Chapter 038

Jiashan had heard almost all about the former glory of the Fu family from hearsay. At that time, Lian Zhanghe had not yet become the crown prince, so how could Jiashan exist?

Now, Princess Ruyang was willing to talk to Jiashan about the Fu family of the past, and Jiashan was naturally in awe of it. After all, what she had heard about the Yongding Marquisate from others was enough to make her admire it.

Ruyang clenched her hands, her face pale: "To be precise, I want to talk to you about Fu Shiyu."

Ruyang married Fu Yi, the eldest son of the Fu family, and Fu Shiyu was her sister-in-law. I guess Fu Shiyu had a good relationship with her in the past.

Although Fu Shiyu was only the concubine of Duke Anguo, Jiashan still regarded her as a proper mother-in-law. Jiashan said softly, "Master Zhan looks a lot like her, right?"

"Like him." When mentioning Zhan Yue, Ru Yang slightly curved her lips. She opened her lips and said, "Extremely like him. Fortunately, he looks like Fu Shiyu, not like Duke Anguo."

Ruyang had not even mentioned the name of Duke Anguo, and Jiashan had roughly understood her attitude towards Duke Anguo. In fact, Jiashan's impression of Duke Anguo was also average.

In her previous life, she married Zhan Shaoying, and she and Duke Anguo were grandparents, so they had few opportunities to meet. In Jiashan's impression, Duke Anguo was a shrewd man, but not very generous.

Jiashan asked thoughtfully, "Doesn't your aunt like the Duke of Anguo?"

"I don't like it." Ruyang didn't even try to be perfunctory. She spoke bluntly in a distant tone.

Ruyang drank a sip of hot tea, and her eyebrows gradually relaxed. She looked far away, "Marquis Yongding is a military man, with three sons and one daughter, and he raised the daughter like a boy. Fu Shiyu was beautiful and eye-catching, and was very good at both civil and military affairs. Empress Fu liked this niece very much, and she had the idea of ​​making her the Crown Princess several times."

"But Marquis Yongding is a man who keeps his word. The marriage between Fu Shiyu and Duke Anguo was arranged a long time ago. Because of this, he even had a conflict with the empress for a while." Princess Ruyang smiled calmly, but Jiashan still heard too much of her pity for Fu Shiyu from her few words.

I guess Fu Shiyu at that time was really free and enviable. Jiashan didn't say anything, she pursed her lips and listened in silence.

Ruyang said, "In the Anguo Mansion, except for the old lady Wen who knows something, no one else is allowed to enter the elegant hall. Later, when the Fu family got into trouble, the old Anguo Duke was afraid of being implicated, so he quickly sent someone to cancel the engagement. When canceling the engagement, he even brought up the drama of Empress Fu intending to marry Fu Shiyu as the Crown Princess. He said that the Fu family looked down on them, so why not just part ways amicably."

This old Duke of An must be a man who changes his attitude according to the situation. Not only that, he is also very narrow-minded, which is very similar to his great-grandson.

Jiashan was silent for a moment, then raised her lips sarcastically and asked, "Then how did she become the concubine of Duke Anguo?"

Ruyang looked away, her brows were calm, she picked up the teacup and sipped it quietly. The tea leaves had a slight bitter taste, just like the rest of her life.

"In the second year after Duke Anguo married Jia, the old Duke Anguo passed away." Ruyang's expression froze, and her tone was slow, as if she could pull Jiashan into the scene at that time.

She said: "At that time, the Fu family was no longer what it used to be. Any scoundrel dared to bully them."

"Fu Xiao, the youngest son of Yongding Marquis, was only six years old that year, younger than Yuankang now. He is the only remaining bloodline of the Fu family." Speaking of this, even though Ruyang had been fasting and chanting for many years, his eyes could not help but moisten. The once glorious Marquisate, after all the wind and rain, could only rely on the orphan girl and the young son for its fate.

Having said this, Ruyang paused for a moment involuntarily, perhaps to recover his emotions.

She said with a sad tone: "Too many people want to see the Yongding Marquis's Mansion destroyed. It was at this time that the Duke of Anguo came and wanted to take Fu Shiyu as his concubine."

Jiashan raised her eyes. Her cheeks were white, and her innocent eyes were shining. She asked in a deep voice, "Did she agree to this?"

"So what if it's not appropriate?" Ruyang's face tensed, and she sighed, "Those who are willing to marry Fu Shiyu as their principal wife are not able to protect the Fu family and Fu Xiao. Those who want to take Fu Shiyu as a concubine are mostly people like the Duke of Anguo."

"She told me that at least Madam Wen has always felt guilty about breaking off the engagement. She will not have a bad life after marrying in with Madam Wen taking care of her." Ruyang smiled gently, but the smile was very light. "She also made a three-point agreement with Duke Anguo, saying that if she gave birth to an eldest son, he must be recorded as the legitimate son."

Jiashan felt very uncomfortable. Anyone would feel bad if they heard that a noble lady who was used to being spoiled bowed her head to the secular world like this.

Ruyang said, "After she married into the Anguo Mansion, I went to see her several times. She seemed to have changed, but also seemed to have not changed at all."

Those broken old days finally condensed into one sentence under Ruyang's mouth: "But I can see that she is not happy."

"It should be unhappy." Jiashan said.

No matter how much Madam Wen took care of her, she was still someone's concubine. With Fu Shiyu's personality, she probably couldn't stand such humiliation. But for the sake of the Fu family and Zhan Yue, she had to endure it.

Ruyang said slowly: "When Yanqing was four years old, Fu Shiyu passed away."

Ruyang's words sounded calm, but Jiashan had also experienced the pain of losing his mother when he was young, and he understood how devastating it would be for a child to have his mother leave suddenly.

She still had her father's love, her brother's support, and her aunt's frequent visits to the palace to accompany her. But for the little Zhan Yue, Fu Shiyu was everything to him at that time.

Ruyang's brows wrinkled slightly, her face was a little thin, her eyes were gentle, but also seemed very cold. Ruyang said: "I had become a monk that year, and didn't care much about worldly affairs. It took me a month to get the news of Fu Shiyu's death. I don't know if it was a coincidence, or if she really had been depressed for many years."

"Later, I went to the Anguo Mansion again and met Yanqing once." Ruyang said, "He asked me how to gain the favor of His Majesty. I told him that with his family background and skills, it would be easiest for him to go the Jinwu Guard route."

"This child never disappoints anyone." Ruyang pursed her lips, and finally a smile appeared on her face, but her voice was still extremely bitter. She said, "He is different from other children of noble families. They have the protection of their family and their father to rely on. Even if he is the unfavored legitimate son, he still has the full support of his maternal family."

"Yanqing has nothing."

Ruyang raised her eyes, and her gaze turned to the lonely night outside the window. Her voice was so low that it was almost inaudible, but every word that squeezed into Jiashan's ears was extremely clear.

Ruyang whispered, "Although Old Lady Wen treated him well, she was not his grandmother after all. He got to where he is today almost entirely by himself. Over the years, I still feel sad when I see him and think of Fu Shiyu."

"He had no mother to teach him. It made no difference to him whether his father was alive or dead."

Ruyang slowly turned her gaze towards Jiashan. She stared at Jiashan's bright and beautiful face under the candlelight and said softly, "You are a princess. There must be many people in this world who are kind to you."

Ruyang paused, and whispered, "Just for your aunt's sake, when you get married, can you be more considerate of him?"

Ruyang spoke in a gentle voice, and in his slightly downturned eyes, there was a sense of sadness at the passing of prosperity. At this moment, Zhan Yue, who was often alone, suddenly appeared in Jiashan's mind, and she felt extremely sad.

She gently pressed her forehead, as if this could erase the gloomy and depressed emotions in her heart.

Ruyang was still staring at her intently. Jiashan pursed her slightly dry lips and nodded gently: "I promise, aunt."

"When he is lonely, never let him be sad alone." Jiashan's lips curled up slightly, and she took the initiative to step forward and hold Ruyang's hand.

Ruyang's hands were dry, and he only reacted slightly when Jiashan's hands warmed them.

She smiled at Jiashan, her expression slightly relaxed, even the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes suddenly became loving and lively, and she said, "Good boy."

Jiashan smiles beautifully.

The moonlight was just beginning to shine on the earth, and the sky around was dimming under the twinkling stars. The shadow of dusk had gradually faded away. The night shot was a residual shadow, and only the strong wind blew through the fallen leaves, making a rustling sound.

It seems that the dark past is fading away along with the sound of fallen leaves in the wind.

Zhang had been busy recently with the marriage of Qilehou's second daughter and Zhan Shaoying. Even though she couldn't marry him, this was her son's first big day, so Zhang was busy as hell.

After dinner that day, Madam Wen personally sent Madam Sheng to invite her. Since Jia's death, Zhang was the only one who took care of the government affairs.

Although Mrs. Wen was capable, she was almost seventy years old. To put it bluntly, she had already stepped into the coffin. As for Zhang's not-so-glorious deeds, as long as they were not too excessive, Mrs. Wen turned a blind eye and let her go.

Wen Lao Taijun wanted to be quiet, and Zhang was also happy to be free. But today, since it was Madam Sheng who came in person, she must have something important to tell her.

Zhang didn't show much reaction on her face, but she was very nervous. She said, "Let me change my clothes, and then go to see the old lady with my mother."

Mother Sheng said yes and waited for Zhang outside the hall humbly. After Zhang changed her clothes, they started to walk towards Old Lady Wen's courtyard.

Mother Sheng was about the same age as Old Lady Wen, and had been a long-time employee of the mansion. She was always tight-lipped. It was impossible to get any information out of her.

Zhang understood in her heart, and became more and more uncomfortable. Even after she entered the main hall and greeted Old Madam Wen, Zhang's face was still a little pale.

On the other hand, Old Lady Wen kept reciting Buddhist scriptures without changing her expression. After finishing the Buddhist scriptures, she slowly picked up the white silk and washed her hands. Seeing that Zhang had not said a word, Old Lady Wen glanced at her and asked intently, "Have you been busy with Ying'er's affairs recently?"

The old lady's voice was as usual, gentle and compassionate, but Zhang could still discern a hint of majesty from it.

Zhang said, "Yes. His Majesty has arranged for Ying'er to marry the girl from the Qilehou family. Although she is not as noble as a princess, she was personally arranged by His Majesty, so it would be a shame to lose face."

"Not as noble as the princess," Wen Lao Taijun chewed these words and swallowed them carefully. She smiled and said, "I heard that you originally discussed with the wife of Qi Lehou and wanted to let her daughter marry before the New Year?"

Got it, the old lady still knew it!

Zhang heaved a long sigh of relief and answered hesitantly, "Yes."

Old Lady Wen frowned, her eyes fixed on Zhang's face, heavy. After a moment of silence, Old Lady Wen's eyes burned, and she suddenly slammed the table hard.

"You are simply confused!" After hearing the old lady's words, she suddenly became fierce. She stared at Zhang and said without any mistake, "You want the girl from the Qi family to marry before the princess. What is your plan? Do you think His Majesty is easy to deceive, or do you think that our Duke's Mansion and the Qi family are so brave that they dare to compete with the royal family!"

"If you want Ying'er's wife to surpass the princess, then she must be worthy!" The old lady's voice was hoarse, and it was obvious that she hadn't been so angry for a long time. She turned her head away, covered her mouth and coughed a few times.

After a while, words of admonition flowed out from the lips of the old lady Wen again. She stared at Zhang and said, "It's a pity that Marquis Qile was smart and didn't agree to your proposal. You think that Ying'er shouldn't only marry Marquis Qile's daughter, right? I tell you, with a mother-in-law like you, the daughter of the Qi family is considered a high match!"

"You are so bold as to defy the dignity of the royal family. In your heart, the title of Duke An must be very stable, right?" Zhang was Jia's niece. After hearing that the old lady always disliked her petty-mindedness, she was furious and her voice became even colder. "After Princess comes to the mansion, don't act like your eldest sister-in-law. Don't lose the century-old heritage of our Zhan family because of your womanly opinion!"

"If something unexpected happens, not only will your man be unable to obtain the title, but even this Anguo Mansion will cease to exist!" Old Lady Wen stared at Zhang, her voice lowered, and she spoke word by word, "Watch your own hands, and never let them stretch too far."

After receiving such a disrespectful lecture from the old lady, Zhang was completely embarrassed. She clenched her fists, and she secretly removed a large chunk of the nail polish from her thumbs.

Zhang looked respectful, but nodded with a fake smile: "Yes."

Old Lady Wen cast a stern look at Zhang. She said sternly, "The princess has her own mansion to live in. She will not compete with you for the reward from the mansion. Clear your mind."

Zhang's face was already frozen with laughter, and she just said numbly, "Yes."

Seeing her like this, Old Lady Wen had no idea how much she had heard, so she had to hold back her anger and continue to give her a few more instructions.

Zhang agreed to everything, nodded and added "yes" every time.

After saying what she needed to say, Old Lady Wen and Zhang also looked at each other with disgust. She glanced at Mother Sheng and motioned Zhang to leave.

Zhang half bent her waist, bowed and retreated.

After leaving the courtyard of Old Lady Wen, Zhang could no longer bear it. She stepped forward, eyes blazing with anger, and fiercely pinched a few branches of chrysanthemums that were in full bloom.

She tried her best to suppress the rage in her heart and crushed the chrysanthemum petals into pieces.

Zhang said angrily, "The old woman is very partial. She has feelings for the one who was raised by her since childhood. But she has no feelings for our Ying'er, right? He is also her great-grandson!"

Yingchun was a well-behaved maid, and she didn't dare to talk about her master casually, especially the old lady. Although the old lady looked like she didn't care about what was going on in recent years, she was actually very clear-headed.

After all, she had been in charge of the Anguo Mansion for nearly forty years, and her prestige was deep, and those servants of the noble families were willing to listen to her. Zhang's means of winning people's hearts were not very advanced, and even if she actually held power, it would still be easy for Wen Lao Taijun to undermine her.

Zhang bit her lower lip and said with a sarcasm: "No matter how good a bug is, it can never become a dragon. Some people are just like his bitch mother, they like to steal other people's things."

"She was originally promised to Ying'er, how did she become his?" Zhang's lips revealed a cold smile, and she said, "Maybe he used some dirty tricks."

Zhang was talking to herself, but Yingchun shook Zhang's sleeves vigorously a few times at this moment.

Zhang was immersed in venting her anger at Zhan Yue, but was interrupted by Yingchun unexpectedly, and she couldn't help but feel a little resentful. But when she turned around, she saw the protagonist in her words approaching her from behind.

Zhan Yue was wearing a dark green grey fur coat today. His appearance was so handsome under the moonlight that it was truly eye-catching. His eyes were bright and dark like last night.

Zhan Yue opened his lips, and there was a hint of sharp coldness in his thin lips. He stared at Zhang intently, and said in a low and slow voice: "Who are you talking about?"