Daily Life of a Powerful Official Supporting His Wife

Chapter 15

Chapter 15
The home of the Shangshu Ling, the Fu Mansion.

As soon as Madam Su returned, the house was bustling with activity. Some maids made the Luohan bed that Madam Su loved to lean on, while others helped boil water for Madam Su to bathe and change clothes.

In short, the servants of the Fu Mansion were eager to show their courtesy, and no one dared to offend Old Madam Su. Putting aside the fact that she was the mistress of the Fu Mansion, even considering she was the Princess of Qingping, the daughter of Prince Shou, no one dared to offend her. Furthermore, Master Fu and Old Madam Su were deeply in love, and all three of their legitimate sons were born to her, with only the younger daughter having died an unjust death. Otherwise, who wouldn't mention Old Madam Su when discussing the blessed family with both sons and daughters?
Madam Su was escorted into the main house by Nanny Zhao. Even before she had settled down, the daughters-in-law from the other rooms were already eager to come and pay their respects. Everyone in the Fu family knew that if they wanted to establish their authority within the mansion, they had to first impress the Su family. Naturally, they were attentive and careful, not forcing them to come and pay their respects according to the rules. The daughter-in-law from the third room also respected the rules and would occasionally wait in the Su family's courtyard.

They wanted to please Old Madam Su, and even went so far as to seek out Cheng Lingyan, sending her pearls, flowers, and snacks every day, hoping to befriend her. Everyone knew that this granddaughter from another family was Old Madam Su's darling. If they could please her, and then praise their aunt in front of the old lady, wouldn't that be a complete success?
Cheng Lingyan wasn't stupid. She was able to live in the Fu Mansion even more luxuriously than the first wife, naturally because of Madam Su's influence. She didn't want to return to the Cheng family, so far away in Kyoto. Even if she was the Cheng family's legitimate daughter, she didn't want to return from the glamorous Kyoto to marry a local noble.

If we talk about wealth and status, how can one compare to the Kyoto? Otherwise, why would officials from all over the country want to have a seat in the presence of the emperor in Kyoto?

Cheng Lingyan lived in Shixiangyuan, which was closest to Old Madam Su's courtyard. Naturally, the news was immediately relayed by the maidservant who reported it to her. Cheng Lingyan changed her clothes, thinking of going to Caiyi to entertain her parents and amuse Old Madam Su.

Normally, even if Madam Su didn't want to see her third wife's daughter-in-law, she would always see Cheng Lingyan. But this time, she was turned away. Cheng Lingyan's face darkened slightly, and she felt a little embarrassed when she saw her third aunt standing beside her, who had heard the news and had come over.

The third aunt said that she liked Cheng Lingyan's straightforward nature, but in fact it was all out of courtesy. The little girl relied on the protection of Old Madam Su and was always rude to her, let alone respecting her as an elder.

Third Aunt also had evil thoughts at this time. She pretended not to hear Qiu Ju forbidding Cheng Lingyan from entering the courtyard and asked in a dumbfounded manner, "Why is Lingyan waiting here? Has Old An returned?"

Cheng Lingyan felt uncomfortable hearing her words. If she returned and was stopped at the door by Qiuju again, wouldn't her third aunt be a laughing stock? She was the most favored granddaughter, yet how could she not even see her grandmother?

Cheng Lingyan hesitated for a while and said, "I guess grandma just came back home and is still washing up, so it's not convenient for her to see anyone."

"Oh, so that's how it is." The third aunt covered her lips with her sleeves, her eyes slightly curved, as if she was smiling.

Was Cheng Lingyan being laughed at? She angrily returned to her courtyard. She was still muttering to herself, she hated her third aunt Sun Que, who came from a general's mansion. Her father and brother were both tall and strong warriors, yet she looked so petite. But what good was it for her to be beautiful?

The whole family is made up of military generals who wield swords and guns on a daily basis. She doesn't have the elegance of a lady from a famous family and looks like she comes from a humble background!

Seeing that everyone had left, Sun Que had no more fun and planned to return to his own courtyard of the third room.

Hongye, the maidservant beside her, asked in surprise, "Why doesn't the Third Madam ask Qiuju if she can pay her respects to the old lady?"

Sun Que felt particularly relieved when he saw Cheng Lingyan being humiliated. He said to Hongye, "What's there to ask? Didn't you see that Miss Cheng was also stopped at the door? It's probably because Old An is not convenient to see people. If you have the time, you might as well go make another bowl of soup for the Third Master."

Sun Que and Fu Sanye, the third son of the Fu family, fell in love at first sight at the horse riding and archery field. That year, the emperor held an autumn banquet and hunted, and called on the sons of each family who were good at riding and shooting to join the battle. She couldn't resist the temptation, so she tied her hair into a boy's style, changed into Hu clothing, and rode and shot.

When the Emperor first ascended the throne, the situation was unstable, and General Sun was the one who relieved the Emperor of his worries. After General Sun quelled the unrest, to avoid the Emperor's suspicion, he personally handed the Tiger Tally to the Emperor. Since General Sun was both a meritorious official and a paper tiger without military power, the Emperor was naturally relieved, but also felt a sense of guilt.

General Sun's decisiveness in making decisions earned the emperor's praise. The emperor also favored him and his children, treating them with kindness. Sun Que had been raised under his watch. Though not as literate as other noble ladies, her straightforward nature and her skill at riding and shooting, like a man, had won the emperor's favor, who found her a truly interesting girl.

This time, she had disregarded her brother and father's instructions and gone out on horseback shooting without permission, fearing reprimands and also thinking of a way to apologize. If she hunted a white fox as a tribute to the emperor, with the emperor's protection, would she be afraid of her father punishing her?
Sun Que was so proud that she rode her horse all the way into the snow. However, her horse missed her target and she fell off. At that moment, she met Master Fu San who was riding on horseback.

On a snowy winter day, a young man with jade-like eyes rode towards her on horseback, looking very much like the man in her dreams. Third Master Fu, watching the bright and beautiful woman rolling in the snow, felt a little bewildered.

The two fell in love at first sight and immediately confessed their feelings to the emperor at the autumn banquet. Perhaps because older people like to act as matchmakers, the emperor laughed heartily upon hearing their words and immediately granted the marriage.

General Sun had originally wanted to keep his beloved daughter for a few more years, but she was abducted by a scholar during a horseback riding and archery competition. For this reason, he was unhappy with Master Fu for many years.

Sun Que couldn't help but smile as she thought of the past. Fortunately, she hadn't misjudged him. Now she and Mr. Fu San were deeply in love, and her parents-in-law were kind. It was because of her courage that she had found a good marriage.

Elsewhere, Madam Su, without even removing her makeup, frantically called for Master Fu. Tears welled in her eyes, her doubts growing thicker. She choked back tears as she spoke, "There's something I've kept hidden in my heart for years. I never asked Master about it, thinking I could just turn a blind eye."

Seeing his wife in tears, Master Fu was so distressed that he didn't know what to do. He hurriedly helped Madam Su up and wiped her tears with a handkerchief, just like when they were young. "What happened? Who dared to make Madam Su angry? If there is anything, please tell me, okay?"

"I met someone today who looked just like Yao'er. She even had the jade I gave her tied around her waist. How could such a coincidence happen?"

Upon hearing this, Master Fu heaved a long sigh. This truly was a fateful fate! Old Madam Su had fainted upon hearing her daughter's death. He couldn't find his granddaughter, and he was worried his wife would be distressed and hurt by her loss. He considered himself a selfish man. As long as his wife was safe, he didn't care about losing his daughter, so he just considered it a lack of parental connection.

Just to make Old Madam Su feel at ease, he found a baby in swaddling clothes and said that she was the only surviving Cheng Lingyan. He used her to coax Old Madam Su to take care of herself, because only if she became strong could she protect Fu Yao's bloodline.

Madam Su, a motherly figure, did indeed recover her health, but Master Fu suffered day and night. He felt guilty about his wife and the Cheng family, and he couldn't let the bloodline of the Cheng family be disrupted. So he tacitly allowed Madam Su to raise Cheng Lingyan in the Fu Mansion, and secretly provided a lot of support to the Cheng family, as if it was his way of making amends for the Cheng family.

When Old Lady Su asked about this, Master Fu wondered if the woman she was talking about was actually his granddaughter. How many people in the world look alike? If it was just a coincidence, wouldn't Old Lady Su be seriously ill again if she learned Cheng Lingyan was fake?
Mr. Fu was in a dilemma and didn't know how to start.

Seeing his expression, Old Madam Su guessed the secret. She sighed and said, "Master, you and I have been married for decades. Have you ever hidden anything from me? Fei Yu, I have believed in you for most of my life. Please don't make me sad!" If she was not heartbroken, how could Old Madam Su call out Master Fu's courtesy name?
Master Fu recalled the year he and Madam Su first got married. He had teased her, asking her, "How about calling me Brother Feiyu?" Decades had passed since then...

Master Fu pretended to grit his teeth and said to the old lady, "You guessed right. Cheng Lingyan is indeed just a child I found. I couldn't find Yao'er's baby in her arms, and I was afraid you couldn't hold on, so..."

That's why he used the trick of replacing the prince with a cat and deceived Old Lady Su for thirteen years.

Madam Su sighed and said, "Forget it. Ling Yan is innocent after all. The master wouldn't have come looking for her if it weren't for me. Just consider it a fate between Ling Yan and me, and this is the fulfillment of our relationship as grandparents and grandchildren. But you have to investigate the wife of the Xie family! Her father's name is Lu Jin, and he lives in Jinhua Town. You have to get to the bottom of it. If she is really Yao'er's child, I want her to recognize her ancestors! I often dream at night that Yao'er is soaked in water and shouts to me that she is cold. I have let her down..."

Master Fu held Madam Su's hand and said solemnly, "Don't worry, I will definitely give you an explanation. For now, you can relax. If you like the lady of the Xie family, you can send her a visiting card from time to time and invite her to visit our house."

"I don't need to." Old Madam Su nodded. Today's scene was so noisy that everyone in the family thought that Mr. Fu and Old Madam Su had been on good terms for so many years. They just had a fight when they were old, and they suddenly felt uneasy.

The next morning, each family came to pay their respects to Old Madam Su.

As soon as Cheng Lingyan saw the old lady, she threw herself on her lap, smiling sweetly to please her: "Grandma, did you sleep well?"

"Okay, okay." Old Madam Su continued to chat and laugh with her as usual, but as she spoke, she couldn't help but scrutinize Cheng Lingyan's features. She saw that Cheng Lingyan was a beauty so stunning she could eclipse the moon and shame the flowers, yet she looked nothing like her daughter, Yao'er. Perhaps she hadn't doubted her before, so she had considered her her granddaughter. Now that her suspicions had returned, she looked at Cheng Lingyan again and saw that she looked nothing like her.

She inexplicably wanted to see Lu Baoer again. Regardless of whether she was really her granddaughter or not, she wanted to interact with her more often, just to fulfill her wish of missing her daughter.

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(End of this chapter)