Chapter 77 Patriarch
Since returning from the capital, Fu Yunxiu has been quite busy these past few days. Having decided to reclaim what was rightfully his, his first act was to move back into the Marquis's residence to assert his dominance.
Ningyu Hall in the Marquis's mansion was the courtyard where he used to live. It has been cleaned for many years and the furnishings inside have not changed. He only needs to add a few clothes and he can move in directly.
When Steward Xu heard that Fu Yunxiu was going to move back to the Marquis's mansion, he was overjoyed. He ordered the servants to clean Ningyu Hall again overnight and carefully inspect the furniture inside. Any broken or insect-eaten pieces were replaced with new ones, for fear that Fu Yunxiu would not be comfortable living there after his return.
Aman was the most unwilling to see Fu Yunxiu move away. Because if Fu Yunxiu left, Mantou would also have to leave, leaving her alone in this huge Wutong Garden.
But a man's ambition lies in all directions, and Aman did not want to confine Fu Yunxiu to her small world. So when Fu Yunxiu formally brought up the matter, she did not show any displeasure. On the contrary, she was very supportive and took the initiative to help him pack his things.
But the redness in his eyes ultimately betrayed him.
Fu Yunxiu saw her restraint, reached out and pulled her into his arms, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Good Aman, once this matter is settled, I will definitely marry you in a grand and glorious ceremony, with eight sedan chairs carried by the grooms."
For some reason, Aman felt no joy upon hearing his words; instead, she felt more worried. But in the end, she nodded and said, "Okay, I'll wait for you."
The news of Fu Yunxiu moving back to the Marquis's residence caused quite a stir among the residents. Fu Ang, in particular, had initially thought that Fu Yunxiu's desire to vie for the position of family head was just talk, since he hadn't made any moves for several days and hadn't even visited any of the clan elders.
They said they wanted to, but now, as soon as they make a move, it's a big one.
By moving into the Marquis's mansion, wasn't he reminding everyone that he, Fu Yunxiu, was the rightful heir?
No, he absolutely cannot allow such a thing to happen.
Fu Ang was just a commoner, and all his bargaining chips were the clan elders who supported him. As long as these people didn't give in, no matter how capable Fu Yunxiu was, he couldn't inherit the title legitimately, unless he could be personally appointed by His Majesty like his father.
But Fu Ang felt that Fu Xuan had just gotten lucky, and Fu Yunxiu definitely didn't have that ability.
Despite thinking this way, Fu Ang still invited all the clan elders who supported him over, and with a combination of kind words and threats, he made sure they hadn't turned against him halfway.
On the first night Fu Yunxiu moved into the Marquis's residence, Madam Liu sent someone to deliver food, saying she wanted to help him warm his room.
Having lived in the courtyard for over ten years, Fu Yunxiu felt no sense of familiarity upon moving in. Instead, he felt uncomfortable and his mind wandered several times during the meal, thinking about Aman in Wutong Garden.
Seeing that he was not in much interest, Madam Liu did not disturb him further. After the meal, she left with Fu Changze.
After seeing the person off, Fu Yunxiu turned around and went back to Wutong Garden. Aman had already eaten dinner and was enjoying the cool air and picking flowers in the pavilion.
The fragrance of flowers carried on the wind dispelled the melancholy in Fu Yunxiu's heart. He sat lazily beside Aman, watching her pick flowers, and after a long while, he said, "Aman, why don't you move in with me?"
He regretted it as soon as he finished speaking.
Now that Aman has moved into his courtyard without any official status, she's bound to be looked down upon. But if she were to move in as his maid, Fu Yunxiu would be somewhat reluctant.
Aman is not some kind of maid.
Fu Yunzheng was thinking about how to tell Aman when Aman spoke first, "I'm not going."
"Why?" Fu Yunxiu perked up instantly. "Don't you want to live with me?"
"Of course I want to, but if I move into the Marquis's mansion, I'll have to abide by its rules in every way." Aman didn't want to be controlled by anyone, nor did she want to be constantly watched. She wanted to continue her flower dew business.
That makes sense, Fu Yunxiu nodded. "Indeed, it's more comfortable at Wutong Garden."
The two chatted casually for a while until dark, when Fu Yunxiu reluctantly left.
The two entered the Marquis's residence through the back gate as before. When they arrived at Ningyu Hall, Fu Yunxiu could see a figure at the entrance from afar.
"It seems to be the Third Young Master."
As the two approached, they saw that it was indeed Fu Yunting.
He appeared to have gotten up after sleeping, dressed only in casual clothes, his hair half-loose, and carrying a pot of wine in his hand.
"It's so late, why aren't you asleep yet?" Fu Yunxiu stepped forward and asked.
Fu Yunting had just arrived and was hesitant about whether to knock, thinking that his older brother might be asleep so late. But to his surprise, his brother returned from outside.
Fu Yunting was a little embarrassed when he first saw him. He clenched his fingers before speaking, "I couldn't sleep for a while, so I thought I'd talk to you."
He raised the glass of wine in his hand. "Want a drink?"
The three of them entered the courtyard together. Mantou went back to his room to fetch wine utensils, and the two of them sat down at the stone table in the courtyard to drink together under the moon.
Fu Yunting had been feeling stifled and depressed these past few days. As soon as he arrived, he grabbed a wine jug and drank one cup after another until his head was spinning before finally stopping.
Fu Yunxiu simply watched from the sidelines, neither interfering nor asking questions.
Fu Yunting wasn't surprised by this unusual behavior. He had already vaguely heard some things from others over the past few days.
For example, a mother's favoritism.
For example, the mother's cruelty.
"Brother, why does Mother always do things that prevent people from having their way?" Fu Yunting muttered.
He didn't want to inherit the position of family head, but his mother wouldn't allow it; his brother wanted the position, but his mother wouldn't allow it either.
They are all his sons.
Fu Yunxiu didn't reply, but simply glanced at him quietly. Fu Yunting instantly understood, gave a wry smile, and immediately picked up the wine jug and started chugging.
Yes, what right does he have to complain? He is a beneficiary of the system. Whether intentional or unintentional, he is the ultimate beneficiary of his mother's favoritism and cruelty.
If it were him, after learning the truth, he probably wouldn't even want to see him.
"Brother..." Fu Yunting called out, but didn't know what to say, so he could only pick up the wine pot and pour some wine.
When he finished the first pot of wine and went to get the second, Fu Yunxiu finally couldn't bear it anymore. He snatched the pot from his hand and placed it a little distance away, saying coldly, "That's enough. Are you here to put on a drinking show?"
"Brother..." After drinking a pot of wine, Fu Yunting was already drunk, his eyes began to glaze over, and the grievances in his heart grew stronger.
It was clearly not his fault, so why was he the one who ended up bearing the consequences?
Fu Yunting hiccuped, his body went limp, and he leaned against Fu Yunxiu's chest.
Caught off guard, Fu Yunxiu instinctively reached out to push him away in disgust. But Fu Yunting clung to him like an octopus, 'No, I won't...'
Fu Yunting's breathing became heavier, and he muttered, "Brother, how did we end up like this?"
They used to be inseparable best friends.
The last time they met, he was still relieved that his older brother had recovered his health.
“You’re drunk. I’ll have Mantou take you home.” Fu Yunxiu didn’t want to answer him, so he gave Mantou a wink. Mantou understood and pulled Fu Yunting away from him.
"Third Young Master, let me take you back!"
Fu Yunting still refused to leave, but Mantou had plenty of strength in his hands. The two struggled for a long time, but neither could gain the upper hand.
"Brother," Fu Yunting draped his arm over Mantou's shoulder, muttering, "I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry, brother."
"I'm so sorry."
He apologized to his mother for her favoritism.
He apologized to him for being a beneficiary of the system.
The night was slightly cool, and a gentle breeze blew by. Mantou looked up and asked Fu Yunxiu what he meant.
Fu Yunxiu simply glanced at him, then waved his hand, "Send him back!"
Now that things have come to this, he can't pretend that some things never happened.
He didn't hate Fu Yunting, but he didn't know how to get along with him anymore, so he simply avoided him whenever possible.
It was because of this thought that Fu Yunxiu did not come to see Fu Yunting off when he returned to the capital the next day.
The sun was already high in the sky, and Fu Yunting was still staring longingly at the door, hoping for a miracle.
Madam Fu knew who he was waiting for, and seeing that his hopes were dashed, she couldn't help but mock him, "Alright, stop looking. If he wanted to come and see you off, he would have arrived long ago. Only you are stupid enough to still be thinking about seniority and hierarchy."
"Mother," Fu Yunting called out to stop her. He couldn't understand how his mother had become like this, always speaking with a knife in her mouth or trying to sow discord.
"Alright, it's sunny outside, you should go back and rest. I'm leaving." Fu Yunting jumped onto the carriage, and reluctantly lifted the curtain, but the doorway was already empty.
Finally, he sighed, lowered his hand, and instructed the driver, "Let's go!"
The carriage slowly pulled away from the intersection until it was out of sight, at which point Madam Fu finally looked away. She then saw Fu Yunxiu exiting through the main gate.
Thinking back to that day at the ancestral hall, when Fu Yunxiu and Liu left together, and even conspired together, Madam Fu was furious. She gave him a cold look and snorted, "Hypocrite."
If you really wanted to give it away, why didn't you come out earlier? You're just putting on an act.
Fu Yunxiu didn't reply, but just glanced at her briefly before looking away and heading east with the steamed bun.
He didn't come out to see Fu Yunting off; he had something to take care of.
His men had been watching Fu Ang for several days, but there was no sign of them making a move. Fu Ang spent his days either at the shop or at home. Even if he occasionally went to a brothel for drinks, he would always return home at night. His behavior and mannerisms truly made him seem like the steady and family-oriented good man that others talked about.
But Fu Yunxiu felt that things were definitely not that simple.
He couldn't get any useful information out of the Su family, so now he wanted to go to the clan leader to sound him out, at least to find out which side he was leaning towards.
After buying some snacks and a pot of good wine on the street, Fu Yunxiu headed straight for the clan chief's house.
The clan chief had just woken up from his afternoon nap. He was an elderly man in his seventies, and he felt weak all over if he didn't take a nap at noon.
Upon hearing from the servants that Fu Yunxiu was waiting for him in the main hall, the clan leader immediately understood his purpose. A thoughtful look appeared in his cloudy eyes, and he instructed, "Take good care of him. I will be there shortly."
The patriarch's courtyard was the smallest and most dilapidated in the entire Fu family. The reason was simple: the younger generation in the family were mediocre, lacking both the talent for the imperial examinations and the ability to do business, and they were always causing trouble.
Fu Yunxiu still remembers that when he was young, the clan chief would always compare him to his cousin Bo Zhao, saying how smart he was and how dull his cousin was.
Now that his cousin Bo Zhao is working under Uncle Fu, Fu Yunxiu can't help but suspect that the current clan leader is no longer as ruthless, impartial and selfless as he once was.
The maid served tea, and half an incense stick later, the clan chief finally arrived.
The man, over seventy years old, was still remarkably spry. "Oh, what brings Yun Xiu here?"
"I hadn't seen you in a long time, so I came to see you." Fu Yunxiu stood up and helped him sit down in the grand chair at the head of the table.
"Hey, what's there to see in a decrepit old man like me? You should go visit your elders and uncles more often." The clan chief didn't mince words with him and directly stated his purpose.
Now that he'd been exposed, Fu Yunxiu didn't hide anything and readily admitted, "You really can't fool Grandpa about anything. So, what's your opinion on this matter, Grandpa?"
"What opinion can I have? Whoever the elders recommend is whoever they choose. I can't control that, can I?" the clan chief said.
“That’s true, but aren’t you the one who ultimately decides?” Fu Yunxiu smiled, but he didn’t seem very approachable.
The clan chief knew he had no choice but to give a straight answer today, so he had to compromise, saying, "You really are just as hard to fool as you were when you were a child."
The clan chief smiled and pointed at him, then said seriously, "If we're talking about you and your second uncle, choosing either one would be beneficial to the Fu clan. Your second uncle is upright and has a good business sense. Under his leadership, the Fu clan may not achieve high positions in officialdom, but it will at least prosper. As for you..."
The clan chief looked at him and said, “You are not like your father. You are wise and shrewd. If you are willing to enter officialdom, you will definitely achieve great things. At that time, the Fu family will also rise in status.”
Whether to pursue an official career or a business, it's obvious to anyone with discernment which path to choose. The problem is that everyone knows Fu Ershu's business acumen, while Fu Yunxiu's path to becoming an official seems a long way off.
No one would place a bet on something that has absolutely no basis in reality.
Fu Yunxiu understood the clan leader's meaning. However, he had not yet achieved his purpose for coming today.
The clan leader's words were made from the perspective of revitalizing the clan, but Fu Yunxiu wanted to know more about whose side the clan leader was on.
After a moment of contemplation, Fu Yunxiu nodded. "It seems that I do have an advantage over my second uncle. But, but what if my second uncle does something to betray the Fu family?"
Upon hearing this, the clan leader frowned sharply, which Fu Yunxiu noticed, but he remained silent.
The clan chief frowned and thought for a moment before asking, "What do you mean by that?"
“I’m just guessing,” Fu Yunxiu explained, “Does Grandpa still remember how my father died?”
When Fu Xuan was mentioned, the clan leader felt very regretful. Although Fu Xuan had not made any contributions to the Fu clan, how could a perfectly good person die from philandering?
The clan chief nodded. "Of course I remember. That year, the Wutong Garden caught fire unexpectedly, and your father was trapped inside. He inhaled too much smoke and dust, and even though the others came out later, it was too late to save him."
“But what if this wasn’t an accident?” Fu Yunxiu said.
"Not an accident?" The clan chief hesitated for a moment, then instantly understood what he meant. "You mean, your father's death wasn't an accident, but rather deliberate? But what about those women he kept in the Wutong Garden?"
"Yes and no," Fu Yunxiu said. "Grandpa, do you still remember when the Wutong Garden caught fire? Most people escaped, but Chen Shi was the only one who disappeared without a trace, as if she had vanished into thin air."
Fu Yunxiu paused for a moment, then said, "Grandpa, do you know that before the incident, Chen often visited Second Uncle's house?"
"What did you say? You mean your father's death is related to your second uncle?" The clan leader nervously clenched his sleeves. Fu Yunxiu saw this and was almost certain that the clan leader had now sided with his second uncle.
Otherwise, if he were only concerned about the cause of his father's death, he wouldn't have become so agitated.
Having achieved his goal, Fu Yunxiu saw no need to say anything more to him. He shook his head and said, "Not yet, but I believe that the truth will eventually come out and justice will be served for my father."
Sure enough, after Fu Yunxiu finished speaking, the clan leader's expression relaxed immediately, and he nodded repeatedly, "Yes, if it is found that your father's death is related to the second son, I will not let him off the hook."
"In that case, thank you very much, Clan Chief." Fu Yunxiu stood up and bowed, and the Clan Chief helped him up. "Good child, if you find out anything, be sure to tell me immediately, and your Clan Chief will definitely stand up for you."
"Thank you, clan chief."
The two talked for a while longer before Fu Yunxiu got up to take his leave. As he was leaving, the clan chief reminded Fu Yunxiu to let him know if anything came up, showing how much he valued the matter.
This is also the most abnormal thing.
Bypassing the clan chief's house and entering a deserted alley, Fu Yunxiu whistled and called out to his guards, "Keep an eye on this place."
"yes."
Fu Yunxiu turned and left. Mantou watched for a long time, and finally understood what her young master was up to. "Is the young master planning to... wait for a rabbit to run into a tree stump?"
“No, I need to wait for him to walk right into my trap,” Fu Yunxiu chuckled.
Mantou thought Fu Yunxiu had deliberately leaked the information to get the clan leader to go to Fu Ershu, thus confirming their collusion. But in reality, the clan leader was just a smokescreen put out by Fu Yunxiu. What he really wanted was for Fu Ershu to panic after receiving the information, thus exposing his true colors.
The worst-case scenario is that Chen has already been silenced by Fu Ang, but what if he hasn't?
Moreover, although Uncle Fu had two concubines, he loved his wife dearly, making him a model of marital bliss. The problem was that the Fu family bloodline couldn't produce a man who was devoted to his wife; his actions seemed more like a ploy to deceive others and cover something up.
As for what it is, Fu Yunxiu has no clue yet.
But he believes that news will come soon.
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