The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

Shen Yu didn't believe that such a large-scale transaction could be the personal actions of certain individuals in Beimo. Even if individuals were involved, there must be someone above them instructing them.

"I wonder if they have learned anything they shouldn't have while lurking in Subei for so long."

"The Subei Army is independent of any power in Subei. It is unrealistic for them to try to gather information about the internal affairs of the Subei Army."

Shen Yu agreed, "Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone to such lengths to infiltrate."

It was fortunate that Shang Junlin's decision to separate the Subei Army from Subei's internal affairs had initially faced significant opposition from the court. However, Shang Junlin was determined, and regardless of the ministers' objections, he divided the Subei Army and the Subei administrative matters. The outcome proved that it was the right decision.

Otherwise, resolving the Subei incident wouldn't be as easy.

"Except for the few leaders from Beimo, the others will be directly interrogated in Subei and dealt with accordingly. I have instructed Fang Jun not to have any reservations. After they have sucked the blood of Subei for so long, it's time for them to repay." Shang Junlin's tone was cold.

"Beimo should have received the news. If we transport the captives back to the capital, the journey won't be peaceful. Since they dared to target the disaster relief supplies, it shows that they have their own power near Subei. Let Official Fang keep an eye on them and try to extract the hiding places of these people from those they captured, so we can deal with them first."

This matter involves a wide range of people, and capturing them doesn't mean everything is over. The subsequent handling is crucial, especially considering that Beimo is in close proximity to Subei. If Beimo really intends to do something, although they are not afraid, it will still be troublesome.

Subei has just experienced a natural disaster and it would be best if they could have a period of rest and recuperation.

"I will arrange for an escort. Fang Jun and the Hidden Dragon Guard have been investigating the hiding places of those people. Someone will be sent to negotiate with Beimo."

The heavy burden of negotiations with Beimo fell on Fang Jiayi.

Based on seniority, this matter should not have fallen on her, but the Subei officialdom had just undergone a major purge. The officials responsible for dealing with Beimo were currently imprisoned, and the officials sent from the capital were mostly responsible for the construction and management of Subei. Given their previous experience, the officials unanimously believed that Fang Jiayi was the most suitable.

After suffering a loss last time, the people from Beimo no longer dared to underestimate this Lady of Da Huan. Their understanding of her was limited to her role as a wife and mother, and they were caught off guard.

After the personnel was finalized, Fang Jun kept Fang Jiayi behind. "For now, you can temporarily put aside your tasks and use this time to learn more about Beimo. They made a misjudgment last time, so they will be more prepared this time. You must understand your opponent well."

"I understand."

Fang Jiayi handed over her tasks to her colleagues and focused on preparing for the upcoming negotiations with Beimo.

In order to gain a better understanding of Beimo, she not only consulted books but also sought information from the locals. To familiarize herself with the case, she specifically sought out He Chengyu and Jiang Huaiqing to learn more details from them.

After capturing the individuals, the government officials only then realized what He Chengyu and Jiang Huaiqing had been doing during their disappearance. To prevent leaks, only a few people, including Fang Jun, were aware of this plan from the beginning.

Their concerns proved to be valid. After the capture of Boss Sun and others, several other hidden individuals working for the government were apprehended through interrogation.

The people of Subei had not yet recovered from the aftermath of the collision between high officials and Beimo, and now they were informed that Beimo people had been hiding among them all along, causing a huge uproar.

"I thought those damned officials colluding with the enemy was the limit, but I didn't expect the enemy to be right beside us."

"I knew Boss Sun, his shop was quite famous, selling good products. Many people liked to buy things there. I never expected that he was working for Beimo behind the scenes."

"Now I'm starting to suspect if there are still Beimo people or their lackeys around us. What are these people thinking? When Beimo attacked Subei, they committed all sorts of atrocities, killing countless innocent people. Why would they work for Beimo?"

"They've forsaken their conscience for wealth, what else can they do? Don't try to understand these people, it's beyond comprehension."

"Official Fang is truly perceptive. If it were me, I would have concluded the case after dealing with those corrupt officials. If it weren't for Official Fang's keen observation, this matter wouldn't have been exposed for a while."

"He Chengyu and Jiang Huaiqing were also crucial. Without their involvement and risking their lives, it wouldn't have been possible to apprehend all those people in such a short time."

After their return, He Chengyu and Jiang Huaiqing received many curious looks, and some couldn't help but ask them questions.

Their performance this time was commendable, and after Fang Jun submitted a report, he secured higher official positions for both of them.

"Your performance deserves commendation. With you around, I feel more at ease leaving Subei. When I depart, I will leave the matters of Subei to you."

Fang Jun had stayed in Subei longer than expected, and now that the matter was resolved, he needed to prepare for his departure.

The transfer of power, the aftermath of the Beimo case... Although he planned to leave, he wouldn't do so until these matters were properly handled.

"Official He Chengyu and Official Jiang Huaiqing have firmly established themselves in Subei," Shen Yu said after reviewing the documents from Subei that had been submitted to him. He raised an eyebrow and continued, "Did the ministers in the court have anything to say about Official Fang's request for official positions for these two?"

Promotions from the third rank to the fourth rank and vice versa were like reaching the heavens in a single step for newcomers in the officialdom.

"Naturally, some people are dissatisfied. He Chengyu, Jiang Huaiqing, and Fang Jiayi have overshadowed many others in Subei, disrupting their plans. Even if they are displeased, they can't deny the achievements these three have made. Subei is in need of capable officials to lead, and these three appeared at the right time. Would they give official positions to those who haven't done anything?" Shang Junlin sneered.

When the officials were initially sent, the court had tentatively assigned official positions to some individuals. However, this didn't mean that these individuals were necessarily competent. Once they arrived in Subei, their performance would determine their actual appointments. Subei was in need of officials who could achieve tangible results, not those who sought only fame and benefits.

Soon, it was Shen Yu's birthday. Shang Junlin initially wanted to hold a grand banquet but was persuaded by Shen Yu to save it for next year's coming-of-age celebration. Instead, they held a small banquet at the Yu Zhang Palace.

There weren't many attendees, and the Empress Dowager came with Shen Yue. After not seeing her for a while, Shen Yue had undergone even greater changes.

There were no other hostesses in the palace, and since Shen Yu had a poor relationship with the Marquis of Zhenbei's residence, after inquiring about Shen Yu, Shang Junlin didn't invite anyone from the Marquis of Zhenbei's residence to the palace.

The number of guests was not large, but it didn't feel deserted. There was no need for insincere people, and Shen Yu liked this kind of atmosphere.

"This was made by Shen Yue for Your Majesty. She said they would eat this on their birthdays over there. It's called a cake," the Empress Dowager said, presenting a covered box.

"A cake?" Shang Junlin heard this term for the first time and couldn't help but feel curious.

"Yes," the Empress Dowager smiled. "That little girl put a lot of effort into making it, and it looks very pleasing."

Under the Empress Dowager's signal, the palace servant opened the box.

A sweet aroma instantly filled the air.

Shen Yu had always had a sweet tooth, and as soon as he caught a whiff of the fragrance, he sat up straight, unable to help but glance at the box.

Shang Junlin couldn't discern Shen Yu's thoughts, so he beckoned for the palace servant to bring the cake over.

Following the instructions, the palace servant brought the cake out of the box and placed it on the table in front of Shen Yu.

The cake was round and not too large, adorned with various fruits as decorations, making it visually appealing.

As they got closer, the aroma of the cake became even more enticing.

The palace servant cut a small slice and placed it on a plate. Shen Yu took a bite and instinctively narrowed his eyes.

"It's delicious. Your Majesty, it would be best if you try it too," Shen Yu picked up a piece and held it to Shang Junlin's lips.

Shang Junlin took a bite and said, "Mmm, it's sweet."

Shen Yu knew that Shang Junlin didn't have a sweet tooth like himself, so he occasionally fed him a bite.

In addition to the cake, Shen Yue also brought out a few small transparent bottles. "These are perfumes that I made. For now, there are only a few scents available."

"Perfume? Similar to incense?" Shen Yu picked up one of the bottles, which contained a blue transparent liquid in a glass bottle, exuding a captivating allure.

"Yes, but it's more convenient than incense. You just need to apply it to your body. The downside is that the fragrance doesn't last too long. I've written down the recipe." Shen Yue presented a thin booklet.

"I made these while making medicinal alcohol. One of the ingredients is alcohol, and the fragrance is extracted from different types of flowers. They are harmless to the human body," Shen Yue added.

She knew that the perfumes she made were quite rudimentary and wouldn't be considered much in modern times. However, in the perfume-less ancient times, they were unique and convenient.

Dahuan people loved fragrances, and Shen Yu was quite different in that regard, possibly due to his body's condition. He had always had trouble accepting incense and similar scents.

Since he couldn't try it on himself, Shen Yu turned to Shang Junlin and said, "Your Majesty, would you like to try it?"

Seeing the excitement in Shen Yu's eyes, Shang Junlin reluctantly compromised. "Only you would dare to make me try this and that."

Under Shen Yue's guidance, Shen Yu applied some of the perfume to Shang Junlin's wrist. A faint scent diffused, completely different from the sensation brought by incense.

Shen Yu leaned closer to smell it. It was a very light fragrance, not overpowering, and quite pleasant.

"If this perfume were sold in shops, it would definitely be popular." It would be welcomed not only by women but also by men.

Shen Yu let go of Shang Junlin's hand and said to Shen Yue, "I will have someone try to make it according to the recipe you provided. If they succeed, I'll give you a share based on the previous agreement."

Shen Yu didn't have the habit of taking things for free from others. Whenever Shen Yue presented something, he would reward her.

After the small banquet, Shang Junlin took Shen Yu out of the palace.

This time, they went to a different place than before, an open grassland.

Shen Yu looked around. "Your Majesty, why did you bring me here?"

"The autumn hunt is coming soon. Can Ah Yu ride a horse?" Shang Junlin clapped his hands, and someone brought two horses.

One black and one white. The black one was clearly familiar with Shang Junlin and affectionately approached him.

Since his rebirth, Shen Yu hadn't ridden a horse yet. He approached the other horse and gently patted it. "Your Majesty, do you want me to know how to ride, or do you prefer that I don't?"

Author's note: Irresponsible mini scene:

In the open air, on horseback, the two embraced tightly.

As the horse began to run, Ah Yu could only hold on tightly to his Majesty...

There will be two more updates. Please give me some nutrients (づ￣3￣)づ╭