Chapter 143 The Cage
After returning from the tavern, Xiao Qing locked herself in the warm room, refusing to see or talk to anyone.
They say that venting anger feels good for a moment.
She didn't feel particularly happy either.
Worse still, despite her defiant retorts to Fu Mingyi, she couldn't even condone her own actions.
She took off her shoes, bent her knees, and sat in the large armchair, hugging her knees with her arms, her gaze becoming unfocused.
She wanted to be alone to think things through.
It is now the moon rising in the west and the starry night descending.
At the same time, Fu Mingyi sat at the stone table in the courtyard, pouring himself a drink.
Fu Shan stood at a distance, watching until the moon was high in the sky, and then he became quite worried.
He rubbed his hands together, glancing repeatedly at Fu Mingyi. He was about to ask his master if it would be better to rest when he was patted on the shoulder.
Fu Shan was startled and instinctively reached out to grab him, his waist flashing. Unexpectedly, his opponent calmly countered his attack.
Fu Shan was exasperated. He let go of her hand, turned around, and said softly, "Uncle Li, please don't test me anymore."
Uncle Li smiled and saw Fu Mingyi sitting alone over there.
Have the people from your hometown left?
Fu Shan nodded, "Every time someone from over there comes, the master is in a bad mood."
Uncle Li stroked his chin. "Go to sleep. I'll keep watch."
Fu Shan shook his head, "You should go to sleep, I can handle it."
As he spoke, he sighed softly, "My master has so many things on his mind every day, and that other person can't even have a moment's peace of mind."
Uncle Li glared at him. "Do you even have the right to speak?"
Fu Shan slapped his face, "Look at my mouth, I'm just worried about my master."
Uncle Li patted him on the shoulder and walked over.
Fu Mingyi smiled and said, "Only Uncle Li would dare to try to persuade me."
Uncle Li chuckled, "Only an old man like me dares to act like an old man, but I'm afraid if I act too much, I'll annoy my master."
He sighed inwardly.
This child is deep in thought, but he doesn't have a friend he can talk to freely around him. This will ruin his health if he keeps bottling things up for too long.
"Go to sleep early, you have to go to the palace tomorrow."
Fu Mingyi shook his head, "I'm not going."
Uncle Li paused for a moment, thinking about what had happened today.
When the master returned, his face was very grim. He then told him to prepare a few people who had been involved in weddings and funerals.
Later, Steward Ma arrived, explained his purpose, and the master then instructed him to take his men and go with Steward Ma.
He hadn't walked more than a few steps when his master followed him out. Although he didn't show anything on his face, he had watched his master grow up and naturally knew that he was unhappy.
Judging from this, it seems she's had another argument with that person.
Uncle Li thought for a moment and comforted him, "If you don't want to go, then you don't have to. It's no big deal if you miss a day. Just stay home and rest for a day, sir."
Fu Mingyi shook his head again, "I can't not go, I can't go. If I get too close, they'll be disrespectful; if I keep my distance, they'll resent me."
Uncle Li understood what he meant.
"Families with children all hope for the best for their children. Children grow up day by day and will eventually leave home. But with affection between them, no matter how much they quarrel, they won't hold grudges. No matter how far apart they are, they won't forget the kindness shown to them. People are still sentimental."
Fu Mingyi picked up his cup and took a small sip. "It's good to be sentimental, but those who are sentimental are bound to get hurt a lot, and..."
Before he could finish speaking, Fu Shan called out, "Master, Lord Zhao has arrived."
Uncle Li suppressed the tenderness on his face, and after greeting Zhao Youchen, he quickly took his leave.
He thought to himself, "Alright, Lord Zhao can talk to my master."
Zhao Youchen glanced at the table, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Are you drinking alone at this hour, waiting for me?"
Fu Mingyi smiled and said, "I didn't expect you to come."
Zhao Youchen asked Fu Shan to get him some wine and cups, but complained that Fu Mingyi's wine bottle was too small and wanted a larger jar and bowl instead.
Fu Shan pursed his lips, glanced at his master, and seeing that he didn't object, turned around and went to find some wine.
When the large wine jars and bowls were served, Zhao Youchen praised, "Your Fu Shan is much more astute than when he first came to the city."
"Thank you for the compliment, Master Zhao."
Fu Mingyi looked at him. "It seems that recent events haven't affected you much."
Zhao Youchen laughed heartily, "Of course it only has an impact. You're using me as a scapegoat in your magical duels, and I'm already overwhelmed with problems. How can you say it doesn't affect me?"
"You seem to be enjoying yourself?"
"Make the best of a bad situation."
Zhao Youchen paused for a moment, then said, "When I came here, I heard in the palace that His Majesty had been staying in the warm pavilion and had not come out."
Fu Mingyi's smile gradually faded.
Zhao Youchen knew perfectly well, “You are more learned and know more than me, but there is one thing you are not as good as me in.”
Fu Mingyi raised an eyebrow curiously, "Which point?"
"You always insist on talking about methods and tricks instead of being straightforward."
He drew a circle in front of him with his hand, then pointed his finger inward, "Dig a hole, and wait for someone to jump in."
He then drew an S-shape with his finger and moved it forward, "drawing a line, hoping people would follow it step by step, watching them closely, and not revealing anything until the very end."
"There is no such thing as a foolproof plan in this world. There will always be times when things go wrong and many problems arise."
Fu Mingyi smiled and said, "I am indeed not as frank as you. Some things need to be dealt with gradually. Being too explicit may not be effective. You have to hit a wall before you know the pain and know when to turn back."
Zhao Youchen raised an eyebrow. "That's the difference between you and me."
He paused, "If you can avoid hitting it, then don't. Why make things difficult for yourself like this?"
"What are you here to persuade me of?"
Zhao Youchen waved his hand, "I can't persuade you. I just wanted to drink your wine."
Fu Mingyi nodded, "You'll get plenty of wine. How's it going in Yingzhou?"
Zhao Youchen chuckled. "Are you asking me whether Uncle Ziyuan embezzled state taxes, or why Feng Zhengmin went mad?"
Fu Mingyi raised an eyebrow. "It seems you know what you're doing."
Zhao Youchen opened the wine seal, poured wine into the bowl, then took a big gulp, smacked his lips, and smiled with satisfaction: "I know what's going on, but I can't solve this problem right now. Uncle Ziyuan did use state taxes, but not for personal expenses. This matter is not just about one or two people."
He put down his wine bowl. "What do you plan to do? Move or not?"
"It's not time to act yet."
Zhao Youchen nodded, "Alright, then I also have a condition: I can stay put, but my Uncle Ziyuan cannot be harmed."
He clinked glasses with Fu Mingyi.
Fu Mingyi took a small sip. "Okay."
Zhao Youchen smiled.
He was completely reassured by what Fu Mingyi said.
The two drank quietly, exchanging a few words occasionally, but neither spoke of matters in the palace nor of their worries about Yingzhou.
Finally, as a sliver of light appeared on the horizon, Zhao Youchen was already slumped over the table, seemingly drunk but not quite, it was hard to tell whether he was sober or confused.
He could faintly hear Fu Mingyi speaking.
"you're right."
Zhao Youchen muttered, "Of course I'm right."
"So, I want to do something that wasn't in my plans."
Zhao Youchen curled his lip.
"A caged bird can only see the cage and thinks it is trapped in the cage..."
Where does this come from?
He slept soundly, his eyes half-closed, and relaxed, forgetting all about the cage and the birds.
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