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

The car stopped in front of the Fu family's gate, and the guards at the gate straightened their backs even more when they saw this scene.

Gu Yan pushed open the car door and got out. The night breeze carried the sweet, faint fragrance of flowers from the garden.

As soon as he reached the door, he saw that the lights in the hall were still on, and the warm yellow light shone through the windows, illuminating the stone steps at the entrance.

A man sat on a grand chair in the hall, wearing a dark blue cheongsam, his hair gray but neatly combed.

Fu Yunshu, former prime minister, the true head of the Fu family, and the first female prime minister of the Great Xia Dynasty.

She was holding a cup of tea, which had already cooled down; it was unclear how long it had been sitting there.

This means she sat there for a long time, waiting for Gu Yan to return.

Seeing Gu Yan walk in, she put down her teacup, the bottom of the porcelain cup making a soft sound as it tapped on the table.

He looked up, and those eagle-like eyes swept over him.

From hair to shoes, from complexion to posture, every detail was scrutinized, as if reading a report.

Then she spoke, her voice not loud, but every word carried a weight that commanded respect.

"You're back. Did you have fun?"

Gu Yan stood at the door, looking at the legendary old man, and her lips twitched.

"Not bad, Mr. Fu, you're still awake."

Fu Yunshu stood up and adjusted the hem of her cheongsam, her movements slow and elegant.

"I'm waiting for you. There's something I need to tell you. I'll go to sleep after that."

She glanced at Fu Wanqing, who was following behind Gu Yan, and her gaze lingered on the red string on her wrist for a second.

That glance was quick, but Gu Yan noticed it. The old man saw everything, but he just didn't say anything.

Then he looked away and looked at Gu Yan, the light in his eyes shifting as if he were making a decision.

"Come with me."

She turned and walked towards the study, her steps steady and slow, her back straight like an old pine tree, her footsteps making a soft sound on the wooden floor.

Gu Yan sighed and followed her over, thinking that she was probably going to hear another long story tonight.

Fu Wanqing stood in the hall, watching the two figures disappear at the end of the corridor, the lights in the corridor turning on and off one by one.

She glanced down at the red string on her wrist; the jade beads shimmered warmly under the light, like a small drop of solidified milk.

The corners of her mouth curved slightly, a small but genuine smile, not the kind of happiness that's faked.

Then she turned and walked towards her room, her steps light and quick, her skirt twirling around her feet.

When she reached the door, she stopped and glanced back at the corridor.

Gu Yan was no longer visible; the corridor was empty except for the lights still on.

But she still stared at it for several seconds, as if confirming something, or waiting for something.

Then he pushed open the door, went inside, and the door closed with a soft click.

The corridor fell silent, with only the ticking of the wall clock.

One beat, one beat, one beat, as if counting something, or as if waiting for something.

"Master Gu, Qing'er, come with me."

Fu Yunshu nodded again and walked behind.

Gu Yan nodded.

He followed Fu Yunshu toward the study, but the old woman did not enter the study; instead, she walked through the entire corridor.

At the end of the corridor was a heavy wooden door, with a plaque above it bearing three large, gilded characters.

Yingwu Hall.

Fu Yunshu pushed open the door, and the hinges made a dull sound, as if something ancient had been awakened.

The interior space is very large, with a high ceiling equivalent to two floors, and the walls are covered with portraits.

Each portrait is framed in a dark wooden frame, with the name and birth and death dates engraved below it.

The people in the portraits are dressed in armor, official robes, and are holding knives or swords.

Their expressions varied, but their eyes were all very bright, as if they were looking at everyone who walked in.

Gu Yan stood at the door, a bad feeling welling up inside her.

The former prime minister stayed up late to wait for him and even brought him to a place like this; it couldn't be anything good.

Fu Wanqing followed behind him and called out "Grandma" when she saw Fu Yunshu.

But her voice sounded a little tense and uneasy, like a child being reserved in front of an elder.

Fu Yunshu nodded, said nothing more, and turned to walk ahead.

"The Fu family has a thousand-year history, and the Yingwu Hall enshrines ancestors who shed blood for the empire."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it resonated in the spacious hall, carrying a dignified quality.

"Everyone of them has left their mark on the history of the Great Xia Dynasty, and every one of them is worthy of the surname Fu."

She stopped in front of a portrait of a middle-aged man in armor, holding a long spear, with piercing eyes.

"This is the third-generation head of the Fu family, a founding hero of the Great Xia Dynasty, who followed the founding emperor in conquering the country."

Gu Yan stood beside the portrait, looking at it. The person in the portrait was lifelike, and even the patterns on the armor were drawn in great detail.

Fu Wanqing followed in and stood half a step behind Gu Yan, her amber eyes fixed on the portrait.

Fu Yunshu continued walking forward, introducing each painting one by one, each painting telling a story.

"This is the seventh head of the family. When he quelled the rebellion in the Northwest, he killed three of the enemy's generals single-handedly."

"This is the twelfth generation patriarch, the first female general of the Great Xia Dynasty, who led troops in the East China Sea naval battle."

"This is the nineteenth head of the family. He was a civil official but had superb martial arts skills. When he was on a mission to the Western Regions, he single-handedly rescued the detained delegation."

As Gu Yan listened to these introductions, her awe of the Fu family deepened.

There's a reason this family has been able to survive for a thousand years; every generation has contributed to its growth.

Fu Wanqing listened along, her amber eyes sparkling like stars.

Her gaze moved from one portrait to another, examining each one intently.

It felt like a family reunion, or perhaps a make-up class, catching up on the Fu family history she had missed.

Fu Yunshu walked to the back of the hall, where three portraits hung, larger than those in front.

The people in the portrait are dressed in modern clothing, and their faces are clearer, as if they lived not long ago.

"These are the three ancestors of the Fu family in modern times, four generations of three dukes, and the last generation of hereditary dukes of the Great Xia Dynasty."

Her voice carried a hint of pride, but more than that, an indescribable heaviness.

"The first is my grandfather, the second is my father, and the third is my eldest brother."

"Three generations, three generations of prime ministers, a unique occurrence in the hundreds of years of history of the Great Xia Dynasty."

Fu Wanqing looked at the three portraits, her beautiful eyes bright, as if she had seen something to be proud of.

The corners of her mouth curved slightly, and that smile wasn't faked; she was genuinely proud of the Fu family.

Fu Yunshu's gaze shifted to a solitary portrait hanging nearby, which was positioned closer to the viewer than the others.

The portrait depicts a young woman in military uniform, with striking features and a subtle, exquisite smile on her lips.

Fu Shiwei.