Chapter 51 A person longing for home, do you even deserve to be my subject?

Fu Sui stayed in the palace until the seventeenth day before returning home. Just a few days after returning home, guests arrived at his residence.

The clear liquid in the cup was still slightly warm. The weather had turned cooler these past few days, and pear water and lily soup had been prepared in the mansion.

Fu Sui was half-heartedly winding the silk thread, listening to the people sitting next to him talking.

The man was in his early forties, not very tall, but quite good-looking, with a few carefully groomed strands of beard.

He wore an indigo blue robe, which fit snugly at the waist and shoulders and was well-washed and crisp. Perhaps because he was coming to see Fu Sui, he only used a small handkerchief to tie his hair up, but a small section of the natural lining of the robe was visible at the collar, which looked like fine cotton.

He picked up the cup and took a sip, but apparently didn't like the taste, so he only took a small sip and put it down, then explained his purpose to Fu Sui with a big smile.

“Mrs. He has been thinking about me a lot and has been urging me to come day and night. I’ve been too busy with my business to come here, which is why I’ve been delayed until now. If it weren’t for the fact that Mrs. He couldn’t come to the capital, I would have brought her with me, so she wouldn’t have to worry about me at home.”

Seeing that Fu Sui had no reaction, the man brought up the gifts he had brought.

“We don’t have anything particularly special to offer from this small place. We’ve picked out some local specialties, so please take a look, Princess.” He paused, then continued, “A while ago, Liaozhou produced some excellent ginseng, and it was quite a coincidence that I happened to come across it. I know that the Princess doesn’t lack these things, but this is just a small token of our appreciation. Madam He is concerned about the Princess’s health, so this trip is to put her mind at ease.”

On the table beside Fu Sui was a four-compartment box containing Bodhi beads and sandalwood beads. Fu Sui picked up a few beads and compared them in his hand.

Fu Sui was quite surprised that this person would come.

This was the first time Fu Sui had met him. He was He Yujing's second husband, surnamed Zhao, and settled in Yangxian.

Fu Sui listened to him repeatedly talk about how much He Yujing missed her, but her heart remained completely unmoved.

When He Yujing left, she was not yet seven years old. In the following years, she lived alone in the huge Princess Mansion and grew up with Qin An and Doumiao.

In the years immediately following He Yujing's departure, Fu Sui would often miss her. Although He Yujing was overly naive and completely clueless about how to raise children, she was, after all, Fu Sui's blood-related mother.

At that time, she was ill, and the palace was keeping a close eye on Qin An, so everyone in the mansion was on edge. Fu Sui felt wronged and cried secretly every night, but she didn't want Doumiao to know, so she didn't dare to make a sound. She would cry half the night in bed, but in the morning she would be all cheerful again.

Now she doesn't even remember what He Yujing looks like. He Yujing probably regrets it too. Over the years, Yangxian has sent her a lot of food and supplies. Although it was partly due to the person in front of her, a lot of it was obviously He Yujing's doing.

Fu Sui believed He Yujing cared about her, but she didn't believe the sincerity of the man in front of her. She said that He Yujing was urging her, and that this was the only time she had come in so many years, and now she was going to be "delayed" by business.

Having traveled extensively and seen much of the world, Fu Sui remained silent, but the man continued to speak, picking up the conversation himself. He talked about strange events in Yangxian and family matters, his witty remarks preventing any awkwardness in the room.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the purpose of his visit.

"I've been so worried about my sons' studies. As a merchant, I've already been a burden to them, preventing them from passing the imperial examinations. I can only try my best to make up for it in other ways."

"I've visited all the academies and schools in Yangxian, big and small, but they all have impressive reputations and don't necessarily have much real talent. I've also been to the prefectural school, but there are so many students there that it's difficult for the teachers to supervise them all, and I'm also afraid that those unambitious playboys will lead them astray."

"After much thought, it would be best to study at the official school in the capital. Firstly, all the professors and doctors at the official school have the talent to help the world, and secondly, the status of an official student will save me some trouble when I participate in the imperial examinations in the future."

The man glanced at Fu Sui's expression as he finished speaking. The number of places in the official academy was limited, and the selection process was rigorous. He admitted his son lacked the talent to enter the official academy. However, if someone in the court could pull strings, securing a place wouldn't be difficult. That was precisely why he had come all this way.

Fu Sui was stringing a Bodhi bead onto the rope, as if he hadn't heard anything.

Seeing this, the man had no choice but to be more explicit: "The princess is of noble birth and should not be troubled by such trivial matters. It is truly a last resort that I have come to ask the princess for help. In the past, it was He Shi who failed to take good care of the princess, and now she deeply regrets it. As the saying goes, blood is thicker than water. My family is well aware that He Shi often misses the princess and cannot eat or sleep. I know that my words are presumptuous, but the princess is all alone in the capital. If she could have brothers to support her, it would be better than the princess being unable to support herself alone. He Shi would also be able to rest assured."

Fu Sui finally looked up at him and said, "I really don't understand what you mean by that, Young Master Zhao. I am a member of the imperial clan, and my birth is recorded in the clan register. There is no name He Yujing on the clan register. Young Master Zhao keeps saying that your wife misses me, but what could these two unrelated people possibly miss?"

After talking for a while, the man's throat became dry, and he looked at the pear water in the cup with disgust and dislike.

The princess's residence had not prepared any other drinks or wine. He licked his lips and said with a smile, "That's true, but we are still blood relatives. The princess has seen our feelings for her all these years. Although we are not on the family register, the hearts of mothers all over the world are the same when they miss their children."

"The He family is based in Yangxian and cannot easily enter the capital. I, a lowly merchant, dare not presume to visit such a noble person. The He family and I are unable to help the princess, but my young son is exceptionally intelligent. If he could enter officialdom, he would surely be able to clear away obstacles for the princess."

“The princess is in the capital and in the court, and there is also…” He glanced at Fu Sui and lowered his voice, “and there is the matter of Prince Jin in the past. He is ignorant and does not understand the interests involved, nor does she know the princess’s difficulties. However, these old matters have never been exposed, and it is possible that someone is using them to blackmail the princess. The princess should keep some spies in the court.”

As the man gradually began to recount the past events of the Prince of Jin, Fu Sui finally looked at him properly.

He was more cunning than He Yujing, and even guessed that the death of the Prince of Jin was unusual. He even thought of using this to persuade him to intervene in the court.

Fu Sui looked at the man with a hint of amusement. To secure a student status for his son, he dared to say anything, wasn't he afraid of being accused of criticizing state affairs? Or was he certain that Fu Sui would be persuaded?

Seeing the change in Fu Sui's expression, the man assumed she was tempted and quickly pressed his advantage: "Those court officials, from the moment they entered school, who didn't have a few teachers and classmates, plus various relatives and friends, naturally have a complex web of relationships? Even if you can win these people over, you still need to be wary of their teachers, clans, and relatives behind them. How can you use them smoothly?"

“But it’s different if Your Highness personally supports us. How could a small family like ours have the chance to be registered without Your Highness’s help? If we can get Your Highness’s support, our whole family will obey Your Highness’s orders. Besides, we still have a blood connection, which is more reliable than those outsiders, isn’t it?”

Fu Sui slowly rubbed the beads in her hand, her face expressionless, but inwardly she sneered. If she really interfered with the official schools and the imperial examinations, and manipulated the court officials, she would probably soon be joining Prince Xu in his company.

The tomb of the Prince of Jin is located at Jiu Cong Mountain, which is still in need of a tomb keeper. Who would be more suitable than her, the last surviving daughter of the Prince of Jin?

Fu Sui rubbed the beads between his fingers until they were warm, but his tone was icy: "Young Master Zhao is quite the smooth talker. But I have a question. The minimum age for students admitted to the official school is fourteen. Your wife has been married into your family for no more than nine years. How did you two raise a fourteen-year-old boy?"

The man was somewhat embarrassed when the topic came up, but it was something that couldn't be hidden anyway. Since the princess had asked, he couldn't lie, so he could only laugh awkwardly and say, "It would be embarrassing for the princess to say this, but I was once married and had several children. However, the princess need not worry, as she has long since passed away. My children, regardless of age, all call her Mother He. Since Mother He married me, I have been devoted to her wholeheartedly, and the children only recognize Mother He as their mother. There is absolutely no dispute about who should be their mother."

He was ruthless; in order to climb into the imperial family, he even wanted to take away the honors bestowed upon the wife in front of him.

Fu Sui still wanted He Yujing to be doing well. Although she left when the family was going through its most difficult time, she knew nothing about it at the time and did not intend to abandon them.

Fu Sui recalled the gold hairpin she wore on her birthday. The red gold hairpin was covered with intricate patterns, and the hairpin head, adorned with eight auspicious flowers, was inlaid with shimmering beads and various colored gemstones, all of excellent quality. The ruby ​​in the very center was cut to a dazzling brilliance, and the surrounding ring of diamonds was even more radiant.

He Yujing must have gone to great lengths to collect those gems. Actually, even if she hadn't done it, Fu Sui wouldn't have made things difficult for her; even if she called out to him at the mansion gate every day, Fu Sui wouldn't have responded. Perhaps she did all this just to ease her conscience, but the more Fu Sui saw through the allure of wealth and power, the more he wished He Yujing could forever remain innocent and carefree, living a life without worries.

A hint of heat flickered in his eyes. Fu Sui lowered his head and took a deep breath, swallowing the bitter taste in his mouth.

Was it the same thing that his father did back then, deliberately hiding everything from He Yujing, and even after his father's death, Qin An continued to carry out his father's orders?

"Entering an official school is not out of the question..."

The man's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he couldn't help but smile. However, what came next shattered his expectations.

"However, I am a widowed daughter of a noble family, and I only enjoy my current prosperity thanks to the Emperor's mercy. It is my duty to be law-abiding. Students of official schools can skip the autumn examinations, and entering an official school means stepping into a career in government. Even if I did not form cliques or cause trouble in the court by forcibly requesting a place from an official school, it would still cause trouble for the Emperor, and it would still be my fault. Therefore, I should have a reason to explain to the Emperor. If He's child wants to enter an official school, I can help her. In the future, as long as she does not become a traitor or rebel, I can also say a few good words for her before the Emperor."

As Fu Sui finished speaking, a contemptuous smile appeared on his lips: "But what do your descendants, Zhao Langjun, have to do with me? Do they even deserve to be my subjects?"

Upon hearing this, the man's expression shifted several times. If he felt sorrow, the princess had granted his and He's child a bright future; if he felt joy, his plans for his eldest son had fallen through.

He gave a half-smile, knowing he couldn't show a sad face in front of such an important person and risk being disliked. He quickly forced a smile, praising Fu Sui with gratitude, and tentatively asked, "That person is already buried in the earth, so it really doesn't matter..."

Before he could finish speaking, Fu Sui threw the Bodhi beads back into the box and slowly sipped his drink.

Kouyun, who was waiting to the side, immediately stepped forward and stood between Zhao Langjun and Fu Sui, which was a blatant way of seeing the guests off.

Unable to offend any of the noble relatives and powerful figures, Zhao Langjun could only leave dejectedly.

The princess refused to help, and finding another way to secure a place for his eldest son would be even more difficult, likely requiring a great deal of money. Considering that his son with Madam He was still young and his future was uncertain, he politely thanked the servant who had led him out of the mansion, but as he turned to leave, his face darkened, and a cloud of worry clouded his brow.