Chapter 5, The Goddess's Jade Face
"Greetings to Third Master." A hint of surprise flashed across Meng Qingci's eyes. She quickly lowered her head and curtsied, secretly cursing her bad luck. How long had he been here? Had he overheard everything she and Fu Yan'an had said?
Back at the ancestral home, she had heard that this Third Master Fu valued rules and etiquette the most. If he suspected her of having any private dealings with Fu Yan'an, he would question her. Even if she was a respectable person, she would be unable to resist if her master ordered a beating. Her heart sank, and her fingertips grew slightly cold.
Fu Heng stood with his hands behind his back, his slender phoenix eyes half-closed, scrutinizing her with a probing gaze.
His beloved nephew, Fu Yan'an, was not the refined and gentle gentleman he appeared to be. In the past two years, he had handled two ironclad cases involving the confiscation of property and the extermination of entire clans. His methods were ruthless and decisive, and His Majesty praised him for his decisiveness, courage, and exceptional strategic acumen. Even this girl had captivated him.
On both occasions I saw her, her manners were impeccable, as precise as if measured by a ruler and an ink line. She wore a long, light purple satin dress, a single bun adorned with a jade hairpin carved from a magnolia, and two white jade pendants on her earlobes. She wore no other adornments and was extremely well-behaved.
The bright sunlight illuminated her small face, making it appear as white and pink as fine porcelain. Her eyebrows were naturally dark, and her lips were naturally red, truly a goddess-like face.
But upon seeing him, she lowered her head and became meek and submissive, appearing as dull and wooden as a clay sculpture, completely unlike the arrogant and haughty demeanor she had displayed when manipulating Fu Yan'an.
Judging from the girl's expression, she was going to circle back to Biqiong Garden from the bamboo path of Wuheng Mountain House. Fu Heng sneered inwardly. This was the first time someone had used him. Not only did she not thank him, but she also gave him the cold shoulder. She was really cunning.
Fu Heng's disdainful expression concealed a sharp edge: "Now that you've obtained the indenture, why don't you leave the manor immediately?"
Meng Qingci's heart skipped a beat, thinking to herself that the man had indeed heard her. Her reply became even more respectful: "Reporting to Third Master, this servant has always been in charge of all the accounts of Biqiong Garden, and it is difficult to settle them in a short time. Once the eldest young lady marries into the Eastern Palace, this servant will be able to leave the manor."
Fu Heng snorted coldly: "Judging from how you showed no regard for the bond between master and servant just now, it seems as if Yan An is not good enough for you?"
"We are not a good match. Young Master Qi is handsome and refined, with the qualities of gold and jade. This humble servant is of lowly birth and ashamed of my unworthy status. How could I possibly have any delusions? This servant always keeps the rules of the manor in mind and never forgets them." Meng Qingci spoke humbly, but inwardly she rolled her eyes.
To expect her to have seen everything before, possess a bit of beauty, and have shown him some kindness and charm, and then to think she would dedicate herself to him in a heart-wrenching way, is simply wishful thinking.
Fu Heng detested women's greed and ambition. Hearing her response, he thought she was well-behaved. However, she was unmoved by a handsome and talented man like Fu Yan'an, and showed no shyness like a girl. She was like a clay bodhisattva without desires. Could it be that she really had a dead heart of stone?
Seeing that he had no intention of pursuing the matter for the time being, Meng Qingci was about to find an excuse to leave when Fu Heng's eyes became unfathomable, and he chuckled lightly: "How do you plan to thank Master?"
Her fingertips curled slightly, knowing that he had seen through her little thoughts, and a blush flashed in Meng Qingci's bright eyes.
She still needed to use Wuheng Mountain House to enter and leave Biqiong Garden. Since he had made it clear, he tacitly agreed to protect her. Her expression softened a little. She quickly stole a glance at Fu Heng, her voice softened a bit, and she said with difficulty, "This servant... this servant has nothing of value, and even needlework is barely passable. I'm afraid it would tarnish Third Master's reputation. I am deeply grateful for Third Master's kindness. If there is anything I need, I will obey without question."
Fu Heng scoffed. This girl just spouts whatever comes to mind. She must have used a lot of tricks to fool Fu Yan'an. In his eyes, these are nothing but childish tricks. How could she possibly get away with such empty words?
"It's good to be grateful, but you don't need to repay kindness with kindness." He casually adjusted his sleeve and pointed to Mo Jian behind him, instructing her: "If anything happens, have Mo Jian come to find you."
After saying this, he turned and left, his robes fluttering slightly as he said, "Qing'er, 'Light Breaking Through the Clouds' is indeed a good name."
Meng Qingci stood under the shadow of the wall, feeling dejected. She had to pay a dozen or so copper coins to send a little maid to run errands, so he, as her master, would certainly not let a servant do his bidding for nothing. She wondered what he was up to, even using the trick of tying grass and carrying a ring to impress her. He probably wasn't so easy to get rid of.
Mo Jian followed closely behind Fu Heng. Seeing that his master, who usually kept his emotions in check, was walking more briskly, he knew that his master was in a good mood. He scratched his head, full of doubts. Could it be that his master's drinking from last night had not yet worn off?
The master detests the confusion of hierarchy and the breakdown of rules. If he were to discover such a private exchange between master and servant, he would surely punish the servant and sell him off. But not only was Qing'er not punished, he also showed no harsh words. Instead, he asked Qing'er to repay the favor. What favor could a servant girl possibly repay her master?
Since the master never had any female servants around him, he was instead asked to find a maid from his niece's room.
Qing'er saw him twice, but she didn't smile at all. Wouldn't coming here just make things worse for her master? Mo Jian couldn't figure it out. Could it be that her master, like the young master, was bewitched by Qing'er?
Fu Heng stepped into Cihui Pavilion, the residence of Madam Wang, the old lady of Fu, where laughter and chatter filled the air.
It turned out that Fu Heng had ordered someone to send over the local specialties brought back from Fujian and Guangdong along with the Emperor's gifts early in the morning. At this moment, the two daughters-in-law were accompanying Wang Shi to admire a life-sized red coral and a standing mercury mirror from the West.
Jiang, the second wife of Marquis Fu Jizong, was younger. She walked around the coral twice and exclaimed in amazement: "I have never seen such a wonder in my life. It is truly a rare treasure. It is evident that Third Master is very filial. He leaves all the good things he gets to his mother. It is no wonder that his mother always cares about Third Master's hard work and loneliness outside."
"Don't say you've never seen one before, even I, who have lived this long, have never seen one before." Wang was soothed by Jiang's words that the fine lines on her face smoothed out, and she smiled broadly: "I only heard that when the country was founded, the late Empress Dowager obtained one and kept it deep in the Buddhist hall, not showing it to people for appreciation."
Although Lady Wang respectfully addressed the late Empress Dowager as "aunt," she was actually a distant relative of the late Emperor Wufu. However, when her brothers from her maternal family followed the late Emperor in conquering the country, they died protecting the Emperor from a sword, and the male line of the Wang family became extinct. It was only because of the protection of the late Empress Dowager that she was raised by her side for several years before being betrothed to the old Marquis Fu.
Now, Wang's parents have long since passed away, and the lowered earldom has fallen into the hands of his uncles and aunts. They are of humble origins and have never even managed to obtain an official position. Few in the family are literate, and they are not good at managing money, so they have long since become a destitute family among the nobility.
Wang's marriage was not honorable, and few nobles respected her. In recent years, however, her youngest son, Fu Heng, has risen to a high position and gained the Emperor's favor, which has made the Marquis of Anyi's mansion increasingly illustrious.
Jiang had her maid stand in front of the full-body Western mirror, while she turned sideways, looking left and right, to show her mother-in-law, Wang: "I never knew I looked like this. Not to mention the few moles on my face, even the strands of my hair are clearly visible. It's truly an exquisite object. What's most precious is my brother-in-law's filial piety. With this Western mirror, there's no need for any effort. Just stand up close and you can see your whole body clearly."
"You poor thing." Madam Wang was so pleased with Jiang's flattery that she chuckled with a kind and gentle expression.
He thought to himself, "Sure enough, after the old hag died, the third son still recognized her as his birth mother. After all, she was flesh and blood of his own flesh and blood, and even if the bones were broken, the tendons would still connect them."
Because she rejected her mother-in-law's request for Qing'er to be the prince's concubine, the eldest daughter-in-law, Lin, was even less favored by Wang. Fortunately, she had gotten used to it over the past two years. She would sit quietly with a forced smile, leaving Wang to stand aside. Her strained smile looked like a fake, and her lips trembled slightly.
The gatekeeper maid lifted the curtain and announced, "Third Master is here."
“Uncle, come sit next to Mother.” Madam Jiang gently made way for Fu Heng and led him to the seat below Madam Fu: “Knowing that you were coming back, Mother personally cleaned up Wuheng Mountain House several times this morning, for fear that you would not be used to living here when you returned home.”
Fu Heng lifted his robe, knelt down, and respectfully kowtowed to Madam Wang: "Your son greets Mother. I am an unfilial son who has caused you worry and trouble. I am very happy to be living here with you."
Seeing her youngest son so respectful, Wang's eyes immediately welled up with tears. She quickly helped him up, seated him to the left of her, and said repeatedly, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."
Wang still remembered when Fu Heng was young, she visited her mother-in-law's courtyard, and the way her youngest son looked at her was cold and icy. He didn't say a word, nor did he call her "Mother," and it made her feel cold all over. She only regretted that this son wasn't raised by her side, but that old hag had instigated him to become estranged from her, and she didn't know how many bad things she had said about him.
Now that his youngest son, Fu Heng, is growing older and holding a prestigious official position, his authority is increasing. Although he still doesn't call her "Mother," he can respectfully address her as "Mother."
Although not as affectionate as her second son, whom she raised herself, he was her and her husband's most prized offspring, the most promising, with a charm and spirit just like the old Marquis, who was once spirited and handsome, yet he surpassed him, being many times better than that woman's eldest son.
"On such a joyous day, Mother must not cry, lest she hurt her eyes and make her uncle uneasy." Madam Jiang covered her face with her handkerchief and tried to defuse the situation with a joke.
Wang was amused by her and stopped crying. She thought her youngest son was perfect in every way and couldn't get enough of him. After asking him about his food, clothing and shelter, she finally couldn't help but ask, "You are now successful and are the hope of our Fu family. There is only one thing that I have been thinking about day and night."
Fu Heng gently closed his eyes, listening quietly, his fingertips caressing the warm edge of the celadon teacup.
Seeing that her youngest son was in a particularly good mood today, Madam Wang advised, "Originally, I didn't need to worry about your affairs, but as you get older, you still haven't chosen a wife. What's the reason for this? Why didn't your grandmother choose a suitable lady from a prestigious family for you back then?"
"This matter has already been discussed with Grandmother, so there's no rush. There are various reasons why it's inconvenient for Mother to explain in detail, but Mother will know in the future." Fu Heng's tone was calm, but his attitude left no room for argument.
Wang hesitated, not daring to ask any more questions, for fear of upsetting her youngest son and damaging their mother-son relationship.
Jiang had only ever seen her mother-in-law domineering before, and this was the first time she had seen her so cautious and timid. Seeing the awkward silence, she quickly smiled and tried to smooth things over: "Yesterday we were supposed to have a banquet to welcome my brother-in-law back, but unfortunately he was favored by the emperor and was summoned to the palace. We must make up for it today. Mother instructed the kitchen to prepare the feast early this morning. We are only able to have a proper celebration because of my brother-in-law."
Wang pretended to scold Jiang: "You poor monkey, who has ever let you go hungry or cold? Why do you have to show up now to make a fool of yourself?"
Jiang was not afraid at all, and instead smiled and admitted: "My mother naturally loves me, but I am never satisfied and always want to benefit from her. Now I have the opportunity."
For a time, thanks to Jiang's clever words, the relationship between mother and son was considered kind, filial, and harmonious.
Mo Jian waited in the corridor, listening to the laughter and chatter inside, each voice louder than the last. His scalp tingled. He knew better than anyone how much his master disliked the old lady. If they were being filial now, were they perhaps planning to see her off in her final moments? Thinking of this, he couldn't help but shudder.
A note from the author:
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