After Zhan Feiyu left, Yang Xu was still struggling with how to handle the situation. Should he just watch as the Fu family daughter sought death?
But the thought that this might be a scheme by the Fu family, aimed at forcing him to marry her, made Yang Xu's anger simmer. He was annoyed at his own carelessness; if he had been a little more cautious, he wouldn't have been dragged into the pond by the Fu family daughter.
However, after hearing Zhou Shuyao's words, Yang Xu's expression suddenly changed. "You mean the Fu family will use the Yang family's restoration to threaten me?"
Seeing the shocked Yang Xu, Zhou Shuyao understood that he was young. For the past few years, General Yang and his uncle had probably only taught him martial arts. He had never heard of these dirty tricks of the inner chambers, so naturally, he didn't know how to guard against them.
"Xiao Xu, this is a critical period for the Yang family's restoration. We can't afford any negligence. Moreover, there are still many enemies secretly waiting to seize any handle against the Yang family and prevent the Yang family's restoration. If you make any mistake at this time, all your efforts will be in vain." Zhou Shuyao's words were pertinent. She was doing Yang Xu a favor and mending relations with the Yang family.
Zhou Shuyao recalled her mother and uncle's analysis. General Yang and his uncle were both upright and incorruptible. Only Yang Xu, being young, was a potential breakthrough.
Furthermore, Zhou Shuyao wanted to marry Qiu Jinyu. Even though she was a maiden in love, she wasn't brainless. Marriages between noble families emphasized matching status. Compared to the Qiu family of Qianzhong Dao, the Zhou family was insignificant. The only possibility for a marriage alliance was if she were Yang Xu's elder cousin.
Therefore, after recognizing the situation, Zhou Shuyao treated Yang Xu with utmost sincerity. Her mother had once said that only sincerity could exchange for sincerity. Her methods were still immature. If she used tricks on Yang Xu, he might not discover them, but General Yang and his uncle certainly would not be fooled.
He never expected that his carelessness would lead to such serious consequences! Yang Xu lowered his head in thought, clenching his fists tightly. "What if I get engaged to her?"
"We can only get engaged for now," Zhou Shuyao said with a smile, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes. Engagement did not mean marriage! It was too easy for someone to die in the inner chambers.
However, Zhou Shuyao would not say this to Yang Xu. Even if that damned girl from the Fu family deserved to die, Zhou Shuyao did not want to have blood on her hands. If she leaked the news, someone else would do the deed, and she would still be the kind and amiable cousin in Yang Xu's eyes.
After a moment of hesitation, Yang Xu nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, Zhou Shuyao knew the matter was settled and her expression relaxed. "Then, Xiao Xu, you rest. I will go talk to Miss Fu. At least we can stop her from threatening to kill herself and ruining the Yang family's reputation."
Compared to Yin Wuyan's cold-blooded and heartless "Let her die," Zhou Shuyao's gentle approach was more suitable for the current situation. They couldn't really force the person to death, nor could they let the Yang family's enemies seize the opportunity to cause trouble.
In the wooden house, He Nuan relayed the conversation between Yang Xu and Zhou Shuyao verbatim to Zhan Feiyu. "Miss Zhou took the midday meal to Miss Fu's room."
Zhan Feiyu nodded, understanding. This way, Miss Fu could be temporarily appeased.
Let alone just an engagement, even a wedding date could be set. It was too easy for an accident to happen before the wedding and for someone to die. Therefore, what troubled Yang Xu was not a problem for Zhou Shuyao at all.
"Then who was Gui Cao administered by?" Zhan Feiyu reviewed everything that had happened on the way, still without a clue, and could only turn to Yin Wuyan, who was sitting opposite her, for help.
"Eat. No matter who administered the medicine, its effects have already passed," Yin Wuyan said coldly. Gui Cao's medicinal properties could only remain in the body for half an hour.
From the ascent up the mountain to falling into the water and returning now, more than half an hour had passed. The medicinal effects had almost dissipated. Even if rouge fruit was administered again during the midday meal, it would likely be useless.
Zhan Feiyu frowned, feeling that something was wrong, but she couldn't figure out what it was, so she could only eat first.
As Yin Wuyan had predicted, the effects of Gui Cao had passed, so nothing happened until they left Plum Valley in the afternoon.
The Fu family daughter probably got a definite answer from Zhou Shuyao, so she stopped threatening to kill herself. Several carriages set off back in a grand procession.
Lifting the carriage curtain and looking at the setting sun, Zhan Feiyu couldn't help but sigh, "Not even an ambush. Too disappointing."
As soon as she heard they were coming to Plum Valley, the danger index in Zhan Feiyu's mind soared. She not only had He Sheng scout ahead with people but also stationed personnel on the mountains surrounding Plum Valley.
Later, fearing that the enemies in the dark might use fire and burn Plum Valley, He Nuan immediately sent a secret letter. As a result, Zhan Feiyu made a big fuss, and apart from Yang Xu gaining a fiancée, nothing happened. Her foresight only served to make her efforts futile.
Looking at the dejected young girl, a hint of a smile flashed in Yin Wuyan's phoenix eyes. Just as he was about to say something, he saw the sky darkening and the temperature dropping further after leaving Plum Valley. Yin Wuyan remained silent.
...
Qiu Residence.
After it was completely dark, the butler, holding a lantern, was looking out at the entrance. Seeing the carriages stop, he hurried over. "You're finally back. The master has been waiting."
Yang Xu, who had been in high spirits when he left in the morning, was now like a frost-bitten eggplant. "Has Grandpa Qiu not eaten yet?"
"The master said that Young Master Xu and the others would be back soon, so he waited a bit longer." The butler lifted the curtain and, after Yang Xu got off the carriage, walked towards another carriage to help Zhan Feiyu down.
This person? The butler's steps faltered. That noble and extraordinary aura, coupled with that chilling and indifferent demeanor, made the butler instinctively stand straighter, with a reverence he himself was unaware of.
Yin Wuyan got off the carriage first, then reached out, clasped Zhan Feiyu's chubby little paw, and with a slight force, lifted her down.
"Big brother, aren't you going to stay for dinner?" Zhan Feiyu was also dejected now. The joy of seeing Yin Wuyan had completely disappeared.
Even though she knew Yin Wuyan was busy with official duties, she hadn't expected him to leave so hastily, not even having time for dinner.
His voice remained clear and indifferent, but the gesture of patting her head was incredibly gentle, conveying comfort. Yin Wuyan said in a deep voice, "I will return by tomorrow morning at the latest."
Her low mood finally improved a little. Zhan Feiyu tilted her head up. The lanterns hanging under the eaves emitted a red glow, falling on her face, making her look warm and well-behaved. "Then I'll wait for you to have breakfast together tomorrow morning."
"Okay." A simple word, but also a promise. Seeing the little girl finally smile, Yin Wuyan turned and left, his tall and slender figure instantly blending into the night.
Yang Xu had been standing by the carriage, watching Yin Wuyan walk away, then looking at Zhan Feiyu, who was still wistfully gazing at the alley entrance. Yang Xu inexplicably felt a tightness in his chest. Little Yu looked like a child at this moment, and she only acted so childishly in front of that icy man.
"Miss, it's cold outside. You should go inside," He Nuan reminded her softly. Seventh Master came and went in a hurry, but He Nuan knew that Yin Wuyan spending more than two hours in Plum Valley was already his limit.
Nodding, Zhan Feiyu grinned, her voice still cheerful. "Let's go. It's cold and I'm hungry. I feel like I could eat a cow."
The group then walked towards the main entrance. But the moment they crossed the threshold, Zhan Feiyu couldn't help but look back. The dark alley was empty, with only the cold wind blowing the snowflakes from the treetops.
Suddenly looking back, the person was there amidst the dim light! She thought this saying was only for deceiving sentimental women.
After the gate of the Qiu Residence was closed again, Yin Wuyan emerged from the darkness, his gaze fixed on the distant mansion.
"Seventh Master, people have already been sent to the Fu family to keep watch," Chong Guang also appeared from the darkness. Sensing that his Seventh Master's aura was a bit cold, he didn't dare to be flippant. "Your subordinate checked the charcoal basins. Gui Cao was also added to the charcoal. I presume the charcoal in all the carriages had it added."
Besides the silver charcoal that He Nuan brought, others also brought hand warmers and charcoal. However, that charcoal was only enough for the journey to Plum Valley. Upon arriving at Plum Valley, whether it was the charcoal basins burning in the wooden houses or the charcoal used on the return journey, they were all taken from the Plum Valley storehouse and had dried and ground Gui Cao added.
"As long as it doesn't involve Little Yu, you don't need to act," Yin Wuyan's voice was cold and emotionless. No matter what the people in the dark were plotting, the young girl was his bottom line. If his young girl was not involved, whether someone died or the sky fell, Yin Wuyan would not interfere.
Chong Guang shed a tear of sympathy for Yang Xu. Fortunately, he was a boy. He would learn from his mistakes. More tempering now would prevent him from being deceived in the future.
Half an hour later, in the study.
While the food was still in his throat, Qiu Zongxi suppressed his temper and berated Yang Xu fiercely. "If you don't have the skill, don't take on the job! Don't you know your own capabilities?"
"Hero saving the beauty? I think you, Yang Xu, are a cowardly bear. You were targeted before you even grew your fur. When you come of age, will you have a beautiful wife and concubines? The general's mansion's backyard will probably be full!"
Zhan Feiyu sat in a corner, looking sympathetically at Yang Xu, who was being scolded. Old Mr. Qiu was probably furious to have even uttered the words "didn't even grow his fur."
"Grandpa Qiu, I know I was wrong." Yang Xu lowered his head. If it were just an engagement, it would be fine. But if this matter were exploited by the Yang family's enemies, and the Yang family could not be restored, he, Yang Xu, would be a sinner of the Yang family.
"Knowing your mistakes and correcting them is the greatest virtue?" Qiu Zongxi's anger had not subsided. His thunderous scolding, which seemed to shake the roof, was like sparks and lightning. "I tell you, those words are only to fool children. One wrong step, and you lose the whole game! The Yang family will ultimately be ruined by you."
Qiu Zongxi was probably not satisfied with Yang Xu's submissive attitude. His gaze suddenly fell on Zhan Feiyu. "Little girl, am I wrong in saying this?"
"No, you are very right." Zhan Feiyu immediately chimed in, sitting up straight with a serious expression on her bun-like face. "As the saying goes, a father's incompetence makes one incompetent, and a mother's incompetence makes the whole family incompetent! If you marry Miss Fu, the Yang family will probably have no successors. The enemy would defeat the general's mansion without a single soldier. This is the highest form of military strategy."
Qiu Zongxi almost spat out his tea. Even though he was furious just moments ago, he was no longer angry by this little girl's colloquialism. This little girl dared to speak even more boldly than he did.
Yang Xu looked at Zhan Feiyu resentfully. Even though they weren't engaged yet, Little Yu could say such things.
"The words are crude, but the meaning is sound. That girl surnamed Fu dared to use such despicable means to scheme against you. Do you think she can properly educate children in the future?" Qiu Zongxi said impatiently. If Little Yu's cunning could be given to Yang Xu, he wouldn't be so easily schemed against and left with nothing.
Although Qiu Zongxi and General Yang also intended to temper Yang Xu, he was too foolish. He was schemed against for his marriage after only one day out. The heavy price made it difficult for Qiu Zongxi to speak.
After Yang Xu left the study, Qiu Zongxi's throat was dry from scolding. After drinking another cup of tea, he said, "Little girl, what do you think of this matter?"
"The Zhou and Zhang families want to mend their relationship with the Yang family. What Zhou Shuyao said to Yang Xu earlier was from the bottom of her heart." Zhan Feiyu did not hide anything and recounted their conversation in the wooden house verbatim to Qiu Zongxi.
Zhan Feiyu continued, "So if Yang Xu does well, the two families can benefit. Miss Fu's situation is almost certainly not an accident. Therefore, the Zhou and Zhang families will definitely not allow Miss Fu to marry Yang Xu. At this juncture, an engagement might occur, but with the methods of the Zhou and Zhang families, Miss Fu will either die of illness or by accident in the future."
Everyone was concerned about Yang Xu's marriage. In fact, even if the Zhou and Zhang families did not intervene, once the Yang family was restored, many people would target Miss Fu.
Miss Fu wanted to cultivate feelings with Yang Xu as childhood sweethearts who grew up together. Unfortunately, those who coveted the position of future general's wife would not let a merchant's daughter occupy the spot. Obstacles would surely be removed.
Therefore, Miss Fu, including the Fu family, thought they had successfully climbed a high branch. They never imagined it was a path of no return, which would only cost Miss Fu her life.
Qiu Zongxi glanced at the calm Zhan Feiyu. "You didn't tell Yang Xu this?"
"Telling him would only make Yang Xu feel guilty and achieve nothing." Zhan Feiyu shrugged. What was the point of telling him? Could Yang Xu protect Miss Fu?
Even if he could, would General Yang and the others be willing? Would they send Yang family members to protect a girl who schemed against Yang Xu's marriage?
Today's cause, his if!
If the Fu family had not harbored this wicked thought, even if they were just friendly with Yang Xu and flattered him, given Yang Xu's character, as long as the Fu family did not commit evil deeds in the future, with that childhood affection, Yang Xu would surely protect them to some extent if they encountered any trouble.
Unfortunately, human greed knows no bounds. The Fu family was ambitious. This protection was not enough to satisfy them. The position of general's wife, including the identity of the general's mansion's maternal family, was their ultimate goal. Unfortunately, their meticulous planning was too clever, and it ended up costing them their lives.
"If Xiao Xu were as smart and perceptive as you, he wouldn't be so troubled today." Qiu Zongxi recalled Yang Xu's crestfallen appearance when he left the study. At such a young age, it was as if a mountain weighed on his shoulders, making his back unable to stand straight. Unfortunately, he only saw the immediate engagement and didn't think that far ahead.
Praised, Zhan Feiyu couldn't help but smile. "Yang Xu will be a military general in the future. He acts openly and honorably. It's normal for him to be unskilled in these schemes and calculations. Just have General Yang find him more advisors and strategists."