sbdcsierra Chapter 445 Ruan Yuhu's Scheme
Chapter 445 Ruan Yuhu's Scheme
"My current status is nothing more than a palace maid who serves you personally."
"If you were to have two maids serving you by my side, it would attract attention."
“Once I attract attention, someone will investigate my background and origins.”
“Although my father was framed, the case has not been overturned yet, and my false identity as a concubine’s daughter of the Wang family cannot help me escape punishment.”
“Even if I am a concubine’s daughter of the Wang family, I am still the daughter of a disgraced official, a person awaiting punishment. With such a status, I cannot serve the Empress personally.”
"What's even more terrifying is that if those people get to the bottom of things and find out my real identity, then not only me, but you will also be implicated."
Qiongniang is now fully awake, and she is well aware that Shen Tianjiao's protection of her could very well become evidence of an attack on them.
They are not yet at a point where they can be completely carefree, so they must be extremely cautious.
"You don't need to worry about me. I will stay in the palace from now on and won't go anywhere else."
"As long as I don't leave the palace, those people won't be able to mess with me anymore."
"Your most important task now is to stabilize the court, subdue those officials, and prevent them from acting arbitrarily and doing whatever they want as they do now."
Qiongniang took Shen Tianjiao's hand, looked at her and said with a smile, "Didn't you still want to wage war against the six kingdoms of the Nine Provinces?"
“If the political situation is unstable, your plan will not be able to proceed. If the plan cannot proceed, then Yunli’s crisis will not be resolved.”
"Don't worry about anything right now, just focus on doing your own thing."
Shen Tianjiao nodded and said, "Okay, I understand. I didn't think it through."
"You should take good care of yourself. We'll only have more and more trouble in the future. You need to get well soon, there's still a lot for you to do."
"Alright, now that you're alright, I'll go back and rest."
Shen Tianjiao stood up, patted Qiongniang on the shoulder, and then turned and left.
After a long night of hard work, Shen Tianjiao was really tired. She needed to go back and catch up on her sleep to get some rest.
Ruan Yuhu slept until late morning after being brought back yesterday.
Seeing that Ruan Yuhu had finally woken up, Ju Ruo, who had been watching over her, finally breathed a sigh of relief. She had served Ruan Yuhu for most of her life, and this was the first time she had ever seen Ruan Yuhu sleep for so long.
"Master, please have some water."
Ju Ruo brought the warm water to Ruan Yuhu and watched her drink it.
“Aruo.” Ruan Yuhu looked up at Ju Ruo, tears welling in her eyes, “Our revenge is finally complete. All our enemies have received their just deserts.”
"Ah!" Ju Ruo didn't understand what Ruan Yuhu meant at first. "Master, do you mean?"
"Yes, that's exactly what you mean."
Aside from Ju Ruo, probably no one in this world can understand Ruan Yuhu's feelings at this moment.
From the destruction of his family to the avenging of his family, Ruan Yuhu has walked this path for thirty-five years.
Over the past thirty-five years, how much effort, suffering, and hardship has Ruan Yuhu endured to reach this point and achieve this result?
"So you've really gotten your revenge?"
Once she realized what was happening, Ju Ruo burst into tears.
She finally avenged her brother. She thought she would die with regrets, but she never expected to see this outcome.
"I've gotten my revenge! I've finally gotten my revenge! Now even if I die right now, I can go see my parents and brother."
"Nonsense, what's there to die about? We've survived such difficult times, and now that life is better and we've avenged our great grudge, we should live life to the fullest."
"You mustn't say anything about death or other unlucky things again. You have to live a long, long life with me, just like Jiaojiao said, you have to live like an old witch and protect these children."
Having let go of the heavy burden in her heart, Ruan Yuhu's state of mind naturally changed. She used to wish she could die quickly so she could go find her parents and relatives.
But now she doesn't think that way anymore. Instead, she's a little afraid of dying, afraid that if she dies, she won't be able to protect these children anymore.
"Yes, I misspoke. I want to stay with you and live a long and happy life."
Ju Ruo looked at Ruan Yuhu and smiled, then suddenly burst into tears.
At this moment, so many memories flooded her mind, filling her with a myriad of emotions.
Ju Ruo wasn't originally called Ju Ruo, nor was she a maid in the Gu family. Her original name was Chun Juan, an ordinary name, and her life was just like her name—plain and unremarkable.
Born into a farming family, she grew up by her parents' side, doing housework and farm work, and was hastily married when she reached marriageable age.
The person connected to the Gu family is Ju Ruo's younger brother. Years ago, when his family suffered a disaster, he sold himself into the Gu family.
Because of her cleverness, she was chosen to be Ruan Yuhu's younger brother's assistant.
When the Gu family suffered disaster, he naturally couldn't escape it and died in that great calamity.
Ju Ruo left her husband's family because she had not given birth for several years after marrying into their family and was therefore disliked by them.
Later, in order to avenge her younger brother, she left her hometown alone and went through many hardships to reach the capital.
Upon arriving in the capital, with no relatives or friends to turn to, she could only go to the Gu family, who had once been regarded as a scourge, to hide there and try to protect her younger brother and live out her life there.
Unexpectedly, she encountered Ruan Yuhu at the Gu family home, who had also secretly returned to pay respects to her family.
So Ruan Yuhu took her out of the Gu family and gave her a new name, Ju Ruo, and a new identity, keeping her by her side as Ruan Yuhu's maid.
Later, the two of them supported each other all the way, carefully navigating the harem, and have made it to this day.
"Her Majesty the Empress took you out yesterday to resolve this final threat."
Ju Ruo is a smart person. What is there that she doesn't understand about yesterday's troubles?
"Yes, if it weren't for Jiaojiao, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to kill Su Chang, the culprit, with my own hands."
Speaking of what happened yesterday, Ruan Yuhu still felt like she was in a dream, as if it were all unreal.
She still can't believe that she actually killed Su Chang with a knife, avenging the 318 people who were killed by Su Chang.
"Then this servant must thank Her Majesty the Empress properly. If it weren't for Her Majesty the Empress, we really wouldn't have had the chance to avenge this great grudge."
Ju Ruo wiped away her tears and looked at Ruan Yuhu, asking, "What kind of grand gift should we prepare for Your Majesty the Empress?"
Looking at Ju Ruo, who was overjoyed, Ruan Yuhu said with a smile, "She is now the highest authority in Yunli. What can't she have?"
"Besides, even if we gave it to her, she wouldn't want it."
"From now on, as long as we work together to support her as we do now, that will be enough."
Ruan Yuhu understood perfectly well that this world, now and in the future, belonged to Shen Tianjiao.
The whole world belongs to Shen Tianjiao, so what is there that she can't have?
What she needs to do now is to clear away all obstacles for Shen Tianjiao, and make all those things that prevent Shen Tianjiao from ascending the throne disappear.
"How are things going over there? Has that old man come out of seclusion yet?"
Ruan Yuhu had originally planned to ask the former imperial advisor, who was imprisoned, what the divination results he had obtained back then were.
However, because of Li Zhaohui's incident, I kept putting it off. Now that everything is resolved, it's time to go and see that old guy.
"Everything is ready. We're just waiting for you to choose a date so we can set off."
Although the former imperial advisor has been imprisoned and forbidden from being seen by anyone, what is impossible in the face of absolute power?
There's no one she hasn't met at Ruan Yuhu.
"Alright, that's excellent. Let's set off first thing tomorrow morning."
Ruan Yuhu was already impatient. No matter what answer he got from that old man, the result he wanted would not change.
Shen Tianjiao is determined to ascend the throne and become the first empress in the history of Yunli.
No matter who opposes it, it's useless; whoever opposes will have the knife fall on Ruan Yuhu's head.
"Yes, I will make arrangements now."
"But what excuse should we use to get past the Empress?"
Ruan Yuhu's trip to see the former Imperial Preceptor was to be kept absolutely secret, even from Shen Tianjiao, until the matter was successfully resolved.
Moreover, if Shen Tianjiao knew the purpose of Ruan Yuhu's trip, she would probably prevent Ruan Yuhu from going.
“Well,” Ruan Yuhu said after thinking for a while, “I will go and tell her that my long-cherished wish has been fulfilled today, so I want to go to Huguo Temple to hold a Buddhist ceremony to pray for the souls of the deceased.”
"If I say that, she shouldn't suspect anything."
"After we see that old man and come back, we should also go to Huguo Temple to burn some incense to comfort the spirits of the dead and let them know."
As Ruan Yuhu spoke, she began to make herself feel even worse.
"Okay, let's do it."
When Ju Ruo saw that Ruan Yuhu's expression had turned sour, she quickly changed the subject, saying, "Let's go to the Empress's place now. We should at least go and express our gratitude."
"Okay, let's go."
Distracted by Ju Ruo's words, Ruan Yuhu lost interest in thinking about those other things.
"I don't want to wear dark clothes today, go find me something brightly colored."
Since the death of the late emperor, Nguyen Ngoc Ho has never worn brightly colored clothes.
It wasn't because the late emperor was dead that she lost the desire to dress up; rather, it was because the late emperor was dead that she no longer had to force herself to cater to other people's preferences.
She always wore dark-colored clothes, simply to remember her deceased family members.
Now, all those who participated in the tragedy involving the Gu and Su families have received their due retribution.
Ruan Yuhu was happy and naturally wanted to change her unchanging image.
"Okay, I'll go right away."
Ju Ruo was unusually happy, and she immediately ran to find clothes for Ruan Yuhu.
When Ruan Yuhu, with her exquisite makeup and bright attire, which was quite different from her usual appearance, appeared in front of Shen Tianjiao, she truly caught Shen Tianjiao's eye.
"Auntie, you should have dressed like this a long time ago. Look how beautiful you look!"
Looking at Ruan Yuhu, Shen Tianjiao couldn't help but sigh in her heart, "Time cannot defeat beauty; a beauty is always beautiful."
Although Nguyen Ngoc Ho is now older, she is still a great beauty, which gives you an idea of how stunning she must have been in her youth.
It's no wonder that the late emperor, despite having so many women in the harem, favored Ruan Yuhu for so many years.
Beauty can cloud judgment. Whether emperor or hero, who can resist the allure of a beautiful woman?
"You silly girl, you always make fun of this old woman."
Ruan Yuhu pretended to be angry and slapped Shen Tianjiao.
"I'm telling the truth. Aunt, you really are a great beauty. A beautiful woman should dress herself up beautifully every day."
Shen Tianjiao naturally knew that Ruan Yuhu had dressed up for the first time today because the heavy weight that had been pressing on her heart had finally been lifted.
She no longer has to bear the guilt towards her family, the pain of having an enemy right in front of her but being unable to kill him to avenge her family.
Once you let go of these things, you naturally become different from before.
"I'm not joking with you anymore."
Ruan Yuhu was a little embarrassed by Shen Tianjiao's praise.
"I came here to tell you that I have avenged my family, so I want to go to Huguo Temple to hold a Buddhist ceremony for my family."
"I'll also stay at Huguo Temple for a few days to cultivate my mind and spirit."
“Alright, Aunt, you said that you haven’t seen what the outside world is like since you entered the palace. Now that your wish has been fulfilled, it’s time to go out and see the world and relax.”
Shen Tianjiao had absolutely no objection to Ruan Yuhu's trip to Huguo Temple.
Ruan Yuhu was cooped up in the palace all day, so it was time for her to take advantage of her still relatively agile legs and go out for a walk to relax and rejuvenate.
"Aunt, when do you plan to go? I'll send someone to escort you."
Shen Tianjiao had no idea what Ruan Yuhu's real purpose was in leaving the palace. If she had known, she probably wouldn't have been so eager to let Ruan Yuhu leave.
"No need. I'm just going to Huguo Temple outside the palace. There's no need to make a big fuss."
"You don't need to worry about this. I have some people here; just have them come with me."
"It's better to keep a low profile. If you attract too much attention, you might get into some trouble."
"I've made countless enemies in my life, and I don't want to go out and be schemed against like Wang Yunzhi. If I end up with injuries all over my body at my age, that would be a real problem."