Chapter 67: Cheng Mingyu’s Sharpness

Chapter 67: Cheng Mingyu's Sharpness

The news of the matriarch falling ill spread throughout the Cheng family, and the fourth branch's mistress came to visit, leaning on her cane.

The relationship between the two sisters-in-law had always been delicate. In the past, the matriarch had coveted the lovely granddaughter in the hands of the fourth branch's mistress, and for the sake of the child, she had to collaborate with her on many things. Over the years, they had developed a fair amount of mutual understanding.

Among the many sister-in-law relationships in the Cheng family, the mistresses from the fourth and sixth branches were the shrewdest.

After inquiring about the matriarch's well-being, the fourth branch's mistress tentatively asked,

"I heard that An An has been getting close to the Yunnan King's palace recently. You also visited the Yunnan King's palace yesterday. What's going on?"

The fourth branch's mistress found it strange. An An had suddenly become the adopted daughter of the Yunnan King's consort, and the matriarch, who hadn't left the house for centuries, had made a rare trip out and returned only to fall ill. The mistress felt there was something more to it and came to ask.

Seeing her emaciated figure, the matriarch knew that Xia Fu's death was also one of her sources of pain and decided not to hide it,

"The Yunnan King's consort is Fu Er."

The fourth branch's mistress's heart trembled violently, and it took her a moment to comprehend. Gradually, she understood, and two lines of cloudy tears fell from her eyes. Her face suddenly paled,

"You're not lying to me, are you? You know, Fu Er's death has always haunted me. Since she left, I haven't had a single good day..."

The matriarch, too, was heartbroken, "Why would I lie to you? Otherwise, where would this illness of mine come from?"

Upon hearing this, the fourth branch's mistress immediately rose from her armchair and moved to the matriarch's side, with tears in her eyes,

"Let me see her, just once. I'll be at peace, even if I have to face the King of the Underworld right now."

The matriarch shook her head, "I can't decide that. If you want to see her, send a formal request yourself. If she agrees to see you, it will be your fortune."

The fourth branch's mistress took a cautious approach and didn't send a request directly to the Yunnan King's palace. Instead, she personally drove to Lu Duke's mansion. Cheng Yian was handling household matters at the mansion when she heard that someone from the Cheng family was waiting for her at the alley entrance. Without even changing her clothes, she took her maid and went to the alley entrance. Lifting the carriage curtain, she saw the emaciated face of the fourth branch's mistress,

"Grandmother!"

Her eyes were deeply sunken, dark spots visible on her face, her thin skin clinging to her cheekbones, making her look like a skeleton. Cheng Yian was shocked, "How have you become so thin? When my cousin got married, you seemed quite spirited."

The mistress didn't explain but instead patted Cheng Yian's hand,

"An An, take me to see your mother."

Cheng Yian was taken aback and didn't agree immediately.

The mistress wept, "An An, your grandmother doesn't have much time left. I just want to see your mother one last time, to fulfill one last wish and apologize to her."

Looking at her emaciated face, Cheng Yian's heart ached, "I'll send a formal request for you. If she agrees, I'll accompany you. If she doesn't, I hope you won't disturb her."

The mistress nodded tearfully.

Cheng Yian immediately sent Qiu Qing to the Yunnan King's palace, and within a quarter of an hour, he returned with the news that she was willing to meet. Cheng Yian was about to change her clothes, but the mistress stopped her, "We're family; there's no need for formalities. Don't bother changing."

Cheng Yian, still in her everyday robe, accompanied her to the Yunnan King's palace.

The mistress didn't enter through the main gate but entered quietly through a side door.

Xia Fu met her in a side chamber in the backyard.

Unlike the matriarch, the fourth branch's mistress was the person Xia Fu had interacted with the most in the Cheng family. Xia Fu's feelings towards her were complex. They stood facing each other across the steps, gazing at each other, tears streaming down their faces in silence.

"Fu Er..."

A mouthful of black blood gushed from the fourth branch's mistress's throat, her knees buckling, nearly causing her to collapse.

Xia Fu and Cheng Yian, seeing this, supported her from both sides.

"Old mistress..." Xia Fu kneeled down and hugged her.

The fourth branch's mistress looked at Xia Fu, the longer she looked, the more sorrowful she felt, her voice was hoarse, as if she could only cry.

Several matrons helped carry her inside, placing her on a luohan bed (a traditional Chinese daybed). Xia Fu checked her pulse and realized she was nearing the end, falling silent for a moment.

Back then, aside from that one incident, the old mistress had been very kind to her, favoring her over the other daughters-in-law, never looking down on her for not being as noble as Mrs. Jin, the eldest daughter-in-law, and always taking care of her due to her gentle nature, never making her do any hard work.

The fourth branch's mistress simply held onto her, "Fu Er, I never thought I'd see you again in this lifetime. I deeply regret it now. Even if I had agreed to the main branch's mistress's request and given you to Mingyou, it would have been better than forcing you to leap off a cliff... In the end, I was left with nothing, harming both you and your child..."

In front of Cheng Yian, the old mistress did not mention regretting the past dual inheritance arrangement. If it hadn't been for that, Xia Fu might still be her daughter-in-law.

But without that dual inheritance, Cheng Yian wouldn't exist, so she couldn't say that.

Xia Fu, however, understood what she left unsaid and glanced at her child.

Cheng Yian sipped her tea silently, showing no reaction.

Xia Fu did not discuss the past much with the old mistress, instead asking about her health,

"Should I prescribe some medicine for you to take home?"

The old mistress shook her head, handing her a box she had brought along,

"These are old things I kept for you back then, today I bring them all to you. I have already signed a divorce agreement for An An. Fu Er, you now have no ties with the Cheng family, live your life freely. If anyone dares to speak ill, I will stand up for you."

Xia Fu smiled, "I am no longer Xia Fu, I am Xia Lan, from the old consort's maternal family in Miaojiang, given to the prince as a concubine by the old consort, and after the princess passed away, I was elevated to the main wife."

The old mistress understood her meaning, "Good, that's best."

After talking for half a day, she asked about her life in the Yunnan King's palace, not mentioning Cheng Mingyou at all, and Xia Fu did not ask either.

Between them, it was all just fleeting clouds.

When it was time to leave, she hugged Xia Fu tightly, unwilling to let go,

"My time is short, I won't be able to come see you again. Fu Er, let your mother hold you properly. If there is a next life, I will serve you as your ox or horse, for a lifetime."

Xia Fu remembered the days after Cheng Mingyou's incident when she and her mother-in-law supported each other, her heart aching, she hugged her back,

"It's all in the past, let it go, old mistress. I am living well now, and I am glad to have broken free from the Cheng family's constraints."

The old mistress was quietly carried out of the palace through the side door by the matrons.

Xia Fu, however, kept Cheng Yian behind.

"An An, come here, into your mother's arms."

Cheng Yian moved over, took off her shoes, and climbed onto the luohan bed. Xia Fu pulled her hands into her embrace,

"An An, what happened back then, your mother does not regret, and never will. My An An came into this world with the expectations of her parents, you must never look down on yourself."

Afraid that her child might feel inferior because of her background, this was Xia Fu's only and greatest concern.

Cheng Yian smiled and said, "Mother, I'm not as delicate as you think."

"Were you really willing back then? You're not just trying to comfort me with lies, are you?"

Xia Fu's eyes suddenly turned distant, and she nodded, "Yes, firstly, as a widow, I was constantly preyed upon by others and struggled to get by. Secondly, I truly wanted a child to depend on, otherwise, how could I survive the next few decades? Although the old mistress had her own plans, I did give my consent. It was my own choice."

It seems that both the old mistress and father were right.

She also recalled what Xia Fu had just said: no regrets, never regretted... under the expectations of her parents...

When Cheng Yian thought of the words "father and mother," a sudden pang of pain shot through her heart.

She couldn't help but ask, "Have you ever thought about seeing father?"

Xia Fu's gaze fixed on the small yellow flower embroidered on Cheng Yian's collar, which was bathed in the slanting sunlight, as if soaked in the old days. She smiled and said, "There's no need."

Cheng Yian's voice choked, and she tugged at her lips.

The joys and sorrows of life are not shared. Some hope for fame and success, some hope for a house full of children and grandchildren, and others hope for family reunions. But her parents might never appear together again.

A few days after the Dragon Boat Festival, Cheng Yian spent her days either managing the revenues from the family's shops or sneaking off to the Yunnan King's palace. Xia Fu would personally cook for her, making her favorite dumplings.

During these days, Lu Xusheng was also very busy. Although the powerful local factions in Jiangnan had been pacified, there was still a lot of follow-up work to be done, such as confiscating the assets of the eight powerful local factions and handing them over to the court, which was no easy task.

In the meantime, Lu Xusheng made a trip to Jiangnan and returned by mid-May.

This time, he brought back a large amount of wealth and the ledgers that had been seized.

The emperor looked at the three thick stacks of ledgers, flipping through a few pages at random, and was amazed.

"Xusheng, your achievements are unparalleled and will likely remain unmatched. With all this wealth in the treasury, the Great Jin Dynasty will have no worries about military expenditures for the next ten years."

And this was just the existing wealth. Adding in the population and mines that had been discovered, and all the industries that were once in the hands of the powerful local factions now being reclaimed by the court, within five years, the Great Jin Dynasty would be considered wealthy and powerful.

"Tell me, what reward do you want!"

Lu Xusheng smiled, "Your Majesty has already shown me great favor by granting me the title of Duke. I have reached the pinnacle of my official career and have no other desires. If Your Majesty insists on rewarding me, perhaps some jewels, land, or wealth would be sufficient."

Lu Xusheng had his reasons for doing this.

Throughout history, those who achieved too much success often aroused suspicion from the emperor and courtiers. If he sought fame and glory, it would only make the emperor and courtiers wary. But if he appeared greedy for wealth, the emperor would feel more at ease and find him easier to control.

The emperor's expression changed, "Since when have you become so obsessed with wealth?"

At this question, Lu Xusheng had plenty to say, "Your Majesty, you might not believe it, but right now, I'm not worried about anything except for these material goods."

"How so?" This was not the Lu Xusheng he knew.

Lu Xusheng explained, "As you know, ever since my wife was acknowledged by Cheng Mingyu, he has almost emptied his family's coffers for her. Now she has money and leisure, and she barely even glances at the meager assets of our Lu family."

"It keeps me on edge all day, afraid that one day she might decide she doesn't want to stay with me anymore, pack up, and return to the Cheng family."

The emperor was stunned. Seeing Lu Xusheng's genuine distress, he frowned.

"You are the youngest Duke of the State in our Great Jin Dynasty, after all. Last time you made a request, I granted her a title, allowing her to live in glory. Isn't that just fine? How come you can't hold your head high in front of your wife?"

Lu Xusheng shrugged, "You've seen my wife's character and appearance. If she leaves me, she won't have any trouble finding a new home."

The emperor gave Lu Xusheng a look of disdain, "You've been married for so long, how come you still don't have any children?"

Men often believe that having a child will keep the other person tied down.

Lu Xusheng shrugged again, "He Qingyun has a daughter, but that didn't keep my sister-in-law tied down. Cheng Mingyu can well afford to raise her."

The emperor had also heard that Cheng Yixin was being sought after by the nobility.

He immediately felt troubled as he looked at Lu Xusheng.

The emperor pondered, "Then I'll have Liu Xi draft a list of rewards for you."

Lu Xusheng smiled, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

However, the emperor still wasn't at ease.

Regarding the matter of the Duke's title, Lu Xusheng had already been wronged. This time, with such a monumental achievement, just rewarding him with some wealth didn't seem right.

Since Lu Xusheng was his "adopted son," then he, as the father-in-law, had to show his capability.

"I won't let you be outdone by Cheng Mingyu!" the emperor said seriously.

Lu Xusheng was startled by his sudden determination.

"What does Your Majesty mean?"

The emperor suddenly stood up and began pacing back and forth behind the imperial desk.

"I want to give Cheng Mingyu something he cannot offer."

Lu Xusheng also stood up, slightly bowing, "Your Majesty, are you planning to honor me?"

"Exactly," the emperor immediately had an idea.

"I will confer the title of princess upon your wife. This way, I not only honor you but also recognize your achievements."

Lu Xusheng was naturally delighted. He would rather forgo any rewards for himself to earn some honor for his wife.

"This kind of honor my father-in-law truly cannot bestow."

The emperor laughed heartily, "Right?" He picked up his teacup and took a sip, "It's settled then."

When the edict reached the Ministry of Rites, it was rejected.

The emperor was so furious he nearly choked on his tea, "Who dares to reject my edict?"

Kong Yunjie, the Minister of Rites, naturally opposed granting the title of princess to Cheng Yian, unwilling to see the Lu family and the Cheng family grow too powerful. He cited the lack of precedent for a non-royal woman to be granted the title of princess to reject the edict.

The emperor knew that the old ministers in the Ministry of Rites were sticklers for the rules, so he amended the edict.

Hadn't the Yunnan King's palace already recognized Cheng Yian as an adopted daughter?

Let Cheng Yian be recognized as a princess and formally adopted by the Yunnan King's palace, thus making it official.

The emperor clearly intended to use Cheng Yian to bind the Yunnan King's palace, which was a matter of state importance.

The Ministry of Rites could not refute this.

However, the Censorate also vetoed the imperial edict.

The emperor was hopping mad.

Shortly after, Cheng Mingyu sought an audience. Coincidentally, the Yunnan King was at the Ministry of Rites to collect this year's allocation for the palace and had also heard about the matter. He hurried to request an audience with the emperor to push the matter forward. Thus, they entered the imperial study one after the other.

The emperor glanced at the Yunnan King and first asked Cheng Mingyu,

"Lord Cheng, I intend to make your daughter a princess as a reward for Lu Xusheng's great merit in quelling the powerful local factions. Why do you oppose this?"

Cheng Mingyu calmly bowed and replied in a soft voice,

"Your Majesty, I do not agree to An An being acknowledged as the adopted daughter of the Yunnan King's palace. If you wish to confer the title of princess, you should do so directly based on Lu Xusheng's merits. Why involve the Yunnan King's palace? As for your concern about the officials' criticism, I will take care of that."

Previously, the Yunnan King's palace had mentioned recognizing Cheng Yian as an adopted daughter, but it was merely a verbal agreement, to facilitate interactions between Xia Fu and Cheng Yian. However, conferring the title of princess would mean officially registering her in the Yunnan King's palace. Cheng Mingyu had not yet fully looked into Xia Fu's affairs, and now the Yunnan King's consort was "Xia Lan." Who knew what plots the Yunnan King's palace might have in the future? Cheng Mingyu adamantly refused.

The Yunnan King was immediately furious and pointed at him, addressing the emperor,

"Your Majesty, conferring the title of princess requires a reasonable justification. Cheng Mingyu is clearly using public office for private gain, unwilling to let An An call me 'adopted father.'"

The emperor also saw the point and stroked his beard thoughtfully, narrowing his eyes as he scrutinized Cheng Mingyu,

"Lord Cheng, you have always been magnanimous. Why are you making such a fuss over such a small matter today? It's just an adopted daughter. The Yunnan King's palace has extended kindness to An An's mother. It is only natural for An An to call the Yunnan King 'adopted father.'"

Cheng Mingyu suddenly knelt down, his expression resolute,

"Your Majesty, this is my one selfish wish. I can accept anything, but I cannot accept my precious daughter calling someone else 'adopted father.' As for the debt of gratitude she owes to the Yunnan King's palace, I, as her father, will repay it. The court's military stipend for the Yunnan King's palace—my Cheng family will bear half of it."

He was always ready to solve the problem with money.

The emperor massaged his temples, feeling utterly helpless.

Cheng Mingyu had already prepared a contingency plan and had dragged along the Minister of Revenue, Zheng Shanghe.

Upon hearing that this would reduce the treasury's burden, Minister Zheng's eyes lit up,

"Your Majesty, agree to it."

The emperor was still considering his options when the Yunnan King, not wanting to be outdone, waved his hand grandly,

"Your Majesty, this year's harvest in my domain is decent. You only need to provide half of the military stipend."

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Liu Xi, the head of the Office of Ceremonies, couldn't stop coughing.

Everyone was trying to outdo each other in their offers.

Cheng Mingyu then stood up and bowed in return, "Then I will also bear half of that!"

The Yunnan King, with his hands behind his back, announced, "This year's military stipend is not needed!"

Everyone: "..."

The emperor, Minister Zheng, Liu Xi, and Lu Xusheng exchanged looks of disbelief.

It turns out that conferring the title of princess on Cheng Yian could save the court so much in expenses.

But the Yunnan King's words shouldn't be taken at face value; refusing military provisions outright might not be wise.

Every year, the court sends military provisions to Yunnan and appoints officials to oversee its civil and military affairs—otherwise, the funds wouldn't be handed over without conditions.

Cheng Mingyu had anticipated this point, thus he knew the emperor's Achilles' heel.

The emperor began to persuade the Yunnan King,

"Your Majesty, Yunnan King, the people of southern Yunnan are already burdened with heavy taxes. As the king, you are to guard the southern frontier on my behalf and defend against foreign invasions. How can you refuse funds from the court? After all, officially, it is known that An An is the adopted daughter of the consort, which does not affect the palace."

The Yunnan King did not agree.

If Xia Fu were truly the Yunnan King's consort, then the Yunnan King would have no concerns, but she is merely a figurehead.

If Cheng Yian were officially recognized as the Yunnan King's adopted daughter with princess status, she'd be bound to the palace, giving him a better chance to marry Ah Fu.

Moreover, the Yunnan King quickly realized that Cheng Mingyu was not just competing with him over a "daughter."

Thus, the Yunnan King also played his ace, sincerely bowing to the emperor,

"Your Majesty, I am truly loyal to you, willing to guard the southern frontier for you. I genuinely like the girl An An, and the consort regards her as her everything. Please, Your Majesty, grant this wish."

This was his way of telling the emperor that winning over the Yunnan King's palace required genuine sincerity.

Wasn't this what the emperor had initially thought?

Thus, he was in a dilemma again.

At this moment, Cheng Mingyu shot the Yunnan King a meaningful glance.

Xia Fu is Cheng Yian's birth mother, so Cheng Yian's ties to the Yunnan King's palace are unavoidable, adopted or not.

So why is the Yunnan King so determined to acknowledge An An as his daughter?

Unless he feels that the existing relationship is not secure.

What would make a man feel so insecure?

Unless Xia Fu's loyalty isn't with him...

Cheng Mingyu, sharp and observant, sensed something was off from this brief exchange.

Realizing Xia Fu and the Yunnan King's relationship might not be what he thought, Cheng Mingyu's heart raced as he straightened up. So, he couldn't allow An An to be tied to the Yunnan King's palace.

Therefore, this veteran statesman quickly offered a plan to the emperor,

"Your Majesty, it just occurred to me that the king has an eldest son, twenty-one and unmarried."

A wise man needs only a hint.

The emperor caught his drift.

After all, Cheng Yian isn't the Yunnan King's blood daughter—how strong could their bond really be?

It would be better to marry a royal family woman to Yunnan, solidifying the alliance through marriage.

The Yunnan King was truly tickled.

As expected of the head of the Censorate, he's truly unmatched in cunning.

No matter, he's got the upper hand being closer.

So, the Yunnan King graciously let go of that idea.

"Ah, Your Majesty, anyway, An An is my wife's daughter. Whether she's officially recognized or not doesn't matter. What counts is that I treat her like my own daughter in my heart. With An An in the capital keeping my wife company, I can serve Your Majesty with peace of mind in Yunnan."

This was his way of telling the emperor that Cheng Yian was enough to secure his loyalty.

And so, the matter was settled.

Cheng Mingyu would cover half of the military funds for the Yunnan King's palace, as a way to repay the favor to Cheng Yian.

The Yunnan King had no choice but to accept.

The emperor praised Lu Xusheng's achievements and decreed that Cheng Yian be given the title of princess. When the Minister of Rites balked, it didn't matter. Lu Xusheng personally took the imperial decree to the Ministry of Rites and discreetly slipped a note to the Minister.

What did it say?

It laid out some dirt Lu Xusheng had dug up in Jiangnan. Minister Kong, being a man of integrity, couldn't ignore his family's misdeeds. Red-faced, Minister Kong signed and stamped without a word, sending the decree to the Lu family.

Cheng Yian received the decree in court, and the Lu family flocked to congratulate her.

It was a rare honor indeed.

The Lu family threw a grand banquet to show their gratitude for the imperial favor.

That night, when Lu Xusheng returned, he found Cheng Yian holding the decree, turning it over and over, treasuring it. Suddenly, all his exhaustion felt worth it.

He then gave her a playful bow.

"Your humble servant greets Princess Qinghe."

Cheng Yian was amused and put on her best princess act, "Bold consort, why are you back so late?"

Lu Xusheng realized something was up—he was now a consort?

Being a consort meant Cheng Yian could dump him anytime she wanted.

This was bad—he'd slipped up.

"Ah, let's skip that title—just call me husband." As he spoke, he quickly grabbed Cheng Yian's braid.

"Cheng Yian, you have yet to call me husband."

Cheng Yian rolled up the decree and handed it to Ru Hui to carefully store, casually replying,

"Is that such an important title? If I don't call you that, are you not my husband?"

Lu Xusheng suddenly fell silent.

Waiting for the maid to leave, he picked her up from the daybed and carried her straight to the bed.

It was mid-May, the hottest time of the year. After bathing, Cheng Yian wore only a thin robe. He skillfully untied the robe's sash, and the garment fell away.

A cool breeze hit her chest, and Cheng Yian instinctively covered herself, looking up at the man above her, "What are you doing!"

In the dim light, Lu Xusheng glanced at her,

"Changed your bra?"

Cheng Yian's bras, as her husband, he was all too familiar with, always modest and well-covered.

Today's orange bra was unusually revealing, as if it was made too small, barely holding on, like a ripe pear that had burst its skin, teasingly resisting.

Cheng Yian blushed, "My mother made this for me, and I couldn't bear to throw it away, so I put it on."

Xia Fu had made some bras for Cheng Yian in the past, some fit well, some didn't, but she couldn't bear to throw any of them away.

Lu Xusheng smiled, "As expected of my mother-in-law, only she would spoil her son-in-law like me."

Cheng Yian kicked him.

Caught up in the moment, Lu Xusheng lifted a strand of her hair and asked,

"Call me 'husband,' let me hear it."

"Aren't you being too sappy?"

Lu Xusheng pinned her against the railing, teasing her, but Cheng Yian stood her ground,

"Consort!"

"Lu Consort...."

"This is a title you earned for yourself; how could I let your good intentions go to waste?"

Lu Xusheng: "..."