Chapter 38: Complex
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Fu Cong once again looked at Mingzhu with a completely unfamiliar gaze.
Mingzhu felt flustered and broke into a cold sweat under his gaze, feeling like she was about to collapse. She shamelessly hugged his arm and shook it vigorously, “People say Third Brother is a bookworm, and I’m a rice worm. Can’t I refuse to be a rice worm?”
Fu Cong was dizzy from being shaken and could only helplessly gesture for Mingzhu to let go, “Let go, let go, if you shake me like this, this old bone of mine will fall apart.”
Mingzhu didn’t dare to be too presumptuous. She really didn’t want to shake her father apart. Thinking about the chaotic scene at home after Father fell seriously ill, she felt distressed. So, she wanted to treat Fu Cong with the same kind of affection that the maid treated her with a few days ago.
Perhaps her expression and gaze were too obvious, which made Fu Cong feel deeply comforted. He affectionately touched her forehead and said, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Father still has several decades of good years left. I want to see my little girl marry a good man peacefully and live a stable life before I’m willing to leave.”
Mingzhu instantly burst into tears, leaned over, and choked out, “Daughter won’t marry anyone, just stay by Father’s side and serve Father. You have to live a long life.”
“Foolish girl, who can live to be a hundred? Didn’t the first Emperor spend so much effort searching for immortality and still died?” Fu Cong was very clear-headed, “Besides, Father is just an ordinary person. You’ve realized your mistake, stopped being willful, and Father is actually very happy.”
Mingzhu dared not speak anymore, desperately holding back her tears, forced a smile, and said, “Daughter is being silly.”
Fu Cong smiled, “You’re the only daughter of our Fu family, precious and cherished. You don’t need to worry about these trivial matters. Just focus on clothes, jewelry, makeup, and flowers. And don’t get into fights with others in the future. Who can you beat? Do you really think Yuwen You can’t beat you? He just dares not.”
“He doesn’t dare? He dislocated my jawbone. Doesn’t that count as daring? If he really dared, wouldn’t he be able to stab me with a sword?” Mingzhu retorted indignantly.
Fu Cong calmly said, “As long as your brothers and I are still alive, he won’t dare.”
But you can’t protect me forever. Mingzhu didn’t want to mention this matter again, “Let’s not talk about this depressing topic anymore. Anyway, he and us will have nothing to do with each other in the future. Let’s talk about something happier.” She glanced around and saw a letter on Fu Cong’s desk with the seal of Ying Wang. Unable to resist her curiosity, she asked, “Huh, this letter is…”
She didn’t remember any close dealings between her father and Yuwen Chu.
“It’s from Ying Wang,” Fu Cong said.
Mingzhu inexplicably felt a bit guilty, “Why would he write to Father? This person is not good.”
Speaking ill of others from the start wasn’t her style, unless that person had seriously offended her. Fu Cong asked with profound meaning, “Have you met him privately?”
Yuwen Chu wrote the letter, presumably for that drawing. Mingzhu didn’t have much to hide from her own father. She sneered, “This person is two-faced, narrow-minded, and cunning. He’s truly not a good person.” As she spoke, she boldly reached for the letter. She really wanted to know what Yuwen Chu would say in the letter.
Fu Cong didn’t let her see it, “Ying Wang didn’t speak ill of you. He even spoke a few words in your favor, thinking that what happened that day wasn’t your fault. The main blame lies with Linan Wang’s impatience.”
“So, is he advocating for peace and not separation?” Mingzhu sneered. A wolf greeting a chicken at New Year’s, he definitely had ulterior motives.
“Not really, it’s just that he witnessed the whole incident at that time and couldn’t help but inform me. It’s a matter of reciprocity.” Fu Cong didn’t pay much attention to this matter. This prince was someone he had watched grow up. He only remembered that this child was a bit dull when he was young, the least outstanding among the nine princes of Emperor Wenzong. He gradually began to shine as he grew older, becoming smooth and considerate, quiet and gentle. His reputation was also good. Unfortunately, he always inadvertently revealed a greedy appearance, as if he was only focused on making money and living a good life.
There was no conflict between them. The Great Empress Dowager and Imperial Consort Min were very friendly in the palace, often conversing and accompanying each other. They were even partners in their earlier years. Yuwen Chu always showed utmost respect towards him, keeping a polite but distant demeanor. This was a method commonly adopted by clever individuals to protect themselves. As long as he didn’t actively provoke the Fu family, it was nothing to worry about. He wasn’t someone who couldn’t tolerate others; otherwise, he wouldn’t have let Yuwen You live until now.
Father’s biggest flaw was his arrogance. Mingzhu cleared her throat, expressing some concern, “I may have done something wrong.”
Fu Cong remained calm, “You’ve done more than one thing wrong.”
“But this one thing is a bit different.” Mingzhu told Fu Cong about Yuwen Chu accidentally discovering the blueprint and threatening her, trying to lead him to consider the worst-case scenario, “What do you think he wants to do? Fourth Brother told me that the worst possibility is that if someone knows our family has such powerful things, they might suspect us of having ulterior motives and want to rebel.”
Then she saw Fu Cong’s eyelid twitch, just when she thought Fu Cong would agree with her and think that Yuwen Chu was really despicable, Fu Cong smiled thoughtfully, “So Ying Wang only asked you three questions in the end, without specifically asking for any benefits?”
Mingzhu had a sense of foreboding that things were heading in a direction beyond her control, but she couldn’t deny what she had just said. So, she exaggeratedly criticized Yuwen Chu, “Just like his little brother, petty and mean-spirited, malicious and boring.”
Fu Cong smiled inscrutably, “Alright, I understand. You go rest now. Tomorrow, the Great Empress Dowager will send someone to visit you. Don’t wander around, be well-behaved.”
Wasn’t this just a hint for her to quickly go back and obediently continue lying in bed pretending to be injured? Mingzhu became even more eager to know what was said in that letter. She regretted listening to Fu Mingzheng’s advice. Her whole body was sore from lying down.
Seeing Mingzhu walking out with a lackluster demeanor, Fu Cong picked up the letter and read it again. The letter was written by Yuwen Chu himself, polite and courteous as usual, seemingly speaking well for Yuwen You. He didn’t mention the pair of shoes or the so-called drawing at all. However, he mentioned Tang Chunlai, making people unable to forget Tang Chunlai’s crucial role in this incident.
An insincere gesture of goodwill. What did Yuwen Chu want to do? Or rather, what did he want to get from the Fu family?
Fu Cong supported his forehead, thinking. Things had become more complicated.
A commotion came from outside, not exactly a commotion, but the volume of the noise was slightly louder than usual. However, when such a degree of noise occurred outside Fu Cong’s study, it seemed a bit unusual. Fu Cong asked calmly, “Who is causing trouble outside?”
The head of the guards, Xie Siqi, hurriedly replied, “In response to Master, it’s the Third Young Master.”
It was his own son, Fu Mingqing, who only focused on reading sage books, ignoring worldly affairs, and was about to become an immortal. Perhaps because Fu Mingzheng relayed his message to handle him, he was dissatisfied? Fu Cong sighed, his face darkened as he said coldly, “Bring this unfilial son to me!”
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
