CHAPTER 82: CHAPTER 82: MARQUIS, WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T LOOK BACK

Xiao Chengyu indeed did not turn back, and instead, turned his head to look at Fu Shinian.

Fu Shinian thought Xiao Chengyu did not understand her intent, so she quietly explained, "Does the Marquis like Princess Fuhui?"

Nanny Chu couldn’t help but perk up her ears.

Although she thought it was impossible, she knew Fuhui liked the Marquis Changping.

Since Fu Shinian asked, she might as well take the opportunity to listen and report back to the Empress.

Xiao Chengyu was so shocked by Fu Shinian’s words that his scalp tingled, afraid that if he answered slowly, he’d be misunderstood as being insincere. Without pause, he quickly said, "Of course not! How could you think so?"

The usually calm person couldn’t help but raise his voice a little.

"Please don’t blame me, Marquis, I just wanted to confirm, lest there be a misunderstanding if you truly have feelings, causing trouble for you." Although she felt that Xiao Chengyu wouldn’t like someone like Princess Fuhui, what if?

Xiao Chengyu: "..."

"Since you don’t like her, if you turned back earlier, the Princess might think you couldn’t bear to part with her and had feelings for her." Fu Shinian said.

Hearing these words, Xiao Chengyu’s scalp tingled even more and he dared not turn back.

Nanny Chu said with a suppressed smile, "The princess is indeed still watching, the Marquis must not turn back."

What kind of reputation does Princess Fuhui have to scare the Marquis Changping like this?

After escorting Xiao Chengyu and Fu Shinian out of the palace and delivering the rewards from the Empress to the carriage, Nanny Chu went back to report to the Empress.

And she conveyed Xiao Chengyu’s attitude towards Princess Fuhui.

Mentioning Princess Fuhui made the Empress’s expression turn cold, "I’ve never seen such a fool. Not particularly favored within the palace, just an ordinary child among the Emperor’s many offspring, how dare she make things difficult for the daughter of a meritorious official!"

"Indeed, fortunately, there was a clever palace attendant who reported in time. You sent me, otherwise even if the Marquis Changping could protect the second daughter of the Fu family, she still wouldn’t be spared from the princess’s entanglement." Nanny Chu shook her head and said.

"It’s no surprise that Marquis Changping doesn’t care for Fuhui." The Empress said, "However, I perceive that Marquis Changping is quite considerate towards the second daughter of the Fu family. After leaving the Emperor, he even went out of his way to wait for her at my place."

"Indeed." Nanny Chu smiled when mentioning Fu Shinian, "If you could have seen it yourself. The second daughter of the Fu family asked if Marquis Changping liked Princess Fuhui, and the Marquis was so scared, afraid that his slow answer might be misunderstood. It was the first time I saw the Marquis like that."

"Speaking of which, it seems to me that Marquis Changping’s health is getting better, even healthier than before." The Empress said, "He might not be unable to marry."

"I noticed too." Nanny Chu hesitated, "Do you plan to..."

"I am not one to meddle in matchmaking." The Empress said, "Besides, the matter of the Marquis’s marriage is under the watch of the old lady."

"However, if a little match can be made, it wouldn’t be bad either."

The Empress paused and asked, "Is the Emperor busy now?"

"Do you have something to discuss with me?" Unexpectedly, as soon as the Empress spoke, Emperor Jiawen entered the hall.

The Empress quickly stood up to salute, but was held by Emperor Jiawen. The Empress said, "This really is a coincidence, I just finished speaking, and here you are. It’s as if you can read people’s minds."

"Hahaha." Emperor Jiawen laughed, "I just had the Imperial Physician check on Chengyu, and he said Chengyu’s health is better than before. I couldn’t wait to share this with the Empress."

"I just heard, is the Empress planning to arrange a marriage for someone?" Emperor Jiawen asked.

"I just noticed that Marquis Changping is quite close to the second daughter of the Fu family. I heard she came today in the Marquis’s carriage, and thought it was ordinary. But after the second daughter of the Fu family came to me, not long after, the Marquis was waiting outside the hall to take her home with him. So I thought Marquis Changping is quite considerate towards her."

"Also, on the way they met Fuhui, Fuhui didn’t notice the second daughter was still kneeling, and didn’t call for her to rise for a long time. It was Marquis Changping who insisted that the second daughter rise first." The Empress slowly recounted the matter of Princess Fuhui.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Jiawen grasped the key point, "Fuhui made the second daughter kneel for a long time?"

Without waiting for the Empress to speak, Emperor Jiawen asked Mr. Chang by his side, "What happened?"

Matters in the palace certainly could not be hidden from Mr. Chang.

Mr. Chang quickly recounted the events, but omitted the fact that the Empress specifically sent Nanny Chu.

After all, no matter what, Nanny Chu was a servant, and Fuhui was a princess.

If he spoke of it, it might seem like insubordination.

Besides, the Empress had casually brought it up earlier, if Mr. Chang mentioned how the Empress had gone to Emperor Jiawen with a complaint, it would appear as if she was intentionally stirring trouble.

Mr. Chang, being able to thrive even under the Empress, knew how to conduct himself and wouldn’t betray the Empress.

Indeed, after Mr. Chang finished speaking, the Empress’s expression became increasingly gentle.

The more Emperor Jiawen listened, the more his expression grew cold, saying sternly, "Since Fuhui enjoys setting rules for others, I will set some rules for her."

"Convey my decree: Although Fuhui has been enjoying luxuries in the palace, she has yet to make any contribution to Great Xi. Now, she even humiliates the daughter of a meritorious official, forcing her to kneel for a long time. Fuhui is to be confined in the palace for five days to reflect on her actions."

This punishment is not overly severe.

But it will certainly make Princess Fuhui lose face.

Confinement in the palace to reflect, everyone in the palace will know.

It may even be spread outside the palace.

Emperor Jiawen clearly wants Princess Fuhui to understand that compared to her, he values those who have contributed to Great Xi more.

The decree was delivered by Liu Xizi, Mr. Chang’s apprentice, as Mr. Chang had to go to deliver a decree to Fu Shinian.

In Emperor Jiawen’s mind, the importance was clear to everyone.

Princess Fuhui couldn’t believe what she heard while kneeling to receive the decree in the hall.

But immediately, two nannies walked over.

Liu Xizi said, "The two nannies were sent by the Empress to teach you manners."

The news of Princess Fuhui being punished had yet to spread.

Xiao Chengyu’s carriage was parked at the gate of the Fu Mansion. He stepped out to help Fu Shinian down, just in time to meet Xiao Old Lady who had just come out of the Fu Mansion.

"Old Lady." Fu Shinian was surprised, why had the Xiao Old Lady come?

"Good child." The old lady saw Fu Shinian and quickly grasped her hand, "This time we owe much to you, you saved Chengyu’s life!"

"Old Lady, please, don’t say that."

"No, it must be said." Xiao Old Lady insisted, "I should have come as soon as you returned yesterday, but I figured your family would have many things to talk about with you, so I held off. Yet today you went into the palace again, I thought I wouldn’t see you."

"Rest more at home, Ying Yue is always talking about wanting to see you." Xiao Old Lady said, "She wanted to come today too, but I held her off. Hopefully she can come tomorrow, is that convenient for you?"

The old lady truly feared she couldn’t hold Xiao Yingyue off for much longer.