Chapter 16 Irrigation and Pampering
After the flower-viewing banquet ended, Madam Lin, the first wife, still held onto Fu Yan'an, her excitement still lingering: "Among all these noble ladies today, each has her own charm. Is there one you fancy?"
Fu Yan'an sat upright with his hands down, his back straight, the teacup lid lightly touching his lips, and remained silent.
"Since you won't tell me, don't blame your mother for playing matchmaker for you." Seeing his posture, Madam Lin's face instantly darkened a bit, and her tone became unusually firm: "The eldest daughter of the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, the eldest daughter of the Director of the Water Conservancy Department of the Ministry of Works, and the second daughter of the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites—these three families are all of suitable age for you, and they are also a good match for our family. Your father and I will choose one of them to be your bride."
Madam Lin thought that her son was good in every way from childhood to adulthood, never causing her any trouble. He was handsome, had a good temperament, excelled in his studies, and his career as an official was smooth sailing. He was truly perfect in every way except for the matter of getting married, which was very difficult for her and caused her a lot of worry.
Fu Yan'an frowned in resistance. The three families his mother had chosen were either high-ranking officials or powerful families. There was no way that such young ladies would tolerate him having a woman he loved so deeply.
Seeing that he was unmoved by reason, Madam Lin simply laid her cards on the table: "Your father has spoken, and your marriage cannot be delayed any longer! If you remain silent, I will take it as your tacit consent."
Fu Yan'an pondered for a moment before finally speaking: "Then let's choose Miss Su from the family of the Director of the Armory Department of the Ministry of War."
The image of Miss Su, so pitiful and sickly, flashed before his eyes. She declared that if he helped her reclaim the dowry held by her stepmother, she would be willing to be his wife in name only, and would also take care of his beloved. The tenacity in her eyes, so determined to fight to the death, was somewhat reminiscent of Qing'er.
Just as Miss Su said, her family background was not prominent, and her biological father and stepmother were mean and ungrateful. After marrying into the Marquis's mansion, she could only rely on him. Naturally, she would obey his every word and let him do as he pleased. She was the perfect candidate.
Madam Lin, the first wife, was suddenly taken aback, unable to recall which family it was. Her maid, Xia Guang, quickly whispered a reminder, and Madam Lin realized, immediately frowning in displeasure: "Why did you choose her? That girl is frail from birth, always sickly and weak; she probably won't be able to bear children. You married that girl..."
Madam Lin didn't want to curse her son, but the implication was that she was afraid he would become a widower. She sighed and retorted, "She looks like a person with little fortune. She is also timid and not presentable. She is not as respectable as her stepsister. Besides, her family background is not prominent and will not be of any benefit to your career. She is not suitable to marry you as a wife. You should choose one of the other three noble ladies."
“My mind is made up. I hope my father and mother will grant my request. Otherwise, I would rather not marry.” Fu Yan’an shook his head resolutely, then got up and left.
“Sigh…” Madam Lin sighed twice as she watched her son’s resolute back. She knew that he was stubborn and unlikely to change his ways, which added another layer of worry to her heart. She didn’t know how to bring this up with Master Fu.
Meng Qingci worked like a slave at the Marquis's mansion for another day, and her legs were stiff from all the exertion.
After enduring the banquet until everyone was gone, she forced herself to settle things in Biqiong Garden and take care of the trivial matters of serving Fu Jingyu before returning to her own room.
After a thorough wash, she felt a bit better and sat down in front of the rosewood dressing table. With a slight lift of her slender fingers, she removed her hair ornaments and loosened her hair bun, revealing a look of languor and weariness in her eyes.
However, because she would be able to leave the manor the next day, she felt particularly relaxed.
Unexpectedly, the door creaked open and was pushed open without warning! Startled, Meng Qingci turned around and saw Fu Yan'an enter. She then closed the door behind her, her heart pounding with fear.
Startled, she abruptly stood up, instinctively pulling her slightly open inner robe's collar tighter. Her voice trembled almost imperceptibly as she tried to push Fu Yan'an out the door: "Are you crazy? How could you barge in at this hour?!"
Fu Yan'an remained as steadfast as a rock. Since moving into the Marquis's mansion in the capital two years ago, he had never set foot in her boudoir again.
At this moment, beneath his gentle and refined appearance, his eyes held a sharp glint as he scanned the furnishings of the room: on the rosewood dressing table sat an exquisitely carved and lacquered vanity case; behind the amber-colored gauze curtain was a long ebony table, complete with writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone; and a corner of a nanmu canopy bed was visible, with fragrant cloud gauze curtains hanging loosely. Every single detail was carefully chosen and exquisitely crafted by him.
Even the most refined young ladies from ordinary families couldn't match even a tenth of the exquisiteness of her room.
The young girl before him wore only a plain white undergarment, the steam from her bath wafting around her, exuding a sweet fragrance that stirred his heart. Her cheeks flushed with surprise and anger, and her delicate, slender hands, like kitten paws, smacked his chest, further arousing his restless desire.
She was a delicate flower that he had nurtured with his heart and soul for over a decade, and she was perfect in every way.
Fu Yan'an suddenly gripped those "troublesome" soft hands, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force, but a self-deprecating and oppressive smirk curled at the corner of his mouth: "How many days did you spend lying on my bed when you were young and refusing to leave? How come you've become so distant from me now?"
"You...you're shameless! You can even say that was something from when we were kids." Meng Qingci was so angry that she was speechless for a moment. She didn't expect him to come and be so shameless with her. She struggled to push him away: "Go away! Can't we talk about this tomorrow? It's not proper for you to come here so late."
Fu Yan'an tightened his grip on her wrist, his gaze intense, clearly reflecting her panicked state. His voice was low and urgent: "I'm going crazy! I'm going crazy thinking about you! Don't you know? How long are you going to hide? I haven't even given you a concubine, isn't that enough? Are you so stingy that you won't even give me a little bit of sweetness?"
His words were a mixture of pain, longing, and a sense of being betrayed.
"Pah! You shameless bastard." Meng Qingci was trapped in his arms, unable to break free. Her mind raced: He had barged in, and there was still no sound outside. Fu Jingyu must have known and tacitly approved. Afraid that being too aggressive would only provoke his rebellious nature and make him act recklessly, which would do her no good, she suppressed her surging disgust and fear, relaxed her body slightly, and adopted a somewhat submissive posture, pleading softly, "Keep your voice down. How can I face anyone if you're like this? If the First Madam finds out, she'll probably beat me to death right away."
Her eyes welled up with tears as she looked up at him, her gaze a mixture of pleading for pity and yearning for love.
Fu Yan'an finally pulled her into his arms, feeling his long-empty body instantly filled. His heart felt like it was being soaked in warm water, swelling and aching yet strangely comforting. The submissiveness of the person in his arms greatly soothed his tense nerves, and the anger in his heart subsided slightly. He couldn't help but lower his head and whisper in her ear, his voice softening as he coaxed her gently, "Don't worry, how could I bear to make things difficult for you? I came to tell you something important, and I'll leave after I've said it."
He greedily absorbed her scent, his tone filled with triumphant satisfaction.
Meng Qingci relaxed a little, trying to calm Fu Yan'an's somewhat excessive emotions.
Fu Yan'an keenly noticed the softening in her attitude, and his heart was filled with turmoil. He knew that Qing'er was by no means indifferent to him. Suppressing the emotions surging within him, he said to her, "I have decided to choose Miss Su from the family of the Director of the Armory Department of the Ministry of War as my wife. She..."
Before he could finish speaking, Meng Qingci interrupted him with a cold sneer: "She has a congenital weakness and is destined to die young. Is she just a good match for you as a couple in name only? She married you only to find a place of protection and to obtain the title of a legal wife, so she lets you manipulate and arrange things for her?"
Fu Yan'an was surprised and looked down at her: "How did you know?"
"The tricks of the inner quarters are nothing more than this, what's so hard to guess?" Meng Qingci's lips curled into a mocking sneer, and suddenly she pushed him away with all her might: "Your own grandmother was your grandfather's beloved, but back then she was demoted from wife to concubine, and what has become of her now? Do you want to follow in your grandfather's footsteps now? First, produce an illegitimate eldest son? Do you want your son to repeat your father's mistakes? Or do you want him to walk the path you walked?"
Mentioning this painful matter was like a slap in the face. Fu Yan'an looked slightly embarrassed, but he forced himself to defend himself: "Absolutely impossible. You are not like her. I will definitely protect you."
Meng Qingci chuckled: "Your grandmother was a lawfully wedded wife back then! Even with your grandfather's power at the time, he couldn't protect her! What guarantee do you have?"
Her tone suddenly rose, filled with resolute indignation: "You know perfectly well that I hate being subservient! Why bother deceiving me with words of likes and dislikes? Forcing me to become your concubine, to live at your mercy? You might as well just kill me now, cleanly and decisively!"
Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly grabbed the hairpin that had just been removed from the dressing table, pressing the sharp tip firmly against her slender, fair neck, pressing it tightly against the clearly visible blue veins! Her eyes were as cold as a deep pool, her whole being filled with a resolute determination to perish together with her.
"How could I possibly want you as a concubine? When have I ever lied to you? Let it go quickly, and don't hurt yourself." Fu Yan'an's face changed drastically, his eyes bloodshot. He knew her fiery temper and dared not take a step forward. His voice trembled slightly with extreme fear as he hurriedly explained, "Miss Su has no family to rely on. Once she passes away, I can honor her as my second wife and welcome you into my household with dignity!"
He used to think that when choosing a wife, one should choose someone who is generous and tolerant, so as not to wrong Qing'er. But after that night in the corridor when he had a heart-to-heart talk with Qing'er, Fu Yan'an knew that Qing'er would never become a concubine. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep all night.
Now that Su Xiang has offered his services, it seems like the best course of action. This kind of woman is frail and short-lived, so she probably won't have time to compete for favor. He only needs to marry her in a grand ceremony, treat her well, and wait until she's old and frail before welcoming Qing'er into the family as a second wife. Isn't that the perfect solution?
Hearing his "plan," Meng Qingci found it utterly absurd. She gripped the hairpin in her hand even tighter, her knuckles turning white. A cold smile played on her lips as she spoke with sarcasm: "If that's the case, why not be more straightforward? You're engaged to her. Once she dies, you can simply bring her memorial tablet into your home and become a ready-made widower. Wouldn't that be faster and more secure? Then you can come and marry me, and I'll agree to your proposal."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
