Chapter 52 Homesickness "If my brother hadn't died, how could it be..."
Qin An had been waiting outside for a while.
When Zhao Langjun left, he saw a very handsome man outside the door and glanced at him a few more times. Seeing that Qin An was dressed in extraordinary clothes, he realized that he was probably someone he couldn't afford to offend, so he lowered his eyes and followed Kouyun outside, not daring to peek again.
Qin An's first words upon entering were a complaint: "Why bother with such a person? Why even welcome him into the mansion?"
Fu Sui didn't argue much, but simply said softly, "After all, he is He Yujing's husband now."
"What is he doing here?" Qin An would not speak ill of He Yujing in front of Fu Sui, no matter how much he resented her. If the man was here to visit Fu Sui, it would be a sign that his family was thoughtful.
Fu Sui put down his cup, a half-smile on his face, his voice tinged with helplessness: "His eldest son has reached the age and asked me to give him a place in an official school."
Qin An immediately realized that his eldest son was not born to Madam He, and immediately mocked, "What is he? How dare he come to our mansion to claim kinship?" If he hadn't married Madam He, his Zhao family, as a local merchant, wouldn't have been able to send any gifts into the mansion.
"Never mind, let's not talk about him." Fu Sui didn't want to say more, and asked Qin An why he had come: "What is it?"
Qin An had just received the news: "The Prefect of the Capital led a group to dismantle the millstone, but was blocked by the servants of various households, causing a great disturbance on the canal."
Tian Ganyou said that the sage might dismantle the millstone, and I had thought of this day since then. I originally thought that the Prefect of the Capital would first target families with poorer backgrounds, but now that things have escalated so quickly, I suppose the Prefect of the Capital will first target the more troublesome families.
Tian Ganyou was adamant. The millstone in the Tian family had been built in the name of the Grand Princess of Linhai, and now that Tian Ganyou, a close advisor to the emperor, wanted to demolish it, the Tian family couldn't stop him. In just one day, the millstone was reduced to a pile of broken wood.
"Let them make a fuss." Anyway, there's no need for Fu Sui to worry.
Fu Sui didn't take the initiative to inquire about the dismantling of the millstone, but the person who was arguing with the Prefect of the Capital came to Fu Sui on his own.
Autumn has arrived, and the tea served to Fu Sui in the palace has been changed to one that is cooling and soothing to the throat, with lily bulbs and fresh fruit added during the brewing process.
Today, Fu Sui took the initiative to enter the palace. Since the Emperor bestowed gifts upon her during the Mid-Autumn Festival, she felt she had to express her gratitude. Over the past few days, she had composed a poem in praise and presented it to the Emperor to express her feelings.
The emperor was delighted to receive the poem and ordered Xu Asheng to frame it and hang it in his study.
"Did you have guests at your residence a few days ago?"
After eating some palace snacks and fruits, they chatted with the emperor about calligraphy and painting for a while. The emperor then inquired about the recent situation of Fu Sui.
“He is He Yujing’s current husband, surnamed Zhao.” Fu Sui had nothing to hide.
The emperor spoke gently: "If Madam He has any needs, you may help her. There is no need to be hesitant because of her being removed from the imperial clan."
Fu Sui looked down at the cup in his hand, the honey-yellow liquid shimmering like amber.
"He wanted to secure a place in an official school for his eldest son, but I refused."
The emperor's eyelids twitched almost imperceptibly: "Getting into the official school isn't difficult. If you're hesitant to ask, I'll have the chief priest reserve one for you."
"It's not that I can't bring myself to say it, it's that I won't agree."
Fu Sui spoke firmly, and the emperor picked up the cup lid and slowly stirred the tender leaves and fruit fragments floating on the surface of the tea, listening to Fu Sui explain his reasons.
"His eldest son was born to his former wife. If it were He Shi, I would have lent a hand and made some arrangements for him. But how many descendants does the Zhao family have? Do they all need me to take care of them? Besides, the Zhao family is doing business in Yangxian by using my name, and the local magistrate is quite tolerant of them because of my reputation. I have already been more than kind to them. Otherwise, since the Zhao family has no relation to me, why would I care about their life or death?"
Hearing Fu Sui's somewhat resentful words, the emperor ordered palace servants to peel fruit for Fu Sui to eat, and no longer mentioned the Zhao family's affairs.
As the palace maids were whittling, a commotion arose outside the hall.
A young eunuch bowed and entered to inform the emperor that the Grand Princess had arrived.
The emperor was somewhat surprised that the Grand Princess Shangxian had come without prior notice, but he still ordered that she be let in.
The Grand Princess, filled with rage, stormed in and, without even bothering with formalities, began to question the Emperor: "Why has the Jingzhao Prefecture dismantled my millstone?"
The emperor put on a peaceful smile and explained to the immortal in a seemingly benevolent manner: "The Imperial Observatory predicts a severe drought next year. The Baiqu Canal is a vital water conservancy channel and must be kept unobstructed. It was I who ordered the Jingzhao Prefecture to dismantle the private weirs on the canal. It's not just you; all those who have privately installed water mills must be dismantled."
The emperor paused for a moment, his tone already reprimanding: "The Prefect of the Capital is acting on orders. If he insists on obstructing them, he is disobeying the imperial decree."
The immortal was not frightened by the "disobedience to the imperial decree," but instead became even more furious.
She scoffed and looked directly at the emperor, saying, "I am your aunt. You want to destroy a few water mills from your elders? Is this how your grandfather taught you to respect your elders?"
Fu Sui was secretly alarmed. The Grand Princess was far too outspoken. It was one thing to criticize the Sage, but to drag the late Emperor into it as well. She secretly glanced over and saw that the Emperor's face was ashen, and his eyes were filled with impatience.
"Shut up!" the emperor shouted. "I will let it go this time because you are my elder. Go back and dismantle the mill yourself. If you speak recklessly again, I will not tolerate your nonsense."
"The Emperor? You're showing off your power now?" The Grand Princess, the Immortal, pointed at the Emperor and questioned him.
"If my brother hadn't died, how could you possibly be the one to address me as 'I,' the emperor! Your grandfather's throne was stolen from my brother; how dare you lecture me?"
She's gone mad! The Grand Princess, the Immortal, has truly gone mad. How dare she say such a thing?
The late emperor was indeed not the eldest son of the founding emperor. Empress Lu only gave birth to two children. Her second pregnancy was difficult, and the delivery was extremely dangerous. Empress Lu survived, but she could never have children again.
That child was frail and sickly, and died at the age of seven. Empress Lu's eldest son was Emperor Taizu's favorite child, named Xi, who also died of illness when he reached adulthood.
At that time, Emperor Taizu had not yet started his rebellion, and the death of his eldest son was a heavy blow to him and Empress Lu. During Emperor Taizu's reign, a grand memorial service was held every year on the anniversary of his eldest son's death, and Emperor Taizu's other children could no longer be named on the anniversary.
The last emperor of the previous dynasty was incompetent, and Emperor Taizu led troops to the provinces. Empress Lu and the late emperor, who was the third son, followed Emperor Taizu in his campaigns, while the other children and concubines stayed at home.
Unexpectedly, a traitorous official raised an army and breached the city, causing the concubines and children left at home by Emperor Taizu to scatter and flee. At that time, the Grand Princess Shangxian, who was the elder brother of Emperor Taizu's second son, died protecting her younger siblings, which made the late emperor Emperor Taizu's eldest son.
The fall of the city changed many things. After the fall of the city, Cao Cao fled with her child, enduring great hardship to find Emperor Taizu. Later, she and Empress Lu accompanied Emperor Taizu on his campaigns and took care of their children.
Many people believe that it was Cao's courageous act that made her the empress. Fu Sui disagrees with this view. If that were the case, why wasn't a new empress established after Empress Lu's death, but instead Cao was only established many years later, even with Consort Yang, the mother of Prince Jin, in between?
When Doumiao served in the palace, she was in the palace of a concubine. She once said that Emperor Taizu rarely visited this concubine, and even when he did, he would only talk to her and always mention Empress Lu.
When that concubine entered the palace, Empress Lu was already nearing the end of her life, and she had only seen Empress Lu once or twice during court audiences. Even someone like her, Emperor Taizu patiently inquired again and again about Empress Lu's appearance and demeanor as she had seen her. How much more so would those who had a deeper relationship with Empress Lu?
Who in the palace knew Empress Lu earlier than Lady Cao, or spent more time with her than Lady Cao?
Ultimately, Emperor Taizu only truly loved Empress Lu. Even if the immortal's half-brother were still alive, he might not have been able to become the Crown Prince. It was Empress Lu who agreed to the late emperor becoming the heir apparent.
The Grand Princess was still roaring, "You stole the throne from my brother and now you want to bully me? If my brother were still alive, you wouldn't have a say in this!"
The emperor, enraged, laughed coldly. He watched the immortal go mad and whispered, "The Grand Princess is ill and needs to rest. Send her back to her residence to recuperate."
As soon as the emperor finished speaking, Xu Asheng immediately summoned men to grab the immortal by the arms and try to drag him out.
The immortal continued to struggle, cursing incessantly: "Let me go! What right do you have to imprison me! You and your father stole my brother's fortune and are afraid people will find out, so you imprison me? You usurped the country and power and disrespect your elders. Father will not forgive you when he finds out..."
Before the Grand Princess could finish speaking, two more eunuchs entered, lifted her legs, and the four of them together carried her away. The moment the palace doors closed, the Grand Princess's curses vanished.
The emperor leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, raising his hand to rub his temples, seemingly somewhat tired.
“Ningning, look, your brother is having a hard time sitting on this throne.”
Fu Sui smiled and replied softly, "Brother, you are diligent in your duties and love the people. You work hard day and night. The people are all grateful for your kindness."
Upon hearing this, the emperor shook his head slightly and sighed, "She is, after all, my aunt."
Fu Sui now understood why the dispute over the private embankment, which was first cleared by the Prefect of Jingzhao, had broken out.
The private weirs along the Baiqu Canal involved powerful nobles and officials in the capital. If the first one was demolished peacefully, the owners of these private weirs would have plenty of time and energy to negotiate with the Prefect of the Capital. If the first one was demolished drastically, the remaining private weirs would naturally cease their activities.
Given the temperament of the immortal, she would certainly not allow the Prefect of the Capital to touch her private property. How she left the palace today will spread throughout the capital in less than half an hour. If those powerful and noble people try to stop her again, do they want to make a scene in front of the Emperor like the immortal did?
Fu Sui felt wronged. How could the immortal choose such a time, specifically when she was in the palace, to cause trouble? If she hadn't entered the palace voluntarily today, she would have suspected that the emperor had deliberately summoned her. It was pitiful that she didn't even have a rouge mill, yet she had to waste her breath over this matter of dismantling a millstone.
"My aunt was rambling incoherently before the Emperor because she was ill. Why should you be so upset about it, brother? Dismantling mills and clearing canals is a top priority for improving water conservancy and diverting water to the fields. Even if my aunt is a Grand Princess, she cannot compete with the people for profit. I think she will understand the reasoning once she recovers."
The emperor did not respond to Fu Sui's words. He closed his eyes and pondered for a while, then suddenly called Fu Sui back.
Fu Sui hurriedly got up to bid farewell and fled the palace as if escaping, fearing that if he was too slow, he would run into the "Grand Princess, the Immortal."
The news of the immortal being confined spread even faster than Fu Sui had anticipated. That very night, many figures appeared on the Baiqu Canal, sawing wood and dismantling stakes under the cover of darkness.
The houses closer to the canal were kept awake by the clanging and banging, and the people outside were so angry that they stood there cursing. The people working on the canal ignored them and just kept working.
By daybreak, most of the millstones that once lined the Baiqu Canal had collapsed, and some of the smaller private weirs were reduced to mere wooden frames. The narrow path along the canal was jagged and marked with several new ruts.
A few days later, the Bai Canal became unusually quiet, with only the remaining pillars and scattered debris along the banks offering glimpses of its former glory as a millstone-grinding center. Several millstones remained standing on the canal, and the Prefect of Jingzhao took it upon himself to dismantle them with his men, without any objection from anyone.
The Baiqu Canal is wide and long, and the dredging of the canal was not completed even by September.
After lying low for nearly a month, Fu Sui finally caught up with Yue Shanling again. This time, Yue Shanling didn't even have time to go home; he was stopped as soon as he left the South Office.
The Double Ninth Festival was a major holiday, and no matter how diligent the emperor was, he would not keep all officials confined to their offices on this day. Despite repeated opposition, the decree of the system of appointing officials to temporary posts was still promulgated and implemented. Without the constant requests for orders, the imperial guards were finally able to take their normal leave.
Fu Sui had sent someone to the Yue residence long ago to inform Madam Zhou that she could borrow Yue Mountain for the Double Ninth Festival.
Madam Zhou had not heard any news about the princess since the Dragon Boat Festival, and upon hearing this news, she was filled with unanswered questions. However, she had no time to speculate, as she had been very busy these past few days. The Zheng family had invited her to climb mountains together for the Double Ninth Festival, and there was also news from Master Tao. Madam Zhou was preoccupied with Yue Lingling's marriage while also preparing tuition fees for Shen Siming and a thank-you gift for the Zheng family.
After pondering the matter, he was overjoyed. Unfortunately, Xue Guangting had disappeared and had not returned. He could only share this good news with the Liu family scholar, hurriedly packed his books and writing materials, and went to study at Tao Gong's place on the seventh day of the ninth month.
On the morning of the ninth day, Yue Shanling was waiting outside the Princess's residence.
Yesterday, the Princess's residence sent someone to tell him where Fu Sui was going today, intending for him to go there on his own. However, Yue Shanling thought that there would be many people during the festival, and it might be inconvenient to travel. Besides, although he didn't want to admit it, he really wanted to see Fu Sui as soon as possible.
When the people outside came to inform Fu Sui that Yue Shanling was outside the mansion, breakfast had just been laid out inside.
Fu Suisong loosely tied her hair up, casually draped a casual shirt over her shoulders, and peeked at the water clock. It was still early, so she slowly stirred the almond porridge. Just as she was about to put it in her mouth, she suddenly called out to Dai Ling.
"Has the cherry blossom pink dress I just made been ironed?"
Dai Ling was lifting the beaded curtain when she heard this, she turned her head and said, "It was ironed as soon as it was delivered, and it's hanging in the dressing room now."
"Go and fetch it; that's what I'm wearing today."
After Fu Sui finished eating, combed his hair, and got dressed, Yue Shanling had been waiting outside the mansion for almost an hour.
Fu Sui didn't tell him to come in, and the gatekeeper didn't dare to make the decision on his own. Yue Shanling, on the other hand, didn't say he should come in either, but just waited outside the gate. Fortunately, this half of Jiuru Lane was rarely visited, otherwise, with people coming and going, who knows how many people would have stopped to stare.
After standing for a while, he leaned his body slightly and shifted his weight onto his right leg.
The weather was fine today, and a gentle breeze tickled his face. Yue Shanling squinted and looked up at the sun when suddenly a beam of golden light flashed into his eyes.
Fu Sui had been standing by the door for a while, not allowing anyone to make a sound, nor did she remind Yue Shanling.
From her perspective, all she could see was the spine of Yue Shanling and half of its arm.
The princess's residence had many servants, as well as vendors who delivered fresh vegetables, fish, and shrimp in the morning, and servants who cleaned the stone steps and paths. With so many people and such a chaotic scene, even Yue Shanling did not notice her.
His horse was the same one from that night. When it saw someone come out, it looked up. Perhaps it recognized Fu Sui, because it only glanced at him before losing interest, lowering its head to look around on the ground, trying to amuse itself.
Today, the man was wearing a white robe with a subtle pattern of paired birds and pearls. I'd seen him in dark blue or black clothes many times before, but this was the first time I'd seen him dressed so elegantly.
The clothes must have been tailor-made, fitting him perfectly, flowing down from his broad shoulders, covering his back, and ending at his waist in a narrow band.
Fu Sui stretched out his hand and spread his fingers to measure the distance. He was far away, and Fu Sui could cover his waist completely with one hand. With a loose grasp, it was as if he were pinching that narrow waist.
Fu Sui opened her hand, then pinched it again, opened it again, then pinched it again, having a great time. She clenched her fist, but it could only cover most of his body, leaving his figure exposed from both sides. Fu Sui pulled her hand closer, and he was held in her grasp, as she tightened her grip on his waist.
The man changed his posture, shifting his weight onto his right leg.
Fu Sui's smile faded. She stretched out her finger and traced it down from his waist, across the slight undulation of his trousers, then turned left, stopping at the back of his knee, hidden by the hem of his robe. Last time, it was here too…
She remembered his hand that gripped the reins on the day of the Flower Festival. The weather gradually warmed, and the marks on his hand faded away; now the weather is getting cooler again…
A delicate fragrance wafted through the air. In the Grand Princess's residence, there were two old osmanthus trees. These two old osmanthus trees were quite close to the Princess's residence and were difficult to move. Occasionally, a warm and gentle fragrance would drift over the Princess's residence.
Fu Sui chuckled softly, thankfully the winters in the capital weren't as cold as those in the border regions.
Her movement caused the diamond-encrusted pendant to sway, drawing the man's attention.
The light colors didn't seem out of place on his wheat-colored skin, like a thin layer of snow covering a bronze pillar, making one want to brush away the snow stains and see the deep and resilient patterns on the pillar.
"Why is General Yue on duty in front of my residence so early in the morning?"
Knowing his thoughts perfectly well, Fu Sui deliberately pretended to be oblivious.
Unable to bring himself to say it, Yue Shanling could only offer a plausible excuse: "There are so many people today, I'm worried about the princess's safety."
The guards in the manor are all highly skilled; what danger could she possibly be in? Fu Sui tilted her head and smiled, "Really? Then General Yue will have to keep a close eye on me."
She took two steps forward, raised her arm slightly, and twirled around: "Do I look good in this outfit?"
The weather wasn't too cold yet, and Fu Sui's collar was low, revealing a rather impractical, oversized neckline that covered her fair skin, casting a faint shadow. Having been pampered since childhood, her skin, nourished by the gentle touch of the clouds, was as translucent as crystal, and wrapped in her cherry-pink dress, it looked like a smooth, lustrous piece of jade against silk.
A multi-jeweled necklace rested on her snow-white chest, with a familiar antler thumb ring hanging in the very center, dangling from the tassels, almost sinking into her cherry-colored valley.
That was something he always carried with him, something he always wore on his wrist. How could she... how could she leave it hanging in such a place?
Yue Shanling's throat tightened, and he guiltily looked away. A virtuous person acts according to their moral principles; he shouldn't have such thoughts.
Fu Sui was still waiting for his answer. Her skirt, which had blossomed like a flower bud, continued to sway behind her as she stopped, stirring his heart.
He opened his mouth and said dryly, "It looks good."
Fu Sui was delighted to receive a compliment from him, and after thinking for a moment, replied, "The general is also very handsome."
The bright colors made his features come alive, and his usually dull black eyes finally showed some spirit. Without the bloodthirsty cover, he became sharper, like a long-buried sword that had been washed clean of its old grime, revealing its original edge in a bloody guise.
"He's exactly to my liking now," Fu Sui said.
It was his good fortune to please her.
Fu Sui was originally going to take a car, but having come all the way over the mountains so early, she didn't want to take a car anymore.
"Bring the horse here," she ordered.
The guards quickly brought over a horse, the same curious horse from that night, the same horse that would sniff at any horse that crossed the mountains.
"General, are you still willing to lead my horse today?"
Even if she hadn't asked, he would have been willing.
Six months later, he took her reins once more. The warm sunlight shone on Fu Sui as the two slowly made their way through the crowd.
So similar to that night, yet so different.
Fu Sui lowered his eyes to look at the hand in front of him.
That hand was still ugly, with swollen and twisted joints, and veins on the back of the hand winding under the skin like earthworms.
"How ugly," Fu Sui thought to herself. She stretched out her hand, her fingers slender, the tips pink, even her knuckles delicate. The thin skin revealed bluish-purple veins, smooth and even without being prominent, which made her hand appear even more fragile.
She gently placed her hand on his wrist, and the shape of his wrist bones gradually became apparent in her hand. The protruding bones pressed against her palm, trembling slightly with the horse's movements, tickling her palm.
Fu Sui scraped the joint with her thumb; how could it be so hard? She then touched the back of his hand, pressing against the struggling veins. The veins rolled like living things under her fingers, their vigorous pulses striking her fingertips again and again.
The ten fingers are connected to the heart. Fu Sui had a different understanding of this sentence. The pulse surged from her fingers to her heart, echoing and intertwining with her heartbeat, making Fu Sui unable to distinguish between them.
Her heart pounded with anxiety, as if it were about to burst forth, or as if she were just an empty shell. Fu Sui was somewhat flustered. She grasped Yue Shanling's hand and held it tightly. Intense heat ignited in her hand, filling her with a burning sensation.
Yue Shanling silently felt her hand moving across his wrist, a gentle, yet tingling sensation that spread from his wrist to the back of his hand.
He went to look at Fu Sui, but Fu Sui didn't look at him. Instead, he looked at the crowd in front of him, sitting upright on his horse, and held his hand tightly.
Yue Shanling quietly loosened his grip, took Fu Suiyi's fingertip into his hand, and then held it firmly.
On the Double Ninth Festival, the city and its outskirts were filled with people enjoying themselves. Even with servants clearing the way, the two of them could only walk slowly.
Fu Sui's fingertips were warm from being held in Yue Shanling's hand. He was afraid of gripping too tightly and hurting Fu Sui, and he was also afraid of pulling too loosely and making it difficult to control the horse. So he could only carefully circle the reins with his index finger and thumb, while the rest of his fingers held the reins tightly.
The sturdy horse rope was wrapped around his little and ring fingers, digging deep into his flesh.
The journey was so long, and he didn't say a word, just kept walking forward like a mute. Fu Sui curled up a finger and scratched the web between his thumb and forefinger with his nail.
The meticulously manicured nails brushed against his hand, causing no pain, yet a ticklish sensation across the mountainside. It wasn't a restless itch, but an itch that came from deep within his bones, from his blood, from his emotions.
The journey was both so short and so long that when they reached the foot of the mountain, Yue Shanling forgot to let go of Fu Sui's fingertips. It wasn't until he noticed Fu Sui tilting his head and smiling at him that he realized what had happened. The heat instantly burned his ears, and he hurriedly let go and dismounted, pretending nothing had happened as he went to tether the horse.
Fu Sui sat steadily on her horse, waiting for him to tie it up before reaching out her hand. Yue Shanling hesitated for a moment, worried that Fu Sui might find his hand ugly and rough. But she had held his hand on the way here, so... she probably... wouldn't mind.
It was this hesitation that caused Fu Sui to withdraw his hand when he went to fetch her across the mountains.
She sat high on her horse, looking down over the mountains, and asked, "Why does the general hesitate?"
They were speechless as they crossed the mountains.
"Didn't the general say he would catch me no matter what?"
The almost interrogative words filled Yue Shanling with shame. He had promised her, yet his hesitation had disappointed her.
His outstretched hand hung idly in the air, mercilessly mocking his broken promise. He lowered his eyes in shame, his dark pupils once again disappearing into the shadows of his eyelashes.
A soft touch rested on his hand, and Yue Shanling looked up in surprise. Fu Sui placed his hand in his, looking down at him with a smile more radiant than the sunlight.
Will the general go back on his word?
No, it won't happen, never.
Yue Shanling gazed intently at the girl sitting on the horse, curled his fingers, and clasped them tightly together.
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