This surprised him.
When Fu Yu married You Tong, he didn't take her seriously. Even after his opinion changed, in his eyes, You Tong was about the same age as Lan Yin, still a naive and innocent teenage girl. Even though You Tong's actions impressed him several times later, she was still inexperienced and unaware of the hardships of life, only thinking about unrealistic things while living a life of luxury.
Therefore, when You Tong mentioned divorce and her unwillingness to be trapped in the mansion, he felt that the idea was too naive and childish.
So he didn't investigate further and left feeling frustrated.
But to my surprise, she was serious.
And without his knowledge, he wrote such a detailed and thorough document.
She had already gathered the money from Du Shuangxi mentioned above; her dowry was enough to open a restaurant. She had even set up a hot pot restaurant in the South Tower, as mentioned in the text. Looking back now, it seemed she had asked him if he liked it and if he had any further advice. She was quietly putting into practice what was written here, and judging from its content, it wasn't unrealistic.
Fu Yu never imagined that his delicate wife, who wasn't even very good at housework, would have such thoughts in her mind.
A thought that was completely unexpected and even surprising to him.
He sat behind the desk with a furrowed brow, his fingers fidgeting with the corner of the Xuan paper, remaining motionless for a long time.
Outside the South Building, You Tong was only able to escape from the tedious affairs after the last few female guests had left.
The old lady, being of noble status, returned to Shou'an Hall to rest after watching the play. Shen Yueyi and Fu Lanyin, being young ladies, did not need to work hard, leaving only Madam Shen to lead the daughters-in-law in doing the hard work of entertaining and entertaining. The play ended perfectly only after everyone else had left with smiles on their faces.
You Tong laughed for a long time, and her face was a little sore. Her feet were even more sore, and she wished she could rush back and ask someone to give her a massage.
She finally made it to the South Building, only to find the main room's doors wide open and the chaise lounge under the eaves empty, beckoning to her.
Before she could even rush over and collapse, Aunt Zhou in the corridor stood up and reminded her, "Young Madam has finally returned. The General has been back for quite some time." As she spoke, she put down her needlework and came over herself to support You Tong's body, which was almost falling apart.
You Tong had no choice but to carry her exhausted body into the house.
Upon reaching the side room, she saw Fu Yu sitting behind a desk, his expression calm and composed, his gaze fixed on her with a hint of surprise and approval.
Chapter 66 Joy
Ever since witnessing the couple's clandestine kiss, Aunt Zhou had been on her guard, secretly instructing the maids and servants not to barge in and cause trouble when Fu Yu was in the room without being summoned. Everyone knew Fu Yu's temperament and, intimidated by his imposing presence, dared not cause any trouble. Therefore, after Chuncao helped Youtong into the room, seeing Aunt Zhou's signal, they both retreated, half-closing the door.
The couple were left alone in the side room. Fu Yu raised an eyebrow and stared at her without saying a word.
You Tong touched her face, not noticing the embroidery, and casually asked, "Husband, you have some free time today?"
"I came here to cool off, remembering the iced red bean paste you made. But I never expected—" He tapped the table lightly with his fingers, a smile playing on his lips.
You Tong was surprised and took two steps forward. When she saw the dense writing on the snow-white Xuan paper, she was slightly startled.
She subconsciously looked at Fu Yu and saw that he stood up and gave her his seat.
"I picked up the book because of its unique design, and it's quite good," he said.
—Contrary to You Tong's expectations, it was more like an explanation and a gesture of appreciation.
This attitude was completely unexpected by You Tong. She had thought that, given Fu Yu's personality, since he approved of the old lady's military-like discipline in setting rules for the inner quarters, he would probably also adhere to the idea that women should not leave the mansion and would scoff at the idea of opening a restaurant. After all, although the Fu family had established itself through martial arts, they had not neglected their studies. Among noble families, even if they were willing to give some face to wealthy merchants, they would still feel that they were too materialistic and looked down on them.
To my surprise, he said it was good.
This is truly a rare occurrence, like the sun rising in the west.
You Tong scrutinized his expression, as if wary of a trick, and asked with a smile, "Really?"
Fu Yu smiled without saying a word, and simply pulled the armchair back a little.
You Tong had been running around all day and hadn't had a chance to take a nap. She was exhausted, and just looking at the chair made her legs feel weak, so she simply sat down. Turning around and looking up at Fu Yu as if he were a stranger, she asked, "General, do you really think it's good?"
"Detailed, clear, and well-considered." Fu Yu nodded.
This time he answered seriously, and You Tong believed him, her lips unconsciously curling up.
This business plan was the culmination of months of hard work. Many details, such as the cost of opening a restaurant, the price of meat throughout the year, and the available vegetables, were painstakingly gathered from various sources. To have her efforts appreciated was certainly cause for celebration. She smiled, her eyes bright and clear, like a spring breeze reflecting the sunlight, rippling gently. "You have good taste. I thought—"
Fu Yu's gaze lingered on her face. "What did I think it was?"
“Running a restaurant requires dealing with people. Although many things can be assigned to the manager, you still have to go over and keep an eye on things from time to time, and wander around the vegetable and meat stalls. The general comes from a high-ranking family and looks down on such petty profits. The old lady also doesn’t allow the women to go out casually. I thought the general would scoff at this and think I was daydreaming and making trouble out of boredom.”
The idea that the young mistress of the Fu family would open a small food shop does indeed sound like she's wasting her time.
But she has already gone this far, which shows that she genuinely wants to do it, and it is not a spur-of-the-moment, whimsical idea.
Fu Yu raised an eyebrow slightly, a smile in his eyes, and shook his head.
There are two kinds of going out: one is to wander around aimlessly, and the other is to take care of important business.
He flipped through the slightly worn book, his eyes lowered, and asked, "You really want to open this hot pot restaurant?"
"I really want to!" You Tong nodded immediately. The generous dowry she received and the prestige of being the young mistress of the Fu family she held in her hands didn't truly belong to her. But this hot pot restaurant, regardless of whether it would be successful after opening, at least represented her hard work and was something she loved doing. In this world, although we are all ultimately just travelers, it's always good to have something that truly belongs to you while you're alive.
Ignoring her aching legs, she stood up and looked directly into Fu Yu's eyes.
“You Tong has always been carefree and doesn’t put much thought into things, but this is something I really want to do. I had this idea before I made that brass pot, and I’ve been slowly preparing for it. Even if I encounter trouble later, even if I might displease my elders—” She paused, then said firmly, “I will not give up.”
The room was quiet. The couple were so close that they could clearly see each other's reflections in their eyes.
You Tong unconsciously held her breath, waiting for his reaction.
A moment later, Fu Yu's lips curled up into a smile.
What if I help you?
His voice was deep and resonant, like a magnet being polished, and it reached her ears clearly in the quiet room at dusk.
You Tong was stunned for a moment, a flash of surprise crossing her eyes, which then brightened and deepened until her eyes curved into crescent moons, her smile almost overflowing. She asked incredulously, "Really?" Overjoyed, she put her hands on Fu Yu's shoulders, her eyes sparkling like stars. "You really will help me?"
Why not?
Several arguments ended unhappily. She was easygoing and unassuming in other matters, but she was particularly stubborn about this one.
A head-on confrontation is futile; one of them must eventually back down.
He was arrogant and domineering outside, intimidating all the powerful men, but what harm was there in indulging her a little at home?
Besides, her writing was meticulous and reliable, not at all the girlish whims he had initially thought. Judging from her expression, she was clearly very happy about it. Miao Li's eyes were full of smiles, and her soft hands were on his shoulders. If she weren't so tired, she probably could have jumped up and down on the spot—her happiness was contagious.
Fu Yu rarely saw her display such a charming and innocent expression, and he was in a great mood, so he smiled to himself.
"From now on, when you go out, I will leave a deputy general to accompany you, so you don't need to worry about your grandmother. You must also be careful not to overstep the mark."
"Of course!" You Tong was overjoyed.
With Fu Yu's men following her, it was as if she had the key to her shackles and held a powerful sword. She wasn't going out to flirt; as long as she could shut the old lady up, things would be much easier in the future. She had originally thought that choosing a shop would have to be left to the two junior managers who were on their way to Qizhou, but now it seemed that she could personally take the lead.
You Tong was very happy. Looking at Fu Yu's cold and handsome features, she also felt that male beauty was pleasing to the eye.
Overjoyed beyond words, she tiptoed up to his cheek and gave him a light, fleeting kiss.
"Thank you, my husband!"
With a gentle smile and soft voice, she ran away before Fu Yu could catch her, his expression slightly stunned. She called out to Chuncao to come in and fetch the desserts she had instructed to prepare this morning.
The window was half-closed, the door was wide open, and she walked briskly into the inner room to wash her hands, her movements lively and graceful, her skirt fluttering in the breeze.
Fu Yu raised his hand and touched the spot where she had kissed him, savoring the soft, fragrant touch of that moment, a smile gradually welling up in his eyes.
...
Most of the desserts in the South Building were created by You Tong and Du Shuangxi together; they were varied and delicious.
For the past few days, Fu Yu had been casually checking in around dinnertime, finding any excuse to come and freeload. The dishes were plentiful and delicious, but he hadn't really had a chance to taste these delicate pastries. Now that You Tong had brought out pastries and was treating him so attentively, he didn't stand on ceremony and tried each one. Perhaps because she was so pleased with his kisses, his words were warm, and he kept praising her.
Seeing that she was in high spirits, I had originally planned to have hot pot for dinner, but after we finished our pastries, the servants from the two book pavilions came over in a hurry.
There weren't many servants in the Two Book Pavilion, but they were all reliable and dependable people. Because they had Fu Yu's backing, they were quite respectable.
The man who came was surnamed Tian. He was dressed simply and had a dignified appearance.
After being led in by Aunt Zhou, she first bowed respectfully and greeted him, then said, "General Du sent me to invite you, saying he has important matters to discuss." She was in charge of the study's furnishings and cleaning, and was a woman of few words and a tight-lipped nature, so she was highly valued. Since Du He had sent her specifically, the matter must be quite urgent.
Fu Yu frowned slightly, then nodded and said, "Understood."
As he spoke, he stood up, grasped You Tong's shoulder, and instructed, "I'll come over after I've dealt with this. Count me in for dinner."
“Okay, I’ll prepare a few more plates of meat.” You Tong smiled.
Fu Yu didn't linger any longer, nor did he wait for anyone else. He strode out of the South Building and headed straight for his study.
When they arrived, they indeed saw Du He standing outside the study, looking somewhat anxious, with Wei Tianze beside him.
As he approached, the two men stepped forward and clasped their hands in greeting. Du He stepped back half a step to let him pass, and Wei Tianze said in a low voice, "Something urgent has happened in Qingzhou. I dare not make a decision on my own, so I came to disturb you. Please forgive me, General." After saying this, Fu Yu went into the house and explained the situation, saying, "It is indeed an urgent matter that should not be delayed. To be on the safe side, I ask the General to make the decision."
He clasped his hands in a fist salute and looked up, meeting Fu Yu's dark eyes. The faint smile he had just worn vanished, leaving only cold indifference.
His aura also turned cold and stern, his imposing presence awe-inspiring.
Wei Tianze glanced at it only once before quickly lowering his eyes.
Then Fu Yu asked, "Has everything been investigated?"
"We've investigated thoroughly and are about 80% certain. I think it's best if the general personally takes action. If we miss this opportunity, we'll waste a lot of effort later." Wei Tianze's expression was solemn and his posture respectful, a stark contrast to his usual playful demeanor.
Fu Yu hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "You come with me, Du He stays behind."
“I—” Wei Tianze seemed to be in a dilemma. He glanced at Du He, hesitated for a moment, and then said, “The task that the general gave me the other day is not yet finished. It’s just a matter of finishing up. If I don’t personally oversee it, I’m afraid it will all be in vain. Du He also participated in the Qingzhou matter, so perhaps…” As he spoke, he glanced at Du He.
Du He was his colleague and they often worked together. Hearing this, he did not refuse, but said, "I will leave it to the general to arrange."
Wei Tianze clasped his hands and bowed his head, seemingly somewhat ashamed.
Fu Yu frowned slightly, but because Wei Tianze had his head down, he couldn't see his expression.
After staring at him for a moment, seeing that the other person still refused to make eye contact, he said in a deep voice, "In that case, Du He, come with me, and you stay in Qizhou."
Du He and Wei Tianze bowed and accepted the order.
Since Fu Yu had business to attend to and didn't want to be delayed by waiting for a meal, he ordered his men to prepare a horse. He then went inside, quickly put on his fine armor for self-defense, and with his sword at his waist, he sent a message to the south tower, telling You Tong to keep Fu Lanyin company and not to wait for him.
The three of them left the mansion together. Wei Tianze went to the yamen, while Fu Yu rode out of the city side by side with Du He.
After riding the black shadow for more than ten miles, Fu Yu abandoned the official road, turned into a mountain valley, and stopped his horse.
When Du He arrived nearby, he looked around to make sure no one was there, and instructed, "I have something else to do and need to return to the city. I'm leaving this matter to you. If anyone asks, just say that I split up with you to encircle the enemy." He spoke with a cold and stern expression, his demeanor imposing and quite solemn.
Du He was slightly surprised, but didn't ask any further questions. He simply clasped his hands and said, "As you command!"
Having shared life and death with Fu Yu for years, Du He knew Fu Yu's elusive nature all too well. After Fu Deqing's capture, Fu Yu went to reorganize the border defenses, and Du He had accompanied him into the heart of the Tatar territory to search for Sun Meng. At that time, Fu Yu was always cold and silent, which Du He found suspicious. Now, Fu Yu's detour outside the city must have other plans. He never asked questions he shouldn't.
Seeing Fu Yu ride his horse around from the side, he did not linger and sped away.