Master Wu was surprised but even more puzzled by the purpose of Fu Qiyuan's visit.
"Why is Young Master Fu so concerned about Sanlang? My family regards Sanlang as family. If you cannot persuade me, I am afraid I cannot agree to your request!"
Fu Qiyuan put down his teacup, met Master Wu's probing gaze, and said frankly, "I shouldn't have hidden anything from you, but I can't bring trouble upon you. The less you know, the better. I have only one goal: to find the best teacher for Sanlang and teach him to become a superior person. I will clear away all obstacles for him!"
Master Wu was silent for a moment, then said, "Sanlang is indeed a promising talent. At such a young age, he is already showing extraordinary talent. I believe that Young Master Fu will keep his word. Please wait a moment, I will write a letter to my master and ask him to accept Sanlang as a student!"
"Sir, please wait!" Fu Qiyuan stopped him.
"Sir, Aunt Jiao and Miss Jiang will certainly not easily agree to send Sanlang to study in Yuzhou. Sanlang will also be extremely reluctant to leave them. The biggest difficulty at present is how to persuade them!"
Master Wu nodded in understanding.
This student of his is extremely intelligent and also extremely sentimental. If you were to tell him directly, he would definitely not agree.
"I wonder what good plan you have, sir?" Master Wu asked.
Fu Qiyuan reached out and tapped the table twice with his finger.
Master Wu realized what was happening. "You mean, looking for Jiang Shan?"
Fu Qiyuan smiled slightly: "Miss Jiang is insightful, considerate, and reasonable. Sanlang trusts her words especially. With her intervention and your advice, we should be able to persuade Sanlang."
Master Wu stroked his beard and nodded repeatedly.
The entrance to Jiang's Private Kitchen.
Jiang Shan stood at the door with her hands on her hips and her belly sticking out, staring at Li Minghe and Fu Qichen three steps away with a stern face, showing no intention of giving way.
Li Minghe asked, puzzled, "What's wrong? Aren't you open for business today?"
But I clearly saw someone go in just now!
"I'm sorry, my temple is too small to accommodate too many bodhisattvas. You two will have to find another place!"
Li Minghe found it unbelievable. They were acquaintances, weren't they? Couldn't she go to a friend's restaurant to show her support and have a meal? This young lady knew that even Magistrate Cao treated him with respect, so how could she dare to turn him away?
"Did you offend her?" After thinking it over, Li Minghe could only think that the guy with the broom next to him had dragged him into this mess.
Fu Qichen grinned smugly, "Manager Jiang, do you know who he is?"
Jiang Shan pursed his lips, patted his round belly, and said, "To be on such good terms with the son of the Minister of Rites, and to be treated like a god by the County Magistrate, he must be either a member of the imperial family or a high-ranking official!"
"So what? I haven't broken the law. Can't I even make my own decisions? Everyone should be reasonable. No matter how high the official's rank, they still have to abide by the law, right?"
“Look at her, look at her sharp tongue. What have I said? With that mouth of hers, who can bully her?” Fu Qichen couldn’t help but say.
Li Minghe glared at him, then cupped his fists towards Jiang Shan and said with a smile, "Miss Jiang, please give me face, and I guarantee he'll behave himself and not cause any trouble today!"
Jiang Shan didn't want to offend anyone important, but she couldn't stand the young master's bad temper. He wasn't much older than her, and he was quite handsome, so why was his behavior so terrible?
"Alright, I only have one request: no waste allowed!"
Jiang Luo, Jiang Shan turned to the side and rolled his eyes at the sky.
Fu Qichen approached and realized that Jiang Shan was already six months pregnant. No wonder she was always holding her back when he last saw her; she must have been exhausted.
Jiang Shan shot him a sharp glare, and Fu Qichen immediately lowered his head and meekly dodged it.
Jiang Shan didn't cook herself this time; she didn't even show her face. She just set up a table for them in the courtyard so they wouldn't scare away the other guests.
"Uncle, Manager Jiang is really giving you face!" Fu Qichen said, suppressing a laugh.
Li Minghe rolled his eyes at him, pointed at the dishes on the table and said, "Do you think it's easy for me to come here every few days? Isn't it all for this? If those people at the post station get upset one day and submit a report, I won't be able to come here anymore!"
Fu Qichen poured him a cup of tea and said with an inscrutable expression, "Didn't Uncle ask my eldest brother to help you? I haven't seen anyone since I arrived. Mother has been so worried at home that she can't eat or sleep well!"
Li Minghe snorted coldly: "Don't try to trick me. The Emperor hasn't assigned your elder brother any duties yet, so your father must have other plans. As for where he went and what he did, that's none of your business! Now that you've joined the Imperial Guard, do your job well and don't disappoint your father!"
Fu Qichen's eyes lit up. "Uncle, you also approve of me joining the Imperial Guard, right?"
Li Minghe opened and closed his mouth, mumbling, "I only approve of you doing what's right! Your father and your older brother probably think the same way!"
The light in Fu Qichen's eyes dimmed, and he said in a muffled voice, "Father only has eyes for my eldest brother now, how can he see me anymore?"
“Your father never even looked at you before! He was always with your aunt, no wonder he was unhappy! If it weren’t for the fact that you didn’t listen to your mother and insisted on joining the Imperial Guard this time, your father wouldn’t have bothered to look at you either!”
Fu Qichen's face changed, and he said with unbearable anger, "No matter how despicable she is, she is still the mother who gave birth to me and raised me! My mother sees me as a thorn in her side, and my father is busy with official duties and is almost never home. I can only live with my aunt. I was raised by my aunt, what can I do? You all just say that my aunt is not respectable, but who in the entire Minister's mansion has ever really cared about me?"
Knowing he had spoken out of turn, Li Minghe paused for a moment, then said, "Your mother has spent most of her life confined to the inner quarters, and all she has heard and seen are the despicable acts of petty people. Don't follow her example. Your elder brother is kind and steady, with the demeanor of a true gentleman, and he deserves your guidance. That's all I have to say. Think about it yourself!"
Fu Qichen then thought of his half-brother, a man as radiant as the moon and as gentle as jade. Upon entering the capital, he attracted everyone's attention, achieving the highest honors in the imperial examinations and becoming the most prominent figure in the Ministry of Rites.
He saw the look in his father's eyes—a look of love, joy, and satisfaction.
He saw the gleam in his mother's eyes—how joyful, how excited, how proud she was.
Even his aunt lowered her head humbly when she saw him; all the secrets and wickedness were hidden away in the clear light.
If he once strived to climb upwards, now he can only stand in the mud and look up at the clouds.
Human hearts are made of flesh and blood, how can they not feel pain, resentment, hatred, or jealousy?
Therefore, he did not believe that fate was beyond human control. He wanted to pull that person down from the clouds and see who would emerge from the mud first, and who would be the ultimate winner.
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