Chapter 358: This matter is hard to accomplish in ancient times

Speaking honestly, Du Shanü has had the courage of a dragon's liver and a tiger's gall all her life, never fearing anyone.

Only Chinu, Afang......

Someone with such a disposition cannot be beaten or scolded; it truly puts her in a difficult spot.

Given the previous incident of the lost letter, she had merely been asking why the news had taken half a month to arrive without arriving; yet now, Afang turned the conversation and directly brought up 'suspicion'.

Throughout this tumultuous journey, they have stayed by her side.

How could she bear to just say 'suspicion' and leave it at that?

Thus, at this moment, Du Shanü could only respond irritably:

"Hurry up and eat; can't the food even shut your mouth?"

"I know you mean no harm, it's just...... never mind; let's not talk about these downer topics—let Ouyang An come to the Zhoufu."

Since there's nothing else going on these days, she might as well take the chance to hear what this person actually has to say.

If it benefits her, that would be best.

If there's nothing to gain......

It would merely be a matter of changing where she is confined.

Thunder and rain, dew—all are heavenly grace.

She can spend money to support those who eat white rice; isn't that enough for them to feel grateful and devoted?

Chen Weifang replied calmly, while Du Shanü completely failed to notice her own bias; after thinking left and right, she only recalled another matter:

"Chunri Jian is still exchanging letters with you via wild geese?"

If I remember correctly, Afang's last meeting with Chunri Jian should have ended on bad terms.

At that time, Afang came back saying, 'He was just teasing Chunri Jian, but Chunri Jian seemed utterly infatuated with him......'

Du Shanü took that as just a joke.

After all, Chen Weifang is a rare beauty, but the world is never short of beauties.

Why would Chunri Jian bother to court disfavor with his true feelings?

But now, upon looking......

"This person clearly has an unyielding thief's heart—ah, no, is he preparing to court disfavor to the end?"

Du Shanü's desire to gather information burned fiercely, yet Chen Weifang's reaction was quite ordinary, even showing no sign of impropriety:

"Exactly, but they're just ordinary matters; no matter how you dress them up, you can't say much, so I've replied little."

"Not replying to a single letter also counts as replying little...... right?"

That Chunri Jian kid is efficient in his conduct and dealings.

But for some reason, this person cannot get past the character 'love' and insists on hanging himself on that old, withered, crooked-neck tree.

Fortunately, lately Yongzhou has been peaceful, so he temporarily can't get what he wants from Chunri Jian, and thus has remained indifferent.

Chen Weifang spoke casually, but to Du Shanü's ears it carried deeper meaning.

Du Shanü pondered and pondered, then pondered again, and finally asked:

"Then Afang...... what exactly does she want?"

That question seems like it should have been asked long ago.

But Du Shanü simply cannot recall, amidst the hundreds of days and nights Chen Weifang has followed her, whether she ever asked that.

She seems to have merely assumed that Afang would remain steadfast, gracefully following behind her, and that whenever she turned back, he would surely be there.

After all, for Chinu and for her—this so-called 'Wise Lord' who isn't truly wise—he has repeatedly resolved to abandon himself.

However......

She seems to have forgotten again.

Afang once said, he is a person who moves for profit.

Such people like to gain big returns from small investments.

If he himself can only be considered 'small,' then what exactly could be considered 'big'?

Is it merely 'Yellow Intestine Topic Patch'?

Really just 'Yellow Intestine Topic Patch'?

Merely using yellow-heart cypress wood, with ends facing inward to form a frame, the coffin chamber that guards and protects......

Could that small plot of burial ground actually allow such an unconventional beauty as Chen Weifang to rest her soul in peace?

But, but......

Since people are already dead, what's the point of a coffin and outer shell?

To put it bluntly, even if promises were made excellently in life, when a person dies like a lamp going out, as long as the lord is ruthless enough, there may never be a day of fulfilling the vow.

In that case, what has Chen Weifang struggled all her life for?

Du Shanü does not understand.

Du Shanü...... still does not understand.

Although she has lived two lives, there are still many things she does not understand.

Some wisdom does not automatically attach to her mind just because she is reborn.

For some matters, some people, even if she lives again, she would still hesitate and linger, hoping to obtain a space for resolution.

However, however.

Yet this resolution is far more transcendent of the ordinary than Du Shanü imagined.

Chen Weifang also seems quite surprised that Du Shanü would still ask such a question to this day.

If it were before, he would merely add another line of 'Yellow Intestine Topic Patch' and lightly brush the matter aside.

But today, he uttered a response that, while not utterly different from before, is nonetheless worlds apart——

He said, he said:

"Wise Lord, how do you still not understand?"

"What I want has never been just a few pieces of yellow cypress wood; what I want—indeed, it has always been to hold the highest office among officials in life and to receive the utmost mourning honor after death."

Over three hundred days and nights.

Over three hundred days and nights.

This is the over three hundred days that Du Shanü has known Chen Weifang.

Yet it is also the first day that Du Shanü has known Chen Weifang.

Today, Chen Weifang finally voiced the secret desire hidden deep in his heart.

He said, he wants to hold the highest office among officials in life and to receive the utmost mourning honor after death.

The so-called yellow cypress coffin burial, Chen Weifang does not lack desire for it.

But this yellow cypress coffin burial has always been merely the final plea in Chen Weifang's heart, and the "additional thing" it brings.

Yellow cypress grows slowly; from planting to reaching a size sufficient to construct a coffin, it takes at least a hundred years.

And to fell, cut, transport, and assemble the yellow cypress into a coffin of unmatched luxury takes at least several years, even decades longer.

In this process, if the monarch's heart shifts even for a moment, the so-called yellow cypress coffin burial will mostly come to nothing.

And in such a troublesome situation, if after death one could still be granted a yellow cypress coffin burial...

It can only prove that the ruler still harbors him in his heart.

Just this single thought is enough to make him now exert all his strength, even to burn his bones in fire, without hesitation.

This answer, fragmented, slips out lightly and furtively from between his lips and teeth.

It even lacks the moving, sorrowful grandeur that Du Shanü imagined.

Yet it provokes Du Shanü's heart to an uncontrollable frenzy—

The words "hold the highest office among officials in life, receive the utmost mourning honor after death" she has heard before.

But then, it was from Chinu's mouth.

Though Chinu shouts this goal repeatedly, his heart has always only begged her to keep him treasured in a golden box.

As long as she daily offers him a morsel of affection forged with her sword, placed in his mouth, Chinu is enough to be overwhelmed with delight.

For this little favor, this little partiality, this grace, this splendor, Chinu will wag his tail and beg pitifully.

He may lack unmatched intellect, the strength of Golden Feather, and peerless looks, yet he always places himself low.

He is not born Du Shanü's follower, yet he willingly trails behind her, gladly submits.

Scratching and scrambling for a lifetime...

All for an illusory, elusive "love".

However, when Chen Weifang says "hold the highest office among officials in life, receive the utmost mourning honor after death," he is far more ruthless than Chinu.

Chen Weifang wants others to hate him.

Chen Weifang wants others to hate him so much they cannot sleep at night, wish to devour his flesh raw, gnaw his bones raw, curse his death and clan's annihilation...

Yet, no matter what, others cannot do anything to him.

Because his sovereign favors him, has always been bewitched by him.

?? hehehe Afang hehehe Afang hehehe