Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Fu Huaiqing was childish

. "The courtiers are naturally different from those around you."

When Biezhi raised Ling Feng's earlier point about 'digging up old scores,' Fu Shuning replied.

"Brother is very childish,"

Biezhi nodded in agreement.

Indeed, he was childish.

He was clearly too busy to rest, yet he still bothered her.

Even these past few days, he'd been either intentionally or unintentionally reminding her of the past, or ordering Cheng Jin to bring her something incredibly familiar—either soup dumplings or Laba garlic from the Wuwei Shop. Clearly, he'd calculated that she had a photographic memory, constantly reminding herself of the past, not forgetting the fact that he was Ji Ran. He

wasn't afraid of emptying the Wuwei Shop.

Fu Shuning closed the book, raised her eyelids slightly, and looked across at Biezhi, whose almond-shaped eyes were gleaming with a smile. After a moment's

hesitation, she asked, "Why did you choose this path, sister?" "Huh?" Biezhi paused for a moment, then slowly realized she was referring to her decision to enter Qingyin Pavilion. She smiled, "Of course, because the money was enough."

The crisp, direct, and unconcealed words echoed through the bedroom, and Fu Shuning blinked.

For a moment, she couldn't help but laugh.

Fu Shuning finally understood why Cheng Jin had said she could get along with him, and why her brother's gaze had fallen on her. She vaguely understood the ancient saying of knowing the ways of the world but not being worldly.

Biezhi was puzzled, unable to understand her laughter.

"I just think you're very interesting." Fu Shuning rested his elbows on the table, his chin resting in his palms. He blinked and looked at her across the table. "Everyone subconsciously assumes those in power are either stable or unattainable, but in reality, they're real people too, and they enjoy interesting things."

Her eyes flickered. "Are you really not considering Brother?"

For a moment, Bie Zhi thought Fu Shuning was a bit like the waiter at the street-side restaurant, soliciting customers by introducing their signs to passersby, attracting their attention.

The sign Fu Shuning used was Fu Huaiqing.

The image of Fu Shuning dragging him around to attract customers flashed through her mind, and Bie Zhi's mouth twitched.

She was confused. Lin Nianchu was clearly interested in Fu Huaiqing...

Even without Bie Zhi asking, Fu Shuning could see the doubt almost written on her face. After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Sister, have you heard about Mother?"

Bie Zhi was puzzled by her sudden question, but nodded.

Indeed, I have heard a little bit about it.

I heard that the Imperial Concubine came from the common people, her family was an ordinary farmer. The late emperor went on a secret visit to the south, and the two of them met because of this. Later, the Imperial Concubine entered the palace with the late emperor. She was initially given the rank of concubine. Within a year, she was promoted to concubine. The following year, she was promoted to Imperial Concubine, ranking below the Empress and above all other concubines. When she first entered the palace, she was the exclusive favorite.

"Compared with other concubines, mother was of humble origin and had no one behind her. Only father supported her from behind and pushed her to the position of noble concubine against all odds." Fu Shuning recalled her mother's dying words, and tears flashed in her eyes. "The outside world says that father loves mother very much, but father has always had concubines around him. It's just that he spends more time on mother than on others."

"The support of the mother's family may not be so important to other families, but it is different for the children of the royal family, and it is even more special for the children who are favored by the emperor."

Looking at Fu Shuning's drooping mouth, Biezhi pursed her lips slightly. When she was her age, she was still catching cicadas in the trees and frying them to eat. The things she was thinking and worrying about were obviously much deeper than her own, and these words seemed to have stayed in her heart for a long time.

"My other royal brothers and sisters all came from prominent families. Zhan'er's family held the vast majority of the power in the court at the time. No child born into the royal family had ever dreamed of that position." Fu Shuning knew from a young age that she belonged to an imperial family, not just an ordinary one. "There were many times I thought, if I didn't want to ascend to that position, it would be best to be an unfavored child."

Unfavored princes and princesses posed no threat to others.

"Brother is very much in the favor of our father," Fu Shuning said. "Not only because of our mother, but also because of brother himself."

Before today, Biezhi had never heard of Fu Huaiqing.

Although they lived in the same city, its vastness was so dizzying that it felt like a chasm separated them. Her previous impression of Fu Huaiqing was limited to his status as the regent, and she knew nothing else about his past.

Biezhi had always felt like they were from two different worlds.

Hearing Fu Shuning mention him was a novelty.

"Even if brother doesn't want that position, he has to face it, not to mention that brother wants that position." Fu Shuning didn't ask him face to face, but she could see that if he didn't want that position, he wouldn't have intervened too much in the beginning, "But other people can control far more resources than brother, so every step he takes is extremely difficult."

Fu Shuning didn't know about other things, but she still remembered the year her father passed away, "My father was seriously ill, and the war on the border was urgent. Someone was urgently needed to go to the border to take charge, which was also a comfort to the soldiers." At that time, no one was willing to leave the capital. If they were not careful, they would step into the abyss. "Later, the relatives joined hands to recommend, and the matter fell on my brother."

If you just go Even at the border, she wasn't frightened. Even at the age of ten, she could sense the dangers lurking on this journey, let alone her brother. Yet, she could do nothing, unable to stop him. "When my brother left, he only took five people, including Cheng Jin. He didn't even take Jiang Yue with him, but stayed with me to protect me." Fu Shuning paused, then suddenly asked, "Do you remember when everyone in Xianyun Tower was on standby in the capital over five years ago?"

Biezhi hummed, "I remember."

Back then, she hadn't yet joined Qingyin Pavilion, but was merely one of the inconspicuous shadows within Xianyun Tower. Logically, no missions would fall upon them, yet Biezhi received orders to remain in the capital, not to leave.

Aside from her senior brothers and sisters, who had already left the capital on missions several days earlier, the remaining nearly a hundred people remained behind. Xianyun Tower was completely silent, and even the masters of the five major pavilions were on high alert.

She was stunned for a moment. For the first time, she connected this matter with Fu Huaiqing. She frowned and looked at Fu Shuning. The girl nodded slightly, confirming her guess.

"It was my brother who stayed to protect me." Fu Shuning's eyes sparkled with tears, and her voice was choked with a little bit of sob that was barely perceptible. "He only took five people away, and there were nearly two hundred people left with me."

Biezhi's fingertips rested on the tea table for half a breath.

Looking at Fu Shuning's bloodshot eyes, she pursed her lips and didn't know what to say for a long time.

She could understand Fu Huaiqing's decision, but she still felt uncomfortable, just like smoke filling her chest, tightening inwards bit by bit, making her breathless.

"Before he left, he promised me that he would return safely and asked me to wait for him."

Thinking of the past, Fu Shuning's eyes sparkled with tears, and the tears swirled around, without a drop falling.

She took a deep breath, "My brother hasn't come back yet, and father passed away suddenly in the middle of the night. The killing began from then on, and the struggle between the foreign relatives was put on the surface. Whether it was assassination or open attack, I also encountered two assassination attempts within ten days. I was forced to leave the palace and retreat to the Lin family to stay temporarily. Later, Zhan'er's mother's family pushed Zhan'er to that position."

Fu Mingzhan, who was only five years old, was pushed to that position, and his mother became the little empress dowager who ruled the country from behind the curtain. The little empress dowager was timid and soft-hearted. She was the easiest woman to control in their mother's family, and thus became a pawn of the foreign relatives. Although she was said to be ruling the country from behind the curtain, in fact, the real people in power were the foreign relatives.

"With the foreign relatives in power, officials who were not on the same side as them were looking for excuses to execute them. The Lin and Su families suggested that I leave the capital to avoid the limelight. I also made preparations to leave the capital. On the eve of my departure, he came back." Fu Shuning's slightly hoarse voice was mixed with a hint of excitement. "He arrived in the capital overnight and bathed before coming to see me at the Lin family, but I still smelled the smell of blood on him."

"I later found out that I bumped into his wound when I threw myself into his arms."

Bie Zhi frowned.

Fu Shuning took a sip of tea, and the refreshing tea washed over her bitter throat. "After that, I didn't see him for a long time. Cheng Jin came to report his safety on time, but there was no other news. The next time we met was the day he eliminated the last foreign relative."

To this day, she has never forgotten the scene of that day.

Her brother came rushing over, bending over to wipe away his uncontrollable tears. He waited until she had finished crying before speaking, "He said he would take me home."

At that moment, she burst into tears, crying out loud, not caring about her image at all.

Fu Shuning blinked her eyes that were filled with water, and through the mist, she stared at the other girl with deep almond eyes. The girl pursed her lips slightly, not knowing what she was thinking, "I know Nianchu has feelings for me, but I want to see you happy more."

If he had feelings for Lin Nianchu, Fu Shuning would naturally be happy to see it happen. If he had no feelings for Lin Nianchu, nor for other women, she would also think about helping her friend again. After more than three years, perhaps everything would be different.

It was indeed different. Her brother had met the girl he loved.

So, Fu Shuning naturally hoped that he could get what he wanted.

"His injuries—" Biezhi's voice, long silent, was slightly hoarse. She paused and cleared her throat. "Where are they?"

"Back, waist, and abdomen." Fu Shuning had to question Jiang Yue for a long time before he finally told her.

Biezhi's breath caught slightly at this.

She remembered the day she'd doubted his identity and had indeed seen some scars on his body.

When she'd learned that Ji Ran was Fu Huaiqing in disguise, Biezhi had been impressed by Fu Huaiqing's status as the Regent, surrounded by talented people. Even his scars were painted so lifelike that you couldn't tell if they were real or not.

The new wounds might have been painted, but the old ones...

A palm gripped her heart, tightening little by little, choking her breath. Her lips parted for a moment, unsure how to begin. A

fleeting thought passed through her mind, and Biezhi reached out to grab hold of him, but her hand found nothing.

It was hard to describe the feeling she had at that moment.

But regardless of anything else, she had only one thought:

to see Fu Huaiqing.

Fu Shuning said this not to upset Biezhi, but simply to explain why he wanted to bring them together, and to tell her that his brother was better than anyone else, the best man in the world, and that choosing him wouldn't be a mistake. But when he saw the fleeting flash of heartache in her expression, he felt a twinge of joy. He

felt joy in her heartache.

"I haven't told anyone else about this except you, sister." Fu Shuning regained her composure, playfully raising her knuckles to her lips and hushing, "Sister, remember to keep this a secret for me."

The girl's eyes shone brightly beneath her playful expression. She hadn't known how long she'd been holding these words back, but now, even as she spoke them, her eyes reddened. Biezhi's lips curled slightly, then she nodded.

Fu Shuning's eyes curved at the affirmative.

A gloomy atmosphere enveloped the air, and even the sunlight could not dispel the sadness around them. They gradually surrounded Biezhi. Fu Shuning's eyelashes trembled when she saw this. She quickly took out the book from her sleeve, which caused this unbearable atmosphere, and spread it out on the table with a "pop".

The crisp sound of the book hitting the table instantly drove away the gloom, and Biezhi, who was immersed in her thoughts, suddenly came to her senses and blinked in confusion like a lost deer.

The moment she lowered her eyelids and saw the book spread out on the table, her eyes widened suddenly, and the unhappiness in her heart was completely driven away. Biezhi raised her head in disbelief and glanced at the owner of the book, but couldn't help lowering her eyes to look again.

She took a deep breath secretly.

The book spread out on the table outlined the figure of a man.

The features were briefly sketched in two or three strokes, and the body below the neck was depicted stroke by stroke, so lifelike that if you look at it for a second, you will feel that the man in the painting is standing in front of you, showing off his body without hesitation.

This shows the artist's dedication and meticulousness.

Fu Shuning only needed a glance to see that Biezhi and himself were indeed the same type of people. The joy that suddenly filled her eyes was beyond words, "I said, if you like a handsome man, you will definitely like a man with a great figure."

"I have a lot more." She leaned forward on the table and whispered, "If you need it, I'll ask someone to send it to you when I get back." After a moment's hesitation, she added, "They are all unique copies. You must not have seen them."

Biezhi's expression was a little complicated.

Just when Fu Shuning thought she didn't want it, she heard her say: "Send it quietly, don't let him know."

"Okay!" Fu Shuning nodded happily. She was also afraid of being caught by her brother, and muttered: "I won't let him know. If he knew it was me who brought it, he would put me in solitary confinement."

"I won't sell you out." Biezhi promised.

Just like she wouldn't betray Fu Huaiqing's hidden illness, she wouldn't betray Fu Shuning.