Be Modest,My Master of Imperial Guards

Chapter 72 Lord Shen Was Back

Jiangan, Fengyuan County.

Today, the Eastern Depot would leave Fengyuan and inspect another county. Leng Qingtang got up early and asked Gu Yunxi to pack up.

In the yard, they encountered the maid, Qinger, who drew Gu Yunxi aside at once and looked at her up and down.

"Qinger, what are you doing?" Gu Yunxi asked her in detestation.

"Lady..." Qinger looked mysterious and was about to say something but stopped.

Gu Yunxi shook her head impatiently. She shrugged away from Qinger, "If you don't have anything else to say, I am going to pack up. We will leave for Fanyang this afternoon."

"Well," Qinger pulled Gu Yunxi's arm again and plucked up to ask, "I just want to ask you... if the Master... hurt you last night..."

"Hiss..." Gu Yunxi felt embarrassed. She hurriedly covered Qinger's mouth and blamed her sourly,

"Hey, watch your mouth, little girl. What are you thinking of? Maybe I should just tell the Master to send you out of the Mansion and find you a man to marry..."

Qinger pushed aside the small hand covering her mouth. Seeing Gu Yunxi blushed, she tried her best to suppress her smile,

"Lady, look at you! You speak for the Master even before you are married to him. I am just caring about you for fear that you might suffer any loss!"

"Screw you!" Gu Yunxi rolled her eyes at Qinger, "The Master won't hurt me."

While speaking, Gu Yunxi ran away.

Qinger sighed with much relief.

That was great. Seeing the happy and brilliant figure, she knew her Lady hadn't changed.

Dayi, the capital.

It was early morning in the severe winter. The sunlight shed on the ground through the mist. It seemed not so warm.

The snow stopped. All the civil and military officials were dressed neatly and lined up in the Palace square, waiting for Lord Shen and his son's triumphant return.

During the northern border war, the Shenle Marquis Wan Li won the victory. Not only did he kill the commander of their enemies and beat back the army, but also he acquired twenty fine horses and countless war trophies such as grain and wine.

When the news of the victory spread to the capital, Emperor Jingxiao was overjoyed. He decreed to call Lord Shen and his son back to the court and reward them on the spot.

Empress Qian of the Eastern Palace didn't attend the ceremony for the reason of illness.

In the early morning, the main street to the Palace had been utterly cleaned. The Royal guards, armed with spears, drove the crowd of onlookers to the side roads.

It was nearly noon. The deafening sound of hooves came closer.

One hundred infantry soldiers marched in front, followed by the Shenle Marquis, Wan Li, the Imperial Noble Concubine's younger brother.

He was about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with good features and a handsome look. He had a long and rough figure. Dressed in purple clothes and soft silver armor, he showed a rather imposing presence with a shining silver helmet, in the middle of which the five-color pheasant tail swayed back and forth.

Riding on a fierce fine horse, Wan Li looked around with a spurious smile. His condescending eyes were cold and arrogant.

In the sedan behind him sat Lord Shen, Wan Zong. He was a middle-aged military officer with a red face and long beard and was the father of the Imperial Noble Concubine and the Shenle Marquis.

In the front of Qinming Hall, the Wans gave a salute to Emperor Jingxiao, who felt delightful.

The Imperial Noble Concubine, Wan Yuyao, sat beside the Emperor. She was dressed in a gorgeous suit of red lotus flowers. All kinds of glittering gold hairpins on her head, accompanied by her flower-like smile, were twinkling in her dark hair. Meeting with her father and brother in such a luxurious scene, Wan Yuyao was naturally filled with joy. But as the Imperial Noble Concubine in the presence of all the officials, she had to follow the royal etiquette and hid infinite pleasure in the bottom of her heart.

After their meeting, Emperor Jingxiao rewarded Wan Li with a golden halberd, a piece of golden armor, and a pitch of territory to the south of the capital. He also set a feast for the Wans in the Palace to welcome them.

Emperor Jingxiao had been indulged in wine, women, and Taoist magic. In his forties, he was already weak and soon fell asleep on the dragon chair.

Wan Yuyao hurriedly asked some eunuchs to send the Emperor back to Qilong Palace for a rest.

After the feast, Wan Yuyao called the Wans into Yongning Palace.

The three of them sat together. After serving food and drinks, all the maids were asked to wait outside the palace.

"Father, as you have returned to the capital this time, you should stay in the Lord Shen's Mansion for a few days to accompany mother."

Reunited with her family, Wan Yuyao spoke with joy. Her enchanting eyebrows and beautiful eyes were all filled with obvious happiness.

Wan Zong smiled as he stroke his beard,

"Your Grace, just rest assured. This time as I return, I will stay for some days in the Mansion. I have been defending the border all year round. The Mansion must have been your mother's toil. She has been working hard."

"When I am free in the Palace, I will tell mother to come here and chat with her."

"Oh..." Wan Zong waved his hand, "Please don't, Your Grace. Now you are noble and comparable to the Empress, and you must lead by example. It is your duty to serve His Majesty."

Hearing this, Wan Yuyao felt gloomy. She pouted and complained,

"How does His Majesty need me to serve? Now he spends all day in the Taoist temple and stays with High Priest, Yu Xuanji. He has completely forgotten me! "

Wan Li originally stood beside the rosewood grid in the west and fiddled with the jade Pi Xiu sculpture with a pearl in its mouth. Hearing their dialogue, he turned back and interposed,

"Who is Yu Xuanji? How can he be canonized as High Priest? Why haven't I heard of him in the first three years during my stay in the capital? "

Wan Yuyao shook her head reluctantly, raised her brow, lowered her eyes, and said with upset,

"He was chosen by His Majesty two years ago when he finished cultivating himself in the Pengxian Temple. Strangely enough, every time His Majesty is ill, as long as he takes the elixir made by Yu Xuanji, he will recover in one or two days."

Wan Zong showed a doubtful look, frowned, and asked Wan Yuyao,

"Did you send anyone to check the priest's background?"

"Yes." Wan Yuyao was assured.

"The Eastern Depot once checked. Yu Xuanji has become a priest in Pengxian Temple since he was young. By the way, the Pengxian Temple is a royal Taoist temple, and people in it are carefully selected!"

"Humph!" Wan Li snorted after hearing that,

"The Eastern Depot? Sister, why do you still believe in the Eastern Depot?"

"Wan Li!" Hearing his son call Wan Yuyao directly by seniority, Wan Zong was so angry that he clapped the table with his long beard blown. He shouted to him, "You are too unbridled!"

Wan Yuyao was the Imperial Noble Concubine, only second to the Empress. Even her family members should call her "Your Grace". The rules couldn't be broken.

"Father, you needn't react like that." Wan Yuyao didn't take it seriously. She persuaded him smilingly,

"My brother called me like that, meaning he is closest to me. You needn't lose temper."

Wan Li didn't care, either. He put the jade Pi Xiu sculpture back to the grid and smiled coldly,

"The Master of the Eastern Depot is arrogant and unscrupulous. He killed Colonel Liu Biao and even doesn't take us seriously."

That day in Fengyuan, as soon as Colonel Liu died, his guard sent a pigeon to deliver a letter to the Wans so that they were informed of his death.

Lord Shen, Wan Zong, rounded his eyes and said fiercely,

"When I was putting down the rebellion of Su Ye, Liu Biao saved my life from the enemies. He was killed by such a eunuch. That's really irritating!"

"Is it true?" Wan Yuyao was shocked. She looked at her father and brother unbelievably.

Leng Qingtang always dealt with things calmly in daily life. It was impossible that he did not know the background of Colonel Liu. Wan Yuyao was convinced that Leng Qingtang must have his own reason to kill Colonel Liu so decisively regardless of his background.

At this time, a eunuch came in and told them that Commander-in-chief of the Western Depot, Ming Lan, had reached Yongning Palace. He was waiting to see them.

Wan Yuyao ordered people to send him in.

Soon, Ming Lan, lowering his head, trotted all the way to the Main Hall. He stopped in front of the chief seat and bent down to salute,

"Greetings to you, Your Grace. Wish you good health, Your Grace."

Then he turned to the side seats and saluted in a respectful tone,

"Greetings and wish you good health, Your Lordship."

"Good. You came here quite early!"

Seeing Ming Lan's coquettish features with powder and cinnabar, Wan Yuyao's lips pursed with an enchanting smile. Her heart was filled with unspeakable pleasure.

Ming Lan smiled like a blossom. He showed an obedient posture and said,

"There isn't anything urgent in the Western Depot today. I came here as soon as the feast finished. If Your Grace have any orders, I can serve Your Grace."

"Good. After all, you are from my palace. You are the most attentive to my orders."

Wan Yuyao smiled with satisfaction.

Lord Shen, Wan Zong, squinted at Ming Lan and lowered his eyes, sipping the tea in silence.

Wan Zong was born as a military officer. His personality was rather obstinate and unruly, so he despised these servile eunuchs in the Palace.

He didn't understand why her beloved daughter favored Ming Lan. Was she enchanted? He couldn't believe she chose Ming Lan, a eunuch with a painted face, to take control of the Western Depot, an important imperial inspection agency.

Based on Wan Zong's years of experience judging a person, Ming Lan was far below Leng Qingtang, the Commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot, in terms of ingenuity and talent.

Shenle Marquis, Wan Li, took a look at Ming Lan cunningly and smiled with mockery,

"Lord Ming, you are indeed different from before! Dressed in such an embroidered official robe and without the whisk, you don't look like a eunuch anymore. And you even call yourself a minister in the presence of Her Grace and us."

"Oh, Your Lordship, you are teasing me..."

Ming Lan raised his right hand, hooked the little finger on his red lips and smiled flatteringly,

"It is Her Grace that makes me who I am today. Anyhow, I am always a servant of Her Grace and the Wans!"

At the sight of his womanly posture, Wan Li felt disgusted. He could not help but clench the muscles of his mouth to suppress his forthcoming laugh.

The sun was going west, and the sky was getting dark. It was getting late.

Wan Yuyao put down the teacup and looked at Lord Shen, Wan Zong,

"Father, you rarely have the chance to visit Yongning Palace. I will ask people to serve dinner. Could you and Wan Li have dinner with me in Yongning Palace tonight?"

Hearing this, a faint smile emerged from Wan Zong's serious face. He stroked his long white beard and cupped one hand in the other to salute,

"Thank you, Your Grace."

Seeing this, Ming Lan also saluted to Wan Yuyao,

"Your Grace, as you and your family are uniting together, it's not suitable for me to bother. Please excuse me."

"Sure, go ahead."

Wan Yuyao said to him gently with a smile. She gave him ambiguous eye contact.

Today, Wan Yuyao was quite happy to meet her family. It was pleasing to find her father energetic and her brother handsome and stable.

Only when she solidified her power and position in the Palace could Lord Shen and his son rise to power in the court. Emperor Jingxiao was respectful to the Wans, so he preferred Wan Yuyao in the imperial harem. She knew the interdependence with her family.

As soon as Ming Lan went out of Yongning Palace, Shenle Marquis, Wan Li, chased after him and raised his voice behind him,

"Ming Lan, wait a minute!"

Ming Lan stopped, turned back, and saw Wan Li. A flattering smile emerged on his painted thin face. He asked gently,

"Oh, Your Lordship, if you have any orders, just ask the servants to tell me. Why bother running out in person?"

"Ha! You are good!"

With hands akimbo, Wan Li behaved casually. He looked around Ming Lan for a moment with shape eyes, hissing,

"Haven't seen you for some days, and you do change a lot! Now that you are dressed in a rank-second official robe, I should call you 'Master Ming'!"

Wan Li saluted to Ming Lan.

Ming Lan's expression greatly changed. Panic emerged on his pale face,

"Oh, Your Lordship. Please spare me once. Please don't make fun of me anymore. Just as I said in the palace, I am so lucky to meet Her Grace in this life. It must be a blessing from my previous life. It is her help that makes me who I am today. I will be grateful to Her Grace all my life..."

"All right. All right!"

Maybe Ming Lan's tone was too fawning and pretentious. It made Wan Li so disgusted that he even rolled his eyes and almost vomited. He waved his hands impatiently and interrupted Ming Lan's words.

"Let me ask you. Since you are loyal to my sister, how do you let someone else take power?"

"Well..."

Ming Lan was shocked. Surprise and confusion appeared on his face. Rolling his eyes, he cupped his hands and bowed down,

"I am too foolish to understand. Your Lordship, please make it clear."

"Since you got promoted because of my sister, why didn't you devote yourself to her interests? When the six counties in Jiangan needed food and relief from the disaster, everyone knew it was a good chance to make a name. As the Commander-in-chief of the Western Depot, how couldn't you fight for that but let Leng Qingtang grab the limelight? How could you let him behead my father's beloved official Liu Biao just as he arrived in Fengyuan? "

Ming Lan had heard of this. Colonels are key military officials. After killing Liu Biao, Leng Qingtang had sent the news to the court by letter.