Chapter 460: The Dark Face and the Fair Face

On the kang in the room, beautifully embroidered brocaded silks with gold-threaded patterns, peacock-patterned blue fabrics, fragrant agarwood-woven gold-embroidered gauzes, purple and white brocades, and gold-embroidered velvet were neatly arranged. Under the flickering light, these gifts from the palace appeared even more dazzling, yet not a single woman in the room paid them any attention; all of them stared intently at Zhang Yue.

“Xiao Wu, go home. Don’t tell your mother about what happened today.”

Du Wan was the first to break the silence, but her words were directed at Xiao Wu. Xiao Wu looked reluctant. As she opened her mouth to protest, she saw Du Wan glaring at her sternly. At that glare, she became annoyed, huffed in displeasure, and turned to leave the room. At that moment, Ling Xi quickly pulled Amber and Qiu Hen over. The former hesitated before moving, but the latter refused to budge at all, her eyes filled with stubbornness.

Qiu Hen naturally didn’t want to leave. At this moment, there was only Zhang Yue in her eyes. She had served him since childhood, watching him grow up little by little, seeing him pass the imperial examinations and enter officialdom, rising in rank and getting married. Her heart had experienced joy and sorrow—every emotion stemmed from him. To her, he was the entirety of her life; nothing else mattered. Since she couldn’t help him in any way, all she could do was stay by his side, even if it meant watching over him for a lifetime.

She didn’t care about the future or social status. But even though she didn’t care about anything else, she couldn’t ignore the danger he faced.

Seeing Ling Xi and Amber anxiously waiting while Qiu Hen stood motionless with clenched lips, Du Wan was slightly stunned and inwardly sighed bitterly. Noticing that Zhang Yue also glanced in that direction before scratching his head and sighing, she suddenly remembered the situation in Qingzhou back then. When faced with a choice, he had been just as childish.

“This is a matter of great importance. Yesterday, Grand Secretary Yang only hinted at it. Revealing it too early would only cause chaos. That’s why I wanted to wait for confirmation. Who would have thought someone would leak the news… Most people probably don’t have the ability to do that—it must be the princess, right?” Seeing that Du Wan just glared at her without saying a word and the three maids were crowded together by the door, Zhang Yue simply pulled Du Wan to sit on the kang and pointed to the three chairs lined up on the left side, saying, “Right now, we don’t need to follow those rules of hierarchy. Everyone, sit down.”

With those words, Lingxi released Qiuhen. Seeing Du Wan nod, she hesitated for a moment before sitting down in the last chair. As soon as she sat, Hupo leaned in next to her, leaving the top seat empty. Qiuhen, who was a step behind, glanced at that empty seat. Though she really wanted to sit closer to Zhang Yue, after hesitating for a while, she still brought over a small stool and sat on the other side of Du Wan, frowning at Hupo and Lingxi irritably.

Seeing that the three maids still had ulterior motives in this matter, Zhang Yue felt both annoyed and amused. He then turned to Du Wan first and said, “Putting aside the fact that the emperor wants me to go, just considering my current duties—transferring military supplies—I have an unavoidable responsibility. After all, both the Ministers of War and Revenue are in charge of overseeing and transporting funds, so it’s only natural for me to make this trip. Besides, Hai Gong just informed me that I’m likely going to Xuanfu, with a stop in Xinghe along the way.”

These words were naturally addressed to Du Wan, but seeing the three serious faces below, he felt a deep touch in the softest part of his heart. He then explained plainly, “The north is a strategically important area, and outsiders may think it’s dangerous. I’m not going to die or fight. Moreover, there will be guards from the capital accompanying me. It’s just that it’s tougher and more exhausting there compared to the capital. But if even my brother-in-law, a nobleman from a prominent family, could stay in Xinghe for so long, how could I shy away from the difficulties?”

Qiuhen in front didn’t understand at first, but she finally grasped the last few sentences. Her gloomy expression immediately turned bright. Lingxi understood most of it and also felt relieved, thinking that if the old lady asked later, she could repeat what she heard to ease her worries. However, Hupo picked up some other implications from the earlier sentences. She had intended to keep it to herself, but seeing Qiuhen’s happy expression, her heart ached, and her brows immediately raised.

“Young master, please forgive this servant for speaking up. When inspecting Xuanfu, one must also go to forward strongholds like Xinghe and Kaiping. What if, upon arrival, the Mongol army suddenly attacks? Would that be your responsibility?”

Hearing this, even Lingxi, who had initially felt relieved and intended to remain silent from then on, couldn’t help but think of another important matter: “Young master, once you go, you’ll have to wait until next spring to reunite with the army, and it’s likely you won’t return until June or July at the earliest. The old lady’s condition is uncertain, and there are also various household issues at home. If something goes wrong… Although imperial orders must be obeyed, if you have any other plans, you should at least inform the young mistress and us so that the family can have some hope.”

Qiuhen had already felt relieved, but upon hearing Lingxi and Hupo ask such questions, her eyes widened instantly. Du Wan waited until the two finished speaking before turning to look at Zhang Yue with a half-smile: “See? After being with you for so long, they’ve all become extremely shrewd. So don’t think everyone is a fool and only says things that please you. All you need to do now is tell us how long you’ll be away, who you’ll take with you, and if you have any other plans. As for household matters, I’ll take care of them—there’s no need for you to deceive us with lies!”

Heaven may forgive sins committed out of ignorance, but those committed out of one’s own will deserve no mercy… Zhang Yue was now experiencing the consequences of his own actions. Yesterday, Yang Shiqi had given him some advice, and he already had some plans in mind. After pondering for a moment, he said he intended to use this opportunity to bring back his uncle Zhang Xin. Immediately, Qiuhen jumped up.

“Even if you have a heart full of filial piety, you can’t focus solely on others! The eldest master still has the second master to take care of him, but the wife only has you as her son. You and the young mistress have been married for just over two years, and Xiao Jingguan is only a few months old. I may be speaking disrespectfully, but even if you consider others now, what if the old lady… Eventually, the family will split up, and it’s uncertain whether they’ll remember your kindness then! Besides, what if you leave and the eldest master can’t return?”

“Qiuhen!”

At that moment, three voices spoke in unison to stop her. Lingxi, who always knew Qiuhen’s straightforward nature, was worried that her words might upset Zhang Yue. Hupo, who had been Qiuhen’s sister for many years, feared her words might make Du Wan think she was indirectly criticizing someone else. Although Du Wan usually said little, she could see through Qiuhen’s unhidden gaze and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly at her naive thoughts, thus stopping her without hesitation.

“Qiuhen, you’re really too unruly!” After delivering those words coldly, Zhang Yue glanced at her red-rimmed eyes. Though he didn’t want to be harsh, considering that the whole family still lived together and he wasn’t around, Qiuhen’s temperament could lead to serious problems—if anything happened, even Du Wan might not be able to protect her. So he had no choice but to maintain a stern expression. “Hupo, take her back to her room. Let her calm down and think carefully about what she should say and what not!”

Hupo quickly stood up, ignoring Qiuhen’s tears, and half-dragged, half-pulled her away. Lingxi, though she felt her name wasn’t mentioned, still got up, saying she would go to talk to her and offer advice. Only after they left did Zhang Yue sit down again, then said to Du Wan with a wry smile, “When did I ever say this trip was entirely for others? As a mere minor official in the Ministry of War, accompanying the army on a northern expedition at most earns ordinary merits. But this northern inspection is a much greater opportunity than my previous trip to the south. Do I really look like some selfless good person?”

Even Du Wan, who was filled with worry, couldn’t help but snort slightly upon hearing this. Then she raised the corners of her mouth and said, “No wonder Father once said, ‘Gentle as jade, impenetrable.’ You embody those last four words best. It’s only that Qiuhen, who has your interests at heart, takes everything literally and explodes like charcoal on fire the moment things go wrong. Well, just give me your orders. I’ll go see her myself later. If you play the stern role, how can she calm down if I don’t play the kind one?”

Zhang Yue didn’t waste any more time and spoke directly, “First, since our grandmother is unwell, there are already conflicts between my first and second aunts, and all sorts of messy affairs are likely to arise. As long as it doesn’t affect us and grandmother hasn’t given orders, just let them handle it. But if it involves broader issues, like matters involving Aunt Fang and my eldest brother’s concubine, you’ll need to pay more attention. I’ve left Zhao Hu here—he obeys you in everything. No matter what you say, he’ll follow it. And if you need to find out any information, just turn to him. Even matters related to my father-in-law can be inquired about through him.”

Before Du Wan could ask any questions, he continued, “Second, although the King of Zhou and the Princess of Chenliu still need to stay in the capital, their situation isn’t easy either—there are too many eyes watching them. So if you care about my affairs, it would be better for you to visit the Duke of Ying’s residence more often. You recommended Dr. Feng back then, and both my uncle and aunt remember your kindness. Even if you don’t ask, they will still help gather all the necessary information. Third, Xiao Wu is no longer young; you and your mother-in-law should carefully choose a suitable match for her. The first time my father-in-law was released was because of my marriage to you; perhaps it can be done again this time.”

After Zhang Yue finished talking about family matters, Du Wan couldn’t help but ask about his plans for this trip. The couple discussed it for nearly half an hour, and by the end they were both very hungry. Du Wan got up to order dinner, but as soon as she lifted the curtain, she almost collided head-on with Lingxi. Unlike her worries when she left earlier, Lingxi was now beaming with joy.

“Young master, young mistress, good news! Aunt Fang has been found—she was just brought back home!”