The Foolish General's Mute Spouse - Chapter 106

106: Cousin

Siqi suppressed the disappointment in his eyes and replied, “It hasn’t been decided yet. It’ll probably take a while. The Tianchang Kingdom is sending envoys in a few days, so we’ll have to wait until Prince Qing finishes negotiations with them before returning.”

Fu Yu’an nodded, though an uneasy feeling lingered in his heart.

The Tianchang Kingdom had been at war with Great Yan for so many years, and this time, they had rallied neighboring small states to launch a fierce offensive. How could they suddenly sue for peace?

There must be something suspicious about this.

He nodded and said, “Alright, be extra careful. It’s always wise to guard against treachery.”

Siqi said he understood, but seeing Fu Yu’an’s worried expression, he couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous as well.

Just then, a servant came in to report that an elderly woman and a young girl were requesting an audience.

Fu Yu’an frowned. “An elderly woman? Are they here to seek justice?”

“Replying to the young master, it doesn’t seem so. They claim to be your… maternal grandmother. I’m not sure if it’s true.”

“Maternal grandmother? What does the young girl with her look like?”

“A rather dark-skinned child, very thin, wearing a dress adorned with silver ornaments. She looks quite clever.”

Fu Yu’an quickly stood up. “Bring them in at once.”

He had been here for so many days but hadn’t yet visited his grandmother.

Soon, the grandmother and granddaughter entered. Qiao Ying had clearly grown up—she looked completely different from the thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl of a few years ago. At first glance, Fu Yu’an almost didn’t recognize her.

“Cousin.” she bowed to Fu Yu’an, smiling brightly, the silver ornaments on her body jingling as she moved.

Elder Shu nearly burst into tears at the sight of him. Fu Yu’an, his eyes also reddened, stepped forward to support her and called out, “Grandmother.”

“Good child!” Elder Shu wiped her tears. “It’s been three years since we last met—why have you gotten so thin? Why didn’t you come to Zhizhou earlier with General Qi?”

Fu Yu’an forced a smile and shook his head, unwilling to elaborate.

Xiao Zhu carried the child out, leaving the room for them to catch up.

Siqi stood awkwardly, unsure how to position himself or whether he should address them.

The young master’s grandmother and cousin… What should I call them?

Are we considered father and son or brothers in terms of seniority?

He adopted me, so it should be father and son, right?

Before he could figure it out, the two had already noticed this unfamiliar face. Elder Shu asked, “And who is this child?”

Fu Yu’an gave a brief explanation but didn’t clarify their exact relationship.

Qiao Ying, however, burst into laughter. She circled the handsome, gentle young man and said mischievously, “Since you’re my cousin’s adopted child, by seniority, you should call me Auntie!”

“Ying’er! Don’t be ridiculous!” Elder Shu scolded in a low voice.

But Siqi didn’t mind. Smiling, he cupped his hands respectfully and obediently addressed her, “Greetings, Auntie.”

Elder Shu shook her head helplessly, explaining that the girl had been spoiled since childhood and was used to being unruly, asking them to bear with her.

Most women in the capital were gentle and refined, and even in Sizhou, Siqi had never met someone as lively and spirited as her. He found her particularly unique, and in that moment, his fondness for her grew—even her impudent teasing seemed like a charming display of vivacity.

Perhaps in his eyes, people were simply divided into those he liked and those he didn’t.

His compliance, however, made Qiao Ying feel the joke had fallen flat. With a huff, she returned to her grandmother’s side.

Fu Yu’an invited them into the inner room and ordered tea to be served.

“I came looking for you once before but didn’t find you. I thought something might have happened. But the letters I sent to the capital also went unanswered… What exactly happened?” Elder Shu tapped her cane against the floor, producing a series of dull thuds.

Fu Yu’an glanced at Qiao Ying, then at Siqi, and instructed, “Siqi, go to the side room and find some nice jewelry for Xiao Ying. Since we have no use for it, let her take it back with her.”

Siqi sighed inwardly. The truth about the past was right before him, yet the young master was sending him away again.

Qiao Ying followed him out, and the two closed the door behind them, leaving the room empty except for Fu Yu’an and his grandmother.

“What’s the real reason? Why must you send everyone away to speak of it?”

Fu Yu’an’s eyes were filled with melancholy. “This matter… I haven’t told Qi Ren yet, but…”

…

The side room didn’t contain much—just some items Qi Ren had brought back from the capital, along with a portion of Fu Yu’an’s personal belongings. Most of their possessions had remained in the capital’s General’s Manor.

Si Qi didn’t know what young ladies liked, so he simply opened the chests and let her pick for herself.

Qiao Ying wasn’t particularly interested in gold, silver, or jewelry either. She listlessly rummaged through the items for a while but couldn’t find anything she truly fancied.

“Were all these things bought by the General for my cousin?” Qiao Ying squatted beside a pile of hairpins and ornaments, asking as she sifted through them.

Si Qi, still trying to recall if there were any unopened chests, let out an “ah” before answering, “Not really. Most of these were left by Old General Qi—rewards and such. Both General Qi and the Young Master are men; they wouldn’t have much use for these things.”

There seemed to be one more chest in the corner. Si Qi picked through his keys and walked over, unlocking it with a few quick twists.

“There’s another one here, Miss Qiao—”

His voice cut off abruptly. He had barely glanced inside before snapping the lid shut again.

Qiao Ying found this odd and moved closer to look, but Si Qi flushed red and refused to budge.

This only made her more curious. She drew the soft whip from her waist and lifted his chin threateningly. “Let your ‘aunt’ have a look! What’s with this lack of respect, kid?”

Si Qi, humiliated by her actions, still stubbornly blocked her view.

The two remained locked in a stalemate for a long while, but Qiao Ying ultimately proved more cunning. Feigning retreat, she seized the opportunity to flip open the chest.

Inside weren’t the gaudy treasures she expected—just a chest full of books.

From a young age, Qiao Ying had been forced by her elders to study, yet despite reading countless books, she remained as wild and unruly as a monkey, defying all attempts to tame her.

But the covers of these books…

“I don’t want gold or jewelry. Can I pick a few books instead?” She blinked her doe-like eyes pitifully at Si Qi.

Si Qi’s face burned even redder. How could he possibly refuse? The moment she spoke, his mind seemed to fog over, leaving only one thought—nodding in agreement.

Qiao Ying let out a small cheer and patted his shoulder. “Good brother!”

Fu Si Qi: “???”

Qiao Ying gasped, her eyes gleaming as she crouched by the chest, unable to hide her excitement. “I never thought you’d have this set of illustrated books here! I’ve been searching for them forever! Wow—this is a limited edition from five years ago! You even have the whole set! A complete set!”

She wanted to haul the entire chest away but held back out of politeness. Instead, she tugged at his sleeve coyly. “Can I borrow a few? I’ll return them in a couple of days!”

Since these were her cousin’s treasured possessions, she couldn’t just take them outright. Better to borrow a few for now—that way, she’d have an excuse to visit often later!

Si Qi had no idea why there were so many books here. He’d never seen the Young Master take them out before. Could the General have moved them here?

Well, no matter. They were just books. If she borrowed a few and returned them soon, it wouldn’t be a problem.

He nodded. “Take whatever you’d like, Miss Qiao. The Young Master did say you could pick freely.”

Qiao Ying immediately beamed, carefully selecting a few volumes to tuck into her sleeves. “Thank you! I’ll bring them back in a few days! You’ll have to help me open the chest again then!”

Si Qi hesitated. “I’ll be returning to the capital in a few days, so I might not be able to help. But why not just ask the Young Master directly?”

Hidden in his heart was a faint, unspoken hope as he gazed into her lovely eyes.

Qiao Ying waved a hand, her expression falling. “Grandmother forbids me from reading frivolous books! I have no choice but to sneak them. If she finds out, she’ll lock me in the mountain caves to refine gu poison. She’s ruthless!”

Si Qi was shocked. “You know how to refine gu poison?”