Chapter 73 Old Tales of the Marquis's Mansion
Granny Su led Shen Yan to the main courtyard. As soon as they entered, a teacup fell and shattered at Shen Yan's feet.
The flying shards grazed his ankle, staining it with blood. Shen Yan glanced down at it, then looked at his mother at the head of the table and asked knowingly, "Mother, what's wrong? Why are you so angry?"
He glanced coldly at Shen Jiao in her mother's arms, and said veiledly, "How are you all serving her? Don't you know the old lady is unwell?"
Normally, Shen Yan always maintained a gentle demeanor in the mansion, exuding an imposing and awe-inspiring presence even without anger. Now, his sudden outburst of anger startled all the servants in the main courtyard, who knelt down in a flurry.
Sitting next to Shen's mother, Shen Jiao met his eyes, which were burning with anger, and couldn't help but shrink back. But then she remembered that she had a powerful backer now and had nothing to fear, so she stuck out her neck and glared back.
"What are you doing? Do you intend to sell off everyone in the main courtyard and leave this old woman to live alone?" Mother Shen retorted with a stern look.
Ever since he returned from his disappearance, her son has been constantly going against her. She could clearly sense that her son was becoming somewhat estranged from her.
Faced with his mother's anger, Shen Yan's tone softened, and he said gently, "Mother, you are too harsh. It is only because you are so angry that none of them have come forward to comfort you that I am truly angry."
"Don't you know why I'm angry?" Madam Shen interrupted him. "Let me ask you, did you reprimand Jiao'er for the sake of outsiders?"
"It is true, but Jiao'er did it first."
Shen Yan wanted to explain, but his mother didn't give him a chance at all. "What's wrong with Jiao'er? She just asked you, her older brother, to help her out. You didn't even help, and you even accused her of being ill-mannered."
"Yes, Jiao'er lost her father at a young age and grew up with me. It's my fault as her mother; I didn't raise her well." Mother Shen patted her chest, tears streaming down her face, looking heartbroken.
This familiar smell made Chen Yan's head spin instantly.
Whenever Shen Jiao was unhappy, his mother would always use this tactic to force him to comply. But let's be realistic, can matters of the heart be forced? Isn't that just pushing someone into a fire pit?
“Mother,” Shen Yan sighed helplessly, “Fu Yunxiu already has someone he loves. I cannot force him to marry someone just for Jiao’er’s sake.”
But Madam Shen didn't take it seriously, saying, "She's just a concubine, what kind of sweetheart is she? We can just sell her off when the time comes."
The same words instantly reminded Shen Yan of what she had said two years ago.
"He's just a country bumpkin, no matchmaker, no betrothal gifts, what kind of marriage is that? Just give him some money and send him on his way."
Memories flooded back, and the events of the past and the present piled up, instantly igniting Chen Yan's rage. "How can matters of the heart be forced? Why does Mother always make things difficult for people, insisting on separating lovers?"
"What do you mean by that?" Mother Shen stood up abruptly. "Are you accusing me?" Even though Shen Yan was angry, he was afraid of really upsetting his mother, so he softened his voice and said, "Son wouldn't dare."
Fearing he might say something even harsher if he stayed any longer, Chen Yan chose to temporarily evade the matter, saying, "I'm sorry, son, I'm incompetent in this matter. Mother, please give up on this idea!"
As he spoke, he looked at Shen Jiao. Shen Jiao was startled by his intimidating gaze and guiltily turned her head away.
"You, you unfilial son!" Madam Shen pointed at him angrily, watching Shen Yan walk out the door before finally managing to utter a complete sentence, "You're blaming me, blaming me for breaking you up. Let me tell you, even if I die, I will never let that country bumpkin into the house and lower the prestige of my Shen family."
As Chen Yan emerged from the main courtyard, looking at the winding corridor before him, he felt utterly exhausted.
Ever since he returned from his disappearance, his mother has become increasingly doting and obsessive towards Shen Jiao. Doesn't she realize that spoiling a child is like killing a child, and that her indulgence of Shen Jiao will inevitably lead to trouble sooner or later?
This time, he will absolutely not compromise.
In the main courtyard, Shen Jiao saw her mother's face turn pale with anger because of her eldest brother, and she felt extremely guilty. If she hadn't come to complain, her mother wouldn't have been so angry. At the same time, she also resented Shen Yan, wondering why her eldest brother, who usually agreed to everything for her, was reacting so strongly to her marriage.
But what really triggered Shen Yan's strong reaction wasn't her desire to marry Fu Yunxiu, but rather that Fu Yunxiu already had someone he loved. He didn't want to separate the two lovers.
But Shen Jiao didn't care about all that. No matter what, she was determined to have Fu Yunxiu.
As soon as Fu Yunxiu sat down in the inn, he couldn't help but shiver.
"Is the young master cold?" Mantou asked.
"No, I guess someone's been talking about me," Fu Yunxiu said, a smile creeping onto his lips.
I guess Aman is thinking about him again.
It's just a pity that he can't go back anytime soon.
Although according to Chen Yan, Fu Changze's release was a foregone conclusion, he still felt uneasy without seeing him. Since he was already here, a couple more days wouldn't make a difference.
But if I don't go back for several days and there's no word from her, Aman will definitely worry. Perhaps I should write her a letter.
Without further ado, Fu Yunxiu asked the waiter for paper and pen, pondered for a moment, and then picked up the pen to write.
My dearest Aman, seeing this letter feels like seeing you in person. It's been so long since we last met; I often think of you dearly…
Fu Yunxiu sat at the table and wrote for most of the day. The content was so cheesy that even Mantou couldn't bear to look at it.
After writing the letter, Fu Yunxiu personally found a messenger to deliver it, repeatedly reminding him to be careful on the way and not to lose it.
Aman received the letter the morning after Fu Yunxiu had written it.
As usual, Aman got up, washed up, ate breakfast, and prepared to pack up to set up his stall on the street. Suddenly, he heard someone knocking on the door.
Aman initially thought it was someone from the Marquis's residence, but when she opened the door, she was met with a stranger. After confirming that it was indeed Aman, the stranger handed her a letter and left.
Looking at the four strong characters "To Aman" on the envelope, Aman knew who wrote the letter without even looking at the signature.
Forget about setting up the stall, Aman returned to her room, carefully washed her hands, and then cautiously opened the envelope.
The very first sentence of the letter made Aman blush.
As the saying goes, things are accomplished in secrecy. Fu Yunxiu was afraid that the letter would fall into the hands of someone with ulterior motives, so he did not write about Fu Changze in the letter. Instead, he wrote more about his own recent situation and his longing for Aman.
He also mentioned that he had passed by the official school in the capital, which was built in a very simple and elegant style, and that his children could study there in the future. He also said that he had taken a fancy to a jade hairpin, which suited her perfectly, and regretted not taking her with him when he went to the capital. Now, with the long night ahead, he could only fall asleep with longing in his heart.
The letter ended with the line: "I am at home and all is well, which puts my worries at ease."
"Tch, what's all this nonsense? Who read it?" Aman said with disdain, but her smile was as bright as the rising sun.
But thinking about it, since Fu Yunxiu had written her a letter, shouldn't she also write back?
But my own scraggly handwriting...
Aman was troubled for a while, but then she thought that Fu Yunxiu had seen her handwriting before, so she decided not to waste her energy on internal conflict.
He took the letter to Fu Yunxiu's room, found some paper for writing letters on the bookshelf, poured water to grind the ink, and began to think about what he wanted to write while biting the pen.
After a moment's thought, Aman finally picked up his pen and solemnly wrote down two words.
Yunxiu:
Seeing this letter is like seeing the person in person; opening it brings a smile to my face.
…………
Anyway, she didn't have the same literary talent as the young master, so she just treated it as a chat with him and wrote down whatever came to mind.
Aman wrote about her flower dew business during this period, and about visiting Grandpa Cheng the day before yesterday, who said he was going on a trip. She also mentioned that Madam Liu had been frequently visiting Wutong Garden to inquire about the situation. Incidentally, Aman also mentioned the turmoil in the Marquis's mansion these days.
The Cheng'an Marquis's Mansion has two branches. Fu Xuan, the father of Fu Yunxiu, is the eldest son's branch, and the second branch is the branch of Fu Ang, Fu Yunxiu's uncle.
Although they were brothers, their character was vastly different. The eldest son, Fu Xuan, was clever and quick-witted from a young age, but unfortunately, he was always dissolute and unreliable. In contrast, the younger son, Fu Ang, was upright, honest, mature, and steady. Although he was somewhat taciturn, it was clear which one was better.
From the clan head to the elders, everyone in the Fu family believed that the second son, Fu Ang, was the only suitable candidate to inherit the title. Even the old Marquis at the time thought so.
But who would have thought that an assassin would appear at a palace banquet? In the chaos, Fu Xuan saved the then young Fifth Prince. His Majesty, impressed by his loyalty and bravery and knowing that he was already of age, designated him as the heir of the Marquis of Cheng'an and promised that if he inherited the title in the future, the title would not be downgraded and would be passed on to the next generation.
As a result, the Marquis's family had no choice but to reconsider their successor. After all, no matter how outstanding Fu Ang's abilities or how good his character, once he inherited the title, the Marquis's title would be downgraded to Earl according to the rules. At that time, their glory and honor would also be diminished.
Thus, everyone changed their previous attitude and happily surrounded Fu Xuan as he inherited the title and became the new Marquis of Cheng'an. According to custom, Fu Ang, upon reaching adulthood, moved out of the Marquis's residence and established his own household.
The old Marquis felt indebted to his son, Fu Ang, who had given him nearly 30% of the family fortune when he established his own household. Even so, Fu Ang still harbored resentment over this matter. Especially after Fu Xuan later became arrogant, extravagant, and dissolute, he indulged in promiscuity everywhere, even creating a place called Wutong Garden, claiming that he was recuperating there because of his poor health, but in reality, it was just a den of iniquity.
The reputation and fortune of the Marquis's mansion declined under his management, which made Fu Ang grit his teeth in anger.
Finally, Fu Ang waited until his elder brother passed away, but then the eldest branch of the family put forward Fu Changze to temporarily take over as the head of the family.
Putting everything else aside, the sheer power of Liu's maternal family was a deterrent to him.
Now that the Liu family has fallen and Fu Changze is in prison, likely facing certain death, Fu Yunting is focused on the imperial examinations and has no interest in this field. Fu Yunxiu is sickly and, although he seems lively now, he might die any day now. Furthermore, after all these years of illness, the number of elders in the Marquis's mansion who support him is dwindling, and he has no power of his own, so he is not a threat.
So now that all obstacles have been cleared, it's his turn to take the stage.
Madam Liu said that the second branch of the family is currently contacting the clan elders, saying they want to re-elect the head of the family and, after the new emperor ascends the throne, officially establish the title.
Moreover, those who were originally won over by Madam Fu and wholeheartedly supported Fu Yunting seem to be turning against her in private. It's unclear what methods the second branch of the family used.
Fu Yunxiu received Aman's letter on the seventh day after arriving in the capital.
News came from Shen Yan's side that he had mentioned Fu Changze's matter to Prince Chen. According to Prince Chen, Fu Changze was not involved in the rebellion, so there was no need to wait for a general amnesty; he could be released directly after the investigation was completed. This could also be considered as repaying Fu Yunxiu's previous kindness.
If nothing unexpected happens, Fu Changze should be able to come out in another two days.
Fu Yunxiu went to the prison and told Fu Changze the good news. Upon returning to the inn, he was told by the waiter that there was a letter for him.
The envelope was blank, with no writing on it. This left Fu Yunxiu wondering who had written the letter.
"Where did this letter come from?" Fu Yunxiu asked.
"It was delivered by a messenger just now. He said it came from Yongzhou and that the shop is for you, Young Master Fu," the waiter replied.
Yongzhou?
Fu Yunxiu roughly guessed who wrote the letter, and his mood immediately improved. He grinned and said, "Thank you for your trouble," before hurriedly returning to his room.
Fu Yunxiu had been staying at the inn for seven days, and the innkeeper was curious to see this young master Fu so emotionally expressive for the first time.
Could it be his sweetheart?
Mantou was already used to his own worthless appearance, so he didn't think much of it. After nodding to the waiter, he followed Fu Yunxiu back to his room.
The room was a bit warm after being in the sun all afternoon, so the first thing Mantou did upon entering was to open the window. Only then did he pick up his cup and pour a cup of tea for Fu Yunxiu.
"Young master, please have some tea."
But Fu Yunxiu had no time to pay attention to him right now, and only hurriedly said to put it aside for now, not even bothering to give him a glance.
Carefully opening the envelope, Fu Yunxiu took out a thick stack of letters inside. He flipped through them and, upon seeing only the first sentence, grinned from ear to ear.
Holding the letter, he pondered the first two words repeatedly. The more he thought about them, the wider his grin widened.
After finishing his cup of water, Mantou saw his young master grinning like a lovesick fool.
Although it's wrong to peek at other people's letters, he couldn't resist in the end.
While getting water, Mantou peeked at the two characters "Yun Xiu" (云修) with his head tilted to the side. When he saw that they were not written neatly, and were even worse than his own handwriting, Mantou's face darkened.
What's so exciting about this?
So what if Aman called my name?
He was still being bossed around by Aman, who kept ordering him around steamed buns every day. Was he proud? Was he arrogant?
It's really speechless.
Mantou secretly rolled his eyes, indicating that he didn't understand at all.
Fortunately, Fu Yunxiu didn't notice him, otherwise he would definitely have been ridiculed.
A little trick between lovers, even a simple word, can bring them joy for a long time. Especially since this was the first time Aman had called him by his name. Even though it was written down, it held special significance.
Fu Yunxiu stared at his own name and smiled for a long time before finally turning his attention to the main text.
The beginning was mostly Aman showing concern for his situation and discussing everyday family matters, but then...
The further Fu Yunxiu read, the more his brows furrowed.
My second uncle is being a bit too hasty.
It seems he's trying to force the clan leader to appoint a new head of the family while the three brothers are away. Or perhaps he's conspiring with the clan leader.
If it were someone else who was so scheming, Fu Yunxiu might not care, and might even help them out, but his second uncle...
A cold glint flashed in Fu Yunxiu's eyes.
When the fire broke out in Wutong Garden, although the government ultimately gave the cause as an accident, the Chen family, who originally lived in Wutong Garden, disappeared after the fire.
Coincidentally, in the period leading up to the fire at Wutong Garden, Chen suddenly became very close to the second branch of the family. This inevitably raises suspicions that something fishy was going on.
However, Chen was nowhere to be found, neither alive nor dead. He himself had also injured himself while saving people, nearly dying from poisoning. So the matter was temporarily shelved.
After his father's death, his second uncle did indeed step forward to take on the heavy responsibility of the Marquis's mansion, but at that time, Madam Liu's family was all-powerful, backed by General Liu Xun, and ultimately his second uncle did not get his wish.
Unexpectedly, now that the Liu family has fallen from power, his second uncle can't sit still anymore.
But right now, even if he wanted to stop it, he wasn't confident of victory.
Now, it seems that the only thing that can intimidate him is Fu Yunting's status as a scholar who passed the imperial examination.
Fu Yunxiu has been in the capital for several days, but has not yet contacted Fu Yunting.
After much deliberation, Fu Yunxiu decided to meet him.
Even though he hated Madam Fu and felt that she favored one person over another and sacrificed him for Fu Yunting, this matter ultimately had nothing to do with Fu Yunting.
When Fu Yunxiu approached Fu Yunting, Fu Yunting had just returned from outside looking dejected.
With Fu Changze imprisoned, Fu Yunting was frantic, like a cat on a hot tin roof. These past few days, he had exhausted every connection he could think of. But the elders who usually told him to just ask if he needed anything were now completely silent about his requests. Or perhaps they had guessed his intentions beforehand and were feigning illness to avoid visitors.
It's been eight days already, and he can't even see his second brother, let alone exonerate him.
"Sigh..." Fu Yunting sighed deeply, dragging his tired steps to the entrance of the academy, where he finally saw a familiar figure standing under the tree.
"Brother?" Almost doubting his own eyes, Fu Yunting instinctively took two quick steps before confirming it was indeed his elder brother. He hurried forward, "Brother, what brings you here?"
Fu Yunxiu stood under the tree, listening intently to the clear, melodious sounds of reading coming from the schoolhouse inside. He was momentarily captivated. If it weren't for his poor health, he too would have been one of those spirited young men sitting here.
It's just a pity...
Fu Yunxiu gave a self-deprecating laugh before looking at Fu Yunting, who was rushing over.
"Brother, are you here for Second Brother too?" Although Fu Yunting was surprised to see Fu Yunxiu here, it was not difficult for him to know his purpose.
Fu Yunxiu didn't answer his question, but instead asked him, "Where have you been? You haven't been to the academy all morning. I heard from your classmates that you've been going out a lot lately."
Upon hearing this, Fu Yunting's initial excitement over Fu Yunxiu's arrival plummeted to rock bottom.
"I went to a friend to ask for help, hoping to see my second brother." Although his mother had written to him repeatedly telling him not to get involved, that it wasn't worth ruining his future for outsiders, he didn't listen.
My second brother is not an outsider; he is family.
Fu Yunxiu wasn't surprised, but then asked, "Didn't Mother... tell you to stay away from this?"
“I did,” Fu Yunting said, lifting the stone embankment on the ground with his toes, “but that’s my second brother.”
He couldn't ignore it.
Hearing the answer he expected, Fu Yunxiu rarely showed a smile. "So you found a connection?"
“No,” Fu Yunting shook his head. “They all seem unwilling to help.”
"Of course they wouldn't want to. Nobody wants to do something thankless and even risk their own safety. In officialdom, there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests." Fu Yunxiu was exasperated by Fu Yunting's naiveté, but also somewhat relieved.
Fu Yunting has been spoiled too much by Madam Fu; he's seen far too little of the dark side of humanity. With his personality, if he were to enter officialdom, he probably wouldn't even know how he died.
Having encountered a setback, I've learned a valuable lesson: just because someone says something doesn't mean they'll do it.
The two brothers found a teahouse. Fu Yunting, who hadn't eaten breakfast, picked up a plate of pastries and began to devour them. Between bites, he asked, "Brother, when did you arrive in the capital?"
“Eight days ago,” Fu Yunxiu answered truthfully.
"..." Fu Yunting paused slightly in his hand holding the pastry. He subconsciously wanted to ask why he hadn't contacted him since he arrived so early, but stopped himself after meeting Fu Yunxiu's indifferent gaze.
He always felt that his older brother was acting a little strange today.
He even sensed a sense of alienation in him.
Why would his elder brother be distant from him? Fu Yunting couldn't understand it, and he thought it was impossible.
The best approach is to pretend you don't know and pretend you don't ask.
He changed the subject and asked, "Did you see your second brother?"
“I saw him,” Fu Yunxiu said.
Fu Yunting hurriedly swallowed the pastry in his mouth, choking and rolling his eyes repeatedly, "Then how is he?"
"He's doing great, in excellent health, and has a good appetite." Under Fu Yunting's suspicious gaze, Fu Yunxiu explained, "The Imperial Guards only suspect him of participating in a rebellion; they don't have any concrete evidence. Right now, the Imperial Guards' prisons are full of Yu Wang's confidants, so it's not his turn to be tried yet."
After thinking for a moment, Fu Yunxiu told him everything. "Moreover, the Imperial Guards have already determined that the Second Prince has nothing to do with this matter. He will be able to come out in two days at most."
"Really!" Fu Yunting exclaimed excitedly, slamming his hand on the table and standing up. "Brother, you're amazing!"
What he couldn't do, his brother not only accomplished, but also cleared his second brother's name.
Seeing that Fu Yunting's shout had attracted a lot of attention, Fu Yunxiu felt embarrassed and could only try to calm him down, "Calm down first. I didn't come to see you today about the second son."
"What is that matter?" Fu Yunting suppressed his excitement and asked patiently.
Fu Yunxiu said, "Yesterday, Aman wrote a letter saying that my second uncle is now joining forces with the clan elders to try to inherit the title and take over the Marquis's mansion."
"Second Uncle? Is this something he would do?" Fu Yunting's only memory of this second uncle was that he caused a scene at his father's funeral five years ago, seemingly also for the sake of a title.
"Second Uncle is a vengeful man. If he inherits the title, we're in for a world of trouble." At Father's funeral, Second Uncle brought up Grandfather, saying that if Father hadn't been so lucky as to save the prince, the title would never have been his.
At that time, on their side of the eldest branch of the family, the eldest brother nearly lost his life while trying to save their father from a poisoning attack, and he was too young to take on the task. He also knew that the two ladies of the Marquis's mansion had always been at odds, and if his second brother were to inherit the title, his mother would be the first to object.
Therefore, my second uncle was extremely arrogant at that time.
But who could have imagined that, in order to prevent the title from falling into his hands, his mother insisted on making peace with Madam Liu and pushed his already grown-up second brother out.
The second brother had the entire Liu family behind him. At that time, his uncle had just been appointed General Xuanwei and was at the height of his power. The second uncle had no way to fight against him, so he could only join forces with some of the clan elders and claim that the second brother was born out of wedlock because Madam Liu was only a concubine when he was born. He then temporarily made him the head of the family.
My second uncle lost a lot of face back then because of this incident, and it's said that he even fell ill from anger.
From that time on, my second uncle almost stopped interacting with them. Even at family banquets during holidays, he would always have a cold face and say sarcastic things.
Fu Yunting could almost imagine how his second uncle would treat their entire family if he inherited the position of family head, given that he could hold a grudge for five years.
“It’s not just for that reason,” Fu Yunxiu said. “Yunting, do you still remember how your father passed away?”
“It wasn’t because Father drank alcohol that the fire at Wutong Garden happened. He inhaled too much smoke, and even though you risked your life to save him, he didn’t live much longer…”
“Not only that,” Fu Yunxiu sneered, “the fire at Wutong Garden back then was not an accident.”
“You mean…” Fu Yunting understood his meaning and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Yes, that's exactly what you think," Fu Yunxiu replied affirmatively.
The more he thought about what happened back then, the more suspicious it seemed. If his father was drunk and unaware of the fire, then why didn't he smell any alcohol on him when he rescued the people?
If someone is truly drunk and has lost consciousness, then they should be reeking of alcohol.
Therefore, it remains unknown whether my father was drinking alcohol or taking sleeping pills back then.
"Thinking about it this way, my second uncle was indeed the biggest beneficiary when my father passed away." Fu Yunting suddenly realized that if it weren't for the support of Madam Liu's family, the position of head of the family would have been his second uncle long ago.
"Therefore, even to comfort our father's spirit in heaven, we cannot allow our second uncle to inherit the title." Not only can we not let him inherit the title, but we must also make him pay for his blood debt.
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