chrysanthemum
Fu Huaiying felt that when she came back to see Huanli this time, he had changed a lot, not in height or appearance, but in his demeanor, which had become more and more stable.
At noon, Fu Huaiying had just finished her meal when she heard some noise outside. Dahu looked at her and stood up to look outside.
Soon Dahu brought Ji Yuan in. Fu Huaiying was a little confused as to why he came suddenly.
Ji Yuan didn't hesitate to sit down and took the bowl and chopsticks from the table. "Do you mind if I eat for free?"
Fu Huaiying smiled and said, "No problem, Yuelin, I'll change a set of bowls and chopsticks for Commander Ji."
Ji Yuan glanced down and said, "No one has used this before, why do you need to change it?"
Fu Huaiying stopped smiling and said, "This is Yan An's."
Ji Yuan put down his bowl and chopsticks, changed his position, and was silent for a while. "Didn't find him?"
Fu Huaiying shook her head. "No, those eight hundred people seemed to have disappeared out of thin air. I went to the foot of Yunfeng Mountain but couldn't find them, so I came back."
"You actually found yourself at the foot of Yunfeng Mountain? Fu Huaiying, when I first met you, I thought it would be impossible for someone like you to fall in love with anyone in your life. Yet, you went to the border alone for him. It seems I was wrong."
Fu Huaiying didn't respond, "What happened that brought you here today?"
Ji Yuan looked around and lowered his voice, "Your Majesty is ill and will not attend the morning court today."
Fu Huaiying played dumb, "What's wrong?"
"The imperial physician said that I was too tired and that I would just need to rest more, but I don't think it's that simple."
"Which doctor?"
"Doctor Li."
Fu Huaiying lowered her eyes and thought quietly. Doctor Li? She remembered that he was the one recommended by Wen Chuyan, and she thought it must be the work of Huanli.
"Your Majesty has been ill for the past few days, but he only called in the imperial physician last night because he had a fever. Perhaps because he was sick, he kept thinking about the crown prince. Your Majesty always felt sorry for the crown prince, perhaps because he missed his son so much."
Fu Huaiying handed him some tea and said, "Your Majesty loves your son so much that when the Crown Prince rebelled, he was only imprisoned."
Ji Yuan took it and asked, "Put chrysanthemums in it?"
"Reduce the fire."
"You do like the taste of chrysanthemums. Since you left, His Majesty has been drinking them every day because of your instructions. Even if the palace servants forget to put them back, he will bring them up. However, the chrysanthemums you sent earlier are gone, and His Majesty hasn't had any in four or five days."
"Your Majesty is handling government affairs, and seeing those memorials from the court officials is very irritating."
Ji Yuan laughed, "It's like this, when you were not around, His Majesty took a look and threw them away. When I went in, I always picked them up one by one."
"Is there any news from the border?"
Ji Yuan nodded and sighed, "Your Majesty was angry last night, and that's why. The military situation was half a month ago. General Wen won a battle, but then lost again, and the camp retreated several miles."
Fu Huaiying rubbed his brows. "The female monarch is coming with great force. I was worried when I mentioned the female monarch before. Dirou has only produced less than five female monarchs in hundreds of years. Each of them is a dragon among men. No matter how much we guard against them, we still can't prevent them."
"Last night, the old marquis came to the palace and asked for permission."
Fu Huaiying stood up suddenly, "Marquis Dingbei?!"
Seeing her like this, Ji Yuan understood everything, "You didn't tell the old marquis?"
Fu Huaiying calmed down for a moment, sat down, and shook his head. "No, the old marquis is old, and I'm afraid he can't bear it."
"But he already knows that you underestimated the old marquis. The name of Marquis Dingbei has spread throughout Dirou. The peace at the border for so many years was won by the old marquis. He built up all the defenses along that border bit by bit. Forget Lin Yan'an. Even if he and Wen Chuyan were combined, they would not be a match for the old marquis."
"He knows?"
"Who do you think the old marquis is? He's a military commander with a heart of his own. You went to the Dingbei Marquis's mansion and he immediately came to the palace to ask for a position. He can see through everything."
Fu Huaiying was a little annoyed, "It's my fault, I shouldn't have gone."
"I don't blame you. Who doesn't know about you and the young marquis? You went to the border and came back without saying anything. If you don't go to see him, the old marquis will come to see you. The old marquis asked, and His Majesty agreed. He has already assembled the troops outside the city this morning. By this time, I think they have already set out."
After saying that, he glanced at Fu Huaiying and said, "It's too late to deliver it now."
Fu Huaiying lowered her head and took a bite of her meal. "I know."
Ji Yuan sighed, "When the old marquis entered the palace last night, his hair was all white. He must be old..."
"Everyone grows old, and you will grow old one day too."
Ji Yuan chuckled, "You too, but I guess you'll be a dignified old lady when you're old."
“I won’t grow old.”
Ji Yuan smiled. Women are afraid of getting old, so he just went along with her, "Okay, okay, you won't get old."
After lunch, Ji Yuan returned to the palace. Fu Huaiying was planning to take a nap, but Chen Huanli came.
Fu Huaiying was curled up in her quilt with a hand warmer in her hand. When she heard the news that Chen Huanli was coming, she just looked up and asked Dahu to bring him in. She didn't care much about the strict rules between men and women.
"Teacher, it's already this hour, why haven't you woken up yet?"
Fu Huaiying squinted at him and said, "There's no need to be so roundabout in asking questions in front of the teacher."
Chen Huanli sat down beside the bed and said, "I'm sorry, teacher. I just don't feel comfortable asking..."
"Why is it so hard to ask? When have I ever hidden anything about Ji Yuan from you?"
"What is he doing here today?"
Da Hu opened the door and handed them tea, "Drink some hot tea to warm you up."
Chen Huanli raised his hand to take it, "Thank you, Sister Fuguang."
"You're welcome. What do you want to eat? I'll have someone make it. It's not easy for you to come out after you enter the palace."
"I want something sweet, I'm not picky about cakes."
"Okay, I'll have someone do it for you."
Fu Huaiying smiled and said, "Fu Guang, why don't you ask me? I want one too."
"Don't ask, I know what you want to eat."
Fu Huaiying smiled and took a sip of tea. "Today, Ji Yuanyuan told me that His Majesty was ill. He came to tell me, are you here to confess?"
Chen Huanli curled his lips, "Teacher, should I confess or should you confess?"
Fu Huaiying raised a finger and placed it on her lips. "Shh, since that's the case, we both know it in our hearts. There's nothing to confess."
"Teacher, are you doing this for me?"
Fu Huaiying raised her hand and touched his head. "Yes, but the teacher found that you can already stand on your own."
Chen Huanli suddenly grabbed her hand and said, "Teacher, don't leave me."
Fu Huaiying was slightly startled, "What?"
"Teacher, I'm grown up now. Don't hide it from me. I've seen the military situation at the border."
Fu Huaiying was silent for a while, "We didn't find him."
Chen Huanli stared at her for a long moment, then lowered his voice, "I can give you anything you want, overturning the verdict, revenge, a high position, as long as you want it, I can give it to you. My only request is that you don't let him go."
Fu Huaiying touched his face. "I think you are indeed smart, Huanli. Taking you from Liushuang may be the best choice I have made in my life. Some people ask me why I chose you. They have never seen the window of the small house in the Fu family courtyard that is always lit at night, nor have they seen a child lying on a narrow table reading a book slowly, nor have they seen a prince entering the palace alone to face disaster. That's why they ask me this question."
She paused and continued, "I chose you because I believe in you. You were able to walk from a cramped little house to the palace and even to the position of heir. It wasn't because of the support of others, but because you walked forward step by step on your own."
"Teacher, you've said so much, but you still don't agree to me, right?"
"You are no longer a child afraid of the dark. You can move forward on your own, Huanli. I believe in you."
“…”
The room was silent, with only the sound of falling tears.
"Why are you so crybaby? If you cry again, I won't give you any cakes later."
Chen Huanli looked up at her with tears in his eyes, with condemnation in his eyes.
"Hahaha, I was kidding. Fu Guang has already been done."
When Da Hu opened the door, he heard the girl's laughter. She also laughed, "I haven't been as happy as today in the past few days. Your Highness, please stay for dinner."
Chen Huanli was still throwing a tantrum, "I'm not hungry. Didn't you just finish lunch?"
Da Hu leaned on the rack and looked at him with amusement, "Are you throwing a tantrum again? You're talking in sarcastic tones."
"That's what kids are like."
Fu Huaiying and Dahu teased him one by one, and Chen Huanli's face suddenly became hot and flushed, not knowing whether it was because of shyness or anger.
"Girl, if you keep teasing me, His Highness the Fourth Prince will run away."
"You were the one who spoke first."
"Okay, okay, blame me, blame me."
Chen Huanli blushed for a moment, then coughed lightly and got down to business. "The old marquis has volunteered to leave for the border today."
Fu Huaiying nodded.
"Teacher? You know?"
"Well, Ji Yuan said it before."
"It's him again."
Da Hu laughed out loud, "Girl, do you smell it? It smells so strong of vinegar."
Fu Huaiying laughed along with her, "I smelled it, Huanli, did you bring vinegar?"
Chen Huanli was helpless, "Laughing at me again."
"Who told you to be jealous? The girl is paving the way for you."
"I know……"
Fu Huaiying lifted the quilt and got out of bed, put on an outer coat, took a hairpin from the table, pried open the box, took out the small bottle inside, and handed it to Chen Huanli.
He was a little surprised, but still reached out to take it, "Teacher, what is this?"
"chrysanthemum."
Chen Huanli opened the bottle and found three tiny pills inside. Without careful observation, he could not see them at all. He immediately understood that these were the things that the teacher had put in the chrysanthemum.
"Teacher, who did you buy it from?"
Chen Huanli's eyes were fierce, no matter who it was, they had to be silenced.
Fu Huaiying looked at his expression and shook her head, "No need to ask, she won't betray us."
"teacher……"
"Huangli, believe me."
Chen Huanli had no choice but to nod and hide the bottle of medicine.
Fu Huaiying put the box away and turned back to warn him, "Don't act too soon. At least, wait until General Wen comes back. Only when he's here can you make a move. Do you understand?"
Chen Huanli was a little unhappy, "Do I have to rely on him forever?"
"The military seal in his hand is your only hope. You may not be afraid of the criticism of the civil officials or the pens of the historians, but you must not forget the sword in the hands of the military officials. When the time comes, you must give him a high position and generous salary. You can have military power, but you cannot kill the generals."
"He is your brother. I won't touch him."
"This has nothing to do with me, Huanli. My brother has been fighting on the battlefield since he was young, serving his country and his people. The Wen family has always been a place of wise ministers and good generals. He can die on the battlefield, but he cannot die because of your suspicion. Do you understand?"
"I understand. The border needs him, and so does the court."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
