chapter93 "Mother"

Like the steamed bun, Fu Yunxiu also did not believe that Aman was dead. He firmly believed that Aman was still alive and that he would see her one day.

Even a faint hope is still hope. And so, Fu Yunxiu began his journey to find Aman.

He didn't want the position of family head, nor did he care about the title of marquis. In the end, the elders still did not push Fu Ang to take the position.

The reason was simple: Fu Ang was dead.

Fu Changze told Su, Fu Ang's concubine, about the affair between Fu Ang and Chen Shi back then.

At the time, Chen claimed to be Su's good sister and even taught Su the art of controlling her husband. Later, Fu Ang indeed came to her courtyard every day, but not to see her. Instead, he used incense to drug her and then made love to Chen on her bed.

No woman could endure such humiliation, especially considering the resentment Su Shi had harbored for Fu Ang over the years of loneliness. Therefore, she slipped an aphrodisiac into Fu Ang's food, causing him to have an accident while out seeking pleasure.

For Fu Ang, it must have been a great disgrace that a man who prided himself on his integrity ultimately died of a stroke.

As for those clan elders who always seemed moderate but were actually indecisive, after some coercion and bribery, and after a bit of bloodshed, they all became obedient.

Therefore, Fu Changze is more suitable to be the head of the family than him.

Fu Yunting has now entered the court as an official, holding the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and is highly regarded by His Majesty.

From spring to summer, from autumn to winter, Fu Yunxiu never gave up searching for Aman.

The plum blossoms in Wutong Garden bloomed and faded, faded and bloomed again, and in the blink of an eye, another winter month has arrived.

Last night, the first snow fell, and the red plum blossoms in the yard were covered in snow, blooming in the cold. Such a scene, however, was ultimately missing someone to appreciate it.

Fu Yunxiu nestled on the soft couch in the room, holding a book in his hand. He casually flipped through a few pages, listening to the ticking sounds outside, and felt only annoyance in his heart.

"The steamed bun is cold." He placed the book on the table and said in a deep voice to the person sitting on the futon and dozing off not far away.

“Young master,” Mantou, who was wide awake from his drowsiness by his words, stood up and said helplessly, “Young master, we have already released three earth dragons.”

The room wasn't big to begin with, and with these three floor heaters, it was as hot as a steamer. If he wasn't worried about not being able to work properly if he took off his outer clothes, he would have been afraid of being roasted alive.

"Is that so?" Fu Yunxiu glanced at him, pulled his cloak tighter around himself, lowered his eyes, and cast a shadow under his long eyelashes.

Why then does he still feel an emptiness and a chilling coldness in his heart?

Even though the best silver charcoal has been lit and the warmest silks and satins have been worn, why is it that the warmth and comfort of the past are no longer there?

Seeing his expression, Mantou knew that her young master must be thinking about Aman again.

Indeed, after three whole years of searching, Aman seemed to have vanished without a trace, and not a single clue could be found.

Over the years, he had often followed the young master on his trips, but each time he came up empty-handed.

They went out full of hope, and returned full of disappointment.

He doesn't dare to easily tell the young master about Aman's whereabouts.

The young master was already in poor health, and after traveling around for the past three years, he has become increasingly thin. All the weight that Aman had gained over the years has now been returned to her.

With a helpless sigh, Mantou picked up the fire tongs next to the ground and began to fiddle with it.

Since the young master said it was cold, then he would make the fire burn brighter, and let him be roasted like a steamed bun.

The servant and master stayed in the room until the afternoon, just as before. Fu Yunxiu read a book and Mantou secretly slept. But this time, there was no little girl to bring tea and pastries from time to time, moving around in this small space.

The room was eerily quiet.

"Young master, you should read less, or you'll hurt your eyes." After waking up from a nap, Mantou stretched and saw Fu Yunxiu still reading a book, so she couldn't help but whisper a reminder.

This young master has read this book at least eight times in the past year. Even if he misses Aman, he shouldn't be ruining his body like this.

Seeing that Fu Yunxiu remained unmoved, Mantou secretly pondered the chances of being beaten if he went over and snatched the book, when he suddenly heard a series of chaotic footsteps outside.

After a few soft knocks, before Mantou could open the door, it was pushed open from the outside, and Madam Liu walked in.

The sudden blast of cold air made Fu Yunxiu cough violently. Madam Liu came to her senses and quickly told the maid who was with her to close the door. She poured a cup of hot water and handed it to Fu Yunxiu, saying, "Quick, drink some water to calm down."

Fu Yunxiu took the water glass but didn't drink it. He just looked at Madam Liu quietly and asked, "Why did you come here?"

"It snowed yesterday, and I was worried you'd be cold here, so I came to bring you some things."

She looked at the somewhat worn cloak covering Fu Yunxiu and said gently, "This cloak is three years old and no longer keeps you warm. I asked Fangyi to find a black fox fur one in the storeroom. Try it on; it's quite warm."

Fu Yunxiu could easily understand the deeper meaning behind her words; she was using the guise of giving him a cloak to help him let go of the past.

"No need. This black fox fur cloak is rare. Auntie, please give it to Changze."

"He doesn't need me to take care of things there. They're newlyweds, inseparable. If I go, I'll just be a nuisance." Although she said this, Madam Liu was happier than if she had eaten honey.

Now that Changze is married and Yunting is in the capital, it's said that the daughter of the Minister of Revenue has a good impression of him. Of the three sons of the Fu family, only the eldest brother, Fu Yunxiu, hasn't made a move yet.

Madam Fu was paralyzed in bed. After all, she was not his biological mother, so there were some things he couldn't say.

Madam Liu sighed and said earnestly, "Yunxiu, it's been three years. You should let it go by now. Do you really think that if you can't find Aman, you'll spend the rest of your life just guarding the Wutong Garden, all alone?"

"I'm not entirely alone, I still have steamed buns, don't I?"

“You know that’s not what I meant,” Madam Liu said irritably.

“Aunt, I’ve said some things before. In this life, the only wife in my heart is Aman.”

"Even if you never find it in your entire life?" Madam Liu asked.

"If I can't find her, I'll wait for her my whole life."

"Hmph, you're quite the infatuated one." Madam Liu snorted coldly. "Fine, fine, I won't be that annoying person. By the way, the Winter Solstice is in half a month. You should come home for a meal. Your mother hasn't seen you for a long time and has been talking about you a lot lately."

“Okay, I will go,” Fu Yunxiu said.

After leaving Wutong Garden, Madam Liu smiled broadly. But Fangyi frowned, "Madam, isn't what we're doing a bit inappropriate? What if the young master gets angry?"

"I didn't say what I wanted to do, just meet and have a meal. If we like each other, great; if not, then forget it." This Winter Solstice Festival was not just a family banquet, but also a blind date arranged by Madam Liu for Fu Yunxiu.

The woman was Fu Changze's wife's cousin. It was said that she was incredibly beautiful, a true beauty.

"Everyone says that Bingzhou is full of beauties. Look at the young mistress's appearance, her cousin must be just as stunning." Madam Liu was quite excited about playing matchmaker for the first time.

The day before the winter solstice, everyone finally met the rumored cousin Yu. Just as the young mistress had said, she was indeed a beauty.

Moreover, this cousin Yu bore a resemblance to Aman in her features, which made Madam Liu like her even more. So, despite Fu Changze's objections, she insisted on arranging for this cousin Yu to sit next to Fu Yunxiu.

The Winter Solstice Feast was a family banquet, and the guests included the members of the Marquis's household, several clan elders, and their families.

At the banquet, the older generation sat together, the younger generation sat together, and several children roamed among the crowd, playing and laughing.

Fu Yunxiu was not interested in such gatherings to begin with, and seeing the seating arrangement made by Madam Liu made him even more impatient.

"Greetings, Young Master Fu. I am Yu Jia, Fu'er's cousin. I have long admired your reputation, and seeing you today, I can confirm it is indeed well-deserved." Back in Bingzhou, Yu Jia had heard her cousin mention this unmarried elder brother in a letter. Especially when she heard that he had been waiting alone for someone, Yu Jia's girlish heart was overflowing.

On her way here, she had been thinking about how to meet this infatuated young man, but little did she know that Madam Liu's purpose in asking her to come and accompany her cousin was actually a hidden scheme.

On this day, she also used the servants of the Marquis's mansion to find out everything about the eldest son's past life.

If what she heard before was unreliable, then now, seeing the young master's handsome appearance and elegant demeanor, how could she not be moved?

Fu Yunxiu found her obvious flattery amusing. He looked up at her, and when his gaze fell on her eyes, he was momentarily stunned.

Seeing him staring at her without saying a word, Yu Jia felt a moment of joy and couldn't help but blush as she said, "Young Master Fu, if you keep staring at me like that, I'll feel embarrassed."

The sweet voice brought Fu Yunxiu back to his senses. Almost instantly, Fu Yunxiu understood the purpose of Madam Liu's actions, and a feeling of disgust arose in his heart.

He suddenly stood up, said, "I have something to do, I'll be going now," and then turned and left.

Yu Jia didn't know what she had done to offend her, but she could sense the sudden disgust that the other woman felt towards her, so she subconsciously chased after her, "Young Master Fu, wait a moment."

Yu Jia chased after Fu Yunxiu outside, but they bumped into a child who ran in from the outer room to play.

The seven- or eight-year-old child struck Yu Jia like a cannonball, knocking her off balance. As her sleeves fluttered, a porcelain bottle flew out and smashed straight into Fu Yunxiu.

Fu Yunxiu stopped and turned around, about to say something, but his gaze was drawn to the porcelain bottle on the ground.

As he bent down to pick up the porcelain bottle, Yu Jia arrived first. After picking up the bottle, she checked it repeatedly to make sure it wasn't broken and the contents hadn't spilled. Only then did she hug the bottle to her chest with lingering fear, muttering like a precious treasure, "Luckily it didn't break. This is my treasure."

Fu Yunxiu didn't care whether it was a treasure or not; he just felt that the porcelain vase looked very familiar. "Miss Yu, may I take a look at this porcelain vase?"

"Huh?" Yu Jia was puzzled, but still handed over the porcelain bottle.

Fu Yunxiu took the porcelain bottle with trembling hands, his attitude almost pious.

Sure enough, the four words were inscribed: epiphyllum, full moon, and perfect harmony of flowers and moon.

Fu Yunxiu's voice trembled with excitement, "This porcelain vase, where...where did you get it?"

“Oh, you mean this perfume?” Yu Jia answered truthfully, “I bought it from the best cosmetics shop in Bingzhou. You have no idea how rare and expensive this perfume is. I had to pre-order it for a long time before I finally got my hands on a bottle. Does Young Master Fu also have an interest in perfumes?”

Yu Jia was still trying to find a topic to talk about, but Fu Yunxiu didn't answer. Instead, he excitedly grabbed her wrist and asked, "Do you know if the owner of this shop is male or female, what their surname is, what their name is, and where they're from?"

Although Yu Jia was puzzled as to why Fu Yunxiu was asking these questions, she still told him everything she knew, "The owner of this shop is a woman, and the shop is called Lin's Rouge and Powder Shop. I guess her surname is Lin. I don't know where she's from, but her name..."

Yu Jia tried hard to recall, "I've heard someone mention it before, it seems to be a month, called the beginning of the month, or the first month."

"Lin Yuechu, is it Lin Yuechu?" Fu Yunxiu was so happy that he was almost frantic. He looked at Mantou with tears in his eyes. "Mantou, it's Aman, she is Aman."

"Yes, young master, it's Aman! Aman is still alive!" Mantou was even more excited than Fu Yunxiu. Although he had always told Fu Yunxiu that Aman was missing, in his heart, he had always believed that the pool of blood at the bottom of the cliff was Aman's.

That's great, Aman is still alive.

The master and servant rushed out the door like madmen, leaving Yu Jia completely bewildered.

What, Ah Man? □□, are these two even speaking human language?

That night, two fine horses galloped out of the city into the darkness, heading towards Bingzhou in the northwest. The journey from Yongzhou to Bingzhou was long; it had taken Yu Jia a full month to travel by carriage. Fu Yunxiu and his companion, riding horses, were able to go a little faster, and by the time they arrived in Bingzhou, it was already mid-December.

"Young master, why don't we rest for a while and spend the night before going to find Aman tomorrow?" Mantou suggested. These past few days, they had barely stopped, especially after passing Hanyao Pass, where they had been traveling day and night.

Even horses can't take it, let alone people.

Since arriving in the city, Fu Yunxiu had felt a sense of trepidation, like being close to home. Now, with the prospect of going to find Aman, his fear only intensified. Therefore, he agreed to Mantou's suggestion.

The two found a decent hotel and booked a superior room. After settling Fu Yunxiu in, Mantou went out to find the waiter to arrange dinner, but when she returned, she found the room empty.

Meanwhile, Fu Yunxiu had already found Lin's cosmetics shop with the help of passersby.

The tall two-story building exudes luxury even in the night, while the plaque above the entrance on the first floor bears five large characters in black on a red background: "Lin's Cosmetics Shop".

I remember some time ago, Aman said that when she opened her shop, she wanted him to write the signboard.

Although he didn't write the plaque himself, at least she has fulfilled her dream.

very nice.

Unfortunately, he arrived at the wrong time; the shops were already closed. A teahouse next door was still open, and Fu Yunxiu spent some money to find out where Aman lived.

The courtyard has three sections, and not far from the gate stands a plum tree with a thick trunk and lush branches, clearly indicating that it has been planted for many years. Now, the tree is in full bloom, and the delicate fragrance of plum blossoms is refreshing and delightful in the cold wind.

Fu Yunxiu stood under the plum tree, looking at the gate that was so close, but he couldn't muster the slightest courage to go up and knock.

She was afraid that it wouldn't be Aman who opened the door, yet she was also afraid that it would be Aman.

But whether it was true or not, he dared not see her.

Just as Fu Yunxiu stood like a pillar in the cold wind, the door that had been tightly closed for so long finally opened.

A woman emerged from the doorway, wearing a red cloak with a band of white fox fur around her neck, which made her face appear even more delicate and petite. Her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and even without makeup, it was still dazzling. In particular, her almond-shaped eyes were as clear as water, even surpassing the moonlight in beauty.

If it's not him, then who is Aman?

Fu Yunxiu clenched his fists, his trembling hands almost digging his palms apart, tears blurring his vision. His rapid heartbeat made it hard to breathe, and the tightness in his throat prevented him from making a sound.

"Ah... Man." Fu Yunxiu tried to call out, but no sound came out.

Just as Fu Yunxiu mustered his courage and was about to emerge from behind the tree, a small figure ran past him.

With her hair styled in a bun and wearing the same red and white fur cloak as Aman, she called out in a clear and loud voice, "Mother."

Aman's face immediately lit up with a smile. She squatted down and let the little one rush into her arms and snuggle up to her, saying, "Mommy, I missed you so much!"

"You missed me, but I didn't say I'd be back soon, making me worry for so long." Aman picked her up and gave her a light pat on her bottom.

The little one wasn't angry even after being hit. She nestled against Aman's neck, muttering to herself, then straightened up and waved to Fu Yunxiu, "Dad, hurry up, Mom is angry."

Fu Yunxiu was startled for a moment, but soon, a young man dressed in fine clothes walked past him. Hearing the little girl call him, he smiled and waved to him.

At that moment, Fu Yunxiu felt as if he were dead.