Taking office
The next day when she entered the palace, Fu Huaiying sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain and looked out, only to see a man kneeling in front of the gate of Shuntian Mansion. His thin clothes fluttered in the wind and his waist was bent by the wind. Feeling her gaze, the man suddenly looked up and met Fu Huaiying's cold eyes.
She lowered her eyes and let down the curtain. She thought that it must be Yue Wan's brother. He looked very proud and upright.
Fu Huaiying entered the palace and met the emperor again. He looked unhappy. She knelt for a long time but was not asked to stand up. Fu Huaiying felt helpless. She had to kneel in the mansion and in the palace. She didn't know when she would be allowed to kneel to others.
The emperor sighed, knowing that the buzz outside had nothing to do with her, and raised his hand, "Get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The emperor walked down the stairs and said, "Come on, walk with me."
Fu Huaiying stood up and followed him, knowing that it was Yue Wan's incident that had caused a headache for the emperor. This matter was not a big deal, but it was not a small one either, especially as to whether Fu Liusong should stay or go. He could neither dismiss him from his post nor leave him without punishing him.
"I heard that your maid died in Madam Fu's courtyard a few days ago?"
Fu Huaiying thought for a moment and replied with just "yes".
The emperor was still waiting for her to finish, but he only got a "yes" and no further words. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
"Don't you have any other ideas? I heard that you almost fainted from crying the day before yesterday."
Fu Huaiying spoke in a hoarse voice, "Your Majesty, I don't have many maids around me, and only Yue Wan is the most caring. Although she lost her life because she offended Madam, she is still your mother after all. A son should not criticize his parents' mistakes, so I dare not have any other thoughts."
The emperor was silent. What she said was not wrong. He couldn't let her disobey him for a maid, right?
"Most of the girls in the Wen family are fierce and aggressive, but your father is not entirely blameless either. I will allow him to rest for a few days and go back to take care of the household affairs."
To put it nicely, it means going home to rest for a few days. To put it bluntly, isn’t it just suspension from work?
"Your Majesty is wise." Fu Huaiying is not stupid, she will not plead for this cheap father.
"Forget it, since you're starting work today, I won't drag you into a chat anymore. Go ahead."
"yes."
Fu Huaiying entered the Qili Garden. The seal was held by a woman in her thirties or forties. She raised her hand and handed her the badge. "I haven't seen a newcomer in nearly twenty years. Since you're able to come in, I think you must be quite capable."
"Master Liao Zan, I'm just lucky."
"Don't be so modest. Not everyone can enter the Qili Garden. First, bring me yesterday's memorial." She raised her hand and pointed. "It's on that shelf."
Fu Huaiying raised his hand and handed it to her, and then handed her the jade seal. The seal looked up and stretched out his hand, "These have been screened out and must be sent to Chongyang Palace. Those are from yesterday, and these are from this morning. You come today."
Fu Huaiying nodded and took out the pile of memorials one by one to examine them carefully. The seal holder stood beside her and pointed at the memorial in her hand, "For something like this, you can just stamp it and put it away. You don't need to send it off."
"good."
Fu Huaiying found that there were so many things to do as soon as she took office. She hurried to the palace gate and was about to unlock it before she left the palace. Lin Yan'an was standing at the palace gate waiting for her.
"Let's go, I'll take you back."
Fu Huaiying nodded without refusing.
Da Hu was driving the horse in front, and they sat in the carriage. Lin Yan'an laid two layers of cushions so that she could lean more comfortably.
"Before I entered the palace today, I met Yue Wan's brother. He was kneeling there for almost two days, and no one cared."
Lin Yan'an nodded. "Don't worry. I reported your father to the emperor this morning. Now that His Majesty knows about this, I think it will be dealt with quickly. However, that man is stubborn and insists on Madam Fu paying with her life."
Fu Huaiying rubbed his brows and said, "Let him be. When he realizes that human life is worthless, he will climb up."
Lin Yan'an poured her a cup of hot tea. "By the way, I mentioned what you reminded me of earlier when I went to the palace to meet him a while ago. His Majesty has already sent people to investigate."
Fu Huaiying took a sip of tea, put down the cup, and pretended to be stupid, "I don't remember saying anything to the young marquis."
Lin Yan'an smiled and didn't expose her. He took the tea she had drunk and drank it in one gulp.
"Today's tea is especially thirst-quenching."
Fu Huaiying was speechless. "I see you every day, and your mouth never stops talking. I guess you don't need to quench your thirst."
Lin Yan'an is a well-known playboy in the capital. He is very good at talking and no one knows how much benefit he has gained from this.
It was too late, so Fu Huaiying dismounted and didn't keep him. "Young Marquis, please go back early. It's not a good behavior to wander outside in the middle of the night."
Lin Yanan laughed, "Sister Huaiying, why are you crossing the river and then destroying the bridge?"
Fu Huaiying glanced at him and said, "Okay, since you want to stay for a cup of tea, then let's go into the mansion together. Father should be free today, but he may not be in the mood for tea."
Lin Yan'an waved his hand. "I'm leaving now. I just impeached Lord Fu in court today. If I go in for tea now, he'll tear me apart."
Fu Huaiying hurried into the yard, wanting to see Chen Huanli, but saw Wen Chuyan who had been waiting for a long time at the gate.
She paused, then stepped forward, "General Wen."
A trace of hurt flashed in Wen Chuyan's eyes, but he still asked her, "Did Yue Wan's death have anything to do with you?"
Fu Huaiying sneered, "Brother, what you said is so unreasonable. Yue Wan followed mother up the mountain a few days ago, and now he has died in mother's courtyard. What does this have to do with me?"
"You and her have no feelings for each other, why are you pretending to be unconscious?"
Fu Huaiying was silent for a moment, then looked him in the eyes. "Yue Wan's death had nothing to do with me, but she had been with me for so many years. Crying for a while could bring her some justice, so why not do it?"
"You knew she would die a long time ago, so you invited Lin Yan'an and the Supreme Court Justice. Huaiying, I really don't understand you now. How many of your words are true and how many are false?"
"I don't understand you either, brother. The eldest lady drugged me time and time again and spiked my food. If it weren't for the silver hairpin my mother left for me, I would have escaped a few times by luck. The one who died wouldn't be Yue Wan, but me."
Wen Chuyan was a little speechless. He really didn't know that his aunt could be so vicious.
Fu Huaiying didn't give him a chance to explain, and continued, "You guessed that I invited the young marquis, but couldn't you guess that this was set up by the eldest lady? If I hadn't discovered it in time, Yue Wan's body would have appeared in my courtyard, and my future and reputation as an official would have been ruined."
"Brother, it's not that you can't guess, you just don't want to admit that your aunt is a vicious woman. But do I deserve to be bullied all the time? Can't I resist? Do I deserve to die?"
Wen Chuyan didn't know that the conflict between her and her aunt had reached a point where it could no longer be reconciled, nor did she know that the usually gentle Huaiying had so many things hidden in her heart.
"I'm sorry... I don't know..."
"You just don't want to know."
Fu Huaiying closed her eyes, feeling that she had wasted too much time and energy tonight. She had wanted to use Wen Chuyan to achieve her goal, but he was a fool. She had wasted too much time and emotion on him before. Now that she found that there was a more useful Lin Yan'an, she naturally deviated.
Fu Huaiying turned around and walked towards the yard.
"Huaiying," Wen Chuyan called out to her, "I've been at the border for a long time and was only able to return and live permanently this year, so I didn't know what my aunt has become like now. I hope you can reconcile and have a harmonious relationship, because..."
"Because...I want to marry you."
Fu Huaiying didn't look back. "I've emphasized many times that we're not siblings, but you always ignored me and just said you treat me as your sister. So, brother, from now on, just treat me as your sister, just like before."
After saying that, Dahu closed the gate for her, blocking the sight outside.
"Young lady, don't believe him! I've inquired. General Wen has two concubines, but the young marquis is surrounded by servants and lackeys, not even a female fly. How can General Wen be as chaste as the young marquis?"
Fu Huaiying raised an eyebrow, "Did he teach you that?"
Dahu is an honest person. Whenever Fu Huaiying asked her, she nodded and never lied.
"How did the girl know?"
"You're not idle, so why would you want to find out if General Wen has a concubine? Who else would have so much free time besides your master?"
"Squeak"
"Teacher..." The door of the side room was pushed open, and Chen Huanli walked out from the darkness and slowly approached her. He was slightly relieved to see that she was fine.
Fu Huaiying walked over and asked, "What's wrong?"
"You enter the palace...I..."
"Come inside and talk."
Fu Huaiying brought him into the house and told Dahu to guard the door before speaking softly, "Dahu doesn't know your background, so don't let it slip in front of her, understand?"
"I understand, but isn't she your confidant?"
Fu Huaiying nodded. "Yes, but she is not mine after all. She was sent by the young marquis. I will be extremely careful with your affairs. If anyone finds out, we will all die."
"I know, Teacher. Did you...see him today?"
Fu Huaiying nodded. "To be honest, if the former crown prince sat in that position, he wouldn't necessarily be able to surpass him. Look at these years, the border has been gradually stabilized, the court has been stable, he is a good emperor."
Chen Huanli clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot. He looked up, "Teacher, are you trying to persuade me to give up revenge? He's a good emperor, yes, but he's also an executioner!"
Fu Huaiying touched his head. A child of this age still couldn't hide things. "I'm not asking you to give up. I just hope that you can learn from him. Even if he is your enemy, you still have to learn. The political balance in the court is due to checks and balances. Civil officials and military generals have always looked down on each other. He values civil officials, but he doesn't neglect military officials."
"The old marquis and General Wen hold military power, their achievements surpassing their master, but the one above them is a tolerant person. He rewards and promotes people without hesitation, which is why the border is stable. The censors are always harsh in their words and dare to point their noses at him and scold him, but has the one above them ever lost their temper? My father has been an imperial censor for so many years and has never been caned in court. It shows how broad-minded he is."
Chen Huanli was defeated. "Teacher, you speak so highly of him. For the sake of the people and the stability of the country, shouldn't I take revenge?"
"If he can do it, why can't you? Your Majesty has three sons, but not all of them are wise. If you can do better than him, why not let me kill a few princes for you?"
Chen Huanli was somewhat shocked when he heard her outrageous words. The only woman he had contact with was his mother, but his mother had always been gentle and a qualified woman in the harem. She would not discuss state affairs, let alone speak out like a teacher.
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