Chapter 383

Father?

Father?

Chinu, you actually still have a father?!

As it turns out, it just so happens to be Bai Liren?

But how could Bai Liren keep saying 'buy'?

An ordinary father acknowledging his son...

Isn't it supposed to be tearfully seeking one's relatives?

This remark came out of the blue, suddenly filling Du Shanü's mind with many thoughts.

She was still in the postpartum month, her body not yet recovered; a moment of distraction made her waist ache, and she promptly leaned on the nearby table and sat down.

Just then a servant arrived with the nourishing meal; Chinu took the food with bare hands, and while attending to her wife master as she sipped the medicinal stew in the bowl, she continued speaking softly:

"I was also shocked, but he gave so much that, although I don't know why they could find me, since they wanted to give money, I just agreed."

"Wife master, guess how much money he brought me this time?"

Du Shanü was almost dumbfounded, one hand holding her soup, the other gesturing, she guessed ruthlessly and blindly:

"This number...... no, this number!"

She first held up five fingers, meaning five thousand taels, but considering that Bai Liren's bribe here was a demand of ten thousand taels at once, she quickly retracted the extra four fingers, leaving one finger raised to mean ten thousand taels.

Ten thousand taels was already the limit that this 'poor person' Du Shanü could imagine.

In Yongzhou city, officials and commoners alike were desperately short of funds; without Liu Ji stealing several thousand taels of silver, they would still be stuck everywhere, and she couldn't even scrape together the silver for her postpartum recovery.

Du Shanü's offer of ten thousand taels already made her feel she was giving considerable face to this mysteriously appearing 'father-in-law'.

However, facts proved that her face was really not worth much.

Chinu gently blew on the spoonful of nourishing soup, brought it to Du Shanü's lips, saw her drink, then smiled as she took the spoon back and slowly straightened out four of her wife master's fingers.

Du Shanü felt no disappointment, merely thinking it was also acceptable:

"Five thousand taels is actually not a small amount; although Bai Liren's temperament is unknown, after all it's money gotten for nothing......"

That remark of hers couldn't really be called heartless.

Chinu has never called him 'father' so far, always just addressing Bai Liren.

Du Shanü, of course, also maintained a neutral stance, planning to wait and see; if the other party felt guilty for abandoning Chinu back then and was willing to send money, then she could take it with justification!

Five thousand taels is indeed not little; with a bit more scraping together, it would be enough to support a private army!

Seeing her wife master guess wrong again, Chinu could only shake her head helplessly and say:

"Not five thousand, but fifty thousand...... and even more than that."

Less?

Less?

Chinu said 'less?'

Not five thousand, but fifty thousand, and even more?!

Du Shanü was startled; this time Du Shanü was genuinely startled.

Fortunately Chinu knew her stingy nature, and had already stopped bringing the soup, lest she get choked this time.

Even if she wasn't choked, it was enough to make Du Shanü doubt that this world was illusory, a long dream unended:

"You're sure it's fifty thousand taels? Solid, hard cash?"

Chinu shook her head again; Du Shanü was about to let out a breath of relief when the person beside her continued:

"How could it be fifty thousand taels of ready-made silver? Stacked up, it would be as high as a small hill; transporting it by cart and horse would be too laborious to bring over."

"Bai Liren brought roughly ten thousand taels of silver, about ten thousand taels in merchant vouchers, deeds for fields and houses worth about twenty thousand taels in silver, plus some gold, silver, and jewels; altogether they come to roughly fifty thousand taels."

Since the wife master was already dumbfounded, this time Chinu didn't beat around the bush but spoke directly:

"Besides these, he said that when he came, he specially ordered the routes of two ships originally bound for the South Seas to be changed, saying they would arrive in about half a month, and then they would be ours as well."

"Don't worry about the wife master mocking me; to speak frankly, upon hearing that he was willing to give so much, I couldn't even think straight about how he found me or whether he really was my father; I immediately burst into tears, feigned the act, and thus acknowledged him as my father......"

This, this is okay?

Although somewhat absurd, hearing it just sounds like something Chinu would do!

After all, when earlier she recruited talent and begged Ruansizong, he too was willing to suffer humiliation......

Du Shanü's thoughts gradually returned from shock, her mood gradually becoming indescribable.

Chinu looked at her wife master's face, considered it, then scooped another spoonful of soup and brought it to her lips.

Du Shanü drank it without much hesitation, and Chinu thus realized her approach hadn't been rejected, began to relax, and gathered the courage to continue with the more important matters:

"Bai Liren's meaning is that these things are all for me and Rui'er. If I don't wish to leave, but still want to aid you in contending for the world, he is willing to return to Guangzhou Zhoufu, help you seize Guangzhou without bloodshed."

"But......"

Finally, this sentence is clearly the point!

Du Shanü shook her spirits, Chinu hesitated a moment, then finally said:

"But...... it's still about Rui'er."

"He said, he does not serve you as lord, but for the sake of bloodline, therefore he must use Rui'er's palm print as a contract; thereafter, while he holds Guangzhou, he can provide funds and troops, but only act upon Rui'er's command."

"No matter what position you attain in the future, the entire Guangzhou Zhoufu will remain a separate enclave of the Central Plains; every dispatch must be issued with Rui'er's palm print."

Indeed, worthy of Bai Liren!

Before, I had only heard rumors about this person from Afang's mouth, but now I finally get a glimpse of how formidable he is!

Why Bai Liren would consider Chinu his child is a matter to set aside for now.

Simply speaking, the fact that they came with heavy gold shows they definitely intended to take Chinu away.

But his child wasn't taken, and instead an extra grandson appeared; neither of them could leave, the situation changed so greatly that, remarkably, they could devise such a perfect solution in a short time.

Du Shanü now lacks power, exactly the time she needs to borrow it; Bai Liren first offers advantages, making it impossible for them to strike at a smiling face, and secondly he hits the mark, precisely proposing: "I am not acknowledging the female lord, but only acknowledging the female lord's child."......

Who is Yi'er?

He is the biological child of Du Shanü and Chinu!

In other words, if Chinu is truly Bai Liren's son......

Then this child is also his, Bai Liren's, biological grandson!

Although it now appears that he is spending money and effort, the one who benefits is not always him, Bai Liren?

Even if unacknowledged, he can elevate his own children and grandchildren; what more could one ask for in a lifetime?

Du Shanü sighed in admiration, finally regaining her composure, and seeing Chinu lower his head to stir the soup, brows down and eyes obedient, feigning meekness, she immediately knew he still had something unsaid:

"...... Since we've come this far and said it all, I'd like to have a mental preparation."

The two are, after all, husband and wife, people who often share a bed.

Just one glance, and she knows his temperament exactly.

But this time Chinu feels guilty, naturally lowering his gaze, not daring to lift his head, only looking down at the double-boiled bowl, stirring repeatedly, as if preparing to stir out a flower:

"I heard... I heard Bai Liren's meaning is to simply seize Guangzhou Zhoufu; you now have the identity of a princess, so why not directly request a title for Yi'er and also designate his fief as Guangzhou?"

"With him guarding Guangzhou for Yi'er in the future, you can also rest easy."

These words grew lighter and lighter as they were spoken.

Chinu kept his head lowered, never raising it.

The so-called 'order by palm' was actually, from the start, a retreat route prepared by Bai Liren for him and his child.

He also dreamed of a beautiful life with his wife master, together for a lifetime.

And Bai Liren also dreamed that one day his own child and grandson could return to his side.

The so-called parental love means planning far ahead for the child.

Chinu previously did not believe this, but now he somewhat believes it.

If it were merely an order by palm, Yi'er would thereafter only be able to stay in the shadows, possibly being manipulated.

But once the proper way is taken, Yi'er's existence can no longer be concealed.

He received a title at a young age, has his own fief, and on that fief there is a 'grandfather' willing to devote his all to him.

Thus, the more he thinks about it, the more hopeful he becomes.

However, the only problem at present is that this demand came from collusion between him and Bai Liren.

Bai Liren originally only wanted an 'order by palm,' whereas he this time wants to gain more for his child.

'Father gains nobility through son'—others treat it as a joke, but only Chinu truly took it to heart.

He is far removed from the absurd fantasies of his youth; he cannot feel any goodwill toward Bai Liren, who suddenly appeared as a father, but Yi'er, whom he watched being born, is......

'Father gains nobility through son,' father strives for son......

I don't know if the wife master will blame......

"Good."

A warm breath in one sigh stirred Chinu's hesitation.

Du Shanü withdrew her gaze, placing her hand over the back of her own obedient slave's hand:

"I've said before, I trust whatever decision you make."

"Now that I think about it carefully, I too am a false princess; henceforth it is indeed inappropriate to merely call Yi'er Yi'er, lest people ask about his surname—better to settle on a title early."

"How about... calling him Yuanlong? May my future martial fortunes flourish, and may this child's future blessings prosper."

?? Yuanlong has come, Yuanlong has come! This text actually rarely mentions Yuanlong's real name.......