Chapter 315: 323: Hidden Behind

Although Han Yu was in the military camp and not directly under the jurisdiction of the government, there were still many intricate connections involved. It was unclear what kind of person the Governor’s Wife was and whether she would be easy to get along with. Regardless, this banquet was going to be a tough battle since it would be Su Wenyue’s first time attending such an official banquet in the prefecture. All the guests would be distinguished figures of the city.

It seemed that An Family had anticipated Su Wenyue’s worries and specially sent an old woman over, “Miss, regarding the banquet invitation from the Governor’s Wife, Madam wants you to be at ease. It was originally because Madame had come to the city, and somehow the news leaked, reaching the Governor’s Wife. This banquet has intentions of flattering and probing. Both Madam and Miss are just being carried along in the invitation. However, Madam said that Miss will sooner or later become part of the circle of esteemed ladies in the city, so it would be good to take this opportunity to get acquainted with everyone ahead of time. At the very least, with Madame there, nobody would dare to slight Miss.”

“So, that’s how it is. I was wondering why the Governor’s Wife suddenly thought of inviting me. Now that I know, you can go back and tell Mother that I already have a plan in mind and know how to deal with it, so she can be reassured,” Su Wenyue responded.

“Yes, Miss, the servant will convey your words to Madam. Also, Madam asked the servant to inform you that on the 24th, which is the Little New Year, our Su Family will also be hosting guests, and we ask that Uncle and Miss come back for it as well.”

“Alright, I understand.” Su Wenyue assuaged.

Now that Su Wenyue understood the situation, she felt much relieved. However, since the invitation from the prefecture governor was related to Bei’an Marquis Mansion, her visit would be somewhat different that day; she could afford to be a bit more prominent.

Originally, Su Wenyue planned to keep a low profile since they had little foundation in the city. If they were too ostentatious, the Sun Family might not do anything overt, but they would surely set traps behind the scenes. Now, given the circumstances, it would be to her advantage. Moreover, her eldest aunt and Mother would both be attending, and with them present, Su Wenyue could be worry-free, not having to carefully guard against others’ schemes. When it came to tactics, Su Wenyue absolutely trusted that there were few in the city who could match her Mother and eldest aunt.

Han Yu also learned about the prefecture governor’s invitation for him and his wife. Initially worried, he trusted his own capabilities but was concerned for his daughter-in-law. It wasn’t that she lacked ability but rather, having been protected by her mother’s family since she was young, she had never seen some of the insidious tricks of the backyard. He was afraid she might inadvertently fall for one.

Knowing that both the Marquess and his Mother-in-law would attend put Han Yu’s mind at ease. Although he was less familiar with the Marquess, he knew well enough about his Mother-in-law’s skills and cunning, which dispelled any worry he had for his daughter-in-law.

Nevertheless, to be cautious, Han Yu still instructed his daughter-in-law, “Even though the eldest aunt and Mother-in-law will be there, you should still be careful and not become complacent. Caution never led to harm. After all, there are some who are eyeing our family, looking for opportunities to act.”

Han Yu was not only referring to Magistrate Sun, but there was also another mysterious force whose reason for targeting him was unknown. It seemed like he either obstructed someone’s path or interfered with their matters. Especially after the bandit subjugation, although he couldn’t identify the mysterious backer, he sensed even more acutely the deep malice from behind the scenes.

Han Yu was on guard, and he was no pushover either. The adversaries who had made several moves against him had never gained an upper hand. After some time of quiet, he worried they might shift their focus to his daughter-in-law. While he didn’t want to alarm her, fearing her complacency, he still slightly hinted at the danger.

Understanding Han Yu’s meaning, Su Wenyue nodded seriously, “Rest assured, I’ll be careful. You also need to be careful out there, and make sure no one takes advantage and sabotages you.”

Even having lived through a whole lifetime again, Su Wenyue was still in the dark about the mysterious force Han Yu had mentioned. After all, in her previous life, she had not cared about Han Yu’s affairs, let alone lived with him. She resided in Village, ignorant of his circumstances. Moreover, due to her rebirth, many things had changed in this life.

Su Wenyue even speculated whether that hidden, mysterious force was related to Sikong Ling, but then she thought it didn’t fit. Considering the current power of the Sikong Family, with Sikong Ling holding the majority of the family’s strength in his hands, dealing with Han Yu, who had not yet secured his position, would have been effortless. They wouldn’t need to go through such great lengths. Besides, Sikong Ling had previously assisted Han Yu, which allowed him to successfully evade the mysterious force’s schemes during that bandit suppression.

In Sun Mansion, both Madam Sun and her daughter learned about the Governor’s Wife inviting Su Wenyue. After all, such news would not be kept secret, and it was easy to find out. Neither mother nor daughter looked pleased.

“Mother, I’m so filled with hatred. Why should that wretch from the Su Family garner such glory and be invited to a banquet by the Governor’s Wife? When I see that woman’s smug face, I just want to tear off her hypocritical mask!” Sun Qianru’s features twisted with jealousy.

Madam Sun, although suffering as well, still knew restraint. The Su Family was not something they could provoke, having already lost face tremendously last time and been reprimanded by the old lady from Bei’an Marquis Mansion. How could they fail to learn their lesson? Yet seeing her daughter in such a state, she was well aware that it would not be easy for her to face the Su Family with a calm heart.

“My daughter, the Su Family has a powerful backer. It turns out the Su Family is a branch of the Bei’an Marquis Mansion in Chang’an. They are not ones we can afford to offend. After the commotion we caused in Su Mansion last time, your father has been quite unhappy with us. He hasn’t visited my quarters for half a month and has been staying with that foxy concubine instead. Let’s stop clashing with the Su Family. If we can’t face them, can we not avoid them?”

“But, Mother, I just can’t swallow this grievance.”

Han Yu and Su Wenyue, a couple who were obstructing her husband’s future and her sworn enemy. The bandit suppression wasn’t only instigated by Li Bonian—Sun Qianru was simply hiding behind the scenes because she knew Su Wenyue’s backing was not to be trifled with. She had hoped to see Han Yu perish in that bandit nest, but instead, he returned safely and even got promoted, leaving her husband further behind. Now, there was a significant rank difference between her husband and Han Yu, likewise between her and Su Wenyue.

“My daughter, you mustn’t be impulsive. Currently, even your father’s intentions are unclear, and our mother-daughter status within the Mansion is precarious. You absolutely cannot cause any more trouble at this time. If you really can’t stand it, don’t confront them openly. I have been in Yiyang for many years and have connections. Even without showing myself, I can still make the Su Family suffer. There’s no need for us to take matters into our own hands.”