Fu Yan regretted his previous actions, but he couldn't bring himself to tell Gu Fu about the sudden little sches brewing in his heart, fearing that Gu Fu would think he was... delicate.
It's strange to say the least.
Fu Yan had been drifting around since childhood, eventually falling into the hands of a seemingly virtuous but actually heartless Immortal Master Penglai, who used him as a tool for deceit and trickery for over ten years. However, this immortal master never treated him well just because he was useful, rely refraining from leaving scars on him, so as not to mar him for future cons.
There were several other children under the immortal master's control, similarly enslaved like pigs and dogs, but instead of supporting each other, they isolated and excluded him because of his naturally white hair, which the master used to create a strong impression. Only a peculiar senior disciple occasionally spoke to him, reminding him that he was a living person.
Later, he endured the bloody storms of helping the emperor seize power, hardening his heart into one impenetrable to emotions. The young servant attending to him was so afraid of him because he had witnessed Fu Yan's private dealings and knew that his outward deanor of calm and nobility was just a fa??ade.
Given all this, he shouldn't have had any connection to the word "delicate." But then he t Gu Fu, a woman who defied societal norms. From the very first ti they t, Gu Fu had sneaked out during curfew and evaded the arrow he shot at her. During their second encounter, she even cornered him against a wall and teased him with her words.
Gu Fu wasn't like other won who treated their husbands as the sky, being respectful and obedient. She was neither delicate nor sentintal when it ca to love, forcing Fu Yan to change. He had to learn to be proactive, to make his own little sches, so that Gu Fu would like him even more and care about him.
He could have easily found a woman who would go along with whatever he said, which would not only save him trouble but also allow him to remain unchanged. Yet, he was drawn to Gu Fu—the way she boldly and fearlessly moved forward in the direction she chose, and that was what he liked about her...
Fu Yan thought he had been sleeping well the past few days, but he didn't realize how restless his sleep actually was. Now, holding Gu Fu in his arms, his breathing soon beca steady, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
It was still too early for Gu Fu to sleep, so she lay there with him for a while. It wasn’t until midnight that she finally closed her eyes, and when she woke up, it was already the fourth watch, with dawn fast approaching.
Outside, it was still dark. Worried that she might be late for her lessons in the palace, Gu Fu carefully moved Fu Yan's hand from around her waist and quietly got out of bed.
She then took her clothes upstairs to get dressed. Just as she was about to leave, she heard footsteps behind her—it was the young attendant.
The boy was carrying a basin of hot water with a piece of cotton cloth draped over the side.
He placed the hot water in front of Gu Fu so she could wash her face before leaving.
Gu Fu didn’t stand on ceremony and casually asked, “Don’t you need to sleep?”
She rembered that no matter when Fu Yan rang the bell, the young attendant would always appear on the seventh floor, fully dressed. In the morning, he would also prepare hot water and breakfast for Fu Yan, making it seem as if he never slept at all.
The young attendant, having grown familiar with Gu Fu, explained to her, "I'm specifically responsible for serving the Imperial Preceptor at night; there's soone else for the dayti."
So, it wasn't that he didn't need to sleep—he slept during the day but had to stay awake at night, always on standby. After all, before Gu Fu arrived, the Imperial Preceptor had never once had a good night's sleep, so soone had to be available to serve him at night.
Gu Fu understood and then asked, "What's your na?"
The young attendant replied, "My na is Yi Ye. If you co during the day, you'll see soone else. His na is Yi Hua."
Gu Fu, whom Fu Yan had judged as lacking in sensitivity, asked, "A woman?"
Yi Ye hesitated, "…Yi Hua is a man."
"Oh," Gu Fu said, and then asked, "Are you both from the Secret Cabinet?"
Yi Ye nodded.
Gu Fu then inquired, "I have another question—Miss Lin, the one I sent to Prince Ying's residence so ti ago—how is she doing now?"
Any other Secret Cabinet shadow guard would not dare to speak casually, but Yi Ye understood Gu Fu's status in Fu Yan's eyes all too well, so he told her everything he knew: "Miss Lin has been blocked by Tang Qi and hasn't been able to see Prince Ying. She wasn't in a hurry at first, saying she wanted to wait a bit longer, to build up Prince Ying's anticipation before making her appearance, thinking it would be more effective than rushing to et him. But when she heard that Your Lordship had been frad by Prince Ying, she beca unsettled, though we managed to calm her down."
"Calm her down?" Gu Fu realized that the Secret Cabinet didn't want to discard Lin Yuezhi as a pawn, which ant that Prince Ying probably wouldn't et his end just yet. Surprised, she asked, "Prince Ying colluded with foreign envoys, murdered Princess Yulou, and tried to sow discord between the emperor and his ministers. Why would His Majesty still protect him?"
Yi Ye dared not say more, but Fu Yan, who had silently co upstairs, answered Gu Fu's question: "His Majesty had a difficult childhood, and Prince Ying once saved his life."
After waking up and not seeing Gu Fu, Fu Yan had heard voices upstairs. So, without changing clothes, he had simply thrown on an outer robe over his nightwear and co upstairs.
Yi Ye bowed and left to prepare hot water and breakfast.
Gu Fu walked toward Fu Yan. "Did we disturb you?"
Fu Yan shook his head. "I usually wake up around this ti anyway."
He pulled Gu Fu close, his warm body pressing against hers, and continued their earlier conversation: "His Majesty and the late Empress Dowager Huiwen were never favored by the previous emperor. If he were an ordinary prince, it might have been different, but His Majesty was the legitimate eldest son, the Crown Prince, which naturally made him a thorn in the side of certain people.
"The mother of Prince Ying was favored, but she couldn't surpass the Imperial Noble Consort. Prince Ying had so ability, but he was overshadowed by Prince Yi, who was even more formidable. Suspended between two positions, he was seen as dispensable by the court officials, yet still fared better than his elder brother…"
Having just woken up, Fu Yan was a bit muddled and accidentally used the wrong term. Realizing his mistake, he corrected himself: "…better than His Majesty. During their childhood, Prince Ying saved His Majesty's life several tis, and even after growing up, he helped him on several occasions. Though I've told His Majesty that Prince Ying only helped him to keep him in the position of Crown Prince, preventing Prince Chen or Prince Yi from becoming the Crown Prince, which would have completely destroyed his chances. Even though His Majesty understands this, he still tolerates him. Don’t be fooled by the fact that every ti Prince Ying and I clash, His Majesty sides with . If it ca down to executing Prince Ying, His Majesty wouldn’t be able to bring himself to do it.”
So that’s how it was.
Gu Fu lifted her hand and pinched Fu Yan's cheek. Half-asleep, with Gu Fu pinching his face, Fu Yan looked especially harmless, even a bit cute.
Gu Fu didn't stay for breakfast. After she left, Fu Yan washed up and changed clothes. He then told Yi Ye, who had brought up breakfast, "Spread the word that His Majesty, out of brotherly affection, is reluctant to punish Prince Ying too severely."
Once this ssage spread, there would naturally be people pleading on Prince Ying's behalf, giving the troubled emperor a way out, allowing the punishnt of Prince Ying to be softened.
Fu Yan wouldn’t harm his relationship with the emperor just to get rid of Prince Ying. This was not only for his own sake but also for Gu Fu’s. Therefore, if Prince Ying didn’t et his end this ti, Fu Yan wouldn’t force it. He only hoped that Prince Ying would thrive just enough to beco bolder, making an even greater mistake next ti, one so severe that the emperor would have no choice but to kill him.
"Understood," Yi Ye acknowledged and, as he left, stole a glance at Fu Yan, noticing that the Imperial Preceptor’s expression was calm and indifferent—completely different from the gentle and docile deanor he showed around Gu Fu.
After returning ho, Gu Fu changed clothes and had breakfast before heading to the palace for lessons with Mu Qingyao.
Over the past few days, the young ladies attending lessons in the palace had noticed sothing odd—the teachers for their courses were frequently changed. If the teachers had been incompetent, the changes would have been understandable, but even those who taught well were being replaced, which was quite strange.
However, the launch of the second round of choosing auspicious portraits quickly diverted the young ladies' attention, making them forget about this peculiar situation.
The second round of portraits was not only more nurous and comprehensive than before but also exceptionally well-done.
Even Princess Ruiyang, who had previously declared that she would not collect any more portraits of the sa person, was captivated by the new set.
The only regret was that, once again, there was no portrait of the Imperial Preceptor.
Because of this, soone even ca to ask Gu Fu, "Why isn't there a portrait of the Imperial Preceptor?"
Not wanting to see Fu Yan’s portrait circulated among the public, Gu Fu, who had firmly opposed the inclusion of Fu Yan's portrait, responded, "I don’t know either."
The girls in the poetry club, who knew the inside story, covered their mouths and suppressed their laughter.
"By the way, Tang Wu, who was the person who escorted you all ho from Gu Er's house yesterday? Was it Gu Er's younger brother?" one of the girls asked.
Tang Wu was montarily stunned. "Who?"
"The one on horseback! Yesterday, I went to Ruyan Pavilion to pick up my pre-ordered rouge, and when I ca out, I happened to see your carriage. I saw him clearly," she said confidently, sure that she hadn’t been mistaken.
Tang Wu had drunk a little too much the previous day and couldn’t recall clearly at first. After thinking about it, she stamred, "It wasn't Gu Er's younger brother—it was Gu'er."
"What?" The girl exclaid in shock, "Impossible! I may not have seen clearly, but I’m sure that person was wearing n's clothing, without a veil or hat, riding a horse beside the carriage. How could that be Gu’er?"
Her voice was loud enough that the other girls in the classroom heard and quickly gathered around to ask for details.
However, just then, the class bell rang, and the teacher arrived at the door. The girls had to suppress their curiosity and wait until after the lesson to ask Tang Wu and Gu Fu.
As soon as class ended, the girls eagerly surrounded Gu Fu and Tang Wu. Gu Fu then explained that she often wore n's clothing and rode out.
"Without a veil or a hat?"
Gu Fu shook her head. "No, I don't wear them."
"Hasn't anyone ever noticed that you're a woman?"
Gu Fu, who had spent five years in the military camp without being discovered as a woman, replied, "No, they haven't."
The girls didn’t believe her and said, "Maybe soone did notice, but they saw you wearing n's clothing and decided not to say anything."
The princess joined in the conversation, "Or maybe when you're dressed as a man, people just assu you’re a man with feminine features and don’t give it a second thought."
The princess’s words made sense. After all, just look at ng Changqing, the son of the county lord. He’s extrely handso, but no one mistakes him for a woman simply because he’s wearing n's clothing.
After gathering all this information, the girls began to envy the freedom in the Gu family’s household. If they wore n's clothing and rode horses in public, they would surely be scolded by their families.
But even so, once one person starts doing sothing like this, it’s only a matter of ti before a second or third person follows suit.
Gu Fu hadn’t paid much attention to this herself, but to others, the group of young won serving as companions to the princess had beco the most enviable circle among the noblewon of the capital. To get closer to them, people would imitate their every move, and Gu Fu was seen as a trendsetter among them. Wearing a shallow veil and carrying a long sword was just the beginning.
In the afternoon, the Empress summoned Gu Fu.
Now that the selection of suitable teachers was almost complete and the construction of the academy had been underway for more than a month, the remaining question was under what pretext the Empress would establish the first won's academy and begin enrolling students.
Commoner girls were out of the question. In ordinary families, it was already difficult enough to afford schooling for boys, let alone spend money on educating daughters.
But the problem was, would the noble families be willing to send their daughters?
The Empress, skilled in understanding people's hearts, said to Gu Fu, "We must keep the true purpose of founding the won's academy a secret. If people find out that sending their daughters here ans learning how to defy conventions, they certainly won’t agree. We need to fra it differently."
Gu Fu asked, "How should we fra it?"
The Empress replied, "We should say that attending the academy will teach them how to be a qualified, supportive wife who can assist her husband."
Gu Fu frowned, "That goes against our original intention."
The Empress explained, "But it will also make so families more willing to send their daughters. After all, everyone wants their daughter to marry well, and the girls themselves hope for this too. This reason is far more enticing than the idea of teaching them how to be independent."
"As for what we actually teach, that’s entirely up to us. If anyone questions it, we can easily offer explanations. For instance, why should won practice martial arts? We won't say it's for self-defense, but rather for strengthening the body, which benefits childbirth. Why should won study the classics, strategy, and poetry? We won't say it's to stand on equal footing with n, but that understanding these subjects will help them better support their husbands in passing the imperial exams. Why should won learn music, chess, calligraphy, painting, tea ceremonies, and incense arts? We won’t claim it's to cultivate renowned scholars who can write and publish books, but that these skills refine one's character and make them more desirable in marriage prospects.”
“Why do n want to study? Because it allows them to gain fa and titles. But to the world, won's education is seen as useless—unless it can help them secure a better marriage.”
“This is rely a temporary asure.”
Gu Fu responded, “But one day, we will all be gone, and no one will rember the true purpose behind the establishnt of the won’s academy. If this philosophy is adopted, the academy could beco an even more oppressive force than societal norms.”
The Empress disagreed, “Whether it becos a shackle or a weapon remains to be seen. You and I, even without the academy, have tasted the sweetness of freedom, and we both know which life is better. Once these won have learned skills and left the hos that confine them, do you think they won’t be able to make their own judgnts?”
Gu Fu challenged, “How can you be sure that the courses we set today will be continued in the future? If the goal is rely to cultivate won who depend on n and beco perfect housewives, then the skills you ntioned are unnecessary. Moreover, mindset and skill are two different things. If soone is constantly told they shouldn’t wield a knife, even if they hold one in their hand, they won’t use it.”
The Empress and Gu Fu couldn’t reach an agreent.
The Empress, skilled in business, focused on achieving the goal, regardless of the ans. Gu Fu, a military general by nature, though understanding the concept of strategic deception, had her own principles and couldn’t compromise on fundantal values.
In the end, they both decided to cool down and give each other more ti to reconsider.
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