flstandardbreds Chapter 139 Just a foster mother
Chapter 139 Just a foster mother
Bu Yan stretched out his index finger and placed it on Lu Jingning's chin, rubbing it gently. There were calluses on his cold fingertips, and it felt a little rough and painful when it touched her delicate skin.
"I...I have never thought of having a harem."
Lu Jingning pursed his lips, his eyes misty, and he looked at him with a wronged expression. Bu Yan felt softened by his look, and he sighed, let go of his hand, and relaxed his brows.
Seeing this, Lu Jingning breathed a sigh of relief.
"Aning, there's really nothing I can do with you."
Lu Jingning snorted.
Bu Yan raised his hand and touched her black hair: "I don't know whether it is good or bad to promote you to this position."
She is growing up so fast.
Faster than he expected, he leaped up with a little help and reached a height that was beyond his estimation.
"Will Donglin and Beiqi join forces?" she asked.
A hint of darkness flashed across Bu Yan's dark eyes, and he remained silent.
Lu Jingning's heart sank, and the smile on his face disappeared without a trace. Bu Yan stood up and walked to the chaise longue beside him and sat down. He picked up a book and started reading it. Lu Jingning walked towards him.
Seeing this, Xue Yuan behind them knew that they had something to talk about, so she quickly led everyone in the room away.
When there was no one around, Bu Yan raised his head and said, "It's not just Donglin, there are other countries as well. Nanliang changed its generals and the previous emperor passed away. The army is unstable, especially the three armies don't trust you much. If someone instigates, the three armies will be like a pile of loose sand and will collapse at a single blow."
Lu Jingning's face was tense. She had thought about this before.
Being able to hold power in the capital does not mean that other countries can trust her.
It would be hard to convince people if we don't do something.
"Do you want me to lead the army in person?" Lu Jingning asked.
Bu Yan immediately gave him an admiring look: "The most important thing for now is to stabilize the morale of the army and enhance the prestige of Southern Liang."
She hasn't been to the battlefield yet.
"Who will be in charge of the capital city?"
"Of course it's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, now the Prince of Changguang."
After Lu Jingning ascended the throne, the title of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was a little inappropriate. He was conferred the title Prince of Changguang, and Shangguan was the Princess of Changguang.
"Prince Changguang is very popular both in the army and the court. It is most appropriate to let him be the regent."
Lu Jingning nodded. She was naturally relieved about her father.
"In your opinion, who should be dealt with first?"
In fact, her heart is as clear as a mirror.
Bu Yan indeed mentioned the word Northern Qi.
"The war with Northern Qi is inevitable. I am willing to lead the troops to fight and hand over the Northern Qi military seal intact to Your Majesty within half a year."
Lu Jingning agreed.
Bu Yan suddenly smiled: "Aren't you worried that I will lead my troops to rebel?"
"You won't," she said firmly.
If Bu Yan wanted to rebel, he could do it with just the movement of his fingers. Over the years, the power he had established in Southern Liang was intricate and intertwined. From officials to ordinary people, there was no area where Bu Yan had not been involved.
Noon
Taking advantage of Lu Jingning's lunch break, Bu Yan went to visit Old Madam Bu. When he opened the door, the person inside raised his hand to block the glaring sunlight a little uncomfortably. After seeing who was coming, he stood up instantly: "Yan'er!"
Bu Yan called out "mother" softly.
"Yan'er, you're finally back. Please take me away from this damn place. I don't want to stay here any longer."
Madam Bu tightly grasped Bu Yan's arm, her shoulders trembling, and pointed outside: "There is a madman here who wants to kill me."
Bu Yan didn't move.
"Yan'er?" Old Madam Bu looked at him in confusion.
"She will be my wife in the future. I hope my mother can accept and tolerate her."
As soon as she finished speaking, Madam Bu raised her hand and slapped Bu Yan hard on the cheek with a loud and crisp sound.
"I tried my best to rescue you from the wolf's den, and you just let yourself fall like this?" Old Madam Bu asked in a hoarse voice, "What kind of magic potion did that woman feed you? If you continue to be confused, you will regret it in the future!"
Bu Yan touched his cheek.
"Yan'er! You're not listening." Old Madam Bu's face darkened and she raised her hands, which were covered with needle marks. "I've been embroidering for more than ten years, and I almost went blind before I sent you to take the imperial examination. Is this how you repay me?"
Old Madam Bu punched and kicked Bu Yan, but Bu Yan did not fight back.
When she was tired of beating him, Madam Bu fell to the ground and started to cry bitterly: "How could I raise such an unpromising son, who is greedy for beauty and even forgets his ancestors!"
Bu Yan's breathing became rapid. In the past, when things didn't go well, Madam Bu would always act like this, or even try to commit suicide. To outsiders, Madam Bu hated illness and was very reasonable.
But in reality, Old Madam Bu was almost harsh to Bu Yan.
Knowing that the third daughter of the Duke Su's Mansion had a very bad reputation and a bad temper, she still asked people everywhere to propose marriage to her. If he did not agree, the whole mansion would be in turmoil.
There are countless things like this.
So Bu Yan had to have a bad reputation, and as time went on, few girls dared to marry him.
"That slap just now has repaid the relationship between you and me as mother and son." Bu Yan's voice was as low as water, and his eyes were fierce.
Madam Bu felt her scalp tingling after being stared at. She stood up after a moment of silence and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? If it weren't for me, would you be in this situation today?"
Bu Yan clenched his fists so tightly that they made a crackling sound, and he was about to swing them at Old Madam Bu's face at any moment.
“You…” Old Madam Bu was stunned.
Bu Yan pulled out a token from his bosom and handed it to Madam Bu: "With this token, you can leave the palace, and no one will stop you along the way."
The token fell to the ground with a thud.
Madam Bu swallowed and sneered when she came to her senses: "Yan'er, was it that girl who forced you to do that? You have always been well-behaved and sensible, and never disobeyed me. It must have been her idea. I will go find her and ask her clearly."
Old Madam Bu climbed up using her hands and feet and was about to walk outside.
"In Xiguan, I met a woman who looked 90% similar to me." Bu Yan said slowly, "The third prince of Northern Qi, Zhao Zhen."
As soon as the word Zhao Zhen came out, Madam Bu was stunned for a moment, and turned her head to look at Bu Yan: "You...what else do you know?"
Bu Yan bent down to pick up the token on the ground, wiped it gently and put it in his arms. He looked at Madam Bu calmly, "The mother of the third prince is Concubine Yuexian. Her mother's family is from the Beiming Palace. When he gave birth, his cousin Madam Bo was with him. Concubine Yuexian died of dystocia. The third prince was given to the Queen to raise. Six months later, Madam Bo gave birth to a son. When he was five years old, he broke a vase and was severely beaten by Master Bo. Madam Bo gave him to a personal nanny to take him away. She was gone for a full sixteen years."
Old Madam Bu felt as if she had been struck by lightning, and stared at Bu Yan in a daze.
"Aunt Dai, am I wrong?"
The word "Madame Dai" made Madam Bu realize everything in an instant. She shook her head in panic and said, "Why are you saying these things? It's all in the past."
Bu Yan sneered and took out a stack of letters from his sleeve. Some of the papers had turned yellow. Looking at the letters, Old Madam Bu panicked and reached out to grab them. Bu Yan dodged and Old Madam Bu tripped and fell instead of grabbing them.
I gasped in pain.
Madam Bu had taken care of Bu Yan for more than ten years and almost forgot that Bu Yan was not her biological son. She panicked: "Yan'er, what you saw was a misunderstanding. None of this is true. Please listen to my explanation."
The anger slowly emerged in Bu Yan's eyes, like a sign of impending storm.
He always thought that after leaving Northern Qi, he had severed ties with the Bo family. Unexpectedly, Mrs. Bo often sent letters to Nanny Dai, and every word expressed her concern for his well-being.
There were a few silver bills mixed in with the last letter.
He had been kept in the dark for more than ten years without realizing it, until he accidentally met Zhao Zhen, a man who looked 90% similar to him.
Bu Yan became suspicious and sent people to investigate Zhao Zhen, and followed the clues all the way to the Bo family.
"Misunderstanding?" Bu Yan kicked Nanny Dai in the chest without hesitation. The force was so strong that he kicked her far away.
Aunt Dai was lying on the ground vomiting blood, and she looked at Bu Yan in shock: "You...you want to kill your mother?"
"You deserve it?!" Bu Yan did not kill Aunt Dai immediately. It would be too easy to kill her and he would not feel relieved. He wanted to see if Aunt Dai, who was used to being desperate, would die this time.