NFBE Chapter 442 You're Also a Son of Heaven
Chapter 442 You're Also a Son of Heaven
"Lord Xing is a man of great learning. Do you know a saying?"
"When things are at their worst, they must change; change leads to progress; progress leads to longevity."
Yu Shu's voice sounded calm and collected, her tone exactly the same as that of a young lady from a noble family reciting poetry at a spring banquet, yet it sent a chill down Xing Lingchong's spine.
The old man smiled and gently bowed his head in response to Yu Shu:
"Of course I've heard of it."
"Does Lord Xing have nothing to say?"
Yu Shu placed the hand warmer on the table, making a dull, soft sound in the quiet side hall.
Xing Lingchong looked at the beautiful woman opposite him:
"I don't know what to say!"
"Before me, Lord Xing, there is no need for you to address me as a subject!"
"The princess is a daughter of the imperial family; the proper etiquette between ruler and subject must not be disregarded!"
Yu Shu chuckled softly, then murmured:
"I am a son of the Emperor!"
The woman suddenly looked at Xing Lingchong and spoke rapidly: "His Majesty has summoned these old ministers, including Lord Xing, to the capital again this time. Does Lord Xing know the reason behind this?"
Xing Lingchong turned and glanced at Lu Zhaoyue beside him, gesturing for her to leave.
But to her surprise, Lu Zhaoyue had just gotten up when she heard Yu Shu's cold voice:
"Madam need not worry. You may listen in on the entire discussion between Lord Xing and me today!"
Having said that, Lu Zhaoyue had no choice but to sit back down in her seat.
Yu Shu looked into Xing Lingchong's eyes, the magnificent hair ornament on her head swaying slowly in the candlelight.
The woman spoke again:
"Lord Xing, do you know that when things are at their worst, they must change; change leads to progress; and progress leads to longevity?"
Yu Shu emphasized the last word "久" (jiǔ), conveying a sense of coercion like a tidal wave.
Xing Lingchong sighed:
"Princess, this wasn't at the behest of His Highness, was it?"
He then shook his head with a wry smile: "I just told Lord Xing that this conversation only concerns me."
The woman's voice was firm, and her posture was upright.
"It only concerns me, Yu Shu!"
Xing Lingchong looked at Yu Shu, his voice calm and even:
"Could it be that His Majesty in the capital has already reached this point?"
Yu Shu nodded gently: "To be honest, sir, several officials who returned earlier than you have already started to propose reforms in the capital."
"On the way today, my sixth sister and I encountered assassins in our carriage."
Xing Lingchong's eyes were filled with weariness, like those of an old, feeble white crane:
"Does the princess know that it is too late to implement reforms now?"
The old man's voice was filled with regret and exhaustion.
Yu Shu immediately withdrew her imposing aura, and the woman pinched her trembling hand in her sleeve.
"When is it not too late?"
"The 21st year of Linde, the 18th day of the seventh month!"
Upon hearing about this aristocratic family, Xing Lingchong, who had been utterly dejected, suddenly had a glimmer of light in his aged eyes and stood up to look directly at the woman in front of him.
"Your Highness...you..."
Yu Shu and the old man locked eyes, their gazes intense:
"I have read your memorial."
On the 18th day of the seventh month of the 21st year of the Linde era, she was pushed into the water by the fourth prince and found Xing Lingchong's reform memorial in the lotus pond next to the imperial study.
The thick folds were supported by lotus leaves, without a single drop of water getting on them.
But it ended up in the hands of a person who was soaking wet.
Yu Shu's voice was a little hoarse:
"That was Lord Xing's last memorial on reform. The document ended up in my hands."
"grown ups!"
Snow fell heavily again, and candlelight flickered in the side hall.
Lu Zhaoyue watched the frail girl confront her husband, her figure as thin as a willow branch.
Unstoppable!
This wasn't the first time she had met the Fifth Princess. She was gentle and clever, and always spoke in a soft voice. She was the dream girl of countless noble sons in the capital.
But Lu Zhaoyue always felt that she was too light.
Like willow catkins, drifting lightly. Like someone constantly pulling you along throughout your life.
But now, she is arguing with her husband, no longer speaking softly as before:
"My lord, what constitutes 'too late'? It means we've reached the end of our rope!"
"We should... take a gamble!"
"Are you reforming the laws solely for the sake of my Yu family?"
A single word jolted me awake... from my dream!
Xing Lingchong looked at Yu Shu, focusing on her beautifully shaped eyes.
Beneath the surface of his former gentleness lay such an indomitable and undying spirit.
The old man's voice was hoarse:
"You resemble His Majesty the most!"
Yu Shu pursed her lips, unable to suppress the sob in her voice:
"Yes, I resemble my father the most."
But so what?
Naturally suspicious, when placed above an emperor, this translates to cautious composure and unfathomable depths!
In her case, it would simply mean being submissive and acting according to others' wishes.
She was born into the imperial family, yet she was a woman.
She was a woman who was arbitrarily sent to marry a foreign ruler and was arbitrarily humiliated to death.
She is a woman who, even after being reborn, is cautious and meticulous, and tries her best to please her father, the emperor, yet is still suspected.
Think about it carefully, why does he hate her?
Because he smelled the same scent on himself.
The suspicious emperor was extremely arrogant; he was only afraid of himself!
Fearful, but disdainful.
Because she was just a princess.
"Your Highness!" Xing Lingchong bowed to Yu Shu:
"This old minister will certainly not fail in his duty!"
The relentless questioning seemed to have been all for this moment.
Yu Shu bowed slightly to Xing Lingchong:
"Thank you, Lord Xing."
After speaking, the woman didn't say another word and turned to walk towards the wind and snow outside.
That one sentence, "I have lived up to your expectations," is enough.
The moon shines in the courtyard, hidden behind clouds, barely revealing half its face.
Yu Shu returned to her room through the snow and saw someone sitting on the doorstep from afar.
It's Xue Tong.
The girl was wearing a fur coat, and a small heater and hot tea were beside her.
It seems as if they are looking at the moon.
Seeing Yu Shu approach, Xue Tong gave her a bright smile and stood up from the threshold.
"Fifth Sister!"
Yu Shu then noticed three small porcelain tiger figurines placed on the threshold beside the man.
What are you doing outside my room?
"Look at the moon! My room is blocked by the eaves, so I can't see the moon!"
Xue Tong pointed to the tiger cubs: "I've discussed it with someone, and you can choose one!"
Looking at the tiger cubs, Yu Shu inexplicably felt that this person was childish.
"I do not want!"
Xue Tong blocked half the doorway by herself: "Don't refuse me entry! Unless you step over all three of them!"
Yu Shu was so angry she laughed:
"Forced purchase or sale?"
"I didn't take any money from you!"
Yu Shu couldn't bear to step over the three little creatures, so she bent down and picked up the little black tiger.
"Where in the world can you find a black tiger?"
"Why let others define us?" Xue Tong put away the remaining two tigers.
"You don't care if it's black or white, as long as it's a tiger, right?"
The girl's words were full of hidden meaning, and Yu Shu turned to look at her. Her gaze was icy.
"You were secretly following me?"
Xue Tong smiled and waved her hand: "I didn't."
Yu Shu clearly didn't believe her: "Where's what you stole?"
Xue Tong pushed the thing in her hand forward: "Isn't this it?"
Yu Shu glanced at her:
"Just for this?"
Xue Tong nodded.
"Not a single word of the truth!" Yu Shu was too lazy to talk to this person anymore, so she lifted her skirt and went into the house.
Just as he stepped over the threshold, he heard a girl's clear voice behind him:
"Fifth Sister!"
"You are also a member of the imperial family!"