Chapter 513: Persuading with Reason, Persuading with Virtue

Facing Du Ruhui's frankness, Chen Yan was dumbfounded, and Li Lizhi wanted to speak but stopped.

Beaten to the point you can't get out of bed—still acceptable?

Chen Yan's expression was downright odd; he had always known Tang women were fierce, even figures like Cheng Yaojin and Fang Xuanling would get beaten.

Especially Fang Xuanling, who was famously henpecked.

But Chen Yan had seen Du Gou's wife many times before, and his impression was always good—she understood propriety, knew her limits, and could be called a model of a virtuous wife and good mother.

He never expected that when Lady Du got ruthless, she would be so ruthless!

"Uh…," Chen Yan forced a laugh, "Looks like Brother Du is more fond of his wife, huh."

Du Ruhui smiled faintly and waved his hand, "Alright, let's not talk about that. I'll give you another piece of advice. After officially taking office, don't rush to achieve any feats; suppress, bribe, or even covertly eliminate a group of people so that the Ministry of Revenue truly falls into your hands—that's what's most important."

"Otherwise, those who think highly of themselves and have filthy minds will only outwardly obey your orders while secretly defying them, and you won't be able to accomplish anything."

"Maybe you just give a simple command, ask people to do something, and they dare to delay it for a long time."

Chen Yan frowned, "Eliminate some people covertly? Is the Court's water that deep?"

Hearing that, Du Ruhui gave him a cool glance, "Even the Crown Prince can fall gravely ill, nearly lose his life; what are a few officials?"

"If a person isn't ruthless, they can't stand firm!"

"As long as you do it flawlessly, and no one can find any evidence, then naturally there's no problem."

"Tsk tsk tsk, that's truly damn black!" Chen Yan sincerely sighed, then shook his head, "But Empress Changsun said I'm a good child; how can a good child do such things?"

"I don't kill people; I'm a scholar, and before doing anything I must speak of reason, so I usually like to persuade with logic."

"Cai Duke, rest assured, if anyone opposes me, I will reason with them properly!"

Du Ruhui said meaningfully, "What if they won't understand?"

"If reason fails, I still have virtue!" Chen Yan said earnestly, "My mother, when she was alive, always told me that one must never lose virtue in life."

"Therefore I've cultivated virtue since childhood; now I possess both virtue and talent, and persuading with virtue is certainly possible!"

"Hehe…," Du Ruhui paused for two breaths, then said again, "Just be happy."

The first time he entered the morning court, he pointed at the whole assembly of civil and military officials, cursing his mother, because a workshop had been burned, his reckless action almost annihilated a hundred‑year‑old great clan, and even the top person beneath the palace Empress dared not utter a word.

You say you like to persuade with reason?

Forget it!

Trusting you is worse than trusting that Du Gou isn't afraid of his wife.

After having a sumptuous meal at Du Ruhui's house, (he) went to see Du Gou, who had been hammered and couldn't get out of bed.

How to put it, Lady Du struck with great restraint, not hitting his face; Chen Yan also took a look and found only some superficial cuts, nothing serious.

Leaving the Du residence, Chen Yan then started delivering invitations with Li Lizhi, and by early evening they finally managed to send out all the invitations.

Chen Yan and Li Lizhi returned home looking exhausted, and sat on a chair for a while.

Then Li Lizhi, suppressing the ache in her leg, stood up, "Husband, you sit for a while; I'll go prepare foot‑washing water for you."

Chen Yan looked up at the words, "Why not have a servant do it?"

"Why waste your effort on that?"

Li Lizhi was momentarily stunned, then after realizing, her embarrassed face turned red, "I… I forgot."

Chen Yan laughed, "We've been married so long, why do you still blush like before?"

"Alright, sit and rest; let Qing'er and the others go."

"Hmm…," Chen Yan thought it was fine not to say, but once he did, Li Lizhi's face reddened more, and she obediently sat down.

Chen Yan called Qing'er, asked her to prepare the foot‑soak water, then propped his chin with one hand and turned his head to look at Li Lizhi.

"You… what are you looking at?"

She has been shy for so long; facing Chen Yan's gaze, she involuntarily turned her head away.

"Just looking because you're pretty."

Chen Yan smiled lightly, "Honestly, Gao Yang seems fearless, but when she first got married, she was even shyer than you; on the second night of the bridal chamber she hid in the quilt, unwilling to come out, fearing I'd see something."

"Now she has no shame or skin; when I'm around, she doesn't care about her image at all, often running around naked."

"You, on the other hand, are the opposite; even now you're still like a maiden who hasn't left the boudoir."

Li Lizhi, after hearing that, hurried to explain, "Husband, I'm not rejecting you; I just… just…"

When the words reached her lips, she suddenly didn't know how to explain, her mind racing, trying to find a reasonable answer.

However, after thinking for a long time, her brain even steamed, and she still couldn't come up with a good answer.

Chen Yan patted her hand, comforting, "Alright, I know you don't mean that, don't overthink it."

Then he added, "Speaking of which, we've been married almost a year now; in this year, have you been happy?"

"Happy," Li Lizhi replied without hesitation, "Having you, Gao Yang, Sizi and the others, my days are actually very fulfilling, far better than when I was in the palace."

"Sometimes I want to go out for a walk, I can go anytime; if I'm bored at home, I can play mahjong with Fourth Imperial Sister‑in‑law and Gao Yang, I'm satisfied."

"Is that so?" Chen Yan, with mixed feelings, said straight, "But since you married into this big family, you alone handle almost everything. From the cleanliness of the rooms to the labor inside and outside the house, even the invitations for me and the Crown Feast you write yourself."

"Meanwhile Gao Yang does nothing all day; she only feeds Xiao Sui An milk, and the rest of the time Xiang Lan and the others take care of things; she's very idle."

"Don't you feel any imbalance in your heart?"

Li Lizhi was slightly stunned, "Why would I be unbalanced? I'm your wife; taking care of everything at home is my duty, isn't it?"

"Moreover, I'm already the elder sister; looking after Gao Yang is also my duty, these are within my responsibilities, so why feel unbalanced?"

Chen Yan, after listening, was at a loss for words.

He stared at Li Lizhi for a while, scratched his head, and again sensed the difference of women in this era.

In Li Lizhi's understanding, men handle external affairs, women handle internal ones; that's just natural.

After a moment of contemplation, Chen Yan cleared his throat, "Then tell me honestly, do you think I treat Gao Yang a bit better and you a bit worse?"

"You don't need to try to trick me, you know? When you lie, your eyes become especially bright, and you stare straight at me, and the tips of your ears also turn red."

"Hearing that, Li Lizhi was startled, fingers instinctively curled around the sleeve, looking very at a loss."

"......"