Chapter 408: with translation of chapter title

Du Shanü has never been emperor.

But, as for being wary of ministers......

Yet, like every emperor in the histories, it is almost second nature.

Especially after Ouyang Yan's insincere compliance, she has become all the more particular about this.

To her, everything is merely the blazing peach blossoms in today's peach grove.

When to cut the flowers, when to enjoy peach blossom pastries made from them—these are merely a thought away for her.

And now Yu Lve's words are nothing but a blatant telling her that something has slipped from her control......

After all, if it weren't beyond her control, why would Chunri Jian have come only now?

He knows how to seize Qiongzhou without bloodshed, so why has he come only now?

Is he holding back?

Or perhaps he never fully acknowledged her as his master before?

Either way, Du Shanü finds it hard to accept.

At that moment, her expression truly turned unsightly.

But Du Shanü did not bring it up directly; she only asked again in a roundabout way:

"Since you could guess Chunri Jian's intentions in coming, you ought to have stayed in the city to steady him for me—why did you personally run out to meet us?"

Given Yu Lve's solicitousness toward Yu Baobao—preferring to suffer himself rather than let her suffer—he ought to have arranged the entourage for Yu Baobao.

Yet now, it is he himself riding out of the city alone......

Du Shanü could not for the life of her think of the reason.

Just because she cannot think of the reason does not mean she does not know it.

For the next instant, Yu Lve's seemingly ice‑cold face opened his mouth, and once again he began to chatter on:

"That is naturally because the law does not punish the many!"

"Before, Ouyang Yan hid his talent, and I got dragged along by his verbal troubles; now another clueless fool comes, thinking he can threaten you—of course he's just here to watch the show!"

Yu Baobao: "?"

Du Shanü: "?"

Yu Lve shrugged his broad shoulders; his stature is quite tall, so the horse he rides is about a head taller than an ordinary horse.

This is the first time Du Shanü rides side‑by‑side with this cousin, and also the first time she gets a clear look at the imposing steeds beneath Yu Lve......

They even have a hint of innate 'fighting eyes'.

This discovery is so absurd it is akin to making Du Shanü reevaluate Yu Lve entirely.

Yet, Yu Lve's words have not ceased:

"Wait until he angers you as Ouyang Yan did, then this time I will stay silent."

"Then, after you deal with him, my previous resentment will largely fade, so thereafter I won't make you feel like two heads when you see me, and I can come back more often to see Xiao Ai......."

Yu Baobao put her arms around her Wife Master's waist, riding obediently; at first she nodded repeatedly, evidently agreeing, but hearing the rest she seemed to feel it improper and soothed:

"Oh dear, cousin!"

"I've said before, the Wife Master's heart is big; past matters are past and won't be held against you for former blame! Don't keep blaming yourself! (*^▽^*)"

Yu Baobao is naturally a bit taller than Du Shanü, and to hold her waist for stability she naturally rests her chin on Du Shanü's shoulder.

Since the two were already close, Yu Baobao's opening sent countless warm breaths that dispelled the night chill spraying onto her neck.

This time, Du Shanü didn't even have a chance to feel her heart flutter.

Now her mind is full of——

Doomed.

She seems to have indeed misjudged the person.

This cousin Yu Lve turns out to be cold on the outside, hot within......

Most crucially, whether to speak or not, the two cousins are so alike that even their thought processes link up......

In short, it's just one sentence: they both seem not too bright.

Who exactly would run back and forth just to watch a good show?

And who, to her face, when she asks, would spill the beans like pouring out beans, laying out all his calculations in detail?!

This situation is completely at odds with that icy face that looks like deep scheming and far‑sightedness!

To be frank, that face at first glance looks like the standard equipment of an iron‑blooded tough guy, who might later become a powerful minister......

Moreover, he is a sword‑bearing attendant at court, a real‑power general with the vigor of a dragon and tiger!

How could he now be whispering with Yu Baobao about how to watch the show?!

Is this right?

Is this really right?

Given that Yu Baobao isn't bright, does her cousin's lineage also lack wit?

Given that she has been guarding against Yu Lve for so long, is it actually just her wits battling herself?

Du Shanü was deeply puzzled, but when her horse's hooves clatter‑clatter‑clatter returned to Cang Cheng, she discovered even more bewildering things ahead——

Damn it!

Chunri Jian has grown gaunt, a whole big circle, a whole big circle!!!

He originally had some hidden ailments, which Du Shanü knows.

But because his father is a branch of the Chunri clan, managing the clan's genuinely profitable business, these years he has lacked nothing, having rested at home for several years and also recuperated somewhat.

As for his limp, he hides it with uneven shoes; an ordinary person who doesn't look closely would absolutely not notice it.

Du Shanü, between gaining and prosperity, had once seen Chunri Jian; at that time this lad clearly kept himself in decent shape.......

And nowadays, saying that one is 【emaciated to the bone】 would not be an exaggeration.

Just a glance in the hall, Du Shanü knew this matter would definitely not be trivial, and she at once coaxed the cat to sleep:

"Yu Baobao, go play elsewhere; let the older cousin stay here."

Her protection of Yu Baobao was never feigned.

Little Hat Miaow is just Little Hat Miaow; she doesn't understand much, and there's no need to understand much.

Yu Lve could at least tell that Chunri Jian is coming for Qiong Prefecture!

Keeping Yu Baobao, aside from scaring him, what else can you see! What!

Although Yu Baobao was somewhat reluctant, she still held the small peach branch given by the Wife Master, walked off rather proudly, making Du Shanü and Yu Lve shake their heads.

Du Shanü turned her gaze, looking at the nearly emaciated, sunken-cheeked Chunri Jian before her, and then asked:

"The last time I saw you, you were fine, but it's only been two or three months since we last met, and you are......"

Some words need not be spoken fully.

The young man before her, whose expression was already desolate, seemed to have been holding on for a long time; hearing this, he fell to his knees with a plop.

This kneeling sound was solid, producing a deep, reverberating hum.

Yu Lve, who had been propping his elbow up to watch the show, suddenly stared wide-eyed; his face was still that cold expression, but in his widened eyes one could almost see the big words 'Even this is fine?' floating by.

Du Shanü also didn't have time to attend to Yu Lve; hearing that grating knocking sound, she instinctively grabbed the other's shoulder to stop the incessant kowtowing, and asked in a low voice:

"What exactly is going on?"

"If there's something to say, just say it; don't keep hemming and hawing!"

Heaven knows, Du Shanü despises this kind of hemming and hawing the most.

Since eight hundred years ago, she's stopped reading those storybooks where the victim finishes spilling a basket of last words, yet never reveals the culprit!

Perhaps Du Shanü's impatience was too obvious, causing Chunri Jian to lose a few breaths of consciousness in a daze, before Chunri Jian murmured:

"My lord...... my parents died in Qiong Prefecture three months ago."

"My parents were killed by that pack of beasts!"

I had long wanted to come and report, but the instructor said you were pregnant and thus not convenient to hear these matters, so I kept delaying until now...... truly it's not that I'm unwilling to present the plan to seize Qiong Prefecture!

?? Throughout history, military officials often lose to civil officials, and there are indeed reasons for that......