Resisting the Wind and Splendor

Lu Fengjin pondered for a moment before saying, "Although it was Ali who came up with the idea to lead Fourth Brother to the Northern Frontier battlefield, Ali is still my person. Fourth Brother's resentment should indeed be directed at me."

"Was it Ali who gave you the idea?" Upon hearing this, Consort Rui's heart tightened immediately. "So, those rumors outside are true?"

"What rumors?" Lu Fengjin hadn't noticed any other gossip circulating outside.

Consort Rui frowned: "They say that you have a female strategist in your army who is unparalleled in planning and strategy. Your many military achievements over the years are all thanks to that girl's advice and strategies."

"absurd!"

"Jin'er, you must tell your mother the truth about this." There's no smoke without fire.

Over the years, his son has indeed taken Chu Yueli with him every time he went to the battlefield.

At first, Consort Rui thought it was because he couldn't bear to leave his beloved girl, but now she realized that her son might have been attracted to Ali's schemes.

"Jin'er, you can be the God of War of Dongling, but how much of the credit actually belongs to Ali? Your fourth brother is returning to the capital. If you don't tell your mother the truth now, your mother can't help you anymore!"

Lu Fengjin remained silent for a long while before saying softly, "...Ali is the most capable strategist I have ever met."

"And yet you abandoned her for the daughter of a rebel?" Consort Rui stood up abruptly, her anger blazing! "Jin'er, Jin'er! Do you know how grave your mistake has been?"

"Although the Duke's mansion is not as powerful as it used to be, they are a family of loyal and virtuous men with outstanding achievements! The Emperor has always respected the old Duke. If you could marry Ali, how much would that help our future...?"

"Not to mention, Ali herself is such an outstanding girl. Even your fourth brother, who is so powerful, suffered a loss at Ali's hands! Do you know that apart from that battle, the Mo King has never been defeated?"

Lu Fengjin remained silent. Although he was resentful, he knew that what his mother said was true.

The more Consort Rui thought about it, the more heartbroken she became: "If you don't keep such a woman by your side, and she helps your fourth brother one day, you'll be in big trouble! What will you have to compare with your fourth brother then?"

Lu Fengjin, however, became somewhat embarrassed and angry: "Mother! No matter how capable Chu Yueli is, it is I who go to the battlefield every time! How can you attribute all the credit to her?"

"The strategist is the soul of the army. Without a strategist, the soldiers become reckless fools with no strategy. How can they accomplish anything?"

Consort Rui truly had no idea that the truth was even more distorted than the rumors circulating outside.

If she had known earlier that Chu Yueli was so useful, how could she have let her son act so recklessly and abandoned such a helpful person!

This time, they lost not only Chu Yueli, the unparalleled strategist, but also the 100,000-strong Chu family army of the Duke's mansion!

My son is so foolish!

"If the Duke's Mansion and Prince Mo join forces, what chance do we have of winning?" Consort Rui grew increasingly anxious. "I must appease Ali immediately! Otherwise, I will not let you off the hook!"

“Ali has been by my side for so many years and is devoted to me. How could she really want to leave me? This time she’s just using tricks to make me go back and coax her.”

Lu Fengjin didn't really care about this.

It's just a girl's trick!

"Mother, you've been in the harem for so many years, haven't you seen enough of these kinds of tricks? Your son never intended to abandon her. Yuan'er doesn't care about the Empress's position in the future, we'll save it for her! Who knew she would be so ignorant and actually cause trouble in front of Father, you've really disappointed me!"

"Mother, if I don't punish her properly this time, she will definitely become lawless in the future! How can I let her get away with this?"