RWNEFE -Chapter 415 This Is the Difference Between Women and Men!

“Lanxi, I heard from Yuankun that his marriage was something he asked you for,” Madam Liu asked cautiously.

Shen Lanxi replied, “Yes. The woman he wanted to marry is the captain of my female guards. At first, I didn’t agree.”

Madam Liu pondered. “I see…” Then why had she agreed later?

Wasn’t that Tian Qiuman once just a refugee?

Shen Lanxi said, “Yuankun exchanged military merit for it.”

Madam Liu was startled. She hadn’t known about this at all.

Her son hadn’t told her!

“Lanxi, how can marriage be exchanged with military merit?” Madam Liu had already made inquiries about Tian Qiuman. She had no parents—her entire family had died while fleeing famine. She was a pitiful person, and to Madam Liu, inauspicious as well.

“At first I didn’t agree,” Shen Lanxi said calmly, “but Yuankun said he would marry no one but Tian Qiuman.”

Madam Liu’s mouth twitched. That really did sound like something her stubborn, wooden-headed son would do.

“Lanxi, a family like ours—should we really let Tian Qiuman marry in? Wouldn’t that be a mismatch in status?”

Shen Lanxi asked with a faint smile, “A family like ours? What kind of family is that?”

Madam Liu was speechless.

She wanted to say they were the Shen family, relatives of the Minister of Revenue—but that position belonged to the main branch, Shen Congwen, not their second branch.

She wanted to say they were relatives of the Protector Duke—but that was the same problem; she couldn’t really claim it.

Their second branch depended entirely on the main branch. If she had to speak of any official rank or real ability of their own, there was none she could confidently name.

She thought of saying her eldest son had once served as a vanguard…

Or that her second son had once held some post…

But none of it sounded convincing.

Seeing her unable to say anything after a long pause, Shen Lanxi turned and left.

Hu Jinyu was playing in the courtyard with the children. Seeing Shen Lanxi arrive, she greeted her with a smile.

“My lady has returned.”

Shen Lanxi glanced at the toddling little girl and the baby boy in the nursemaid’s arms, then withdrew her gaze with a smile.

“You’ve taken good care of this child.”

Hu Jinyu was perceptive and understood what Shen Lanxi meant. She replied gently, “Yuanxu says that when she grows up, we’ll prepare a generous dowry and find her a good, stable family—marry her off as if she were our own daughter.”

Shen Lanxi said meaningfully, “This is the daughter of the Prime Minister’s household. Her mother is about your age—you should have plenty to talk about.”

Hu Jinyu’s eyes flickered, then she said, “After giving birth, I’ve become a bit slow. I care for children, and that child’s mother must care for her just the same.”

Shen Lanxi was quite satisfied with how quickly Hu Jinyu understood.

“With this child here, Yuanxu’s connection with the Prime Minister’s household can never be completely severed.”

Hu Jinyu nodded with a smile. Previously she had only thought about distancing themselves, but now she realized that this connection could also be useful.

The Left Prime Minister was now one of the four regent ministers. Yuanxu studied at Bailu Academy; during the imperial examinations, such connections might provide some support.

After hearing more about household matters from Hu Jinyu, Shen Lanxi prepared to leave. Just then, noisy shouting came from the direction of the main branch.

Hu Jinyu said helplessly, “They must be quarreling again.”

Soon a maid came to report, “Miss Yuantang and Miss Yuanhe had a conflict. Miss Yuantang slapped Miss Yuanhe.”

Hu Jinyu sighed. “I thought Yuantang had gone to trouble Liang Xinyi and her children again.”

Shen Lanxi had just learned from Hu Jinyu that Shen Yuantang often bullied Liang Xinyi and her son, but she offered no comment.

The one who should be troubled by such matters was the person who caused them—her father.

“Take good care of the children. I have matters to attend to,” Shen Lanxi said.

A flash of surprise passed through Hu Jinyu’s eyes. She had thought Shen Lanxi would go intervene in the household dispute.

She hadn’t expected her to be completely unconcerned.

Didn’t she care deeply about the family?

Watching Shen Lanxi’s departing figure, Hu Jinyu felt her old assumptions shaken again.

She had always believed that women were ultimately meant to manage the household and raise children. Shen Lanxi overturned that belief.

Could a woman truly live as freely as a man in the end?

In her heart, she did not believe so.

No matter how glorious Shen Lanxi’s present life was, her final destination would still be the inner quarters.

The only reason she could walk away so freely now was because the court still needed her.

Once the court no longer needed her, she would still have to retreat into the household.

This was the difference between women and men.

Bai Qingling had returned. She had nearly succeeded in bringing back the successor of Guigu.

Just a little more—if not for the imperial edict issued by the emperor, she would already have returned to the capital to report to the prince.

Fortunately, it wasn’t a complete loss.

Though she had not brought back the successor of Guigu, she had brought back a recluse of equal ability. Unlike the Guigu successor, this person was inconspicuous, and Bai Qingling had even designed a plan to save his life. With that life-saving favor, the recluse would certainly serve the prince wholeheartedly.

When Shen Lanxi was summoned to the palace, she saw that Zhou Ruyuan was followed by an unfamiliar face.

“Your Highness,” she greeted calmly.

She could address Zhou Ruyuan with composure, but he found it difficult to do the same.

In such a short time, Shen Lanxi had gone from being a woman barred from court to standing shoulder to shoulder with him as a first-rank Protector Duke.

If not for the emperor’s personal title of “God of War” bestowed upon him, they would truly be equals.

“Lanxi…” Not greeting her would be improper, so Zhou Ruyuan chose a form of address.

“This is the palace,” Shen Lanxi said evenly. “Your Highness should address me by my official title.”

A shadow passed through Zhou Ruyuan’s eyes. In a low voice he said, “Protector Duke.”

Shen Lanxi smiled. “Since His Majesty summoned me to the palace, there must be a decision regarding the Fifth Prince.”

Zhou Ruyuan had never imagined that one day he would stand beside Shen Lanxi discussing affairs of state. He found it hard to speak.

“The Fifth Prince’s fief was barren land. I don’t know how he managed to assemble two hundred thousand troops.”

Zhou Ruyuan wanted to speak but pressed his lips together.

“The court is most in need of troops right now. His Majesty must be very pleased to have gained two hundred thousand soldiers.”

Zhou Ruyuan thought to himself: Naturally. Great Zhou’s forces were all deployed to guard against external enemies on every frontier, leaving the capital empty. His father must be worried about the imperial authority weakening.

With these two hundred thousand troops, the immediate crisis could be eased.

The only question was—who would be sent to take command?

At that thought, Zhou Ruyuan’s eyes darkened again. His father was clearly beginning to distrust him.

“Who do you think Father will send?” Zhou Ruyuan finally asked.

Previously, his father had been so wary of Shen Lanxi holding troops that he had gone to great lengths to break up her forces.

These two hundred thousand soldiers would certainly not be entrusted to her.

There were several usable officials in the Ministry of War; perhaps arrangements could be made to replace them with his own people.

Shen Lanxi said lightly, “The emperor’s mind is unfathomable. I don’t know.”

A flicker passed through Zhou Ruyuan’s eyes. “Father trusts you so much lately. I thought he might have told you.”

Shen Lanxi curled her lips in a faint smile. “No matter how much Uncle trusts me, it can’t compare to his own son. The Prince of Zhennan is a God of War—surely it’s only natural for you to command the empire’s armies?”

Zhou Ruyuan pressed his lips together and said calmly, “We shouldn’t speculate. We’re almost at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.”

Once, he had dreamed of becoming the Grand Marshal of all under Heaven. In the past he had been full of hope—but now it seemed utterly impossible.