It was quite reasonable.
After all, the Emperor sent Chu Junyi to the South of the Yangtze River just to deal with those unscrupulous merchants. But unexpectedly, those merchants were quite difficult to handle. The most crucial thing was that they had gunpowder in their hands.
Could it be that before his death, Fu Tonghuai had leaked it out by taking advantage of his position?
Li Xinyue thought carefully. When she came back to her senses, she heard Fu Chengyuan chattering away to Chu Junyi. After he finished, Fu Chengyuan bowed with clasped hands and then mentioned the welcoming feast in the evening.
Li Xinyue was worried that there might be a trick. She was just about to persuade Chu Junyi to decline when, to her surprise, Chu Junyi agreed without even thinking.
Li Xinyue frowned slightly. It was not until they left the county yamen that she asked why he had agreed. "We all know that the collateral branch of the Fu family is eager to get out of the shadow of the direct branch as soon as possible, so they will desperately try to curry favor with anyone they can. But you still offer yourself to them!"
"Your mother's relics are still in the Fu family."
Li Xinyue was slightly stunned.
Chu Junyi repeated seriously, "Your mother's relics are still in the Fu family. Don't you want them?"
Li Xinyue lowered her eyelids. She felt a twinge in her heart and didn't dare to look at him. Instead, she looked aside, and her tone softened a bit.
"I've already said that we should put the living first. Moreover, since your mother entered the palace, she never returned to the Fu family. Who knows if there are really any relics of your mother, and who knows if they really belong to her?"
"There's no need to take risks for something uncertain."
"Then do you want to take a look at your mother's boudoir?" Chu Junyi reached out to find her.
Li Xinyue unconsciously reached out her hand. But then she realized it was inappropriate and was just about to withdraw it when Chu Junyi's hand fell on hers. He gently squeezed her palm and then moved it away, placing it properly on her wrist.
Li Xinyue's heart fluttered, but the man seemed completely unaware. He continued, "Even though your mother was just a substitute back then, she must have been well - taken care of for a while before she got married. After all, the Fu family wanted to rely on her to maintain their prosperity forever, so there was no reason for them to treat her badly.
So, there must be a boudoir.
The relics may not be real, but the boudoir must be real. Don't you want to go and take a look at your mother's boudoir, and spend some alone time with her for the last time?"
"I..."
The words "for the last time" were like a stone dropped into a well, echoing heavily.
There were already no traces of her mother in the palace. Perhaps the Fu family was really the only place that could prove her mother's existence. And the Fu family was a complicated place. She might never come back again. So this time might really be the last chance for her to get close to her mother.
She wanted to go, but...
Li Xinyue's eyes turned red. She choked with so many emotions clogging her throat that she couldn't say a word.
Chu Junyi reached out his hand, found her head, and gently let it rest on his shoulder.
Then, as if thinking of something, he hooked his lips into a smile. "Want to thank me? Then protect me at the welcoming feast later."
...
"Lord Chu, I didn't know you had arrived in the South of the Yangtze River. I failed to welcome you, and you even encountered great danger and almost lost your life. I'm guilty. I'll punish myself with three cups of wine."
"Lord Fu, there's no need to blame yourself. I came in disguise and didn't want to alert too many people, so as not to tip off the enemy. It's understandable that you came late."
Li Xinyue stood slightly behind and to the side of Chu Junyi. Her eyes were vigilant, paying attention to the surrounding movements and Fu Chengyuan, who was raising his cup and saying he would punish himself with three cups.
When the servant came to pour the wine, she quietly stared at the wine pot, afraid that it might be a double - chambered pot. Only after seeing Fu Chengyuan drink from the same pot did she hand the wine cup in front of Chu Junyi to his hand, and then the chopsticks as well.
Thinking that he had taken risks for her mother's sake, as a way of repaying him, she was willing to protect him. So tonight, she was highly concentrated and full of fighting spirit. If there was an accident, she was ready to draw her sword at any time.
Chu Junyi felt the warmth left by her on the wine cup and chopsticks. A warm feeling welled up in his heart, and a gentle smile appeared on his face. In a good mood, he reached out and grabbed her clothes. "Yue'er, sit down too. There are no outsiders here. You don't need to be so formal."
Fu Chengyuan and the clerk looked at them ambiguously, but then quickly realized it was inappropriate and restrained themselves.
Li Xinyue realized that if she sat down, it would completely confirm her identity as a concubine. But she had no choice. Instead of letting them have wild thoughts and suspect other things, she had to confirm it.
Alas, she thought, she should have known better and not come. Wasn't the Princess Mansion a better place!
Fu Chengyuan and the clerk gave a knowing smile. It was a good thing for a man to be lustful.
If a man was lustful, there was a chance to win him over. If he was really honest and upright, that would be a problem.
This young imperial inspector from a humble family was just to their liking.
The clerk found an excuse and left first.
Fu Chengyuan gathered his thoughts and quickly called out, "Go and prepare a set of chopsticks and a bowl for Miss Yue'er."
Chu Junyi frowned and tapped the table lightly, looking displeased. "Lord Fu, I can call her like this, but you can't."
Fu Chengyuan understood. "Then may I ask the young lady's surname?"
"Surname Chu," the same as Chu Junyi's.
"Someone, go and prepare chopsticks and a bowl for Miss Chu quickly!"
Under the table, Li Xinyue stepped on Chu Junyi's foot. Chu Junyi frowned in pain and coughed lightly.
The gratitude Li Xinyue had felt for him just now had completely disappeared.
"Lord Chu, what should we do next regarding this case?"
"I've already reported this matter to the court and requested the court to send troops for reinforcement. Since these unscrupulous merchants dared to attack a court official, they must have anticipated the consequences. So in the future, their counter - attacks will only be more and more fierce. If we don't send troops to surround and annihilate them, we may not be able to eliminate them.
Therefore, when the court sends troops, Lord Fu, you should cooperate with me. You must not leak this matter and should hold back those unscrupulous merchants to prevent them from taking innocent civilians in the city as hostages in desperation.
In addition..."
"I'll have to trouble Lord Fu to ensure my personal safety."
Li Xinyue was slightly stunned. She didn't expect that Chu Junyi actually wanted to stay in the Fu Mansion. This move of turning the guest into the host was too risky.
She raised her eyes and glanced at Fu Chengyuan.
Fu Chengyuan's lips twitched slightly. He almost laughed and cried at the same time.
If Chu Junyi stayed in the Fu Mansion, wouldn't the killers bribed by those unscrupulous merchants turn the Fu Mansion into a sieve?
He just wanted to invite him to a meal. He didn't intend for him to stay!
But since things had come to this, he couldn't miss out on any benefits. Anyway, the purpose of inviting him to dinner was also for other reasons.
Now Fu Chengyuan didn't beat around the bush anymore. He said directly, "I'm sure you already know about the conflicts between the direct and collateral branches of our Fu family.
My direct cousin is really disgraceful. He has colluded with merchants for many years, done many immoral things, and is also involved with some politicians in the court. Now that I've taken over his position, I'm in a desperate situation.
The politicians above come from noble families and are no longer willing to associate with our Fu family.
Our Fu family has an unstable foundation in the officialdom and is on the verge of collapse. We can only turn to those from humble families.
Although you are highly valued by the Emperor, you come from a humble family. You also have to be very careful in the court. So, how about we help each other and complement each other?"
Li Xinyue looked at Chu Junyi.
She had said that the Fu family would never miss any opportunity to curry favor.
Chu Junyi gave a soft laugh but didn't say a word.
Fu Chengyuan got anxious and immediately brought up Princess Yuanyang.
Li Xinyue pricked up her ears and listened carefully.