Chapter 83. He nearly drove Biezhi to the brink of collapse...
With the coronation ceremony over, the branch is busier than ever.
With the wedding date approaching, she may seem to have no need to plan anything herself, but in reality, she's incredibly busy, running around like a headless chicken.
Earlier, Fu Huaiqing would bring memorials to her courtyard, which was against etiquette. Moreover, according to custom, it was better for men and women to see each other less often before marriage. However, the Ministry of Rites did not dare to say much to him, let alone to other branches.
Biezhi had no older women to teach her, so she was completely baffled by the matter. It wasn't until Fu Huaiqing mentioned it to her one night that she suddenly realized what was going on. She thought about it over and over and felt that it was indeed against the old customs. She almost sent him back to the palace that very night, but she gave up because it was late.
And at this time, there were only ten days left until the wedding day.
With Fu Huaiqing away, Fang Tingzhi moved in instead. Hearing that the two of them were together, Fu Shuning also came to stay in her courtyard for a while. In no time, the courtyard, which was neither too big nor too small, was crowded with people.
It just so happened that the three of them got together, and adhering to the habit of not wasting time, Biezhi and Fang Tingzhi took Fu Shuning to travel around. They would go out at dawn and return only when the sun was setting.
Not to mention the palace maids serving in the courtyard, even Su Ci couldn't find them anywhere.
Looking at her friend, who was calmly reviewing memorials behind his desk, Su Ci hesitated for a moment before saying tactfully, "The sky is cloudless today; I wonder where they've gone to play again."
Fu Huaiqing understood his implication, slightly raised her eyelids to look at him for a moment, then quickly scanned the rambling greeting document and said, "If she doesn't want to be found when she goes out, she has her own ways."
Su Ci: "..."
He knew this, and so did Fang Tingzhi.
Now that the two are together, they are even more discreet, and all the servants he sent to investigate returned disappointed.
Fu Huaiqing closed the memorial and said, "I am powerless to help with this." He glanced thoughtfully at his friend, whose expression was slightly hesitant, and raised an eyebrow. "Fang Tingzhi still doesn't want to talk to you?"
Those few words pierced Su Ci's heart like a needle. He opened his mouth to refute, but didn't know where to begin. He sighed deeply, "You're good at hiding."
If it weren't for the upcoming wedding of the Emperor and Empress, Fang Tingzhi would not have returned to the capital at this time.
Su Ci had thought that there would be more opportunities for them to meet after she returned, but he never expected that there would be fewer opportunities than when she was traveling. If he had known where she was staying back then, he could have rushed over to see her. Now that she had returned to the capital, he knew where she was staying, but he still couldn't see her even once.
Fang Tingzhi felt as if she were facing a flood or a ferocious beast, and avoided him from all sides.
Su Ci also tried to wait outside the detached courtyard, but the courtyard was also completely sealed off. Whether it was the palace servants inside or the guards outside, they all kept their mouths shut and knew nothing when asked.
He sighed again, bowed, and took his leave.
After leaving the palace, Su Ci did not go home. Instead, he went in the opposite direction from the Su family home and went to the street where Fang Tingzhi lived. He could not find Fang Tingzhi by other means, so he decided to wait and wait for her to come to him.
However, Su Ci didn't see Fang Tingzhi, but she did see Biezhi pushing open the door and coming out.
Just as Biezhi was about to head out to Xianyun Tower, she caught a glimpse of a figure leaning against the wall. Her eyes twitched involuntarily, and she subconsciously turned around to look at the empty courtyard.
Their eyes met, and Su Ci straightened up and cupped her hands in a respectful gesture.
“She’s not here.” Biezhi knew why he had come, and she had also seen her friend’s seemingly carefree demeanor sometimes groaning and sometimes hesitant. Without thinking of playing along, she said bluntly, “She went out this morning and hasn’t come back yet.”
Su Ci was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Thank you."
Biezhi nodded, took the reins from the guard, and rode away.
When she arrived at Baihualou, Fang Tingzhi was also inside.
While listening to her father's lecture, Fang Tingzhi caught a glimpse of the girl dismounting out of the corner of her eye. After giving her mother a wink, she carefully lifted her skirt, ran swiftly, and jumped out of the window, heading towards the branch where she knew the girl was.
Fang Tingzhi took her hand and grumbled, "Why did you take so long? My ears are about to fall off."
“I ran into Su Ci when I went out…” Bie Zhi said, glancing at her deliberately. Seeing her face suddenly stiffen, she smiled and continued, “I saw that he was out alone, so I asked him a few more questions and was delayed for a while.”
Fang Tingzhi: "Oh."
Others might not understand, but Biezhi heard it clearly. Beneath the girl's calm and even voice lay a hint of expectation. After a moment's thought, she said, "But don't worry, I didn't tell him where you went. Who knows, we might hear about him searching for you all over the city later. How about we tease him a little?"
“That’s not a good idea…” Fang Tingzhi frowned, and as she finished speaking, she met her friend’s meaningful gaze. She changed the subject and said, “What if one day everyone finds out that the person they’re looking for is me? Wouldn’t that cause a huge uproar? I don’t want to be associated with him.”
Other branches do not believe it.
Based on their understanding of each other, if Fang Tingzhi really didn't want to deal with Su Ci, she would have already made things clear to him. Now, it seems that she wants Su Ci to experience the same unpleasantness she had suffered.
She patted Fang Tingzhi on the shoulder, "Take it easy, or you might go too far one day."
Fang Tingzhi didn't care, "He can't do anything to me anyway."
The expected answer still made Biezhi smile. Normally, she would have questioned Fang Tingzhi about her plans, but she had something to discuss with her master today, so she decided to ask her properly tonight.
However, to her surprise, Fang Tingzhi did not return to the courtyard that night.
Although the capital city is heavily guarded, Biezhi still felt uneasy and sent people out to search. Before long, the secret guards returned with news.
Fang Tingzhi was with Su Ci, or more accurately, Su Ci blocked her way.
The guards were also unsure of the situation, so they left one of them behind and returned alone to report, unsure whether they should offer assistance.
After thinking for a moment, Biezhi said, "Send her a message, let her know that you are here. If she needs you, she will find a way to find you."
In the past, she would definitely have taken action.
Now she gradually understands that when it comes to matters of the heart, if you are not involved, you will not know the joys and sorrows, and it is not good for outsiders to interfere too much in how you make a choice.
However, she did miss Fu Huaiqing.
Thinking of this, Biezhi slightly raised her eyes, glanced at the bright moon hanging high in the night sky, and thoughtfully looked around at the palace servants.
With the wedding just two days away, the palace servants dared not let their guard down for a moment. Every little detail required four or five people to gather together for a long time to check in order to avoid any irreversible consequences.
It was late at night, and the surroundings gradually fell into silence.
The girl, who had been lying on the couch for a long time, suddenly opened her eyes. She carefully put on her shoes, took the strip of cloth she had prepared earlier, and tiptoed through the paths to the courtyard.
Jiang Yue, who was standing at the gate of the courtyard, caught a glimpse of the girl's figure. His eyes widened slightly. Just as he was about to turn around to remind the emperor, he saw the girl raise her fingertips to her lips. He turned his eyes away knowingly, pretending not to have seen it.
Biezhi, who had originally planned to leave the mansion along the path, hesitated for a moment, then took a slight detour, found a wall, and quickly climbed over it.
Not only did she force her way out, but she also deliberately took a long detour, making a special trip to a place fifty feet away before slowly walking back. As she approached, she saw a tall figure standing under the treetops, his gaze fixed on the direction of the courtyard, seemingly unaware of her presence.
However, what she didn't know was that just as she was about to get close, Fu Huaiqing had already sensed someone behind him. He glanced at Jiang Yue, whose eyes were slightly darting around, and his thin lips curled up slightly as he pretended not to notice and waited.
When they were just ten steps away, Biezhi took out a strip of cloth from her sleeve and spread it out before taking a step closer.
As the shadow hanging on the ground drew closer, she quickened her pace and walked behind the man. She stood on tiptoe and deftly used the strip of cloth to cover his eyes. Realizing that he seemed to be turning around, Biezhi whispered, "Don't move."
Fu Huaiqing raised an eyebrow but remained still.
Bie Zhi carefully tied the strips of cloth, making sure they wouldn't fall off, and walked up to Fu Huaiqing with great satisfaction, looking him up and down.
To prevent light from penetrating, she specifically chose a black cloth, so that not only could one not see a person's silhouette, but not even a sliver of light could pass through.
Fu Huaiqing, facing complete darkness, looked helpless. He raised his palm slightly, which had been hanging by his side, but before it reached halfway up, it fell into the girl's hand, which had some calluses. He raised an eyebrow, slowly and deliberately encircling her hand and holding it tightly in his palm.
"How did it get out?"
He didn't ask Biezhi why she knew he would be outside the courtyard, as if he were certain she already knew everything.
"I came out for some fresh air." Biezhi remembered the Ministry of Rites' instructions and waved her hand in front of his eyes again to make sure the man really couldn't see her. Only then did she feel relieved and deliberately pouted, "You're allowed to come here every day, but I'm not allowed to suddenly decide to come out for some fresh air?"
She did know that Fu Huaiqing came every day and had figured out the time of his arrival. However, knowing this was one thing, but the moment she saw him, Biezhi still felt something was different.
The muttered voice was clear and bright, without a trace of complaint, and Fu Huaiqing couldn't help but chuckle, "How could I dare?"
The man's cold and stern face suddenly broke into a smile, which made Biezhi slightly lose her senses. It took her a while to come back to her senses. Before she could speak, she heard him say again, "You can't do this, you can't do that. What if you find me annoying and run away?"
When this was mentioned, Biezhi recalled what Fu Shuning had brought up with her a couple of days ago.
It seems that rumors are circulating in the court that Fu Huaiqing is afraid of his wife.
Biezhi had no idea where this rumor came from; it was utterly fabricated and alarmist. She herself didn't seem that scary. "Tell me quickly, who spread the rumor that you're afraid of your wife?"
Fu Huaiqing was taken aback by what he heard. "Hmm?"
After a moment, he said, "It doesn't sound like a rumor."
Biezhi raised her eyes and glared at him.
As if sensing something, Fu Huaiqing looked in her direction and coaxed, "Isn't it good that everyone thinks I'm afraid of my wife?"
In an instant, Biezhi understood his meaning.
However, "it will ruin my reputation."
Fu Huaiqing chuckled and whispered in her ear.
It's unclear what was said, but Biezhi's fair face suddenly turned bright red. She raised her hand and slapped the back of his hand, the crisp sound echoing through the sky and startling the birds resting on the treetops.
Cheng Jin and Jiang Yue, who were waiting outside the courtyard, exchanged glances upon seeing this, pretending that they had not heard or seen anything.
The guards on one side twitched their eyelids several times, and it was clear that the two guards who were close to the emperor did not speak, and they both lowered their heads.
In fact, the two of them understood their feelings very well.
After all, they were the same two years ago, and at that time they never imagined that the girl who expressed dissatisfaction with her master nine and a half days out of ten would become a woman standing by her master's side more than two years later.
On the eve of the wedding, the vast capital city was brightly lit, even in the dead of night.
The streets were bustling with people, none of whom seemed to be heading home. Inside the restaurants, people were raising their glasses in celebration, singing loudly, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere. Many had already found a good spot, hoping that the wedding procession would pass by the area the next day.
Not only the people of the capital, but also the bride, Bepji, did not sleep all night.
She got up to dress up in the middle of the night, and the palace servants quickly helped her with her hair and makeup. Even so, it took her nearly an hour and a half to get ready, and Biezhi couldn't help but feel a bit sore in the back.
Before leaving her home, she went to the front hall.
Ling Feng was also waiting in the front hall early on, along with a group of colleagues from Xianyun Tower.
Looking at everyone's smiling faces, a strange mix of emotions welled up in Biezhi's heart, and a surging tide instantly rushed to her eyes, blurring her eyelashes.
Dressed in a dark green wedding gown, Biezhi took a breath, suppressing the tears welling up in her eyes. She accepted the teacup offered by the matchmaker, knelt down carefully, and handed it to her master, who was sitting quietly in the main seat.
Ling Feng took the tea from her hand, overwhelmed with mixed emotions.
The wedding of the emperor and empress had been in preparation for a long time, and he was not surprised by their marriage. However, looking at his little disciple in front of him, Ling Feng's usually calm heart was not without some ripples.
Just like the girl he remembered, she was only six years old and was still a child in his heart. Now she was married and became someone else's wife. Fortunately, the person she married was also a child he had watched grow up, so he felt much more at ease.
Ling Feng drank the tea offered to him, saying, "If you have any unhappiness, you are welcome to come to your master, and I will stand up for you."
Upon hearing this, Biezhi blinked and hummed in agreement.
As the bridal canopy was put on, the tassels swayed with the bride's steps, their crisp sounds echoing around her. The moment she stepped into the bridal sedan chair, for some reason, Biezhi gradually became a little nervous.
This tension intensified as the sedan chair failed to depart.
Just as she was about to ask a question, a series of exclamations suddenly rang out from all around, followed by a continuous stream of greetings. She heard the sound of horses' hooves and ran to the side of the sedan chair.
The person who came lingered beside the sedan chair, seemingly for only half a breath, yet also for a long time.
So long that Biezhi could feel Fu Huaiqing's gaze through the sedan chair, so intense and sincere that it made her body slightly hot, and the tension and unease that lingered around her were also burned away and disappeared without a trace.
Before long, the ruts of the sedan chair rolled across the road.
The onlookers watched them leave with a mixture of nervousness and excitement, while the dowry followed one after another. Even though the sedan chairs had been gone for quite some time, some of the dowry was still on the street.
And most of this was the dowry that Ling Feng provided for her.
The palanquin circled the vast capital city, amidst cheers and celebrations, until it reached the streets outside the palace walls, at which point the jubilation ceased.
The sedan chair stopped at the palace gate. Biezhi leaned out of the sedan chair as the matchmaker made arrangements. When her outstretched hand touched a hot palm, she was stunned. Through the wedding canopy, she lowered her eyes and saw a wedding robe with dragon patterns.
Originally, it should have been the matchmaker who came to greet her, but now someone else came instead, which was within Biezhi's expectations. However, what she did not expect was that the moment she bent down and stepped off the stool, she fell into the man's arms.
Fu Huaiqing's unique scent went straight into her nose. The sudden movement startled Biezhi, who tightly wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned against his chest, and let him carry her inside.
The Minister of Rites and the Minister of Ceremonies, who had come with them, looked at each other for a moment, both of them astonished. They watched the emperor carry the bride away, said nothing more, and quickly followed after him.
The courtiers who had been waiting outside the Xuanzheng Hall for a long time caught a glimpse of this scene. Even though they were well-informed, they couldn't help but show a look of astonishment. However, they also felt that it was not so unexpected.
The palace gate was some distance from the Xuanzheng Hall. Nestled in the man's arms, Biezhi could clearly hear the thumping of his heart hidden beneath his chest. She could even sense that he was nervous too, and the palms around her waist were tighter than usual.
Realizing this, Biezhi slightly raised her upper body, tightened her arms around his neck a little, and whispered his name: "Fu Huaiqing".
The girl's light breath poured through the bridal canopy onto her neck, and Fu Huaiqing's palms unconsciously tightened, his hoarse voice containing a barely perceptible tension, "Hmm?"
“I’m very happy,” Biezhi said.
For a moment, Fu Huaiqing paused, glanced down at the figure in his arms, and couldn't help but smile slightly. "Me too."
Although it had only been half a year, he felt as if he had been waiting for a very long time, so long that he was getting anxious. He was eager to move the wedding date forward, but he also wanted to give her the grandest ceremony. She should have everything that other people had at their weddings, and she should also have things that other people didn't have.
Fu Huaiqing knew very well how much Biezhi in his arms had given up for him. "I'm sorry."
“I don’t feel restricted.” Biezhi knew the unspoken meaning behind his words. She had wanted to tell him this for a long time, but had never found the opportunity. “Everything I am seeing now is my own choice.”
She knew exactly what she wanted, and she never felt confined within these palace walls. All of this stemmed from the man beside her.
Upon hearing this, Fu Huaiqing lowered his head and looked at her.
Only when they reached the foot of the imperial steps did Fu Huaiqing put the girl down from his arms.
The sunlight poured down, generously showering upon the two figures ascending the steps, watching them climb the imperial staircase step by step and stand atop it.
The moment the veil was lifted, sunlight rushed into Biezhi's eyes. Her gaze swept over the man beside her, the light and shadow shimmering around him, creating halos of light. It took her a long time to see the smile in his eyes.
The court officials listened to the voices of the ceremonial officials and paid homage to the empress who was officially taking over the central palace today.
Amidst the repeated kneeling and bowing, Biezhi was somewhat dazed. She glanced sideways at Fu Huaiqing, whose expression was filled with joy, and smiled with her eyes lowered.
The wedding and the coronation ceremony were both held on the same day, making the already complicated wedding even more complicated. The entire process took a full six hours.
The real ceremony begins only after the ritual is over.
The palace was also hosting a grand banquet. The court officials who were invited to the banquet brought their female relatives. The usually quiet and boundless palace was filled with laughter. Even Biezhi, who was walking back to the palace, was infected by the laughter and became more and more excited.
However, as the streets leading back to the palace became increasingly familiar, she looked at Fu Huaiqing with some suspicion, "Chengtian Palace?"
When faced with her question, Fu Huaiqing remained noncommittal.
After a moment, he asked, "Could it be that you want to separate from your husband so soon after we got married?"
Biezhi: "..."
The girl glanced around at the palace servants who were following her. Everyone had a slight smile on their lips. She secretly pinched Fu Huaiqing and pretended to glare at him angrily.
Her charming expression caught his eye, and Fu Huaiqing's gaze deepened slightly.
In an instant, Biezhi understood his meaning. The anger in her eyes turned into shame and rage in front of everyone, and she scolded him fiercely.
It was this one glance that stirred ripples in Fu Huaiqing's heart.
There were many moments when I was thinking about how to find an excuse to cancel tonight's palace banquet.
Hearing his whisper in her ear, Biezhi's eyes widened slightly. "Do you want the whole capital to be buzzing with rumors tomorrow that the Emperor is so obsessed with his desires that he's skipping the palace banquet for his officials?"
“They will understand me.” Fu Huaiqing raised an eyebrow, gently squeezing her palm. “On their wedding night, when they were newlyweds, it was their insensible behavior.”
Biezhi: "..."
Sophistry.
Seemingly sensing her thoughts, Fu Huaiqing said without changing his expression, "Food and sex are human nature, isn't that normal?"
Upon hearing this, Biezhi remained silent for a while.
That is indeed normal.
But abandoning all the court officials at this time would be highly unusual.
If that's the case, "then everyone will know what we've been doing!" She paused, then said, "You may not care about your reputation, but I do."
Fu Huaiqing chuckled as his cheeks puffed out slightly with indignation.
Despite saying that, the two still attended the palace banquet together.
As the flames burst forth in the dark night sky, gasps of amazement rose from all around. Qin Wan, who had come with her family, caught a glimpse of two figures on the high platform, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings. She didn't know what the girl had said, but a gentle warmth rippled in the emperor's deep eyes, and the next instant, he placed a light kiss on her cheek.
The courtiers who came to the banquet naturally remembered that tonight was the wedding night of the emperor and empress. After a few rounds of drinks, they all found excuses to leave. The more they left, the harder it seemed to be to find excuses. They all had to come up with reasons that were hard to believe. Fortunately, the emperor was in a very good mood today and clearly wanted them to leave as quickly as possible, no matter how outrageous their reasons were. So, in less than half an hour, the palace banquet was over.
The moment the gates of Chengtian Palace closed, Biezhi collapsed onto the couch, too exhausted to care about her image, and lay sprawled on it.
As she lay there, she suddenly felt that something was wrong.
The palace was eerily quiet; there wasn't a sound to be heard.
Bie Zhi sat up suspiciously, and the moment her lips parted slightly, she met Fu Huaiqing standing at the door. His gaze was fixed on her, and the darkness in his eyes made her heart clench slightly, as if he were holding her in his palm and slowly playing with her heart.
Half a month, a full fifteen days.
For the next fifteen days, they slept in separate rooms.
What's worse, in the past ten days, apart from today, they've only met once.
"We haven't drunk the nuptial wine yet," Fu Huaiqing interrupted her calmly.
Biezhi: "..."
Didn't we already drink during the wedding ceremony today?
But for some reason, looking into his eyes, Biezhi's rebuttal got stuck in her throat and didn't come out for a long time.
She watched as Fu Huaiqing walked to the table, poured two cups of sake, and slowly approached her, handing her one of the cups. She looked up at the man, blinked, and took it in a daze.
When they were exchanging cups, Biezhi had a moment of doubt that she might have misremembered. Could it be that she really hadn't drunk from the cup?
She silently swallowed the sake in her mouth. In her daze, her chin was suddenly pinched by a warm fingertip, and the next moment the man's handsome face suddenly enlarged in the depths of his eyes.
He captured her lips, prying them open like a conquering siege, and suddenly poured sake into her mouth.
Biezhi's Adam's apple bobbed, and she swallowed unconsciously.
The sound of sake rolling down their throats was very pleasant, echoing in their ears like a catalyst.
The clothes that symbolized status were like messy, disorderly handkerchiefs, carelessly thrown on the ground. Upon closer inspection, one could see some tears and countless creases from being pulled out.
Fu Huaiqing was very fierce, so fierce that even Biezhi felt a little afraid.
She quietly shrank back a little, but he seemed to have been prepared. The moment she shrank back, the palm of his hand holding her ankle pulled her down hard. The sudden pull made her curl up involuntarily.
Her eyes, which still held a sliver of clarity, suddenly lost their soul, and her fingertips, hanging limply at her sides, trembled uncontrollably.
Even so, Fu Huaiqing did not show her any mercy. For some reason, he became even more ruthless than before, as if he wanted to tear her apart piece by piece and swallow her whole, giving her no room to breathe.
This was the first time Biezhi had ever seen him like this, and she was truly frightened. She called his name in a pitiful voice, "Fu Huaiqing."
The sudden tightening made Fu Huaiqing's brows furrow slightly. He took a deep breath, raised his hand to brush away the strands of hair stuck to the girl's forehead, and said in a dark tone, "Something's not right."
Biezhi blinked: "Hmm?"
Fu Huaiqing lowered his head and kissed the corner of her mouth, his fingertips gently prying open her lips. His long, slender fingers, with their distinct knuckles, slowly and deliberately moved, encircling the girl little by little. "Call me husband."
Immediately, Biezhi's cheeks flushed crimson.
She looked at Fu Huaiqing somewhat helplessly, seemingly dissatisfied with her stagnation. His mischievous fingertips became more and more obvious, so obvious that even Biezhi felt a little difficult to swallow.
Hearing the girl's slightly rapid breathing, Fu Huaiqing's dark eyes cleared a little. He slowly withdrew his mischievous fingertips, but did not withdraw them completely. Instead, he pressed his lips against hers as before, looking into the girl's wet eyes.
Biezhi opened her mouth, but then closed it again due to the sudden impact.
She didn't know why, but she just found it difficult to talk about it.
Fu Huaiqing waited a long time for her to speak, his eyes darkened, and he tightened his grip.
He nearly drove Biezhi to the brink of collapse, but it didn't truly crumble completely.
The moment his Adam's apple was bitten, the man let out a muffled groan. Fu Huaiqing lowered his eyes and caught the girl's cunning, fox-like smile.
She hesitated for a moment, then called out, "My husband."
Fu Huaiqing's Adam's apple bobbed, and he let out a deep breath.
Even so, there was no sign of it ending.
Biezhi felt like meat on a chopping board, being turned over and over again, never having a moment's rest.
As the darkness outside gradually faded, Biezhi tried her best, but it seemed she couldn't call him back. She was like prey being dragged back into the den, left to be devoured bit by bit by the hungry wolf.
He didn't let himself go until dawn broke.
The emperor and empress were married, and the morning court was suspended for seven days.
During those seven days, Biezhi eagerly awaited the arrival of the eighth day. If the eighth day didn't come soon, her back would really break.
That's why she felt that if things continued like this, she might be diagnosed with pregnancy just over half a month after the wedding. Thinking about this, Biezhi was both terrified and expectant.
On the one hand, she wasn't ready to be a mother yet, but on the other hand, she felt that having a little child chattering around her wouldn't be bad.
However, to Biezhi's surprise, there was no news for nearly a year after the wedding.
Especially after hearing the news that Fang Tingzhi, whose wedding was six months later than hers, was pregnant, she fell into deep confusion. Logically speaking, she and Fu Huaiqing had been quite close, and there should have been news within a year or two. But now a year has passed, and she has not only not heard of pregnancy, but she has not even felt the slightest discomfort.
The more this was the case, the more suspicious the other branches became.
Something must have gone wrong.
As she continued to have doubts, she suddenly remembered something.
As Fu Huaiqing returned from the morning court session and stepped into the palace, he was met with the girl's intense gaze. Her eyes scanned his body inch by inch without any attempt to conceal her feelings, and she frowned slightly, her expression a mixture of suspicion and heartache.
Fu Huaiqing felt a chill run down his spine as she scrutinized him, and walked over: "What happened?"
"Tingzhi is pregnant," Biezhi said meaningfully.
Fu Huaiqing understood immediately upon hearing this.
He raised an eyebrow, walked over and sat down beside her, saying, "It's also a joyous occasion."
Fu Huaiqing feigned ignorance: "What?"
Biezhi: "..."
Seeing his deliberate avoidance, she became even more certain.
After a brief silence, Biezhi patted his shoulder reassuringly and said, "It's alright, it's alright."
Having been together for so long, Fu Huaiqing immediately guessed what she was thinking. His face darkened, and he clenched his teeth slightly: "Don't overthink it, nothing of the sort happened."
“This is indeed a bit difficult to talk about.” Biezhi felt a little annoyed when she thought about what happened more than a year ago. She should have let Xiao Ming continue his treatment back then. She didn’t know that there were two other factors involved in whether a man could perform. Seeing that it was just the two of them here, she didn’t try to hide it anymore: “It’s okay, we’ll ask Xiao Ming to come and take a look again.”
Fu Huaiqing: "..."
His eyelids twitched violently. "I can do it."
She looked him up and down, her gaze lingering on one spot for a moment before she sighed, "We still need to see the imperial physician."
Fu Huaiqing opened his thin lips, but couldn't utter a word for a long time.
He knew very well that if Biezhi knew he was taking medication, it wouldn't be a question of whether or not to carry it out. After a moment of silence, he couldn't help but ask, "You like children?"
"I don't know." Biezhi wasn't sure if she liked it or not, but "If it's our child, of course I'll like it."
Fu Huaiqing frowned: "You really want it?"
He asked very cautiously, but Biezhi listened with great confusion, "You don't want to?"
"No," Fu Huaiqing denied.
He felt that, on the one hand, Biezhi was still young and she hadn't had enough fun yet, so why should she have a child to keep her occupied? On the other hand, they had only been married for a year, and counting the time before the wedding, they had less than two years of time alone together. If they had a child, it would definitely be a different way of getting along. Thinking about it this way, he felt that maintaining the status quo was a good choice.
However, what Fu Huaiqing did not expect was that as Fang Tingzhi's pregnancy progressed, Biezhi became more and more concerned about the matter, and visited Xiao Ming for several days in a row, just to find out if such a possibility existed.
As the person who prepared the medicine for the emperor, Xiao Ming was naturally aware of the ins and outs, and dared not say anything more for the time being.
Unexpectedly, Biezhi mistakenly thought that he was also helpless in this matter. He also heard that the imperial physicians had never heard of such a thing before, so he thought of going out to find some folk doctors to ask.
Fu Huaiqing understood her personality well; once she made a decision, she would make sure it was completed and settled completely.
Biezhi encountered many obstacles in her search for folk doctors.
She knew perfectly well who was behind these obstacles. While feeling sorry for him, she also felt that he was too reluctant to seek medical help, and her determination to find a folk doctor grew stronger.
Whether it was from too much wit and courage in her battles with him, or from too much worry, within two months, Biezhi felt exhausted. She didn't think of anything else but that it was because she had been overthinking things lately.
If Fang Tingzhi hadn't entered the palace, she wouldn't have known when she would realize something was wrong.
Fang Tingzhi did not enter the palace alone; she was accompanied by Madam Su. Madam Su frowned upon seeing her and scrutinized her for a long time without uttering a word.
But as they were leaving the palace, he couldn't help but ask, "Is Your Highness pregnant?"
Biezhi, who was immersed in the joy of having a child call her godmother, was stunned and did not understand what Madam Su meant. Seeing her blank look, Madam Su said, "Your Highness does not look well. She looks very similar to Tingzhi earlier."
Having said all that, Biezhi understood the meaning behind her words and stood there stunned in astonishment.
The imperial physician came and diagnosed her, and indeed she was one month pregnant.
Suddenly overjoyed, Biezhi only wanted to share this with Fu Huaiqing, who was still discussing state affairs with cabinet ministers. However, as she walked, she vaguely realized that something was wrong.
There had been no prior news. She had only been dealing with Fu Huaiqing for a short time when the child arrived. It came so suddenly that she felt it was too fast, as if it should have come into the world long ago if no one had stopped it.
Thinking about it this way, is there anything else that Biezhi doesn't understand?
She instructed Hua Chao to tell the imperial physicians not to tell anyone, and instead of going to find Fu Huaiqing, she returned to Chengtian Palace and summoned Xiao Ming.
As Xiao Ming entered the hall, Bie Zhi began questioning him about the matter.
Xiao Ming was sweating profusely, unsure whether to speak or not. He tried to come up with several reasons, but they were all rejected by Biezhi. He was still in Chengtian Palace when Fu Huaiqing returned.
Upon seeing this, Fu Huaiqing naturally realized that the matter had been exposed.
When Biezhi heard that he had been taking medication, she was so angry that she wanted to fight him, but she held back because she thought that the baby in her belly was only a month or two old and still unstable.
Fu Huaiqing found it strange and stared at her for a long time. Then he looked at her flat stomach and suddenly understood. He couldn't wait to announce it to the world.
And so, little Fu Qing'an was born under these circumstances.
As the first and only little princess of the dynasty, Fu Qing'an was born on the day Fu Huaiqing ordered a general amnesty, and the whole country celebrated. The most prosperous restaurant in the capital held events for more than half a month.
From the age of one, Fu Qing'an was taken by Fu Huaiqing to attend to state affairs.
Looking at the adorable little princess, the cabinet ministers couldn't help but have other guesses, while Fu Qing'an grew up day by day under everyone's watchful eyes.
Everyone says that the little princess is the one in the world who knows no worries whatsoever.
However, Fu Qing'an disagreed.
Even at such a young age, she felt a bit troubled because her parents often didn't take her with them when they went out. The important thing wasn't that her mother didn't take her, but that her father, who was known to everyone as the one who doted on her the most!
When the little girl was four years old, she was made to fall asleep by herself, which her father said was to train her courage.
Fu Qing'an didn't quite understand what this had to do with cultivating courage, but at that time she trusted her father's words completely and vowed that she would definitely cultivate her courage properly.
Although she didn't seem to develop much courage in the end, because her mother would always come to keep her company at night, Fu Qing'an would never see her mother the next morning.
According to the palace servants, it seemed that her father would quietly come and take her mother away while she was asleep.
Fu Qing'an felt that her father was being a bit stingy.
For example, this time, upon hearing that her father and mother were going to leave the palace together, Fu Qing'an inquired in advance about where they would depart from and which carriage they would use. She hid in the carriage early on, so that even if her father was unwilling, he would not throw her out of the carriage in front of everyone.
Fu Qing'an didn't know about anything else, but what her father couldn't bear the most was her tears.
If Father really doesn't plan to take me with him, I'll just have a good cry, and then I'll easily get my way with them.
However, Fu Qing'an did not expect that her information was wrong.
The young girl waited and waited in the carriage, but no palace servants came to move it. She couldn't stand it any longer and was about to go out for some fresh air when she saw two figures riding away outside the palace gate. When she chased after them to the palace gate, they were nowhere to be seen.
Bie Zhi, who had just ridden out on horseback, saw Fu Qing'an stumbling towards her. Feeling a pang of pity, she urged her horse to stop and said to Fu Huaiqing, "Why don't we take her with us? It's been seven or eight days since she left the palace with me."
Upon hearing this, Fu Huaiqing stared at her for a moment, then dismounted.
Biezhi thought he had changed his mind, and her joy was short-lived. She saw the man step onto the stirrups under her feet, nimbly flip onto the horse, wrap his arms around her waist, and take control of the reins in her hands.
She turned around, puzzled.
Fu Huaiqing raised his knuckles and gently tapped her forehead, saying, "She can do it herself." He paused, then rested his chin on the woman's shoulder, a faint fragrance wafting into her nostrils. "We haven't gone out together for quite some time now."
He gently rubbed his nose against Biezhi's neck. "I wonder who it was that promised to go out with me last time, but then forgot about it as soon as they turned their backs."
Upon hearing this, Biezhi, ignoring the ripples on her neck, coughed a few times, feeling somewhat guilty.
Her daughter looked at her expectantly, and she was indeed finding it hard to bear.
She had indeed forgotten her promise to Fu Huaiqing last time, and left the palace with Fu Qing'an the next morning. It was only when she saw Fu Huaiqing rushing over in the afternoon that she remembered their promise.
Suddenly, Biezhi recalled what Fu Huaiqing had said before Fu Qing'an was born.
She turned slightly to the side and wrapped her arms around his waist, saying, "I remember everything."
Even with Fu Qing'an, she won't neglect him.
Fu Huaiqing lowered his eyes and gazed at her, then hummed in agreement.
After a moment, he lowered his head slightly and kissed the corner of her lips.
As the morning sun set, illuminating the two figures riding away with whips cracking, Fu Qing'an, who had already climbed the palace wall, gazed at the backs of his father and mother, the tears welling up in his eyes slowly receding.
She was still young, but she felt that it seemed pretty good.
----The End----
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Author's Note: My next book will be "The Crown Princess Quit," featuring a bright-eyed, noblewoman and a cold, aloof, and rigid crown prince.
Arranged marriage that blossoms into love, pursuing the wife while still married.
Cui Youning, the second daughter of the prestigious Cui family, whose mother was the daughter of a duke, was a renowned figure in the capital. She was the most eye-catching person there, not for any other reason than her lively and frightening personality, which also made people envious.
What she talked about most was that her heart and soul were completely devoted to the Crown Prince Rong Chen, yet the Crown Prince had no feelings for her whatsoever and his heart was as hard as a rock—a fact that even a three-year-old child had heard.
Cui Youning remained noncommittal; if you like someone, you like them, so why hide it from others?
Rumors have been circulating that the Crown Prince's Palace intends to select a consort from among noble ladies, causing a great deal of discussion. Betting has also begun in the black market casinos, with very few people choosing Cui Youning and all the bets placed on the others.
In just half a day, a strange man suddenly appeared and placed a bet of several hundred taels of silver, betting that the position of Crown Princess would belong to Cui Youning.
Everyone guessed that this person must be Cui Youning himself.
Unexpectedly, just two days later, silver fell from the sky again, with thousands of taels of silver as stakes, and landed on the eldest daughter of the Xiao family. This time, the world could see clearly that the person who placed the bet was none other than the Crown Prince's personal guard.
His meaning was the same as the Crown Prince's.
Rumors spread like wildfire.
Cui Youning didn't believe it at first, until the man's indifferent and disgusted eyes and his words 'there is absolutely no possibility in this life' completely nailed her to the spot.
Even the warmest heart will eventually grow cold.
On the very day that Cui Youning planned to go out for a stroll to clear her mind, the imperial edict bestowing marriage upon her was delivered to the Minister's residence before her departure.
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The current Crown Prince Rong Chen was personally appointed as the Imperial Grandson by the late Emperor. He was ordained by Heaven and was proud and self-possessed.
Rumors that Lady Cui was interested in him had reached his ears, but Rong Chen didn't take them to heart. He simply said, "Don't spread rumors and ruin other people's reputations."
What Rong Chen didn't expect was that not only was this true, but the person involved also didn't care at all. In her words, she wished the whole country knew.
When discussing the selection of the Crown Princess, the Empress's first choice was Cui Youning.
Upon hearing this, Rong Chen frowned.
Such an eccentric woman was truly contrary to his requirements for a crown princess.
In response, Rong Chen decided to curb her temper.
But to his surprise, Cui Youning refused to continue.
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