"Just because of those rumors?" Yanbo still felt wronged. "It's one thing for others to be kept in the dark, but with the Fu family's capabilities, surely they could find out what's going on behind the scenes. It's clearly the Xu family exaggerating and ruining the girl's reputation. Does he... really not know the truth?"
Why distinguish between right and wrong?
Based solely on the fact that Wei Youtong was devoted to Xu Chaozong and willing to die for love, Fu Yu could not possibly marry her sincerely.
As for other empty titles, let alone the fact that the Fu family might not put much effort into investigating them, even if they did find out, what use would it be?
Wei Youtong is deeply in love with Xu Chaozong; that's a fact that's undeniable and cannot be changed.
For someone like Fu Yu, who spends half a day dealing with guests and preparing for this wedding, to actually come and lift the veil probably takes a great deal of patience. Besides, the marriage is for mutual benefit, not for love. Does he expect her to treat him gently and be a perfect match?
She had come from afar, but she had no intention of spending her life with Fu Yu, whom she had never met before, so this situation was irrelevant to her.
You Tong, being open-minded, opened her eyes, pressed Yan Bo's hand, and whispered, "The rumors are there, how can they be easily cleared up? Can we control whether others believe them or not? What the son-in-law does is his business, we should just do our duty. Don't mention such things again, lest someone hears them and causes trouble."
“I know,” Yanbo honestly replied, “but I’m just worried that the young lady will feel too wronged.”
You Tong shook her head indifferently.
She was actually more than happy that Fu Yu was leaving tonight. Otherwise, she would have had to deal with the situation while she was exhausted, which would have been too tiring!
He closed his eyes and leaned against the bathtub, his brows furrowed with exhaustion.
She slept alone in the bridal chamber that night. Exhausted from the journey, she couldn't even muster the energy to sort out her thoughts and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the porcelain pillow.
He slept soundly through the night, as if he hadn't even dreamed, before being woken up by Granny Xu.
"Young Madam, it's past midnight, time to get up."
You Tong slept through the night, and most of her fatigue had subsided. She just felt sleepy and couldn't keep her eyes open. She clung to the quilt, unwilling to let go, and mumbled, "Just a little longer, a little while longer." She loved to stay in bed in the mansion, and these past few days had left her exhausted, making it really difficult to get up early.
Having no other choice, Granny Xu leaned close to her ear and whispered, "The son-in-law is coming in!"
This trick worked. Upon hearing it, You Tong's mind was suddenly filled with Fu Yu's cold and indifferent eyes, as if she had been jolted awake, and her mind cleared up a little. She struggled to sit up and tried to open one eyelid, but all she saw outside the tent was Chuncao Yanbo Hanxiao standing there, the pair of dragon and phoenix wedding candles behind her still burning. The outside was empty, and there was no sign of Fu Yu.
You Tong was stunned for a moment before realizing she had been tricked. She hugged the brocade quilt and tried to turn back.
Yanbo Chuncao wouldn't let this opportunity pass by, and immediately pulled her out of bed.
After washing and dressing, You Tong let herself be dressed with her eyes half-closed. Only after Chuncao finished helping her with her makeup did she come to her senses. She then went out with Aunt Zhou and headed towards Madam Fu's residence. As they rounded the corner of the corridor, in the morning breeze and among the shadows of the trees, someone strode towards them from the side. It was Fu Yu, who had spent the night in the study on his wedding night.
The two saw each other from afar. Fu Yu glanced at her and then looked away. You Tong hesitated for a moment, then stopped and waited for him at the corner.
Author's Note: What goes around comes around!
Thank you so much! ~ Mwah!
Isabella threw a landmine.
A landmine was thrown into the courtyard.
Chapter 5 Night Visit
Last night's brief meeting left You Tong with the impression that Fu Yu was like a heavily forged sword, cold and hard.
He was indifferent when he lifted the veil, and afterwards refused to stay in the bridal chamber for even a moment longer, clearly showing extreme indifference towards the marriage, treating his wife merely as a decoration. Now that they had met on a narrow path, You Tong couldn't show any intimacy between husband and wife, so she simply tucked her sleeves into her front and greeted Fu Yu in a neither loud nor soft tone as he approached, "Husband."
Fu Yu gave a mumbled "hmm," then slowed his pace and walked straight ahead.
You Tong lifted the hem of her skirt and followed behind.
The couple had their wedding ceremony yesterday, and apart from the instruction Fu Yu had given them, they hadn't actually spoken a word. At this moment, Fu Yu's brows were stern and his eyes were deep, as if he couldn't be bothered to talk to anyone else. You Tong was even less inclined to engage in idle chatter, and remained silent the whole way, with only the soft sound of her footsteps and the rustling of her clothes.
Upon arriving at the Shou'an Hall, where the old lady resided, the courtyard was filled with servants. The maids and servants made way for each other on both sides of the passageway. When they saw Fu Yu, they lifted the curtain and bowed to invite them inside.
Shou'an Hall is located in the very center of the Fu family estate. Before General Fu passed away, he and his wife lived here, and the houses in this area were built to be particularly grand and imposing.
The courtyard features five towering main rooms, their beams and pillars crafted from the finest nanmu wood, while the side panels are carved from smooth, fine ginkgo wood, some adorned with gilded pine trees and cranes, others with delicately intricate "Fu" (good fortune) characters, all pristine and spotless. Upon entering, one is greeted by a peacock screen, with two peacocks perched on ancient, gnarled trees, a magnificent and imposing sight.
Compared to the perpetually strong sandalwood scent of Old Madam Wei's residence, this room was quite refreshing. Apart from a few potted fruits and flowers, there was no incense burning. The jade incense burner was merely a decoration, without a trace of fragrance.
Further inside, several people were already seated in the hall.
The old woman in the middle had gray hair and wore a fine autumn-colored brocade dress. The cat's-eye gem in her hand must have come from the Western Regions and was quite valuable. However, she was not in good health. Although the weather was warm on a late summer morning, she was wearing a warm hat and holding a gold-threaded hand warmer, which must have been due to her being cold.
Beside her stood a man in his forties, with a resolute face and a rather fierce demeanor. His features bore a resemblance to Fu Yu's, though he lacked Fu Yu's indifference and coldness, instead possessing a calm and generous attitude. He was presumably Fu Yu's father, Fu Deqing, who commanded the Yongning army.
Next to them was a boy and a girl, twins born of the same womb, who looked nine-tenths alike.
Seeing the couple enter and greet her, Madam Fu smiled and pointed to the empty seats below, saying to Fu Yu, "Your uncle is a little delayed, he'll be here soon, please have a seat." She then glanced at You Tong, nodded, and didn't say anything more, only turning back to talk to the twins behind her.
You Tong had been alone in her room all night, so she wasn't surprised to see this attitude. She sat down and silently looked around.
...
Before marrying far away, You Tong had roughly investigated the Fu family's background.
The Fu family had lived in Qizhou for generations, and their ancestors had produced several famous generals, though none of them had achieved significant power. The real power came from Fu Yu's great-grandfather. At that time, the court was embroiled in internal strife, the borders were unstable, and there were wars year after year. The men of the Fu family were brave and skilled in battle, and after repeatedly achieving merit, they were appointed as the military governor of Yongning.
Logically speaking, soldiers are not always generals, and generals are not always soldiers. If the Fu family stays in this position for a few years, they should be transferred elsewhere as usual.
However, the court was already weakened at that time, and it was quite difficult to mobilize generals from various places. The military governor of Yongning was responsible for the important task of defending the border, and the Fu family seized the opportunity and refused to move. The court had no choice but to allow him to continue in office, and this term lasted for several decades.
From the great-grandfather to the grandfather, the Fu family's power grew stronger day by day, and their control over the area became increasingly solid.
Twelve years ago, Old Master Fu died on the battlefield, and his eldest son, Fu Deming, also lost a leg and suffered injuries to his bones, making it difficult for him to take up arms again.
Such a disabled person would normally be ineligible for officialdom, but Qizhou was militarily strong and well-equipped, and the court, weakened by its decline, was unable to control it. After half a year, Fu Deming succeeded to the position of military governor, while his second son, Fu Deqing, became the general in charge of the army. The two brothers, one in charge of domestic affairs and the other in charge of military matters, though already in a state of separatism, governed the various prefectures under their jurisdiction with great efficiency and maintained an impenetrable border defense.
However, men from families that lead armies are accustomed to killing and often face the risk of death.
Six years ago, in a fierce battle, Fu Yu's cousin and elder brother both died on the battlefield. His mother, Tian, was also heartbroken after losing her son and was bedridden for a long time before passing away the following year.
Therefore, when You Tong came today, only Fu Deqing was in the hall, but his mother-in-law was nowhere to be seen.
You Tong sat for a while, only to find that the Fu family had a rather strict family style. The twin siblings, who were thirteen years old, were quite well-mannered when they answered their grandmother, and Fu Yu and his son, being military leaders, had been speaking quite seriously all day. It wasn't until a cup of tea was finished that faint laughter came from outside, and then the old lady also smiled, "They've arrived."
Before he finished speaking, a flurry of footsteps sounded outside. Fu Deming walked in, leaning on his cane, accompanied by his dignified and elegant wife, Madam Shen, and the two young mistresses of the eldest branch of the family.
Following closely behind was a six-year-old boy.
Compared to the proper demeanor of others, he was young and, being the posthumous child born six years ago, was especially pampered. As soon as he entered the door, he ran over and rushed into the old lady's arms, acting coquettishly, "Great-Grandma!"
"Oh." The old lady's face was full of smiles as she hugged him, her face full of affection, and invited the members of the eldest branch of the family to take their seats.
With the child present, the atmosphere became much more lively. The child ran around playing, and the elders were willing to hold and coax him, unlike their solemn demeanor earlier. Unaware of the intrigues in the capital, he had no prejudice against You Tong. Seeing the unfamiliar beautiful older sister, he even grabbed a handful of candied fruit for her to eat.
You Tong smiled and accepted it, then popped one into her mouth when no one was looking. She looked up and met her sister-in-law's curious gaze.
Since she entered the room, the twin siblings hadn't paid much attention to her. She had assumed they were as arrogant and prejudiced as Fu Yu, but when their gazes fell upon her, You Tong suddenly realized that although the girl remained silent, she was secretly observing her!
You Tong smiled to herself. After the elders finished their chatter, she got up to serve tea and pay her respects.
Even though the marriage was fraught with shady dealings, she was ultimately the lawfully wedded young mistress of the Fu family. The prepared gifts were presented, and the other party accepted them, each also giving her something in return. The matriarch and Madam Shen drank tea in a lukewarm manner, offering a few words of advice as they were in charge of the Fu family's internal affairs.
Afterwards, the Dowager Lady kept Madam Shen aside to discuss trivial matters, and told everyone else to go back to their own homes.
Since You Tong was new to the area, she knew about the unresolved issues within the Fu family and didn't intend to draw too much attention. She quietly got to know everyone before leaving and returning to her residence.
Fu Yu, however, was stopped by Fu Deqing and taken to the study.
...
Fu Deqing's study is in Xieyangzhai. Although it is called a study, it actually has two small courtyards and is very spacious.
He was quite brave in his youth, and joined the army with his father at the age of thirteen. He spent most of his life riding on horseback, often patrolling the border and rolling in the fierce winds. He was not lustful and had no concubines other than his first wife, Tian. After Tian fell seriously ill and passed away, he did not remarry. He lived peacefully in this Xieyangzhai and brought his second son, Fu Zhao, one of his twins, to his side and taught him personally.
At this moment, Fu Zhao and her brother were detained to study, leaving only Fu Yu and him facing each other in the study.
More than a decade of fighting and battles had shaped his capable and straightforward manner. After dismissing everyone else and closing the door, Fu Deqing didn't mince words and asked directly, "Did you leave Madam Wei behind last night and sleep in the study?"
"Hmm," Fu Yu replied indifferently.
"Are you throwing a tantrum?"
No. There's no need.
Fu Deqing paused slightly as he picked up the teacup, glanced at his son, then understood and smiled, "Really?"
"I don't care who I marry. I didn't regret the marriage in the first place." Fu Yu paced around the study, noticing a dagger he had recently acquired on Fu Deqing's desk. He picked it up and weighed it in his hand, his voice indifferent and nonchalant. "Wei is the young mistress of Nanlou, so it's just for show, but that's all—this dagger is nice, a gift from Liu the blacksmith?"
“I picked it up during the last border patrol,” Fu Deqing said, taking a sip of tea.
"I just don't have that luck," Fu Yu said softly, fiddling with the object back and forth.
Fu Deqing, accustomed to seeing Fu Yu command troops and act independently, was surprised to see him so fond of small trinkets, so he generously gave them to him, saying, "Take them if you like. As for Wei Shi, I noticed she was calm and composed today, and even though she was being neglected, she didn't lose her composure. I suppose she understands what's going on. If you don't want to touch them, you can leave them there. But I promised Wei Sidao that I can't treat her too badly. The young girl has made a mistake, and she looks pitiful. Be careful not to frighten her."
Are you scared by ignoring me for two days?
Fu Yu unconsciously recalled the pair of calm and beautiful eyes he saw when he lifted the veil last night.
—It doesn't seem like something that can be easily frightened.
His composure in the face of adversity is truly laughable; I don't know how he ended up contemplating suicide over love.
However, since Fu Deqing had given the instructions, he agreed, "I'll go over there tonight."
"Speak clearly so as not to worry her, and also make the rules clear so as not to let her bring shame to the household."
Fu Yu frowned as if annoyed by the nagging, and seeing that Fu Deqing had no further instructions, he went back to his study to busy himself.
...
In the south building, You Tong returned after serving tea, and only then could she slowly take in the new residence.
The red silk that had been hung in the flower-lined corridor yesterday for the wedding had not yet been completely removed, and the festive atmosphere still lingered under the decorations of window lanterns and palace lanterns. However, You Tong knew very well that this festive atmosphere was only for show; beneath the abundance of red, the place was actually quite desolate.
This is a two-story pavilion with a side room on the side and a fully equipped covered porch and heated pavilion at the back.
The Fu family held a dominant position in Qizhou, with a vast mansion and spacious houses. Because the area had several undulating slopes, lush with vegetation and shaded by trees, there was no wall around the pavilion. Instead, a bamboo fence about a person's height was erected at a distance. Virginia creeper planted around the fence covered it, turning lush and green in summer and bare and intertwined in winter, forming a natural barrier that blended seamlessly with the surrounding scenery.
The summer heat hasn't subsided yet, but the area around the attic is a good place to cool off.
However, judging from the lush grass along the courtyard path and under the trees, it is clear that no one usually treads on it, which also shows that Fu Yu rarely sets foot here.
Moreover, this place is quite far from the old lady's residence, making it very suitable for her to live in seclusion.
Once You Tong had a clear idea of what was going on, she felt much more at ease. She immediately ordered people to take out the luggage and dowry that had been piled up in the side room, either to pack them up and lock them away, or to put them in her living quarters for use. She was busy all day and was covered in sweat.
Without her mother-in-law to keep her in check, and with her elusive husband nowhere to be seen all day, she had Chuncao prepare a delicious meal for her to eat alone by evening. When it got dark and she saw that it was still quiet outside, she guessed that Fu Yu wouldn't come again that night, so she ordered someone to prepare hot water for a bath, intending to rest early and catch up on all the sleep she had missed in the past few days.
I was enjoying a relaxing bath, lost in thought, when I heard what sounded like people talking outside, their voices drifting from afar.
Immediately, Chuncao rushed into the inner room, looking somewhat flustered.