Chapter 212: Conspiracy and Trap
“What’s going on?” Su Wenyue had just asked, when she saw Han Yu’s disheveled appearance, his fatigued complexion, and the bloodshot eyes, she stopped mid-sentence.
“Husband, what happened to you? How did you get into such a state?” Su Wenyue looked at Han Yu with distress, no longer concerned with questioning at the moment, but rather had servants bring water and food so that Han Yu could wash up and eat something first.
“Have you eaten enough? Have some more soup,” Su Wenyue said as she personally scooped a bowl of soup and brought it to Han Yu, watching until he had finished it.
“Husband, haven’t you rested these past few days? Otherwise, why would you be so exhausted?” After seeing Han Yu had eaten, Su Wenyue finally began to inquire about what had happened in the last few days.
Seeing Su Wenyue’s question, Han Yu didn’t hide the truth but gave a rough account of the events, albeit skimming over some dangerous and infuriating details to spare Su Wenyue from worry.
“This is roughly what happened, my daughter-in-law, don’t worry. Aunt Li and the others were alarmed by rumors in the camp, thinking something had happened to me. But here I am, back safe and sound. You must believe that your husband is capable. I still have to provide for you and our child in the future, I won’t let anything happen to me,” Han Yu reassured his wife, seeing the concern still evident on her face.
Understanding the situation, Su Wenyue knew Han Yu indeed had the ability. Given that he had risen to the position of Prime Minister in his previous life, he must be capable of handling military affairs, which eased her mind. She then began discussing the affairs at home with Han Yu.
Regarding the Currency Reform, Han Yu also showed a disapproving expression, “Now the Imperial Court is controlled by treacherous officials; the laws they implement are impractical, not only failing to serve their purpose but also causing the commoners untold suffering.”
“Exactly, nowadays on the market, you always see people lamenting their inability to get by. With the Imperial Court in turmoil, it’s the commoners below who suffer the most. Our family would be in the same boat, worrying about how to get through our days if we hadn’t made preparations early.”
Su Wenyue then brought up Madame He’s issue to Han Yu. He was aware of the previous two occasions when Madame He had come to borrow food, but he hadn’t expected her to have such thick skin to come again, disturbing his daughter-in-law’s peace. Seeing the disgust on his wife’s face, he knew Madame He must have caused quite the fuss.
“Daughter-in-law, just ignore people like her in the future. Don’t spoil your mood. Speaking of which, He Donghai is a reasonable person; how he ended up with a daughter-in-law like that, causing unrest at home and even making a spectacle of herself outside…”
At this, Han Yu couldn’t help but appreciate having married such a good daughter-in-law who managed everything so well that he didn’t need to worry at all. If it wasn’t for his wife’s foresight in reminding his parents early, they wouldn’t have had such a favorable outcome.
“Enough about that. You haven’t rested well these past few days. Have a good sleep, and we’ll talk once you’ve regained your energy.”
“Then let’s sleep together.” Han Yu knew that his wife had also been restless lately and must have not rested well. He decided to pull Su Wenyue down to sleep with him.
The sleep lasted more than an hour. When Han Yu woke up, Su Wenyue was still asleep. Thinking about how she hadn’t rested well in the past few days, Han Yu didn’t wake her up and let her continue sleeping, while he went to the study room.
“Who’s there!” The moment Han Yu entered the study, he instantly sensed something amiss. A shadow flitted by and escaped through the Window. By the time he gave chase, there was no trace to be found.
Han Yu’s expression turned grave. The intruder’s skills were too impressive; he might not have been completely confident in coming out on top in a confrontation. What was most troubling was the intruder’s exceptional light-footedness, making it impossible to catch up, and the daylight intrusion into his study was tantamount to a provocation. Clearly, the home’s defenses needed reinforcement; a few caretakers sent by his mother-in-law were insufficient. Although they could handle ordinary people, they were no match for someone with specialized training.
He couldn’t fathom the intruder’s purpose. With such skills, the person was clearly not an average thief and would not be after ordinary things.
Thinking of the two Art of War books, Han Yu’s expression became inscrutable. Could the intruder be after these books? But apart from himself, only his wife knew of them, and it was impossible for the information to have leaked. Returning to the study, Han Yu scanned the room and found nothing missing nor signs of disturbance, except for a few sheets of paper added to the table.
Han Yu picked them up to examine, his expression growing increasingly enigmatic and even more somber. He surmised the origin and intentions of the documents, finding himself somewhat puzzled. The information needed verification.
If true, the schemers behind it were exceptionally vile, deploying such tactics against him. They clearly wanted to eliminate him as a threat, seeing his existence as an obstacle. Considering what he had encountered this time, wasn’t their intention obvious? However, to eliminate him wouldn’t be an easy task! Han Yu grasped the documents tightly, his face showing a determination and ferocity Su Wenyue had never seen.
Han Yu then scrutinized the documents on the table from top to bottom, not overlooking any detail, and committed everything to memory. If the news and materials were legitimate, they could significantly aid him. Nonetheless, even with his confidence, venturing into a deliberate plot without full preparation could mean not coming out unscathed—or making it back alive. Perhaps the one who sent these documents and information was looking to assist him. Could it explain why the Man in Black, who could have infiltrated the study unnoticed at night, chose this particular moment, ensuring his discovery?
But the pressing matter was not to speculate about the sender’s intentions or identity; rather, it was to verify the credibility of the news and information and plan accordingly against their traps and schemes, mitigating the looming danger.
Thinking this, Han Yu immediately penned a letter and handed it to a caretaker, sending it to the Su Family. At the moment, only his wife’s parents’ home could assist him in swiftly verifying the authenticity of these documents while being utterly trustworthy.
After dispatching the letter to the Su Family, Han Yu made some corresponding arrangements and then heard the familiar footsteps at the door, so he had to lay down his pen.
“Daughter-in-law, why have you come? Be careful.” Han Yu had specifically instructed servants to accompany Su Wenyue until she woke and could be informed, but instead, Su Wenyue came by herself. He quickly went over to assist her.
“It’s alright. The doctor said I can’t just lie down all the time; I should move around a bit. I just came over to check on you,” reassured by Han Yu’s presence, Su Wenyue dismissed the servants by her side and allowed Han Yu to help her sit down.
“You go on with your work; don’t mind me. I’ll just sit here,” Su Wenyue said, her gaze drifting across the table to a few plates of snacks,