When Bing Chun hurried to Yaozhi Chunxin, a figure suddenly lunged from the shadows. He dodged to the side and, upon closer inspection, realized it was Dongqing.
Bing Chun asked in surprise, “Why do you look like this? The Eldest Young Master did not mistreat you; why have you become this thin?”
The person who had been vibrant and lively just a short time ago was now as thin as a skeleton, with sunken eye sockets, looking as if his soul had been sucked out. He wailed, “Please, plead with the Eldest Young Master for me. Let me return to Yaozhi Chunxin.”
Bing Chun hesitated, “The Eldest Young Master’s orders are never rescinded. Or is someone outside mistreating you? Should I speak with the Eldest Young Master?”
Ever since the day Fu Jing interrogated those involved, he had transferred Dongqing to an outer courtyard. That was only out of respect for the fact that Dongqing had been sent by the Zhang family, and even after the transfer, the position was a leisurely one.
Dongqing bit his lip and cried, his hands looking like pieces of withered branches, clutching Bing Chun’s sleeve tightly: “The Eldest Young Master has been coming back to stay these past few days. You…”
Bing Chun’s face darkened as he interrupted, “Why are you still prying into the Eldest Young Master’s affairs from your own courtyard? The Eldest Young Master hates overstepping the most. A few days ago, even the Young Master was given a cold look. If you step forward now, do you think the Eldest Young Master will not punish you?”
“Young Master, Young Master! What kind of ‘young master’ is he that you are so eager to act like a dog for him!” Dongqing was quite temperamental, his voice shrill. “I do not see that person valuing you much either. We are both from the same generation; instead of siding with me, you…”
Bing Chun swung his arm, shaking off Dongqing. He stared at him coldly, and once he stopped speaking, Bing Chun scoffed and walked into the courtyard alone.
He peeked through a crack in the door the size of a palm: “Out of consideration for our past, I will not lay a hand on you this time. If you dare speak like that again, just try it!”
Bing Chun slammed the door shut and walked quickly toward the depths of the courtyard. He stood with his head bowed in front of the door for a while, until the person inside spoke, at which point he entered to report to Fu Jing about Fu Sili staying out for the night.
Fu Jing did not say anything after hearing the report. He told the people in the courtyard to retire early and went to the study to practice calligraphy.
In the vast courtyard, the bright lanterns were extinguished one by one. Freed from their duties, the servants walked briskly toward their own quarters. Fu Jing felt the room was too stuffy and pushed open the window to let the cold air flow in. Snowflakes were falling from the sky, drifting into the room with the cold wind.
Fu Anhuai had once said that Fu Jing’s nature was indifferent, desireless like an ascetic monk, and that he would not last long in officialdom. But over the years, although Fu Jing lacked the ability to skyrocket, his progress had been steady and solid. Outwardly, he maintained a gentle, polite, and generous demeanor, forcing Fu Anhuai to retract his words and offer praise instead.
Fu Jing thought, Fu Anhuai was right. No matter what I do, my essence is one of cold indifference. He thought this, and Fu Anhuai surely thought the same; the opinion had never changed from beginning to end. Otherwise, he would not have forced Fu Sili onto him.
Fu Sili was like an insect that had fallen into a web. Pairs of eyes in the dark watched him wander and struggle. Fu Jing also watched from the side, rarely stepping in to offer help. Perhaps Fu Anhuai’s move was correct; he had started to learn how to be an older brother.
The study door creaked open, and wind and snow swirled in. He turned around to see an undercover guard he had left to watch over Fu Sili’s courtyard.
The guard said, “Gao Yi injured our men and broke into the Young Master’s courtyard late at night. When we were sending reinforcements to catch him…”
Seeing the guard stammering, Fu Jing felt a gut instinct that this was not the news he wanted to hear. He heard the guard take a shallow breath and say, “The Young Master opened the door and let Gao Yi in.”
Fu Jing: “…”
“Our men stood guard outside. There was no sound of fighting inside; we only heard Gao Yi’s wanton laughter. The two seemed to be talking quite happily.”
They were responsible for the Young Master’s safety, and since they were talking happily like friends, there was no need to intervene.
“He let Gao Yi in voluntarily?”
“At first, the Young Master blocked the door, but later he opened it himself to let him in.”
Fu Jing: “…”
Over there, Gao Yi sat on a chair with his legs crossed: “At first, I did not know who you were. It is all Fu Jing’s fault for being so overbearing, acting like a villain. Ha! Running to the Duke of Cao’s mansion to badmouth me to my father. I thought to myself, I have never even interacted with Fu Jing, why would he strike at me? Turns out it was because of you.”
Fu Sili’s handling of the Luhuachun (quail) matter was indeed ill-considered, but thankfully the item had not changed hands. He tried to talk to Gao Yi calmly, but Gao Yi kept on complaining: “My father will not give me money anymore, I am penniless, and I dare not go home. It is all your brother’s fault.”
Fu Sili refused to take the blame: “If he is dealing with you, there must be a problem between you two. Why drag me into it?”
Gao Yi groaned, “Are you not related to Fu Jing? Forget it, forget it. You are young, I will not hold it against you. Let us just be friends.”
Fu Sili: “…”
Gao Yi shifted his posture and ordered him, “Do not talk about that yet. Go outside and buy me some clothes. My clothes were torn by you.”
Fu Sili ignored him. He walked to the table expressionlessly, braced himself against the chair, and sat down to look at his account book again. Gao Yi said, “Otherwise, I cannot wear my clothes, so I will just have to be naked in your courtyard. If you do not mind, that is fine too.”
Fu Sili slammed his hand on the table. Gao Yi yawned, watching him with a relaxed expression. He stood up, went to the inner room to rummage, and soon threw clothes into Gao Yi’s lap: “I will not dwell on what happened before. Put them on and get out immediately.”
Gao Yi picked up the clothes to examine them. Even though the garments were thick, it was clear they were too small: “How stingy, cannot even bear to buy a decent set of clothes.”
He dawdled while putting on the clothes, discovering that the hem was nearly five inches above the ground. He grumbled, scanned the room with a sense of familiarity, and ate the food Bing Chun had brought for Fu Sili.
Fu Sili frowned as he listened to the commotion. He used to tease Fu Jing often, but now the karma had returned; it was truly absurd.
“You have clothes, and you have eaten. Can you please leave now?” Fu Sili asked with a stern face.
“I have nowhere to live, where would I go? Or why do you not go back and tell your brother to stop messing with me, and then I will go back.”
Fu Sili was so angry he almost laughed: “I know how Fu Jing conducts himself. He would not do something like that. It must be something on your end. Besides, a fly does not bite a seamless egg. If you did not have issues yourself, he would not have a reason to report you.”
Gao Yi was thoughtful: “Are you calling Fu Jing a fly?”
Fu Sili: “…”
“I do not care what kind of person Fu Jing is, it was him anyway. Believe it or not.” Gao Yi found a place to lie down, crossing his hands over his abdomen. “Tomorrow I want to eat meat buns.”
Fu Sili was numb: “…Get out.”
The person lying on the rattan chair fell asleep with his arms crossed after a while. The small room was filled with the sound of breathing. Fu Sili could not do anything about him, comforted himself in his heart for a long time, and finally went back to his account book.
With someone else in the room, he could not sleep. After finishing his accounts through the night, he quietly waited for the bell and drum at the fifth watch to strike. He packed his things and prepared to go back to Yaozhi Chunxin to catch up on sleep.
Gao Yi turned over with his eyes closed: “Remember to bring me meat buns.”
Fu Sili: “…”
Eat, eat, eat. He is a nobleman’s son, so how did such a rascal end up like this!
It was still dark, but the street stalls were set up early. The scent of hot steamed buns wafted through the whole street. Fu Sili followed the scent, had a quick meal, and after returning to Yaozhi Chunxin, he threw himself onto his bed and fell asleep.
He slept until the mid-afternoon. It was getting late, and he unexpectedly heard Bing Chun mention while tidying his clothes that Fu Jing had not gone to the Imperial Academy today.
Fu Sili lifted his throbbing head and subconsciously calculated the frequency of Fu Jing coming home recently, shocked: “What is this? Is Fu Jing planning to stop studying at the Imperial Academy?”
At this mention, Bing Chun also realized Fu Jing was acting strangely: “…Perhaps there is nothing too busy at the Imperial Academy?”
“Is he in the study now?”
Bing Chun shifted his eyes guiltily and said gloomily: “Yes, he is…”
Fu Sili paused, knowing this fellow had run off to report to Fu Jing again. He patted Bing Chun’s shoulder and went out.
The snow that fell at night had melted by dawn, leaving only thin ice hidden between the cracks of the tiles. Fu Sili lifted his hem and headed to the study to find Fu Jing. Walking to the door, he saw Qiuyuan standing outside.
Fu Sili smiled: “Please announce me to the Eldest Brother. Tell him Fu Sili is here.”
Qiuyuan stood straight and shifted his feet to the side: “Young Master, please go in. The Eldest Young Master is waiting inside.”
“Huh?”
Just as he was puzzled, he remembered he was staying in the other’s courtyard; what news could possibly escape Fu Jing’s ears?
Fu Sili walked straight in, calling out: “Why did the Eldest Brother not go to the Imperial Academy today?”
The man was sitting at the table with his eyes lowered. Behind him, the screen was inscribed with several lines of calligraphy. The bookshelves on both sides were filled with books; the study was not large.
Fu Sili called out, but Fu Jing did not move. He stopped his steps: “Oh? Reading? I thought you were waiting for me. Then, Eldest Brother, please continue…”
He made a gesture to leave. Fu Jing looked up at him and rubbed his brow: “Come here.”
Fu Sili walked over with a grin and pulled a chair to sit beside him.
“Eldest Brother did not rest well? If you are not going to the Imperial Academy, why not sleep? Why are you so busy all day that you do not have time to rest?”
Fu Jing put down the book in his hand. When Fu Sili climbed onto his arm, he grabbed the other’s wrist and squeezed his palm: “They say winter is the time for quiet cultivation; why do you run outside every day?”
He lowered his eyes to look at Fu Sili’s now slender, fair fingers. The pink scar on his finger had faded to match the surrounding skin tone.
Fu Jing said indifferently: “Sit here, and a doctor will take your pulse in a moment.”
Fu Sili: “…”
Fu Sili pulled his hand back sharply: “It would be better to have the doctor look at you. Your complexion looks haggard today.”
Though he said this to retort, he was not wrong. Fu Jing’s complexion was indeed poor today, and it was obvious that his spirit was different from before.
In all fairness, Fu Sili still hoped he would be well. He asked with concern: “Are you too busy? No wonder you have been coming back so frequently these days. It must be that there is too much going on at the Imperial Academy.”
Fu Jing: “…”
Fu Jing: “Are you hungry? Shall we have something to eat first?”
Fu Sili waved his hand immediately: “No, no. I am here to ask the Eldest Brother about something.”
Who wants to eat that food secretly laced with medicine? If I did not trust Fu Jing, I would think he was trying to harm me.
As he thought this, he faintly heard a soft scoff. He looked at Fu Jing instinctively, but the man’s face showed no change.
“What is wrong?”
Fu Sili hesitated, then returned to his business: “I do not know how much the Eldest Brother knows about Gao Yi from the Duke of Cao’s mansion?”
After he had beaten Gao Yi and ran away last time, he had inquired about the man. His status and position were quite high, and not someone to be trifled with. Days had passed, and he did not expect the man to show up at his doorstep.
Fu Jing’s expression was bland: “Why do you ask about him?”
“Just asking.”
Fu Jing smiled slightly: “This person is wanton and uninhibited, idling away his time in the capital. Apart from his martial arts skills, he is good for nothing.”
Fu Sili nodded with deep feeling: “And what is his family situation?”
“His father, the Duke of Cao, Gao Zhi, spent his life on the battlefield and was titled Duke of Cao in his later years. The residence is in the Northeast Chaoyang Street area of the capital. Gao Yi is a playboy. He has an older brother who will inherit the title, who has been appointed by the Emperor to the Censorate, holding the rank of Fourth-Rank Investigating Censor.”
Fu Sili scratched his head and said, “That powerful?”
Doesn’t that mean I should treat him like an ancestor? Wait, no. His father kicked him out and even stopped giving him money. He should not be coming to me over these trivial little things, right?
Fu Sili grabbed Fu Jing’s hand: “Eldest Brother…”
He looked at Fu Jing with hopeful eyes, thinking that in view of their relationship, even if Gao Yi did something later, Fu Jing could help him block it.
Fu Jing thought he wanted to associate with Gao Yi, so he looked away silently: “His father and his brother are upright, but he is poorly disciplined. If you encounter him, do not pay him any mind. This person is used to being dissolute, often hanging around brothels; he is unclean in private.”
Fu Sili realized a beat late that Fu Jing was badmouthing Gao Yi. His words led him to think of Gao Yi visiting prostitutes, and he said it so uprightly, so brazenly.
To be fair, Gao Yi’s conduct was indeed improper, but his gaze was clear, and he did not seem like a man of excessive lust. Furthermore, the man had worn those tattered clothes for who knows how long; he could not squeeze a copper coin out of his whole body, and he definitely did not have the money to pay for a girl.
Fu Sili’s expression changed slightly, and he asked in surprise: “So the Eldest Brother really dislikes Gao Yi that much?”
The study went quiet, the flame of the lamp flickering. Fu Jing looked at the half-open window, his face dark and heavy.
After a long while, he tilted his head slightly, and with a helpless smile, said: “Why would I like such a person?”
Fu Sili rarely saw such vivid emotion in him, revealing a hint of a child’s direct, innocent malice. He raised his eyebrows in amusement.
Fu Jing suddenly raised his hand to press his forehead, his brows furrowing slightly: “Brother has a headache. Hush for now.”