-high railing padded with soft silk to prevent the children from bumping into anything.

The crawling bed was covered with a soft but firm mat. When Gu Gu and Yang Yang were awake, they crawled all over the bed, and when they were tired or sleepy, they would simply lie down and sleep, making it very convenient.

When Min Leyi entered, Gu Gu was holding a rounded block with a handle and tossing it around, accidentally throwing it near Min Leyi's feet.

"What strong arms!" Min Leyi laughed in surprise. "It's only been a month since I last came, and Gu Gu has gotten so good."

Encouraged, Gu Gu continued to throw the blocks excitedly, while Yang Yang sat leaning against the railing, gnawing on his chubby little hand, not joining in the lively activity.

Min Leyi played with Gu Gu for a while, then picked up the block to examine it.

"It's made of golden nanmu, and it's carved with such intricate patterns. Tsk, tsk, tsk, truly the work of Qishu County Princess, who runs Qiu's Six Staples."

Qiu Huanian took the block and set it aside, intending to clean it before returning it to the kids.

"This was a gift from Bing Qi and Bing Ba for the kids. I only mentioned that I wanted a set of blocks for them to practice grabbing things."

Qiu Huanian hadn't expected it to be so lavish, but Bing Qi and Bing Ba always went the extra mile, never cutting corners on the materials or craftsmanship for Gu Gu and Yang Yang, and often adding extra touches.

Qiu Huanian took their goodwill to heart and didn't refuse.

He thought about how Bing Qi and Bing Ba, like Sixteen, were offspring of disgraced officials who had lost their names and been conscripted into the palace. He planned to leverage the new emperor's general amnesty during the coronation to see if there was a chance to help them reclaim their original identities.

With their contributions to farming tools, alcohol, iodine, and more, they should have accumulated enough credit.

Babies tire quickly, and once Gu Gu and Yang Yang were clearly worn out, Qiu Huanian took Min Leyi out to the garden to enjoy the flowers.

"Have you come back to your senses yet? Go ahead, tell me what you need my help with."

Min Leyi opened his mouth, "As expected, nothing gets past Brother Hua."

He had originally planned to talk about what's going on with Wu Shen, but because of what had happened outside earlier, he brought up something else first.

"Brother Hua, when I came here earlier, I saw someone near the alley by your house."

"Who?" Qiu Huanian noticed Min Leyi's complicated expression and smiled. "Let me guess, was it Yu Min?"

Min Leyi looked surprised. "How did you guess?"

"There aren't many people who could make you show that kind of expression. Plus, the Yu clan has been running around the capital in a frenzy recently. It wasn't hard to connect the dots."

With enough information, Qiu Huanian could always piece things together.

Min Leyi wasn't very informed about recent events outside. "Didn't the Yu clan already fall?"

"Among the major families involved, the Emperor has been the most lenient with the Yu clan. Apart from Yu Wen, no one has been executed or enslaved. They've only been stripped of their official positions and had their wealth seized, except for their ancestral hall and sacrificial lands."

"A centipede dies but doesn't topple. The Yu clan is definitely unwilling to sink to the bottom. They think the new Emperor's attitude leaves room for negotiation, so they've been scrambling to find connections and ask for help."

The Yu clan had spanned centuries, with countless disciples and former officials under their influence. But most people are self-serving—who would risk the new Emperor's displeasure to pull the Yu clan out of the mud when they've lost their former glory?

Once a lofty and powerful family, the Yu clan could now only plead desperately for assistance from those they once looked down upon.

The Yu clan had also sent an invitation to the Du residence. Seeing that there had been no response, they must have sent Yu Min to try to appeal to Du Yunse's sense of camaraderie from their days as classmates.