The Foolish General's Mute Spouse - Chapter 5

05: Aren’t You Mute?

So he was one of Qi Ren’s subordinates, no wonder he’s so loyal.

I’ve long heard that Qi Ren is an excellent commander, and his soldiers are all fiercely devoted. Seeing it today, it’s indeed true.

He was about to ask the man’s name when Qi Ren came bouncing out of the room, holding a plate of peach blossom pastries, grinning from ear to ear:

“Wife! Here you go—Oh, Li Ke, what are you doing here! But these pastries aren’t for you, don’t even think about snatching them!”

The man called Li Ke was the leader of the group. Hearing this, his expression didn’t change, he just said a couple of polite refusals and then stepped back with a bow.

Fu Yu’an was stuffed with a peach blossom pastry by Qi Ren, the sweet and fragrant taste was indeed delightful.

Xiao Zhu was holding an account book, checking the items. When the two of them walked in, she bowed to them.

She glanced at Qi Ren, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Fu Yu’an immediately understood and had to coax Qi Ren to go out and play first.

After Qi Ren left, Xiao Zhu closed the door and whispered to him, while taking out the wound medicine she carried to treat the injuries on his hands, she reported: “We’ve checked everything, nothing is missing. What should we do next? Are we really going to be the general’s wife here for a lifetime?”

Fu Yu’an sighed, but when he spoke, it was in a clear young man’s voice, slowly saying: “Since we’re here, we might as well settle. General Qi had a kindness towards me when I was young, I can’t just abandon him.”

“But… what Your Highness says makes sense. This servant thinks that the general’s condition is more like being bewitched than poisoned.”

“Bewitched?” Fu Yu’an was startled, but quickly understood, “He has been stationed in the south for many years, where the practice of bewitchment is indeed prevalent. It’s no wonder the imperial physicians couldn’t do anything!”

Xiao Zhu nodded, sighing softly, “It’s a pity this servant is not well-learned, just a small maid of the lady, really…”

“Don’t blame yourself, this is not your fault. Moreover, Concubine Jue will surely find a way to cure Qi Ren, after all, he is her own younger brother. Also, take the bracelet fragments to… never mind, I’ll do it myself later—”

“Wife! What secrets are you hiding from me!”

Before he could finish his sentence, the carved wooden door was suddenly pushed open from the outside, Qi Ren stood at the door with a face full of dust from who knows where, pouting and complaining.

Fu Yu’an was startled, not knowing if Qi Ren had heard him speak, his heart was anxious, but the next moment, Qi Ren’s words shattered his last bit of hope:

“Huh? Aren’t you mute? I think I heard you speak, are you better now?”

Both of them were shocked, looking at each other, both saw the panic in each other’s eyes.

Fu Yu’an chuckled, walked over to pull him into the room, and casually closed the door.

“I’m a mute who can speak, don’t tell anyone, or they’ll take me away as a monster!” He said in a low, serious tone, trying to deceive.

Xiao Zhu: “…”

Would anyone believe that?!

“Ah?! Then I won’t tell! I won’t tell! Don’t let the monsters take you away! You’re my only wife, and you’re so beautiful, wuwuwu others are all thinking about you!”

Qi Ren didn’t doubt him, hugging his waist and sobbing.

He was almost a head taller than Fu Yu’an, crying like this was really…

Fu Yu’an suddenly felt a sense of guilt for deceiving a child.

But there was really no other way, or there would be more trouble.

He gently patted Qi Ren’s back, softly comforting: “Don’t be afraid, if you don’t tell, no one will know, right? I believe in you!”

“En en!” Qi Ren nodded heavily, raising four fingers and saying seriously: “I, Qi Ren, if I tell anyone about today’s matter, then… then let me… die a horrible death!”

“…” Fu Yu’an quickly covered his mouth, “Pei pei pei! Don’t curse yourself like that!”

Qi Ren found it amusing, he didn’t expect him to be so reluctant to part with him, so he obediently changed his words, to never being able to eat peach blossom pastries again.

He was really deep, perhaps he could survive a bit longer in this general’s mansion, Qi Ren suddenly became curious if he had other secrets.

Fu Yu’an sighed, then ruffled his hair, as if comforting a big dog.

It’s really lamentable, he was such a bright and upright person, but now…

“I just went to get some food, wife, do you want to eat with me? After eating, I can take you to plant flowers in the yard!”

His emotions came and went quickly, turning from tears to laughter in just a moment.

Fu Yu’an stiffened his face, seriously warning him: “Don’t call me wife! I’m not a woman!”

“Ah?” He tilted his head, pretending to be troubled.

Why so shy!

He then became aggrieved again, being glared at by Fu Yu’an: “A real man doesn’t cry at the drop of a hat!”

Qi Ren was startled, immediately wilted, not daring to cry or laugh, couldn’t figure out his thoughts, after a while he cautiously asked: “Then what should I call you? What’s your name?”

“…”

Fu Yu’an told him his name, Qi Ren frowned, clearly unable to figure out which two characters “Yu’an” were.

“I’ll write it for you later, let’s go eat first—Xiao Zhu, do you want to join us?” He finally remembered there was another person in the room, his expression immediately became awkward.

Qi Ren glared at her, Xiao Zhu shivered, quickly waving her hands: “No no, this servant will eat by herself, you should go ahead and eat!”

Fu Yu’an nodded, still wanting to instruct her on something, but was pulled by the arm by Qi Ren into the main room.

The main room was festively decorated, with red silk everywhere, the bedroom had a large bed with red curtains, matching the red mandarin duck quilt, and a bed full of longan and peanuts.

Fu Yu’an blushed, thinking about how to fool him tonight.

Qi Ren also looked at the bed with difficulty, the marriage was rushed, no one taught him, but there were brothers in the military camp who were cut-sleeves, he had heard some things…

Has Fu Yu’an learned? Presumably the palace maids would have taught him, I wonder how he plans to deal with me tonight.

Qi Ren thought and wanted to laugh, biting his chopsticks to hold it in, but when he looked up, he met his eyes, he grinned, Fu Yu’an also smiled at him.

“Don’t look at me, eat quickly!”

“En!”-

After eating, they changed clothes, Fu Yu’an wore a simple long robe, running around the yard with him, planting flowers and watering, bustling with activity.

There weren’t many servants in the yard, probably because Qi Ren was often away at war, rarely coming back to live, it was the second wife who gave them a rough maid from her side to share some of Xiao Zhu’s work.

After dinner, the two maids quickly cleaned up the tables and chairs, and also moved a large bathtub in, filled it with water, then loudly announced that Gu He Yuan didn’t have their own bedding, she would stay with Xiao Lan tonight.

Fu Yu’an helplessly sent her away, closed the door and entered the new room, staring at the screen inside.

Behind the screen, a shadow kept moving, it was Qi Ren.

“An An! Come join me! This tub is so big!” He leaned against the edge of the bathtub, a playful curve on his lips.