Chapter 66: Aren’t you going to see Fu Er?…

Chapter 66: Aren’t you going to see Fu Er?...

Cheng Mingyu was renowned throughout the land. Although the Yunnan King was not intimately familiar with him, he had heard of him. He had met him several times during his earlier visits to the capital, and he was a man of great elegance and grace. Whenever disputes arose in the court, Cheng Mingyu would mediate, and the Yunnan King had always held him in high esteem, praising him for his virtue and talent, embodying the spirit of a national hero.

But upon discovering that he was Cheng Yian’s biological father, that made him Xia Fu’s former husband.

The Yunnan King’s anger surged from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

His usually amiable face turned stormy, his eyes sharp as blades, "Are you the one who drove Ah Fu to jump off the cliff?"

The Yunnan King’s voice was low and menacing, audible only to Cheng Mingyu and Lu Xusheng beside him. Other officials, sensing a confrontation, kept their distance, not daring to approach.

When Xia Fu’s tragedy occurred, Cheng Mingyu had always blamed himself. Facing the Yunnan King, he admitted it, "Yes."

Seeing him accept the blame, Lu Xusheng felt a sense of foreboding.

Sure enough, the Yunnan King’s eyes turned fierce with anger, and he clenched his fist and aimed a punch at Cheng Mingyu’s face!

"Stop!"

Lu Xusheng shouted, swiftly stepping forward and using a grappling technique to intercept the Yunnan King’s fist, protecting Cheng Mingyu. He spoke firmly to the enraged Yunnan King, "Your Highness, you’ve mistaken the man. This matter has nothing to do with my father-in-law, Cheng Mingyu!"

The Yunnan King was furious, "He admitted it himself; how can it have nothing to do with him!"

He struggled to break free from Lu Xusheng’s grip to continue the fight.

Lu Xusheng quickly pressed down his fist and guided him to a nearby flower bed, several steps away from Cheng Mingyu, "In front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Your Highness, you should think twice!"

The Yunnan King paused, glanced at the distant Hall of Supreme Harmony, and snorted lightly, withdrawing his hand and placing it behind his back as he faced Cheng Mingyu.

Lu Xusheng glanced at Cheng Mingyu nearby, sighed, and asked the Yunnan King in a low voice, "Did my mother-in-law never tell you about the events of the past?"

The Yunnan King glanced at Lu Xusheng lightly and remained silent.

When Xia Fu arrived in the capital, she told him that she was as good as dead, with no ties to her former husband’s family, only a daughter who was still in the capital and already married. She did not elaborate further, and the Yunnan King surmised it must have been a tragic affair, otherwise, it wouldn’t have led to her jumping off a cliff.

Therefore, in his memorial to the court, he fabricated a background for her as a concubine, naming her Xia Lan. The affairs of the Yunnan King’s palace were always beyond the court’s jurisdiction, and he had the final say. As for Cheng Yian, the Yunnan King had already decided to adopt her as his goddaughter, officially recognizing her under Xia Fu’s name, so that they could openly interact as mother and daughter.

The Yunnan King also provided ample justification. In the future, Xia Fu would be staying in the capital with her child, and since he had the most official dealings with Lu Xusheng, it was only natural for Lu Xusheng’s wife to take care of the princess. He had already mentioned this to the emperor in the imperial study. The emperor, seeing his intention to keep his wife and child in the capital, was very pleased and approved of the matter.

But judging from Lu Xusheng’s expression, the affairs of the Cheng family seemed more complicated.

The Yunnan King neither confirmed nor denied his knowledge.

Lu Xusheng could only explain succinctly, "An An had a nominal father before, my mother-in-law’s former husband. He was involved in an incident at Jinshan Fort, and the Cheng family mistakenly thought he had died. The old lady wanted to leave a descendant for her son, so she asked the family head, Cheng Mingyu, to take over this branch, thus An An was born. Unfortunately, the old lady was dissatisfied that An An was a girl and wanted to force my mother-in-law to take over again. My mother-in-law, deeply depressed at the time, jumped off a cliff and died."

The Yunnan King was shocked and furious,

"What kind of family is the Cheng family? They were supposed to be the top noble family at the time."

Lu Xusheng smiled bitterly.

After a moment of stunned silence, the Yunnan King glanced back at Cheng Mingyu, "He agreed? His wife agreed?"

Lu Xusheng explained, "My father-in-law had two previous wives, both of whom passed away early. This happened after the death of his second wife."

The Yunnan King understood.

He had little interaction with court officials, knowing only their official titles and duties, but was not familiar with their private affairs, which he never showed interest in.

To put it bluntly, he was the de facto ruler of Yunnan, maintaining only a nominal subordination to the court.

"But he is not without fault."

Lu Xusheng did not respond to this remark.

The Yunnan King turned to look at Cheng Mingyu.

At this moment, Cheng Mingyu stepped forward and bowed solemnly to him,

"On behalf of An An, I, Cheng, thank Your Highness for saving Xia Fu. If there is anything I can do for you in the future, Your Highness, please do not hesitate to speak."

The Yunnan King, observing Cheng Mingyu's ethereal and dignified appearance, thought that such a handsome man at his age must have attracted many women, and instinctively felt a bit wary,

"My mother is a healer, saving lives is her duty, no thanks are needed. Even if thanks are due, it is not for you, Cheng Mingyu, to offer."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Cheng Mingyu's lips, "Your Highness is magnanimous, I am deeply impressed."

He then took a step back, bowed again, and turned to leave.

The steps before the Hall of Supreme Harmony were expansive, with the summer wind raging. Cheng Mingyu's wide sleeves were lifted several times by the wind, yet he walked unhurriedly, his figure as steady as a pine tree, radiating a calm and commanding presence.

The Yunnan King watched his retreating figure and asked Lu Xusheng, "He had no feelings for Xia Fu, did he?"

"None!" Lu Xusheng firmly denied, "After An An was born, they never met again."

Since she was already married, there was no need to stir up issues for the couple.

The Yunnan King thought Cheng Mingyu was no ordinary man; to remain indifferent to someone like Xia Fu, he must either be an emotionless deity or a blind fool.

He recalled how, when Ah Fu was still in a wheelchair, she accidentally appeared at a clinic and was immediately proposed to by a local chieftain's son.

Ah Fu said she would never marry in her life.

Now the Yunnan King understood the reason; she had been driven to her limits in the Cheng family, and marriage was a cage to her.

At that moment, the Yunnan King thought, if Ah Fu did not want an official status, then so be it. She could not spend her whole life like this. It was just a marriage certificate; as long as he recognized her status, she was his consort.

But then he thought again, he still could not get over the mental block, feeling that he had wronged Ah Fu.

In the distance, Cheng Mingyu had already descended the steps, leaving only a distant figure. The Yunnan King, still wary, said to Lu Xusheng,

"Xusheng, I can't stand dealing with these court officials. They put on a gentlemanly appearance but are scheming, all show and no substance, just good at deceiving young women."

Lu Xusheng nodded in agreement, "Isn't that the truth?"

"I think Cheng Mingyu is just like that."

Lu Xusheng smiled but said nothing.

The Yunnan King headed back to his palace with these complex feelings.

Xia Fu was preparing snake wine, having placed a one-meter-long green snake into the jar. The servants all kept their distance, but the Yunnan King walked over unfazed and sat down opposite her.

Such a scene was commonplace for the Yunnan King, who had handled snakes since childhood. His mother was more patient with those snakes than with him, so he was accustomed to it.

But seeing a beauty like Xia Fu playing with snakes added a touch of mysterious charm.

There was a reason behind Xia Fu's snake training. She was exceptionally beautiful, and initially, she attracted many admirers. Ever since she began training snakes with the old consort, no one dared to bother her.

The Yunnan King admired her skill.

Seeing him stare at her fist, Xia Fu felt strange, "What's wrong? Did you miss hitting someone and feel uneasy?"

"That's right!"

Xia Fu still understood the Yunnan King very well.

The Yunnan King flexed his strong fist, regretting, "I should have punched him today."

If it were up to him, spending a night together would make her his woman, without any need for formalities. The Yunnan King believed that Xia Fu's decision to jump off the cliff was Cheng Mingyu's undeniable responsibility.

Xia Fu asked, "Who?"

"Cheng Mingyu."

Xia Fu's eyes flickered slightly, and she remained silent for a long time before looking at the Yunnan King, "Do you know everything now?"

"Yes, Xusheng told me everything."

"Did you hit him today?"

"No, I didn't get the chance to."

Xia Fu said seriously, "Your Highness, the past is no one's business but my own. Whether I live well or not is my responsibility. If I couldn't think straight, it was my own foolishness, not anyone else's doing. As for him... he was merely entrusted by the clan elders, bearing the responsibility of the clan leader, and sharing the lineage with me. He is a gentleman, and I hope Your Highness will not stir up any more trouble in the future."

The Yunnan King looked at her with pity, "Ah Fu, do you still have feelings for him..."

"No," Xia Fu quickly interrupted, "Please don't think too much. It's getting late; would you like to have lunch?"

Realizing his mistake, the Yunnan King apologized sincerely, "Ah Fu, I won't bring up the past anymore. Today, I have already spoken to His Majesty, and from now on, I will recognize An An as my goddaughter. You and your daughter can move about freely in the future."

Mentioning Cheng Yian, Xia Fu's expression softened involuntarily, and she cried with joy, "That's wonderful."

Although today no one knew what conflict there was between the Yunnan King and Cheng Mingyu, the incident where they almost came to blows in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony still spread.

Lu Xusheng was summoned by the emperor to inquire about the details, and Lu Xusheng could not hide the truth from the monarch, so he told everything.

The emperor's expression was extremely complicated, "This is really a mess."

Even Cheng Mingyu has his day.

Thinking of his unattainable sister, the emperor suddenly felt a sense of relief.

In the emperor's view, Cheng Mingyu's long-term refusal to marry might not be unrelated to his lingering feelings for Xia Fu.

"No wonder the Yunnan King sent them to the capital."

With Cheng Yian's status, Lu Xusheng would surely take care of Xia Fu and her child, and for the Yunnan King, the child's safety could be ensured.

But if the Yunnan King's consort were Lu Xusheng's mother-in-law, then the weight of this hostage would be lighter.

"That child should be the Yunnan King and Xia Fu's own, right?"

Of course, the emperor had to be wary of the Yunnan King trying to pull a fast one on him.

Lu Xusheng said, "Your Majesty, I went to the Yunnan King's palace yesterday and met the second young master. He looks about 70-80% like the Yunnan King, undoubtedly his own son. But if you're still worried, Your Majesty, you can send someone to Yunnan to investigate."

"It is necessary to investigate."

Lu Xusheng knew what the emperor was worried about. "Your Majesty, rest assured, I know where to draw the line."

Cheng Yian had told him that the second young master was not Xia Fu's biological son. If the Yunnan King were to act out of line, the second young master would surely be taken as a hostage. Lu Xusheng wouldn't mess around when it comes to the country's stability.

The emperor nodded, "Don't I trust you?"

Lu Xusheng was someone who would risk his life for him.

"Looking at it another way, because of An An, the relationship between the Yunnan King and the court has become even closer, which could actually be a good thing."

Back in the day, we'd have married off someone to keep folks like that in line.

Now, we've got trust and mutual interest - it's a win-win.

A fight would screw everyone over.

This big-picture thinking really impressed the hell out of Lu Xusheng.

"Your Majesty's got vision, real ambition - you're shaping up to be one of the greats."

Meanwhile, back at the Cheng residence, that time the Yunnan King almost laid into Cheng Mingyu in the official district naturally reached the Cheng family.

When he returned home, the old lady called him in to get the full story.

Cheng Mingyu sat in an armchair, looking down, and straightforwardly said, "The Yunnan King's consort is Xia Fu, An An's mother has returned alive."

The old lady's jaw dropped, going from shocked to happy to heartbroken, and couldn't help but grab his elbow to ask,

"Have you seen her, are you sure it's her?"

Cheng Mingyu's Adam's apple bobbed, and he shook his head, "I haven't seen her, but it's confirmed."

The old lady's chest was heaving,

"Thank God! How'd she make it?"

Cheng Mingyu briefly explained the situation to her.

The old lady clutched her chest, shaking her head, tears running down her face.

"Mingyu, the only regret in my life is not having the guts to push for you two to get married back then."

"The Yunnan King's consort, the Yunnan King's consort..."

Thinking about how the girl she wanted for you ended up married to someone else, it hurt so bad she could barely catch her breath.

"I must see her, tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival, I must see her!"

The old lady wasn't one to sit around, that very night she had gifts packed up, informed Cheng Yian, and the next day, cleared her schedule, dragging Cheng Yian along to the Yunnan King's place.

There was a banquet at the palace today.

The Yunnan King had gone to the banquet, and the Lu family, led by the second mistress, brought the girls from the house to compete in the dragon boat races at the palace.

The old matron and Cheng Yian arrived at the prince's mansion quietly and undisturbed.

As soon as they entered, the old matron noticed a woman standing under the broad corridor.

She was dressed in an aqua-green satin jacket embroidered with yellow flowers, her face as clear as jade, with almond-shaped eyes that sparkled. From afar, she looked just like Fu Er, who had once stood timidly at the threshold, bowing to her.

"Fu Er!"

The old matron burst into tears, hurrying forward with her cane as Cheng Yian struggled to keep up.

Over there, Xia Fu slowly descended the steps, gazing at her with tearful eyes, and bowed,

"Greetings, venerable matron."

The old matron looked her over carefully, from head to toe, side to side. Her appearance hadn't changed much, but the years had left their mark, giving her a different aura—still gentle, yet now with a serene and graceful charm.

"Fu Er!"

The old matron dropped her cane and hugged her tightly, weeping bitterly.

"My child, since you left, I haven't slept a single peaceful night. Your portrait still hangs in my prayer room, and I pray daily, asking that if you have truly passed, may you be reborn into a good family."

Seeing her old friend, Xia Fu also couldn't hold back her emotions, weeping uncontrollably.

"Old lady, please don't cry. I've been doing well all these years, truly..." Xia Fu tried to comfort her.

But the old matron pulled her out of her embrace and glared at her fiercely,

"You can fool others, but not me. Falling from such a height, how could you be fine? Let your mother see where you were hurt. Let me see how much it hurt."

With every word, the old matron's tears flowed like waves, and the three of them clung to each other, weeping endlessly.

It was only when an old matron standing beside her came to console them,

"Venerable matron, mistress, third young lady, please stop crying. The sun is harsh outside; let's move inside to talk."

Cheng Yian helped her grandmother up, holding her mother's hand as the three of them made their way to the main hall.

The servants were dismissed, and Cheng Yian personally served tea to the two. The old matron led Xia Fu to sit on the daybed and talk.

She couldn't take her eyes off her, from her lovely eyebrows to her delicate nose and rosy lips,

"Time has not diminished her beauty. Our Fu Er is as lovely as ever."

Xia Fu felt deeply embarrassed by her words and gestured toward Cheng Yian with her lips,

"An An is here; you're making me blush."

The old matron didn't even glance at Cheng Yian, "She's just a child; what does she know?"

The neglected Cheng Yian: "...." So she was the 'crow' loved for the sake of the 'house.'

She quietly moved to sit in the armchair opposite, not wanting to disturb them.

The old matron was still concerned about Xia Fu's health. "Let your mother see where you were hurt in the past."

With every other word being 'mother,' Xia Fu's cheeks flushed a delicate red, unsure how to respond.

She should change how she addresses me. During her toughest postpartum days, it was the old lady who cared for her by her side. Back then, she was told to treat her as a mother-in-law, but the mother-in-law wouldn’t allow it, insisting she call her "mother."

If she doesn’t change how she addresses her, it’s no longer appropriate, given how things have changed.

"There are no obvious external injuries; everything has healed."

The old ancestor could tell she wasn’t being honest.

"How did you end up marrying the Yunnan King? This isn’t how you repay a favor."

If she could, she’d have Xia Fu carried back to the Cheng family’s main branch in a grand sedan chair.

Xia Fu smiled softly, "The old consort saved me. After the previous consort died, she wanted to match me with the prince, and over time, it just happened."

The old ancestor’s heart ached.

She wanted to ask why she hadn’t sent word to the capital back then, but then thought that it was ultimately the Cheng family who had wronged her, and who could she blame for not finding her?

Xia Fu’s expression made it clear she wanted nothing more to do with the Cheng family.

The old ancestor was bursting with words she couldn’t say.

She’d always held her head high, but with Xia Fu, she was speechless.

Finally, she couldn’t resist adding,

"Ah, Mingyu has stayed single all these years, never remarrying."

Xia Fu lowered her eyes, clutching a soft handkerchief, and didn’t respond.

The old ancestor wasn’t ready to give up. "He’s been haunted by what happened to you."

Xia Fu raised her eyes, her smile still bright, "That’s unnecessary; it has nothing to do with the Cheng family head."

The Cheng family head...

The old ancestor’s heart was breaking.

Cheng Yian stole a glance; it was the first time her mother had brought up her father directly.

Completely estranged, Cheng Yian sighed. What could she say? They hadn’t even been a real couple.

Even if there’d been affection, twenty years apart had erased it.

Xia Fu sensed the old ancestor’s regret and replied bluntly,

"Old madam, I’m doing very well now—honestly, far freer than in the Cheng family. The prince treats me extremely well, there are no restraints, and the palace has no big or small rules. I have never been better."

"One must look forward."

The old ancestor understood her meaning; she had suffered enough from the family and clan rules in the Cheng family and would not step back into that.

Now her heart was chilled; it was hard not to give up.

The old ancestor fell ill after returning, scaring everyone, who wanted to call the retired imperial physician.

The old ancestor insisted on refusing.

"No need to go; this illness won’t get better."

They couldn't handle her and reported it to Cheng Mingyu. In the evening, Cheng Mingyu returned to the mansion and came to the mistress's bedside.

"Why are you acting like a child, throwing a fit? If you're sick, you need to call a doctor," he said.

The mistress looked at her son, who was in his forties, with a refined and handsome face and a well-proportioned figure. At this age, others would have already aged, but her son still looked very young. For twenty years, matchmakers had never stopped coming for him.

She patted her chest, "It's lovesickness; it can't be cured."

Having missed the chance back then, it was too regrettable, which is why the mistress is still haunted by regrets and sees Xia Fu as an obsession.

Cheng Mingyu paused for a moment, immediately understanding the implication of her words.

The mistress sat up, tugged at his sleeve, and said,

"I saw Xia Fu today, she's even more beautiful and charming." She stared into her son's deep eyes,

"Are you really not going to see her?"

"Just one look at her gave me lovesickness. I'm afraid if you don't go, you'll regret it for a lifetime."