“Yu?” Yan Ruyu frowned. She was very sensitive to this surname now. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that she was making groundless accusations.
Yan Congming was dejected. For a moment, he did not notice the abnormality in his daughter’s expression. It was only when his daughter muttered, “There can’t be so many people with the surname Yu in this world, right?” He looked at his daughter strangely. “Yu’er, what’s wrong?”
Yan Ruyu’s consciousness returned. She helped Yan Congming into the warm pavilion and knelt beside the small table with tea and snacks. She asked Yan Congming, who had also knelt down, “Daddy, I met the princess of Xiongnu on the street that day.”
“Ah… that overbearing princess…” Yan Congming had a headache over this person. Although she had come to negotiate as the defeated country, she did not have the slightest awareness of servility. Along the way, she had caused a commotion. As a group of men, it was not appropriate for them to bicker with a girl.
“Yu’er bumped into her… She didn’t do anything to you, right?” Yan Congming asked worriedly.
The maidservant brought over a teapot. Yan Ruyu personally took the teapot and waved at the maidservant. The maidservant left respectfully.
Yan Ruyu poured a cup of tea for her father. “No, Daddy, don’t worry. I just saw her teaching two country bumpkins a lesson… She seems to have a Central Plains guard by her side.”
At this point, Yan Ruyu began to size up her father’s expression.
Indeed, her father frowned. “That Central Plains guard is Yu Shaoqing!”
Yan Ruyu felt a blow to her head. Why did everything come to her? That girl’s father was actually the hero who defeated Xiongnu. If he were to be rewarded, wouldn’t he have a title higher than her father?
It was fine if Yu Wan’s status was higher than Yan Ruyu from the beginning, but there were some people in the world who didn’t want her to get better because they had seen her in dire straits.
Yu Wan was a village girl, so she would be a village girl for the rest of her life. She would never be able to surpass her.
“Daddy, is that person powerful?” Yan Ruyu asked.
Yan Congming said, “He’s really powerful, but his background is a little humble.”
In the military camp, there was a huge difference between a regular army and a rogue army. With Yu Shaoqing’s military achievements, if he wasn’t a captured farm soldier, he would have long gotten to the same position as General Xiao.
“However, he’s really lucky this time. With His Majesty personally rewarding him, his status in the future will definitely be indescribably noble,” Yan Congming lamented.
Yan Ruyu took a sip of tea without batting an eyelid and said, “Why would His Majesty reward him? The one who made military contributions is clearly you!”
“Huh?” Yan Congming was stunned. He looked at his daughter in confusion, but his daughter only sipped her tea gently and did not look at him. “Yu’er doesn’t mean… you want me to snatch his military achievements, right? That won’t do!”
“Why not?” Yan Ruyu put down her cup and looked at Yan Congming. “Let me ask you, does anyone else know that General Xiao entrusted the list to Yu Shaoqing?”
“No.” Yan Congming shook his head. “That fellow hid it very well. We all thought that he was crazy when he didn’t wait for help on the spot and insisted on bringing us over the snowy mountain! Until we saw Grand Marshal Xiao… No, when we first met Grand Marshal Xiao, he didn’t hand over the list. He said to Grand Marshal Xiao that he wanted to see General Pang Ren from the Prefecture You. Grand Marshal Xiao brought him to General Pang Ren’s residence, and he personally sent the list to General Pang Ren. The funny thing was that General Pang Ren turned around and handed it to Grand Marshal Xiao! Don’t you think this person is a fool? He didn’t want to curry favor with Grand Marshal Xiao, so in the end, the list was still given to Grand Marshal Xiao!”
He was not a fool, but he was following a military order. General Xiao had ordered him to bring it to Pang Ren, so he would only bring it to Pang Ren, even if he knew that Pang Ren would eventually pass the list to Grand Marshal Xiao.
This man was terrifyingly persistent.
Yan Ruyu pinched her handkerchief without batting an eyelid. “Since no one else knows and General Xiao is dead, it’s easy to settle.”
“What?” Yan Congming asked.
Yan Ruyu smiled and said, “General Xiao fled into the snow mountain with the list that he had obtained with great difficulty. He was severely injured by the Xiongnu and felt that he was about to die. At this time, General Xiao met you. General Xiao handed the list to you and instructed you to bring it to General Pang Ren in Prefecture You.”
Yan Congming was dumbfounded. “But… but he was saved by Yu Shaoqing… The last person he saw before he died was Yu Shaoqing. How can this be explained?”
Yan Ruyu smiled and said, “As I said before, General Xiao doesn’t have long to live. In order for you to successfully bring the list out, he didn’t hesitate to use himself as bait to help you lure away that group of Xiongnu soldiers. On the way, he encountered Yu Shaoqing, that’s all.”
“In that case… General Xiao… gave me the list first… and I… gave it to Yu Shaoqing?” Yan Congming wasn’t sure if his daughter had this intention.
Yan Ruyu’s eyes turned cold. “No, he stole it! He stole your list!”
“Ah… This… This…” Yan Congming was stunned by his daughter’s bold scheme. “This… This is a crime of deceiving the Emperor…”
Yan Ruyu said, “Riches come from danger. Daddy, if I’m not wrong, your relationship with that centurion isn’t very harmonious, right?”
“Ahem, you can tell?” Yan Congming said in embarrassment. How was his relationship with Yu Shaoqing not harmonious? After he became the General Gui De, he had made things difficult for Yu Shaoqing.
Yan Ruyu continued, “That’s right. Daddy, think about it. You used to suppress him so much. Have you thought about the consequences once he turns around and rides on Daddy’s head?”
Yan Congming fell silent.
His experience told him that Yu Shaoqing was not the kind of person who would bully others. However, one could not read a person’s mind. In the past, Yu Shaoqing did not resist because he did not have the ability to resist. Once he obtained power, would he really let go of himself, who had repeatedly made things difficult for him?
“What if His Majesty doesn’t believe me?” He was tempted by Yan Ruyu’s suggestion.
Yan Ruyu said, “You and him each have your own opinions. Daddy, who do you think His Majesty will listen to?”
Yan Congming felt bad. He looked at his daughter meaningfully, straightened his back, picked up the tea on the table, and said, “Naturally, he believes in the future father-in-law of Young Master Yan, whom he dotes on the most.”
Yan Ruyu bowed and said with a smile, “I wish Daddy a good life!”
Yan Congming laughed. “My Yu’er is still the smartest. You’re much better than your idle brothers!”
Yan Ruyu smiled. “Daddy, go accompany Mom tonight. Your every word and action is being watched by others now. Don’t let anyone catch you red-handed.”
Yan Congming had originally planned to go to his concubine’s room to rest. After hearing his daughter’s words, he felt that it made sense. No matter what, treating the main wife well was the act of a gentleman. If word got out, it would not be bad for him.
As this thought flashed through his mind, Yan Congming held back his impatience and reluctantly went to visit the old Mrs. Yan.
… .
Before dawn, Yu Shaoqing woke up. He first removed the leg that was placed on his waist, then removed the hand that had been on him all night and quietly got off the bed.
Wu San was already waiting at the village entrance. Yu Shaoqing could not stay at home for too long. He still had to report to the army. If the Emperor summoned him, he might have to enter the palace to meet the Emperor.
Yu Shaoqing did not wake his family up. After washing up, he first went to the kitchen to make breakfast. Then, he took a shower and changed his clothes. He changed into his armor, led his warhorse, and gently left the house.
After leading the horse out of the village, Yu Shaoqing got on the horse. Under the faint morning light, his cold armor reflected a dazzling and sharp light.
When Wu San saw him get on his horse, he quickly got on his own horse. Wu San knew that he didn’t want to wake up the villagers. To be honest, it was rare for Old Yu to not put on airs at his current position.
“Old Yu.” Since he could ride a horse, he should be able to speak too. Wu San said, “Has everyone from your village returned?”
Yu Shaoqing narrowed his eyes and said, “A child, who I watched him grow up, didn’t return.”
Bai Xiaodun was ten years younger than Yu Shaoqing. He had just turned seventeen when he was captured. It was the seventh year now, and he was only twenty-four years old. He was already buried on the battlefield forever.
“Then… then his family must be very sad.”
“His parents cried for a long time.”
“This old sending the young is really…” Wu San scratched his head and cursed himself for saying something bad. Why did he mention such a sad thing the moment he opened his mouth? He coughed lightly and changed the topic. “Old Yu, I secretly asked around. You have to meet the Emperor today. When His Majesty sees you, he will definitely reward you well. It must be at least a fourth-grade general. If you’re lucky, you might be conferred the title of marquis!”
Wu San personally watched Yu Shaoqing enter the palace and walk up the throne room.
However, he did not receive the good news of Yu Shaoqing being conferred the title of marquis. Instead, he received the bad news that Yu Shaoqing had committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor and was imprisoned!
