Chapter 64 Fu Huaiqing is very naive
"The officials in the court are naturally different from those around them."
When Biezhi raised the point that Lingfeng's earlier response was "bringing up old grievances," Fu Shuning gave her this reply.
"My brother is very childish."
Biezhi nodded in agreement.
That's really childish.
Even though he's so busy he doesn't have time to rest, he still finds time to cause her trouble.
Even in the past few days, he has been intentionally or unintentionally reminding her of the past, or ordering Cheng Jin to send her some extremely familiar items, such as dumplings from Wuweipu or Laba garlic from Wuweipu. He clearly knew that she had a photographic memory and would remind herself of the past every day, so that she would not forget that he was Ji Ran.
They're not afraid of emptying out the entire Wuwei Shop.
Fu Shuning closed the book she had opened, slightly raised her eyelids to look at Biezhi across from her, whose almond-shaped eyes held a hint of a smile. After a moment's thought, she asked, "Why did you choose this path, sister?"
"Hmm?" Biezhi paused for a moment, then slowly realized that she was referring to her choice to enter Qingyin Pavilion. She smiled and said, "Of course, it's because the money was plentiful."
The words, crisp and direct without any concealment, lingered in the bedroom. Fu Shuning blinked.
After a moment, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Fu Shuning finally understood why Cheng Jin said she could get along with him, and why her brother's gaze was fixed on her. She vaguely understood what the ancients meant by "knowing the ways of the world without being worldly-wise."
Bie Zhi was puzzled, unable to understand what she was laughing at.
“I just find you very interesting, sister.” Fu Shuning rested her elbow on the table, her chin in her palm, blinking as she looked at her across the table. “People tend to subconsciously think that those in power are either steady or unapproachable, but in reality, those in power are also living, breathing people, and they also like interesting things.”
Her eyes flickered. "Aren't you really going to consider your brother?"
For a fleeting moment, Biezhi felt that Fu Shuning resembled a waiter in a restaurant on both sides of the street, soliciting customers and introducing the restaurant's signboard to passersby to attract their attention.
The signboard that Fu Shuning used to promote his products was Fu Huaiqing.
Bie Zhi's lips twitched as she imagined Fu Shuning dragging him around soliciting customers.
She was a little confused; Lin Nianchu clearly had feelings for Fu Huaiqing…
Without any further questioning, Fu Shuning could see the doubt written all over her face. After a moment's thought, she asked, "Sister, have you heard about Mother's matter?"
Biezhi was a little puzzled as to why she suddenly asked this, but she still nodded.
I have indeed heard about it.
It is said that the Imperial Concubine came from a commoner family, an ordinary farming household. The late emperor traveled south incognito, and the two became acquainted. Later, the Imperial Concubine accompanied the late emperor into the palace. She was initially granted the title of Consort, and in less than a year, she was promoted to the rank of Imperial Concubine. The following year, she was promoted to Imperial Noble Consort, ranking below the Empress and above all other concubines. At the beginning of her time in the palace, she was the sole favorite of the emperor.
"Compared to the other concubines, my mother was of humble origin and had no one to rely on. Only my father supported her and pushed her to the position of Imperial Concubine despite all opposition." Fu Shuning recalled her mother's dying words, her eyes glistening with tears. "Everyone says that my father adored my mother, but he was never short of concubines. It's just that his gaze lingered on my mother more than on the others."
“The support of the maternal family may not be so important to other families, but it is different for the royal family members, especially those who are favored by the emperor.”
Looking at Fu Shuning's downturned lips, Bie Zhi pursed her lips slightly. When she was Fu Shuning's age, she was still catching cicadas in the trees to fry and eat. The things Fu Shuning was thinking about and worrying about were obviously much deeper than her own, and these words seemed to have been lingering in her heart for a long time.
“My other brothers and sisters all came from prestigious families. Zhan’er’s family held the majority of the power in the court at that time. No child born into the royal family could resist the idea of that position.” Fu Shuning knew from a young age that she was born into an imperial family, not an ordinary one. “Many times I thought that if I didn’t want to ascend to that position, it would be best to be an unfavored child.”
Unfavored princes and princesses posed no threat to others.
“My brother is very much in Father’s favor,” Fu Shuning said, “not only because of Mother, but also because of my brother himself.”
Before today, Biezhi had never heard of Fu Huaiqing.
Although they were in the same city, the city was so large that it was dazzling, and it was as if there was an insurmountable chasm between them. Previously, her impression of Fu Huaiqing was only that he was the regent of the current dynasty, and she knew nothing about his past.
Biezhi always felt that they were like people from two different worlds.
Hearing Fu Shuning mention his story, he felt only curiosity.
“Even if my brother doesn’t want that position, he has to face it. Besides, he does want it.” Fu Shuning hadn’t asked him directly, but she could tell that if he didn’t want the position, he wouldn’t have interfered so much in the first place. “However, other people have access to far more resources than my brother, so every step he takes is incredibly difficult.”
Fu Shuning didn't know about other things, but she still remembered the year her father passed away. "When her father was seriously ill, the border war was urgent, and someone was urgently needed to go to the border to take charge, which was also a way to comfort the soldiers." At that time, no one was willing to leave the capital, as a slight misstep could lead to disaster. "Later, the maternal relatives joined forces to recommend someone, and the task fell to my brother."
If it were just a matter of going to the frontier to oversee things, she wouldn't be alarmed. Even at only ten years old, she could sense the dangers lurking around the journey, let alone her brother. But there was nothing she could do, nothing she could stop. "When my brother left, he only took five people with him, including Cheng Jin. He didn't even take Jiang Yue; he left him by my side to protect me." Fu Shuning paused, then suddenly asked, "Does sister remember the incident more than five years ago when the people of Xianyun Tower were waiting in the capital?"
Biezhi hummed in agreement, "I remember."
At that time, she had not yet joined Qingyin Pavilion and was just one of the inconspicuous shadows in Xianyun Tower. Logically speaking, no missions should have fallen on them. However, Biezhi also received orders to stay in the capital and not leave even for a moment.
Apart from the senior brothers and sisters who had left the capital for several days with their missions, nearly a hundred others remained in the capital. The entire Xianyun Tower was deathly silent, and even the masters of the five major pavilions were on high alert.
She paused, realizing for the first time that this matter was related to Fu Huaiqing. She frowned and looked at Fu Shuning, who nodded slightly, confirming her guess.
“It was my brother who stayed behind to protect me.” Fu Shuning’s eyes glistened with tears, her voice trembling with a barely perceptible sob. “He only took five people with him, and nearly two hundred people stayed with me.”
The fingertips that had fallen onto the tea table paused for a moment.
Looking at Fu Shuning's bloodshot eyes, she pursed her lips, unsure of what to say for a long time.
She could understand Fu Huaiqing's decision, but she still felt uneasy, as if smoke was filling her chest and tightening inwards, making it hard for her to breathe.
"Before he left, he promised me that he would return safely and told me to wait for him."
Recalling the past, Fu Shuning's eyes glistened with tears, which swirled around her, but not a single drop fell.
She took a deep breath. "My brother hasn't returned yet. One night, my father suddenly passed away, and the killing began. The struggle between the maternal relatives was brought into the open. Whether it was assassination or open attacks, I was also assassinated twice within ten days. I had to leave the palace and stay at the Lin family's residence temporarily. Later, Zhan'er's maternal family pushed Zhan'er to that position."
Five-year-old Fu Mingzhan was thrust into that position, and his mother became the Empress Dowager, ruling from behind the curtain. The Empress Dowager was timid and gentle, the easiest woman in her family to manipulate, and thus became a pawn of the maternal relatives. Although she was ruling from behind the curtain, the real power was held by the maternal relatives.
“With the maternal relatives in power, officials who were not on their side sought reasons to kill me. The Lin and Su families suggested that I leave the capital to avoid trouble. I was ready to leave the capital, but on the eve of my departure, he returned.” Fu Shuning’s slightly hoarse voice was tinged with excitement. “He arrived in the capital overnight. He had taken a bath before coming to the Lin family to see me, but I could still smell the blood on him.”
"I later found out that I bumped into his wound when I threw myself into his arms."
She frowned.
Fu Shuning took a sip of tea, the refreshing tea washing over her bitter throat. "After that, I didn't see him for a long time. Cheng Jin would come to let me know he was safe on time, but there was no other news. The next time we met was the day he eliminated the last relative of the empress."
To this day, she has never forgotten the scene from that day.
Her brother arrived, travel-worn, and bent down to wipe away his unstoppable tears. He waited until she finished crying before speaking, "He said he's come to take me home."
In that instant, she burst into tears, crying out loud, completely disregarding her image.
Fu Shuning blinked her watery eyes, her almond-shaped eyes gazing through the mist, her lips slightly pursed, lost in thought. "I know Nianchu has feelings for you, brother, but I want to see you happy even more."
If he has feelings for Lin Nianchu, Fu Shuning would naturally be happy to see it happen. If he has no feelings for Lin Nianchu, nor for any other woman, she would still think of helping her friend out again. After more than three years, perhaps everything is different now.
It was indeed different; the older brother met the girl he liked.
Therefore, Fu Shuning naturally hoped that he could get what he wanted.
"His injuries—" Biezhi's voice, which hadn't been uttered for a while, was slightly hoarse. She paused and cleared her throat, "...where are they?"
"Back, waist and abdomen." Fu Shuning pressed Jiang Yue for a long time before he finally told her.
Upon hearing this, Biezhi's breath hitched slightly.
She recalled the day she suspected his identity, when she did indeed see some scars on him.
When Biezhi learned that Jiran was actually Fu Huaiqing in disguise, she couldn't help but think that Fu Huaiqing was indeed worthy of being the regent, as he had many talented people around him. Even his scars were drawn so realistically that you couldn't tell the difference between real and fake when you touched them.
New wounds may be painted, old wounds...
Her heart was gripped in a palm, tightening little by little until she could hardly breathe. Her lips parted slightly, but she didn't know where to begin.
The fleeting thought passed without leaving a trace, and when Biezhi reached out to grasp it, she grasped only empty air.
She found it hard to describe her feelings at that moment.
Regardless of everything else, she had only one thought in her mind.
I want to see Fu Huaiqing.
Fu Shuning said these things not to make Biezhi sad, but to tell her why she wanted to bring them together, and also to tell her that her brother was better than anyone else, the best man in the world, and that choosing him would definitely not be a mistake. But when she saw the fleeting heartache in her expression, she felt a little happy.
I am pleased by her concern.
“I haven’t told anyone else about these things except my sister.” Fu Shuning regained her composure and playfully put her knuckles to her lips to shush. “Sister, you have to keep this a secret for me.”
Beneath the girl's charming expression, her eyes shimmered with tears. She didn't know how long she had kept these words bottled up inside, but when she finally spoke them, she couldn't help but tear up. Biezhi's lips parted slightly, and she nodded in agreement.
Fu Shuning's eyes curved into a smile upon receiving an affirmative answer.
A somber atmosphere enveloped the surroundings, and even the sunlight couldn't dispel the sadness. It gradually enveloped the branches. Upon seeing this, Fu Shuning's eyelashes trembled. Aroused by this unbearable atmosphere, she deftly took out a book from her sleeve and slammed it open on the table.
The crisp sound of books hitting the table instantly dispelled the dullness, startling Biezhi, who was lost in thought, back to reality. Like a lost deer, she blinked her eyes in confusion.
The moment she glanced down at the open book on the table, her eyes widened in shock. All her displeasure vanished. She looked up at the book's owner in disbelief, then couldn't help but look down again.
She took a deep breath.
The books on the table were laid out, outlining the figures of men.
The face is depicted with just a few strokes, while the body below the neck is drawn stroke by stroke, so lifelike that one feels as if the man in the painting is standing right in front of you, showing off his body without any hesitation.
This shows the dedication and meticulousness of the calligrapher and painter.
Fu Shuning recognized at a glance that Biezhi was indeed the same kind of person as herself, and the joy in her eyes was palpable. "I knew it. If you like handsome men, you will definitely like men with great physiques."
“I have many more.” She leaned forward, supporting herself on the table, and whispered, “If you need them, I’ll have someone bring them to you when I get back.” After a moment’s thought, she added, “They are all unique copies; you must not have seen them before.”
Bie Zhi's expression was somewhat complicated.
Just when Fu Shuning thought she didn't want it, she heard her say, "Send it secretly, don't let him know."
“Okay!” Fu Shuning nodded excitedly. She was also afraid of being caught by her brother, and muttered, “I won’t let him know. If he finds out that I brought you here, he’ll put me in solitary confinement.”
“I won’t sell it to you,” Biezhi assured her.
Just as she wouldn't betray Fu Huaiqing's hidden illness, she wouldn't betray Fu Shuning.
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