Chapter 53 fully recounts the events leading up to this point in our country's history...
Fu Jun was speechless for a moment. How could anyone be so eager to help someone fulfill their wish, and not give up until the goal is achieved?
But then he thought about it again and he could understand. He guessed that Zhilan was like him, disliking owing favors to friends, being clear about gratitude and resentment, and always repaying kindness, in order to have a clear conscience and a carefree life.
It seems I still need to think of a request that won't bother Zhilan, but can still be of some help to myself, so that Zhilan can repay this favor.
After a moment's thought, he actually remembered a hidden danger buried deep in his heart.
His biggest fear was that one day he would be forced to get into a bridal sedan chair and marry someone as a concubine, then he would really have no face to continue living here.
Since Zhilan wants to repay the favor, then we won't stand on ceremony with her.
"I do need your help with something."
Upon hearing this, Zhilan raised her eyebrows slightly. She hadn't expected him to be so pragmatic and change his mind so quickly.
"Oh? Tell me about it."
Fu Yun stated frankly, "I want to have the opportunity to marry freely, with the choice entirely in my own hands."
Zhilan's breath hitched, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes, her tone turning slightly cold: "You already have someone you like?"
Fu Yun hadn't expected Zhi Lan to make that connection, and immediately shook her head: "No."
Zhilan's expression softened slightly, but she was still puzzled: "If you don't have anyone in mind, then why do you say that?"
It's understandable that Zhilan would be puzzled, since she had no intention of getting married, yet he suddenly brought it up in front of her. It would be strange if she could understand.
If she had been even a little more suspicious, she would have suspected that he was taking advantage of her kindness to gain entry into the harem and harboring ulterior motives towards the Empress.
After all, that's exactly what the original owner did back then, using General Qian's power to infiltrate the court, hoping to gain the Empress's favor.
Thinking that the Empress might misunderstand his purpose in bringing this up, Fu Yun suddenly felt flustered and explained somewhat awkwardly, "Don't misunderstand, I have no intention of getting married. The reason I brought this up is mainly because Su Tan is thinking of using my marriage to seek benefits for the Su family. I don't want to become a pawn in her hands, and I don't want to ruin my future because of someone like her."
Zhilan understood a bit. In the Nü Kingdom, men of marriageable age had to obey the head of the family's arrangements and find a marriage partner.
Marriage is a major life event, decided by parents and matchmakers. Unmarried men have no chance to resist and must marry regardless of their wishes.
Su Tan's practice of selling his son was not an isolated case. Many families in Lingzhou City had done this in private. As long as no illegal or taboo acts or deaths occurred, the government would not intervene.
After all, even an upright official finds it difficult to settle family disputes, and a clever housewife can't cook without rice.
Every family has its own troubles, and outsiders are always just outsiders. How can they possibly distinguish right from wrong?
Zhilan shook her head and sighed inwardly, then thought of a more pressing question: "Could it be that Su Tan has already arranged a marriage for you?"
Fu Yun nodded and answered truthfully, "Yes, I had to use delaying tactics at the time to recover from my injury. But marriage is a lifelong matter, and I would never get married casually."
Although Zhilan had already witnessed Su Fuyun's unconventional ways, she still didn't expect him to care so much about whether he had feelings for his married partner.
"Actually, you don't need to worry. Our Nü Kingdom's marriage customs have been passed down for thousands of years. It's not inappropriate for the newlyweds to meet on their wedding day. After marriage, they can slowly cultivate their feelings for each other, and they can still live in harmony and mutual affection."
Fu Yun knew that his and Zhi Lan's views on marriage were separated by thousands of years, so he certainly didn't expect her to understand his thoughts. His purpose was not to get Zhi Lan to agree with his views, but to eliminate potential problems in the future.
"You should remember, right? I told you before that I only want to be with the person I love in my life, and I will never marry someone with whom I have no feelings."
Zhilan walked to the table, poured two cups of tea, and placed one in front of Fu Jun. Her tone was calm: "Of course I remember. You did mention this matter in the carriage that day. But at that time, you were a woman, so such remarks did not seem out of place. On the contrary, they made people think that you were loyal and righteous. But if you were a man, it would be a shocking statement. To date, there has never been a strange story in our country where a man can choose his wife at will."
Fu Yun lowered her eyes and looked at the tea in her cup, thinking, "This double standard is terrifying. It's like comparing heaven and earth. I'm completely humiliated."
This feeling is truly heartbreaking and helpless: "It is precisely because I don't want to follow the crowd that I need an opportunity to decide for myself whether to get married or whom to marry."
Zhilan remained silent for a moment before saying, "Now that you have long since left the Su family, with your stubborn temper, Su Tan shouldn't be able to force you to get married. Why do you need to worry about it?"
Fu Yun was already exhausted and didn't love anymore: "..."
Being principled and sticking to the bottom line has ironically earned them the nickname "stubborn as a mule."
Fu Yun sighed inwardly, deciding not to hide anything anymore, and laid it all out: "To be honest, I'm not worried about Su Tan, but I'm worried about other uncertainties."
The marriage proposal Su Tan initially arranged was with General Qian. At that time, I hadn't completely escaped her control, so I could only refuse the marriage proposal by citing poor health. However, she said there was no rush and she could wait for me. The reason Su Tan didn't dare to press me too hard and didn't drag me back to the Su family was because of General Qian's influence.
General Qian has helped me a lot during this time, and I am very grateful to her. However, my gratitude has nothing to do with romantic feelings. I am not a suitable marriage partner for her. We can be friends, but not husband and wife. I have subtly expressed my feelings to her during this period, but she seems unmoved.
Fu Yun couldn't say the most fundamental reason, so she could only give a half-truthful account.
As Zhilan listened, her expression gradually became serious. She asked, "Is Qian Qingling very satisfied with this marriage?"
Fu Yun rubbed her temples, looking somewhat tired: "It should be. She said she would give me time to recover, and we would choose an auspicious day to get married once I'm feeling better."
Zhilan was silent for a moment, then looked intently at Fu Jun: "If Su Tan hadn't forced you to accept this marriage, would you still have ruled out Qian Qingling and not wanted to marry her?"
Fu Yun nodded without hesitation and said firmly, "Even without Su Tan's manipulation, I would not marry General Qian. I am not her good match. She deserves someone better."
Putting aside the fact that in the original book, Su Fuyun caused her to die a tragic death because of his own selfish desires, even if he were to have a different soul, he would only make her love unrequited. After all, once he completes the task assigned by Xiao Ba, he could leave at any time. If he were to force himself to marry General Qian and then abandon her in the end, leaving her to suffer alone, wouldn't he become the most despicable scumbag he could ever despise?
Zhilan seemed satisfied with Fu Yun's answer, her expression relaxed, and she said casually, "Tell me! After all you've said, how exactly do you want me to help you?"
Fu Yun straightened up and said solemnly, "I hope you can promise me that no matter what happens in the future, or what you have received from me, you must keep it strictly confidential. You also cannot deliberately suppress me or force me to do things I don't want to do."
"Oh, right, as for rewards for merit, such as gold, silver and valuables, or even a beautiful woman to be given as a marriage gift, I will not participate in any of these. On the contrary, I don't want to become someone else's entertainment one day and end up being given away to someone else."
Zhilan's eyes deepened with emotion, and she said with a half-smile, "You've made so many demands, which isn't the amount we just agreed on."
Fu Yun gave Zhi Lan a deep look: "No, you must know what I really want to express."
Zhilan: "Okay, I've granted your first three requests. Go ahead and do them; I won't restrict your actions."
Fu Yun nodded in satisfaction.
The previous requests were not just a test, but also a way to gain more room for maneuver in the subsequent mineral exploration and mining, as well as to strengthen the protection of their confidentiality.
"As for rewards based on merit, you don't need to worry about it. You are neither a member of the court nor have you ever entered the harem, so where would the opportunity come from to reward you with wealth and honor?"
"Of course, I can't offer you my beauty either. Do you still have anything to say?"
Fu Yun twitched the corners of his lips, knowing that Zhilan was teasing him on purpose. He didn't take it to heart and patiently reminded her, "The first two sentences are just a prelude; the last one is the main point."
"Oh?" Zhilan stood up unhurriedly, walked to the window, looked outside, and said in a calm voice, "Now that you are of my use, why would I give you to someone else?"
When her gaze fell upon a group of people approaching the restaurant in the distance, she returned to Fu Jun's location.
Fu Yun was slightly taken aback. When he looked up and saw Zhi Lan's expression, he knew that the government officials were about to arrive.
He stopped laying the groundwork and went straight to the point: "If General Qian were to request you to bestow a marriage upon us, would you grant it or not?"
Although these concerns are still just speculation, Fu Yun is used to long-term planning and naturally wants to take precautions.
Moreover, given General Qian's doting on her husband and her boundless indulgence, she probably already possesses the genes for turning evil.
If she is provoked or hurt, she may become obsessed, grabbing people and throwing them into a closed basement, then binding and playing with them. At that point, you'll be completely helpless, and the despair you'll feel is indescribable.
Therefore, it is essential to plan ahead and mitigate all potential risks.
In the original book, General Qian knew that Su Fuyun was utterly wicked and deserved to die, but he still couldn't bear to let go. At the risk of having his entire family executed, he secretly asked a folk doctor named Lu to treat him and alleviate the pain and torment caused by the torture. Even when the matter was exposed, he had no regrets and was willing to be exiled to a desolate place three thousand miles away, never to return to Lingzhou City, and eventually died alone and tragically in a foreign land.
In fact, if you were to get along with her as a friend, General Qian would be a very worthwhile person to befriend. She is forthright, honest, and responsible, and she is also a heroine. Fu Yun respects her from the bottom of his heart.
If they hadn't met in a matriarchal society, but in modern times, he wouldn't have had so many concerns, and would have been more inclined to get to know her better.
But he doesn't belong to this country; he came with a mission and might leave any day after completing it. So how can we delay him?
Based on these interactions, all signs indicate that General Qian is truly fond of Su Fuyun, and despite his repeated rejections, he has not been discouraged at all. On the contrary, he has become more determined and resolute in winning her over.
Ultimately, Fu Yun was very self-aware, knowing that Su Fu Yun had no outstanding qualities other than her good looks.
He is now just an ordinary person struggling to make a living in the city, and he has no personal charisma to speak of.
According to this country's standards for choosing a spouse, he is neither understanding nor willing to stay at home to raise children. How could he be worthy of a female general who has contributed to the country? She deserves someone better, a good man who loves her wholeheartedly, who only wants to be with her, support her through thick and thin, and spend his life with her.
Therefore, as a meritorious official of the country, General Qian needs a sensible, kind, gentle, and compassionate partner who is willing to stand with her through thick and thin, and who can manage the general's mansion well while she is fighting for the country, so that she has no worries.
She was just too obsessive in relationships, to the point of losing her rationality and her sense of self.
If the person she admires is a kind and good person, that's fine. But if she encounters someone who is good at disguising himself and is treacherous and cunning, her lifelong reputation will be ruined.
In the original book, she fell for the two-faced and ruthless Su Fuyun. Therefore, it's not hard to guess that General Qian is a top-tier looks-obsessed person, and Su Fuyun's face just happens to be right in her heart, having a fatal attraction for her.
Otherwise, it would be really hard to explain how someone as wicked and hypocritical as Su Fuyun could win General Qian's favor and remain devoted to him.
She is deeply in love with Su Fujun, and cannot forget him; she is obsessed with him and will probably not let go easily.
People who are obsessed with love are usually willing to pay any price to keep their loved ones by their side, even if it only leads to mutual torment and pain, they will still grit their teeth and refuse to let go.
If things really come to a head and he clearly states that he will not marry her, it is still unknown whether she will turn from love to hate. After all, people who are troubled by love and go crazy for love have no rationality. Once they cannot get what they want, the probability of them turning evil is definitely no less than 85%.
She would rather be entangled with him for life than part ways peacefully and live their own lives.
In addition, she was a general with a distinguished military record. If the reward she asked the empress for was a marriage decree, wouldn't he have no chance to refuse?
Therefore, he must take the initiative and eliminate potential threats in advance so that he will not be helpless when trouble comes.
Thinking of this, he saw that Zhilan was just looking at him with an unclear expression and was not giving a clear answer. She was obviously also considering whether to fulfill the wish of the pillar of the country or to agree to the request of the common people.
Fu Yun didn't even need to think to know who had the upper hand in Zhilan's heart: a general or him.
He could only quickly add, as a compromise: "Let me put it this way! I can give up all the demands mentioned earlier, except for marriage, which I want to decide for myself. Do you think you can agree to this request?"
His original goal was to sever the last possible thread of marriage between General Qian and himself, and to prevent him from falling into the predicament of being forced into marriage in the future.
Zhilan remained silent for a long time before saying, "So, your ultimate goal is to prevent me from interfering in your marriage?"
Fu Yun nodded, then shook her head: "To be precise, I don't want anyone to interfere with my marriage, and it's not just targeting you."
"They've arrived."
As Zhilan finished speaking, a familiar figure stepped into the restaurant.
Before standing up, Zhilan whispered, "I grant your request."
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