Everlasting lamp

"Ah Xi, our Fu family has always treated you kindly, yet you keep making mistakes for me?" Fu Qinxiang twirled an orchid between her fingers, its petals delicate and unfolding. She stroked it, her eyes fixed on it. "Yesterday after court, you said it was absolutely true that Jiang Heng returned to the manor by carriage. Then, was the one I saw in the garden his doppelganger?"

Fu Chengxi frowned, sweat seeped from his temples, and his lips were bitten until they were red. He did not say a word.

Seeing his appearance, Fu Qinxiang pinched the withered flower stem and said, "If you have any troubles, just tell your older sister, and I will take care of them for you. Even if someone threatens to kill you, with me protecting you, they will not be able to harm you in the slightest."

Fu Chengxi's entire body was stiff and numb, and he could barely kneel. The more silent he became, the more tense he became. The only sound in the entire flower room was his heavy breathing. If Fu Qinxiang didn't speak, the next sound would probably be his head rolling. He said with trembling lips, "...Jiang Heng did indeed return to the manor by carriage...I'm afraid his deception is superb."

Fu Qinxiang pinched the withered flower between her fingers, snorted coldly, and turned to continue staring at him. Fu Chengxi knelt even deeper, determined to wait for her to continue questioning him. Fu Qinxiang took a few more steps before smiling and saying, "That's the good Axi. Just say what you mean. You and I are both mortals, and we are bound to make mistakes. Learn from your mistakes and be more careful next time."

Fu Chengxi kowtowed three times and was helped up by his guards.

"Henghui, you should learn from him. Not everyone has that kind of honesty. That's what's most needed when serving your master." Fu Qinxiang waved her hand to dismiss the guards and send Fu Chengxi away.

Watching Fu Chengxi's retreating figure, Fu Qinxiang beckoned Heng Hui over and said, "Have you noticed anything unusual about his behavior these past few days?"

Heng Hui thought for a moment and said, "I think it's normal. He did follow Jiang Heng's instructions to stay close to him. If there's any flaw, he didn't leave any for us."

“Indeed, he is no different from before. He also told me the truth about Jiang Heng saving him. However, when Jiang Heng came out of the garden this time, I saw that he was not as calm as usual. His face was even a little red, and there seemed to be bloodstains on his lips... Do you have any thoughts?” Fu Qinxiang casually threw the flowers on the ground, and someone immediately knelt down to pick them up.

"Jiang Heng wouldn't be having a secret rendezvous with someone in the garden, would he? Perhaps it's his sweetheart?" Heng Hui asked without hesitation.

Upon hearing an unexpected answer, Fu Qinxiang raised an eyebrow and said, "In the end, it's you experienced folks who truly understand. But... if you're telling me, who could possibly hold onto his cold heart? This young man was pampered and spoiled in his early years, but he suffered a lot as he grew older. How could he easily entrust his feelings to someone?" Fu Qinxiang pondered for a moment, examining all the suspicious individuals, but couldn't find a suitable match. She smiled slightly and said, "He's really good at hiding it."

Heng Hui thought to himself that his master believed the answer he had given subconsciously, and a sense of pride rose in his heart.

"Alright, this matter can't be known immediately. You should have someone keep a close eye on Fu Chengxi's behavior, and report back immediately if anything unusual happens." Fu Qinxiang stood up, examined the remaining flower buds, and nodded in satisfaction.

Heng Hui agreed, but then hesitated for a moment and said, "Grand Preceptor, I have a feeling that it is not a good thing that the Emperor has ordered Zhao Peiming to go to Huatun Garrison for half a day."

“It’s certainly not good for us, but there’s no need to worry too much. The men Jiang Heng brought to Banrihua are all brutes. They used to be thieves or robbers in Tiansong. Once they go to Banrihua, they will definitely dominate the area and won’t easily give up their beloved land. If Zhao Peiming goes, firstly, he will be at odds with the villagers, and secondly, Jiang Heng will not give him any benefits. Besides, he is a fugitive from Shajiesai, and his head is still ‘made of gold.’ How can he really live peacefully?” Fu Qinxiang rested her chin on one hand and picked at a flower bud with the other. “By the time Sarenmandula arrives at Banrihua, the village will have already been turned upside down. At that time, we won’t need to do anything. Zhao Peiming and Jiang Heng will easily settle things. There will be no day when Jiang Heng becomes the prime minister.”

"So you're not planning to rely on the Sa Taqi anymore?" Heng Hui said with some regret. "If that's the case, we should capture Tang Ying as soon as possible. Without Tang Ying, our chances of winning are really slim."

Fu Qinxiang interrupted, "No, we can't rush things with Tang Ying. We need to get Tang Yao under control first, and have Tang Yao say a few nice words to the Emperor. Then I'll subtly influence Tang Ying to keep her on the rise and gain more trust in us. After that, we can use Tang Yao as leverage, and he'll be less likely to use harsh methods."

Heng Hui raised an eyebrow: "Didn't you say you wouldn't do anything to make Tang Yao offer herself? Now you want her to seduce people with her beauty?"

Fu Qinxiang remained calm: "There are gains and losses, a principle we both understand. Tang Yao's advantage lies in her beauty; to gain benefits, one must be willing to use it. Besides, Tang Yao herself accepts it, so we don't need to interfere in other people's karma, do we?"

Heng Hui suddenly narrowed her eyes, her voice lowering to almost questioning, "Do you really think you can handle this with ease? Shuang Yue, Tang Yao is the emperor's favorite concubine, whom he fell in love with at first sight. No one else in the court has received such treatment, even just for being in charge of government affairs. Even if you can find Tang Yao's weakness, can you guarantee that you won't be caught out and have something against you?" At this moment, she was somewhat nervous, and also somewhat determined.

Fu Qinxiang raised her eyes, looking nonchalantly at the slightly trembling woman before her. She walked straight towards her, pulled her over, and pushed her into a chair, saying, "What's there to be nervous about? Even if I fall in love with Tang Yao, it's none of your business. Besides, this charade only works if I truly invest my feelings. Tang Yao is from the music hall; she can see through sincerity and pretense better than we can. If I don't pay the price, I certainly won't earn her genuine affection. If I delay things, you have the privilege of killing me to clear the way." She extended a finger, lightly lifting the woman's chin, then leaned back against the light, her entire face shrouded in darkness. Her eyes were as deep as a still pool, and her lips were a dark red, devoid of any color. As she spoke, it seemed as if a mouthful of fangs was opening and closing, threatening to devour her if one wasn't careful.

Heng Hui was either stunned or dumbfounded, and just stood there in the chair—the chair would quickly get cold without anyone sitting on it, but this was the chair that Fu Qinxiang had sat on, so it had a different temperature now.

"You haven't fallen in love with me, have you?" Fu Qinxiang tilted her head slightly, revealing a faint smile. Her face, which had looked like a demon from hell, suddenly became more human. "Whether you love me or hate me, I, Fu Qinxiang, will not abandon you. You should also be careful."

The two were only inches apart, but somehow, the more open and honest Fu Qinxiang was, the further apart Heng Hui felt their hearts were.

A maidservant beside Fu Qinxiang handed her a booklet. The illustrations depicted two women entwined, holding different poses. Fu Qinxiang flipped through a few more pages, each showing a different pose, but all depicting two women. She smiled and said, "You've taught me some things I didn't understand before, so I should thank you. However, I'll keep this booklet as a reminder."

Sweat beaded on Heng Hui's forehead. He sat up straight and said tremblingly, "I beg the Imperial Preceptor to forgive me and return this book to me. I... might as well burn it."

"Then you shouldn't take this to heart. This is just a warning. No matter how well you hide your things, they won't escape my eyes. You are also someone I control, and you can't escape either. Stop trying to use tricks and learn how to serve your master properly." Fu Qinxiang told the maid to put away the booklet. Seeing the despair gradually creeping into Heng Hui's eyes, she gently stroked his face in a comforting gesture.

The fragrance from the sleeve wafted into Heng Hui's nostrils, and instantly she lost her ability to think, her eyes glazing over.

“We’ve been friends since childhood, how could I bear to hurt you? I need you to cover my retreat. If I’m really stuck in a quagmire, you shouldn’t try to pull me out, but keep going.” Fu Qinxiang withdrew her hand and stepped back, giving the other person room to get up. “Don’t let love hold you back.”

Heng Hui was still in shock, panting softly, and bowed, saying, "Your subordinate dares not... Your subordinate obeys."

Heng Hui, oh Heng Hui, you are an ever-burning lamp. Thinking this, Fu Qinxiang said nothing more, and floated out of the flower room without looking back. Heng Hui quickly followed, leaving the entire room of fragrance behind.

Over the years, Fu Qinxiang, being a precocious girl, was naturally aware of Heng Hui's feelings for her. She simply didn't know how to respond or how to make him cut his losses. She closed her eyes, thinking that if Heng Hui truly loved her to that extent, he would undoubtedly die with her. If things continued this way, the plan would surely fail. The only way was to succeed through her own efforts, not by blaming others.

The midday sun was shining brightly, and the garden was a riot of color. Jiang Heng, dressed in casual clothes, went in with a flower basket to pick flowers.

Heng Hui was also dressed casually, his ponytail tied high, his eyes fixed on the white-clad figure in the flower bushes, patiently waiting for his prey to take the bait from the roof of the flower house.

"Where did Jiang Heng go today, and what did he do?" Fu Qinxiang asked Fu Chengxi as usual. At Hai hour (9-11 PM), dark clouds gathered over the capital, keeping the wind and rain out through the palace's iron walls. The palace was eerily quiet, with guards holding swords standing on either side. Fu Chengxi knelt below the steps, only the gleam of the blades blinding him. Fu Qinxiang usually wore incense made of pine and cassia, but today the palace was filled with the scent of incense from a temple.

"Reporting to the Imperial Preceptor, Jiang Heng went to the Cai Shu Pavilion to copy scriptures as usual. He stopped at the Imperial Garden, but still arrived on time." Fu Chengxi remained calm, holding Jiang Heng's finished copy in his hands.

"How long did you stay in the Imperial Garden? Were you just admiring the flowers?" Fu Qinxiang asked calmly, her voice softer than usual.

"Such a beautiful scene, even the Imperial Advisor couldn't help but linger and admire the flowers, let alone a scholar like him," Heng Hui added from the side. She crossed her arms over her chest, and the dagger at her waist clinked together with the movement, making a sound like a wild beast grinding its teeth.

"It was about fifteen minutes, just for flower viewing." Fu Chengxi nodded throughout, his expression unreadable.

"Alright, you may leave." Fu Qinxiang gestured to the guards on either side to lead the man away. Fu Chengxi's legs were not nimble, a side effect of taking Fu Qinxiang's special medicine. Everyone around him was the same, so it was no surprise.

Who exactly did Jiang Heng meet with yesterday? Fu Qinxiang found it increasingly interesting. If someone like Jiang Heng could be so easily swayed by love that he was exposed, then perhaps it was understandable that she herself occasionally made mistakes.

"It's strange. We've raised him for so many years, and he's turned out to be an ingrate. If you ask me, we should just kill him today to avoid any future problems," Heng Hui couldn't help but say.

Fu Qinxiang smiled and said, "No rush. Isn't he trying to repay a debt of gratitude? Let's give him a chance. There are more than just one or two people in the court who are envious of Jiang Heng. Why not use them as a pawn and watch from the sidelines?"

"Please enlighten me, Imperial Preceptor."

"Do you still remember Jiang Heng's robe?"

Heng Hui smiled knowingly and nodded.