You Tong raised her eyebrows, her gaze passing over Fu Yu's neck and Adam's apple, past the light stubble on his chin, and meeting his eyes. His deep, smiling eyes, like black jade, held a gentle tenderness beneath his dignified and imposing demeanor.
She wrapped her arms around his waist, looked up, and kissed his lips gently and joyfully.
...
After returning home from the palace, Imperial Physician Sun visited again to give Yu Zan and the others detailed instructions on prenatal care. Although You Tong did not make a big fuss, she could not contain her excitement and wrote a letter to Fu Lanyin and Du Shuangxi about the matter. She then invited Madam Wei over.
While everyone here was celebrating, the Hanliang Hall in the imperial palace was cold and desolate.
The snow in the courtyard remained unswept, but meals were delivered as usual.
It is likely that outside the many palace walls, his mother, the Noble Consort Ling, the Empress Dowager, and those concubines were also in a rather difficult situation.
Xu Chaozong sat facing the dark night sky, remaining silent until dawn. He slowly rose, then went to the table to grind ink and lay out paper. He tossed the discarded sheets into the wastebasket one by one, writing intermittently until evening, finally completing a hastily written edict of self-reproach. He didn't rush to take it out; after sleeping through the night, he awoke, read it twice, and, feeling he had no regrets, ordered a palace servant to deliver it to Fu Yu.
On this morning's court session, Emperor Hui'an, who had been out of the public eye for several months, personally attended the court.
With a emaciated body and a haggard appearance, this emperor, who was once gentle, refined, noble, and elegant, has lost his former charm.
He sat alone on the throne, his bright yellow robes half-empty and worn, the dragon heads on the armrests cut off yet to be repaired, a reminder of the chaos that occurred during the day of the horrific looting.
The capital was breached and the palace was looted. No one knew the torment he had endured for months. The officials simply knelt on the ground, listening to his edict of self-reproach.
"...Having grown up in the deep palace, I am ignorant of the affairs of state, unaware of the hardships of farming, and indifferent to the toil of military service. Heaven punishes me above, yet I remain oblivious; the people resent me below, yet I am unaware; I cannot redress the grievances of the people, nor can I restrain the cunning of officials... The guilt truly lies with me, and I will forever feel ashamed and remorseful..."
After a long period of depression, his body became weak, and his voice was no longer as loud as before.
As he continued reading, he seemed to run out of energy, and his voice grew weaker.
The ministers kneeling behind could initially hear the words clearly, but later they could only vaguely make out half of them.
Even after the reading was finished, Xu Chaozong remained sitting there in a daze. Throughout the court, no one spoke up because Fu Yubo and his nephew had not made a sound.
A deathly silence fell. After a long while, Xu Chaozong raised his eyelids and looked at the civil and military officials kneeling below. Before his death and abdication, these people were still his subjects, but he didn't remember many of their faces, or had never even seen them before. When the long-standing abuses were eliminated, the personnel in the court were also replaced. This empire, nominally belonging to the Xu family, had in fact long since changed hands.
He endured humiliation and survived amidst the chaos of the soldiers, all out of a burning anger, unwilling to let the Fu family get away with it so easily.
In the end, however, they only benefited others, and their plans ultimately failed.
Xu Chaozong's gaze lingered briefly on Fu Yu's face before shifting away. He swayed as he rose, quickly steadying himself on the dragon throne. With a slight sway of his sleeves and a gentle taper of his crown, the eunuch's long, thin voice announced this as his final audience with the emperor. Only after he had walked a distance did the last breath he had been holding on to finally give way, and he staggered two steps before collapsing to the ground.
His body, weakened by sleepless nights, was completely drained. As he collapsed, Xu Chaozong coughed up half a mouthful of blood.
At midnight that day, Emperor Hui'an passed away.
He did not abdicate, nor did he leave a will; he only left behind an edict of self-reproach, which was proclaimed to the world.
...
The news of the emperor's death first reached Fu Yu, and then Fu Deming.
Emperor Xiping had three sons; the eldest died of illness, and the Prince of Ying perished in a palace coup, leaving him without any heirs. Xu Chaozong, though married for several years, only had two princesses by his side and no children—if he did, they would likely have vanished in this chaos. The Fu family held the reins of power over the palace, the capital's defenses, and the court; all that remained was to announce the death and enthrone a new emperor by tomorrow morning.
The winter night was deep and dark, but the Prime Minister's residence, where Fu Deming lived, was brightly lit.
Xu Kui, who commanded a large army, was the first to arrive, followed by several ministers and civil officials who had already joined the Fu family. Due to their varying distances, they arrived one after another. Before everyone had gathered, Fu Deming, noticing the time, left Xu Kui to sit in the hall while he went back to his study to fetch something.
Upon arriving at the study, they encountered Madam Shen, who was dressed impeccably.
Fu Deming was slightly taken aback, but still opened the door and let her in. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"
"I've been waiting for you." Madam Shen had clearly rushed over, her hair casually tied up, but her expression was tense and anxious. "I heard the commotion outside, I suppose something must have happened in the palace?" She stared intently at her husband, and when she saw that he did not deny it, a suppressed excitement rose in her eyes.
During his years in Qizhou, he was completely unaware of the Fu family's schemes.
It wasn't until they entered the capital that they began to have some vague suspicions.
This suspicion became a certainty when Fu Yu led his troops south and captured the capital under the pretext of defending the emperor, and when Fu Deming instructed her to help You Tong interact with the female relatives of officials in the capital.
At that time, Fu Deming had made it clear that due to the unstable situation and the looming crisis, Shen was temporarily preoccupied with her husband and son and had no time to attend to other matters.
But over the course of several months, having become accustomed to the adoration of the women, how could Madam Shen remain unmoved?
What was originally the Xu family's domain could fall into the Fu family's hands in the blink of an eye. Within the Fu family, her husband, Fu Deming, was a decorated general, diligent and benevolent ruler, far surpassing the young Fu Yu in his ability to govern. Her sons were young, brave, and exceptionally talented; had Fu Deming not yielded, the Fu family's power would have been firmly in their hands.
For over a hundred days and nights, Shen dreamed of that palace many times.
She dreamt that her husband ascended the throne and she was made empress.
She dreamt that her son was wearing a dragon robe, and that she, as Empress Dowager, received all the honors and privileges.
What a temptation that is!
In her dreams, she was above everyone else, unrestrained and free, but upon waking, she had to heed Fu Deming's warning and restrain herself. Her ambition and immense greed could only be revealed in her dreams; Shen Shi always restrained and hid them, but how could she be content with that? She had also heard about the situation at court these past few days. Since Xu Chaozong had issued an edict of self-reproach, he must have admitted defeat and was not long for this world.
Shen hardly needed to guess what was going on with all this commotion tonight.
With only a step away from the palace, a slight turn of the ship's rudder could drastically alter the situation. She was almost seized by ambition and greed, her heart surging with emotion. The woman in the inner palace could hardly shake the court, while her husband held immense power. Even knowing that the hope was slim, Madam Shen couldn't control herself and, as if possessed, went to the study.
Looking at Fu Deming's expression, she immediately made a firm guess.
"The Emperor has passed away, so they're going to enthrone a new one, right?" She tugged at her husband's clothes.
Fu Deming had been married to her for thirty years; how could he not see through her intentions?
He frowned and said in a deep voice, "Don't meddle in matters of state."
“I can’t get involved. What about Zhang’er and the others?” Madam Shen gripped his arm tightly. “You’re in charge of tonight’s arrangements. You promoted several ministers, and Xu Kui was once your subordinate, completely obedient. With just a little manipulation, you can be enthroned tomorrow…” Madam Shen had imagined that scenario countless times in her mind. She became more and more excited as she spoke, her voice low but full of temptation. “With just a little manipulation, this empire will be yours. It will be ours.”
Fu Deming was shocked to see her having such a crazy idea.
Madam Shen continued her instigation, "The troops outside the city and the guards of the palace belong to our Fu family, not Fu Yu's. It's you who's winning over the officials and controlling the court. Success or failure hinges on tomorrow's court assembly. At that time, for the sake of stability, would Fu Yu really turn against you? How can brothers compare to father and son? If it were you, the throne could be passed to Zhang'er, to our grandson..."
"Are you crazy!" Fu Deming saw the greedy, wolf-like look in her eyes and shoved her away.
Shen rushed forward and grabbed him, "Didn't you ever think about wearing a dragon robe and ruling the world? Fu Deming, for so long, haven't you ever dreamed of being an emperor? If it weren't for this leg injury, all of this would have belonged to you!"
There was a crack in Fu Deming's expression.
Shen grabbed him tightly, "You also dreamed of being the emperor, didn't you! You dreamed of being worshipped by all the officials, sitting in the Xuanzheng Hall! From Qizhou to the capital, you fought desperately, and painstakingly won over the court officials, all for the power of the throne. You're just one step away, are you really willing to hand it over to someone else!"
Her eyes were burning with fervor, and her voice was urgent.
Fu Deming felt a slight dryness in his throat, then his eyes narrowed, and he shoved her heavily to the ground.
"A lust for power is not necessarily a bad thing, but to have unrealistic expectations when you lack the ability is simply foolish!"
The deep voice was a rebuke to the power-hungry madwoman, and also a warning to oneself not to be blinded by greed.
In my dream, my mind was scattered, and when I saw the supreme throne, I naturally wanted to sit on it.
But when I woke up, reason prevailed over greed.
Fu Deming knew perfectly well which of the two brothers was stronger, and whether Fu Zhang and his brother could stand shoulder to shoulder with Fu Yu.
He glanced at Madam Shen, his heart pounding with fear at his fleeting thought. Thirty years of marriage—while he didn't love Madam Shen with the same depth of affection Fu Deqing had for his first wife, he felt guilty for not being able to care for her and their children due to his frequent battles in his younger years, and thus had been more forgiving. Who knew this woman's appetite would grow ever larger?
Fu Deming took two steps back, his gaze gradually turning cold and deep.
"The government and military power are in the hands of my second brother and Xiuping. This idea of yours will harm both yourself and others."
He lowered his head and saw that Madam Shen was about to speak. Knowing that persuasion and warnings were useless, he simply called his trusted aide in, stuffed a rag into her mouth, and forcibly sent her back into the room, forbidding her to take a single step out. Then he took his things and hurriedly went to the hall to discuss matters.
The news of Emperor Hui'an's death spread during the morning court session the following day.
With the capital city leaderless, the imperial family incompetent and childless, and Xu Kui's large army stationed there, supporting Fu Yu as emperor would be a piece of cake.
The Ministry of Rites went to prepare for the late emperor's funeral and Fu Yu's enthronement ceremony. After returning to his residence, Fu Deming ordered someone to find a carriage to send Shen Shi to a remote ancestral field. He then wrote a letter to his sons, instructing them not to visit Shen Shi without permission. He would explain the reason for this when they arrived in the capital.
—From their youth, through years of constant warfare, Madam Shen raised their children and served her mother-in-law without fault. Now, for both personal reasons and the greater good, he finds it difficult to write a letter of divorce and distract his children. But such a mad and greedy woman cannot remain in the capital, lest she sow the seeds of future trouble.
For the rest of his life, he wanted her to live a peaceful life in the clan's fields, never leaving the house; this was his final act of kindness.
...
Because of the imperial edict of self-reproach, Xu Chaozong's funeral was conducted in a relatively dignified manner.
The enthronement ceremony is scheduled for the fifth day of the eleventh month, and the Ministry of Rites will take care of it.
You Tong's top priority right now is to take care of her pregnancy.
Therefore, she even sent a message back to Qizhou, asking Du Shuangxi to come to the capital as soon as possible—her apprentice had already completed his apprenticeship and, with Chuncao by his side, was able to keep the restaurant afloat. In comparison, the capital needed Du Shuangxi's care more.
The message was sent out, and the person who heard the good news couldn't wait to rush over.
It was only on the day Du Shuangxi arrived in Beijing that You Tong learned that she was traveling with Qin Liangyu.
Du Shuangxi brought not only delicious food that You Tong could salivate over, but also good news about Fu Lanyin.
Chapter 126 Ascension to the Throne
Because the late emperor's body was still lying in the palace and the funeral rites were not yet completed, Fu Yu was not in a hurry to move out. He temporarily resided in Dan Gui Garden, planning to move into the palace after the enthronement ceremony in a few days. Therefore, when Du Shuangxi arrived in the capital, he went to Dan Gui Garden to pay his respects to You Tong.
It was already midwinter, the grass and trees had withered, and even under the bright sun, there was still a chill in the air.
You Tong hadn't seen her for a long time, so he asked Aunt Xia to prepare a delicious meal to entertain her in the hall.
Accompanied by an old friend, Du Shuangxi was dressed as usual, in simple and neat clothes, her black hair tied up in a bun, her eyebrows and eyes delicate. Beside her was Qin Liangyu, who had disappeared for more than half a year, wearing a jade crown and brocade robe, with a slender figure, and a tea-colored cloak, elegant and refined, with a charming and graceful demeanor. Qin Jiu was not with her.
Upon seeing You Tong, the two knelt down together and paid their respects with double bows.
Since You Tong discovered she was pregnant, she hadn't received any outsiders lately because Fu Yu was busy with other matters. She was unaccustomed to such formalities and quickly asked Yu Zan to help her up and invite her into the hall.
After several months apart, the restaurant was secondary; what You Tong really wanted to know was how Fu Lanyin was doing.
Du Shuangxi bowed and sat down at the lower end of the table, then explained it to her in detail.
After You Tong returned to the capital, Fu Lanyin's pregnancy progressed, and she rarely left the city. From June until now, apart from occasionally visiting her parents' home to amuse herself with Han Shi, she had almost always been resting at home. However, she couldn't shake her gluttonous habit; the further she went, the more gluttonous she became, like a child. During her labor, the Qin family's matriarch and mother-in-law took meticulous care of her, Han Shi also took time to accompany her, and Qin Taoyu, needless to say, stayed by her side morning and night. Even Fu Zhao would often visit his sister. Surrounded by such care, Fu Lanyin wasn't too nervous and continued her normal daily routine to rest and prepare for childbirth. In mid-October, she felt the baby move, endured two hours, and successfully gave birth to a boy. Both mother and child were safe.
"That child is adorable, and she's gained weight. She said that when she comes to the capital next year, she'll have to ask Your Majesty for advice on how to lose weight."
“That’s easy. As long as she can endure hardship, I have plenty of ways to help her.”
However, Fu Lanyin was considered fortunate in her life. Apart from losing her mother at a young age, she had hardly encountered any setbacks. Born into a prestigious family, she was loved and protected by her father and brothers. She had an obedient and protective twin brother who cherished her like the apple of his eye. When she got married, she married Qin Taoyu, her childhood sweetheart. The couple lived happily together, and her mother-in-law was kind and loving. When Fu Yu ascended the throne, she would become the eldest princess, enjoying a long and prosperous life.
Such good fortune, coupled with a gluttonous nature and chubby cheeks, makes her even more blessed.
Thinking of her sister-in-law's appearance, You Tong chuckled and said, "You need to take good care of yourself after childbirth. Is everything arranged?"
“Everything is fine. Oh, by the way—” Du Shuangxi took out a letter, “After receiving the news, I went to say goodbye to her. She was overjoyed to learn that the Empress was also pregnant, so she wrote this and asked me to pass it on.”
The bulging envelope, when opened, revealed five sheets filled with densely packed small characters.
It seems that the sister-in-law was bored during her postpartum confinement.