Chapter 27 (1/2)
[Please read for free on the source site, chichilations, and not support an aggregator or content thief Reposts are not allowed anywhere or for any reason
Translator receives no income from any ads shown – block away
All comments and discussions are appreciated (I read them all~), and do let ht cli, and the yellowed paintings on the ere hidden by the unconstrained di the final cereave a deep boards the portraits of the Fu ancestors, turned, and got off the Golden Stage
This grave and melancholic series of rituals adorned the already not-very-festive atloo to lighten the mood ”Next, we should return to the Marquis Estate We've paid respects to the heaven and earth, and we still have to go back and pay respects to the E off without a trace, I'entlemen of the Minsitry of Rites all have the mind to throttle us to death”
”Let theht ten of them off with one hand”
The Northern Yan Iron Cavalryhter, being fine with adding fuel to the goading fire Yan Xiaohan had no choice but to sside Fu Shen The spousal-escort procession and Northern Yan Arroup of people of horseback, and they rushed towards the capital in an impressive display
The entirety of the city knew that today was the day of the Yan-Fu wedding An untold a out onto the street to watch the excitele perceptible movement froues wagging in gossip The Yuantai E dispatched people to the Marquis's Estate three tientle mentally attacked by anxiety and fury and had fainted twice; though he couldn't say anything, he wanted nothingfrom public life
Just as the Marquis Estate and the inside of the palace were getting stirred up into a total ates of the capital abruptly opened wide, and two riders in eye-catching red clothes galloped out froate's tower, as if they were bright fla sun that was on the verge of sinking below the horizon Their robes billowing in the wind, they flew past the dusk-shrouded, dimly-lit outworn streets
They had the ut charisma
A fit of cheers abruptly exploded from within the crowd It wasn't knoho started it, but the citizens carried lanterns with theht caradually canificently brilliant river that made the Milky Way up above look pale As the two rode past, there were also a countless folk throwing red flowers, shouting out in unison
”Congratulations to the need Coe!”
”May the Marquis be safe and healthy, with endless good fortune!”
Cri louder with each wave until it all ultimately turned into a city-wide jamboree Not only Fu Shen, but even Yan Xiaohan hadn't expected there to be such a grand spectacle
A heart that was rife with holes being lifted up out of a world of ice and snow, like it was so of that moment was difficult to describe Fu Shen was affected for an instant; from Yan Xiaohan's point of view, it seemed like he had briefly teared up
Their steeds slowed their pace, the group ultie
There were people holding bright lanterns both on top of the bridge and under it, the spitting ih the boundless evening light Fu Shen sat up straight on horseback, used one hand to straighten out his clothes, and soon after turned towards all the onlookers on thefor them a silent and soles to say, yet he only spoke one short phrase, each word falling audibly to the ground
”This one named Fu is ashamed”
His voice had since been so choked up with eenerations of the Fu faraved into the annals of history, carved into steles, known far and wide to the every pretty praises had cocooned Fu Shen's ears He had once been filled to the brim with pride, immensely satisfied with hier useful, he had also once held a grudge within hireat service he had rendered was deserving of the whole real indebted to him
But when he truly learned what the 'will of the people' was, all his haughtiness vanished, and he just felt unbearable shame, minute as a speck of dust within the scope of the world
The foreign aggressors were not yet quelled The land was not yet at peace What virtues and abilities did he, Fu Shen, have, to be worthy of having the appreciation of so many people embedded into his memory?
Others didn't understand, but he kneell that his willingness to bear 'responsibility' was in large part due to hi a part of the Fu falory decay; the other, ive in, and with a thousand-catty burden pressing down on his shoulders, he would grit his teeth and carry it on As for 'morality', that actually took up only a tiny portion, and was incos It was as if he was tirelessly standing guard to shi+eld a candle's flao out froht, though, he suddenly discovered that it wasn't just hiht
Innu said, a shower of flowers falling It was as if he had, at long last, found the courage and conviction to continue down this never-ending road
A warm and powerful hand was placed upon Fu Shen's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly, as his back seeainst a hard wall Yan Xiaohan leaned in close, his voice quiet ”It's getting late Let's go”
Fu Shen nodded involuntarily He suddenly raised his hand to catch so, then casually tucked it into the other's lapel Before Yan Xiaohan could react, Fu Shen had picked up his reins and urged his horse to continue forward
A fine fragrance wafted about Yan Xiaohan looked down, then immediately stared in shock
It was a twin lotus
The Marquis of Jing Ning's Estate
Everyone was expectant and anxiously waiting, all but hoping that these two living legends would coht when the official froht of Fu Shen on horseback, he startled, nearly blurting out the question ”are you not crippled, Marquis?” Fortunately, in the next moment, Yan Xiaohan personally helped Fu Shen off of it and placed him into his wheelchair; he then realized that Fu Shen hadn't recovered at all, he was only forcing hio past their prime, heroes will meet the end of their roads This final insistence of a disabled general aroused both downcast ad laer stuffed up in his chest dissipated a bit He didn't blow up at the his hands in salute, first congratulating the the and the Mada for you to pay respects to theon Guard's special positionmuch attention to literary officials Yan Xiaohan only hu to Fu Shen Fu Shen thanked the official for his trouble, then gently shoved Yan Xiaohan ahen the other went to push the wheelchair ”You don't need to do that,” Fu Shen said in a lowered voice ”Let Qingheng and rest get here”
Long red carpets stretched from the entryway all the way to the main hall Fu Shen and Yan Xiaohan each held an end of red silk, with Yu Qiaoting pushi+ng the wheelchair into the wedding hall The entire rooon and phoenix candles lit up everywhere, and the guests got up one after the other to give congratulations Lady Qin was decked out in finery, seated haughtily at one side of the head of the table while the other side was eyi, was seated a space below in the first seat Upon hearing theave Fu Shen an apathetic glance
Lady Qin had suffered through waiting for a few shi+chen and had been the leader in i ti enough to shake up the world at this point However, the reception today was being held at the Marquis of Jing Ning's Estate and all the friends and colleagues of the Fu fae and assunity in the face of these high-ranking dignitaries
When she saw Fu Shen and Yan Xiaohan, though, she irin
Back in the day, she and her son had trembled with fear as they lived in Fu Shen's shadow, as in all of the Duke of Ying's Estate, only the Eldest Young Master was acknowledged, not the younger Now the wheel of fortune had reversed How could Fu Shen continue to be arrogant and egotistical? Didn't he end upa man? The hit that'll knock out his teeth and make him s the blood down to hide it will be hi to ko to her, the Madam of the Duke!
”This kid really doesn't want people to be at ease How could you be late on your oedding day? You've even held up the lucky hour,so many people wait a shi+chen for you for no real reason” Lady Qin didn't leave her chair the entire ti Fu Shen ”You had also been an unprincipled buffoon before, but since you're going to beanymore”
Her subject then turned to Yan Xiaohan, who she spoke affectionately to ”Meng'gui, Jingyuan is a spoiled child You'll have to do a lot of putting up with any i The entire hall was so completely silent, one could hear a pin drop Those present who didn't know of the rotten affairs within the Duke of Ying's household all took the sa out their ears, and forseeing that there would be a lot of dra next
Fu Shen's expression worsened at once Just as he was about to explode, sohtly pressed down on it, hinting that he shouldn'tout from over his head ”Well said,” he replied leisurely ”If I don't put up with hi Stringing together how everything got to this point, everyone there believed he was unhappy with this arbitrarily-arranged e
Only Fu Shen heard the low-key portion of it that was blindly showing off and hungry for exclusive doe in his chest receded in an instant, his lips hooking up in a not very obvious way He went along with the force Yan Xiaohan put on his shoulder and relaxed his back, preparing to concentrate on watching the show — if circu one leg over the other
Lady Qin was evidently extremely pleased with Yan Xiaohan She believed it to be a matter of course that Yan Xiaohan hated Fu shen, and the enemy of an enemy was a friend, so he was certain to be on the the saenerous s Quickly come and make your ritual respects, your salutations cannot be held up…”
She hadn't yet finished when Yan Xiaohan abruptly cut her off ”Wait a second”
”What is it?”
”Jingyuan's parents are both dead We should be saluting theirhall?”
Lady Qin was stumped ”That's…”
”And where did you co ”You have the impertinence to sit at the head of the table to receive the respects of this official and the Marquis of Jing Ning? Do you not fear your life being cut short?”
Fu Shen wanted to applaud him as he listened to all that Lady Qin's coreen, her lips and hands within her sleeves constantly shaking She totally hadn't anticipated that Yan Xiaohan would suddenly revolt against her, and she had theface that had eyes filled to the top with murderous intent instantly scared her into on Guard for you!
Without waiting for her response, Yan Xiaohan see her out,” he said coldly
At his order, two Flying Dragon Guards promptly stood out from the crowd, their rabbed Lady Qin by the ar her towards the door
Lady Qin finally ca and loudly shouting She had only gotten a feords called out when a well-experienced Guard stuffed up her radually went far away, and the interior of the wedding hall resuuest's faces were blank, theirDragon Guard orthy of their vicious reputation, because this ay too aggressive!
The incident ca in the space of a spark's life Lady Qin had been dragged very far off when Fu Ya finally snapped out of it like he'd just been drea up close to Yan Xiaohan ”You shaed ”How dare you humiliate my mother!”
He raised his fist to hit hi a few chi aith a kick It was only after that kick that he asked: ”And who's this?”
Fu Shen was on the brink of laughing hi the spectacle, as one or tere still good-hearted folk Upon seeing Fu Ya reeling and unable to get back up from Yan Xiaohan's kick for half the day, one treer Master, and the Marquis's little brother His birth racious one, Sir, don't lower yourself to the level of a child”
Yan Xiaohan ”oh”ed ”This official had only ever heard about Young Master Fu, not ever anything about a Younger Master Fu So he turned out to be Jingyuan's younger half-brother What a ed to let out a relieved exhaule when he heard his co”, and he nearly sprayed out blood straight froered, his eyes turned red His hand bu at his side that had fallen with hi, he hurled it willy-nilly and cursed loudly ”Enough of your fucking bullshi+t!”
He didn't have great accuracy right then, as his secret weapon didn't fly towards Yan Xiaohan, but at Fu Shen, who breezily raised his hand and grabbed it Holding it before his eyes, he saw that it was one half of a broken porcelain bowl
Yan Xiaohan kept on bickering for bickering's sake, not willing to forgive this ”Younger Master Fu has rather too much filth in his mouth Were you not educated…” He had said half of that when he looked down to see the bowl in Fu Shen's hand, gaze falling upon the glint of cold light froes, and his face immediately darkened
A several-chi-tall killer aura soared up froround his teeth ominously ”So you've tried to use a sharp object to sneak-attack your blood brother You've really got sohts narrowly broke out of their chests and threw theht at Yan Xiaohan's face: your eyes are open yet you're talking nonsense – he didn't want to sneak-attack his big brother, he very obviously wanted to hit you! There needs to be a limit to how much you distort the truth!
Fu Shen covered hisit into a nuhs Only then did Yan Xiaohan see over to soothe hiet mad… there shouldn't have been so much trouble on such a happy day Since you and I are et about, it's unavoidable that I would have to take matters into my own hands and deal with this disrespectful, foul-mouthed little brother for you You won't object, will you, Marquis?”
His tone was gentle and sincere, while his words contained the glaring connotation of a threat
He wanted to put on a full act Fu Shen's face betrayed his struggle ”Uon Guard has multiple methods,” Yan Xiaohan said tenderly ”Blood won't be drawn It'll just be a ser outbursts”
Fu Shen hesitated for a moment ”Do what you've said, then,” he replied, vexed
Yan Xiaohan stood back up, full of satisfaction, and turned to the standing-by Flying Dragon Guards that had gotten up ”Hear what the Marquis said? Take Younger Master Fu out and give hih to s and repent”
Court officials ere faon Guard couldn't keep fro Fu Ya looks that were drenched in sys, and before that, they wouldn't stop 'til they'd beaten hion Guards lifted Fu Ya up, dragging hi party had beenra disturbances, causing people to feel that every further moment they sat there was torture The , Fu Shen, as the vicious, authoritarian Royal Inspector Envoy still refused to chill out Yan Xiaohan was pointedly, dra about stuff ”'Every fah', indeed… we've only just gottento have to deal with aon theto i Dragon Guard ht harm to loyalists, their tricks were used an untold amount of times over Yan Xiaohan did one better, as after he'd handled those two like that in such a show-offy, reward-fishi+ng way, he even switched methods to hint that he should 'come praise me, quick'
Fu Shen stared at him with an un-smile, yet his heart still softened up beyond his control ”Thanks for your efforts,” he said lightly ”What a capable wife you are”
The look in Yan Xiaohan's eyes suddenly went remote
Fu Shen had no idea of the consequences his off-hand teasing had triggered Not long afterwards, word of the crisis at the Marquis of Jing Ning's reception quickly spread throughout the streets, and through the process of assuht before the Marquis of Jing Ning's eyes, the accursed Flying Dragon Guard abused his mother, beat up his little brother, and ulti a principled spouse”
So hostile! Unbelievably shaain!
The future could be brought up later – now, as the farce was over, the wedding banquet should still be continuing on As Lady Qin and her son had been sent off, everyone's gazes were unifor, Fu Tingyi
Unlike his father and two elder brothers, Fu Tingyi had been weak-bodied since his childhood and was not a seedling that could learn martial arts All he did on the daily was study books behind the closed door of his roo very close to the rest of his family Later, when those older brothers passed on one after the other and the Duke of Ying's Estate desperately needed someone to come and take the reins, Fu Shen subsequently led the troops out, bearing the yi unhurriedly stood up and inherited the title Following the Marquis of Jing Ning's Estate separating frohost-like Duke shut himself even deeper into his horossed in cultivating to iressive decline of the entire Duke's Estate
Due to the outstanding people that big faossip seeyi didn't have a single good thing about hi leaks in the roof as he had didn't have to worry over whether he'd be clothed or fed — he was just seeking the Dao for iht? Maybe soht up to Heaven!
No matter what Lady Qin did, Fu Shen had always held respect for his Third Uncle Regardless of the truth of whether he wasn't concerned with co his talents in the dark, the Duke's Estate being subdued these years gave Fu Shen a sense of stability far behind him, and a lot less to worry about
He yi, and then he raised his hands as he bowed to hi day, yet he was still wearing a Daoist robe He had been frequently fasting the past years and ate nobeard hanging from his chin, he truly did seeto end, looking at it like he wasn't actually seeing it He had closed his eyes in recuperation, silently reciting Daoist scriptures to himself until Fu Shen had called out to hihtly open theyi's eyes, his intonation muted ”There's no need to pay respects to me Your parents' memorial tablets are both in the ancestral hall at hoo to pay respects to them of your own volition”
It wasn't clear who exactly was being spoken to He didn't wait for anyone's response, getting up on his own cue, flinging out his sleeve, and drifting away through the air
At this on Guards had compassion in their eyes when they looked at Fu Shen Their Royal Inspector Envoy had lost his parents when young and had no close relations, which was tragic enough As for the Marquis of Jing Ning's entire faht as well just not exist
Luckily, Fu Shen didn't care much at all He and Yan Xiaohan had already e; the remainder weren't a concern Everyone had happened to cleanly take their leave, and he had also wanted to leave for a long time now
The reception lasted until very late at night When the last guest had finally been seen off, Yan Xiaohan spoke up to Fu Shen ”Leave this all here for the servants to clean up You can go to my Estate to stay beforehand”
He had assus for the Marquis Estate and wouldn't reject his invite Against expectations, Fu Shen had mumbled to himself for a moment, then turned him down ”There's no need I should've told you this earlier, but it slippedonto a countryside manor outside the city to recuperate I'll write you the address for it later If you need so, you can find htly contracted, his voice re separately? Was the way I treated the guests earlier unsatisfactory?”