Pasting Spring Festival couplets, eating dumplings, watching fireworks, feeding meat to the white tiger… what a joyous New Year.
Fu Xi Yan suddenly remembered what Shou Nan Shan had said before he entered. “You still haven’t told me what your Young Master was waiting for me for.”
Shou Nan Shan reclined in a lounge chair, waving his palm-leaf fan as he gazed at the star-filled night sky. Squinting comfortably, he replied, “It’s New Year. Every household should be together as a family. Naturally, the Young Master was waiting for the Young Madam so that the whole family could reunite.”
…
I really shouldn’t have expected a single sensible sentence out of Shou Nan Shan’s mouth.
Fu Xi Yan stood and patted his backside, preparing to leave.
Yu Su Huan stopped him with a smile. “Didn’t you come here to escape the commotion? Why are you leaving again? However annoying it is here, there’s only one mouth bothering you. Surely that can’t compare with the army of people out front?”
Fu Xi Yan glanced at Shou Nan Shan. “With Martial King Shou’s abilities, calling him an army of ten thousand all by himself wouldn’t be an exaggeration.”
Rather than feeling ashamed, Shou Nan Shan looked proud. “Young Madam flatters me. If Young Madam gives the order, even if an army of ten thousand comes against you, I alone will be enough!”
“Oh.” A sudden thought occurred to Fu Xi Yan. “Then what if I order you to beat up your Young Master?” Despite what he was saying, his eyes absolutely did not wander sideways. He stared fixedly at Shou Nan Shan, as though the question had nothing whatsoever to do with the third person present.
The supposedly unrelated Pei Yuan Jin continued drinking his tea calmly.
Shou Nan Shan smiled. “A little bedroom amusement like beating one’s husband should naturally be saved for the wedding night. How could I overstep my role and do it on your behalf?”
…
Coming here to hide from everyone was a mistake from the start. Fu Xi Yan sighed and stood, preparing to return to his room and spend a lonely Lunar New Year’s Eve there, when Shou Nan Shan suddenly said, “I’ll be leaving shortly. Young Madam should stay.”
Fu Xi Yan raised his eyebrows. “Leaving? Where are you going?” He looked toward Pei Yuan Jin and Yu Su Huan. Neither showed the slightest surprise, so they had clearly known about it already.
Shou Nan Shan said, “Out to take care of something.”
Fu Xi Yan: “…”
In novels, dialogue like that usually happens right before someone goes off to kill somebody or fight a duel.
He was silent for a moment before asking, “Will it be safe?”
Ever since Shou Nan Shan advanced to Martial King, hardly anyone worried about his safety anymore. He paused in surprise, then smiled. “I am a Martial King. Where under Heaven would I not be safe? Thank you for your concern, Young Madam.”
Fu Xi Yan sat back down. “Then when are you leaving?”
“If Young Madam thinks it’s too lonely here, I’ll stay a little longer. If Young Madam would rather have some peace and quiet, I’ll leave immediately.” Shou Nan Shan said leisurely, “Whatever is destined to happen will happen. Whether I leave a little earlier or later won’t change anyone’s fate.”
Fu Xi Yan shook his head. “That’s not right. Man can triumph over Heaven.”
After saying it, he felt the line lacked the cool, domineering flair of My fate is mine, not Heaven’s. But it was New Year, the atmosphere was peaceful and festive, and abruptly roaring such an aggressively badass line would have been rather inappropriate.
He could not help feeling faintly disappointed.
Shou Nan Shan, however, seemed to have suddenly grasped some profound truth. He threw aside his fan and sprang to his feet. “Young Madam is right! We who cultivate the martial path are already competing with Heaven and earth for spiritual energy. If we cannot overcome Heaven, how could we ever break through it?” With that, he laughed heartily and strode away.
…
Fu Xi Yan asked in confusion, “Did he just leave for good, or is he coming back later?”
Knowing her colleague’s habits well, Yu Su Huan explained, “He only recently advanced to Martial King, so his state of mind has not yet fully stabilized. Young Madam’s words gave him a little insight. He has probably gone to take care of his assignment now.”
Fu Xi Yan was speechless. “How does saying ‘Man can triumph over Heaven’ count as giving him insight?”
Shouldn’t a glorious moment where someone achieves enlightenment happen at some grand literary gathering in front of thousands of spectators, after I sweep my brush across the page and produce a world-shaking masterpiece expounding socialist values?
Doing it like this leaves me feeling strangely cheated.
Yu Su Huan said, “I know nothing about the martial path. Why not ask the Young Master to explain?”
Pei Yuan Jin set down his teacup. “His state of mind was already only half a step from perfect clarity. Your words merely came at the right moment and gave him a push. Without you, perhaps one day he would have watched flowers bloom and wither, or the sun rise and set, and understood it all the same.”
After hearing that explanation, Fu Xi Yan’s opinion of himself improved considerably. He even became a little smug. “So one sentence from me is comparable to natural laws like flowers blooming and withering and the sun rising and setting. My words are practically immutable law.”
Yu Su Huan smiled. “Then I wonder whether Young Madam has anything to say to the Young Master?”
“Let me think.” Fu Xi Yan meditated on the sky for a long time before suddenly slapping the table and asking Pei Yuan Jin, “Say, if Zhang Da Shan is Tie Rong Rong’s man, and the Rong family is behind him, then why would they want to kill me?”
Yu Su Huan did not know the chain of reasoning behind the question and looked surprised. “Tie Rong Rong is the one who wants to kill you? What does Tie Rong Rong have to do with the Rong family?”
Fu Xi Yan sighed. “Based on the clues we have right now, Tie Rong Rong is very likely Worthy Consort Rong Rong in the palace.”
Yu Su Huan’s expression shifted slightly. She murmured, “Then Wang Yu must have relied on the Puppet Path when he seized the throne.”
Fu Xi Yan immediately noticed the change in her expression. “Aunt Yu, what’s wrong?”
Yu Su Huan drew a breath and lifted her face toward the sky. Starlight fell into her eyes as though stars themselves were flickering within them. She shook her head. “Nothing. I just suddenly figured a few things out. Go on. Why does the Rong family want to kill you?”
Fu Xi Yan still wanted to ask what she meant, but Pei Yuan Jin had already taken over the conversation. “If you want to know, we can ask.”
Fu Xi Yan started. “Ask how?”
Pei Yuan Jin lifted his eyes.
Fu Xi Yan could have sworn the fiery-red hairpin in Pei Yuan Jin’s hair flashed for an instant. Remembering the Immortal Treasury Palace’s usual way of doing things, he immediately grew nervous.
“Wait, wait. There’s really no need to go that far.”
Terrified that Pei Yuan Jin might suddenly decide to drag him into the imperial palace and kill Worthy Consort Rong, Fu Xi Yan hurriedly waved his hands. “It might not even be the Rong family. Zhang Da Shan only attacked me once. We still don’t know who was behind Chen Wen Ju or the Ghostshadow Organization afterward, and the Chan River attack was Southern Yu…” Counting carefully, he suddenly realized he could no longer even figure out exactly how many different people wanted him dead. “I don’t have Tang Monk’s destiny, yet somehow I’m the one going through all his tribulations.”
Elio’s Notes: Tang Monk, or Tang Sanzang, is the Buddhist monk at the center of Journey to the West, whose pilgrimage is marked by one dangerous trial after another. Fu Xi Yan is joking that he has none of Tang Monk’s destined importance, yet keeps suffering an equally ridiculous number of calamities.
Pei Yuan Jin did not understand why he was hesitating. “Don’t you want to know the truth?”
“But she’s in the imperial palace, and the Fu family still serves the Northern Zhou emperor.” Fu Xi Yan did not possess the instinctive reverence for imperial authority that people of this era did, but the concept of obeying the law was deeply ingrained in him.
Pei Yuan Jin reminded him, “Rong Yue is outside the palace.”
Seeing him actually rise to his feet, Fu Xi Yan lunged over and grabbed his arm. “Showing up at someone’s door looking for trouble during New Year—isn’t that deliberately making an enemy?”
Pei Yuan Jin tilted his head toward the person hanging off his arm and said mildly, “If he sent someone to kill you, weren’t you already enemies?”
Fu Xi Yan tried to persuade him. “There are plenty of brothers and sisters who turn against each other. A younger sister is a younger sister and an elder brother is an elder brother. They don’t even spend from the same purse, so they might not necessarily be working together. Why don’t we wait until New Year is over, send him a calling card, and ask him to meet us somewhere outside so we can have a proper talk? Going to his residence means entering his territory, which puts us at a disadvantage. If we meet outside, we’ll have more people. We can all swarm him at once, one punch each, and he won’t be able to escape even if he grows wings!”
By then, Yu Su Huan had already composed herself. “Young Madam makes sense. If you rush over now, it will be exactly at the turn of the year. Why spend the beginning of a new year together with someone completely irrelevant?”
Her words struck directly at Pei Yuan Jin’s weak point. After thinking about it, he sat down again.
Fu Xi Yan no longer dared bring up fighting or killing. His eyes circled Pei Yuan Jin several times until Pei Yuan Jin finally looked back at him. Only then did Fu Xi Yan ask curiously, “You drink tea every day. Is it because you’re trying to achieve a breakthrough in your state of mind through the Way of Tea?”
Pei Yuan Jin’s hand around the teacup stiffened slightly.
“There’s a reason for that.” Before Pei Yuan Jin could speak, Yu Su Huan leaned toward Fu Xi Yan and said in a “quiet” voice, “When the Young Master was little, he was always getting sleepy while practicing martial arts. Even sleeping seven or eight double-hours a day didn’t help. The Palace Master smacked his palms quite a few times over it. Eventually, he had no choice but to drink tea to stay awake.”
Fu Xi Yan asked, “Then if he doesn’t drink tea now…”
Yu Su Huan said, “He might still fall asleep anytime, anywhere.”
Fu Xi Yan: “…”
A Pei Yuan Jin who could topple over asleep anytime and anywhere like a roly-poly toy—please forgive me… this is way too fun to imagine. Hahahahahaha!
A violent gust of wind suddenly swept up and sent two people flying away in one go.
Pei Yuan Jin drained his tea in a single swallow. Peace and quiet at last.
＊
On the first day of the New Year: firecrackers at the door, up at five for red envelopes.
Fu Xi Yan had stayed awake until midnight to see in the New Year, hurried to sleep, then hurried back out again before five in the morning, ready to pay New Year respects to Fu Fu and Madam Fu and collect his red envelopes. His income might be quite respectable now, but who ever complained about having too many red envelopes?
When he stepped outside, Fu Chen Xing was already fully dressed and ready to go. The two brothers, both wearing new clothes, met each other’s eyes and simultaneously broke into identical money-loving smiles.
Fu Xi Yan asked, “What blessing did you use last year?”
Fu Chen Xing said, “May the chun and xuan flourish together, and the orchid and cassia bloom in splendor.”
That sounded extremely sophisticated. Fu Xi Yan committed it to memory and decided to appropriate it this year.
Elio’s Notes: In this classical blessing, the chun tree symbolizes the father and the xuan plant the mother, while orchids and cassia symbolize flourishing sons and descendants. That is why Fu Fu immediately objects that Fu Xi Yan has included himself among the people being praised.
Unfortunately, the result differed slightly from what he had imagined—
Fu Fu nearly lost control of his hand and welcomed his son into the New Year with a knuckle to the forehead. “Who gives a New Year blessing that includes praising himself?”
Fu Xi Yan shamelessly said, “The whole family should be included together.”
Fu Chen Xing voluntarily stepped forward to admit responsibility. “Father, I used that blessing last year. I was the one who told Fourth Brother.”
Fu Fu became even angrier. “You even plagiarized your younger brother?!”
Fu Xi Yan continued shamelessly, “Affectionate elder brother, respectful younger brother. Affectionate elder brother, respectful younger brother.”
Fu Li An, who had watched enough of the spectacle from the side, lowered his head and asked his youngest brother, “Did you tell Fourth Brother that Father corrected that blessing after you used it last year?”
Fu Chen Xing shook his head. “I didn’t.”
Fu Li An asked, “Why not?”
Fu Chen Xing said, “Father said you remember a mistake more deeply when you make it yourself.”
Fu Xi Yan: “…” You really are my dear biological little brother.
Because it was the first day of the New Year, the emperor finally showed mercy and allowed Fu Xuan to return home early that morning.
Fu Xuan came back travel-worn and dusty. He did not even have time to change into new clothes before hurrying over to hand red envelopes to the younger members of the Fu family.
This time Fu Xi Yan did not dare improvise too wildly. He delivered an extremely standard New Year greeting. “Happy New Year, may everything go your way, may you be promoted and grow rich, may your descendants…” Ah. That one isn’t suitable. His mouth made a desperate turn. “…You’ve got me…” No, that doesn’t quite work either. He can’t exactly work on that himself. “Father can keep trying.”
The blessing twisted and turned several times before finally reaching the end. Fu Fu’s entire face went black.
“You unfilial brat! What nonsense are you spouting?!”
Fu Xuan held Fu Fu back and shot Fu Xi Yan a meaningful look. Fu Xi Yan understood immediately and fled with his brothers and their red envelopes.
Fu Fu said angrily, “You spoil him too much.”
Fu Xuan said, “Forget him for now. I have something to tell you. On my way back, I saw Tu Mu being escorted to the Censorate.”
Fu Fu was startled. “Today? On the first day of the New Year?”
Fu Xuan said, “It seems His Majesty couldn’t tolerate him for even one more day.”
Everyone in Haojing officialdom had long anticipated Tu Mu’s eventual fate. But choosing to move against him during the New Year holiday showed that the Son of Heaven’s disgust had already reached the point of absolute intolerance, and that discouraged quite a few people who might otherwise have pleaded on his behalf.
The Fu family had originally had nothing to do with Tu Mu. But after Tu Mu sent someone to question Fu Xi Yan and caused trouble for him, Fu Xi Yan immediately submitted an impeachment memorial in return, so the two could now be said to have formed a grudge. Tu Mu being imprisoned was therefore neither good nor bad news for the Fu family. Fu Fu and Fu Xuan mentioned it briefly, then put the matter out of their minds.
＊
On the second day of the New Year, married daughters traditionally returned to visit their natal families.
The marriage between Madam Fu and Fu Fu had experienced its own twists and turns back then. Madam Fu’s natal surname was Cheng, and the Cheng family was also an illustrious old family of scholar-officials. Although Madam Fu had not been born of the principal wife, the Cheng family had only one daughter, so from the moment she was born, she bore the responsibility of forging a marriage alliance for the family.
At the time, Prince Yunzhong and Prince Longnan—one civil, one military—were both at the height of their prestige. Like the Rong family, the Cheng family favored the brilliantly talented Prince Yunzhong and wanted to marry Madam Fu to him as a secondary consort.
Unexpectedly, Madam Fu, who had always been dignified and steady, refused even at the risk of death. She directly wrote Prince Yunzhong a letter telling him that her heart already belonged to someone else and asking him to grant her wish. The incident humiliated the Cheng family. The head of the Cheng family cared deeply about appearances, and after the uproar, not only did the proposed marriage alliance with Prince Yunzhong fall apart, but relations between the two families gradually cooled as well.
Of course, looking back after everything that happened, Madam Fu’s supposed “failure to understand the times” had actually prevented the Cheng family from joining the succession struggle and backing the wrong side, making it an enormous contribution to the family. But the Cheng family head could hardly predict the future back then. In a fit of anger, he married her into the notoriously disreputable Count Yongfeng’s Estate.
This time, Madam Fu did not object. Ignoring every sarcastic remark and mocking comment, she obediently entered the bridal sedan.
Much, much later, people began praising her for her discerning eye and remarkable foresight. But she knew very well that she had possessed no political wisdom whatsoever. She had simply seen too much of the suffering endured by concubines and wanted to gamble on becoming the mistress of her own household instead.
In any case, after Emperor Jianhong ascended the throne, the realm was full of neglected matters waiting to be restored. Fu Fu recognized the opportunity and took the initiative to approach the Cheng family and reconcile. The Cheng family, still frightened by how narrowly they had escaped disaster, followed the opening he offered and resumed contact with the Fus.
But the prejudices of an old established family remained. Whenever the Fu family visited, the Cheng family treated them coldly. It was only after Fu Li An and Fu Dong Wen passed the provincial examination, confirming that Count Yongfeng’s Estate had begun steering its younger generation toward the scholar-official path, that relations truly began to thaw. Consequently, Fu Xi Yan—author of the salted-fish maxim, “Pray that your friends and family strive harder, then get into position and wait to be carried to victory”—was naturally one of the Cheng family’s least welcome guests.
Fu Xi Yan had no desire to visit the Cheng family and make himself unwelcome either.
At that moment, he was desperately racking his brains for excuses while asking Madam Fu for permission to stay home. “Well… it’s New Year. Why go over there and upset my uncles? What if they ask me again what comes after ‘Mo mourned the silk stained by dye; the Odes praised the lamb,’ and I still can’t answer? Just think how disappointed they’ll be.”
Elio’s Notes: The line comes from the Thousand Character Classic, a traditional primer used for children’s education. Fu Xi Yan remembers the line his uncle tested him on but still does not know what follows it, which makes his excuse even more shameless.
Madam Fu remained completely unmoved and smiled. “Since you already know that is what he’ll ask, why not memorize the next line?”
Fu Xi Yan said, “Would memorizing just one line really be enough?”
Madam Fu said, “Enough. He only asked you that one line before. If you can answer it now, it at least proves you listened to his teaching. You’re his nephew, not his son. He can hardly demand too much from you.”
Ever since Fu Fu became Vice Minister of War and the Fu family’s prospects began rising, Madam Fu had carried herself with considerably more confidence. Even when speaking about her natal family, she was no longer as cautious and deferential as before.
Seeing that she had made up her mind, Fu Xi Yan could only surrender.
Madam Fu added, “If you’re worried you’ll feel uncomfortable going alone, why not bring Young Master Pei?”
Fu Xi Yan stared blankly. “Why bring him?”
Madam Fu said, “You’ll all be relatives in the future. You need to meet eventually.”
…
Father told her already? That fast?
Fu Xi Yan gave an awkward smile. “He might not agree to go.”
“Go ask.” Madam Fu was extremely enthusiastic. She did not understand much about the jianghu, but the young master of a sect who could storm Haojing’s city gate and emerge completely unharmed was unquestionably someone worth establishing ties with. Surely her natal family would not be foolish enough to miss that.
The Fu family’s increasing prosperity had reignited Madam Fu’s enthusiasm for building something of her own. She was preparing to sort through all the connections and resources in her hands and weave them into a network whose members could support one another.
Fu Xi Yan assumed Pei Yuan Jin would definitely refuse. The two of them had no formal relationship whatsoever, so in what capacity would Pei Yuan Jin accompany him to visit his maternal relatives? Still, since Madam Fu had asked, Fu Xi Yan came over and mentioned it. To his surprise, Pei Yuan Jin immediately put down the book in his hands and prepared to change clothes and leave.
Fu Xi Yan’s eyes widened. “You agreed?”
Pei Yuan Jin said, “She is an elder, after all.”
Afraid Pei Yuan Jin had misunderstood the situation, Fu Xi Yan explained, “She’s returning to her natal home. Her natal family.”
Pei Yuan Jin glanced at him. “I’m not stupid.”
If you’re not stupid, why are you agreeing? Fu Xi Yan did not say it aloud, but the words were written plainly across his face.
Yu Su Huan glanced at Pei Yuan Jin, who was still maintaining his aloof persona, and explained, “You’ll all be family eventually. If he starts making excuses and refusing now, it will make things awkward later.”
Fu Xi Yan said, “Young Master Pei doesn’t seem like someone who would care about that sort of thing.”
“That’s true.” Yu Su Huan gave him a teasing look. “So what do you think changed him?”
…
“I’ll wait outside. Hurry up.”
Fu Xi Yan scratched his face awkwardly and went out. Yu Su Huan followed him. “The Young Master has remained in Haojing for quite a long time already. I wonder when Young Madam plans to return with us and have a look at the Immortal Treasury Palace?”
Fu Xi Yan stammered, “I-I can’t get away from the yamen.”
Yu Su Huan merely smiled and did not press him. Water wore through stone through a steady trickle; such things could hardly be accomplished in one leap. “I’ll go prepare the New Year gifts. Wait here.”
She departed briskly, leaving Fu Xi Yan standing there alone, increasingly uneasy.
Everyone wears new clothes during New Year, so why does he still need to change again?
How long is this going to take?
Could he maybe keep changing until tonight so we don’t have to go at all?
While Fu Xi Yan’s thoughts ran wild, the door opened with a soft creak. Pei Yuan Jin stepped out into the morning light, and Fu Xi Yan felt his eyes brighten. They had known each other for quite some time already, but this outfit clearly refreshed his understanding of what the Young Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace could look like.
Pei Yuan Jin wore a red-jade crown inlaid with gold, a black brocade robe patterned with subtle auspicious clouds, a gold belt set with red jade and cloud motifs, and over it a matching dark cloak with a white fox-fur collar. He was still dressed entirely in black, but never before had Fu Xi Yan seen him look so formal.
Fu Xi Yan muttered, “We’re not walking a red carpet. Is there really a need to outshine everyone?”
Pei Yuan Jin ignored him and walked a couple of steps before suddenly turning back. “Can I bring the cat?”
Fu Xi Yan thought about it. “The small one can come.”
The white tiger, which had already walked up behind him, seemed to understand. It raised its head and gave a roar, then suddenly lunged forward. Fu Xi Yan hurriedly dodged aside, his movements looking rather undignified.
Pei Yuan Jin gave the white tiger an approving glance, then pulled two manuals he had prepared long ago from inside his robes. “Your lightness skill is still a complete mess. This is the Air-Stepping Walk. As long as you have enough true qi, it can take you as high as one hundred zhang.”
Fu Xi Yan rapidly calculated in his head. One zhang is 3.33 meters. One hundred zhang is more than three hundred meters… isn’t that basically the Shanghai Shimao International Plaza?
My legs are already going weak and I haven’t even gone up yet.
Pei Yuan Jin continued, “The other is Shattered Stars, Lingering Shadows. Once you master it, your body can move as soon as your intent shifts, making your movements difficult to predict. Combined with your Soft-Gentle Fist, it will let you advance or retreat freely. The two complement each other.”
Neither of these manuals had obviously been selected at random.
Fu Xi Yan stood frozen where he was, clutching the manuals.
A very long time ago, when he had been reborn into this world, he had assumed he would begin with the glorious opening of a Long Aotian protagonist. Instead, he achieved the useless-wastrel ending of being hopeless at both scholarship and martial arts.
Elio’s Notes: “Long Aotian” is Chinese web-fiction slang for the archetypal overwhelmingly powerful male protagonist whose talent, luck, and opportunities seem almost absurdly favorable.
Every day, Fu Xi Yan had tried to find amusement in his misery, imagining that perhaps one day a fiancée would descend from nowhere to break off their engagement so he could slap her face later, or that he might pick up some broken sword hiding a heaven-defying cultivation manual and use it to overturn the entire board and soar into the sky… But in truth, by the time he had stubbornly begun experimenting with soap, he had already fallen into despair. What golden fingers exist in real life? Authors just make all that nonsense up to fool people.
But now— the golden finger had arrived.
A handsome Long Aotian had personally delivered it to him.
As for how that felt…
Fu Xi Yan rubbed his slightly damp eyes and said, “Tell me, why couldn’t I have been you?”
The statement was so completely out of nowhere that even someone as extraordinarily gifted as Pei Yuan Jin could not understand it. “You want to understand me?”
“I was just saying whatever came to mind. Don’t take it seriously.” Fu Xi Yan dragged himself back from his wild imagination into reality. Novels were novels, but life still had to be lived. If he thought of Long Aotian as a bride arriving with an enormous dowry, then Fu Xi Yan would merely be a pretty boy living off his wife. That actually sounds pretty good too.
Pei Yuan Jin keenly noticed that the way Fu Xi Yan was looking at him had grown considerably gentler, even carrying a trace of tender pity. His eyebrow lifted. “You start practicing tomorrow. I expect results within three days.”
Fu Xi Yan: “…”
The wife filter shattered instantly. A filter built by covering my own ears and deceiving myself really does break quickly.
His expression turned solemn as he said earnestly, “I will not disappoint you.”
＊
The visit to the Cheng family went neither as Madam Fu had imagined—with both sides instantly clicking and cutting their palms to swear a blood alliance on the spot—nor as Fu Xi Yan had imagined, with the awkwardness reaching such catastrophic levels that he could claw an entire Shanghai Shimao International Plaza out of the ground with his toes.
The Cheng family treated them like ordinary relatives: polite and courteous, but throughout the entire conversation they offered not the slightest bit of genuine warmth. They did not even ask why Pei Yuan Jin had joined the visiting party.
Courteous, but distant.
Madam Fu remained dissatisfied when they were leaving and quietly pulled her father aside. “An opportunity like this is hard to come by. Why not seize it?”
Father Cheng looked at the spirited confidence his daughter rarely displayed after marriage and gave a long sigh before telling her the truth. “The Fu family may appear to be flourishing like oil sizzling over a blazing fire, but in reality, it is the Fu family itself that has been set over the flames. Every step is difficult. At a time like this, doing less is better than doing more. Staying still is the only way to preserve a chance of survival.”
Madam Fu’s expression changed. “What do you mean?”
Father Cheng did not wish to say more. Prince Yunzhong’s failed struggle for the throne had drained every trace of ambition from him, and he had no desire to become entangled in such disputes ever again.
“Have Li An prepare properly for this spring’s Metropolitan Examination. No matter what happens to Count Yongfeng’s Estate in the future, the Cheng family will do everything it can to pave the road for him.” Father Cheng greatly liked that steady and courteous grandson.
But the unspoken meaning was—
beyond Fu Li An, there was little else he was willing or able to do.