Extra 5: Seeking shelter from the county lady

"County Lady Fanghua, I have long heard of your great name."

The woman's fox eyes were smiling, but the joy clearly did not reach her eyes.

Su Cheng raised her eyes with a frown, pursed her lips and smiled softly, "Are you the daughter of He Yuan, the new salt transport envoy?"

"That's right." The woman nodded and said with a smile, "County Lady, just call me Fu'er."

Su Cheng ignored her advances in intimacy, the curve of his lips softened a bit, "Miss He, you came here today, is there something important?"

"Even before my father moved to the capital, I've always admired the county lady. Now that I'm at the emperor's feet, I can enjoy the same blue sky with the county lady. I'm incredibly excited." He Fu lowered her eyes, her cheeks rosy. "I happened to meet Mr. Xie and wanted to ask him to introduce me to someone, but I didn't expect to run into the county lady's personal maid."

"I'm not a powerful figure, so why should I admire you?" Su Cheng felt a little strange in her heart. Somehow, she just didn't have a good impression of this Miss He whom she met for the first time.

He Fu had delicate facial features, but she had a pair of fox eyes that were very alluring. Her eyes were full of charm, and there were dimples at the corners of her lips. She always had a gentle and sincere smile on her face.

But for no reason...it just makes people feel uncomfortable.

"You are wrong, County Master." He Fu shook her head gently, blinking her eyes. She whispered, "Fu'er's only wish is to be by your side, to see and do more, to learn even a little bit of what you do, and to bring honor to our family."

Su Cheng looked her over, and after a long while, he curled his lips and smiled, "Follow me? Miss He, are you planning to join the Su family and become my maid?"

The smile on He Fu's lips froze for a moment, then she covered her lips with a handkerchief and smiled softly, "County Lady, please stop teasing Fu'er. The Su family has hundreds of servants, so why do you need Fu'er to serve you?"

"lady--"

Xie Suzhou hurried over, carrying the chicken soup he had cooked himself. He had long since taken off his court robes and changed into ordinary clothes, looking clean and gentle. He looked up and saw the uninvited guest in the room. He frowned and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Thank you, sir." He Fu stood up politely, a trace of grievance on her cheeks. She spoke in a familiar tone, "You left in a hurry before we could even say a few words. Fortunately, I met Miss Cai Lian, who was by the side of the county lady, and was able to see her true face."

"We've only met twice, so we're not very familiar with each other. Besides, my wife isn't someone you can just look at." Xie Suzhou frowned, a hint of gloom in his beautiful peach blossom eyes. "If you really have nothing to do, let He Yuan find you a good family to marry into."

The smile on He Fu's face froze, and a flicker of unwillingness flashed in her eyes. She stirred the handkerchief with her fingertips and whispered, "Sir, do you have to be so ruthless?"

"You two, do you think I'm dead?" Su Cheng raised his eyes, and the cold light in his eyes made Master Xie shudder. "Miss He, from what you said, it seems that you are very familiar with my husband?"

"My Lord, I don't know her at all, Madam, you——"

Su Cheng glared at him, and Xie Suzhou had to shut up and could only stare at He Fu sinisterly.

"County Lady, I am indeed not familiar with Lord Xie. Including this time, I have only met him twice." He Fu lowered her long eyelashes, and the corners of her eyes were a little red. No matter how you look at it, she looks like she has been coerced.

And the person who coerced her was...

Su Cheng glanced at the man beside him with deep eyes.

Xie Suzhou had a lot of grievances to say, and his face was filled with grief and anger. "Madam, you should believe me. I have always been a clean and honest person!"

A hint of a smile flashed across Su Cheng's eyes, but he suppressed it. He turned back to look at He Fu again and asked softly, "Miss He, you said you wanted to stay with me. I'm a little curious, how do you do that?"

He Fu sobbed, looking so pitiful. Before anyone in the room could come to their senses, she bent her knees and knelt down in front of Su Cheng. "County Lady, I know I'm insignificant and my personality isn't very pleasant, but I beg you to allow me to stay by your side. As long as I can learn something, broaden my horizons, and stay away from the intrigues of the backyard, I'm willing to pay any price."

As soon as she finished speaking, the tears in her eyes fell to the ground along her cheeks.

"My father ordered me to find a husband from among the sons of aristocratic families, even if it means being a concubine. As long as it can benefit his future career, he will sell me." He Fu wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, her expression frightened. "I don't want to marry too early or become a concubine, but I don't know anyone else in the capital. I just heard about the county lady's deeds, so I thought I'd try my luck."

"If the county lady doesn't save me, I will die!"

The room was silent. Su Cheng looked at her calmly, without a trace of emotion in his eyes.

Xie Suzhou didn't even look at her. He gently stirred the chicken soup in the bowl and begged his wife in a low voice to have a sip.

Seeing this, He Fu's eyes flashed with resentment. She stood up suddenly and rushed towards the pillar not far away, shouting, "If the county lady is unwilling to help me, I will die!"

"Miss!" The He family's maid was horrified and hurried to stop her.

Su Cheng remained silent, but glanced at Qing Shuang. The latter understood and flew over with a light tap of his toes.

"Miss He."

But in the blink of an eye, Qing Shuang had already grabbed He Fu's collar.

He Fu raised her eyes, looking at her panickedly as she lifted her up like a chick, "What...what are you going to do?"

"Please forgive me for speaking frankly. Madam has always been a fan of cleanliness. If Miss He really wants to die, she should die outside. How can dying in our Su family be a big deal?" Qing Shuang spoke slowly, as if her life was not hers. "My Madam is pregnant now. If Miss He makes a mess of blood and makes Madam see red before giving birth, then Master He will have no need to stay in the officialdom."

He Fu couldn't believe her ears. After all, her father was the salt transport envoy, the most lucrative job. She was the legitimate daughter of the He family and had a noble destiny. But in the mouth of the Su family's maid, it became a light-hearted sentence: "Go and die if you want to."

"You..." He Fu's eyes were red, and she bit her lower lip lightly. "How could a servant like you speak to me like that?"

Qing Shuang shook her off, quietly walked to stand behind Su Cheng, and refused to even glance at her.

"County Lady..."

He Fu wanted to complain, but met Su Cheng's smiling eyes.

"Miss He, I agree to your request."

Hearing this, He Fu's eyes lit up and she asked hurriedly, "Are you...really?"

Xie Suzhou frowned and looked at her with some disapproval, "Madam, please think about it again..."

"Don't worry about it. Miss He, go back now and pack your belongings and prepare to move in temporarily with the Su family." Su Cheng didn't even blink, and said calmly, his expression as usual, "I will definitely do my best to teach Miss He."