Fu Yanghong was seething with disappointnt. “Does he really believe a courtesan could ever step through the gates of the prince’s manor?”
Fu Yi offered a few light words of comfort, deftly easing the tension before stepping out of the study. He hadn’t gone far when he ran into Fu Xiao. A faint mark, like the remnants of a slap, still lingered on his face—clearly their father’s handiwork.
“Brother,” Fu Yi said, “if you’re planning to see Father, it might be better to wait a while. He’s... still fuming.”
Fu Xiao understood instantly. A faint, crooked smile tugged at his lips. “Must be quite the spectacle, huh?”
“You might not believe , Brother,” Fu Yi said as they walked aimlessly side by side—a rare mont of shared solitude between them, and strangely, Fu Xiao made no excuse to leave. “But I actually admire you.”
“Admire ? For becoming the butt of jokes?”
“Do you really care about that? If you did, you wouldn’t have held on this long. I admire you for staying true to your feelings. Even knowing what it might cost you, you never compromised…”
Fu Xiao’s gaze shifted. He glanced sideways at his full-blooded younger brother. “You should be glad. Now that Father’s lost hope in , no one stands in your way.”
Fu Yi let out a quiet laugh, then suddenly stopped and turned to face him. “Tell honestly, Brother—are you really that set on her? Even knowing you’ll lose the title of heir, even if the world mocks you? In the end, she’s just a woman. Is she truly worth it?”
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Fu Xiao’s expression softened at once. “Watch your words. She’s not just any woman—she’s the one I’ve chosen for this life. How could so empty title ever compare to her?”
As Fu Xiao turned to leave, he heard Fu Yi’s voice behind him. “But with the title of heir, there’d be fewer whispers. No one would dare say she’s dragging you down. Wouldn’t that be the best outco? Don’t be angry, Brother—I’m trying to help you.”
The words echoed sothing Bai Qingqing had once said. Fu Xiao stopped in his tracks and turned around, suspicion clouding his gaze.
Fu Yi smiled faintly. “I said I’ll help you win the title. You may not believe now, but that’s all right. One day, you will.”
“Why?”
“Maybe because… I’m not like you.”
And because he no longer wanted to be caged within the walls of Prince Ping’s manor.
——
The Ministry of Justice’s investigation into the Bai family continued unabated. Bai Jinghuai, however, remained untroubled. With nothing pressing at ho, he passed the days playing chess, painting, practicing calligraphy, and fishing—serene and composed. To outsiders, he seed perfectly at ease, utterly unruffled.
Yet suspicions about the Bai family persisted. morials landed on the Emperor’s desk every few days, each one dragging the Bai na into the light, as though afraid His Majesty might forget.
“If I punish the Bai family and give them what they want, they’ll lower their guard and slip up. What do you think?”
Ning Yan kept his head bowed. “Your Majesty is wise and far-sighted.”
“Heh. Is that all it takes to be called far-sighted these days? Until I drag the truth out of them, I can’t sleep easy. Sooner or later, their knives will be aid at .”
The Emperor narrowed his eyes. “You don’t even bother avoiding suspicion. Take the morial and read it yourself—you and the Bai family are practically tied together. So? Should I bestow you a marriage?”
Ning Yan caught the morial the Emperor tossed without missing a beat and replied without lifting his head, “Your Majesty forgets—you once granted Bai Qingqing a special favor, allowing her to decide her own marriage.”
“How could I forget? Huai Fu rarely asks for anything, and that was one of the few tis. This Bai Qingqing... just how captivating is she, that both you and Huai Fu would stand on her side? I truly want to et her.”
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