Li Shu sat on the edge of the bed. Small and short-legged, she rested her chin in her hand, watching Xiao Fu Shi carry a drawing board, brushes, ink, paper, inkstone, and pigments as she followed Liu Chengxu out the door. Li Shu sincerely hoped her mother could fully display her talents.
Bowing and scraping to serve a man was never Xiao Fu Shi's wish. She had no choice but to do so for her own sake.
Who would want to live day after day watching others' moods, holding back a bellyful of anger until even a healthy person falls ill from rage? When an opportunity arises, one must seize it first. That was Li Shu's wish.
Only with genuine talent and substance can a person go far.
Dan Hong stayed behind to look after Li Shu. Seeing the little girl swinging her feet, she found it amusing. "Miss, would you like this servant to take you to the courtyard to play?"
"No, I'll just sit here and wait for Mother to return," Li Shu said.
So Dan Hong stayed, peeling lotus seeds for her to eat while keeping her company. Dan Hong felt quite cheerful—not because Xiao Fu Shi could truly achieve great feats, but because Xiao Fu Shi had been quite favored lately and could now even accompany the master to meet his subordinates and others.
It was worth noting that such treatment had only been seen in the year Xiao Fu Shi first married into the family. In recent years, Xiao Fu Shi had been relegated to a corner, living like a walking corpse. Even during the year she managed the household, servants she had punished fought back. There were countless instances of being unfairly blamed: insufficient charcoal in winter, inadequate ice in summer, and accusations flying everywhere.
The old woman guarding their gate was clearly sent by the First Madam. Yet, when she was caught playing cards at night, she privately sought out their own Second Madam, as if it were the Second Madam's people who had done wrong—never mind whose person this old woman actually was.
Such foul incidents were too numerous to count, and they still had to pinch their noses and thank Fu Shi for publicly stating she wouldn't name names.
As Xiao Fu Shi followed Liu Chengxu to the official residence's front office, she was initially somewhat anxious and nervous. But unexpectedly, remembering her daughter's chubby little face giving her a kiss filled her with boundless strength.
"Captain Wu, Captain Lin, my wife is skilled in painting. Please bring over those who have seen the thief," Liu Chengxu said to the yamen runners and constables.
Soon, people arrived. Xiao Fu Shi first listened to their descriptions of the thief's features, age, clothing, and even the crime scenes. She synthesized accounts from several individuals and painted the thief as described.
She was very confident in her painting skills. Thus, she showed it to Liu Chengxu. "This man has slightly dark skin, is half-bald, of medium build, with a slight hunchback and rather small eyes. He appears to be in his thirties. The fact that he managed to enter wealthy households to rob several times without detection suggests he might have an unusual physique. I've painted him as such. What do you think, Husband?"
Liu Chengxu showed the painting to those who had glimpsed the thief. Upon seeing it, they couldn't help but exclaim, "Madam's painting is incredibly lifelike! If we hadn't seen it ourselves, we'd think Madam had met this man in person."
"Truly?" Liu Chengxu was delighted.
The two captains quickly nodded. Immediately, Liu Chengxu ordered the portrait to be posted and a hefty reward offered for the capture of this thief.
This thief, thinking himself clever, had been hiding in plain sight among the crowds. Now, with this vivid, lifelike portrait, he would likely find it hard to escape.
Then, Liu Chengxu said to Xiao Fu Shi, "Qiujun, I'll have someone escort you back. Thank you."
"I'm glad to be of help to you, Husband." Knowing Liu Chengxu was eager to achieve merit, Xiao Fu Shi compliantly agreed to return, for she was already missing her plump little girl.
"But," she added, "since the thief is so confident in hiding himself, could it be that he has altered his appearance? Husband, you must pay close attention to the spirit captured in the painting."
Liu Chengxu nodded in agreement. He had never expected Xiao Fu Shi to possess such a talent. The authorities often offered substantial rewards for information, but it rarely helped because the portraits they used seldom resembled the actual person. Xiao Fu Shi’s painting, however, had captured the man’s likeness perfectly—truly remarkable.
He placed his hands on Xiao Fu Shi’s shoulders and said, "My Qiujun is truly clever."
This was the first time Xiao Fu Shi had been praised like this, especially for something so significant. Her joy was evident, and she seized the opportunity her daughter had given her: "Husband, if you ever need my help in the future, just let me know. If I can offer even the slightest assistance, it would be my honor."
Liu Chengxu’s gaze toward her changed instantly. Before, he had only pitied and cherished her, fearing she might truly lose her will to live. Now, it was as if he had discovered a hidden treasure.
**
"Mother, what is this?" Li Shu looked at the small string of dough figurines before her, finding them all adorable.
Xiao Fu Shi smiled. "These are all for you."
Dan Qing chimed in playfully, "Whenever Madam goes out, she buys something for our young lady. Back in Shanyang, our young lady’s toys were so many they couldn’t all be stored. There’s no mother in the world who dotes on her daughter more."
Not wanting to disappoint Xiao Fu Shi’s kindness, Li Shu licked one of the figurines and then handed it to her mother. "You have some too, Mother."
Xiao Fu Shi hugged her daughter tightly, overjoyed.
Of course, what made the mother and daughter even happier was that Xiao Fu Shi’s painting had indeed played a role. With a generous reward offered, someone brave enough came forward, and the thief was captured.
Liu Chengxu was dining with Fu Shi at the time, with Concubine Su and Concubine Ding attending to them, when Chang An suddenly entered and announced, "Sir, the leader of the thieves has been captured. The deputy prefect, the assistant prefect, and the local gentry have all sent congratulatory gifts. They request your and Madam’s presence at the banquet."
Everyone was delighted to hear the news, and Liu Chengxu immediately said, "Go quickly and ask the Second Madam to prepare. She will accompany me to the banquet. How was the thief captured? Tell me at once!"
He believed that solving this case was entirely due to Xiao Fu Shi’s contribution, so the "Madam" he referred to was undoubtedly her.
Fu Shi’s expression, however, grew inexplicably complicated. Concubine Su curled her lip in disdain, while Concubine Ding glanced at Fu Shi’s face and then lowered her gaze, remaining silent.
For the first time, it was not Fu Shi who would attend the social event, but Xiao Fu Shi.
When Xiao Fu Shi received the message from Chang An, she began to dress and prepare. Li Shu, standing beside her, was thrilled for her mother. She nestled into her mother’s arms, thinking how wonderful this was.
At least in this lifetime, her mother would not have to live like she did in the previous one—officially the Principal Wife, yet forever treated as if her status were unclear.
"Madam, this is truly wonderful," Dan Hong said, overjoyed for Xiao Fu Shi.
Xiao Fu Shi looked at her daughter. "This is all thanks to Li Shu."
Dan Qing, however, expressed concern. "A tree that stands out in the forest will be battered by the wind. Although I am happy for our young lady, I worry about the First Madam’s reaction…"
Hearing this, Li Shu’s heart tightened. She was still too young to protect her mother, so she glanced at Xiao Fu Shi with worry. Xiao Fu Shi happened to look at her daughter at that moment and saw that, despite her young age, Li Shu understood Dan Qing’s words and was filled with concern. This immediately strengthened Xiao Fu Shi’s resolve.
"Although it is said that the tallest tree catches the wind, fortune favors the bold. If I remain mediocre and unambitious, I might as well be a living corpse. I can endure it myself, but I cannot bear to see Li Shu fade into obscurity, unknown and forgotten." Xiao Fu Shi thought that if she could socialize more often, she would be able to take her daughter out regularly in the future.
At this point, she stood up and said to Li Shu, "Darling, let Dan Hong play with you today. In a little while, Mother will definitely take you out to play, alright?"
Seeing the determined glint in Xiao Fu Shi's eyes, Li Shu felt reassured. A woman may be gentle by nature, but as a mother, she becomes strong.
Indeed, the current situation could no longer be handled with a purely defensive approach. Remaining passive and living like a corpse would only earn pity. Shifting from defense to offense, no longer fearing Fu Shi, and deciding to face the challenge head-on was actually a good thing for Mother.
As the rightful wife, Mother should indeed go out and socialize in her capacity as a lady of the house. Li Shu then said to Xiao Fu Shi, "Darling will be good. Mother, please go ahead."
"Such a little grown-up," Xiao Fu Shi said with a smile.
Li Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief.