Chapter 1191: Couldn't Keep It Hidden

Seeing Shang Shuqing absentmindedly playing with the child, Shang Chaozong pretended to sound surprised. "Qing'er is here too?"

"Brother!" Shang Shuqing rose and gave the simple greeting used among family.

Shang Chaozong said, "I just saw Young Master Fu arrive. He's waiting for you in the front hall. Hurry over."

"Ah..." Shang Shuqing immediately grew a little anxious. It had nothing to do with feelings between man and woman. Rather, her upbringing and character made her regard keeping someone waiting as discourteous. She turned and apologized to Feng Ruonan. "Sister-in-law, he's here. I'll go over first."

Feng Ruonan smiled brightly. "Mm, go on. Eh, wait. Hold on."

Shang Shuqing stopped and asked in confusion, "Does Sister-in-law have some other instruction?"

Feng Ruonan looked her up and down. "You're planning to go see Young Master Fu dressed like that?"

The moment Shang Shuqing heard this, her head began to ache. She was a little afraid of this sister-in-law of hers. Every time she met Fu Junlan, if Feng Ruonan happened to see her beforehand, she would insist that Shang Shuqing change clothes. Refusal was not permitted. The problem was that the clothes Feng Ruonan chose always made Shang Shuqing herself feel terribly awkward.

Every time, her sister-in-law wanted her to wear something more fitted, something that showed off her figure.

Shang Shuqing understood the intention. Feng Ruonan wanted her to play to her strengths and hide her weakness, displaying the advantages of her figure as much as possible.

But Shang Shuqing always felt it somewhat improper. It seemed almost like trying too hard to compensate for an ugly face. More than that, she felt such clothing was a little wanton and inelegant, unsuitable for an unmarried woman. Her looks were already poor; she did not want others to look down on her character as well.

"It's fine. This is perfectly good." Shang Shuqing brushed it aside and turned to leave.

"Wait." Without another word, Feng Ruonan tossed the child in her arms to Shang Chaozong.

She did not merely say she tossed him. She genuinely tossed him, throwing him out with both hands.

Fortunately, Shang Chaozong was accustomed to having a wife who had once been a female general. He knew some things ingrained in her bones could never be changed. Their coordination was flawless: he caught the child with both hands and began turning in circles to amuse him.

Feng Ruonan strode forward and seized Shang Shuqing by the arm. "Come. We're changing your clothes."

Shang Shuqing looked deeply troubled. "Sister-in-law, there's truly no need. Young Master Fu is still waiting."

"Let him wait. What's wrong with making him wait a little?" Feng Ruonan snapped, forcibly dragging Shang Shuqing away.

How could Shang Shuqing's strength compare with that of this former female general? Feng Ruonan was a woman who could overturn a charging horse with one thrust of her spear and knock her own husband down with her fists.

Shang Chaozong understood nothing about this sort of women's dressing and had no intention of getting involved. He pretended he had seen nothing.

Strangely, not a single servant responsible for watching the child could be seen nearby, so for the moment he had no choice but to keep looking after the boy himself.

After waiting for a while, Feng Ruonan returned. Shang Chaozong, holding his son's hand, asked, "Qing'er went to see Young Master Fu?"

"Mm. She went." Feng Ruonan took the boy back and asked, "Have things been explained properly over at Maolu Annex?"

Shang Chaozong sighed. "I had no choice. It's been handled. I spoke to Hongniang, and she agreed to warn everyone below that if they run into Qing'er, no one is to reveal the news of Master Dao's death..." At that point he fell silent for a moment.

They had been husband and wife for so long that Feng Ruonan could read his expressions. Sensing something strange, she asked, "Is there some problem?"

"Nothing!" Shang Chaozong waved a hand, indicating he had business to attend to, and left.

In truth, he had thought of Master Dao's false death. He remembered the warning from that side. Although he did not know how much was involved in this staged death, the fact they had deliberately warned him meant there had to be a reason. He therefore concealed the matter from Feng Ruonan as well.

At a call from Feng Ruonan, the servants who had hidden themselves earlier all reappeared one after another.

How could such a large Prince's residence truly have no one available to look after the young prince?

...

Inside the hall, Lan Ruoting was still keeping Fu Junlan company.

With the gulf in horizons and experience between the two men so enormous, Lan Ruoting found the conversation awkward as well.

The moment Shang Shuqing's graceful figure appeared, Lan Ruoting looked as though a burden had been lifted from him. He immediately rose and chuckled. "Young Master Fu, the Commandery Princess is here."

"Mr. Lan!" Shang Shuqing first greeted Lan Ruoting.

Lan Ruoting cupped his hands in return.

Fu Junlan then bowed to her. "Commandery Princess."

Shang Shuqing returned the greeting with dignified courtesy. "Young Master Fu."

Back and forth they went, somewhat ceremoniously. But propriety could not be discarded.

Stroking his beard, Lan Ruoting smiled. "Commandery Princess, Young Master Fu, Lan has some matters to attend to. I'll take my leave first. You two talk."

He cupped his hands and quickly departed.

Shang Shuqing's voice was soft and graceful. "I've kept Young Master Fu waiting for a long time. Would you prefer to sit for a while, or shall we go out and walk?"

Fu Junlan truly had no desire to remain seated there. He hurriedly replied, "I've already been sitting for quite a while. Better to go for a walk."

"Please." Shang Shuqing extended one arm in invitation, neither servile nor overbearing.

After leaving the hall, the two headed directly for the rear garden.

As usual, war had broken out among the Seven States. For the sake of caution and safety, Shang Shuqing was not free to leave the Prince's residence casually. Each time, Fu Junlan had to come visit her in person. After every meeting, the two arranged the time for the next one.

On the way to the rear garden, Shang Shuqing asked, "Young Master Fu said just now that you'd been sitting for quite a while. Did you arrive very early?"

Fu Junlan answered honestly without hiding anything. "Not especially early. I arrived right on time. I happened to run into the Prince and the others, so I entered the residence with them."

"Right on time?" Shang Shuqing calculated silently. "Then you really have been waiting a long time. I'm truly sorry. Something delayed me on my side. It was improper to make Young Master Fu wait so long."

Fu Junlan said, "No matter, no matter. Having an opportunity to speak at length with Mr. Lan was beneficial in itself. It was a rare opportunity."

Shang Shuqing looked surprised. "Mr. Lan was the one keeping you company the entire time?"

Fu Junlan replied, "Yes... and no. I exchanged a few words with the Prince first. Afterward, Mr. Lan thought enough of me to sit and talk for a while."

Shang Shuqing gave him a rather surprised look and tested, "What did you talk about?"

"Just ordinary household matters." Fu Junlan was too embarrassed to mention the marriage.

Strictly speaking, he was not lying.

The discussion of marriage had been brief. Lan Ruoting himself had not known what to talk about with him, so most of the time had indeed been spent on ordinary family matters simply to pass the time.

"Household matters?" Shang Shuqing was somewhat astonished inside.

She was an exceptionally intelligent woman. Her horizons and experience far exceeded those of an ordinary young lady. Naturally she knew what kind of man Lan Ruoting was. His time was precious. For someone like him to spend so long discussing trivial household matters with Fu Junlan seemed rather unusual.

She did not mean to belittle Fu Junlan. The disparity in birth and background between them was obvious and could not be made up in a short time. She understood that. It would have to change gradually.

Even when Shang Shuqing herself usually met and spoke with Fu Junlan, she could feel the shallowness created by that difference in experience.

That naturally led Fu Junlan to say inappropriate things at times. For example, when the scholar's spirit seized him and he could not resist commenting on affairs beneath Heaven, the Fu family had suffered hardship in the past and he had formed his own impressions of the times.

In truth, what he said was very superficial, mixed with a great deal of personal emotion.

Put plainly, it was ignorance.

But Shang Shuqing was an excellent listener. At most she would smile gently. She never made Fu Junlan uncomfortable.

What surprised her was that a busy man like Lan Ruoting could actually spend so long rambling about such things.

She merely asked once out of curiosity.

Although doubts remained in her heart, she did not pursue them to the end. She feared that would make her seem overbearing and leave the other man feeling as though he were being interrogated.

Shang Shuqing knew what kind of subjects she should discuss with someone at Fu Junlan's level.

She changed the topic and returned to everyday life in the city: which newly opened shop was good, which shop sold tastier fruit, and similar matters.

On subjects like these, Fu Junlan could speak with great confidence.

When they discussed which establishment served the best food and wine, Fu Junlan seemed truly to have discovered a good one and praised it enthusiastically.

"For Young Master Fu to praise it so highly, the food must be excellent. If I have the opportunity, I should go see for myself," Shang Shuqing replied gently, following his topic.

In truth, the moment that establishment had opened, someone from the Prince's residence had already bought food from it for the household to sample.

If there truly was delicious food anywhere in the city, how could the Prince's residence possibly fail to know of it?

Her thoughts drifted slightly.

Speaking of delicious food, how could that establishment compare with the cooking of the monks at Maolu Villa?

The cuisine of Maolu Villa was truly unparalleled beneath Heaven.

Morning bells and evening drums, devout monks serving exquisite dishes with their own hands—the atmosphere alone was something no street-side restaurant could ever match.

It was not as though she herself enjoyed discussing the smell of wine and meat drifting through streets and alleys. She was not that vulgar.

She would rather discuss women's clothes and adornments, something closer to what women naturally liked to talk about. Unfortunately, Fu Junlan knew nothing of such things. Any conversation on that subject would immediately die.

But since matters had already reached this point, since her family had chosen Fu Junlan and she herself had tacitly accepted him, she knew she would likely spend the rest of her life with him.

So she accommodated his interests as best she could, trying to make him comfortable.

"The people from Maolu Annex have all arrived. They've settled somewhere in the city..."

The Prince's residence was vast.

Just as the two finally approached the entrance to the rear garden, the faint sound of conversation drifted toward them.

Shang Shuqing froze when she heard it.

She turned to Fu Junlan, apologized, then quickened her pace.

Within a shaded corridor at the garden entrance, two cultivators sat facing each other over tea.

Hearing hurried footsteps approach, they stopped talking and turned their heads.

Seeing Shang Shuqing, both men rose and greeted her courteously. "Commandery Princess!"

After returning the greeting, Shang Shuqing asked, "I just heard the two of you say that the people from Maolu Annex have arrived. Are they here in the provincial capital?"

The two men exchanged a look.

They had been warned by their superiors not to discuss Niu Youdao's death inside the residence. Talking about Maolu Annex did not seem to fall under that prohibition.

But Maolu Annex was connected to Niu Youdao, and neither knew whether it was appropriate for Shang Shuqing to hear about it.

"The Commandery Princess misheard." One cultivator answered politely and offered nothing more.

He turned and gave the other man a look.

The two picked up their teapot and left.

Shang Shuqing stood there in surprise.

Fu Junlan entered and asked, "Commandery Princess, what is it?"

Shang Shuqing turned to him. "Did Young Master Fu hear what they said just now?"

Fu Junlan thought for a moment. "I think they said Maolu Villa... something about settling in the city. No, perhaps it was Maolu Annex. I've only ever heard of Maolu Villa, so perhaps I misheard."

Since even he had heard the words "Maolu Annex," Shang Shuqing knew she had not been mistaken.

What puzzled her was why mentioning Maolu Annex should be abnormal in any way.

Those two cultivators had clearly seemed to avoid telling her more.

Again, Shang Shuqing was an intelligent woman.

Her thoughts immediately connected this with everything earlier.

Her sister-in-law's behavior had already seemed strange. How could a Prince's residence actually lack servants to look after a child?

Then there was Mr. Lan. How could a man that busy have the leisure to spend so long discussing household trivia with Fu Junlan?

And now the people from Maolu Annex had arrived.

Given her relationship with Maolu Annex, why had no one told her?

The more she thought about it, the more abnormal everything seemed.

She immediately turned and gave Fu Junlan a courteous bow. "Young Master Fu, please wait a moment."

"Very well. I'll wait here." Fu Junlan cupped his hands and watched the apologetic Shang Shuqing hurry away.

Shang Shuqing headed straight for Feng Ruonan.

When she arrived, the child was still playing outside while Feng Ruonan was indoors.

After asking a servant where the Princess Consort was, Shang Shuqing strode directly inside.

The moment she saw Feng Ruonan look up in surprise, she asked outright, "Sister-in-law, have the people from Maolu Annex arrived?"

Feng Ruonan set down the embroidery in her hands.

The bird stitched onto the plain cloth looked more like a chicken.

She asked in surprise, "Where did you hear that?"

"I just heard two cultivators in the residence discussing it," Shang Shuqing said firmly, not mentioning that she had never received confirmation.

Feng Ruonan's eyes shifted.

Then she immediately smiled. "The people from Maolu Annex have arrived in the provincial capital. Is there some problem?"

Shang Shuqing was displeased. "Then why was it kept from me?"

Feng Ruonan had commanded troops before. Someone capable of dispatching armies would not be slow-witted.

She put on an astonished look and immediately diverted the question with a single sentence. "Who kept it from you? Didn't you have an appointment with Young Master Fu? We were afraid that if we told you, it would interfere with the meeting between the two of you. Right now, is there anything in this residence more important than the two of you?"

[End of Chapter 1191]