Higher Level Wife

by Usui Takumii

not mine, Kitchennovel. Waiting for the translater to update.

11. 101 to 110

Yu'shi and Luo'shi remained in place, staring at the door until they [1] estimated that Jin Fengju and Fu Qiuning had left the palace. The encounter had felt like a dream. [1] A lost daughter's visit, followed by a meeting with the handsome and [1] frighteningly important son-in-law. The ladies were still reeling from the impact of his visit. [1] Why would he visit the concubine mother of a shu-born wife? Was it a warning? If so, what for? Was it a show to Qiuning how much he cared for her? If so, was it good thing or a bad one? Did they make a good impression? Would he hate Qiuning after being reminded of her low birth status?

[1] The two women rarely left the inner court. Though Yu'shi had spent some time living in a village, those days were shrouded with fear, suffering and numbness. They had been brought up like hothouse flowers, had either survived or were overlooked in harem battles and had been through too much to dare imagine a future that was too promising for Fu Qiuning.

[1] Her life might be good now, but as they both knew, it could all change in a blink of an eye.

After a long while, a maid, Ju Shuang, said, "Madam Concubine, don't just stare at the door, ah. Let's have a quick look and see how many gold leaves there are."

At that, and with the confidence of a confidante, she picked up the purse and hastily untied it. She let out a shriek and exclaimed, "Heavens, ah! There should be… about 20 gold taels here?" She poured out the contents of the bag. They found that, in addition to gold leaves, there were also golden peanuts too. The little beads were larger than soybeans. From the weight alone, all of them should be worth 20 gold taels in total.

Ju Shuang cried out again, "Heavens, ah! Here I thought the Young Miss is already very generous. After all, she is confined within the inner court with its own strict rules, but still dared to give us [2] 20 silver taels. But to think that the Young Master is even more extravagant, to randomly bet and win 20 gold taels…"

Luo'shi [2] flashed her a look, then gave Yu'shi a more cautious look. When the other woman did nothing but dab her eyes, she raised her voice and said, "You are too naïve. You really believe him? Why don't you take a look at this purse? The delicate embroidery aside, it is clearly not new. It must be something the Young Marquis carried on his person often. In other words, his personal property. He must have seen our dire straits and decided to be generous with his money." Then, she turned to Concubine Yu, "Sister, you have been so anxious all these years, but now that you have seen how well the Young Master treats the Young Miss, surely you may be at ease now?"

Concubine Yu dabbed her eyes again, "Should I be? What is money after all? So long as the Young Master treats the Young Miss well, even if I descend to the nine springs, I can still smile."

Luo'shi's nose felt suddenly felt sour. She shook her head and sobbed, "Why are you crying now? Finally, hope has arrived for you. Unlike me who doesn't even have half a child, you at least have a daughter."

Yu'shi hastily said, "I have survived all these years thanks to Elder Sister's care. Otherwise, how could I appreciate today's blessing? Do not worry. Qiuning is my daughter, and she is also your daughter. If she wishes to be filial, naturally, she will be filial to us both. Now that we have this money, our days need not be so hard. Isn't this good? I'm sure our lives will only get better after this."

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Enough about Yu'shi and Luo'shi wiping their eyes and their hopeful imaginations for the future. Let us move on to the moment when Fu Qiuning was in the middle of getting into the carriage, preparing to leave the palace.

Jin Fengju had arrived on horseback. Thus, when it was time to return, he handed the horse to Jin Ming and got into the carriage after Fu Qiuning. Naturally, Aunt Yu and Yu Jie could not get into the same carriage as their master and mistress and had to sit inside a different carriage [3] that was used to hold the gifts Fu Qiuning brought for her mother.

"Well? Has the matter been carried out?" As soon as the carriage began to move, Jin Fengju sat facing Fu Qiuning and could not wait to ask this question.

"And here I was wondering why Lord Husband is so anxious to have me back, to the point that he personally arrived to pick me up. So, it turns out that the Lord Husband is anxious for news," Fu Qiuning's smile was bright and professional. "Do not worry, you are right on time. Why do you think the maid so helpfully supported your suggestion to take me back? She was anxious to report to my father. In addition to the crucial news, I also let it slip that time is of the essence. She was so sure of her news and so anxious that she even dared to interrupt her master's conversation to convey her message."

[5] Which, thought Fu Qiuning, was totally stupid since she could still convey said information regardless of whether I was in the palace or not.

Jin Fengju raised his palms, smiled and said, "In other words, she is a wonderfully efficient and well-trained maid. I must say, the feudal king's estate is very good at training their servants."

[5] Fu Qiuning frowned. She thought: Well trained? Good? Is he being sarcastic?

The Young Marquis went on to say, "As for saying that I am anxious to have you back, you are wrong. Am I such a restless and impatient person? I'm only here because Feng'er and Jiao'er missed you so much that they could not sleep well these past two nights. The palace also sent a vague message about how your father is dissatisfied about the lack of care his daughter had received these past six years and wished to keep you there."

He suddenly frowned and said, "Qiuning, have you displayed some rare talent for them to show this degree of care? That is, did you sing the Yue or Huangmei opera in front of them…"

[6] He trailed off as Fu Qiuning's gaze became stony.

[6] He coughed, "That is, did you…"

[6] "I meant to die with the knowledge. It was never meant to be shown or heard. Ever." Her gaze did not change as she continued, "You forced it out of me, remember that."

[6] There was an awkward silence in the carriage and nothing was heard besides the rattling of the carriage wheels. Fu Qiuning's gaze eventually went to the side as she looked out the window. "Not even my mother knows about the singing."

[6] The implication that he had forced her remained hanging in the air.

[4] There was a cough and a forced cheerful, "Well, well, if that is the case. That message must be a test from the palace. To, to find out if we really care for you…"

[7] "…after all, it's not like they could ever really care for me unless I have this rare talent that could potentially give them an edge and thus made me an important commodity?" [7a] Fu Qiuning kept her eyes on the window carriage as she recalled the moment when the so-called 'loving husband' had more or less laughed at her when she reminded him of his promise to protect her. Smugly telling her that he intended to use her and make her sing in the palace for some stupid talent show. "It is fine, I understand."

[7b] She forced a smile and said lightly, "Regardless of the reason, this humble woman is honoured to be personally picked up by the Young Marquis."

[4] "…I shall admit it, I am anxious. Regardless of the reason, it is natural for me to be anxious. After all, your father and I are like fire and water in this life. There is no possibility of repairing this relationship, otherwise, I would have personally sent you to their place. Right now, I have shorted myself a little, but it is for the sake of a bigger plan. Therefore, it doesn't matter…" Jin Fengju [8] began his explanation earnestly enough, but then caught himself. Suddenly, he ground his teeth and narrowed his eyes at her and said, "Truly? You truly felt honoured? Then, why are you always so cold to me?"

[4] "Surely Lord Husband's statement wrongs this humble woman?" [9] Fu Qiuning worked hard to keep the sneer off her face. First, he randomly accused her of something she would never do. Then, he took offence at her being cold to him after he had left her alone for over six years. Like, what the hell, dude?

[9] Instead, she stared at a spot next to his ear. She just could not look into those pleading eyes and not laugh herself sick at the irony, and said in an even tone, "When has this humble woman ever not respected and honoured Lord Husband at every visit to Night Breeze Pavilion? Perhaps, Lord Husband could point out where this humble woman had misstepped?"

"Yes, you have always been very respectful and honourable, it's just… it's not what I wish for…" Jin Fengju muttered with a bitter smile. Then, he shook his head and said, "It's fine, it's fine, back then, I was the one who made the vow. Unless you yourself change your mind, I will never break my promise. You have my word."

[10] So says the man who in the same breath included a convenient condition of 'unless you yourself change your mind'. [10a] Fu Qiuning was under no illusion that this man would harass and pressure her indirectly to make her give in. Thus far, he was doing all this because he wanted to appear like a 'good person'. This was the same man who was willing to throw a loyal secondary wife under the bus to gloss over the fact that he could have easily avoided the situation if he had just acquiesced to her only request to him.

[10a] Instead, he had tried to hold Aunt Yu's matter over her head and it ended up backfiring to the point that Prince Lie was involved, Prince Rong doubting his loyalty, Elder Madam Jiang and Jiang Wanying possibly hating her even more. Perhaps it would even create a rift between Third Brother Zhang and Aunt Yu if she ever finds out the man she loved had betrayed her mistress like this.

[10b] However, regardless of how two-faced and disgusting this man was, she could only swallow her frustration and maintain a dignified position. She had to hedge her bets and retain her virginity for as long as she could. Feeling a lot like one of those palace schemers, she decided to change the topic and said, "Just now, why did you give my mother the gold leaves? I'm sure that's the purse that Lord Husband often uses. Thus, it cannot have been from a bet, right?"

[10b] There, this would give him an opportunity to change the subject, boast about his generosity and make him feel big about himself.

[4] Indeed, Jin Fengju eagerly laughed and said, "I did win the gold leaves from a bet, but not the gold peanuts. No matter, that was merely some emergency money I keep on my person. I generally use this one," he pulled another delicately embroidered purse out. He laughed again and said, "After all, who on earth would spend gold leaves or gold peanuts in the streets? Still, you best remember that you owe me a purse now. Make a bigger one. Perhaps, the next time we visit them, I could fill even more money as a filial offering for your mother.

Really, here I thought they would at least put up an appearance for your visit. To think that they would have no such scruples and left your mother still in that shabby state. If I were you, I'd hate them to death and would never ever be their spy. To be so stingy, and yet still despicable enough to try to coax you into assisting them."

[10c] You mean, unlike you who filled my courtyard with riches 'for show'? You are right, they are stingier than you. However, who is more despicable is still up for debate. You and that hated King Zhenjiang are basically the same type of people in the end.

Instead of saying all that, she smiled and said, "There is no need to remind me. Do not worry, I only have you to depend on in this lifetime, isn't that right?"

Jin Fengju laughed again, [4] and it sounded rather loud in the carriage. He shook his head and said, "I don't mean that. Clearly, you have misconstrued my gentleman's intention with the heart of a villain, moreover-"

There was a sudden jolt and Fu Qiuning felt her bottom float over the seats. The next thing she knew, she had fallen into a warm embrace. [11] Crap, what crackhead author wrote this scene? Reluctantly, Fu Qiuning looked up and saw Jin Fengju's surprised eyes looking down at her.

[11a] F*ck, how should I react?

[11b] Before she could make a decision, the carriage lurched again, sending her head first into a pile of expensive cloth. F*ck, his clothes could probably feed us for a year!

When she managed to get up again, the surprised look in Jin Fengju's eyes had been replaced by mirth. [12] Fu Qiuning knew this scene. It was the obligatory 'Aiya!' scene where the MC fell into the arms of the ML for romantic advancement reasons. She had looked forward to these scenes in the past and had squealed along with fellow fans, dreaming about being the MC falling into the arms of a handsome ML. Unfortunately, this handsome ML was a scum of the highest degree, and worse, did not seem to know it even as he condemned others for acting the same way. If she had a choice…

[12] Unfortunately, she had no choice. For better or worse, she was stuck. Even if she chose to abandon the twins and her maids, where would she go? In the past, she could probably skate by with a little money and work to supplement her life as a maid in a small house, but now? Considering how this seemingly 'kind and affectionate' Lord Husband of hers had turned his back on his own mother and the secondary wife that had worked so hard to serve him…

[12] No, better to maintain the status quo as long as possible.

[12a] Anger and frustration caused her cheeks to flush and she turned away to shout, "What happened? Why is the carriage being jolted so badly? Are we travelling on mountain roads?"

"Madam, there seem to be several large rocks on the road. The carriage nearly overturned. Steward Jin is checking the situation with someone," the carriage driver explained quickly.

Jin Fengju chuckled gently. He helped Qiuning back to her seat and, after patting and touching [12b] her a little too long, he said in a gentle tone, "Are you alright? Did you twist your foot?"

"No," Fu Qiuning [12c] did her best to stay as still as she could, not wanting to make any other moves that could be misconstrued as her throwing herself at him. After all, who knew whether this person would interpret this as 'you yourself change your mind'? There were just too many loopholes in this so-called gentleman's promise.

Therefore, even though she was tempted to spit up blood, she merely said, "Why would there be rocks in the middle of a city road? You should go and have a look too. It is one thing if it's just a childish prank, but quite another if it is something else."

[4] Thankfully, Jin Fengju nodded and left the carriage. Fu Qiuning leaned back and closed her eyes. She could hear Jin Ming's voice coming through intermittently. Words such as 'bloodstains' and 'not easy to discover' were heard. Well, it made sense for Jin Ming to report to his master.

Later, Jin Fengju lifted the carriage curtain and said, "Qiuning, you should return to the marquisate with Aunt Yu and Yu Jie first. When you're back, just say that I have encountered something on the way and left first. There is no need to inform them about this." Then, he was gone with the sound of fading hoof beats.

[13] A twinge of worry disturbed her heart as she pondered over the bits she had overheard from Jin Ming's report. [13a] Then again, from the inexplicable bump and near-kiss scene, this was most likely some love-heavy novel with a thin plot, so there was probably no need for her to worry about outside influences like war or famine. Unless it was written by someone who is into great tragedy…

[13a] Whatever, all that had nothing to do with her. The great and clever Young Marquis could do his thing while she returned to the inner court to fend off other women from her territory and grow mould. Please let her grow mould, she really didn't want to come into the light.

After lowering the curtain, she leaned back helplessly and said to the driver, "Go."

The carriage rumbled forward and Fu Qiuning eventually fell asleep in her corner, to the sound of the carriage wheels and her maids' whisperings. She sighed, [13b] these ancient people really have nothing to do but gossip.

Back at the Marquisate, Fu Qiuning made her way towards Old Madam Jin's place first. It was close to dinner time and she found Madam Jiang, Madam Fang as well as Concubine Xu and Concubine Huo there. Jiang Wanying was not around. As the lady in charge of the household accounts, this happened to be one of her busier times. Fu Qiuning took the opportunity to give her salutations to the elders and greetings to the juniors, even presenting the gifts that the Palace had prepared for them.

The gifts were fairly valuable. In fact, they were even more lavish than her original dowry back when she first married in. After all, the Jinxiang Marquisate was nothing like what it used to be, therefore, how could the Zhenjiang Palace people dare be as contemptuous as six years ago?

However, it was only natural that none of the people there cared for the gifts. The Old Ancestor merely cast a glance at her gift before ordering someone to put it away. Madam Jiang coldly snorted and turned her head away, clearly recalling the humiliation done to her son six years ago. Only Madam Fang cared to bestow a few words to Fu Qiuning for the gift.

Finally, Old Madam Jin said, "The children are still at school. They should be back soon. Where is Fengju? Isn't he with you? Why haven't you returned together?"

Fu Qiuning answered according to Jin Fengju's instructions.

Just then, Jiang Wanying happened to return. When she caught sight of Fu Qiuning, she warmly welcomed her home. She even turned to Qiu Xia and said, "Now that Elder Sister is home, I should return and arrange for someone to send venison and pheasants to your place. That's right, we just received some fresh vegetables from the farm a day ago." She turned to Fu Qiuning and smiled, "Sister is so fortunate to return at this time, otherwise, these vegetables would not have touched your lips. It is all thanks to the ingenuity of our farmers who planted these vegetables in a hothouse. I fear that Lord Husband shall visit your place soon. Luckily Elder Sister may prepare some dishes with these vegetables to entertain him."

Fu Qiuning was quick to thank her, never telling Jiang Wanying that Night Breeze Pavilion had its own hothouse where all kinds of hotpot-related vegetables were being grown. Everyone sat down and chatted a little longer. Not long after that, school was over. When Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao entered the house and spotted their mother, they grew very excited but dared not act too unrestrained in front of others.

Old Madam Jin laughed, "Qiuning, you, Fang'er and Jiao'er shall have dinner at my place today, ba. Usually, I am the one who receives food from them and I rarely reciprocate." At this, everyone laughed out loud. When dinner was served, Madam Jiang and Madam Fang also stayed to eat with the Old Madam. Once dinner was over, everyone returned to their own residences.

Back at Night Breeze Pavilion.

It was likely that Jin Fengju had ordered servants to clean the place in their absence. [1] The whole place was unusually bright and sparkly, probably due to the increased number of exquisite stuff added in by Jin Fengju. The former cold palace, Night Breeze Pavilion, was now filled to the brim with expensive things. It looked like a museum piece to Fu Qiuning's untrained eye, or a very expensive period set. Being surrounded by exquisite things made her extremely uncomfortable.

Also, who is going to dust all these very expensive knickknacks?

Fortunately, Fu Qiuning had the children to distract her. After not having seen each other for three whole days, they were even more fond and affectionate with each other. After asking after their lessons and how they were being treated by their peers at school, Jin Changfeng said, "Most are still fine, especially Zhenxuan from the Honourable Mother's place. He's smart and diligent, and would speak to me now and then. The most troublesome one is Concubine Mother Xu's Zhenyi. He's always looking for an opportunity to make trouble,

I kept ignoring him, but that just made him even more annoying. He had even thrown an inkstone at me. I tried to dodge it but a corner of it still hit me in the forehead. When I returned to Old Madam's place, the Old Madam wanted to know what happened. I didn't want to say anything but Sister's mouth was too fast. Old Madam told off Concubine Mother Xu, so he restrained himself these past two days. However, I get the feeling that he hates me even more. I really don't know what to do."

Fu Qiuning frowned, "What a reckless thing. It is still unclear who instigated him into this. There is no need to reason with him. If he wishes to make a move so much, just be smart. Wait until the teacher is about to arrive and provoke him a little. Be sure to endure and not retaliate. Once the teacher witnesses his actions, he would naturally be punished. Since you have always been studious and hardworking, the teacher would not suspect you. This is one of the secrets to protecting yourself. You must slowly learn them, otherwise… alas! Who asked you to be born into such a household? I'm afraid you are destined to never live harmoniously with your brothers and sisters."

Jin Changfeng smiled and said, "Mother is right. This son has an upright nature and did not think of this good scheme."

Just then, Jin Changjiao came forward and started chattering about her adventures at school. About how she had won against Jin Xiuzhen in playing the qin and giggled non-stop. She also took out her embroidery to show Fu Qiuning. Unfortunately, she was too impatient and her two mandarin ducks looked more like a pair of wild ducks.

Fu Qiuning asked after Jin Zhuan and Lu Hua's health. Mother and children talked until evening. Since the children had to go to school the next day, she sent them to bed early and had the lamps put out.

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After that, there was no sight of Jin Fengju for the next few days. Fu Qiuning guessed that he must have been busy with something. However, [2] considering this person's ability to change according to the situation and his ability to keep a cool head and plot against the enemy, she was not at all worried. In fact, she could not help but thought that this Prince Rong had truly lucked out by having Jin Fengju in his corner. Leaving aside the fact that he was the sixth-born son, his situation was fairly similar to a young Emperor Yongzheng [3]. As the thirteenth prince, he had gotten onto the throne thanks to… doing nothing and showing filial piety to his Imperial Father. There was more to it, of course, but the core of it was basically 'doing nothing'. Looks like Jin Fengju's [3a] main plan for Prince Rong was similar to the Thirteenth Prince: Keep doing nothing and show filial piety. This Jin Fengju's ability to scheme clearly does not lose to the Thirteenth Prince.

It was another day of light snow. Snowflakes continued to fall until late into the night.

The next morning, Fu Qiuning went out with her urn to collect more snow from the plum blossoms. After lunch, she went out to collect more snow again. On the way back, she stopped by the hothouse and found that the spinach, rapeseed and lettuce had all grown. The leaves were very fresh, tender, and sweet looking. In fact, they were fresher and much better looking than the stuff sent over by Jiang Wanying.

Tempted by the abundance, she took a basket, collected some fresh greens and informed Aunt Yu, "Let's have [4] hotpot tonight. Don't we still have some of those silver charcoal? I do believe we haven't used any yet. So, let us use some tonight. You set up the fire while I prepare the sauces."

Although something like [4] hotpot existed in that world, it was a very simple affair. The meat was generally eaten with pickled vegetables, tofu slices, meat slices and starch noodles. [4] It was basically just simmered in a clear soup until everything was ready to be eaten. Generally, meat was favoured when it came to hotpots in that era. However, after coming into that world, Aunt Yu and Yu Jie had been converted by Fu Qiuning to enjoy eating vegetable hotpot with seasoning sauce. Naturally, they grew to like that kind of hotpot better, especially [4a] since it was one of the few hot dishes they had huddled over together to eat during winter when meat was scarce. Their mistress somehow managed to coax the vegetables to grow in the hothouse, which supplemented their diet a little. In a way, being able to eat vegetables in winter was even more luxurious than having meat, so they were even fonder of vegetable hotpot.

When it came to the sauce, Fu Qiuning decided to get started on the sesame seed sauce first. She already had a basic sesame seed sauce, but for the hotpot, she added some chopped pickled leek flowers and a little hoisin sauce. Perhaps it was because the ingredients here were fresh and pesticide-free, the sauces she prepared here were even better than the ones at modern restaurants.

Naturally, when Aunt Yu and Yu Jie heard they would be having hotpot, they both cheered and moved about quickly to get everything ready.

As for Fu Qiuning, [4b] perhaps infected by the cheerful mood, she went a little overboard and ended up preparing a large bowl of sesame seed dipping sauce. Fu Qiuning smiled wryly, "Oh well, looks like we don't have to prepare other sauces now. Also, if we have any of this leftover, we can mix them with some fresh vegetables and make a nice refreshing salad."

Even as she spoke, she wiped her hands and left the kitchen. It was just about the time when Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao should be returning from school.

Unexpectedly, when the courtyard door opened, several people came in at once. Fu Qiuning saw them from the window in the main room and quickly stepped out. She thought: Here I thought I had misstepped by making [4b] too much of one kind of sauce, but it turns out I have two more foodies for dinner?

Should I make [4b] another sauce?

While she was pondering over some pointless details, Jin Fengju had already reached the main door with Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao under each arm. He smiled at her, "You are very quick to come out, have you been watching the door, waiting for the children to return?"

Fu Qiuning smiled, "I had nothing to do, thought the children should be back around this time and came out to have a look. It is a pointless exercise, I know."

Jin Fengju sighed, "A mother's loving heart moves the heaven and earth, how could it be considered pointless?" As he spoke, he entered the house with the children. Fu Qiuning took his cloak, brushed the snow off and hung it up.

"Go to the kitchen and see what good thing they are making," Jin Fengju unsubtly drove the children away and Fu Qiuning knew he wanted to speak to her privately.

She thought: In fact, he most likely wants to eat here too. However, I can always hope that he is having a busy day and will rush off just as quickly as he appeared.

"Lord Husband's mood appears to be very good today. The corners of your eyes and lips are filled with cheer, has something good happened?" Fu Qiuning said with a smile, [1a] taking the initiative to start the conversation since the Young Marquis had not said anything despite nearly vibrating with anticipation.

"A good thing, a very good thing indeed. Not only I, but I fear your father and grandfather will be ecstatic too." Jin Fengju laughed out loud as he sat on the kang bed, the smile on his face smug [1a] and filled with self-congratulations.

"Prince Hong finally could not help himself and sent a petition?" Fu Qiuning continued. [5] Since the man wanted to look cool in front of the woman he was chasing, she might as well give him the opportunity to show off.

"As expected, you are exceptionally brilliant," Jin Fengju gave her a sidelong glance. "You've guessed it already? But you refused to speak it out?" [5]

[5a] Fu Qiuning smiled vaguely. Inside, she seethed: First, you bait me into letting you show off and now you accuse me of, what? Deliberately flattering you? This is basic TV drama plot, also, the plan I am actually privy to. I would have to be as stupid as those Zhenjiang Palace spies to not know what is going on.

Instead of saying all of this, she poured tea for Jin Fengju and said, "What of the emperor's reaction? I supposed he cannot be too happy about Prince Lie?" [6]

"Oh, the emperor is very angry, of course. How could he not? Prince Lie was fined a year's salary as well as an additional three thousand silver taels. Another official was appointed for the winter disaster relief work at the capital. The two incompetents at Liaodong were also dismissed as they could never be put to use," Jin Fengju was smirking as he rattled off the punishments. "What do you think? The result is not bad, right?"

Fu Qiuning smiled, "As to whether the result is satisfactory, Lord Husband is the clearest. What do I know? Only, after reporting Prince Lie, Prince Hong side is now…?"

Jin Fengju smiled and said, "Prince Hong's side, well, well, he naturally receives a reward. The emperor has always been clear with his punishments and rewards. This time, the reward is spectacularly generous. Not only was he rewarded with rare antiques and treasures, but also a six-clawed dragon robe. Let me ask you, isn't this a great reward? Both the civil and military side of the court is in an uproar. Qiuning, thanks to you, Prince Hong has finally caused a powerful sensation this round and even the people from Zhenjiang Palace are beaming with joy."

[1a] Instead of reacting to his taunting, Fu Qiuning frowned, "A six-clawed dragon robe? What is that thing?"

Jin Fengju laughed, "It's no wonder you did not know. The actual dragon robe worn by His Majesty only has four claws. As for this six-clawed robe, unless it is a heaven and earth-shaking achievement, one could never receive such a robe. It is the symbol of the emperor's supreme honour. Now that Prince Hong has obtained this six-clawed robe, one could say that he is practically a saint ascending the pedestal.

Moreover, this is only the second six-clawed robe bestowed by the emperor ever since he took the throne. The first robe was bestowed to Old General Lu, who had single-handedly driven out the barbarians back to the northern desolate mountains, ensuring that they would never dare offend our borders again.

This second robe was given to Prince Hong, showing that the emperor's favour upon Prince Hong is quite substantial. His Majesty even praised him as an exemplary man with 'loyalty, filial piety, diligence and selflessness' before all the civil and military officials. Such lofty praises, ah."

Fu Qiuning smiled in reply. [a] It was clear that he wanted to be praised, therefore, she obliged and said, "Shady words should not be spoken before righteous people. If the favour received by Prince Hong really is so great, I'm afraid the first one to froth in the mouth with unease would be Lord Husband. There is no need to feign such reactions before me. Tell me quickly now, just what is going on? You only make me anxious with your words. I fear Prince Rong must also be quite anxious? Are you able to console him?"

At the mention of Prince Rong, Jin Fengju could not help the 'puu~~' of laughter that escaped his mouth. Shaking his head, he said, "That person, ah. Well, he is still able to hold his temper and maintain composure in court. However, once court was over, he dragged me anxiously to his palace. There was a bout of foot-stamping and chest-beating, and he all but openly blamed me for it."

[b] Since Jin Fengju was laughing, Fu Qiuning covered her mouth and made her eyebrows twitch up as she tittered, mirroring his amusement. "I believe that with Prince Rong's personality, being able to hold himself back at court is already a great achievement. Still, Lord Husband, how could you laugh? Are you so sure that this is the best method? [c]"

In Jin Fengju's point of view [d], Fu Qiuning was looking at him with eyes that were bright and glossy with curiosity, with lips plumped into a pout of aggrieved suspicion. He was so overwhelmed by the image that he nearly blurted out 'Come, let me hug you and I shall tell you the trick~' [e] Unfortunately, because of the vow he had made back then, though his heart throbbed with love and affection, he dared not let anything slipped out of his mouth.

He had already made several overtures, both subtle and unsubtle, and understood that if he did not wait for Fu Qiuning to fall in love with him and act on that love herself, if he were to rush over and devour tofu [1], he would end up with a soot-covered face and a mouth full of dirt instead. That is to say, if he were to voice the feelings in his heart and she twisted her head away and left, would he be able to step off the stage with his dignity intact?

The words rolled on the tip of his tongue several times, but were swallowed back into his belly in the end. His heart throbbed with hidden passion, he could not help but feel disappointed as he thought: Qiuning, ah, Qiuning. What should I do for you to forgive me? How long do I have to wait before you let me embrace your soft jade body and enjoy an armful of the warm fragrance of spring? [2]

Alas, when Fu Qiuning noticed the joy in Jin Fengju's face [e] deepen into some darker emotions, her heart skipped a beat. She thought: Have I overplayed my 'mirroring' act and showed too much admiration for him? How hateful. That face may be good-looking, but… fine, he is very good-looking. Objectively, he has a heaven-defying face and that smile should be considered illegal. In some ways, perhaps insisting we 'be friends' is the wrong move. That's how 'friend zoned' men often act. They believe that the 'friend zone' is some sort of community service they have to fulfil before a girl falls into their arms like a prize.

[h] How disgusting, ah. Fang Chuyu, you are too unfortunate, even in this world you have a 'friend zone' fiend salivating on the side to get under your skirt. This was one of the many reasons why I left the professional opera world. To think that I would encounter such scum in this world too? Moreover, I am in a worse situation, since, if I were to give in and love him, he would certainly lose interest, because he is that kind of person. However, if I were to resist, he would stick on like a burr. There is really no winning for a woman in this world.

For a while, Fu Qiuning despaired over her options. [i] If she was back in the modern world, she could still report stalkers or call the police. Here, however, she was stuck. There was no way to go and the person closest to her was a pervert with delusions of heroism. Should she feed into his ego? Should she hold back?

While she was suffering silently, Jin Fengju smiled and laid down, his hands under his head in a casual pose as he said in a gentle voice, "It's not simple. Of course, nothing is as simple as it seems. If the emperor truly favours Prince Hong for reporting this, why did he not have him take over Prince Lie's duties and preside over the winter disaster prevention affairs?

It is important to understand that His Majesty values 'face' the most. Every winter, he is most concerned about the livelihood of the people, and therefore the silver allocated to the winter relief would also be quite substantive. By not handing the winter disaster prevention affairs to Prince Hong means he is still not at ease with this prince.

His Majesty being not at ease means that he has raised his guard. As for the substantial reward, one could say that it is like 'adding flowers to brocade', however, it could also be 'adding oil to fire', could it not? The more oil one pours into a fire, the hotter it burns. One day, Prince Hong would be burned to the point that not even his bones would remain."

[k] It actually took Fu Qiuning a moment to realise that Jin Fengju was still monologuing his thoughts to her. While laying down. To better perform the part of a 'talented scholar at ease', she supposed. Since they had now entered into an act, Fu Qiuning also played her part and said hesitantly, "Is it that serious? In the end, Prince Hong is still the emperor's own son. How could he watch his own son burn in a fire with his own eyes?"[j]

Jin Fengju sat up, [k] now readying himself to play the part of 'enraged official', Fu Qiuning privately rolled her eyes. As expected, the man sneered and said, "What goodwill and feelings could one expect when born into the imperial family? Have you never heard that the most ruthless of families in the world is the emperor's own family? The father is not the father, but the emperor. A son is not a son, but a subject. Brothers are not brothers, but rivals. Enough about this, you are a woman and telling you all this might shock you. I shall tell you one thing only. Once a person is bestowed with a six-clawed robe, they will never receive a four-clawed robe. He is now the model for all ministers. He shall continue to be an important member of the court. However, he should never covet the dragon throne that is within spitting distance."

"I see," Fu Qiuning blinked and sat up on the kang bed, with widened eyes and a hand over her mouth. "Goodness, it seems like such a trivial matter, and yet, this move has… unexpectedly knocked Prince Hong out of the running? This seems… almost like a child's play. Lord Husband, are you sure you are not being too optimistic?"

Jin Feng waved his hand and said, "I have said this before, it is only logical for Prince Hong to take over Prince Lie's responsibility after discovering his mistakes. However, the old man is clearly being defensive. Perhaps it is old age or that he hated the thought of his royal sons grabbing the throne from him that prompted this move.

For the past year or two, the emperor has been growing rather suspicious. It is because of this that I advised Brother-in-law to bide his time and not be too intimate with any of the courtiers. Therefore, he only has me and we merely spoke of trivial things when we are together.

For the responsibilities I undertake, he does not dare to intervene at all. For the jobs under his jurisdiction, I will occasionally give a word or two of advice, but dare not intervene too deeply. Thus far, it has kept his position safe. After this incident, one could say that Prince Hong's fate is sealed. Unless something major happens, it would be very difficult for him to turn things around. The most ridiculous thing is, despite not having a real advisor by his side, he could still dance about in joy at this point."

Fu Qiuning nodded and sighed, "It is true that accompanying the emperor is like accompanying a tiger, and only a person as smart as Lord Husband can see through the tricks."

Jin Fengju also sighed immediately in return, "Yes, accompanying the emperor is like accompanying a tiger, so what if I can see through his tricks? I still have to feign ignorance. Before such a shrewd emperor, even avoiding a clumsy action is like trying to fly to the sky. A single slip-up and one could be found out.

All these years, everyone believed that I have achieved great success. Only I know that I am walking on thin ice. His Majesty's intentions are still not clear to me. He knows very well that I am related to Brother-in-law, but still bestows great favour on me. Each time I tried to withdraw from the limelight, somehow, I could never succeed. It really makes my heart skip with fright, ah."

These words had always existed in Jin Fengju's mind. However, they were never spoken before Prince Rong, his parents, grandmother, or his wives and concubines. Tonight, however, these words unintentionally spilt out. Once the words were out, he realised his mistake and he quickly beamed at her, saying, "Do not worry, if something ever happens to me, I shall explain things clearly to Brother-in-law and make sure you are safe. Even after Old Madam reaches her hundredth year of age, I shall arrange so that you may retreat from the world without having to worry over lack of food and clothing.

If… a major change were to happen in the future, so much so that Brother-in-law could not become the Crown Prince or sit on the most honourable seat, I'm afraid the wealth and honour of the marquisate would have reached its end. Even so, I have already planned for a way out long ago.

If that happens, the family will resign from our title, return to the ancestral homeland and guard a good thousand hectares of good land. Living a life of a rich landowner could also be considered never having to worry over a lack of food and clothing."

Fu Qiuning looked at Jin Fengju. [l] The script had somehow changed without her knowing. If Jin Fengju had still been doing his part in their duet, he should be boasting about how his scheme would definitely succeed. That is how most scripts would go. As a transmigrator from the modern era, she was all too familiar with the cruel struggles of court politics.

Even a great and meritorious minister would find it hard to avoid the fate of the 'Abandoned Bow when the Birds are Gone'. Therefore, she had always been wary of the emperor's favour. In a way [l] it was almost like Jin Fengju's favour upon her, filled with half-hidden desires and hidden schemes. What surprised her most was how casually and matter-of-factly he had said that the family would resign their title and retreat to the ancestral land.

[l] She cautiously said, "That Lord Husband is able to say these words, one could tell that you are a person of great wisdom. So long as the matter remains the same and is dealt with correctly, Prince Rong should succeed the throne, from what I hear Lord Husband speak of Prince Rong. Lord Husband should not suffer the fate of being dealt with like an abandoned bow when the birds are gone."

"So you can see clearly too," Jin Fengju's smile was faint. "If everything were to move as it should, that would be the best. Even so, once Brother-in-law truly is favoured by the emperor to be the Crown Prince, it is possible that the situation would not leave me a way to… live."

"Surely not?" [m] the words were almost reflexive. After all, it is perfectly natural to protest when someone declared that they would die soon.

"Does Qiuning have some brilliant scheme?" Jin Fengju knew that he should divert the topic and not speak of this matter anymore. This was getting close to the deepest fears in his heart, something which he had never revealed to others. Definitely not with Fu Qiuning, a woman whom he wanted to impress, whom he had wronged and now desired above others. [l] However, it was as though all the acting he had done just now had taken over his body and he was helpless to control himself. Everything felt a little unreal.

Perhaps… he also wanted to know what Fu Qiuning had to say.

As for [l] Fu Qiuning, she had always heard the saying that 'Acting is Truth Telling'. That when a person put on an act, they are in actual fact, showing a hidden truth. Her final reaction to Jin Fengju's words was the truth because he had finally revealed his own truth.

The question now, is how should she react to this final truth?

[1] Now that this man had suddenly decided that she was the best venting ground for his deepest darkest secrets, Fu Qiuning found herself having to do a lot of the emotional heavy lifting and doing her best to reassure him, even though there was really nothing she could do about his situation. Moreover, she had to soothe him over a situation of his own making. Who asked him to be so competent before the emperor? [1a] He talked big about wanting to retreat from the limelight, but when he found out about my opera skills, who was it that was so eager to go back on his word and all but forced me to perform in public?

[1] Whatever, perhaps she could make use of this sudden clinginess and win some goodwill points and have some kind of emotional hold, tenacious though it was, over this flighty man. Also, who is to say this sudden bout of vulnerability was not manufactured?

Thus, after some thought, she slowly opened her mouth and said, "Should the emperor truly care for His Highness Prince Rong, he should also know about your ability after so many years of service to the throne. The emperor of all people should understand your worth. If you have not given His Majesty reason to believe that you plotted to usurp the throne, he should not have any reason to do anything to you.

All these years, Prince Rong had abstained from both civil and military affairs, with very few supporters. Lord Husband could be said to be Prince Rong's most powerful supporter. When the time comes, perhaps this dynasty would need Lord Husband to provide some checks and balances. Certainly, it is possible that His Majesty's blessings and attention for Lord Husband may indeed be a way to pave Prince Rong's future to the throne.

Even, so. His Majesty has always discouraged ministers from forming factions for personal gain, therefore, why the excessive support? If His Majesty truly cares for Prince Rong, His Majesty would maintain a split court, with no obvious factions. Instead, he had shown Lord Husband great favour, thereby granting Lord Husband weapons to suppress forces that opposed Prince Rong's ascension to the throne.

On the surface, he suppressed the prince because he did not wish to appear to openly favour him. However, he has instead tempered Lord Husband to be the sword for Prince Rong. It is likely that this is His Majesty's secret plan. He has spent much time and effort tempering this sword, and so long as Lord Husband is loyal to Prince Rong, there is no reason for His Majesty to easily break the sword that he been tempering for so long."

When she first started speaking, Jin Fengju had been smiling at her. However, the longer her monologue went on, the more serious his face became. In the end, he jumped off the kang and began pacing back and forth. When Fu Qiuning was done speaking, his brows were also tightly knitted together.

After a while, it loosened again and the expression on his face relaxed. Under the warm firelight, a smile spread slowly across his face.

Fu Qiuning [2] blinked. Really, the man was just too pretty for his own good. It would be hilarious if the reason behind the emperor's favour was because he wanted this beauty in his own harem, thought Fu Qiuning.

"Qiuning, you really are my lucky star."

[2a] While she was busy looking down on this male beauty, Jin Fengju suddenly rushed over and grabbed her hand. He looked very moved as he said, "In the past, I did hear that you are a talented lady. I shall not hide the truth but confess and say that I believed those talents to be average, but after hearing you now, I finally understand just how much I have underestimated you. I really, really, did not know how I had overlooked such precious gold and jade under my eyes."

[3] "… …" what is this weird exaggeration? Do you really want to get into my pants so badly? She coughed and said, "Lord Husband, please understand that it is all pure speculation on this humble woman's part… there is no way for this humble woman to truly speak of the matters of court, as this woman is unable to understand the very complicated political infighting…" [3a]

In response, Jin Fengju held her hands even closer and declared, "Indeed, your words are very shallow and your conjecture childish. However, that is only because your understanding of the political situation is too inferior. Even so, your words are like Buddha's perfect enlightenment to me. I can now understand many things which were once dark to me. The deepest fears in my heart have been banished and I feel like I can now speak and behave more freely from now on.

Qiuning, ah, Qiuning, because of your words, I finally understand that the Jin Fengju of the past was undeserving of his claims as a talented scholar. However, I have now shed my bones and am now reborn! Perhaps, I could even dare to claim myself as a true scholar!"

Enlightenment? Reborn? [b] What the f*ck are you talking about now? Is this some kind of new performance? Also, don't think I did not notice the 'words are very shallow' or the 'childish conjecture'. [c]

"Don't look at me like that. These things are too complicated. I also fear scaring you. I just wish to tell you one thing, I used to be confused in the past, but fortunately, you have broken through my confusion and allowed me to see farther…" Jin Fengju looked fondly at Fu Qiuning and could not resist pinching her face.

After pinching it, he laughed cheerfully and said, "I'm starving, why are Feng'er and Jiao'er taking so long in the kitchen? Do they intend to starve their father to death?"

[4] Fu Qiuning clenched her hands under her sleeves, resisting the urge to rub her cheeks. Starving? Starve to death? Does this man even understand what it meant to not know where his next meal would come from? She had to look away and not say anything to spoil this entitled man's high spirits.

[4] Seriously, him being so high-spirited was advantageous for her continued well-being. She just had to keep reminding herself of that.

"Since Lord Husband is here, shall we have hotpot? I shall go to the kitchen to see if we have enough ingredients."

"A hotpot? That's good too, I have had hotpot at Brother-in-law's place, but haven't had any yet at the marquisate since winter arrived." He paused, the smile on Fu Qiuning's lips looked a little odd [4a]. However, before he could ask her about it, she had already left.

In the kitchen, she found that in addition to her maids, there was also Jin Ming. This fellow must have rushed over here to grab something to eat when Jin Fengju made it clear that he wanted to speak with her. Indeed, there were crumbs around this fellow's mouth.

Aunt Yu and Yu Jie immediately stood up when they saw Fu Qiuning, "Everything is ready. Shall we bring it over now? Jin Ming did say that the Lord wishes to speak with Madam and we dare not disturb. We could only wait here."

"It's fine, bring it in. Lord Husband is 'starving'," said Fu Qiuning with [4a] a forced smile.

Thus, the servants carried in hotpot, as well as plate after plate of vegetables, vermicelli, meat slices, [5] cold jellied soybeans, sweet potato slices as well as other miscellaneous ingredients.

"Hm? Aren't we eating hotpot? Where are the pickled vegetables?"

When Jin Fengju came in, he immediately noticed the lush greens on the tables and no pickled vegetables. Even more surprised, he said, "Have you been saving the fresh vegetables allocated to you? But, why do they look so fresh? I had some at Clear Soft Pavilion last time, but even so, those were a little shrivelled. Yi? They looked like they have been freshly picked."

"They were freshly picked. Night Breeze Pavilion has a large garden and a hothouse that must have been used to grow exotic flowers once. I have since used it to grow vegetables. It has been very useful to us," said Fu Qiuning with a smile as she beckoned the twins to come up on the kang. She also had the maids place two stoves near the low table, "Zhuan'er and Lu Hua are still young, be careful not to catch a chill."

"There is heating under this floor, so it is not cold at all," said Aunt Yu with a smile. When she noticed Jin Fengju studying the plates of vegetables and sauces on the table, she smiled and said, "I'm afraid My Lord shall experience something new today. To be honest, if Madam had not taught us this way of eating hotpot, we would still be ignorant about it."

Jin Fengju nodded and smiled, "Indeed, I perceive that this hotpot is a little unusual, how should we eat this?"

As he spoke Yu Jie came forward to add charcoal to the brazier. There were dried dates, wolfberry and dried longan berry flesh floating in the broth. Those were all medicinal supplements and it was unheard of to have them in hotpots. Therefore, he could not help but become even more interested.

A short while later, a distinct aroma reached his nose and he could see that the water within the pot was bubbling. Fu Qiuning said, "The base for this hotpot is soup stock with water and various herbs. We can place the ingredients in now."

At that, Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao picked up some vegetables with their chopsticks and placed them in the pot. As they added the ingredients, they did not forget to solemnly instruct their father, "Father, [a] we only place the meat inside once the vegetables are done cooking. The meat is very thinly sliced, if we put it in too early, it will harden and not be tasty anymore."

"Does your father needs you to instruct him? Who knows how many many swish pots [b] your father has eaten. He must understand this more than anyone else." Fu Qiuning scolded with a laugh.

[b] "Swish pots?" Jin Fengjiu looked at the hotpot in amusement. "Is this somehow different from other types of hotpot?"

[b] "Ah, ah! We call them swish pots because…" Fu Qiuning blinked, silently cursing this man in her mind. She had slipped up and called it a 'swish pot' instead of hotpot! She can't say that this was a Japanese-inspired food right? Who knows what this Great Ning's relationship with the Japanese was like there? Were they still calling them pirates or worse? "Ahem, see, the meat is so finely that there's no need to leave them in the pot to cook. All we have to do is 'swish' the meat in the hot broth a few times and it can be eaten."

[c] "Oh? These meats are indeed very finely sliced…"

[c] "Yes, meat cooks faster this way," she reiterated.

[c] Neither of them touched on the fact that this place had once been so poor that meat was probably something they rarely tasted.

"Lord Husband, try eating the meat and vegetables with this sauce, it is a special dipping sauce we like to use with this kind of… [b] hotpot, see if it is to Lord Husband's taste."

"This is certainly a very unique way of eating a… [b] swish pot?" said Jin Fengju. He picked up the little plate of sauce and took a sniff, "This smells different too, what is it made of?"

[c] Since nobody brought up the real reason behind the very finely sliced meat, Fu Qiuning followed Jin Fengju's lead and focussed on the sauce instead. "Why don't you give it a try first? See if you can figure it out?" Fu Qiuning fished out the vegetables from the hotpot and placed them in the children's little bowls. "Try not to dip too much at once, it's a little salty." With that, she also placed some vegetables into Jin Fengju's bowl.

"The colour is such a crisp green. To think that I would be able to eat a meal made up of vegetables in winter, moreover, such fresh and green vegetables too." Jin Fengju smeared some sauce on the vegetable and placed it carefully into his mouth. After chewing over the flavour for a moment, his eyes lit up and he said admiringly, "Delicious. The flavour of the vegetables came from the broth, right? The most wonderful thing about this dish is how the sauce elevates the taste of the vegetables. Fresh and elegant, tasty and unique."

Fu Qiuning nearly snorted with laughter [d]. She thought: back in modern times, this was an ordinary household dish. To think that it would be considered a high-class and elegant dish once it is reproduced in ancient times, to the point that it garners so much praise.

While she was thinking thus, she picked out two more chopsticks' worth of vegetables into Jin Fengju's bowl. Then, she picked up a few pieces of meat and let them swirl around in the broth before giving it to him. She smiled, "These are very excellent, without Aunt Yu's knife skills, it would be difficult to have such fine thin meats [e]. Since it is winter, it is much easier to slice a block of half-frozen meat into such nicely proportion cuts. Fresh meat can't be sliced as thin."

In fact, Aunt Yu's skill naturally couldn't be compared to meat-slicing machines. Still, since they were in ancient times, there is no need to be so exact. It was good enough that they could achieve such thin meats. Neither Fu Qiuning nor Yu Jie could even achieve that much.

Jin Fengju liked eating meat. It was likely that there was no man in the world who disliked meat. While he had tried all kinds of hotpot before, this was his first time trying a [a] 'swish pot'. However, he never had this kind of sauce before. After trying it, praises never stopped dropping from his lips.

Fu Qiuning thought about the origin of mutton swish pots. According to historical reports, this kind of eating method was invented by Genghis Khan while on the march. [f] Just… was the sauce not invented at the same time?

As far as she knew, she had not transmigrated into her own world's past. Even so, there were some poems in this world that also existed in her own world. She could only conclude that in this world, it was possible that no one thought to combine sesame seed paste with [g] hoisin sauce and garlic chives. Otherwise, why would this cheap and delicious sauce not become popular?

Fu Qiuning absently swished the meat around, her mind occupied with all kinds of thoughts, when Jin Fengju suddenly interrupted, "Don't just cook for the children and me, you should eat too." After saying that, he picked up some meat and vegetables from the hotpot and placed them into her bowl. Then, he laughed and said, "I never had such a unique hotpot before. The sauce is especially tasty. I shall most likely eat a lot today. If I happen to lose my composure and overeat today, you must not laugh at me. I blame you for this, for hiding such a good thing from me. I see that if I wish to eat something good in the future, I must sneak in here quietly. I wonder, what other good thing I could eat next time."

Fu Qiuning [a] forced a smile, "This is just some scraps of ingredients I put together without the aid of a recipe. Who knew that it would turn out so good? As for other good things, [a1] I'm afraid Lord Husband is biased in saying that our simple fares are delicious. Truly, we put in great effort to make more elaborate meals when we know Lord Husband is coming, but unexpectedly, those dishes were disdained by Lord Husband."

[b] Jin Fengju laughed loudly, "How can I be considered biased? Did you not see how fast Jin Ming eats? He eats faster than me." Indeed, the trusted aide had not only eaten everything in his bowl but was also pouring the soup into his mouth. Aunt Yu and Yu Jie were too shocked to move, their chopsticks suspended over the hotpot, as though not daring to move and pick out the meat and vegetables.

"Jin Ming, you should mind your manners. Don't only slap my face. Take a look at Aunt Yu and Yu Jie, they are so shocked by your lack of etiquette that they dare not eat. Poor Zhuan'er and Lu Hua, aren't you leading these little children down the wrong path with your bad examples?" Jin Fengju scolded.

Jin Ming, the personal aide to Jin Fengju, placed his large empty bowl down and giggled, "Master, you should try and taste the soup with the vermicelli. Oh, and don't forget to mix in the sauce too. It's very delicious."

Jin Fengju ladled two spoons of soup into his bowl. Fu Qiuning stirred some vermicelli in the hot broth and placed them into his bowl. She smiled and said, "These noodles are rather fragile, so they should not enter the soup until we are ready to eat or they will soften too much. They are just about right to eat now. Lord Husband, please try some."

Just like that, this single hotpot meal nearly caused Jin Fengju to eat until his stomach burst. He kept walking around, doing his best to digest his meal as he talked to Qiuning. "This kind of meal must be eaten with a lively atmosphere. Tomorrow, you must collect more vegetables and slice up more meat. Serve the meal at Old Ancestor's place. Invite Mother, Second Aunt and the rest of the people in the house. That's right, Elder Brother Feng will be returning tomorrow, just in time to try your new dish.

Our marquisate has shops in various places, all of them under his care. Perhaps, once he has tried this, he could serve it as a signature dish at our various inns and restaurants and earn more gold for the estate. When that happens, Qiuning would have made a great contribution to the family."

Fu Qiuning [c] curled her hand around her chopsticks. She thought: A great contribution to the family? Considering the popularity of modern-day hotpot restaurants, it would be no exaggeration to say that one could potentially 'swim in gold' in this business. Especially so, once they get proper chefs to refine this unique sauce. [c1] However, so what if my idea makes a 'great contribution' to the family? Would I even get to see any of that gold?

[c1] She had a lot of grievances in her heart, however, the only thing that could be mentioned out loud was, "[c2] I have one concern, the vegetables in my hothouse are limited. If we are to serve this kind of hotpot to the whole family, I'm afraid there won't be enough…"

Jin Fengju made a show of thinking about the matter seriously and said generously [c3], "Well, in that case, I shall not touch your vegetables. I shall have people buy more from the farmstead for the hotpot banquet. That's right, the emperor's spirits have been rather low, lately. His closest eunuchs mentioned that the emperor is getting older and that food feels tasteless to him. I'm sure he will enjoy this way of eating hotpot with a dipping sauce."

Fu Qiuning's [d] lips twisted, but she quirked up the other corner of her lips into a smile to say, "Lord Husband has so many things to worry about, but here you are, thinking of the emperor again."

Jin Fengju laughed in return, "Otherwise, what do you think I should do? Although the royal favour I receive is considerable, it did not depend solely on my ability to complete missions. A person must be attentive to these little details in order to move the royal heart." After he was done speaking, he gave Qiuning a steady stare, "If your father knows that you are such a talented person and yet is wedded to me, I am afraid his bowels will turn green with remorse."

Seeing his mirthful, wondering eyes, [a] Fu Qiuning blanched and scooted away. She pulled up a business smile and said, "Such praise for such a small thing? Surely Lord Husband over-exaggerates? Speaking of which, when is the Old Master coming back? This humble woman heard that he should be back before the New Year. As that is only a month later, he should be back soon, yes?"

"Yes, he has already returned his official post and will return to the Capital once the handover has been completed. In fact, I should have gone over to personally fetch him back, but I was afraid that I would not have the time. Fortunately, Elder Brother will also be returning and the two of them could make the journey back together and look out for each other."

"[e] Would not have the time? Well, Lord Husband is an important figure after all," Fu Qiuning said, half flatteringly.

[e1] There was an unusually long pause after this and she looked up to see Jin Fengju with an anxious look on his face and something in her heart clenched. She thought: Don't tell me, is he going to start another one of his monologues to emphasise his cleverness again?

[e1] Sure enough, Jin Fengju stared at her steadily and launched into his opening dialogue, "Remember the stones on the road that day we returned from your maternal house?"

Fu Qiuning privately sighed and played along, "Yes, Lord Husband and Jin Ming hurried out and acted very furtively. Even bade this humble woman to cover her eyes and not look out. Though it felt a little worrying, this humble woman did not take the matter to heart. Why? Was it related to something serious?"

Jin Fengju nodded. Then, he sighed, "Jin Ming found traces of blood on those stones. He also found that something had been deliberately buried beneath the snow. However, perhaps due to time constraints, it had not been properly concealed, which was why it had been ultimately discovered by Jin Ming. After removing the snow, Jin Ming found it was actually a blood trail. We hurried after it and saw it led to the nearby river which had been iced over. A hole was cut into the ice. When Jin Ming looked in, he found a body under the water.

The person who killed him appeared to be on their guard against discovery. After all, who would come near the river in such weather? After throwing the corpse into the river, it would not take an hour for the hole to freeze over once more. Come spring, even if the body was discovered, it would be so bloated that no one would recognise it."

[f] Fu Qiuning thought she vaguely recognised variety of plot. Still, she ought to ask some common sense follow-up questions, "Was it some important person?"

Jin Fengju shook his head and said, "It wasn't anyone important. The person who examined the corpse happened to recognise him as a fellow villager, saying that it was one of the staff members of the Yangzhou office. Even so, though this person was an official of some sort, there should be no reason for someone to kill him once he reached the capital. Moreover, there is really no need for such an elaborate effort to conceal the corpse, especially considering how much manpower is needed to drag the body to the river, clear the blood trail and cut the hole into the ice.

This matter has been reported to the emperor by the Ministry of Justice, and the emperor has given the order for a thorough investigation. Something must have roused the emperor's suspicion, therefore, it is possible that an imperial envoy would be sent to Yangzhou. If that is the case, I shall be one of the first candidates to go. Therefore, as mentioned, I might not be in the Capital for New Year."

"So that's how it is." Fu Qiuning nodded. [e1] When Jin Fengju did not answer immediately, she looked up and saw the man frowning into the distance, looking all handsome and contemplative. She stifled another sigh. Clearly, he wanted a different prompt. Fu Qiuning thought for a moment and went with a gentle, "Lord Husband already has his own plans?"

[e1] When that also did not elicit a long recital of his plans, she considered her possible tactics. After all, he was the husband of that spoilt and dramatic Jiang Wanying, and considering his taste in women… Fu Qiuning switched gears, gave a tittering little laugh and said, "Forget it, as a mere woman, it's not like I could come up with any real plans and could only display a womanly curiosity. If Lord Husband does have a plan, there is no need to tell a foolish woman like me about it."

[e1] Arrgh, she wanted to slap herself in the mouth. I'm so sorry, sisters in the modern world. Qiuning is just acting, you know? Acting!

[e1] As expected, this kind of remark pleased an egoistic man like Jin Fengju, who laughed and launched into a half-condescending, detective noir monologue [g], "Qiuning is too modest, ah. In the future, I may still need to consult with you. For now, though, I only have some suspicions in hand and no real plan. Plans can only be made once I am sure of the facts. As for the Governor of Yangzhou, I did interact with him a few times in the past. Though I cannot claim to know this person well, I do have some understanding of his nature.

However, in the two years since he had gone to Yangzhou, he has become very different from the person I once knew him to be. At first, I believed that he must have hidden his true self well, but with this case, I cannot help but instinctively wonder, is there something more sinister behind this?"

"Does Lord Husband suspect Su Lingbo to be an imposter? That this person has been killed because he had discovered something he should not?" [e] Fu Qiuning said absently as she thought back to those investigative TV series and novels. The favourite themes in most of those stories were hidden identities and misdirections after all.

Jin Fengju suddenly leapt up from the kang bed with a loud 'huh?' He stared at her with a horrified expression, "An imposter? But how can this be? No matter what, he is a court official. Who would dare replace him? If anyone were to discover him, it is a crime worthy of the Nine Lines of Extermination [1]! No… impossible… this is impossible."

[h] What was with this strong reaction? Should she just stick out her tongue and go 'tee hee, It's just a joke~' or give a more serious reaction? Jin Fengju was still muttering 'impossible' to himself over there, so she just shrugged and said, "Is it, truly? After all, there are people who look very alike in this world, and not to mention, twins also exist." It was also possible that this man was more ignorant than stupid. Their political dramas were limited to the real thing and the stage which only produced a new play every few years or so. She really should not judge them for being ignorant.

Jin Fengju appeared to be thinking hard for a while. Suddenly, he broke into a smile and said, "If I have to leave for Yangzhou, you should visit the Old Ancestor more. I know that you do not wish to provoke needless trouble, but I'm afraid that trouble would come and find out nevertheless."

[a] And whose fault was that again? Fu Qiuning smiled in reply and said, "There is no need for Lord Husband to worry, this humble woman understands the reason why certain things need to be done. It's getting late, I'm afraid Feng'er and Jiao'er have finished reading by now, why not ask them about their homework and rest for the night?"

Jin Fengju nodded. [c3] There was a momentary pause before he suddenly spoke up, as though he had just recalled something. "Ah, yes. Did you not say that you wish to have Feng'er and Jiao'er be entered into the family genealogy after the New Year? Since Father and Elder Brother will be here, the timing could not be better. It's just, the children's names would have to be changed. Changfeng could be Zhenfeng, as for Changjiao, she could be Jin Xiu…" He stopped and eyed Qiuning for a moment, "Why don't you give some suggestions?"

"How about Xiuhan? Instead of 'han' for 'cold', how about the 'han' from 'hanyang' for 'conservation'? [2] What does Lord Husband think?" Fu Qiuning continued with her embroidery, putting in the final stitches for a peony leaf before looking up at Jin Fengju.

"Xiuhan is good. We shall call her Jin Xiuhan," Jin Fengju nodded. "Then, it is settled. Just one more thing, I think it is better for you to move into the inner court. Once the children have entered the family genealogy, it is not appropriate for you, as the mother, to stay with them at Night Breeze Pavilion. This place was originally an abandoned area. Not only is it remote, it is also inauspicious."

[c] Says the man who threw his official wife here, abandoned his children, and threw his childhood friend under the bus to make himself look good in front of a woman he is now lusting after. Fu Qiuning said indifferently, "I will not move to the inner court. Back then, did we not agree that I would remain here at Night Breeze Pavilion? [c4] It has been less than a year since your promise, how many times have you tried to move me into the inner court since? You say that this place is remote; I do not see this as a bad thing. As for auspicious, can a large house claim to not have inauspicious deaths every year or so?

What's more, Feng'er and Jiao'er grew up to be intelligent and sensible children in this very house despite not being under your eye. Now that you have them in your eye enough to miss them when you do not see them, surely this house could be considered very good for their upbringing? Therefore, how could you call this place inauspicious?"

Jin Fengju [d] did not even have the decency to squirm with guilt. Instead, he sighed heavily, as though Fu Qiuning was the one making things difficult for no good reason. "I know, I understand. Enough, I shall help you to delay the inevitable once more. However, when the inevitable day comes, I hope you would not shout at me like this again."

[c5] Fu Qiuning frowned. She thought: Again? What did he mean by 'again'? What is he talking about? Did a completely different scenario play out in his mind while we talk? Is he delusional? Was he seeing himself as some kind of a tragic hero in his mind to the point that he could not process reality?

She was still pondering over the matter when the sounds of footsteps were heard from outside. It was Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao, here to show their homework to their parents.

After looking through their homework and examining the large characters written by Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao, Jin Fengju offered them a few words of praise. The boy blushed and said, "Father, you should not just praise me. Little brother Zhenxuan is smarter than me and his diligence is not inferior. His work could only be better than mine."

Jin Fengju smiled and said, "Ever since he has an elder brother like you as a role model, Zhenxuan had indeed begun to work harder. It is all thanks to you being a good elder brother that he has improved so much. As a father, I naturally understand this too." He turned to Qiuning and said, "As far as natural talent is concerned, Zhenxuan is indeed blessed. Unfortunately, no matter how steady he appears, I know he's rather superficial. Right now, he's been memorising essays and sayings, but his explanation is still quite lacking. Let's see how he does in two more years. Whether he sinks or rises to the occasion, we'll know once he has mastered the [1] Eight-Legged Essays. That's when we'll know whether he could dedicate himself to his studies."

Fu Qiuning nodded, "Lord Husband is right. One fears that if children are too clever, they will be defeated by their own cleverness." She turned to Jin Changfeng and said, "Right, you shall sleep here with your father. Jiao'er and I shall go and sleep at Aunt Yu's place. Yu Jie shall be at attention outside the room and attend to the two of you." Now that they had plenty of charcoal, it would be fine to keep the fires burning in two rooms, conveniently making it easy for her to sleep elsewhere.

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As expected, at mid-morning on the second day, a maid from the Old Ancestor's place came to call Fu Qiuning to come over. It turned out that Jin Luanfeng [2] had just returned to the Capital. In the midst of the lively atmosphere, Old Madam Jin recalled Qiuning and called her over. Qiuning knew that she could not avoid this meeting and could only change into appropriate outfits and drag the two children over to Health & Longevity Court.

Jin Luanfeng's official wife, He'shi, was a calm and quiet woman as far as Fu Qiuning knew. Today, when He'shi arrived at Health & Longevity Court, she was surrounded by everyone eager to congratulate her. Her face, usually calm and quiet, was radiant with smiles, as though she had transformed into someone else.

"Second Young Madam Ning is here," when Luo Cui saw Qiuning, she hastily rushed over to greet her. Her mouth playfully scolded, "Those little hussies must be busy inside the lively hall. How dare they not say anything when Madam arrived? Really ignorant."

After Fu Qiuning returned from her maternal home, Old Madam Jin sent down an order through the entire marquisate. The whole family must treat her as Jin Fengju's official wife. In the past, there was only one 'Second Young Madam', Jiang Wanying. However, Fu Qiuning had also joined the ranks of Jin Fengju's 'wife' and became a 'Second Young Madam'. Therefore, the marquisate now had 'Second Young Madam Ying' and 'Second Young Madam Ning' on the roster of wives. Moreover, because the pronunciation of their names was similar, it was a little difficult to distinguish.

"Do not blame the maids. They did announce my presence, but the hall is too noisy, so no one realised I am there," said Fu Qiuning with a smile.

When the rest of the people saw her, they all rushed over to give their greetings. She also [3] played her part and greeted them one by one. When she reached He'shi, she smiled and said, "Congratulations to Elder Sister-in-law, I have heard the good news too. With Elder Master returning, you and your husband would be together once more. It is such a shame that he leaves so often."

"I thank Younger Sister-in-law for your kind words," He'shi quickly returned Fu Qiuning's salute to smile shyly, "Younger Sister-in-law is such a serious person most times. Why are you teasing me along with them? I can see that you are all bad people."

Concubine Huo smiled and said, "We are just joking. You should look at yourself, your beauty is truly shocking on this day. I must say, Elder Master must have too much restraint to resist such a sweet wife and run around outside like this."

Fu Qiuning smiled and said, "As the saying goes, people are radiant when they are happy, and the joy of reunion after a long absence is greater than being a newlywed. I can see from Elder Sister-in-law's glowing face that this saying holds true."

He'shi laughed in reply, "Do not try to poke fun at me over this. Speaking of which, isn't the Second Master always outside, running errands for the emperor? Is your joy of reunion after a long absence lesser than mine?"

Everyone laughed.

During this cheerful atmosphere, a maid called out, "Second Young Madam Ying has arrived."

The words barely had time to reverberate in the room when Concubine Xu sneered, "She is always like this, making an entire room of people wait on her before making her entrance. No matter what, she always wants to be the lead and snatch other people's limelight. Who knows why she is so late."

Fu Qiuning noticed the Old Madam and Madam Jiang casting a glance over their side and [3] had to privately roll her eyes. Here we go again. Looks like Jin Fengju's addiction to his solo performance was the result of both nature and nurture. Unfortunately, she also has to participate in this acting as well, or risk being ostracised as insane for not conforming to the norm.

Therefore, Fu Qiuning made a show of whispering to Concubine Xu, saying, "Little Sister shouldn't say this. Little Sister Wan has to take care of the entire family, and therefore is naturally very busy."

[3] On cue, Concubine Xu spoke her petty villainess lines, declaring, " If Elder Sister truly sympathises with her, as the madam of the house and the one that Lord Husband has been holding up as the example to the rest of us, why don't you move in so that we can all live together? That way, you may also assist Elder Sister Wan in taking care of the house. With your assistance, neither of my dear Elder Sisters would be tired."

Fu Qiuning's smile was very mild. She knew what this Concubine Xu was aiming for, after all. Moreover, it was no coincidence that this woman raised her voice earlier to catch the elder madams' attention. "I do not care to suffer for no good reason. Just look at Little Sister Wan. She must know that we are all gathered at the Health & Longevity Court for a little fun and could not wait to fly over to join us. However, that she is not here earlier meant that she must have been delayed by some important work. She clearly lacks leisure time, unlike myself."

"What are you saying behind my back? I know you are talking about me." Jiang Wanying came through the door screen to beam warmly at Fu Qiuning. "Well, well, looks like I have caught you, right? I see you refuse to admit it. Well, speak, what bad things are you saying about me? Still dare to stare at me so brazenly?"

"Quickly go and give your congratulations to Elder Sister-in-law, ba. What are you still doing here for?" Fu Qiuning smiled as she gently propelled her towards He'shi, hoping to push the current topic away as well.

"Naturally, I shall give my congratulations to Elder Sister-in-law. However, don't think that I won't settle accounts with you," Jiang Wanying announced, pointing her finger at Fu Qiuning, Xu'shi and Huo'shi. Her face was wreathed with smiles, looking as though she was just a cheeky girl teasing her friends.

Those who did not know the truth of the matter would believe that Jin Fengju was very skilful at managing his family. Just look, how many exquisitely beautiful and talented women he had subdued under his hands? Look at how they happily chat and tease each other like real sisters.

While everyone was chatting and laughing, Jin Fengju and Jin Luanfeng came in. He'shi blushed. Fearing that the sisters-in-law would poke fun at her again, she quickly hurried away to hide behind the crowd. By then, the two men had arrived at Old Madam's side and were greeting her.

Old Madam Jin beamed and asked Jin Fengju, "You went to court early today. The emperor did not keep you?"

"It is close to New Year, what is the use of keeping me? It's not like there are any serious political affairs abound," replied Jin Fengju with a smile. Then, he added, "I have just received a letter from Father. He has set out to meet with Elder Brother and would be here before the end of the year."

At this news, everyone became elated. Old Madam Jin and Madam Jiang were naturally very happy. The Old Madam nodded, "Good, good, this is very good. Write to them and tell them to be careful on the road. It has been snowing a lot lately and the roads are dangerous. It is best to take their time and be more careful."

Jin Fengju smiled and said, "To only remember this now, isn't it too late? The person must have set out by now and there is no way to ascertain their schedule. Sending a letter now would serve no purpose. I have already delivered all the cautionary words in my last letter to them. With so many people travelling together, there is no need to worry about anything."

At this, Old Madam Jin and Elder Madam Jiang laughed. Old Madam said to Elder Madam Jiang, "Did you hear that? Surely you must have heard it too. No wonder the emperor values him so, he is even more attentive than us, ah. Your master certainly has not wasted his attention on this son."

Madam Jiang hastily laughed and said, "The Fengshui in our family is good, not just Fengju, haven't Luanfeng and Pengzhan also grown up to be excellent? Fengju and Pengzhan are already excellent enough, having secured government official positions for themselves. Luanfeng has it tougher. He has built such a successful business empire that our shops could be found everywhere in the country. Unfortunately, with his status, he could only work in the background. How hard is it for that child, ah? Still, it is to his credit that he manages matters of the house so wonderfully."

On such a day, Madam Jiang naturally would not just praise her own son. Though her words were full of denial for her own child and praises for others, hidden within her words were the utmost satisfaction and arrogance for her own social status and importance. After all, no matter how successful a business was or how much money Luanfeng brought into the family, as a mere merchant, how he could even measure up to a petty official of the lowest sort? Moreover, her prided Jin Fengju was no mere petty official but a great pillar of society, one of the emperor's closest confidants and a great political mover and shaker. How could she not be brimming with pride to have birthed such a son?

[4] "Just look at how pleased Mother-in-law is," Fu Qiuning murmured. "Having a son like you really gives her face. Everyone gathered around to flatter her. I really can't bear it. The money Elder Brother brings in is no less than what you receive as rewards and bestowment. However, because of ancestral rules, what he earned could not be counted against the rewards you received. How unfortunate."

Jin Fengju could not help laughing as he said, "Are you annoyed on Elder Brother's behalf? I'll say this now, only you would have this insight within the entire family. They say that women are long in hair but short on knowledge, but you, Qiuning, are an exception. Fortunately, brother and I are very close, otherwise, ah…"

He shook his head slowly.

[4] Fu Qiuning knew what he was thinking. Indeed, if the brothers in a large family could not work harmoniously together, they would have been instigated by their women to turn on each other. If the brothers harboured jealousy, comparison and hidden envy, would the Jinxiang Marquisate be as successful and harmonious as today? When she thought of this, she could not help but think: Just where is the Jin family ancestral tomb located? Isn't this kind of luck too strong? If this was a novel, it practically counts as a golden finger.

While she was thinking this, Jin Fengju said, "I have spoken with Elder Brother about your hotpot. He is very interested. I have already sent people to the nearby villages to collect fresh vegetables. They should all arrive in time for dinner. When the time comes, you must demonstrate your skills."

[5a] Fu Qiuning paused. She cast an aggrieved look at Jin Fengju, "I hope you also manage to collect Garlic Chive Flowers. I'm not sure how much I have left."

Suddenly, someone laughed and said, "What Garlic Chive Flowers? Could such a thing be served on the table? If my Elder Sister likes pickles, I can order my people to send a few jars to you. I promise, you won't be able to finish them all." Who else but Jiang Wanying could make such a lofty promise?

[5b] Then again, could she blame Jiang Wanying? At a family reunion, Jin Fengju actually came over to speak to her rival in status and love, so how could she endure it? Moreover, this was a public event where others were more than happy to gossip about how her beloved husband snubbed her for another. Therefore, Fu Qiuning could only say, "I am not looking for pickles, I just need the flowers for something. When the time comes, Little Sister will know what I need them for." After that, she promptly left Jiang Wanying and Jin Fengju for Old Madam Jin. [5b] Let those two work things out by themselves.

Jin Fengju had no idea whether to laugh or cry, especially since Xu'shi and Huo'shi had also rushed over to fawn over him now that Fu Qiuning had left. He thought: If I had known that this day would come, would I have married so many wives in one go just to appease my anger? In vain a man governs the land, when he could not even command his family well. Who knows how those other ministers with more wives and concubines than I manage their inner court when I could barely handle these few women?

Things were very lively when suddenly, there was a commotion from outside and Jin Ming came hurrying in. Without even greeting Old Madam or Elder Madam, he hastily said, "Master, a decree had come down from the palace. I beg Master, Old Madam and Elder Madam to please quickly prepare."

Jin Fengju's heart thumped. A bitter smile appear on his face as he thought: The thing I have been fearing most has finally happened.

At the sudden announcement, Elder Madam, Old Madam and the rest of the people in the room suddenly scrambled about in a panic. Even though Jin Fengju enjoyed the emperor's favour, it was rare for the family to receive a decree without him at least getting an oral notification from the palace. A sudden decree from the palace was practically unheard of.

The incense table and other things had already been set up, the entire family soon knelt as the eunuch unsealed the decree and recited its contents. The decree turned out to be… rewards and gifts! Not only was Jin Fengju's official position within the government promoted again, making him the youngest Fourth Rank Official, but he also received gifts of gold, silver and precious stones.

The national treasury was rather rich now and so it would not feel the pinch of missing this little bit of money. Even Elder Madam Jiang and the Marquis of Jinxiang, who was on his way home at that time, received many rewards. Madam Jiang and Madam Fang's statuses also went up a rank.

Jiang Wanying, too, was granted a Fifth Rank title. Fu Qiuning, who had lived like an abandoned wife from the moment she stepped into the marquisate, was overlooked. That's because the emperor only knew Jiang Wanying as Jin Fengju's wife and did not know about this 'Fu Qiuning' person at all.

The reward naturally gave Jiang Wanying a great boost in confidence and she could not help but smirk to herself as she cast a glance at Fu Qiuning kneeling beside her. She privately sneered: So what if you're the official wife? What is your actual status? Are even worthy to kneel next to Cousin? I am the Young Marquis' true wife, not you.

Jin Fengju was also feeling a little uncomfortable. In the past, this was something like a matter of course. He never even thought of Fu Qiuning whenever he received a promotion. However, looking at her silently kneeling next to him, his heart felt uncomfortable. He thought: I must find a way to praise Qiuning before the emperor and empress dowager properly. No matter what, I must earn a suitable title for her. Otherwise, what else does a woman have to look forward to in her entire life? Isn't it a woman's hope to have a dependable mate with incredible glory? Also, why does a man struggle so much in life? Is it not to bring honour to his ancestors and provide for his wife and children?

In fact, Fu Qiuning was not really thinking much at that point. When Jiang Wanying was raised to Level 5 or something, it had nothing to do with her. She was perfectly contented with her place. So long as she had food, clothing and a little leisure time, all was well. The only flaw in her life now was not being able to sing as she liked. Unlike before, there were too many eyes staring at Night Breeze Pavilion. She had to be vigilant all the time, but enduring so long without being able to sing nearly caused hair to grow in her throat.

Jin Fengju received the decree with both hands. The eunuch naturally knew that this was a His Majesty's favoured person and said with a smile, "Congratulations to the Young Marquis, felicitations to the Young Marquis. It is not yet New Year, but already the emperor has bestowed such things. Come the New Year, who knows what kind of rewards would be announced? With the Dragon's heart being so pleased, it would not be impossible for the marquisate to be bequeathed a dukedom."

"Eunuch Lu certainly knows how to joke. The favour of the emperor is like [c] thunder and rain. His Majesty has already bestowed so much that Fengju is a little concerned. How could this Fengju dare entreat for more? Please, do come in and enjoy a little tea." Jin Fengju spoke as he rolled up the decree.

Eunuch Lu laughed, "How could this one enter? The emperor awaits Young Marquis' presence at the South Study. Now that the decree has been announced, Young Marquis, do please attend. Speaking honestly, although many things have been bestowed, the emperor's expression did not look good since last night. The servants all trembled with anxiety. We hope that the Young Marquis' arrival would ease the Dragon's heart so that we servants need not hold our heads as we complete our duties."

Fu Qiuning thought: Why is he being so ambiguous? I heard that the emperor is an old man with normal preferences. Otherwise, people would think that a Beauty is being called into the [d] Dragon's den for some xxxx.

She privately stuck out her tongue at the absurd situation.

On the other hand, Jin Fengju's expression had grown more grave. He said solemnly, "So, the people from Yangzhou have arrived last evening?"

"No wonder the Young Marquis enjoys His Majesty's favour. Indeed, you are correct. It is unclear what foul trick those little fellows have played. The emperor had noticed and the servants have been run ragged since, seeing very little peace." Eunuch Lu sighed.

Jin Fengju nodded and said, "In that case, please wait for a moment, I will change my clothes and head to the palace immediately."

After Jin Fengju and Eunuch Lu left, the family returned to the main room and sat down. Old Madam Jin said with some worry, "The year has not yet passed, but already so many things have been bestowed. Now, Fengju had been summoned to the palace. Alas… just what is going on?"

Fu Qiuning knew that the Old Madam feared some kind of plot but dared not speak it out loud. If the Emperor wants a minister to die, the minister has to die. Could you complain if the emperor wants you to run errands on New Year's Eve? Do you want to die?

Jiang Wanying's laughter cut through her thoughts, "I fear that Sister must know. After all, Lord Husband rested at Night Breeze Pavilion last night. The affairs of the court and the emperor's intentions, how could he not reveal them to you?"

All eyes were on Fu Qiuning all of a sudden. She replied with an indifferent, "I am but a mere woman. Were he to speak of such matters to me, what is the use? Even the palace has rigorous rules against the harem taking part in politics, what of our marquisate? Could it be that the Young Marquis often speaks to Younger Sister about matters of the court?"

The return volley choked Jiang Wanying to speechlessness. Fu Qiuning showed no mercy due to Jiang Wanying's 'give an inch and take a mile' attitude. She thought: If I don't bite back now and then, you'll all think I'm nothing but a pile of soft dough.

In an instant, the entire atmosphere within the hall grew cold. Fortunately, Madam Fang hurriedly stepped out to ease the tension in the room, saying things like: Jin Fengju being favoured is a good thing. See how the whole family benefits from him being favoured? Moreover, though he had been called out to run errands, surely the emperor would be lenient as it is close to the New Year?

Slowly, her glib tongue pushed the tension down and the hostile atmosphere eased.

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At that moment, Jin Fengju had also arrived at the South Study.

The emperor was the only person in the study, looking very gloomy and solemn. It was as Eunuch Lu had described, the emperor 'did not look good'. In fact, it was an understatement. The emperor looked like a storm cloud that was about to burst. Jin Fengju felt his heart skip a beat. He thought: What happened? Had something really happened in Yangzhou City?

"Fengju has arrived?" the storm cloud expression on the emperor's face eased a little and he ordered Eunuch Li Dezheng, who had been standing attentively beside him, to send everyone out. Once everyone was gone, he threw the memorial [a] at Jin Fengju, growling, "You take a look. The governor of Yangzhou just submitted this. Just look at the salt tax money, do you not think that it has reached a ridiculous point?"

Jin Fengju unfolded the memorial. A glance later his heart flipped violently and he blurted, "This dog servant! To dare report such numbers, is he anxious to enter the coffin?" After reading further down, he slowly muttered, "So, the reason is that there were many disasters… If that is the case…"

"Nonsense!" The emperor cut off Jin Fengju in mid-speech by slamming a large book onto the royal table heavily. The shock sent Jin Fengju and Li Dezheng to their knees as they cried, "This minister is wrong (This servant is wrong)."

"Get up, what does it have to do with you two anyway?" The emperor laughed at their antics before coldly snorting, "Those bunch of dead servants, making up all kinds of lies each year to excuse the amounts they contribute year after year. We really can't bear their tricks anymore. Especially when half the money has entered their pockets. Jiangnan had always been rich and there is no greedless official. We know this in our hearts of hearts.

Even so, after 200 years since the founding of this country, catastrophes have been few and far between. With the gods favouring us, the country has grown rich and strong. Therefore, even if officials are a little greedy, the country could still afford their little tricks in view of their service to the country. Thus, We kept one eye closed against their antics.

But look, what is happening now? Do they really believe that We have become senile? What do they need so much money for? The amount they swallow in a month could last a few lifetimes and yet they are still not satisfied. Could it be that they are collecting money for troops and planning a rebellion?"

The emperor was furious. Jin Fengju and Li Dezheng stood aside, not daring to say a word. After his outburst, the old emperor had probably vented out enough hot air and his heart became somewhat more comfortable. His demeanour easing a little, he slowly paced a few steps around and said, "This Yangzhou governor, We still remember when We dealt with him in front of the palace that day. He had a strong backbone and a sturdy character. At that time, I loved his talent and steadfastness that did not waver under wealth or poverty or power [1], and so We assigned him to Yangzhou as governor to serve as a check against those salt merchants and officials who were getting bolder and bolder.

We did not expect that, barely three years into his service, he would collude with them instead. His own staff had just died in the Capital a few days ago, raising much suspicion. We hesitated for a long time on whether to send you to Jiangnan once more, seeing that New Year is approaching and your father and brother are returning to the Capital. This is not a matter that would be completed without at least a month or two."

Could he, Jin Fengju, the most exemplary and favoured official who had just received many gifts and bestowments from the emperor, allow the charge of being 'unsympathetic to His officials' to fall on the emperor's head? Therefore, [b] he could only step forward with an enthusiastic expression on his face even as he privately grimace to say, "This matter is of great importance, involving our great country. How could this minister prioritise personal comfort and ignore the land? 'When the lord is worried, the ministers are humiliated'. It is the failure of the ministers to have caused Your Majesty worry. Therefore, this minister proposes to go to Jiangnan. This minister vows to investigate the matter till the end. To uphold the royal favour, grace and expectations of Your Majesty, this minister begs for Your Majesty's permission to carry out this mission."

The emperor fixed his eyes on Jin Fengju, a smile slowly creeping onto his face. He nodded and said, "Among all the ministers in court, you are the most suitable candidate. It's hard to see how you can be such a straightforward minister at such a young age, yet also be considerate of Our royal intent. Very well, this matter is entrusted to you, We appoint you as a First Rank Imperial Commissioner. You shall wield the Sword of State and have the right to execute first before reporting. Be sure to sweep away all those large and small troublemakers at the Jiangnan office. Do not leave even a single one out."

These words were already very severe, the murderous intent within leaking through. Jin Fengju's heart could not help but shiver. He thought: The old man has really made his move this time! 'Wipe them out, leave not one behind', I have never heard these kinds of words ever since I entered the court as the official. Using such serious words this time, I can see he is moving with the intent to kill.

And so, he agreed. Jin Fengju saw the emperor's expression slowly relax. However, with the absence of the incredible aura of wrath, the emperor's body appeared to become thinner as his emotions settled. After exiting the South Study, he quietly asked Li Dezheng, "Has His Majesty not been eating properly? Why do I get the impression that his cheekbones are protruding?"

Li Dezheng sighed and said, "That's right. These days, because of the recently deceased Yangzhou staff and other related matters, he has not been eating or sleeping well. I have tried to advise him a few times, but I received a scolding instead. I dare not push too far."

Jin Fengju laughed and said, "In that case, I will bring something new tonight. Hopefully, it will stimulate the emperor's appetite. I fear that people at the marquisate must be rather uneasy now. So, I shall return first."

With that, he bade Li Dezheng farewell and hurriedly left.

Here, Li Dezheng accepted a teapot from a lesser eunuch by the corridor. He returned to the Imperial study, poured a cup of tea for the emperor and was about to hand the cup over when the emperor asked, "What were you and Fengju whispering about just now?"

Because Jin Fengju was Prince Rong's brother-in-law, he was considered part of the Imperial Family by marriage. Therefore, it was perfectly natural for the emperor to address him by name. It was also part of how the emperor showed his favour.

"Clearly, nothing gets past the emperor's eye. The Young Marquis expresses concern over the emperor's well-being, asking if Your Majesty has trouble eating. The Young Marquis mentions that Your Majesty's cheekbones appeared to be protruding and that it pricks at his heart. He even says that he shall bring some curious appetizer that will stimulate Your Majesty's appetite. This servant does not know what the Young Marquis plans to bring, after all, what precious mountain treasures and delicacies from the sea have not passed Your Majesty's lips? Still, since the Young Marquis appeared confident, this servant's curiosity is piqued."

The emperor stroked his teacup. He did not say anything for a long time. After a while, a smile stretched his face and he said, "It's been hard on him. I dare say that his efforts would most likely be wasted, but still, send someone to invite Prince Rong and Princess Consort into the palace. Since their brother-in-law will be bringing something in, surely it is only right that they get to taste it too. Wu, though I dare say they might have already tasted it."

Li Dezheng's heart stuttered and he quickly flashed a flattering smile at the emperor. "This servant believes that it should not be so. After all, with how filial Prince Rong is, would he not rush over quickly to share this treasure with Your Majesty?"

The emperor smiled slightly and nodded, "That is true. That one could hardly hide the thoughts in his heart. Though he could still endure when it comes to major matters, over these little things, he might as well have shouted to the whole world from the rafters. Fengju is also a sensible one and would never commit a social mistake like this. At any rate, have someone send a decree to Prince Rong."

"Yes," Li Dezheng answered. As he stepped out of the room, he wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. He thought: The older the emperor grows, the more suspicious he becomes. It's rare for even Prince Rong and the Young Marquis to receive such compliments now.

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Let's speak of the time when Jin Fengju returned home.

Naturally, the people immediately gathered around him to question him. Therefore, he had no choice but to inform them of the emperor's will. Old Madam Jin and Elder Madam Jiang were a little unhappy. They thought: No wonder so many gifts suddenly appeared. To think that the emperor wants our boy to run errands for him just before New Year. Still, he should not be so domineering, ah. The Old Master hasn't returned yet and this errand sounds both dangerous and urgent. If something were to happen and father and son never got to see each other… Ah, no, no, enough with the inauspicious thoughts. Let us pray some more to cleanse our souls.

Once he was done reporting, Jin Fengju realised that Fu Qiuning was not in the crowd. So, he asked Old Madam about it. Old Madam Jin said, "Earlier, she wanted to bring the children back to Night Breeze Pavilion for an afternoon nap. However, I refuse and had them sleep in the warm room instead. You may go and see them there."

Jin Fengju nodded and made his way towards the warm room. As expected, Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao were sleeping on the kang bed. Jin Zhuan and Lu Hua were sleeping on a nearby couch while Fu Qiuning, Yu Jie and Aunt Yu were dozing on chairs, their chins in their hands.

"To not even be able to rest properly, the fault is all mine," Jin Fengju said as he approached Fu Qiuning. She woke up with a start at his voice. When it looked like she was about to get up, he quickly placed his hand on her shoulder to press her back into the chair and whispered with a chuckle, "No need, I am fine. It is a little noisy outside, so I came in here for a little peace."

Aunt Yu and Yu Jie also woke up. When they saw Jin Fengju, they both rose to give their whispered salute. Fu Qiuning smiled at them and said, "There's no need to whisper like mice, the children have slept for a good hour. Now that the days are shorter, I dare not let them sleep too long or they would not be able to sleep at night." Then, she looked at Jin Fengju and said, "Why have you been called to the palace? Since we received so many bribes, they must want you to do something troublesome."

Aunt Yu and Yu Jie had already withdrawn, so Jin Fengju smiled slightly and said, "What else could it be? It is related to the matters I had spoken to you about last night. Only, I had not expected the situation to develop so fast. If I were to leave right away and deal with the incident quickly, I may still return in time for the reunion banquet."

Fu Qiuning nodded, "This assignment sounds a little suspicious. Lord Husband should take care and look after yourself. [1]"

Jin Fengju looked at her, the smile on his face practically sparkling as he gently said, "Are you worried about me? I am very happy to hear the care in your words."

Fu Qiuning [1a] blinked slowly, then lowered her gaze. Her voice was indifferent as she said, "[1b] But of course, Lord Husband. We are tethered on the same rope and will share both suffering and fortune together. How could I not care?"

When Jin Fengju caught the meaning of her words, he could feel the barrier between them reinforced once more. A little anxious and unhappy, he coughed and said, "Qiuning, do you truly intend to be so estranged? You must know that you are my official wife and not just in name only. Today's award, the Phoenix Vest Rank 5 title should have been yours. However, there is no need to be anxious, we have a long future together. So long as you and I are in harmony, I'm sure even a Rank 1 title is possible for you."

Fu Qiuning snorted. "Phoenix Vest? Rank 1? I have no need for such exquisite things. I only wish for a peaceful and contented life. I see that Little Sister Wan is very happy to receive such things. Therefore, Lord Husband only need secure such things for her."

Jin Fengju's face stiffened. A long time later, he forced a smile and said, "I know what you truly think of me. You are clearly a woman that stands above the masses, with thoughts that many other women dare not even entertain. Only, my meaning is, perhaps you do not quite understand my meaning. Wanying, she… is not like the Wanying of the past. As for my feelings towards you, it is not because I could not obtain you and…"

"Lord Husband, is there a need to speak of certain things with such clarity? I know it well. For me, it is good enough to be Lord Husband's confidante, and that delusional thoughts should never be entertained." Fu Qiuning took the opportunity to break off the topic by looking away and made to pour tea for Jin Fengju.

As for Jin Fengju, he stared at her dumbly for a long moment, before exhaling a long sigh. He took a sip of the tea and, after putting away his overly affectionate gaze, said in an indifferent voice, "I believe the vegetables from the farmstead have arrived. I should go and have a look."

Fu Qiuning stood up, "If that is the case, I shall order Aunt Yu and Yu Jie to bring the Garlic Chive Flower Sauce and Hoisin Sauce [2] here. Unfortunately, they are all handmade by [2a] us. I fear that our shallow skills will show and detract the enjoyment of the meal."

"I have tasted the sauces and found them to be excellent, Qiuning need not belittle yourself," said Jin Fengju with a smile. Then, he left.

Fu Qiuning stood in place as she stared at Jin Fengju's tall and confident form disappear from sight. Once he was gone, she sat down [1c] contemplatively. She thought: Jin Fengju, ah, Jin Fengju. You are indeed a dragon amongst men of this era, but we have no fate, so don't even think about it. You dare say that Little Sister Wan has changed, but have you thought about how I would change if I were to fall in love? [d] I dare say I would be no different than her, wanting to monopolise your time and refusing to let other women touch you.

[e] If I have to suffer. I choose to suffer from lack of companionship and not sacrifice my dignity and peace of mind to pointless jealousy and harem politics. One should never be too greedy in life. I [f] have already agreed to be your confidante. So what if we are married? I have no choice but to march beside you for the rest of my wretched life.

As she continued to contemplate the rest of her life, Fu Qiuning called Aunt Yu and Yu Jie in. She ordered them to fetch all the Hoisin Sauce and Garlic Chive Flower Sauce from Night Breeze Pavilion. She had specially learned how to make these [2b] from cookbooks back in the modern day. Though they were not as fragrant as those store-bought swish pot sauces, they were more or less similar. Otherwise, Jin Fengju and Jin Ming would not have gorged themselves to the point of growing a food baby.

Aunt Yu and Yu Jie returned not long after with the sauce pots in their arms. Jin Fengju came in and joyfully proclaimed, "Qiuning, the vegetables have arrived, quickly go and have a look. I have selected the best ones to be sent to the palace. The rest is up to you to do as you wish. Everyone is very curious and waiting for your special hotpot."

Fu Qiuning [3] paused at the overly enthusiastic reaction from Jin Fengju. Wait, send to the palace? Special hotpot? Seriously?

[3] She spent exactly three seconds contemplating how to react, before deciding that a non-reaction was probably her best bet.

Fu Qiuning made her way to the hall and saw that several tables have been set up. There was a stove and a pot on each table and she got busy ordering people to make the simple soup base consisting of wolfberry, yam and jujubes. Then, considering the [3a] pitiful amount of sauces left in her jar, she went to the kitchen to direct the cooks. He'shi, Jiang Wanying, Xu'shi, Huo'shi and the rest all followed her and stood by the side with eagle eyes. Since Jin Fengju [3b] had made such a big fuss about this 'special hotpot' that he had loudly declared would be 'send it to the palace', even Jin Luanfeng watched Fu Qiuning's action with great interest.

"[4a]…And that's it, if you wish to eat either the meat or vegetables, just swish them in the hot soup or a little while and it can be eaten with this [4a] dark brown sauce," finished Fu Qiuning. She paused, looking at the big pot of sauce and said in the mildest manner, "In fact, it is all very simple. I fear that I have let everyone's expectations down. However, please do not blame me. It is not I who ask everyone to come and view this sauce. You have all come, hoping to find some trick behind this sauce, even after I have insisted that hardly any special steps are needed. Still, no one believes me, thinking that I must hide some secret skills. Well? Do you understand now?"

After Fu Qiuning spoke, everyone laughed. Xu'shi laughingly said, "It is so, it certainly looks very simple. Moreover, the sauce has a rather unappealing appearance. Who would like such a black-looking thing? Really, I cannot understand why Lord Husband would praise this thing to the high heavens."

Jiang Wanying laughed and said, "Sister, your bad habits are showing again. You've always judged people by their appearance and it looks like this habit extends to food too. Back then, when the chef made jujube cakes, you even said that they looked like a pile of poop. However, when it came to eating, you ate the most pieces. To this day, I swear that you have the sweetest biscuits and cakes sent to your rooms. You say that this sauce is unappealing, well, I shall look forward to seeing if you can restrain yourself from eating it later."

Xu'shi was struck speechless. Her face changed colours a few times and she finally snorted, "Why shouldn't I eat it? Even if I dislike it, I still have to show consideration for Lord Husband's face. Back then, I did not know how to conduct myself and could not please my Lord Husband. No wonder Lord Husband disliked me back then. I am different from some people who understand how to flatter Lord Husband, to the point that they will like the things Lord Husband likes. Even with things that they used to hate to the point of death, a smile still blooms over their faces like flowers blooming in the sun."

Fu Qiuning thought: Well, this is how a woman is. When she hates, would she care about places or occasions? In terms of etiquette, no matter how many grievances you have inside, it is only good manners to not vent in front of Jin Luanfeng, right? As the only man in the scene, he looked incredibly awkward and uncomfortable at the exchange.

Pitying the man, Fu Qiuning forced herself to laugh and said, "I have incurred ridicule from Elder Brother. Compared to the mountain treasures and delicacies from the sea that Elder Brother must have tasted during your travels, this must appear crude and superficial. How could such a thing even attract the eye? I fear that Fengju must have been hungry that day and made a great fuss when I served him this common food."

Jin Luanfeng breathed a sigh of relief, clearly glad for the change of topic. He laughed and said, "Too modest. I must say that this has been a very meaningful experience indeed. Though it is indeed crude and simple, it still attracted Fengju's praise. That's right, I recall that he has a few stores under his name. I shall speak to him about this."

With that, he quickly made his escape.

When everyone noticed that the sky was turning dark, the servants quickly began to wash and cut all kinds of ingredients and set them on the table according to Fu Qiuning's instructions. Once everyone was seated, Old Madam Jin picked up her chopsticks, and that was the signal for everyone to start eating. A swish pot was meant to be eaten in a lively atmosphere, however, due to the marquisate's eating etiquette of not speaking during a meal, it was very quiet. Still, from the speed of everyone's chopsticks and how the quickly ingredients disappeared, it was obvious that everyone was eating very well.

Jin Fengju did not wait around for the food to be served. After observing the serving method, he hurriedly bid his family farewell and left. He still had to shoulder the responsibility of bringing dinner to the emperor. At first, after seeing how uncomplicated the sauces were to make, he was afraid that it would not taste good. [a] Then, after tasting it and confirming that it was the same as the one that had caused him to overeat, he stuck around long enough to watch how Fu Qiuning set out the raw ingredients before hurrying off. [a] It was all truly very simple. Just a matter of cutting the raw ingredients finely and setting them out nicely on plates.

He headed straight for the Royal Palace. A low-level eunuch was there waiting for him. The eunuch led him to the small kitchen attached to the main residence. Jin Fengju ordered his servants to place the ingredients here and gave the low-level eunuch strict instructions on how to prepare them.

The small attached kitchen was specifically there to prepare food for the emperor. Interestingly, it was named 'Heavenly Cuisine'. This name was granted by the current emperor after he had ascended the throne. Before then, it was just considered a room where meals were prepared with no special name attached to it.

As he just stepped into the room, a familiar voice laughed, "To make us wait so long, speak now, how should we punish you?"

Jin Fengju was taken aback for a moment, then, he could not help but laugh and say, "How is Elder Sister here? Is my brother-in-law here too? I greet Prince Rong and Princess Consort Rong. That's right, where is the emperor?"

As he was done speaking, the emperor came around the screen to laugh and say, "Since you were not here yet, We returned to the study for a little reading. I had Lun'er and Princess Consort wait for you here. Well? You mentioned there were some new curiosities for Us? Come, tell Us about it."

Jin Fengju hastily went to his knees. After giving his greetings, he said, "It is not something exotic. In fact, this minister does not know if it would suit the emperor's tongue. However, when this minister tried it, this minister found that he liked it very much. When this minister heard that the emperor's appetite has been poor lately, how could this minister not bring this here to show filial piety?"

Princess Consort Jin Yanqiu had always been Xifeng-like in character, [1] and was most adept at regulating the atmosphere. After hearing her brother's words, she laughed mirthfully and said, "When you speak like this, I cannot help but be even more curious. As your eyes have never been shallow, what wonderful thing could this be to receive your high praise?"

Turning to the emperor, she purposefully clarified, "Your Majesty must not know, he did not even hint at such a wonderful thing to us. It is only thanks to the emperor's magnanimity that we come and taste a scrap of this delicacy. Otherwise, who knows when he will recall that his own elder sister and brother-in-law have yet to eat this."

This speech touched the emperor's heart in all the right places, [b] and he laughed heartily at the Princess Consort's remark. [b] Taking advantage of the emperor's good mood, Jin Fengju ordered Li Dezheng to send in the meal. A short time later, [c] a table of beautifully presented dishes was set out. In addition to the hotpot, there were also plates of [c] artfully arranged fresh vegetables, sweet potatoes, vermicelli and finely [c] sliced meat. Surrounding this 'special dish', the servants also set out several dozens of the emperor's favourites. Luckily, the royal table was large enough, otherwise, how would they fit so many dishes on it?

Jin Fengju briefly explained how to eat swish pot, and had already tasked Li Dezheng early on to get a small bowl of sauce for the emperor. The Princess Consort personally swished some meat and vegetables for the emperor. Li Dezheng received [c] the large plate of swish pot meat and vegetables. After testing it with a silver needle, he transferred some of the meat and vegetables onto a small plate.

After eating the food, the emperor had nothing but endless praise for it. Therefore, there was no way Prince Rong or Princess Consort Rong would dare spoil their liege's mood by saying anything aside from many [d] variations of 'delicious' and 'very delicious'.

A little while later, once the meal was over, the emperor stepped down from his seat and stretched out his arms. He said, "After so many days, I finally ate well today. It must have been troublesome for you to search out this unusual eating method from heavens knows where. In the past, we only knew to eat hotpot with pickles. Who would have thought that having hotpot with fresh vegetables would give such a different experience?"

Since Jin Fengju had long since intended to push Fu Qiuning forward as his official wife, so how could he not snatch up this opportunity to talk about her? [b] After all, this was his main intention of bringing this unique dish to the emperor. Therefore, he quickly stepped forward and did the whole [e] song and dance about how this dish was created by Fu Qiuning, his wonderfully virtuous Main Wife, who had recently visited her poor sick mother at Zhengjiang Palace, etc, etc.

The emperor looked puzzled, he frowned and said, "Zhenjiang Palace? We recall that your wife is the granddaughter of the Duke of Lu?"

"Indeed, she is my secondary wife. Back then, my parents heard of the talented and beautiful daughter of the Zhenjiang Heir and asked for her hand, promising her the position as my official wife. Sadly, after marrying in, she had been too sick and weak and spent most of her time recuperating at Night Breeze Pavilion. Her person is very worthy and virtuous.

This minister could not bear to disturb her with trivial matters of the marquisate, therefore, Wanying had been left to take of all large and small matters within the marquisate. Now that Fu'shi has recovered from her illness, she has been a little more active. As for this hotpot, it is something that she came up with during the period when she was ill and was looking to improve her diet."

With this final line, Jin Fengju credited Fu Qiuning as the inventor of the 'swish pot'. When he thought of that woman with her almond eyes wide with shock, he could not help the [f] vindictive thrill of glee at the thought of her discomfort. [f] He thought: This Fu Qiuning is afraid of trouble most and wishes to stay away from other people. How could I let her stay away? The more she wants to stay away, the more I want to drag her out into the spotlight. Otherwise, if she could live comfortably by herself, I would have to keep this wretched promise to only look and sigh and never touch this beauty for the rest of my life.

How could the emperor not understand the important points within Jin Fengju's [e] solo performance? [d] He lowered his gaze and studied Prince Rong and Jin Fengju for a long moment. Finally, he smiled and said, "We meant to discipline our son, but you have suffered as well."

Prince Rong and Jin Fengju quickly threw themselves to the floor.

One cried, "This son is grateful for Imperial Father's heavenly grace!"

The other stated more solemnly, "A virtuous wife brings lesser disaster. This minister must have cultivated several lifetimes of blessings to have such a virtuous wife as Fu'shi."

The emperor nodded. He allowed them to get up and, after a few more idle exchanges, allowed them to leave. Here, Li Dezheng served tea. The emperor took a sip and smiled slightly, he said, "Although Prince Rong's nature is straightforward, he has one clear advantage. He has ambition, but is not arrogant. He did not become disillusioned even during times of frustration. This is indeed a rare point."

Li Dezheng's heart jumped. He hastily pasted on a smile and agreed with everything the emperor. He dared not even add half a word more or less. Otherwise, not only would he provoke the emperor's suspicion, but also drag Prince Rong down, which would be an unwise move.

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That night, Jin Fengju did not go to Night Breeze Pavilion. The next morning, the sky was still dark when Fu Qiuning heard someone calling from the courtyard. She had just gotten up and personally went to open the door. Jin Fengju and Jin Ming were standing right in front of the main residence, along with more than ten guard-like people, all of them with things in their arms.

This was the first time that Fu Qiuning saw those guard-like people. The Jinxiang Marquisate's qualifications were not enough to have their own sword carrying militia. At most, they were only allowed to maintain a basic protective detail for the marquisate. She guessed that these must be escorts for Jin Fengju's imperial envoy.

Seeing her, Jin Fengju said, "I am about to leave for my mission. I am a little worried about leaving you here and especially came to have a look. These are some things bestowed upon me by the emperor yesterday. I have picked a few items for you, Feng'er and Jiao'er. I will be gone for a while, do ask them to study hard. You must have suffered too, whenever you are idle, do go and visit the Old Madam to relieve her boredom. It will cheer her greatly." After speaking, he motioned for the guards who stepped forward to place the items on the tiled floor of the residence.

"Many thanks to Lord Husband, [g] for remembering us," Fu Qiuning saluted decorously, perfectly proper in her manners and warmth.

[g] There was a pause. When it was clear that she was not going to say anything more, Jin Fengju let out a light exhale of disappointment. He stared at Fu Qiuning for a long moment, a thousand words in his heart. In the end, he could only say, "Take good care of your health, wait for my return." With that, he turned around and left.

The wind picked up the tail of his coat, causing it to flap and flutter. Snowflakes drifted from the skies, and not long after, the line of people disappeared into the snow. In a blink of an eye, they were already gone.

Unlike grasses and trees, it was impossible for humans to be completely heartless. Fu Qiuning looked at the things placed on the tiled floor by her feet, [g] unsure what to feel.

Her throat felt uncomfortable, as though she was being choked. She knew what Jin Fengju wanted her to say, however, she could not speak them lightly. Once those words are spoken, expectations would follow. [g] With expectations, come trouble, [h] and the last thing she wanted was breaking this peaceful life for a temporary fling and eternal suffering.

"It is human nature to be selfish. I'm afraid our goals do not align, Young Marquis. [h]" Fu Qiuning looked at the courtyard gate once more before exhaling slowly and moving over to close it. Then, she busied herself moving the things into the house.

By then, Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao had woken up. Seeing the extra screen by the kang bed, they were surprised. When they found Fu Qiuning putting jewellery they had never seen before away, they immediately stuck to her and cried, "Mother! Is Father here? Where is he?"

[h] Fu Qiuning's eyebrow twitched. [i] Just how smart were the two children? They were starting to associate his visits with extravagant gifts. Is he going to ruin the two children she had brought up so carefully? No wonder the rest of his brats are so out of control. They are clearly the product of a 'workaholic parent buying children's affection with gifts and money'. She would have to watch the twins closely and make sure they don't turn into insufferable second-rich-generations.

"Your father has received a decree and has gone out to do some work," [g] said Fu Qiuning vaguely. [i] With him out of the picture, she should take time to discipline the children properly and not be ruined by that absentee workaholic parent. "Before he left, he especially came and gifted these for you. See these brushes, ink, paper, ink stones and jade pendants? [i] Clearly, he wants you to study hard and become useful people in the future.

Your Father has left the marquisate on an errand decreed by the emperor. The current prosperity and honour you enjoy now has all been earned through your father's hard work. Therefore, you must study hard and grow up well in order to share your Father's worries. Understand?"

Hearing that Jin Fengju had already departed, the two children could not hide their disappointment. Jin Changjiao flattened her mouth and said, "Will Father return during the New Year? Didn't Mother say that the day of the family reunion is on New Year's Eve?"

[i] "Haven't you heard a single word from me?" Fu Qiuning pinched Jin Changjiao's little nose. This child already learned how to sulk after six months of exposure to Jin Fengju. What would she be like after six years? Well, in the end, she was an insecure child trying to attach herself to her absentee father, so Fu Qiuning could not blame her for sulking. "It is unclear whether your father will be back for the reunion. However, your uncle and grandfather will be back soon."

The children looked reluctant as they shook their heads, "We have never met Uncle or Grandfather, they won't like us."

"How would you know? Didn't your father used to never visit, but [j] suddenly came in thanks to your qin playing and clever recital? Also, didn't your grandmother like you immediately? Who is to say your uncle and grandfather won't like your once they saw you?"

Fu Qiuning's [j] arguments were sound and the children were convinced eventually coaxed by her logic. [h]

A few days passed like this, [g] with no news from Yangzhou.

[g] Her days were very peaceful. Aside from sending the children off to school every day or visiting the Old Madam [g] to remind the old woman that she existed, and to make sure Jin Fengju's other women knew that she was on good terms with the most powerful woman in the family, there was really no reason to leave Night Breeze Pavilion.

Jiang Wanying and the others had not come to cause trouble as she had half-anticipated. Though the monthly allowance arrived later and later, [g] she was not at all worried since she already had plenty of gold and silver at hand. Jiang Wanying was welcomed to delay her allowance for a whole year while she, Fu Qiuning, could survive comfortably for ten years on the money she was sitting on already.

Today, however, something different happened. Third Brother Zhang's mother came to meet with Fu Qiuning in person. Fu Qiuning looked at this simple woman who stammered and choked over her words for a long time.

It was only with a good deal of pulling and prodding that Mother Zhang finally stammered out the reason for her visit:

So, it turned out that when Jin Fengju ordered Jiang Wanying to fulfil her promise, [l] AKA the bribe she used to entice Third Brother Zhang into betraying Fu Qiuning, mother and son had been super happy and relieved. The good news was like a pie falling from the sky. [l] Third Brother Zhang must have been especially happy since his 'betrayal' had not cost him his beloved Aunt Yu.

Unfortunately, it turned out that Jiang Wanying had been too busy. You know? With the time being so close to New Year's Eve, it was not like she wanted to stretch out time and not obediently complete a task that Jin Fengju had personally ordered her to do. She was just so busy lately, really. [l] In fact, she was so busy that the matter just fell out of her mind after a couple of days of rushing around. After all, how could she, an important member of the aristocratic family, be concerned about the lives of mere servants?

Mother and son had been really looking forward to receiving permission to go forward with the marriage, but after a long time of patient waiting, no news came to them. Third Brother Zhang became depressed [l], perhaps wondering about his betrayal messing up this opportunity and growing ever more sluggish every day.

Finally, Mother Zhang could not tolerate it anymore. She recalled Qiuning's generosity and warm attitude towards them and decided to pay a visit to this mistress to find out what was happening…

Fu Qiuning blinked. So, it's for the marriage thing. [1] Didn't Jin Fengju say that Third Brother Zhang revealed vital information about her in exchange for Aunt Yu's divorce from her previous husband? Still, it was not like she could talk about [2] the upper management's personal lives with the employees. Therefore, she merely smiled and said, "Do not worry. The Young Marquis himself has already given the order, so there should be no issue.

However, the matter must have been overlooked due to preparations for the New Year as well as the return of the Marquis and the [3] Eldest Master. If you could be patient and wait, I believe that it should be taken care of by spring next year. With the season of flowers and things reborn anew, I shall bring up Aunt Yu's matter once more before Old Madam, Elder Madam and the Young Marquis. What do you think?"

"Hearing Madam's reassurance, how could this old woman harass you over the matter? Moreover, surely this matter is too insignificant to be brought up before the Old Madam, Elder Madam and the Young Marquis?" Mother Zhang stood up, bowing repeatedly to Fu Qiuning, giving her thanks again and again. Finally, she left with a wide smile on her face.

The smile on Fu Qiuning's face, which had stiffened, did not waver as she turned to the door near the back and called out, "Come in. How long are you going to stand there? Have you heard enough? Do you feel at ease now?"

A red-faced Aunt Yu came in. She stomped her foot and said, "Wh-what is Madam talking about? This maid is just here to send tea. However, since you are with guests, naturally, I cannot come in."

Qiuning thought: You can't come in or can't bring yourself to leave? Clearly, you are very concerned about this matter. [4] Too bad you did not know that your beloved Third Brother Zhang already betrayed me once, though he seems very sorry for it. Clearly, this sickness call love blows nobody good.

Still, the smile on her face relaxed a little as she picked up the sachet on the bed and continued to embroider it. "Looks like your marriage will happen soon. Though his family background is not prominent, he is someone you like. Moreover, he is… [4a] very devoted to you. I believe that, [4a] after all that has happened, he would wish to remain faithful to you and you alone. It is rare to have a pair of harmonious husband and wife.

There are many who married into rich and wealthy families but ended up miserable. Once you have gotten married, there will only be Yu Jie left. She is getting older now and will be twenty-one next year. Women in [2] this era marry young and often have several children by her age. [4] We have plenty of gold and silver now, therefore, it should not be difficult to choose a decent family for Yu Jie to marry in."

Aunt Yu blinked at the [2] 'in this era', but smiled and said, "That is so, Yu Jie had been sold into slavery as a child and had followed Madam for many tough years. Now that the days are more comfortable, it is really time for her to get married. It is all thanks to Madam's merit that we have these comfortable days. Therefore, we should add two more new maids to Madam's side."

Fu Qiuning's mouth quirked up, "What new maids? Once you are married, it would be best if you could return to Night Breeze Pavilion. If not, I am fine living alone with a few of the older maids and matrons coming from time to time to take care of the general work around the courtyard. As for picking new maids, I'm afraid those young ones tend to come with high ambitions and would try evil tricks at others' instigations or be used as spies for this place. No, I do not these extra worries."

Aunt Yu [5] suddenly beamed. Her eyes nearly disappeared as she cheerfully said, "Madam is right. Having wild young maids around with thoughts of climbing the branches and transforming into phoenixes from sparrows would be too troublesome~ I heard from that Second Young Madam Ying and the concubines that the young maids all like to stay around the residence. Every time the Young Marquis visited, how they all wished with all their might to be the one to serve him~"

Fu Qiuning [6a] scoffed, "Hah! They wish. If the Young Marquis has the habit of bedding every random female, he would have more concubines clinging to him. Though I must say it would be more convenient for me."

Even as she spoke, her hands had already finished embroidering the sachet. She only had to sew the edges of the cloth together to make the bag. After looking around, she frowned, "Where are the pieces of sewing patterns? Yu Jie is supposed to have cut them out, right? Has she done them yet?"

"Just about. With her skills, she should have little trouble cutting out patterns for two sets of clothes," Aunt Yu set a teacup on the table in front of Fu Qiuning. "I shall go and have a look. If she's done cutting, I shall bring them here. There is a little over a month to New Year's Eve. We still have time."

She was about to open the door when Yu Jie came walking in with a stack of cloth and cotton in her arms. With a smile, she said, "I believe that Madam is eagerly waiting for these. I must say, these precious cloths are very difficult to deal with. It took me a lot of effort to cut and sew them. I'm just done with them. I think Young Master and Young Miss would look very sweet in them."

Fu Qiuning and Yu Jie came over to admire the cloth. After appraising them and exclaiming over the quality of the material for a while, the three of them got to work.

Evening came with the children running back from school. When they saw their mother sewing New Year clothes for them, they screamed with joy and began running around the house, nearly bouncing off the walls with happiness.

Yu Jie noticed Jin Zhuan and Lu Hua standing to the side, their little faces clearly envious. She smiled and said, "There's no need to be envious. Madam is generous and has already set aside cloth for your New Year outfit. Moreover, come the New Year holidays, you will be granted two rolls of cloth to bring home to your mothers to make clothes for spring and summer." When Jin Zhuan and Lu Hua heard this, they threw themselves to the floor and gave thanks. Qiuning quickly ordered the maids to help them up. Seeing the big smiles on the four children's faces brought indescribable joy to her heart.

The little family was interacting harmoniously with each other when they heard someone calling from the courtyard door. Aunt Yu went to open it and in walked Old Madam's Luo Cui. The maid came over with a large smile and said, "Madam, with how heavy the snow gets each day, I fear even our Old Madam's pavilion would be difficult to get to soon. Old Madam has missed you."

Fu Qiuning [2] thought: Has this maid come here with a quest? Or is she hinting that I should visit the Old Madam more to establish connections?

Aloud, she said, "I fear disturbing the Old Madam's peace. As Old Madam has mentioned, with the snow getting heavier each day and how far Night Breeze Pavilion is to Health & Longevity Court, there is no need for me to give my daily greetings. So, has she sent you to guilt trip me?"

Lu Hua laughed and said, "How could that be? No, no, I am just here to ask after Madam's health. Please do not place that kind of hat on this maid. Otherwise, Old Madam will scold me for speaking badly. I am here to send news. The Eldest Master and Marquis will be home tomorrow. Old Madam bids you bring the two children to her place to meet with their uncle and grandfather. You should also greet your father-in-law.

Fu Qiuning [4b] paused. Finally, she nodded and said, "I see. Very well, I understand. Please convey my thanks to the Old Madam for the reminder. I shall be there early tomorrow. That's right, are there any news or letter from the Young Marquis?"

Luo Cui suddenly tittered. [5] She beamed knowingly at Fu Qiuning, "Oh, oh, Madam is asking this maid? Surely any letter from the Young Marquis would all be addressed to you and not the Old Madam?"

Fu Qiuning [6b] raised an eyebrow. She thought: What's up with this maid? What's with her weird way of speaking?

Mindful of causing misunderstanding, Fu Qiuning said neutrally, "[4c] A letter to me? Even if he were to write to me, surely the stewards of the marquisate will direct all letters to the official residents or Old Madam's place? Moreover, it is not like this place receives much news."

Luo Cui blinked curiously at her, "That's odd, letters should come to the individual residence. Hum… Anyway~ From what I see, the Young Marquis favours Madam very much, however, Madam refused to accept him because of what happened in those five years. But, but, seeing how worried Madam is now~ Forgive this maid for being rude, but seeing Madam so worried over a letter [5], it is clear that Madam's heart still has him~

Since that is the case, my good Madam, you should listen to me and understand that the Young Marquis is not to be blamed~ You should also not be so aloof or awkward and smile at him a bit more~ Isn't it best for husband and wife to dispel their misgivings and live harmoniously together? If we and the Old Madam could see the couple live harmoniously together, how light our hearts would be, ah~"

[4d] [6c] For a long moment, Fu Qiuning did not react as she watched Luo Cui twisting her waist and more or less squirming like she has bugs in her underwear in front of her, lost in some kind of girlish delusion.

[6c] "Six years."

[4d] "Madam?"

[4d] "If you wish to quote facts, get them right. The twins were indeed brought up by me for five years. However, before that, I was alone at Night Breeze Pavilion for over a year before I decided to commit suicide."

[4d] "Oh, ah, that is. Well…"

[4d] The silence after that was very awkward as Fu Qiuning stared neutrally at the maid who was now twisting with awkwardness instead of glee.

[4d] Suddenly, Fu Qiuning laughed. A loud, tittering laugh, that caused Luo Cui to reflexively laugh as well. Well, no wonder, since the servants and all the other low-status residents within the marquisate had been trained to laugh when the most powerful person in the room laughed. "Miss Luo Cui sure knows how to joke. Well, well, I must say that certain matters are still unclear. Now, it's getting dark. You should hurry back to Health & Longevity Court. The Old Madam must be waiting to be served, [4e] or, do you intend to have your meal here~?"

Luo Cui's mouth trembled as she wondered whether the sudden coldness just now was her imagination. When she heard the question, she laughed again, a little too loudly she hastily said, "[4e] Th-this maid has no such thoughts! A-anyway, we received no letters from the Young Marquis. [4f] The day before, Elder Madam even spoke to the Old Ancestor about it, wondering whether something has happened. A-alas, who knows what kind of errand the Young Marquis has been sent to this time. To have to go to Yangzhou so close to New Year, surely the matter cannot be simple."

[4f] The last bit was said in a rush, as though it had been rehearsed just to put into Fu Qiuning's ears for whatever reason. Perhaps to elicit sympathy for the man who had abandoned his official wife for six years?

"I'm sure there is no need to worry. Wasn't the Young Marquis at Jiangnan this last spring? He must have someone looking out for him there. You should return and properly soothe the Old Madam." Fu Qiuning began walking towards the courtyard door, [4] forcing Luo Cui to scuttle after her.

"[4] I-if Madam has filial piety, you should personally soothe the Old Madam. How could we be compared to Madam? A great literate person and the Young Marquis' confidante…"

[4g] [6d] Fu Qiuning stopped walking. Luo Cui skidded to a halt, managing to skitter to the side and actually slipped and fell on an icy patch on the floor. Fu Qiuning said nothing as she stared at the maid sprawled on the floor. "You know," said Fu Qiuning softly. "You should really be careful when you walk."

Luo Cui sprang up from the snow, patted down her clothes and, still unwilling to admit defeat, burst out, [4h] "It is not good to laugh at people. Madam had better not laugh at this maid. One day, I shall see you fall too."

[4h] Fu Qiuning cracked a strange smile at this defiant maid, just what kind of show was she putting on? Were all the people in this era fond of acting? She said, "You should watch where you walk, take care not to fall again. You should watch your mouth too."

This time, Luo Cui left without further parting words.

That evening, she found suitable clothes for Jin Changfeng and Jin Changjiao for the following day's 'meeting with more elders'. After a little more thought, she took out a set of clothes that she had worn only twice before and was about 80% new. She thought: These are not quite brand new, so it won't look like I am better dressed than the twins. Nothing we are wearing tomorrow will be shabby. 'Expensive and not new' should be the key to fitting in with a monied family, right?

After quizzing the twins once more on what to say and how to behave for the next day's meeting with their uncle and grandfather, she sent them to bed. Long after the children had fallen asleep, Fu Qiuning found herself still awake and staring out the window at the moon. The cold light of the moon made the snowy landscape look even brighter and otherworldly at night.

[6e] Today's encounter with Old Madam's maid… how would it be reported? She had behaved coldly to the Old Madam's personal maid, who knows what would be whispered to the old lady's ear. Should she be worried? Should she have stomped her feet and made some petulant noises about them 'teasing' her and let the old lady's imagination run wild?

[6e] As for Jin Fengju… what would her life be like if he dies from this mission? How would it affect her position? Financially speaking, she was much better off than before, but, it was unlikely that the people here would allow her to take too many things. Should she sew gold and silver into sturdy but shabby-looking old cloaks, just in case? The children might still have the Old Madam's protection since they looked so much like Jin Fengju. The Elder Madam may or may not be biased towards them too, even with Jiang Wanying and the other concubines scheming against the children…

[6e] No, perhaps it would be best to strike out on her own with the children. It would be best if she could also get her mother and Luo'shi out too…

"Is Madam thinking up poems again? What little warmth in the room is being sucked out by the wind," Yu Jie's voice called out cheerfully from behind her. Soon after, the maid bustled into the room to close the window. She smiled and said, "Thanks to the Young Marquis, we now have lots of charcoal. If this was in the past, if you had wilfully opened the window like this, the entire house would have frozen over."

[4i] Fu Qiuning studied Yu Jie as she bustled about, closing the window and pulling the curtains close. To her, having the Young Marquis' attention was a good thing. This way, she was the same as Luo Cui. She had already completely forgotten about the six years of suffering her mistress had gone through, only pathetically happy that the man who had thrown them in there was now paying attention to them.

[4i] Should she pity these women for being stupid? Or pity herself for being too far-sighted? Was she arrogant? Or were they too dumb?

"You are getting more and more forward, to dare to even lecture me like this," Fu Qiuning smiled. [4i] She had no way of knowing whose way was better. To 'dispel their misgivings and live harmoniously' together? That simply meant giving herself over to the expectations and desires of the people in the marquisate. Well, half of them anyway. The other half wanted her to just disappear off the face of this earth. It was this other half of the people that made it difficult for her to just frolic into Jin Fengju's bed. So what if he favoured her? So what if the Old Madam desired it? The ones who would suffer would be her, and the children.

[4i] The downsides were too many. He could abandon her again, she could die from the schemes of others, the children could die from the schemes of others, and she would have to work hard for a fickle man's affections, compete with the concubines she once looked down on. The upside? A man's affections. Fu Qiuning looked around the room, at the brazier of charcoal, the thick blankets and the warm clothes.

[4i] Well, perhaps a man's affection wasn't so bad if it would benefit her this much. She just… had to regulate the amount of 'love' she handed out to this man. As she laid down on the bedding, she smiled. Yu Jie grinned back before skipping away to her own bedroom.

[4i] Yes, perhaps it was time to reconsider her position.

Gumihou: Since the author is so insistent on making this a 'turning point' on the affection status of the couple, especially on Fu Qiuning's side, Gumi decided to expand the [6e] moment to include thoughts about extending some 'affection' to Jin Fengju. In a way, this mirrors JFJ's habit of using his affection as currency.

Fu Qiuning: Don't blame me, you did it first