Initially, I thought that after so many failures, the warriors on the front lines were just lucky to achieve one victory. To my surprise, all subsequent battle reports were victories. In just one month, all lost territories were recaptured and brought back under the control of the imperial court.
This was not good news for Yang Han Ye. The more chaotic things were, the more opportunities he had to exploit. Now that the imperial court was doing so well and the first to rise in rebellion, Prince Ping, was retreating, the Emperor had long wanted to withdraw the feudal lords. From this rebellion, it was clear that the feudal lords posed a significant threat to the throne. After this incident, even if the feudal lords remained, their power would be greatly diminished. As they were already de facto emperors of their own domains, they certainly did not want to see such a situation.
Wu Cai Wei waited quietly outside Yang Han Ye’s study, admiring the flowers and plants in the courtyard and playing with the parrot under the eaves.
He was inside discussing matters with his advisors. The more this was the case, the less she wanted to go in. Those old fools, with little real ability, looked down on her simply because she was a woman and younger than some of them. They looked down on her, and she didn't think much of them either. It was a case of mutual dislike, and the best approach was to not work in the same room.
She used to think it unnecessary to bother with them. If she added up all her past lives, she would be far older than them. In her eyes, they were all children. But as soon as she entered the study, everyone looked at her with wary eyes, which made her very uncomfortable.
Especially when Yang Han Ye posed a question, and she offered her opinion, even if her reasoning was sound, they would argue illogically. Their views were always the opposite of hers. After several such instances, she realized these old fools had ganged up to exclude her. Regardless of whether her arguments were valid, they would refute them, even if they knew she was wrong, they would push forward.
Ultimately, nothing could be resolved. After several times, Wu Cai Wei knew she couldn’t get along with them. And Yang Han Ye, after the previous few incidents, no longer forced the issue. If he needed her opinion on something, he would seek her out privately. Although he discussed matters with them every time they encountered a problem, in Yang Han Ye’s heart, Wu Cai Wei was always considered both wise and brave, with unique insights that had never led to a mistake. As for those advisors, he had initially considered them his think tank, but since Wu Cai Wei’s arrival, he had gradually become impatient with them. Every time they discussed matters, they would argue fiercely, and he would have to mediate and make the final decisions.
With Wu Cai Wei, he never had to do that. She always gave him the impression that she had everything under control. And every time they followed her advice, there were unexpected gains.
Her abilities were superior to his. However, no matter what, she was still a woman. If she were twenty years younger and unmarried, he might have considered her. But now, her son was already grown. Yang Han Ye had previously assessed He Sheng and found him to be an ordinary young man with no outstanding qualities, nor did he inherit his mother’s intelligence. However, he was honest and reliable, making him trustworthy.
This time, Wu Cai Wei did not have to wait long. She noticed that Yang Han Ye’s discussions with them were becoming shorter. When those old fools saw her standing at the doorway, they glared at her. Wu Cai Wei unconsciously shrugged. Their minds were too narrow; they were nothing like men.
Everyone watched her walk into their master’s study, their brows furrowed unconsciously. Although their master’s attitude towards them seemed the same as before, they, being involved, could feel that he was not truly listening to what they were saying and did not attach the same importance to it as before. This change in attitude was entirely because of that woman.
When they thought about Wu Cai Wei’s actions late at night, they couldn’t help but admire her. She was born to be a politician. Yet, it was inevitable that they felt uncomfortable. They, who had studied for so many years and been meticulously trained, were not as capable as a village woman. It felt embarrassing even to speak of it.
Wu Cai Wei paid no mind to the envious glances behind her. Upon entering, she saw Yang Han Ye lost in thought and took a seat below him, as was her custom.
When Yang Han Ye had sorted out his thoughts and returned to his senses, he saw her leisurely sipping tea. He smiled unconsciously. He found himself increasingly enjoying talking to her. Perhaps it was her composure, or perhaps it was her confident demeanor, which always made him feel that his future was bright, unlike the current predicament he faced.
“Every time I see you, I envy Chen Ren Jie. If I could meet a woman like you, half my life’s success would be secured.” This was his heartfelt sentiment. His marriage had been arranged from childhood. He had met his fiancée before; she was a typical young lady from a respectable family, who blushed crimson upon seeing him and dared not even lift her head.
To be honest, he was somewhat disappointed. He had fantasized countless times about what the woman who would accompany him through the rest of his life would be like. His greatest expectation was to find someone who shared his aspirations, with whom he could discuss matters of the world, and who could cooperate with him when they went out. He thought this was just his wishful thinking – such a woman surely did not exist in this world. But the moment he met Wu Cai Wei, he knew that someone could indeed meet his past requirements for a woman.
He truly envied Chen Ren Jie. However, if it were himself, he could not accept it. Being her companion or colleague was acceptable, but as a wife, he felt she could be Chen Ren Jie’s mother, even younger than her son.
“Everyone has their strengths. A man like me would generally feel intimidated by someone like me. After all, if one’s medical skills, martial arts, or strategic thinking are all inferior to mine, it’s natural to feel insecure. Chen Ren Jie, however, doesn’t feel that way at all. He can break through societal expectations and be with me.
He is currently a commoner, having not even participated in the imperial examinations. But if you spend enough time with him, you will find that he is a very wise person. We have many common interests and can get along very well.” Thinking of Chen Ren Jie, Wu Cai Wei’s lips curved upwards unconsciously, and a sweet smile appeared on her face.
“Is that so? I’ve heard that this young master of the Chen family is frail and often ill, and doesn’t interact much with outsiders. He’s hardly read any books, and I thought he was just an ordinary young man from a noble family. Hearing you say that today makes me quite interested. Indeed, someone like you would not choose an ordinary man as a partner. I must get to know him when I have the chance. Not many people are praised by you.” Su Dan Novel Network
This was the truth. Due to her outstanding personal abilities, although she didn’t appear arrogant, he could feel that she didn’t take anyone seriously. In her eyes, others’ thoughts and opinions were very childish. He could empathize with this and unconsciously placed Chen Ren Jie in his mind, secretly resolving to make time to get to know him in the future. Perhaps his think tank would gain another member.