SFS Chapter 244 Dugu Tianxia 11
Chapter 244 Dugu Tianxia 11
Yuwen Yong was currently attending to military affairs in the northwest. He was so engrossed in his work that time slipped by unnoticed. By the time he finally completed his mission, night had already fallen. Yuwen Yong suddenly remembered that he had promised Mantuo to take her home before sunset, a promise he had now broken.
He quickly called a eunuch and ordered, "Go and pick out some of the recent tribute jewelry and prepare them for me." After that, Yuwen Yong hurriedly picked up an exquisite jewelry box, got on the carriage, and galloped home.
Sitting in the carriage, Yuwen Yong happily opened his jewelry box and carefully examined the jewels inside. Suddenly, his eyes were caught by a dazzling, shimmering, kingfisher-inlaid pearl hairpin. He couldn't help but frown, thinking that the hairpin looked strangely familiar.
Yuwen Yong carefully picked up the pearl hairpin and examined it carefully. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind: Isn't this the same hairpin that Mantuo had worn a few days ago? Yuwen Yong was puzzled. How did Mantuo get such a tribute from the palace?
Yuwen Yong pondered the matter but could not find the answer. Finally, he decided to take out the identical hairpin first and keep the rest of the jewels as a gift for Mantuo. Then, he summoned the guards and ordered them to investigate the Treasure Pavilion to find out why the tribute from the imperial palace had appeared there.
Back home, Mantuo was leisurely savoring a tribute of mandarin oranges from Jiangnan, carefully peeled for her by her maid. Suddenly, Yuwen Yong entered the room. Her gaze was immediately drawn to him, and a hint of displeasure crossed her face. She quickly complained, "Why are you back so late today? You said you'd pick me up, but you didn't!" Yuwen Yong hurried over to her, embraced her, his eyes filled with apology. He whispered, "Today, news came from the court about unrest in the northwest. I've been busy handling urgent matters at the palace, so I forgot to pick you up. This is my apology gift to you. Please accept it!" As he spoke, Yuwen Yong handed Mantuo an exquisite jewelry box. Mantuo took the box and opened it, revealing a dazzling display of priceless jewels. Her discontent instantly dissipated, replaced by joy and satisfaction. She smiled, thanked Yuwen Yong, and instructed Chunhua to take the jewelry box to her dressing table for safekeeping.
Yuwen Yong gazed at the emerald-flowered hairpins on Mantuo's head and casually asked, "Those hairpins on Mantuo's head look incredibly exquisite. Where did you buy them?" Mantuo smiled smugly, then leaned back into his arms and replied, "I saw them the other day when I was browsing the Treasure Pavilion. I thought they were beautiful, so I bought them..." As she was about to elaborate on the hairpins, Chunhua arrived with a group of maids, setting a sumptuous dinner on the table. After enjoying a delicious meal with Mantuo, Yuwen Yong washed up and returned to his room, embracing Mantuo and preparing to make out with her. However, Mantuo gently nudged him, saying, somewhat wearily, "We're exhausted from admiring the flowers in the garden today. You should get some rest." Yuwen Yong, though slightly disappointed, held her tightly in his arms, patting her back and soothing her to sleep. Looking at Mantuo falling asleep in his arms, Yuwen Yong suddenly felt a sense of strangeness he had never felt before. She was always gentle and kind to him, but she always made people feel a little unfamiliar. Whenever he hugged her, she would always look a little nervous. Although they already had a child and had experienced many intimate contacts, this feeling always existed. Yuwen Yong couldn't help but feel a sense of doubt and uneasiness in his heart. He began to question whether he really understood Mantuo. He tried to recall every detail of their time together, but found that he seemed to have overlooked many details. Perhaps he needed more time to get to know this woman more deeply. As his thoughts drifted away, Yuwen Yong fell asleep unknowingly. The next morning, Yuwen Yong was awakened by a servant knocking on the door. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, glanced at the sky outside the window, and realized that it was getting late. He quickly got up, washed briefly, and began to put on his court clothes, preparing to go to court.
As he busied himself, a secret guard approached and handed him the results of yesterday's investigation into the Treasure Pavilion. Yuwen Yong carefully reviewed the report, his brow furrowing. The report revealed no imperial tribute items found within the Treasure Pavilion, and the identity of the owner was unclear. Yuwen Yong pinched his brows, thinking to himself, "It seems this matter requires further investigation." However, time was of the essence, so he had to put the matter aside for now and attend to court affairs.
Time flew by, and months passed in the blink of an eye. Mantuo's belly was now bulging, a full seven months pregnant. Originally, the imperial physician had predicted Yuwen Jue would only have three months to live, but for unknown reasons, he hadn't died yet. Despite this, Yuwen Jue's condition worsened, and he fell into a deep coma.
At court, Yuwen Yong presided over state affairs on behalf of the emperor, while Yuwen Hu frequently disagreed with him and voiced dissenting views. Prajna often instigated Dugu Xin to participate in certain matters, but Dugu Xin firmly refused. He believed that Mantuo becoming empress was not a bad thing for the Dugu family, and since the emperor had already chosen the crown prince, the succession to the throne was already settled. Therefore, he decided to uphold his duties as a subject and refrain from further involvement in the disputes.
At the same time, because Mantuo was already seven months pregnant, Yuwen Hu was very worried about her safety, so he sent many secret guards to protect her. These secret guards always watched Mantuo's every move to ensure the safety of her and her unborn baby.
Yuwen Yong sensed something was amiss with Mantuo and sent someone to investigate. However, after careful investigation, they found nothing unusual. Despite his doubts, Yuwen Yong believed that as long as Mantuo and the child were safe, all other matters could be put aside.
It was a sunny day with a gentle breeze. Mantuo was sitting in the courtyard, savoring delicate pastries and chatting cheerfully with Shuyang, the daughter of the Minister of Revenue. Suddenly, a secret guard quietly approached and handed her a note. Mantuo's face changed slightly as she took the note. She then ordered her maid to dress her in the Crown Princess's attire and prepare to enter the palace immediately.
It turned out that Yuwen Hu sent someone to deliver an urgent message, informing that the old emperor had passed away. At the same time, Yuwen Hu led his army and was in a stalemate with Yuwen Yong in the court.
Yuwen Yong's face was solemn, and he questioned Yuwen Hu with sharp eyes: "Grand Master, are you planning a rebellion?"
Yuwen Hu raised the corner of his mouth slightly, revealing a disdainful smile, and responded: "With the power in the court now, why would I, the Grand Tutor, rebel? I simply don't want to see you ascend to the throne."
At this moment, Prajna arrived with Yuwen Yu. Prajna said to Yuwen Hu in a firm tone, "Yuwen Hu, if you help Ayu ascend the throne, I will convince Ayu to appoint you as regent! With the power of our Dugu family and your own power, it will not be difficult for you to easily seize the throne!"
Dugu Xin stared at Prajna in disbelief, his eyes filled with astonishment and disbelief. He trembled and said, "Prajna, how can you speak so arrogantly? Our Dugu family has always been loyal to the court and the emperor! It is only natural and legitimate for the crown prince to inherit the throne..."
However, Prajna retorted without showing any weakness: "Dad, is it just because Mantuo has become the Crown Princess that you are unwilling to help me?" Her eyes were as sharp as a knife, staring straight at Dugu Xin.
Dugu Xin hurriedly explained: "Prajna, things have come to this point, the overall situation has been decided, why do you still insist on stirring up this muddy water?" He frowned and was anxious.
At this moment, Yuwen Yong stepped forward, glared at Yuwen Hu, and loudly demanded, "Yuwen Hu, what exactly do you want to do?"
Yuwen Hu raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a strange smile, and replied softly: "Be patient, you will understand my intentions in a moment." His tone was relaxed, but there was an unfathomable light in his eyes.