Unable to ascertain the details, the Fu family, when selecting trusted confidants, brought Du He to the Two Books Pavilion, while appointing Wei Tianze as a subordinate general under Fu Yu.
Now that things have taken a strange turn and the reason is unclear, Fu Yu asked for the information and left it at that, without investigating further for the time being, waiting for Du He to secretly investigate the matter.
Then, I got up and went home.
Inside the Wei residence, You Tong was filled with trepidation as she awaited Fu Yu's return.
Chapter 43 Jealousy
Fu Yu did not return to the guest courtyard until the new moon rose.
Although he used the pretext of taking You Tong back to her parents' home, once he arrived in the capital, he was actually overwhelmed with trivial matters. Not to mention the emperor's summons and the banquet hosted by Prince Rui, people who had a past with the Fu family or wanted to establish a relationship with this powerful figure in the region were constantly coming to pay their respects in various ways. When he had free time, he also had to go out to meet guests. In just a few days, he didn't stay at the mansion to eat many meals.
Wei Sidao readily agreed to the suggestion. If the couple were in the mansion, they would eat together; otherwise, he would not insist and would leave the management to You Tong.
You Tong's small kitchen in Qizhou was fully equipped, but he had to be more discreet in the capital. In addition, with Aunt Xia away, he hadn't been to the kitchen for the past few days. In the evenings, he would either follow Xue's arrangements or ask Xue for a few dishes and have Chuncao go over to help. The dishes were especially plentiful during the New Year, so it was quite convenient.
Tonight, I asked Madam Xue to instruct the kitchen to prepare several dishes that would suit Fu Yu's taste, just in time for his return.
As the Lantern Festival approaches, the moon palace gradually brightens, and lanterns hang high under the eaves of the guest courtyard, illuminating the entire courtyard in a dim yellow light.
You Tong got bored waiting inside, so she came out, moved a rattan chair over, and sat down to look at the moon.
When Fu Yu entered, he saw her lounging in a wicker chair, a thin blanket covering her, gazing at the night sky in a daze. Hearing the sound of the gate, she belatedly snapped out of her reverie. Seeing Fu Yu almost upon her, she smiled and stood up, "Husband, you're back?"
Fu Yu stopped, then suddenly reached out and placed the back of his hand on her face.
It feels very soft to the touch, slightly cool, and even a little icy when moved to the tip of the nose.
You Tong was bewildered by his actions. After realizing what was happening, she quickly shrank back, but she couldn't dodge Fu Yu's swift hand. After her cheek and the tip of her nose, her earlobe was also gently pinched. His posture was very natural, as if the two of them were already very familiar with each other. The force was not strong, but his palm was warm.
Her face felt cool from the blow, but the places he touched felt a little hot, and then a heat spread through them.
Seeing that Fu Yu was holding onto her earlobe, she quickly reached out and slapped it away.
Fu Yu's lips twitched, and he stepped into the house. "Life's been too easy. Do you want to catch a cold and drink some herbal medicine?"
"I've only been sitting for a short while, I won't catch a cold. Has my husband eaten yet?"
"not yet."
Upon hearing this, You Tong turned around and instructed Chuncao to have someone prepare the meal, and then followed her into the house.
...
The room was lit up, making it as bright as day.
Fu Yu took off his outer garment as usual, intending to change into something loose for dinner. You Tong saw this and hurried over to help.
This was the first time since she married him that she had taken the initiative to help him undress; she was unusually attentive and considerate, behaving more like a young mistress.
Fu Yu was surprised and paused for a moment. He then stretched out his arms and let You Tong do as she pleased, saying, "Rare indeed."
"After all, my husband saved my life today, so I'm returning the favor."
You Tong spoke in a teasing tone, but her brows furrowed slightly.
When she wiped the blood from his temples at Jintan Temple, she noticed cuts from swords on Fu Yu's sleeves, as if he had been injured.
At that moment, his expression was somber and serious. Just as she sensed something was amiss and wanted to investigate, he suddenly grabbed the sword from the table and went next door to find Xu Chaozong, so she didn't see him clearly. Afterwards, they had a brief discussion and parting. Fu Yu remained dignified and silent throughout, as if burdened by worries. You Tong guessed it was something important and didn't dare disturb his thoughts. Once they arrived at the manor, he was in a hurry to leave, and she dared not delay him either.
Only now have I had a little free time.
You Tong pulled the clothes off his shoulders and down to his left arm, then suddenly stopped.
The dark brocade, which appeared normal from the outside, now showed signs of dried blood, which made a soft tearing sound as she gently pulled it down. Her heart skipped a beat, and she pulled aside the dark inner garment, revealing the dried, dark red blood that had seeped into a fist-sized patch, staining the innermost garment red.
Her guess was confirmed, and her heart clenched as she looked at Fu Yu.
The person who noticed something was amiss also happened to glance over.
His gaze fell upon the dark red bloodstains seeping from the crack. He casually removed his outer garment, then took a nearby robe, intending to cover himself with it. His composure was so serene, as if it were merely a mosquito bite, something commonplace and insignificant.
Any wound that has been exposed to blood is of no importance.
You Tong frowned, grabbed his arm without saying a word, and pulled him into the inner room.
"You're injured, you need to get bandaged first," she commanded.
Fu Yuping, usually dignified and composed, as steady as Mount Hua, unshakable even by three or four burly men, was now letting her drag him along. Upon reaching the couch in the inner room, You Tong gently placed her hand on his shoulder and pressed it down, causing Fu Yuping to sit on the couch. A playful smile appeared in his normally cold eyes.
You Tong ignored him, took out the prepared medicine, and said, "Sit down."
Fu Yu sat up straight, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Will you bandage me?"
"Then shall I let Chuncao in?" You Tong asked with a smile, though her intentions were malicious.
This was clearly not acceptable. Fu Yu was always self-possessed, with a cold and eccentric temperament. Even when seriously injured and in pain, he would not easily let the maid touch him. So he consciously loosened his inner garment and pushed his undergarment into his armpit. His shoulders were very strong, with two old wounds that left shallow scars. The wounds had been torn slightly when he pulled his clothes, and blood was seeping out again.
Fortunately, although the wound was deep, it was not serious; it was a thin, long wound with most of the blood coming from the skin and flesh.
You Tong was spoiled and pampered, unlike Fu Yu who was tough and resilient. You Tong secretly gasped in disbelief.
He then used a soft cloth to wipe the bloodstains off the wound, sprinkled on some medicinal powder, and slowly wrapped it with a thin cotton cloth.
She was wrapped up carefully, her pearly teeth gently biting her lip, her brows slightly furrowed.
It was clear she had prepared all this in advance, just waiting for him to return and bandage her wounds. It also showed that, though she remained silent, she was secretly watching him. This wasn't for show; it came from the heart, just like how she instinctively rushed to him when they were in danger in the bamboo forest.
An indescribable emotion welled up within Fu Yu as he looked at her, and a strong thought suddenly popped into his mind.
He hesitated for a moment, and as You Tong finished bandaging herself and was about to stand up straight, he suddenly grabbed her wrist.
"Are you afraid in the bamboo forest today?" A deep voice whispered in my ear.
You Tong looked up in surprise and met a pair of clear, deep eyes. His cold and imposing demeanor had subsided, yet it was like a bottomless pool, captivating her gaze. She was taken aback, not understanding why he asked this, and only smiled and said, "Does my husband think everyone else is like you, unfazed even if Mount Tai collapses before them? I'm very timid, how could I not be afraid?"
“At that time—” Fu Yu paused, “Xu Chaozong was also present.”
Upon hearing the name, You Tong instantly understood what he was referring to.
She looked at Fu Yu without saying a word, then chuckled to herself after a moment and prepared to walk away.
Fu Yu, however, did not let go, holding her wrist tightly with a probing look in his eyes.
You Tong tried to break free, but he held on even tighter. Both remained silent, only struggling with each other's hands. With such a disparity in strength, how could You Tong possibly win? Her wrists ached slightly from his grip, and it felt as if she were being pulled into his arms. Being delicate and frail, she finally gave up struggling, furious at his shameful act of bullying her, and threw the remaining soft cloth in her hand against his chest.
Fu Yu remained unmoved, staring intently at her. "Answer me."
“Prince Rui has already married another. My husband, how foolish do you think I am to still be thinking about the man who betrayed and abandoned me?”
After saying that, she forcefully pried open Fu Yu's five fingers and went out.
Fu Yu was left sitting on the edge of the couch, one shoulder hunched over, his clothes hanging loosely in his arms.
Instead of annoyance, a joyful smile slowly spread across his face—he had thought that You Tong, outwardly gentle but inwardly strong, kept everything bottled up inside, and would be tormented by the shadow of their past relationship. After all, when Xu Chaozong cruelly abandoned her and avoided her, You Tong had visited him several times, and even attempted suicide for him, both of which Wei Sidao had personally admitted. It was clear how deeply she had loved him back then.
He originally thought that her stubborn refusal to stay in the Fu family was because of that scoundrel Xu Chaozong.
Now it seems he was overthinking it!
Fu Yu was in a good mood for no reason. He threw on some clothes and went out for a meal.
...
A minor injury brought Fu Yu a sudden sense of clarity, but gradually caused You Tong distress.
She had a vague feeling that something was off about Fu Yu.
After arriving in the capital, the man treated her better and better. When they were out in public, he would hold her in his arms, support her, and even hold her hand in front of everyone. She could understand all of that. After all, there were many people and many eyes in the capital, and the couple was under the spotlight for various reasons. They couldn't afford to be careless in public, and being close to each other was beneficial and harmless.
But back at the mansion, why should he put on an act in front of Chuncao and Yanbo? In the courtyard, when Fu Yu reached out and touched her earlobe as if no one else was around, not only was she surprised, but even Chuncao and Yanbo were almost shocked.
That's fine, but what is the purpose of mentioning Xu Chaozong?
Back in the South Building, she had already made it clear that she didn't intend to occupy the position of young mistress for long.
Given Fu Yu's proud and arrogant nature, he already didn't think much of her. His angry departure that night and subsequent disappearance for several days clearly showed that he had been slighted and was displeased. Even if their relationship improved later, with him holding considerable military power and being a prominent figure, with noble families throughout Qizhou vying to send their daughters to him, he would absolutely not change his attitude because of her.
You Tong was convinced of this from the beginning, which is why she didn't pay much attention to Fu Yu's occasional inappropriate behavior.
But that night, when they were facing each other at the bedside, his behavior was truly strange.
In that situation, when a man asks her if she still thinks about her ex-lover, it sounds like he's being sarcastic.
If jealousy really arises, then things are in big trouble!
You Tong couldn't figure out his thoughts, and felt that she was also showing him too much care, which made her quite distressed.
Fortunately, Fu Yu had been extremely busy these past two days, giving her time to think things through. Although the news of Xu Chaozong's assassination attempt at Jintan Temple hadn't been publicized, it had been reported to Emperor Xiping without a word. Emperor Xiping was furious upon hearing this and immediately ordered a thorough investigation. Since Fu Yu was present at the time, he praised him and also asked him to help with the investigation, thus further binding Xu Chaozong and the Fu family together.
The assassins captured alive need to be thoroughly interrogated, and the mastermind behind them should not be let off the hook either.
Fu Yu was happy to take this opportunity to investigate the details of the capital, and he was particularly diligent in finding out why the other party had acted so hastily.
He had been busy for several days and didn't even have time to enjoy the lanterns on the Lantern Festival. It wasn't until the sixteenth day of the first lunar month that he finally had some free time. He took his wife and together with Wei Sidao and his wife, they took a carriage and went to the Prince Rui's Mansion.
Chapter 44 Clearing Up
Previously, when Fu Yu returned to the capital with his wife and was summoned to the palace, some busybodies had already set their sights on the Wei family and the Prince Rui's residence. Later, at the Jintan Temple Dharma assembly, the four of them went to offer incense together, which nearly made the onlookers' jaws drop—
Two years ago, in the twelfth lunar month, rumors spread throughout the capital, practically becoming the talk of the town among the wealthy and powerful. Wei Youtong, her dreams shattered, clung to Prince Rui relentlessly, even resorting to seduction and threats of suicide, cursing Xu Chaozong and Xu Shu to a terrible end. Almost everyone had heard these rumors; while a few thought them exaggerated, most believed them to a great extent.
Who would have thought that after all the twists and turns, in just over a year, Wei Youtong and her husband would end up together with Prince Rui and his wife.
Not to mention, her husband was a fierce and brave general who was renowned throughout the border regions and the court.
News of what happened that day spread quickly, and after three or four days of discussion, although it didn't spread throughout the streets and alleys, it still aroused people's curiosity.
Therefore, although no one spoke during the banquet held at Prince Rui's residence today, everyone secretly harbored the desire to watch the show and find out what was going on.
The Prince Rui's Mansion was grand and spacious, luxurious and extravagant. The main gate was heavily guarded, and few idlers were allowed to pass through. Since the banquet was held in the Mirror Garden to the east, most of the guests also came and went through the east gate. The carriages and sedan chairs of the guests who came to the banquet occupied half of the long street. The servants of the various mansions who were not allowed to enter also gathered with Zhou Sao, waiting for their master to summon them.
Guests arrived one after another; the women were dressed in silk and satin, while the men wore brocade robes and jade crowns. Everywhere one looked, there was a dazzling array of jewels and ornaments.
You Tong glanced at it briefly before lowering the soft curtain. She waited for the carriage to stop in front of the door before straightening her sleeves and getting up.
Servants from the Prince's residence had already come to greet them, helping to lead the horses and drive the carriage. Fu Yu helped her down from the carriage, and the Wei Sidao couple, who were ahead of her, also came over. The official in charge of the banquet guests from the Prince's residence stepped forward, smiling broadly as he invited them inside. After passing around the screen wall, a wide passageway led to Mirror Spring Lake, where the banquet was set up.
In early spring, the spring sunshine gradually becomes brighter, making people look radiant.