I raised stunning young ladies, but they all wanted to possess me.

The door opened softly, but the rhythm was different from before.

It wasn't the steady, slow pace of Chief Minister Zhuge, nor the light, quick stride of Fu Wanqing.

It was a very steady and slow sound of footsteps, but each step was firm and solid, like an old tree taking root.

Gu Yan noticed that the pink-haired girl had been standing at the door for a long time without moving.

He turned his head to look at the doorway, and an old lady walked in.

She wore a dark blue cheongsam, her hair was gray but neatly combed and pinned up at the back of her head with a jade hairpin.

She has deep wrinkles on her face, but her skin is still very fair. She must have been a beauty when she was young.

She stood ramrod straight, and when she walked, she didn't have the limp of an elderly person; instead, she exuded an indescribable air of authority.

That kind of imposing presence wasn't something deliberately put on; it was something ingrained in his bones from a lifetime of holding a high position.

Gu Yan was stunned when he saw her face; he had seen this face before.

Not on-site, but in the news, in historical records, and in documentaries that tell the modern history of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Fu Yunshu was the first female prime minister of the Great Xia Dynasty and also the most legendary politician in the Great Xia Dynasty in the past century.

She served as Grand Secretary for a full twenty years, implemented three major reforms, and laid the foundation for the modern governance of the Great Xia Dynasty.

When she resigned, the entire Great Xia Dynasty discussed her merits and demerits. In the end, the history books gave her four words: "A wise prime minister of a generation".

Since retiring, Fu Yunshu has rarely appeared in the public eye. Some say she is at home growing flowers and plants, while others say she is writing her memoirs.

No one expected her to appear here, at Gu Yan's bedside.

When Fu Wanqing saw the old lady walk in, she changed completely as if a switch had been flipped.

She was chattering away like a little sparrow just moments ago, but now she's suddenly quiet.

With her hands folded in front of her, back straight, and head slightly lowered, she looked as docile as if she were a completely different person.

"Grandma, I understand."

Her voice was several pitches softer than before, and gentle and soft.

"Then I'll go out first. You and Mr. Gu can continue your conversation."

She was taken aback at first, then turned to look at Gu Yan, blinked her amber eyes, and smiled again.

"Take good care of your injury and don't move around too much. I'll make you some soup later, it'll taste even better than today's."

After saying that, she turned and walked out, her steps very light and slow. She even looked back once she reached the door.

The door closed, the footsteps faded into the distance, and the corridor returned to silence.

Gu Yan stared in the direction Fu Wanqing had left, her mind racing.

Grandma, that's what she was calling for.

Fu Wanqing's surname is Fu, and her grandmother's surname is also Fu, which is normal.

But she called her "Grandma," not "Grandma Fu," not "Old Chief Minister," but "Grandma."

This form of address is too intimate, so intimate that it doesn't sound like how ordinary members of the Fu family would address their elders.

If Fu Wanqing were just an ordinary member of the Fu family, she should be called "Old Chief Minister" or "Old Fu".

But she called her "Grandma," which means she is Fu Yunshu's granddaughter.

Fu Yunshu was the previous head of the Fu family, while Fu Shiwei is the current Marquis of Wu'an.

If Fu Wanqing is Fu Yunshu's biological granddaughter, then what is her relationship with Fu Shiwei?

Distant cousin?

Or something else.

As he was thinking, he tried to sit up, but the pain in his back made him grit his teeth.

Fu Yunshu walked to the bedside, reached out and pressed down on his shoulder, her strength was not great but very steady.

"Don't get up, talk while lying down. Your injuries haven't fully healed yet, why are you making such a fuss?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear and distinct, carrying a power that left no room for argument.

Gu Yan had no choice but to lie back down, leaning against the pillows, and watch the legendary old man sit down by the bed.

She sat down slowly, first bracing herself against the armrests of the chair with her hands, and then slowly lowering herself down.

Getting old is getting old; no matter how capable a person is, they can't escape this stage.

After settling in, she looked at Gu Yan, whose eyes were different from those of Chief Minister Zhuge.

Zhuge Liang's eyes were like a deep pool, the bottom of which could not be seen; her eyes were like those of an eagle.

It's not the kind of fierce sharpness, but the kind of sharpness that sees through everything, like being able to see right through a person's bones.

She looked Gu Yan up and down, her lips twitching slightly, as if she were both smiling and sighing.

"Gu Yan, the 'Jade of the Empire,' truly lives up to her reputation. With such a face, it's no wonder she captivated our Wanqing so much."

"That girl has always been arrogant and thinks everyone is prettier than her, but today she actually told me that she met someone prettier than her."

"I didn't believe it at first, but now that I see it, well, it really does look good."

"She has indeed grown a lot more compared to before; Wanqing wasn't exaggerating."

Gu Yan's lips twitched; she didn't know how to respond.

The former prime minister didn't start the conversation with anything serious; instead, he made fun of his granddaughter, which was completely unexpected.

"Mr. Fu, you flatter me. I'm just an ordinary person, it's not that exaggerated."

Fu Yunshu looked at him, her eyes narrowed slightly, and the smile on her lips deepened.

"An ordinary person, an ordinary person could make the eldest daughter of the Lin family go to the Third Hospital, and make the young lady of the Pei family put her in solitary confinement for you."

"It's enough that the Grand Secretary personally ordered you to be brought to the Fu family to recuperate."

She paused, her tone slightly teasing.

"Young friend Gu, do you seem to have some misunderstanding about yourself?"

Gu Yan's face flushed slightly from what she said. She opened her mouth to explain but didn't know where to begin.

Seeing his embarrassed expression, Fu Yunshu chuckled softly and didn't continue the topic.

She leaned back in her chair, coughed twice, and cleared her throat.

Those two coughs weren't loud, but the person's entire aura changed instantly.

He went from a kind old man to a former prime minister who had absolute authority.

"Alright, enough of this small talk, let's get down to business."

Gu Yan's heart skipped a beat, and a familiar feeling welled up inside her.

He was all too familiar with this kind of opening line; whenever someone spoke to him in that tone, it was never a good thing.

They either send him to save someone's daughter or to cure someone's illness.

He's lain there so many times, he's gotten used to it.

He took a deep breath and spoke before Fu Yunshu could.

"Mr. Fu, I'm really not in good health. You see, I can't be of much help in this condition."

"Please let me go. I really can't do anything to help you."

His tone was so sincere that even he almost believed it himself.

"Right now, I just want to get better so I can take my grandfather to South Africa to retire and live a peaceful life."

"I would be extremely grateful if you could grant me this wish."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Fu Yunshu with an extremely sincere expression.

But in his heart he was thinking, "It's that same old drama of saving his granddaughter and daughter again. I'm sick of it."

Pei Yuran is Pei Youyi's daughter. Chen Sinian asked him to save Cecilia.

Now another one has appeared: Fu Yunshu's granddaughter, who is none other than Fu Shiwei.

Can't we just follow the storyline and wait for the characters to appear, instead of blaming him for everything?

He is the empire's shield, not its wet nurse; everyone's granddaughters and daughters come to him.

After hearing Gu Yan's sharp retort, Fu Yunshu's expression turned somewhat strange.

She looked at Gu Yan, her lips twitching slightly, as if she wanted to laugh but held it back.

After a few seconds of silence, she coughed lightly twice, picked up her teacup, and took a sip of water.

"Young friend Gu, you're quite decisive. I haven't even said what it is, and you've already refused."

She put down her teacup, looked at Gu Yan, and her eagle-like eyes held a hint of amusement.

"But you're half right."

"I do want to ask for your help, it's related to my granddaughter, isn't it?"