Chapter 75: Are You Two a Fake Couple?

Chapter 75: Are You Two a Fake Couple?

Xia Fu's eyes wavered, and she involuntarily let go of Cheng Yian's hand, slowly straightening her body. Her gaze fell on her daughter, her heart pounding fiercely.

From the corner of her eye, she saw that the man was sitting rigidly, his expression calm and composed as if he had everything under control.

The guard entered, his eyes fixed ahead, and knelt before Yunnan King.

"Family head, I have investigated the real identity of Yunnan King's consort..."

Cheng Yian felt as if she had been hit on the head, staring in shock at her father and mother, completely bewildered. What in the world is going on?

Xia Fu quietly took a deep breath, knowing she couldn't escape the situation today, and steeled herself for the worst-case scenario.

Yunnan King, on the other side, merely adjusted his sleeve as if the guard's words had nothing to do with Xia Fu. He said calmly,

"Continue."

The guard replied, "Yunnan King's consort's real name is Xia Fu. She was an adopted daughter rescued by the old consort many years ago and had been under the old consort's care while recovering. After the previous consort passed away, the second young master, still in infancy, was raised by the old consort. Outsiders assumed the boy was born to this successor consort."

Upon hearing this, Yunnan King's heart tightened.

So Mu Xun wasn't born to Xia Fu after all?

He took his time glancing at Xia Fu, who was now staring at the beams of the ceiling, her face showing her helplessness.

Cheng Yian had already known these details beforehand and didn't pay much attention to them. What puzzled her was why her father had brought this person in front of her mother. She suddenly found it hard to understand her father's motives.

This was clearly intentional.

Father is really bad.

Cheng Yian reached out with a pained expression and grasped her mother's hand, holding it firmly.

The guard, having traveled day and night from Yunnan to deliver the message without a moment's rest, was exhausted. After pausing to catch his breath, he continued,

"The old consort, on her deathbed, intended to match this Lady Xia with Yunnan King. Lady Xia declined. It wasn't until Yunnan King was about to enter the capital to offer a hostage that Lady Xia, to repay the kindness, came to the capital in the role of the second young master's mother."

"Family head," the guard looked up, meeting Yunnan King's stormy gaze,

"I searched through the official archives of Yunnan's government offices and found no marriage certificate between Yunnan King and his consort. I even secretly entered the Yunnan King's palace's ancestral hall and searched the family records, but this lady's name was not recorded. Therefore, it is likely that this Lady Xia was a ruse used by Yunnan King to deceive the imperial court. She is neither the true Yunnan King's consort nor the biological mother of the second young master."

The shadow guard then presented a more detailed report to Yunnan King.

Dark flickers appeared in Yunnan King's eyes as he took two sharp breaths. No wonder many of Yunnan King's actions were questionable. They weren't a real couple after all.

Fu Er never married Yunnan King...

Yunnan King suddenly felt his stagnant blood boil, his handsome face flushed red.

She had repeatedly said, "Everything is fine with Yunnan King," all lies to deceive him.

Yunnan King waved his sleeve, signaling the shadow guard to withdraw, his eyes glaring fiercely at Xia Fu.

Xia Fu felt as if her body and soul were under attack, her cheeks almost pierced through by his intense gaze.

Cheng Yian, on the other hand, had wide, surprised eyes.

So, Mother wasn’t truly married to the Yunnan King?

This would explain why Mother decisively chose to stay in the capital, seemingly without any attachment or worry about her spouse. It would also explain why she dared to keep over a hundred snakes in the courtyard, completely disregarding her spouse's feelings, and why the bed in her room only had a single lonely pillow...

Cheng Yian’s heart suddenly cleared up. If Mother had truly married the Yunnan King, it wouldn’t be ideal for the couple to be separated. With the Yunnan King staying in the royal mansion for a long time, he would inevitably have other women around. In the future, there might be concubines who would bully her mother, causing further complications in the family. And what if Mother had to return to Yunnan in the future? Just thinking about it made Cheng Yian’s heart throb.

Fortunately, Mother doesn’t have to be bound by her status and can freely stay in the capital.

“Mother...” She suppressed her joy and gently touched Xia Fu’s finger.

Xia Fu gave her a faint bitter smile.

Cheng Yian was no longer a naive little girl. Seeing the current situation between her parents, she saw the full picture.

She shouldn’t stay here anymore, right?

With good sense, she prepared to leave.

Unexpectedly, Xia Fu reached out to stop her.

Cheng Yian: “...”

As their eyes met, Xia Fu’s gaze carried a hint of pleading, imploring her not to leave.

Cheng Yian found herself in a dilemma.

She glanced briefly at her father. Cheng Mingyu’s expression had not yet calmed down. Seeing Xia Fu’s gesture, he moved his gaze from Xia Fu to Cheng Yian.

Cheng Yian met her father’s gloomy gaze...

Alright, he found her presence inconvenient.

Recalling the night her father vomited blood, Cheng Yian decided to help him. She rustled as she slid off the bed, playfully putting her little face in front of her mother. Feeling utterly embarrassed, Xia Fu finally let her go.

Seeing Cheng Yian rise as though nothing had happened, Xia Fu hurriedly added, “Be careful...”

“I’m fine, Mother. My body is strong!” Cheng Yian slightly adjusted her skirt and gave her father a cheeky wink before heading out.

Cheng Yian wore a water-red ruqun today, with a light orange half-sleeve jacket, and a lily bun. It was already a bright and vibrant outfit, and with her good mood, she seemed even more lively. As she came out, Ru Lan and Ding Xiang, who were waiting by the corridor, quickly came forward.

“Miss, are you alright, coming out like this...”

Cheng Yian blinked at the three of them, signaling them to stay quiet.

Leaning on Ru Lan’s arm, she made her way along the covered corridor to the main room. Ming Saozi brought another round chair from the west wing room for her to sit under the corridor. Cheng Yian waved her hand, asking everyone to stay farther away so as not to disturb her father and mother.

As she sat down, she heard voices outside. She asked, “What’s going on?”

Ming Saozi looked outside and said, “The mistress was summoned into the palace by the Empress Dowager early this morning and just returned. Upon hearing about your situation, she came this way, probably knowing that the family head is here, so she didn’t enter.”

Cheng Mingyu had always avoided female guests, even relatives. Unless it was urgent, he wouldn’t meet them privately, so Wang Shi, understanding this, withdrew to the main hall.

Cheng Yian pondered and said, “Please tell the mistress that I will pay my respects after I feel better.”

Ming Saozi replied, “Nanny Li has already responded on your behalf.”

Cheng Yian sat comfortably, glanced at the east wing room, and calmly sipped her tonic soup.

"Saozi, go and top up the tea for Father and Mother."

By the time Ming Saozi came in, Xia Fu had already returned to her armchair. After serving the tea, she quietly retreated.

After Cheng Yian left, Xia Fu slowly calmed down. She didn’t think she had anything to explain to Cheng Mingyu. Her affairs were none of his concern. Sipping the hot tea, she felt unexpectedly calm.

Cheng Mingyu didn’t concern himself with the tea. His deep eyes were fixed intently on her.

"So, you and the Yunnan King are just pretending to be a couple?"

Hearing this, Xia Fu turned her gaze toward him, meeting his eyes. "I don’t intend to marry again. To me, that marriage certificate is a burden."

Cheng Mingyu understood. The Cheng family had hurt Xia Fu too deeply. She wanted no part in being trapped in the cage of marriage again. However, it was also possible that she and the Yunnan King were a real couple, in everything but name.

Cheng Mingyu certainly felt troubled, but then again, as long as they didn’t have a marriage certificate, the Yunnan King wasn’t legitimate in her life.

"You’re willing to tie yourself down for life just to repay a favor?"

Xia Fu said seriously, "I don’t see it as a waste of my life. I want to stay by An An’s side; he needs someone to help care for the children. That child has been under my care as he grew up. The Yunnan King’s household owes me a debt of gratitude. Isn’t this a mutually beneficial arrangement?"

Her eyes were crystal clear, and even after twenty years, she was still as pure and flawless as she had been back then.

Cheng Mingyu gazed deeply into her eyes. "So, you think this is just convenient for both sides and are making the best of it? You don’t necessarily need him, right?"

His clear, handsome eyes held an intense brightness.

Xia Fu vaguely perceived his intention, her throat growing tight. She averted her gaze and stared blankly out the window.

Recalling the extremely tactful Western River Moon poem and the "I can" from that day, Xia Fu had already understood Cheng Mingyu’s feelings.

He wanted to reunite with her.

She needed to make herself clear to him.

"Cheng Mingyu." For the first time, Xia Fu addressed him by his name, meeting his gaze calmly. "I will not marry again. I’ve said it before; I will not go back to the Cheng family. If you can’t stand seeing me with another man and keep insisting, then let me be clear: the Yunnan King and I are only a nominal couple. I carry the title of his princess to help him take care of the children."

Her voice was extremely soft as she averted her gaze.

Cheng Mingyu understood. She hadn’t married the Yunnan King and didn’t want to marry him.

He had always dreamed of inscribing her name in the family records and registering An An under her, legitimately.

He wanted to marry her properly.

As the head of a prestigious family, he was accustomed to following procedures. Anything too unconventional was out of character for him.

Cheng Mingyu felt a block of air stuck in his chest, neither going up nor down.

Silence ensued.

As his imposing presence receded, Xia Fu felt much more at ease.

She placed the teacup back in her hand, slowly sipped twice, glanced out the window, and saw that the setting sun had already hung behind the treetops. It would be rude to delay further, so she intended to get up.

"It’s getting late.

Since I’m here, I should go and visit the relatives."

Cheng Mingyu stared at her expressionlessly and continued,

"How much longer are you going to continue being a figurehead wife to the Yunnan King?"

Xia Fu had no choice but to sit back down. She thought for a moment before replying, "Until the child can stand on his own two feet."

That would be when he’s at least fifteen, but Mu Xun was only seven or eight years old now..... It would take seven or eight more years, Cheng Mingyu let out a frustrated chuckle.

"If you weren't going to marry, what did you originally plan to do?"

Xia Fu said, "Open a pharmacy? Just to be close to An An."

She had certainly thought about finding someone to spend her life with.

Without concern for family status, free from formalities and in-law constraints, a harmonious life with a loving partner was something she found appealing.

It all depended on fate.

And whether the man would be worth it.

In fact, after meeting Cheng Mingyu, it had become a significant challenge for Xia Fu to accept another man.

Xia Fu closed her eyes in thought.

Cheng Mingyu gazed at Xia Fu, who appeared delicate yet incredibly resilient, and suddenly felt a bit helpless.

Let’s forget about titles for now.

Cheng Mingyu said softly,

"I’ll help you open the pharmacy."

Xia Fu paused and looked at him warily. "We should avoid contact. I still bear the title of the Yunnan King's wife and must consider his reputation."

Cheng Mingyu felt a sharp pain in his ribs as anger rose within him. He suddenly stood up and walked towards her, his pale face darkening with anger.

Xia Fu slowly stood up, clutching her handkerchief and instinctively backing away to the corner. "Cheng Mingyu..."

He looked absolutely terrifying.

Cheng Mingyu locked eyes with her, gritted his teeth, and said, "What exactly is going on between you and him?"

"Because of you, his son is in the capital, An Yu’s safety is secure. Whether it's me or Xu Sheng, we will help take care of Mu Xun."

"To repay the favor, my family has, in addition to the government subsidies, provided extra funds for water conservancy and bridge construction in Yunnan. If that’s not enough, in the future, I, Cheng Mingyu, will guarantee the survival of the Yunnan King's household!"

"What’s between you and him is just a matter of gratitude, but I have you and An An." He pointed outside the window to his daughter.

"Should I care about his reputation?"

He should have been in a more advantageous position, but now, because of that ridiculous title of princess, it felt like he was sneaking around. Cheng Mingyu couldn't swallow this injustice.

Xia Fu's face flushed red with surprise and embarrassment at his words. "You sent money to the Yunnan King's household?"

That must have cost a fortune.

"Why go through all this hassle..." Xia Fu was deeply troubled.

She had no way of repaying him. Seeing the distress on her face, Cheng Mingyu felt his anger ease slightly.

"If the King of Yunnan were truly forthright, he should have given you the title of a governess or a lady-in-waiting. The reason he made you his consort is simply to keep you close and get the first chance at your attention."

Xia Fu explained, "I agreed to this beforehand. Bearing the title of consort gives me the right to protect Mu Xun. Otherwise, if others bully the child, I have no standing to fight back."

"With me here, you don't have to worry about these things anymore," Cheng Mingyu tried to discuss with her,

"Fu Er, I'll take care of the matters in the royal household. Would you be willing to let go of the title of King of Yunnan's consort? It's just the title; privately, you can still care for the child and manage your own pharmacy. There would be no restrictions on your identity, and it would be easier for you to repay the favor. How about it?"

"I won't!" Xia Fu flatly refused.

Once she was free, would he come to bother her?

Xia Fu knew that the man in front of her had great power, influence, and seemingly endless wealth.

She had no way to deal with him.

"The King of Yunnan and I work well together. He's generous and open-minded, and I trust him completely. He'll be back in Yunnan soon. Wouldn't it be easier for me to raise the child alone? And with this status, I can also earn some respect for An An."

Cheng Mingyu was so angry that his heart ached, and he covered his mouth and turned aside to cough violently a few times.

His white shirt, like snow, made him look years younger. Xia Fu recalled the months they spent as husband and wife. He was very particular and loved cleanliness, avoiding stray animals.

"By the way, family head," Xia Fu suddenly asked with a smile, "Family head is afraid of snakes, right?"

Cheng Mingyu's expression stiffened. He indeed disliked those slippery creatures.

His eyes swept over her relaxed expression, and he remained silent.

Xia Fu said regretfully, "I keep a room full of snakes. Family head should stay away from me."

Leaving these words, Xia Fu bypassed him and calmly left the room, planning to meet Cheng Yian's mother-in-law, Wang Shi.