Yan Ning came to her senses and, seeing that the imperial eunuch had fallen silent, imitated Fukang'an's earlier words and said, "Yan Ning respectfully obeys the Empress Dowager's decree!"
Fukang'an stood up, took two silver notes from the steward, and handed them to Eunuch Lin, who was delivering the imperial decree. Eunuch Lin accepted the notes with a smile, saying, "General Fucha is too kind! This servant will accept them!"
Fukang'an took a step closer to Eunuch Lin and asked in a low voice, "How did the Empress Dowager find out that Yan Ning was in my residence? And what is the purpose of summoning Yan Ning to the palace this time?"
Eunuch Lin's smile immediately turned to worry. "A minister, in an attempt to please the Empress Dowager, presented her with two peacocks, but they refused to display their plumage. The Empress Dowager is so distressed she's become haggard! Just yesterday, Princess Elan came to the palace and said that there is a fairy-like girl in the General's mansion, who is incredibly intelligent and will surely be able to ease the Empress Dowager's worries." After saying this, Eunuch Lin put the silver note in his sleeve and left.
The old lady was filled with mixed emotions of sorrow and joy. Her body swayed as she said, "Granny Li, quickly prepare the carriage. I'm going to the temple to offer incense and pray for Kang'er's well-being!"
Upon hearing this, Fukang'an helped the old lady up, "Then I'll send more guards to accompany you!" The old lady shook her head, "Don't worry about your mother! The White Pagoda Temple isn't far from the city gate. I'll go and get you a peace charm and come back so I can pack your things."
After saying that, the old lady helped Li Mama out of the mansion.
Xi Ying stepped forward and bowed to Fukang'an, saying, "Xi Ying will pack the General's travel belongings!" Xi Ying always packed Fukang'an's belongings for his trips, with the old lady overseeing the process. Thinking of this, the coldness in Fukang'an's eyes lessened considerably as he looked at Xi Ying. "Alright!"
Xi Ying helped Xia'er walk away, a smile she couldn't hide on her face. Yan Ning entered the palace, and Fu Kang'an left home. The Fucha family would enjoy a period of peace again, giving her a chance to turn her life around.
Yan Ning, pulling Fu Kang'an aside anxiously, asked, "Why would the Empress Dowager want to see me?" Fu Kang'an recounted Eunuch Lin's words to Yan Ning, implying that she must be wary of E Lan while he was away. "In a little while, you will return to the Su residence with your parents. I will plead on your behalf with the Empress Dowager."
Yan Ning retreated repeatedly, squatting on the ground. Disobeying the imperial decree was punishable by death. Moreover, she now carried the weight of the entire Su family on her shoulders. If she truly angered the Empress Dowager, Emperor Qianlong, known for his filial piety, would surely exterminate the entire Su family. Yan Ning looked at the Su couple, whom Ming Xin was supporting. Although they weren't her biological parents, after spending several days together, she felt they genuinely cared for her.
Zhu Xiang helped Yan Ning up. Yan Ning looked at Fu Kang'an and said, "Now I bear the honor of the Su family and the Fucha family, I can't not go!" Then she smiled and said, "You're going to Jilin to take up your post soon! Don't worry about me, anyway, the Empress Dowager didn't say that I had to solve this matter."
Fukang'an agreed. If Yan Ning didn't go, the Fucha family would be fine, but the Su family would face the annihilation of their entire family. He smoothed Yan Ning's jet-black hair. "I have some things to take care of. I'll come see you later!"
Only after Fukang'an had gone far away did Su Qi dare to approach Yan Ning and speak to her, "Yan'er, why did the Empress Dowager suddenly summon you to the palace?" Anything related to the palace is never a good thing; his son was a prime example. He was afraid that Yan Ning's matter would implicate the Su family.
Yan Ning noticed Su Qi's worry. "Father, don't worry, I will handle it! I won't implicate the Su family!"
Then Mingxin helped them to the guest room to rest.
The old lady and Granny Li boarded the carriage. Granny Li suddenly remembered that the other maids in the mansion were saying that the spirits at Qingyun Temple were particularly efficacious. Upon hearing this, the old lady immediately ordered the steward to go to Qingyun Temple outside the city.
Yan Ning, accompanied by the scent of bamboo, wandered around the garden, looking for any flowers that could make the peacocks display their plumage. The ribbons that had hung during the old lady's birthday celebration hadn't been removed because of Fukang'an and Yan Ning's marriage. A gust of wind blew, and the ribbons danced among the flowers.
Yan Ning remembered the peacock dance, so she went to the storeroom to pick out some gauze fabrics, drew a sample, and asked Zhu Xiang to take it to a craftsman outside the mansion to make a dance costume.
Fukang'an found Fu Chang'an at Wanxiang Pavilion. His cold aura scared away the beautiful women who were fawning over Fu Chang'an. Fu Chang'an poured himself a cup of wine and handed it to Fukang'an. Fukang'an took it and drank it all in one gulp. "Tomorrow, regarding Yan Ning's visit to the Empress Dowager, she doesn't understand the palace rules, so you must remind her. Tomorrow, the Empress Dowager will definitely invite some people to admire the peacock's display; you can go and pay your respects tomorrow morning!"
Fu Chang'an and Fu Kang'an grew up together in the palace, but Fu Kang'an was the legitimate son, and both the Emperor and Empress Dowager favored him. Although Fu Chang'an didn't want to get involved, he knew Heshen would intervene if he found out, which would give him a good opportunity to curry favor. "Don't worry, Third Brother, I will do my best!"
After pouring Fu Chang'an a cup of wine, Fu Kang'an left the bustling Wanxiang Pavilion.
A member of the Mingqi sect recognized the steward in the carriage and guessed that someone with status in the Fucha family must be the steward. So he gathered the followers of Qingyun Temple, planning to capture the person in the carriage and use him to blackmail Fukang'an into rescuing You Yuanzhi.
The Mingqi Cult members, ahead of the old lady, lay in ambush on a less-traveled section of road. There was only one road from Qingyun Temple to the city center. As soon as the old lady's carriage appeared, the Mingqi Cult members rushed out and forced the old lady and her two companions to the edge of a cliff. The old lady's original destination, Baita Temple, was in the outer city, so she only brought Li Mama and the steward with her.
Granny Li shielded the old lady behind her, saying, "This is General Fucha Fukang'an's mother. Don't you value your lives?" The old lady looked at them carefully, trying to lure them with money and status. "If you let us go, I will definitely have my son reward you handsomely. Not only will he reward you with money, but he will also recommend you for official positions."
Upon hearing that it was Fukang'an's mother, the Mingqi Cult members became even more unwilling to back down, and they pressed forward step by step with their knives in hand. The steward took the lead and rushed forward, but unfortunately, he was just a scholar who managed household affairs. Although he had learned a few martial arts moves, he was outnumbered and killed by a cult member with a single blow.
The two women panicked even more when they saw that the housekeeper was dead, and retreated step by step to the edge of the cliff.
Zhao Xing returned from Shu and, passing through Qingyun Temple on a road that was essential to the journey to the capital, recognized the Fucha family's carriage in the distance. He dismounted and saw six men forcing two women into a corner, though he couldn't discern their identities from the distance. Zhao Xing quickly lit a signal to alert the soldiers lying in ambush near Qingyun Temple.
The soldiers near Qingyun Temple, seeing the Mingqi Sect members leave, knew that Fukang'an had ordered them not to alert the enemy and that the Mingqi Sect members would return to Qingyun Temple after buying some things, so they didn't follow them. Now, seeing the signal, they thought to themselves, "This is bad." They hurriedly rushed towards the source of the signal.
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