Golden Branch

"No big deal, I just missed you!"

Suppressing the rage boiling in his chest, Lou Jin looked at Dugu lovingly and said softly, "Jiaojiao, why do you suddenly want to come to the villa? Is it too hot in the capital? Do you want to escape the heat in the mountains?"

After pampering a woman for more than ten years, even if the love is no longer there, many things have already become habits.

Besides, Lou Jin still likes Dugu.

At most, they lack the persistence and madness of their youth, but they are still a rare loving couple.

Lou Jin liked Dugu's fragility and simplicity. In front of her, he didn't need to be on guard, let alone have any suspicion.

He was completely relaxed.

And Dugu's dependence on him may be becoming a burden now, but he still enjoys it.

He could no longer fight on the battlefield or dominate the court, and he was getting older year by year. Only in Dugu could Lou Jin still feel a sense of accomplishment.

Lou Jin has long been unable to let go of this woman, and Dugu's stupidity is not without its disadvantages.

The former emperor's trusted and beloved generals were either killed or had their property confiscated, but he was the only one who retained his title and the wealth and well-being of his entire family.

This might be the "good result" of him using Dugu to defile himself.

For him, it is also the best ending.

“…I, I’m here to look for Wang Jiu!”

Hearing her husband's gentle voice that had remained the same for more than ten years, Dugu felt warm in her heart.

During this period, she was exhausted and even sensitive and inferior because of the dirty things happening in her mother's family and her brother's family. Finally, she found her confidence again in the doting eyes of her husband.

Her husband still loves her.

People who are favored will have an inexplicable sense of confidence.

Although she was already thirty-five or thirty-six years old, Dugu, who could be a grandmother in this era, still had the innocence and simplicity of a young girl.

She didn't hide anything and directly stated her purpose: "Wang Jiu's Lishan Academy is about to open, and several children from my mother's family and my brother's family are of school age."

"It's just that their talents are mediocre, and they haven't had good learning opportunities. Their foundation is inevitably weak, and they may not be able to pass the entrance examination of Mount Li Academy."

"I, I just want Wang Jiu to help me—"

At this point, Dugu couldn't help but puff out her cheeks. "In the past two years, Hanzhang has helped Wang Jiu with so many things. Just with the Lishan Academy, Hanzhang has been busy running around."

Dugu's meaning was very clear. Her son had given his heart and soul to Wang Jiu, and now she just wanted Wang Jiu to do her a little favor. Why was that not allowed?

A hint of helplessness flashed across Lou Jin's eyes.

He really wanted to remind his beloved wife: Jiaojiao, have you forgotten that you have never raised Dalang, and Dalang has long been adopted out.

There is only one grace of life, which is useless to the wolf cub.

Even Lou Jin, the father who doted on Lou Dalang like his own flesh and blood for six or seven years, still held a grudge against him to this day because of the adoption.

This little beast Lou Yu is not a filial and affectionate child at all.

He will not look at people he doesn't approve of differently just because of blood relationship or some feelings.

Over the years, Lou Jin has come to realize that, apart from Wang Jiu, there is no one else in this world whom Lou Yu can take seriously.

Biological parents?

To Lou Yu, he was just a passerby with blood relationship.

If Lou Yu still had a little bit of admiration for his parents, he would not have used his biological mother to trick the Lou family army away from his biological father.

Lou Yu achieved success by stepping on his parents and closest relatives, but he does not feel grateful.

At most, it means not hating, resolving the cause and effect, and having no further connection.

But Jiaojiao couldn't see through it and was still thinking about reconciling with Lou Yu, so that the mother could be loving and the son could be filial, and the family could live in harmony.

Of course, Jiaojiao is not wrong to have such expectations.

As elders, we naturally hope that “harmony in the family brings prosperity”.

However, Jiaojiao chose the wrong method.

In other words, she overestimated herself and underestimated Wang Jiu.

Because the best way to reconcile with Lou Yu is not to please Lou Yu directly, but to start with Wang Jiu.

If Jiaojiao could treat Wang Jiu well, Lou Yu would love her and her family as well, and might be willing to respond with some kindness.

It’s a pity that Wang Jiu knows too much, and Jiaojiao has nowhere to hide in front of her. It is difficult for her to maintain the dignity of the Queen Mother and the prestige of an elder in her husband’s family.

Lou Jin knew his wife too well, and he knew exactly what she was thinking deep in her heart.

Therefore, reconciliation with Lou Yu is doomed to be unsolvable!

Sighing silently, Lou Jin reached out and held his wife's hand. He gently reminded her, "Jiaojiao, things are different now. Wang Jiu is no longer an orphan exiled by the Wang family, but the Princess of Langya, appointed by the Sage."

"As subjects, we should respect the princess."

Jiaojiao is too straightforward. She calls Wang Jiu all the time, which makes it easy for people to find fault with her.

Well, okay, there’s no need for anyone else, only Lou Yu is capable of doing something like “killing his own relatives for the sake of justice”.

This little beast was originally wild and difficult to tame. In recent years, he has been learning from old foxes such as the prince and Shen Du, and has become more and more insidious and cunning.

What Lou Yu is best at is open conspiracy. This time, when he dealt with the Zhao and Wu families, he took advantage of their mistakes and did it in an open, aboveboard, and legal manner.

He can also use his so-called family connections to establish a great image of himself as upright and impartial.

Jiaojiao treats Lou Yu as her son, but Lou Yu will step on Jiaojiao and everyone related to her to climb to the top again.

"She is a princess, but she is also Han Zhang's fiancée."

"After a few months, she will marry Han Zhang and become my junior."

"My dear, even if you are a proper princess, you should respect your elders."

Dugu could hear the admonition in Lou Jin's words, but she was still unwilling to accept it.

In Dayu, marrying a princess is not a good thing.

Royal ladies are arrogant and domineering, and there are also vicious women like Ping An who dare to kill their husbands. If you marry them, they will be your ancestors.

In fact, being safe is still good. At most, it will only bring trouble to your husband.

If you meet a princess who is ambitious and likes to meddle in state affairs, she might bring trouble to her husband's family.

There were such examples in the previous dynasty.

Although the Dayu Dynasty was established for less than ten years, it had already experienced a change of throne.

Fortunately, the Xuanwu Gate military remonstration did not last long. Within a few days, the palace had a new owner.

Even so, many families were implicated.

Among them are one or two eldest princesses, as well as the family of the prince consort.

Although he was not executed, he was stripped of his title and dismissed from office.

The once glorious family fell into oblivion in an instant. If the descendants did not work hard enough, the family would be destroyed.

Dugu is indeed not smart enough, but she has common sense.

Moreover, many tragic events in the capital happened right before his eyes. After seeing so many of them, he naturally had an epiphany: a royal lady cannot be married!

Her daughter Han Zhang was extremely talented and successful at a young age. Her career was not only smooth, but also very successful.

He should marry a lady from a noble family rather than a princess.

Although Wang Jiu was also from a noble family, the Wang family had long since fallen into decline and was of little help to Lou Yu.

Instead, she would be criticized and restricted because of Wang Jiu's false title of princess.

Even the elders of the Lou family would suffer some grievances because of this.

Dugu was very reluctant to have a princess as her daughter-in-law. She thought many times:

Wang Jiu is the younger generation, but she is the master.

Dugu is the elder, but also a minister.

How do we define the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law?

How should the two get along when they meet?

Lou Jin saw the embarrassment and struggle that was almost written on his wife's face, and he wanted to tell her:

Jiaojiao, you worry too much!

You won't have a chance to get along with Wang Jiu at all!

That little bastard Lou Yu has already set up his own business. Unless there is a major incident, he will never set foot in the Duke of Anguo's Mansion.

Jiaojiao is just a cheap aunt. No matter how far her reach is, she cannot reach across several blocks and extend her hand into the yard of her cousin from the next room.

Moreover, Lou Yu’s attitude is now very clear.

If Dugu dares to stretch out his hand, he will dare to wield his sword.

Now Dugu had only caused a little trouble, and her relatives had already suffered casualties.

If the Dugu family really touches the bottom line... a cold light flashed in Lou Jin's eyes. He didn't want to be a widower yet, and he couldn't let Lou Yu bear the sin of matricide.

Although Lou Jin kept calling him a little beast, in his heart, Lou Yu was his most outstanding son and the pillar of the Lou family's wealth and prosperity.

He would never destroy Lou Yu for such a small matter!

"Jiaojiao, the saints are all delighted with the marriage of Princess Langya and Lou Yu. There is absolutely no possibility of changing it!"

"Lou Yu is no longer an ignorant child. He has already obtained a title and has a promising career. He has his own ideas about his marriage and his Duke's Mansion."

"We are indeed his biological parents, but this matter is a secret and must not be told to anyone else."

"Jiaojiao, I'm not afraid of those rumors, but I don't want you to become the laughing stock of ordinary people."

"You are not a concubine's maid, you are a noble lady of the Dugu family."

Lou Jin really understood his wife well enough to know what she cared about most——

If you want to discipline Lou Yu legitimately, you have to reveal your identity.

But if the truth of that year were to be revealed, then there would be no so-called Dugu family, but rather Zhao family, who was born into a lowly family and had been a concubine.

Dugu's face changed when she heard what Lou Jin said.

She has become accustomed to her noble status and does not want to return to her former lowly existence.

"...My dear, I, I understand. I will pay more attention from now on."

After a moment of silence, Dugu made another choice.

……

Lou Jin brought Dugu back to the capital and went to the Duke of Qi's Mansion in person.

The father and son talked in the study for the time it took to stick of incense. They didn't argue loudly or get red in the face.

Lou Yu politely saw Lou Jin out, and both of them had an almost indifferent calmness on their faces.

The issue of the education of Dugu's cheap relatives still needs to be resolved.

Lou Jin said that the Zhao family and the Wu family could each select one person, and the Anguo Mansion was willing to pay a huge sum of money to send them to study at the Lishan Academy.

The other children were placed in other academies in the capital.

The Zhao and Wu families were all frightened after being punished by Lou Yu. Even if Lou Jin didn't care about them, they didn't dare to make trouble again.

Lou Jin's promise was also an unexpected surprise, so how could they dare to have any objections?

Dugu and her relatives were completely quiet.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye it was August. The Lishan Academy opened its doors, and the army to conquer Tuyuhun also set out on an auspicious day.

A few months later, winter arrived, and Wang Heng's twenty-seven-month mourning period finally ended. The Wang family began to wear mourning clothes...