Raising a wife? The mistress of the Hou family divorced and remarried her younger uncle

Chapter 266 Aunt and Nephew
As Su Qingwan listened to Lu Nianqing's words, a wave of indescribable bitterness welled up in her heart.

"Aunt, if... if Mother wants me to take charge of Huainan, it's just a stepping stone for her to reach the pinnacle of power, would you still feel comfortable entrusting Huainan to me?" Lu Nianqing's question was extremely direct, greatly surprising Su Qingwan. She really didn't expect that a boy of only thirteen years old could think so far ahead and so clearly; this shouldn't be a problem for someone his age to worry about.

Why would he think of such a bleak future?
Could it be that the Princess had intentionally or unintentionally revealed something, or given some hints? Su Qingwan pondered for a long time, then reached out and poured Lu Nianqing a cup of milk tea.

This milk tea is a specialty of Huainan. People in Kyoto and the Jiangnan region generally dislike it, feeling that the milk ruins the tea's original fragrance. However, in Huainan and the southwest, people love this combination. Nianqing also grew to like it after arriving in Huainan, and made sure to have a cup every morning for breakfast.

“Nianqing, our Huainan fiefdom has been independent for six generations. Every Huainan king has had no interest in power struggles, focusing only on the safety of the borders and the well-being of the people. You must always remember this. Defending the borders and expanding the territory, ensuring the peace of the people—this is the ancestral precept passed down through generations of the Huainan royal family. The Huainan royal family was tragically wiped out because our ancestors refused to participate in power struggles. Although the price was heavy, I understand my father's choice back then. As a general with a large army, one should be loyal to the people, not just the royal family. I don't care who sits on the throne; as long as the people can live a peaceful and stable life, it doesn't matter who it is.” Su Qingwan spoke gently, “Therefore, I will not impose any constraints on you. Since I have decided to entrust Huainan to you, I will trust you without reservation. Whatever choice you make, I will fully support you.”

"No matter what choice I make, you will support me?" Lu Nianqing repeated Su Qingwan's words in disbelief, secretly wondering to herself, even if I raise the army of Huainan to support my mother, will you still support me? Won't you blame me?
He knew in his heart that after his aunt went to the capital, she would marry the regent Lu Jing. Lu Jing and his mother were political enemies, and as husband and wife, they would become political enemies as well. If Huainan ultimately chose to side with his mother, would his aunt really not blame him?

“That’s right, whatever decision you make, your aunt will support you.” Su Qingwan’s tone was firm, her eyes full of trust. “But your aunt hopes that every choice you make, Nianqing, will not violate the ancestral precepts of the Huainan Prince’s Mansion. After all, our Huainan Prince’s Mansion has always been the most important defense line on the border of Dayuan, and every decision is closely related to the fate of thousands of people. However, you are my only blood relative in this world, and even if you really make the wrong choice, your aunt will bear the consequences with you.”

Lu Nianqing felt a warmth in her heart, and a smile appeared on her originally serious face.

He had been bound by strict rules since childhood and rarely smiled, which Su Qingwan saw and felt sorry for. Seeing him finally smile now, Su Qingwan was filled with relief and joy.

“Aunt, I understand.” Lu Nianqing said in a steady voice, “I will acknowledge my ancestors and inherit the fiefdom of Huainan. I will also strive to become your support in the future.” He knew that his aunt’s trip to the capital was like that of a hostage, and Huainan was her only support.

“No, Nianqing, you don’t need to be your aunt’s support. You only need to be your own support, and the support of all the people of Huainan,” Su Qingwan said softly. “Your aunt’s trip to the capital is a done deal. This is your own life, and every step is a choice made after careful consideration. No matter the outcome, your aunt will not regret it. On the contrary, you, who are left alone in Huainan, must be extremely cautious in everything you do. You should listen to the advice of General Xiao Ning and Prefect Yun. Prefect Yun is your uncle and your father’s most trusted brother-in-law. He would never harm you.”

General Xiao Ning has followed me through many years, loyal and devoted. Although he comes from the southwest, he is equally trustworthy. You have just arrived in Huainan, with no relatives or friends here, and no prior connection with them. You will need to spend more time winning them over, making good use of their talents, and diligently learning the art of managing subordinates.” “I will definitely do my best!” After a long talk with Su Qingwan, Lu Nianqing had a clear direction in mind, and her whole demeanor became more composed and determined.

Su Qingwan is about to accompany Lu Jing to the capital. Lu Jing has already written to the Princess, instructing her to prepare provisions and supplies, and to arrange for Marquis Ningyuan and General Chen to lead troops to Huainan, where troops are about to attack Xilin. Once the army sets off, Su Qingwan will embark on the journey to the capital with Lu Jing.

Su Qingwan meticulously prepared a grand ceremony to recognize her ancestors and return to her clan. She invited General Xiao Ning, Prefect Yun, Zhang San, and other trusted confidants, as well as clan leaders from the Huainan fiefdom and all the elders. She invited all the respected and capable people from the Huainan clans to be her witnesses.

During the ceremony, Su Qingwan personally inscribed Lu Nianqing's name into the family genealogy, and from then on, Lu Nianqing officially changed his name to Su Nianqing. Once the imperial edict arrived, Su Nianqing would be able to officially succeed as the Prince of Huainan, and the entire Huainan fiefdom would follow his lead.

Huainan had just experienced a man-made disaster, and the city was still in a state of mourning, so it was inconvenient for the Prince's Mansion to hold a large banquet. According to custom, such a formal and grand ceremony should have involved a three-day banquet to entertain guests from all directions. However, considering the actual situation in the city, Su Qingwan had no choice but to cancel the banquet and only invited clan elders and officials to witness the formal transfer of power.

Nianqing didn't care about any of this. After paying respects to his ancestors, led by Su Qingwan, he greeted the clan elders and officials one by one. He had met many of the officials from the fiefdom before, so they didn't seem unfamiliar. He had been raised by the eldest princess since childhood, and although he had been sent to the mountains to learn martial arts in his early years, he had been exposed to the vortex of power from the very beginning. Now, he was able to handle the situation with ease and without any restraint.

This was undoubtedly a major event in Huainan, yet Lu Jing did not participate. Everyone knew that as the regent, he had led troops to support Huainan and made outstanding contributions, but he had never been greedy for credit. He knew that Nian Qing had just taken over Huainan and urgently needed to establish his authority, so he simply chose to remain hidden in his residence, not wanting to steal Nian Qing's limelight.

Ten days later, the imperial edict arrived as scheduled, and Nianqing officially took over Huainan. Following the late Emperor Taizu's will, the Emperor returned the Huainan fiefdom. At the same time, the 30,000-strong army led by Marquis Ningyuan and General Chen was about to arrive. The army would reach Huainan six days after the edict was delivered, and Su Qingwan was ready to return to the capital with Lu Jing.

In the days leading up to her return to the capital, she and Lu Jing barely saw each other. She spent her days helping Nianqing familiarize herself with the affairs of Huainan, cherishing every moment with her, and often telling her about her brother's life. Lu Jing understood this and didn't disturb them, quietly allowing them time together.

The map will be different in the next chapter!