Fu Xinghe had Ming Xu fetch her a pair of flat cloth shoes. She tied up her skirt and, ignoring the soreness in her legs, ran laps around the Fu family garden.
After a while, she felt the hair ornaments were heavy. She removed the golden hairpins and earrings and tossed them to Ming Xu.
Suddenly, a white flash appeared through the crevice of the rockery, accompanied by the sharp clanging of swords. Fu Xinghe stopped running and looked at Ming Xu.
Ming Xu said, “Second Young Master and Third Young Master are practicing swordplay. Miss, you usually get up late, so you haven’t seen them before.”
Fu Xinghe nodded. Fu Han had three children with Mi Dinglan: two sons and a daughter. Her two brothers were Fu Yunqi and Fu Yunxiao, both exceptional. But because the original Fu Xinghe had been so troublesome, she had gradually grown distant from her brothers. Just as she was about to leave, she heard her name.
“Mother said our little sister spent yesterday embroidering and reading,” said the eldest brother with a sigh. “Hopefully, she’s making some progress.”
Fu Yunxiao clicked his tongue. “Reading? Brother, you might not know. At the previous evening banquet at the Hanlin family, Li Xiaojing brought out an ancient text for everyone to appreciate. All the young masters and misses could discuss it, some faltering yet composed. But our little sister? She threw someone else’s book into the fire, saying women’s virtue is in ignorance. That was a rare ancient text, lost forever.”
The Hanlin family had no dealings with Fu Han and were among the few civil officials publicly aligned with the Emperor. Li Xiaojing was the younger sister of General Li Xiaozheng. Li Xiaozheng, who had achieved remarkable feats since youth, had returned to the capital last year. His close relationship with His Majesty revealed him as a key protector during the Emperor’s accession.
The Hanlin daughter was Fu Xinghe’s nemesis. Initially, Fu Xinghe didn’t want to attend, but among the many young ladies of the capital, being provoked twice, she appeared in full makeup. Only then did she realize the banquet’s theme was “reading,” and each attendee had brought a precious text.
As Fu Han’s daughter, she arrived empty-handed and ignorant, standing out as a complete fool.
Fu Xinghe immediately offended two families favored by the Emperor. Naturally, some suspected Fu Han had instructed her.
Fu Yunqi muttered, “…No wonder a whole shelf in the study is empty. Taken to apologize to Miss Li and the Hanlin family, I suppose.”
Fu Han, a man who loved books dearly, nearly fainted from anger. Fu Yunqi added, “Maybe this time will be different…”
Fu Yunxiao scoffed. “Perhaps. In the past, whenever she was punished for reading, she’d wail within an hour. Mother’s heart softened, and she let her out. If she wasn’t released, she would tear the books. Father would enforce the family rules, and Mother feared he’d be serious, so she had no choice but to let her go. By the way, Brother, how did your military exam go?”
Fu Yunqi’s expression darkened. He caught a glimpse of someone behind the rockery and sharpened his tone: “Who’s there?”
Blushing, Fu Xinghe stepped out, tousled hair falling over her face. She smiled genuinely at her brother. “Big Brother.” Fu Yunxiao snorted. As expected, in just a day, she was still wild and unruly. Fu Xinghe smiled at her second brother as well.
Fu Yunxiao’s eyes met hers, catching the sparkle in her eyes and the faint lift of her lips. He froze, almost dropping his sword. It was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen, more approachable than even a temple statue of the Bodhisattva unpretentious yet pleasing.
Though modest smiles were in vogue, Fu Yunxiao thought his sister’s bold, open smile was far more beautiful than a quiet, restrained one. But how could such a natural, easy smile appear on her face? It was horrifying like a ghost possessed her.
He furrowed his brow, recalling her lifelong misdeeds. The saying went: “A leopard cannot change its spots.”
Fu Xinghe paid no mind to their criticisms. Mistakes should be addressed openly; bottling them up serves no one. What worried her more was the Tyrant Emperor.
Knowing the original heroine’s behavior, Fu Xinghe feared that her escape two days ago had put the Emperor in danger. At the time, he was still unconscious, and she had only been thinking about escaping. The more she pondered, the more uneasy she felt. If anything had happened, the drug was her responsibility, a life was at stake.
But news from the palace was difficult to obtain. Fu Xinghe did not dare ask her parents. Her eldest brother seemed approachable. Fu Xinghe asked, “Big Brother, is His Majesty in the palace?”
Fu Yunxiao’s suspicion melted at her question. Some things never change. Fu Xinghe still dreamed of becoming Empress, never mind their father’s position.
Fu Yunqi answered her question: “No.” Fu Xinghe’s smile stiffened. Fu Yunqi continued, “Today is the military exam at the palace. His Majesty is at the suburban garrison overseeing the exam.”
Fu Xinghe relaxed slightly. “Monitoring the exam, then…” The military exam included archery, mounted combat, strategy, and theoretical tests. Results weren’t out yet, but Fu Yunxiao confidently interjected: “Big Brother will surely top the exam.”
Fu Yunqi shook his head. “No.” Fu Yunxiao was incredulous. “Impossible! Who in the capital could beat you?”
Compared to the civil examination, the military exam carried less weight. Many didn’t even notice it. Even the top scorer had to face the battlefield, survive, and achieve victory before gaining command. Unlike the civil exam, the military exam lacked a mature promotion path.
Yet Fu Yunqi, Fu Han’s son, had taken it, astonishing everyone. After producing three civil exam top scorers, another top military scorer seemed imminent until the Emperor unexpectedly came down to the training field and challenged him.
Fu Yunqi lost, utterly convinced. “Even if I cannot beat him, what use are you?” He remembered the Emperor’s cold words before General Li declared the exam void. One could not simply appoint a general based on rank.
The results were unexpected and not yet public. Indignant, Fu Yunxiao argued, “The Emperor isn’t a candidate! Even Li Xiaozheng might not beat him. He’s the most celebrated general now!”
Her brother’s skill matched Li Xiaozheng’s, clearly targeting the Fu family. Fu Yunxiao looked at the stunned Fu Xinghe meaningfully: “Same blood, same suffering.”
“What does this have to do with me?” Fu Xinghe blinked. Fu Yunxiao, exasperated, clarified, “See? Don’t think of the throne. Even if you excel in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, even if you top the selection, the Emperor would nullify it.” And she was poor at all of them, better not humiliate herself.
Fu Xinghe: “…” On this, Fu Yunqi agreed, warning seriously: “Little sister, the palace is unsuitable. Any slight deviation from the Emperor’s will could be disastrous.”
The original heroine’s obsession with the throne ran deep. Fu Xinghe had no choice but to explain again: “I recently discovered the joys of reading. I’m focused and only want to study.”
Fu Yunxiao reminded her, “Yet you just asked where the Emperor is.” Fu Xinghe smiled: “Just coincidentally…” “But Mother said you refuse matchmaking. That means you still think of the palace?”
Fu Xinghe: “…” How could she explain? The Tyrant Emperor could knock down her eldest brother; she had been insane to risk her life.
This time, Fu Xinghe deliberately remained silent, then whispered, “Second Brother said it. Even if I topped the selection, the Emperor wouldn’t choose me. What else can I do?”
Her voice trembled with tears. Seeing her subdued, Fu Yunxiao felt guilty. “There are many good men, little sisters. Don’t hang yourself on one tree.”
Fu Xinghe forced a smile, feigning despair: “Alright.” Since her family didn’t believe her light-hearted attitude, she would act the part.
Fu Yunxiao exaggerated further: “Don’t die from forced smiles. Plenty of grass exists across the horizon…”
Ah, the Emperor was truly the family’s nemesis. Father, eldest brother, younger sister everyone wanted to marry the Emperor. Even Fu Yunqi frowned at this, scolding: “Stop nonsense.”
“All right, I won’t. But let’s discuss potential suitors,” Fu Yunxiao began listing outstanding scholars to distract Fu Xinghe.
Fu Xinghe had been worried about her eldest brother. The Fu family was under suspicion, and Fu Yunqi was stuck at “political review.” She could see his helplessness, yet there was nothing she could do.
If the original heroine hadn’t intercepted the Emperor’s letter, Fu Han’s loyalty and Fu Yunqi’s martial skill would have protected the Emperor, reconciling tensions. But the original heroine acted, Fu Xinghe intervened, and now there was no explanation.
Meanwhile, Fu Yunqi, inspired by his younger brother’s matchmaking zeal, also gave suggestions about his sister’s marriage, forgetting the disappointment of the military exam.
Fu Xinghe opened her mouth but did not immediately stop them. As long as she and Mi Dinglan agreed, blind marriage could be avoided. Appeals to reason, or resistance if needed, gave her the final say.
Ming Feng’s martial skill seemed impressive. How would it compare to the Tyrant Emperor’s?
Fu Xinghe paused. Why compare with the Emperor? Her mother and brothers only wanted an unpowerful scholar for her marriage, fearing a pampered Fu Xinghe would suffer under a strict mother-in-law.
Unless the Emperor personally married someone, with layers of guards and deadly consequences, Ming Feng who had intercepted the Emperor’s letter could also snatch ten ordinary brides.
This gave her a secure fallback and instant peace of mind.