Go home if you are thirsty
Fu Huaiying held her forehead with her hand. "Did you leave your head without a brain today? Is it possible that King Huan would come out alone? If we don't leave now, we'll be discovered."
"Oh..." How could Lin Yan'an not have thought of this? He just wanted to try and see if Huaiying knew King Huan at this time. Seeing that her expression did not change, he was slightly relieved. Now it seems that they have not met yet.
Before he could react, Fu Huaiying had already boarded the carriage and said, "Let's go."
When Fu Huaiying entered the yard, Chen Huanli was still awake. The light in her room was on. He was standing at the door waiting for her, with the book in his hand.
"Teacher...you're back."
Fu Huaiying nodded. "Why are you here? It's cold. Come inside."
"Teacher, I'm waiting for you. I've figured it out." He held the book in his hand and lowered his eyes slightly. A child of his age was neither old nor young. He was worried and sat in the room thinking quietly for a long time before he figured out what Fu Huaiying said that night.
"You want me to ascend to a high position, but you don't want me to ascend to a high position only. The people of the world are not the bargaining chips in our game. I understand that. I only killed one person. After he dies, I will do better than him. I will release military power, be close to virtuous officials, and stay away from villains. I can do all of this."
Fu Huaiying pulled him into the house. She didn't want to discuss this outside.
"You're still young, so it's great that you have such thoughts. However, the military power cannot be relinquished. His Majesty dares to do so because he has already secured his position. No one dares to covet his position. Even so, the Imperial Guards are incredibly powerful. It may take you more than twenty years, or even longer, to reach his level of achievement."
Fu Huaiying was silent for a moment, thinking of Lin Yan'an's beautiful face. He said that he would serve her all his life. If she wanted to gain power and bet on Chen Huanli, would he be willing?
Her eyes were a little dull, "Military power... we must have military power, otherwise no matter how we plan, it will be useless."
Chen Huanli raised his eyes and looked at the teacher's face closely. He raised his hand and smoothed her slightly frowned brows. The teacher didn't like to laugh and always had something hidden in her heart. Even if she smiled, it didn't seem so sincere.
Fu Huaiying subconsciously dodged. She didn't like physical contact with others, but the moment she dodged, she suddenly remembered that every time she came into contact with Lin Yan'an, she never felt annoyed and never dodged, as if she was very familiar with his touch.
Chen Huanli's fingertips froze, and he lowered his eyes, looking somewhat pitiful. "Teacher... I don't want you to frown. I want to see you smile. In the past... Mother was always unhappy, and she didn't like to smile. Now, you don't like to smile either."
Fu Huaiying touched his head and said, "I'm not used to people touching me, and I don't like to laugh. I've been like this since I was a child."
Chen Huanli stared at her for a long moment before he spoke softly, "But when you're with the young marquis, you always laugh uncontrollably. I saw you on the way back from seeing Liu Shuang a few days ago... Don't you like me?"
Fu Huaiying was a little surprised. She never knew what Chen Huanli was thinking. She trained him as the crown prince, but forgot that he was not very old and was just a child.
"It's not that I don't like you. I risked my entire clan being killed to teach you. You're the only one who has been treated this way in my life."
Chen Huanli was happy then, and was comforted by her two light words.
next day
Fu Huaiying was dismissed from her post, but was retained by the emperor. He looked at the red comments on the memorial and raised his eyes to look at her.
"I underestimated you. Did you also reject the memorial from Censor Fu?"
Fu Huaiying stood aside, grinding ink for him, her brows lowered. "In the court, there are no fathers and daughters, no fathers and sons, no brothers and sisters. There are only monarchs and ministers. Ministers only serve impartially and don't care about anything else."
The emperor laughed twice. "The seal has been ill these past few days. She said she is old and can't do anything. You should take care of her more."
Fu Huaiying lowered his head. "He's already thirty years old. Perhaps it's just that he's not used to the recent change of seasons."
"You don't have any ambitions. The Ministry of Rites is a little short-staffed, and it just so happens that the Crown Prince is choosing a concubine. Why don't you help out and take a look at those rosters, portraits, and so on, and sift through them."
Fu Huaiying nodded in agreement. She knew that the emperor was testing her attitude.
The prince is choosing a concubine? Fu Huairou couldn't become a court lady, so he must have started to arrange her marriage. Fu Huairou must be on the list, but how can she make her wish come true?
When Fu Huaiying came out of the palace, she happened to see Wen Chuyan, who was saying goodbye to the Minister of Rites.
Fu Huaiying narrowed her eyes. It seemed that Fu Huairou really wanted to be the Crown Princess. She even let Wen Chuyan and Fu Tingyun take turns to play. However, she had made a wrong calculation.
Wen Chuyan turned around and saw Fu Huaiying who had just come out of Chongyang Palace. He immediately stepped forward.
"Huaiying..."
"Brother, where are you from? Who is that?"
Wen Chuyan hadn't seen her for a few days, and when he thought of her words that night, his heart tightened, but he still managed to smile and replied, "That person is the Minister of Rites, Guo Wen."
Fu Huaiying chuckled, "Brother, are you going there to choose a concubine?"
Wen Chuyan nodded, "Huairou is making a big fuss, Tingyun is helpless, so let me help to plead for her."
Fu Huaiying nodded meaningfully, "I really envy you, elder sister. You have someone to back you up. If that's the case, you'll have to go to the Ministry of Rites more often these days."
Wen Chuyan couldn't tell whether she was envious or sarcastic. He just lowered his eyes to look at her hair and said, "Why aren't you wearing the hairpin I gave you before? Is it old? I'll make you a new one."
Fu Huaiying didn't reply. How could she have been so naive to think that Wen Chuyan treated her better than Fu Huairou all these years?
"No, I don't really like wearing those pearls and jades. They get in the way. By the way, brother, have you met King Huan?"
Wen Chuyan nodded, "Why are you suddenly asking about King Huan?"
"If you had to choose between Prince Huan and the Crown Prince, which one would you choose, brother?"
Wen Chuyan's face changed, and without caring about the distinction between men and women, he immediately covered her mouth, "How can you say such things here?"
Fu Huaiying didn't care. She didn't care where she said it. Even if someone heard it, so what? If the emperor heard some rumors, he wouldn't think it was her who said it, he would only think it was Wen Chuyan.
Wen Chuyan was startled by her sudden words. When he came to his senses, he had already brought the person to his carriage.
He didn't like extravagance, so the carriage was a bit shabby, and it was a bit crowded for the two of them to sit in it.
"Did you learn anything from His Majesty?"
Fu Huaiying shook her head. "Why would His Majesty bring this up? I'm just curious, brother, has it been staked?"
Wen Chuyan sighed, "As long as Huairou's name is submitted, she will definitely be chosen. If not the principal wife, then the concubine. We have no choice."
Fu Huaiying lowered her eyes. You have no choice. "What if you are not selected? Is it possible that my brother will switch to King Huan?"
Wen Chuyan knew that she never cared about the affairs of the court, but she suddenly asked this question today. Could it be that someone had said something to her?
"Did the young marquis ask you to ask? Or are you just curious?"
Fu Huaiying smiled and said nothing.
Wen Chuyan looked at her and felt even more dissatisfied with Lin Yan'an. "If he has his own ideas, he can come and ask me in person. Could it be that he has his eyes on King Huan and wants to persuade me?"
Fu Huaiying raised her eyes with a smile on her face, "Yan An didn't ask me to ask, I was just curious. He said that whoever I choose, the Marquisate will choose."
Wen Chuyan was speechless. He suddenly realized that Fu Huaiying's way of addressing Lin Yan'an had changed from Little Marquis to Lin Yan'an, and then to Yan'an.
He forced a smile, his voice faintly hoarse, "Huaiying, what do you think of the young marquis?"
"If we were to choose a son-in-law, then he would be an excellent choice. He has a distinguished family background, a clean backyard, and is served by male servants. He would be able to manage the household affairs right after entering the mansion. To be honest, if it weren't for his bad reputation outside, the threshold of the mansion would have been trampled down."
"Do you like him?"
When Wen Chuyan asked this question, he felt more and more bitter in his heart. Looking at Fu Huaiying's eyes, he suddenly wanted to tell his uncle directly to marry her back so that she could never see Lin Yan'an again.
Fu Huaiying saw the struggle in his eyes and decided to quit while she was ahead. "I can't say I like him, but if he comes to propose marriage, I will agree."
Wen Chuyan was left hanging by her, "Why?"
"Because he listens to me."
Wen Chuyan's palm was almost pinched to bleed. He really wanted to hold Fu Huaiying's hand and tell her that he could listen to her.
"...Doesn't Yu He listen to you too?"
Fu Huaiying smiled and said, "But he also listens to my eldest sister. I want a husband who only listens to me, not someone who wavers and is entangled in internal and external affairs."
Wen Chuyan spoke subconsciously, "Can't I? I can listen to you."
Fu Huaiying looked at him with disappointment and sadness in her eyes. "But in my heart, I am always older than you. When I was young, I also hoped that you would come back and marry me, but later I realized that if I were to be with you, I would always have to give in and retreat."
Wen Chuyan opened his mouth, unable to refute.
Fu Huaiying didn't let him go, and continued, "I thought my brother was the best person in the world to me besides my mother and grandfather. It wasn't until Yan An showed up and begged the Grand Tutor for me, went to the three seniors for a fight, remembered my likes and dislikes, and stood up for me that I realized what it felt like to truly love someone."
As she spoke, she observed Wen Chuyan's expression. She had been talking so much today just to make him feel guilty and give him hope so that he could be used by her.
"I can do all this for you..."
"But brother, you didn't do it."
Wen Chuyan felt a little guilty. If they hadn't met by chance today, he didn't know how long it would take before he could open his heart to her and have a chat.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault, brother. I won't do it again. Give me another chance... a chance to compete fairly with Lin Yan'an..."
Fu Huaiying's face was filled with sadness, tears welling up in her eyes. "...I am a very selfish person. The most important person in your heart is me. If I rank behind others, then please don't say things that might lead to misunderstandings in the future."
Wen Chuyan immediately moved closer, pulled her watch loyally, and said, "I promise, I will never let you queue behind others again."
Fu Huaiying looked at him and said, "Brother, let's look at what you do, not what you say."
The carriage was bumpy all the way, and she felt a little dizzy when she got off. Wen Chuyan supported her gently, thinking he had comforted her.
"Sister Huaiying!"
Lin Yan'an appeared out of nowhere, as if he didn't see Wen Chuyan, jumped over him and approached Fu Huaiying.
"Why are you here?"
"I'm just passing by and I'm very thirsty now, what should I do?"
Wen Chuyan couldn't help but say, "If you're thirsty, go home and have some tea."
"I want to drink Huaiying's tea."
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