A Stubborn Mule Demands a Place by His Side

On the battlefield, swords and spears are silent; injuries are commonplace.

Xu Huan didn't take his arm injury seriously.

However, because of this seemingly insignificant injury, he eventually developed a high fever and died.

It's truly heartbreaking to think about.

"I know that Xu Weibei doesn't believe it, and he always feels that I was involved in what happened back then."

"Emperor!"

"Let me finish," the Emperor said, raising his hand to stop him from speaking. "He is Guanshan's son, my nephew. His bravery surpasses even his father's. I cherish him and will not blame him."

"His Majesty is kind and benevolent; he is truly a blessing to his ministers and the people."

"You old fool, I've been completely open with you, and you're just playing games with me," the Emperor said with a laugh. "But I'm also afraid. I'm afraid he'll hold a grudge about what happened back then and be easily manipulated. Young people are hot-blooded, impulsive, and fearless. I use him, but I also fear him..."

"Now, he's channeling that brute force into romantic relationships. I scold him for being useless, but I also feel a little relieved. Minister Gu, you understand me."

"He loves your daughter, which puts my mind at ease. Xu Weibei is like the melting snow from the northern mountains; if you don't guide him into the channel, he might run rampant and ruin the foundation. Now, your daughter is that channel; with you here, I'm at ease. You can't just abandon him."

As he spoke, the Emperor pointed to the thick stacks of memorials on his desk and said, "These are all reports of Corn harvest. The people are happy, they are happy, and I am even happier."

"My dear minister, I should reward your daughter handsomely!"

"It is my daughter's blessing to be able to share the Emperor's burdens and seek the well-being of the people," Gu Yuanshi said humbly. "However, every family has its own troubles. My daughter is quick-tempered, and although she has no intention of harming others, she lacks tact and worldly wisdom, which makes her unpopular with her elders. I'm afraid things won't be easy with the Grand Princess..."

The Emperor laughed, "What's there to be afraid of? Your daughter is quite principled. Didn't she swear a solemn oath never to enter the Xu family? Young and impetuous, I'd like to see how this girl handles things."

The implication was that he wouldn't help, letting Gu Wanning deal with it herself while he watched the show.

Gu Yuanshi was both amused and exasperated. "The Emperor is right, children are all debts."

After laughing, the Emperor suddenly said, "Don't worry, I'm not the kind of person who discards his tools after they've been used. The reform was my own initiative. If it succeeds, I will ensure your name is remembered in history; if it fails, I certainly won't let you bear the consequences alone."

These words were so poignant that Gu Yuanshi knelt heavily on the ground and kowtowed deeply. "Your humble servant has already disregarded life and death in his determination to implement reforms. If the reforms succeed, it will be due to Your Majesty's wisdom, decisiveness, and great talent; if they fail, it will be due to my own lack of foresight. I am willing to offer my humble body as a torch to illuminate the path ahead. No effort will be wasted, and Your Majesty's reforms will surely succeed."

The credit doesn't have to be mine, but I will definitely be a part of it.

The Emperor was deeply moved. He rose and stepped down, personally helping Gu Yuanshi to his feet. He solemnly said, "As long as you do not betray me, I will certainly not betray you either."

If Gu Wanning were here, she would definitely say, "I wish you a perfect blessing!"

The emperor and his minister were so moved that they held hands and looked at each other with tears in their eyes. After a long while, they finally remembered the main topic.

Oh, Xu Weibei still locked up. We're going to release that kid today.

"Have your daughter pick him up. This time, go openly and honestly, no need to sneak around," the Emperor said with a smile.

Gu Yuanshi was embarrassed. "My daughter is unruly, but fortunately, His Majesty has been lenient with her."

With just a simple sentence, Gu Wanning's "unauthorized" prison visit was characterized as unruly behavior, turning a major issue into a minor one and a minor one into nothing.

Gu Wanning was very excited when she received the news, but at this moment, she was unable to move an inch.

Because her door was blocked.

This time, however, it's a good thing.

It turns out that a village on the outskirts of Beijing was fortunate enough to be selected as a "pilot" village this year, and was allocated Corn seeds, resulting in a bumper harvest.

At this moment, the villagers, young and old, all came, beating drums and gongs, to kowtow and express their gratitude to Gu Wanning.

Gu Wanning: Really, you don't need to!

This scene could easily lead one to mistakenly believe they were there to bid her farewell...

Pshaw!

Er Ya was so moved that tears streamed down her face, while Gu Wanning was so embarrassed that she wished she could disappear into the ground.

There are some people who look like tough guys, but in a crowd they're as timid as a quail.

Yes, that's exactly the kind of person she is.

The messenger was also taken aback. After much effort, she finally squeezed to the front and shouted, "Miss, the Marquis is about to be released. The Emperor has ordered you to go and fetch Marquis!"

Gu Wanning: Huh?

There were too many people, and it was too noisy for her to hear clearly.

She actually misheard it as the Emperor ordering her to pick up Xu Weibei?

That's outrageous.

"Tell me slowly, what's wrong, Marquis?"

The person who came repeated it loudly again.

Gu Wanning was overjoyed to hear that Xu Weibei was going to be released, but she was also dumbfounded at this moment.

When did their affair reach the Emperor's attention?

Chapter 247 The Stubborn Donkey Demands Recognition

In fact, the Emperor had already sent someone to inform Xu Weibei of the result the day before.

Xu Weibei smiled slightly as he was told his salary would be reduced by three years.

He doesn't live off his salary.

The emperor was aware of this, so he deliberately imposed a three-year penalty to show others that it was a "severe punishment."

Actually, they let it go easily.

The emperor also sent him a message, saying that he shouldn't have spent his time in prison for nothing, and that he should think carefully about who had been the most vocal and who had cared about him when he was "unlucky".

You need to be attentive when judging people.

This is the Emperor's instruction.

Xu Weibei, however, was not particularly moved.

He could see through the Emperor's thoughts.

Winning him over, suppressing him, using both harsh measures and decisive actions—these are all tactics of emperors.

He had no intention of disloyalty; doing his job well was enough for him.

But Xu Weibei couldn't help but think that Gu Wanning had always been concerned about him.

Gu Wanning was the only one worth living for him.

"Quickly, I need to wash up and change," Xu Weibei said.

He couldn't wait to see Gu Wanning and give her a surprise.