Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1184 Dong Bai's Guidance Helps Resolve Heart Issues

Li Ru was gazing out the window, lost in thought, trying to sort out his current thoughts, when he was stopped by Dong Bai's clear voice as soon as he stepped to the door: "Uncle, don't be in such a hurry to leave."

He turned around and saw Dong Bai frowning, her fingers unconsciously twisting a handkerchief, her face filled with unconcealed worry. "There's something else that's really weighing on my mind." Dong Bai looked up at Li Ru, her tone tinged with helplessness, "That Ma Yue... he's always thinking about his birth mother. Since he came back, I've tried to get close to him, but he either avoids me or gives me the cold shoulder, refusing to even call me 'Mother'."

Li Ru stroked his beard and waited for her to finish before slowly saying, "Bai'er, you're overthinking it. He's just a kid who lost his mother at a young age, so it's natural for him to have some resentment."

“But he is my husband’s only child. The old master and the old lady were overjoyed when they saw him. My husband said early on that he would make him the heir apparent when he returned.” Dong Bai’s voice rose a little, with a hint of grievance. “I haven’t even entered the family yet, and he’s already so distant. If I become a princess and he, the heir apparent, isn’t close to me, how can we have a smooth life together?”

Li Ru took two steps closer and lowered his voice: "You're just overthinking things. As for Sally, it's easy to handle." He raised an eyebrow. "Since she's already gone, before the wedding, have the King posthumously grant her the title of 'Queen Consort.' That'll give her plenty of face, and no one can find fault with it. Ma Yue will also have something to look forward to. What's there to argue about?"

Dong Bai pondered for a moment and nodded, "That's true. Death is a serious matter; giving her some dignity might ease Ma Yue's tension." But then her face fell. "What about Ma Yue? He won't call me 'Mother,' what should I do?"

Li Ru smiled knowingly and leaned close to her ear: "Bai'er, you've made a mistake. You'll be marrying the King soon, and there's a long road ahead. Let him cause trouble if he wants. When you give birth to a child, you'll be the rightful Queen, and your child will be the legitimate heir. Then, who will get the title of Crown Prince?"

A cold glint flashed in Dong Bai's eyes, and his previously gentle expression instantly turned cold. His tone became as cold as ice: "Mr. Li Ru."

Upon hearing this, Li Ru felt a chill run down his spine. He knew this girl's temperament all too well—she would call him "Uncle" with a hint of intimacy, but if she used his full name or addressed him so politely as "Sir," it was never a good sign.

"What are your orders, Madam Bai?" Li Ru subconsciously took a half step back, feeling his scalp tingling, and didn't even dare to call out to Bai'er.

Dong Bai suddenly laughed, but the laughter didn't reach her eyes. She leaned closer and lowered her voice: "These past few days since Ma Yue returned, all the unpleasantness he's had with my husband's adopted son, Ma Xiang, must have been instigated by you behind the scenes, right?"

Li Ru quickly waved his hand, beads of sweat forming on his forehead: "You've wronged this old man! Young people are hot-tempered, it's normal for them to dislike each other, how could I have instigated this?"

"Normal?" Dong Bai raised an eyebrow, his expression turning even colder. "When we returned from Jiangdong, especially after coming from Xiangyang, Ma Yue and I became quite close. But in Chang'an, how did he end up fighting with Ma Xiang? And after the fight, he distanced himself from us. Is that normal?"

Li Ru wiped his sweat: "Those are just young people... Ma Xiang was the king's adopted son before, and everyone in the manor doted on him. Now suddenly, the king's biological son, Ma Yue, has appeared, and his status is even higher than his. Young people are naturally resentful, so it's inevitable that they'll argue and fight..."

"Inevitable?" Dong Bai interrupted him, her tone suddenly turning stern. "Ma Guan, Ma Xiang, Jiang Wei, which one of them didn't I watch grow up? Although they are my husband's adopted sons, they have grown up with us since they were little, and they have all been taught by famous teachers. How could I not know their character? When did they become unrighteous and treacherous, stirring up trouble behind people's backs?"

She took a step closer, her eyes flashing with anger: "After they fought that day, I asked Ma Yue, but he wouldn't say. But Wu Niu and the others told me that it was Ma Xiang who started the fight by saying that they, these orphans, were children without fathers!"

"You say they're just young people with pent-up emotions, but do you think I don't know? Ma Xiang spent half an hour in your study a few days ago, and when he came out, his eyes were all wrong! If you hadn't instigated him, would he have said such hurtful things?"

Li Ru was speechless when asked the question. He opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word in defense. He felt as if the girl's gaze was a knife, making his face burn.

Dong Bai's eyes were like icy blades, piercing straight at Li Ru: "Mr. Jia Xu? Just because I call you 'good uncle,' do you really think you can do whatever you want in this mansion?" She sneered, her voice suddenly rising, "Ma Yue is my husband's son, so he is my child. Now my husband has made him his heir, and in the future he will be the King of Liang in Xiliang! Do you really think I can't see through all the little tricks you've been up to behind the scenes?"

“My husband and I are of one mind and one heart. Although Ma Yue and I are not biological children, we are closer than biological children. Why do you insist on tearing flesh and finding fault between us? Do you want to create a rift between us and our husbands?” She pressed on step by step, and Li Ru retreated repeatedly, bumping into the bookshelf behind him, causing several bamboo slips to fall to the ground with a clatter.

Li Ru's face turned pale and then flushed. He suddenly looked up, his voice carrying a hint of desperate ruthlessness: "Bai'er girl! I am your uncle! Since your father-in-law passed away, I have devoted myself to Xiliang. What have I done for this? It's all for your position as the legal wife, and for your child to inherit the family business in the future—your child has the blood of the Dong family flowing in their veins, and the blood of your father-in-law flowing in their veins!"

He pointed outside the door, his chest heaving violently: "But what about Ma Yue? Who is he? He inherited the throne of Xiliang. Hasn't the Dong family's hard work been wasted? Does he have anything to do with our Dong family?"

"You!" Dong Bai was so angry that her fingertips trembled. She raised her hand to slam the table, but suddenly stopped—she saw the white hair at Li Ru's temples and the obsession in his eyes, and suddenly felt a sense of absurdity and chill.

"Uncle, do you know that my husband often says that Xiliang belongs to all the people, not to one family or clan?" Dong Bai slowly withdrew his hand, his tone heavy as if weighed down by lead. "Although Ma Yue is not my biological son, he is my husband's son, and he is my son, Dong Bai's son. The throne of Liang King does not necessarily require Dong family blood to inherit the throne. The right way is for the capable to take it!"

She stared at Li Ru and said, word by word, "If you dare to have any more wicked thoughts, don't blame me for disowning you as my uncle, and don't blame my husband for dealing with you according to military law—the swords of Xiliang don't have eyes!"

Li Ru was stunned by the resolute look in her eyes. He opened his mouth, but under the pressure of this younger woman, he swallowed back all his defenses. The wind outside the window swept past withered leaves, adding a touch of desolation to this confrontation that had broken off all pretense of civility.

Dong Bai picked up her teacup, her fingertips gently tracing the warm, smooth surface of the cup. Her voice was as soft as water: "Uncle, you are a wise man; you should understand." She looked up at Li Ru, her gaze clear and unwavering. "My husband is destined for great things—he wants to ensure that all people in the world have food and clothing, and he wants to bring peace to this chaotic world. Such a grand undertaking deserves your attention and support, helping him avoid detours, rather than engaging in these petty schemes behind his back."

She paused, then lightly tapped her teacup on the table, making a crisp sound. "Just think about it," she said, "if my husband were to truly unify the world in the future, my Dong family would be his loyal subjects. As his wife, I would be destined to become empress. Even if I were to give birth to a son, he would undoubtedly be a prince and carry on the family line."

At this point, a faint smile appeared on her lips, tinged with self-mockery and arrogance: "What do you think of my Dong family? Is my Dong family of noble birth? My grandfather was just an ordinary general in a border town. Where is the nobility and prominence of our bloodline? In the future, with my son and my husband's empire, the Dong family bloodline will be able to rise to prominence. Do you think my husband, with his temperament, would allow his descendants to suffer any injustice? The title of king is nothing more than commonplace."

"Furthermore," she changed the subject, a sharp glint in her eyes, "Ma Yue's birth mother's clan is far away in Jiangdong, separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, and they are barbarians. Even if he wanted to rely on them, what could he do? They are just distant relatives. How could they compare to my Dong family, who have been by his side day and night, treating him with all their heart? If he really ascends to the throne, would he turn his back on the Dong family, who have been so loyal to him?"

She put down her teacup, looked directly at Li Ru, and said in a gentle tone, but with force in every word: "Uncle, you should think long-term. What do these little schemes mean compared to the future?"

Li Ru slammed his fist on the table, his eyes red as if about to bleed, his voice a suppressed roar: "Girl! What do you know! In my entire life, I, Li Ru, have been grateful for your grandfather's kindness and have risked half my life to assist him, not to watch outsiders steal his hard work! Why can't my father-in-law's bloodline ascend to the throne? I am not reconciled!"

Dong Bai gently swayed the teacup in her hand, spilling a few drops of tea onto the table. She didn't seem to care, only covering her mouth and chuckling softly, though there was no real amusement in her eyes: "Uncle, how old are you? How can you still not see through these things?"

She put down her teacup and slowly wiped her fingertips with a handkerchief: "Is ascending to the throne really that good? Every day, you open your eyes to court intrigues, and when you close them, you have to guard against assassinations. You have to rack your brains to stabilize the court and keep the people at ease, and it's hard to even get a good night's sleep. I would rather my children live a peaceful life in the future, with land and fields, no worries about food and clothing, and live a long and safe life until they grow old. That would be enough."

"But what about the future?!" Li Ru pressed on, his voice trembling. "In the future, Ma Yue's descendants will be emperors generation after generation, but what about your grandfather's bloodline? In three or five generations, will they still have the status they have today? They won't even be worthy of carrying your shoes! How can they be compared?"

“Uncle, you’re thinking too far ahead.” Dong Bai shook her head, her smile growing even gentler. “I’ll be content if we can maintain wealth and prosperity for three generations. If my husband can truly achieve great things, given his character, the Dong family won’t decline within ten generations. As for what happens after ten generations… how many years will that be? By then, our bones will have turned to ashes. Why worry about that?”

She stepped forward and gently patted Li Ru's arm, her tone somewhat coaxing: "Don't overthink it. Just help your husband with his work. If you cause any trouble and make things difficult for me, forget about ten generations of wealth and honor; I'm afraid we won't even be able to keep our current peace."

Li Ru opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but was silenced by the certainty in Dong Bai's eyes. Looking at his seemingly weak but actually insightful niece, he suddenly felt that his obsession over the years might really have become a joke.

Seeing that the agitation on Li Ru's face gradually faded and his eyes softened, Dong Bai knew that he had taken some of her words to heart, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She picked up the cool tea on the table and handed it to him: "Uncle, have some tea to calm down."

Li Ru took the teacup but didn't drink it, instead staring blankly at the ripples on the surface of the tea. Dong Bai noticed this and knew that the stubbornness in his heart hadn't completely dissipated, so he softened his tone: "Uncle, I know you are grateful for Grandfather's kindness and want the Dong family to have a firm foothold in this chaotic world. But have you considered that in the current situation, the most taboo thing is internal strife?"

She walked to the window and looked at a group of children playing in the courtyard. "Look at them, what difference do they make? Children's hearts are pure. It's us adults who always keep those grudges, affections, power and status in our hearts, making simple things complicated."

Li Ru remained silent, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the rim of her teacup. Dong Bai continued, "My husband is deeply devoted to me and respects the Dong family. He has ambitions and wants to achieve great things. Helping him is beneficial both publicly and privately. Once he succeeds, will he forget the Dong family's contributions?"

“But…” Li Ru finally spoke, his voice still somewhat muffled, “I’m just afraid… afraid that people will forget me once they’re gone.”

“No, that won’t happen.” Dong Bai said firmly. “Ma Yue isn’t that kind of person. Besides, our Dong family isn’t some spineless coward who only relies on others. As long as we have our own abilities and act uprightly, why should we be afraid of not having a place to stand?” She turned around and looked at Li Ru with clear eyes. “Uncle, you are a smart man. You should know which path is best for the Dong family. Don’t let that little worry ruin our long-term plans.”

Li Ru looked up at Dong Bai and saw her open eyes and sincere tone. The last bit of resentment in his heart seemed to have been relieved. He sighed, drank the cold tea in one gulp, and the bitterness of the tea mixed with the pent-up frustration in his heart strangely dissipated a little. "You girl... you see things more clearly than I do."

Dong Bai smiled, his eyes crinkling: "Uncle, you are the most reasonable one."

The children were still laughing and playing in the courtyard. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, falling warmly on the two of them. Dong Bai knew that this matter was finally over. Only after getting past Li Ru could the Dong family move forward more steadily.