Princess and the General

desperately tried to conceal the matter, while the other was in tears but was resolute.

Taking advantage of his tipsiness, Gu JiuGe decided to stop worrying about this matter, “Alright, I will tell you.
But you absolutely cannot tell anyone, especially your father and brother.
Do you understand?”

Yin JiYao nodded, “Don’t worry.
I absolutely won’t do anything that would cause harm to Marquis Gu’s Manor!”

She wore a serious expression, while Gu JiuGe tipsily squinted at her.
Reaching out, he patted her head, “There’s no need to be nervous.
Your mother was a very strong and courageous woman.
You should be happy…”

At dinner the next day, Yin JiYao suddenly went to say goodbye to Yu Fu.

Yu Fu was a little surprised, “You’re returning to the prime minister’s manor? Did the manor’s servants not do a thorough enough job of taking care of you?”

Yin JiYao repeatedly shook her head, “That’s not it.
The servants in Marquis Gu’s Manor are well trained and have taken very good care of me.
It’s just that it’s about to be the end of the year, and it wouldn’t do for me to stay at Marquis Gu’s Manor forever, thus I was thinking of going back.”

She had stayed in Marquis Gu’s Manor for two months, and Yu Fu had done her best to treat her scar.
She was full of gratitude toward Yu Fu, and the two had become good friends.

Yu Fu decided to just be blunt, “Are you not afraid of your eldest brother hurting you after you return to the prime minister’s manor?”

Yin JiYao laughed, “Don’t worry.
My father returned today.
With him here, eldest brother won’t dare to do anything rash.”

“Your father?”

Yin JiYao did not miss the look of disappointment flashing through her eyes.
She suddenly kneeled in front of Yu Fu, and the latter quickly had Yao Lan help her up.

“JiYao, what are you doing?”

Yin JiYao said: “I know that my father committed a grave crime and nearly took the eldest young sir’s life.
I also know that my eldest brother has tried to oppose Marquis Gu’s Manor in court many times, which forced Lord Marquis Gu to hand over a portion of his military strength.
My Yin family has let down Marquis Gu’s Manor, and I apologize on behalf of my father and brother!”

Yu Fu said: “Quickly get up.
They are them, and you are you.
You have a kind heart, and those things have nothing to do with you.”

“A kind heart? Princess, I am unworthy of such a compliment.”

Yin JiYao smiled sarcastically, “Did you know that I wasn’t completely oblivious to the underhanded methods that my father and brother employed in court.
Just like this time, when eldest brother plotted the assassination of the late emperor.
The truth is that I knew about it!”

Yu Fu was stunned, but she continued: “I was even their accomplice, as I helped them by playing the role of a honey trap! Did you know that when I first met the second young sir, it was an assignment from my father and brother?”

Yu Fu looked at her without speaking.
This time, Yin JiYao was the one who was stunned.

“You knew? You all knew?”

Yu Fu did not plan to continue discussing this matter.
She just held Yin JiYao’s hand, “Alright, that’s all in the past.
There’s no need to bring it up again.
After those things happened, you have treated people with sincerity, so there won’t be anyone who can use those things against you.
Do you understand?”

Yin JiYao said: “But I can tell that you’re very disappointed and feel very sad.
The one responsible for murdering the ruler is held in high regard in court, while a loyal family like Marquis Gu’s Manor is being suppressed.
What sort of morality is this? As someone from the Yin family, not even I can bear to witness it.
How can you possibly accept it?”

“Regardless of whether or not I can, head general won’t oppose any of HIs Majesty’s decisions.
It’s as you say.
Marquis Gu’s Manor is loyal, and head general is a loyal subject.
He would rather relinquish control of the troops under his command if that meant remaining loyal to His Majesty.”

As Yu Fu spoke, she suddenly remembered what Eunuch Chi had mentioned when he had come to deliver the gifts, and her heart turned cold.

Yin JiYao seemed to understand what she was talking about, “Then if His Majesty insisted on having you become empress, would Lord Marquis Gu still refuse to oppose him?”

Yu Fu suddenly turned toward her, “How did you know about this?”

Yin JiYao frowned, “Recently, everyone in court knows about it.
His Majesty previously brought this up with Lord Marquis Gu, but Lord Marquis Gu did not agree.
Second young sir and the others thought that you were naturally less sensitive to romantic matters and did not know about His Majesty’s feelings toward you.
That’s why they have been hiding it from you this entire time.
But based on what I’ve seen, you clearly know.”

Yu Fu smiled wryly, “Eunuch Chi also implied it to me, but I put it off.”

Yin JiYao said: “You can put it off for some time, but you can’t ignore it forever.
A starving camel is still larger than a horse.
No matter how much His Majesty tries to suppress Marquis Gu’s Manor, it will not collapse, but His Majesty will eventually run out of patience.
My eldest brother will also refuse to just wait around.
This is the reason that I must return to the prime minister’s manor.”

“You… you mean to say that you will be returning to the prime minister’s manor to help keep an eye on Yin Shuo’s movements for me?”

Yin JiYao suddenly smiled, revealing her pearly-white teeth.
It was unlike her usual ladylike demeanor, “I heard that my birth mother was a female general.
I want to be like her and do something important!”