In the darkness, Fukang'an's eyes shone brightly and resolutely. He lowered his head heavily, embraced Yan Ning, and said nothing more.
Fu Chang'an arrived alone at the courtyard where the shaman was being held. "This servant greets Fourth Master!" The guard watching over the shaman knelt on one knee and bowed to Fu Chang'an.
Fu Chang'an pointed to the locked door behind the guard. "My third brother asked me to ask the shaman some questions. Open the door." The guard hesitated for a moment, then took out the key from his waist and opened the door.
Fu Chang'an, with one hand behind his back, entered the damp, musty-smelling room. The shaman had already removed his mask and appeared no different from an ordinary person. The candles in the room flickered, making the tin mask that the shaman had discarded to the side even more eerie and terrifying.
Fu Chang'an's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Wearing the mask, he's a god; taking it off, he's just a human! This whole family depends on the sorcerer's 'management'!"
The shaman's eyes flickered. "You, what are you going to do?"
Fu Chang'an picked up the mask the shaman had placed aside. "Yan Ning was possessed by a demon. Now that the demon has been eliminated, you must do good deeds for your family!" With that, Fu Chang'an personally put the mask on the shaman. Before the shaman could react, he had already left.
The shaman reluctantly removed his mask again, knowing he would once again be dragged into the power struggles within the inner quarters of the mansion.
Fulongan, Fuchangan, and Fukangan were summoned to the Peony Hall by the Old Madam early in the morning, and Yan Ning was also taken there in a daze. The Old Madam had Li Mama give a brief account of what had happened that day. Fulongan, being at the Princess's residence, was completely unaware of what was happening and was quite surprised. Fuchangan, having already learned the situation from Heshen, still wore a detached smile, as if it were none of his business.
Fukang'an rose and knelt beside Yan Ning. "This matter was my oversight! Yesterday, someone from Jinchuan sent Yan Ning's portrait, saying that a family is looking for their daughter! I have already sent Zhao Xing to bring them to the capital. Please wait patiently for a few days, Mother!"
Yan Ning was so moved and shocked by Fukang'an's words that she stared at him in disbelief. She never imagined that Fukang'an would lie and deceive the old lady for her sake.
Just as the old lady was about to speak, a servant from the front courtyard announced from outside the gate, "Someone is requesting an audience with the general!" Fukang'an remained kneeling and refused to rise, so the old lady had no choice but to grant his request temporarily, promising to deal with the matter once Zhao Xing returned. Fukang'an then got up and went to the front courtyard, signaling to Yan Ning to calm down before leaving.
Seeing Fu Kang'an leave, Fu Chang'an also rose to take his leave. Fu Long'an served the old lady a cup of tea, and after pondering for a long time, he spoke, "Mother, our Fucha family's fortunes have just turned around. We mustn't let our third brother's lust for women ruin the entire family!"
Fulongan's words were exactly what the old lady wanted to hear. "Then what do you suggest we do?" Fulongan turned his back to Yan Ning, made a wiping motion across his neck, and looked cold and ruthless.
The old lady, being a woman, couldn't bear it and lowered her voice, saying, "She hasn't really done anything wrong. How can we treat human life so carelessly!" Fulongan continued to persuade her, "Taking a wife on the battlefield is already a major taboo. Mother, do you want her to seduce my third brother into doing something outrageous?"
The old lady nodded, implying that Fulongan would handle the matter.
From their conversation, Yan Ning vaguely sensed that they wanted to kill her behind Fu Kang'an's back. Fu Kang'an and Fu Chang'an had already left, and the courtyard was now filled with the Old Madam and Fu Long'an's men. Yan Ning dared not make a sound, lest she provoke them and make their move sooner.
Yan Ning silently followed Fu Long'an and his entourage towards Yi Ren Xuan, waiting for the patrolling guards. If she attracted their attention, she could alert Fu Kang'an. Because Fu Long'an hadn't witnessed the events at Mudan Hall firsthand, he still perceived Yan Ning as a weak and helpless woman, so he didn't place much suspicion on her along the way.
A patrol of guards greeted Fulongan, but before Fulongan could reply, Yan Ning grabbed the leader and said, "Quickly, go find the general to save me!"
Caught off guard, Fulongan hastily struck Yan Ning on the neck, causing her to faint. The guard leader looked at Fulongan with confusion, unsure what to do. Fulongan handed the unconscious Yan Ning to his men and turned to the guards, ordering, "Continue your patrol. Don't say anything more about what just happened!"
The chief guard knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Yes, sir!"
After arriving at Yirenxuan, Fulongan had a white silk ribbon hung in the main room. He paced back and forth in the room; this was the first time he had entered the place where his mother had lived. The old lady had treated Fulongan as her own son, and influenced by her, he harbored deep resentment towards his biological mother.
Because of his birth mother, Consort Fang, Fulongan grew up constantly ridiculed. Although a mother's status is often elevated by her son's, having a mentally unstable mother who committed suicide made him feel inferior in front of Princess Heshuo. In court, he was never recommended by his father and could never attain a high-ranking official position, while Fukangan and Fuchangan, raised in the palace from a young age, now held high positions at a young age.
Two servants lifted Yan Ning up, placed her on the tied white silk, and then let go.
Yan Ning was awakened by the white silk ribbon. She vaguely saw Fu Long'an pacing around the room and said with all her might, "This is where your mother lived. You killed me in the place she used to live. Isn't that too disrespectful to her? She died alone. Do you want her to watch her son kill people like this?"
Fulongan's bloodshot eyes looked at Yan Ning. He hated it most when people mentioned his deceased mother to him. "My mother was from the Yehenara clan! Not the Ulanara clan!"
Fukang'an sat in the front hall, scrutinizing the two men seated below him. Su Qi became uneasy under Fukang'an's gaze, a pleading look appearing on his aged face. "General, may I ask where our daughter Yan Ning is now?"
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