With Fu Xuanchen agreeing to oversee the construction of surrounding houses alongside his second brother, Jiang Wanwen confidently entrusted the matter to the Fu Xuanming brothers.
Noticing that everyone had tasks except her, Fu Xuanzhao couldn’t help feeling somewhat dejected. However, being someone who spoke her mind, she asked, “Mother, everyone has something to do. What about me? It’s quite boring being alone.”
Jiang Wanwen had no intention of raising her daughter confined within inner chambers. These were the Chaotic Times—if her elder brother succeeded in rebellion, her daughter could be enfeoffed as a grand princess with the privilege to be willful.
Holding her daughter’s hand, Jiang Wanwen patiently guided her, “Then what would you like to do?”
Fu Xuanzhao shook her head, her eyes filled with confusion. Back in Shengyang, all she needed to do was fulfill her role as ‘Junzhu’.
Having fled to Yongning with her mother and witnessing much along the way, she was no longer content with being merely a figurehead.
Yet she hadn’t figured out what to pursue: “Daughter doesn’t know either.”
After some thought, Jiang Wanwen felt uneasy about having her daughter learn farming or engage in battlefield combat. Instead, she suggested, “Would you like to go into business?”
Though Fu Xuanzhao was only ten, certain notions were ingrained from childhood. “Business? People say ‘scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants’—does doing business truly make one inferior?”
Jiang Wanwen didn’t immediately refute this. “What do you think, Zhao’er?”
While still influenced by past beliefs, a ten-year-old absorbs new perspectives quickly.
Seeing her mother respect her opinion, Fu Xuanzhao grew bolder. “Daughter used to think so too. But if we hadn’t had silver on our journey from Shengyang to Yongning, we probably wouldn’t have survived. It was the same when we reached Chengshui. Eldest Brother knew we had arrived but sent neither silver nor provisions. If Mother hadn’t had funds, we’d likely still be foraging in the mountains or begging at Yongning Wangfu. Like you, Mother, I dislike humbling myself to ask for favors.”
At this point, Fu Xuanzhao realized what she wanted, her eyes filled with determination. “Mother, I want to learn business. When I’m wealthy enough to rival a nation, I refuse to believe Eldest Brother can remain so arrogant.”
As she spoke, Fu Xuanzhao held her head high, proud as a young rooster.
Delighted that her daughter had found a purpose, Jiang Wanwen naturally offered support. In high spirits, she generously allocated resources for all three children:
“Such ambition! Mother supports you. I’ll give each of you three siblings one thousand taels of silver to manage as you see fit.”
Her announcement pleased all three children present, even the previously sulky Fu Xuanchen, who smiled and said, “Thank you, Mother!”
Concerned about her daughter lacking reliable attendants and the dangers of traveling to the county town alone, Jiang Wanwen added, “Zhao’er, wait awhile to see if your former servants come looking for you. If they don’t, Mother will buy new servants for you. You must not go to the county town alone. If you encounter villains who might capture you to exchange for rewards from the imperial court, it would be disastrous.”
Though Jiang Wanwen’s last remark was partly meant to frighten her daughter, it also contained genuine concern.
“Indeed, little sister, you should listen to Mother and wait until your attendants are properly assigned,” Fu Xuanming chimed in, worried his younger sister might grow restless and wander off.
Fu Xuanchen, however, focused on a different point. “Mother, are you saying the servants who used to attend us might come looking for us?”
This was something Jiang Wanwen couldn’t guarantee, as there were too many variables. “I gave them their indentures and severance pay. Perhaps some loyal ones might make the journey to Yongning.”
Hearing this, Fu Xuanming, Fu Xuanchen, and Fu Xuanzhao didn’t feel disappointed. Instead, they collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
Whether those servants came or not wasn’t important. What mattered was that, after serving them for so long, they now had a chance at survival during these troubled times.
Fu Xuanming was now full of admiration for his mother. “Mother, you’re amazing!”
Though Fu Xuanchen couldn’t bring himself to voice such praise, he was annoyed when his second brother did. He muttered under his breath, “Bootlicker!”
The moment the words left his mouth, Fu Xuanchen wisely covered his head.
Sure enough, his second brother and younger sister immediately reached out to knock his head. Fu Xuanchen wore a triumphant grin. “Can’t reach me!”
Seeing his antics, Fu Xuanming and Fu Xuanzhao could only withdraw their hands in frustration. They weren’t children anymore—they couldn’t possibly brawl in front of their mother every day.
With matters settled, Jiang Wanwen and her children began their midday meal while chatting.
Their table was relatively well-stocked, with both vegetables and meat. The vegetables came from Ma Liu’s garden, while the meat was hunted by Zhong Yuancheng and his men in the mountains behind them.
The only downside was the cook. The flavors of the dishes fell short—not just compared to the Wangfu’s standards, but even to Jiang Wanwen’s own cooking.
As he ate, Fu Xuanchen started muttering again, “I wonder if any of the Wangfu’s master chefs would travel a thousand li to join us.”
Fu Xuanzhao was always ready to pour cold water on her third brother’s fantasies. “Even if there were, they wouldn’t come to us. We don’t live in the Wangfu anymore.”
Fu Xuanchen bristled at her words. “I was just talking to myself! Couldn’t you pretend not to hear me?”
Jiang Wanwen and Fu Xuanming ate their meal while watching Fu Xuanchen and Fu Xuanzhao bicker. Strangely enough, their squabbles made the food more enjoyable.
Unbeknownst to them, one of the capable people Jiang Wanwen had been hoping for had already arrived at Yongning Wangfu—Yu Wei, the former chief steward of the front courtyard, who had set out over ten days later than they did.
Unaware of whether the Wangfei had reached Yongning, and assuming she would head to Yongning Wangfu if she had, Yu Wei went straight there.
Yongning Wangfu was now under Xiao Jiaru’s control. Since Fu Xuanrui had ascended the throne, Xiao Jiaru was now the Empress.
Xiao Jiaru had received word from Fu Xuanrui days earlier and had initially planned to immediately set out for Chengshui with her retinue—she was anxious to know how her son was faring.
However, after being persuaded by those around her, she restrained herself. Before her mother-in-law arrived, Fu Xuanrui had spent most of his time away at war, leaving her as the sole authority in the Wangfu.
Now that her mother-in-law was here, there couldn’t be two rulers in one household. She needed to diminish her mother-in-law’s authority and make it clear that Yongning wasn’t Shengyang—the era of her mother-in-law’s dominance was over.
Xiao Jiaru was so confident because she believed that her mother and the others, having fled from Shengyang, could not have brought large quantities of food, gold, or silver with them.
She anticipated that without her sending food and silver, her mother and the others would not be able to hold out in Chengshui for long.
By then, when she went, she would have even more say. In such times, those with silver and food were the ones who could call the shots.