“Sound you out?” Yue Fuguang stared blankly. “It’s my second older sister who’s going on a blind date with him. Why would he need to sound me out?”
【Because your second older sister is a total sis-con! She announced ages ago that she wouldn’t marry unless you approved.】
Everyone else merely covered their mouths and chuckled at the system’s words, but Yu Ningxuan actually blushed shyly. From the flush in her cheeks, Yue Fuguang could tell that she was satisfied with Feng You and was only waiting for her to return and give her approval.
Second Aunt Yu picked up the conversation with a beaming smile. “We all think the young man seems quite decent, but we still weren’t entirely at ease, so we thought we’d wait until Fuguang came home before making a decision.”
Yue Fuguang nodded. “I don’t know Feng You well, but both Feng Xiu and Feng Tang are good men. I imagine Feng You is probably a good person too.”
【Master, if you didn’t already know how things turn out, that would be a terribly irresponsible thing to say!】
“You said it yourself—I already know how things turn out. Since everyone at home thinks he’s suitable and we haven’t found any problems, I can say whatever I like. In any case, Second Aunt and the others simply want some reassurance.”
【That’s true. Your family is more meticulous about choosing husbands for its daughters than the Crown Prince’s family is about choosing a wife for him. Finding someone like Feng You, who is suitable in every respect, really is an opportunity they can’t afford to miss.】
“My sisters deserve that kind of consideration, of course. But what kind of life they lead in the future will still depend on themselves.”
【Feng Tang and Lady Feng are both your staunch supporters, so they certainly won’t mistreat their eldest daughter-in-law. Feng Xiu is your study companion and Yu Ningxuan’s classmate. In the future, even after he marries, the sisters-in-law in the Feng family should get along well enough.】
“That’s also why I insist on finding them the right people instead of simply choosing families with impressive status. We’ll have to leave eventually!”
People’s hearts were fickle. The families who married her sisters only because of Yue Fuguang’s influence could not be relied upon forever!
This was when Yu Chongshan and his sons arrived. After hearing from the servants that the Seventh Young Miss had returned, they had happily hurried toward the rear courtyard.
Who would have thought that, the moment they entered the old madam’s courtyard, they would hear Yue Fuguang saying that they would eventually leave? The smile on Yu Chongshan’s face, which had creased it with countless lines, instantly froze. His leg even stumbled mid-step.
“Father!”
Yu Zhongchun, who was walking behind him, quickly caught hold of him. “Slow down, Father. Just because you heard your granddaughter was home doesn’t mean you should get so excited that you forget your health.”
“That’s right, Father. You’re not young anymore. You can’t be so reckless.”
“You little rascals! How dare you turn things upside down and start lecturing your father?”
Their playful banter eased some of the sorrow in their hearts.
Yue Fuguang and the others naturally heard the commotion in the courtyard and went to greet them at the door.
“Grandfather, Father, Uncles, you’re all off duty.”
Yu Chongshan’s face crinkled with an enormous smile. “Fuguang, when did you get back? If your grandfather had known you were home, I would have come back even earlier.”
“I only got back a little while ago.” Yue Fuguang helped Yu Chongshan sit down. “I’ll be staying home for quite some time this time, so we’ll have plenty of time to see each other.”
“Really?” Yu Chongshan’s eyes lit up at once. “That’s wonderful! Wonderful!”
“In a few days, when you’re all free, let’s take the whole family to my estate for a visit.” The weather was still a little hot, and it was also the season when the fruit at her estate was ripening.
Yu Zhongchun clapped his hands. “That’s an excellent idea, Fuguang. The chickens and ducks on the mountain should be nice and plump by now, and the mushrooms are in season too. Pine mushrooms are at their best around this time.”
“Father understands me.” Yue Fuguang nodded. “The wine I brewed last year should be ready to drink now as well. It’s good for the body, so Grandfather and Grandmother can drink it without worry.”
Seeing his eldest and youngest sons chatting animatedly, Yu Chongshan swallowed the scolding he had been about to give his gluttonous son and instead said, “Then it’s settled. Grandfather will look forward to enjoying a life of luxury with my granddaughter.”
Old Madam Yu was smiling as well. “Now that you mention it, Grandmother has been craving that fine wine you brewed yourself for ages. At last, I’ll finally get to taste it.”
“Grandmother, I guarantee that once you’ve had some, you’ll want more.”
【Of course she’ll want more! You used nothing but the finest ingredients. It’s mild and gentle, without any harshness, and extremely nourishing for an ordinary person’s body. Master, did you brew it especially for the elders in your family?】
“You think I was joking when I said I’d help them live to a hundred?”
The Yu family members exchanged glances. Their hearts somehow felt even more miserable.
As a result, what Emperor Mingxi saw at court the next morning was the four Yu men wearing dark circles under their eyes—darker even than those beneath the eyes of the eldest son of the Feng family.
What had happened? Fuguang was back, so they ought to have been overjoyed. Why did every one of them look as though they hadn’t slept well?
Emperor Mingxi kept his doubts to himself throughout the morning court session. Finally, after court was dismissed, he summoned the Yu family’s men and several other important ministers to the Imperial Study.
“Minister Yu, what’s the matter with all of you? Shouldn’t you be happy that Fuguang is back?”
Emperor Mingxi was worried that something might have gone wrong with Yue Fuguang.
She was now the pillar supporting the heavens of Great Yan—more important even than the emperor himself. If anything happened to her, the entire realm of Great Yan would tremble.
The Crown Prince also looked anxiously at Yu Chongshan. “Grand Minister Yu, is something wrong with my maternal aunt?”
Seeing that the imperial father and son had misunderstood, Yu Chongshan hurriedly waved his hands. “Your Majesty, Your Highness, Fuguang is perfectly fine. Aside from being a little thinner and looking somewhat tired, there’s nothing wrong with her.”
As for whether she was truly thinner or genuinely tired, the entire Yu family had unanimously decided that their child was simply tired and had lost weight.
“Last night, my sons and I were so happy that Fuguang had returned that we drank a few extra cups. We didn’t sleep well afterward, which has made us look foolish in Your Majesty’s eyes.” A trace of embarrassment appeared on Yu Chongshan’s face.
Embarrassment was contagious. After hearing Yu Chongshan’s explanation, Emperor Mingxi couldn’t help feeling guilty. Yue Fuguang had done all this for whom, if not for the stability of the House of Xie and the empire?
Ahem! Any disappointment and displeasure he had felt at not being informed of Yue Fuguang’s return immediately were completely replaced by guilt.
“Fuguang has indeed made tremendous sacrifices for Great Yan.”
He glanced at the people in the room. “Some time ago, General Xu reported that he had obtained a fine piece of jade. I intend to use it to carve a jade statue of Fuguang, so that the people may worship her.”
As soon as he heard this, Yu Chongshan stepped forward. “Your Majesty, do you mean to build a temple for Fuguang?”
“I have long intended to do so. Although there are already several temples dedicated to Fuguang in the mountains around the capital, they are ultimately too simple.”
He patted the stack of papers on his desk. “I had this plan several years ago: to build a magnificent Divine Maiden Hall dedicated solely to her.”
