The Foolish General's Mute Spouse - Chapter 82

82: Conflict

But back then, it was me who chose to leave. I never told him the truth, and now I must seem utterly unreasonable—moody and unpredictable.

I thought for a long time, dipping my brush in ink and staining several sheets of letter paper, yet I still couldn’t figure out how to reply.

Xiao Zhu knocked and entered, carrying a plate of pastries.

“Siqi, you may leave for now. I need to discuss something with Xiao Zhu.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

He closed the door behind him but couldn’t suppress his curiosity.

The young master had always been somewhat gloomy, but lately, he had seemed a little brighter. How could a single letter plunge him back into such a state?

And it was related to the capital—could it be that the great enemy Xiao Zhu had mentioned before had come knocking again?

No, no!

He shook his head, then tiptoed around to the back of the study, crouching beneath the window to eavesdrop carefully.

“Has the Young Master still not decided how to reply?”

“…Mm.”

Xiao Zhu sighed deeply, resting a hand on her lower back. “If you don’t want to reply, then don’t. It’s fine.”

“But this is the first time he’s ever written to me. I should at least… say something in return. He’s innocent in all this.”

Though he knew Xiao Zhu had been secretly exchanging letters with Li Ke all this time, he himself had completely severed ties with the capital.

Every day, he busied himself with managing the bookshop or sketching illustrations, without a single friend to speak of—utterly alone.

It felt as though everything had returned to those days in the cold palace.

“You should go to him,” Fu Yu’an said. “The child is already so big. Any older, and it’ll be harder to travel, won’t it?”

Wait—so Xiao Zhu’s husband isn’t dead?! And from the sound of it… he’s in the capital?

Siqi covered his mouth to stifle a gasp, holding his breath and listening intently, not wanting to miss a single word.

“I’ve served you for so many years—have I been inadequate in some way? Why do you keep trying to send me away?”

She took an urgent step forward, her breathing unsteady.

Though she knew he meant well, seeing him so despondent—if she weren’t there to keep an eye on him, she wouldn’t even be able to sleep peacefully!

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Then if I leave, what should I say to the general when I see him?”

“……”

The question struck him dumb, leaving him frozen in place, at a loss.

What to say? What was there to say? How could he even begin to explain?

The situation was so tangled, filled with unspoken bitterness. Besides, Li Ke had never even tried to seek him out. It was clear how deeply disappointed he must be.

Perhaps, after all this time, he had long since erased him from his heart.

“Never mind,” he murmured, waving a hand weakly before sinking into his chair. “We’ll talk about it later. For now, don’t overexert yourself. Focus on resting—it wouldn’t do for you to strain yourself and risk the baby.”

“If you stop saying things like sending me away, I won’t get upset or risk the baby.”

Fu Yu’an let out a bitter laugh and waved his hand in promise, vowing never to bring it up again.

Outside, Siqi listened for a long time, his mind swirling with confusion. He felt as though he’d stumbled upon some earth-shattering secret.

If the letter was from the capital, and Xiao Zhu’s husband was also in the capital… did that mean the young master was originally from the capital too?

He’d never mentioned it before!

And his surname was Fu… Fu… wasn’t that the imperial family’s surname?!

The news from Sizhou was sparse, and Fu Yu’an usually lived a secluded life. Even if someone knew his name, they wouldn’t associate it with the imperial family.

Siqi covered his mouth and hunched over as he left, utterly shocked by his own speculation, unsure how to process it.

Could the young master actually be some kind of prince? Or was it just a coincidence?

His mind raced with thoughts as he lowered his head and carefully retreated. Unexpectedly, he bumped right into Xiao Zhu, who had just stepped out of the study.

His soul nearly fled from fright as Xiao Zhu grabbed his head.

“What are you doing here? Eavesdropping isn’t a good habit!”

Siqi quickly straightened up, hanging his head and nervously twisting his fingers.

“Sister Xiao Zhu, I’m sorry! I was just worried about the young master! Ever since he received that letter, he’s been distracted. I saw him sitting there for ages, still unsure how to reply!”

“You little rascal, quite observant!” Xiao Zhu laughed. “But this isn’t something a child like you should be prying into. Go finish today’s calligraphy practice! The young master will check it later!”

Hearing this, Siqi let out a dramatic wail, clutched his head, and hurried away.

…

Qingwang Manor.

“Still no reply?”

As soon as Tang Xiao returned to the manor, Xia Xiu rushed up to ask.

Tang Xiao shook his head. “No. Don’t worry. Maybe the weather delayed the journey. It’s possible.”

“But it’s been a month already! Even if it were slow, it should have arrived by now! How strange! Does he just not want to respond to me at all?”

Tang Xiao ruffled his hair reassuringly. “Don’t overthink it. I’ll send someone to the courier station tomorrow to ask again.”

“Alright then! General Qi is about to return to the southern border, and he’s so far north… Ugh!”

“Partings and reunions are all part of fate. Since Qi Ren doesn’t want to see him, it’s better not to stir up unnecessary trouble.”

“That’s true!” Xia Xiu trotted to keep up with his steps and added, “But they used to be so close! He just left without a word, and An’an is acting so strange. Qi Ren isn’t even looking for him. I just don’t get it.”

Tang Xiao shrugged, equally baffled by the situation between the two.

Given his close relationship with Qi Ren, he naturally found Fu Yu’an’s behavior odd—leaving without a word, abandoning Xia Xiu at the door for over an hour. It was downright baffling!

He remained silent, offering no comment.

During that time, the maid named Xiao Zhu had indeed written to Li Ke, but with each exchange taking over a month, they hadn’t corresponded much.

Besides, the letters didn’t reveal much, only saying there was no need to worry.

Well, now Qi Ren wasn’t worried—he’d practically sealed off his heart!

As Tang Xiao mused, he suddenly heard a loud sneeze behind him. The very subject of his thoughts, Qi Ren, had appeared in the manor at some point, his face cold as he glared at him.

Xia Xiu and Tang Xiao exchanged a glance, mimed zipping their lips, and obediently slipped away.

“Were you talking behind my back? Made me sneeze!”

He stepped forward and nudged him with his elbow.

Tang Xiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, shaking his head in denial.

“What are you here for? You’re leaving the day after tomorrow. What, looking to pick a fight with me before you go?”

“Who’s here to fight? I’m taking you out for drinks—my treat. You coming or not?”

Tang Xiao was momentarily taken aback. Seeing that his expression seemed no different than usual, he relaxed slightly.

Please don’t let it be like last time, months ago, when he got drunk and wailed uncontrollably, shouting Fu Yu’an’s name while jumping around in a drunken frenzy.

Tang Xiao lowered his head with a faint smile and slung an arm over his shoulder. “Let’s go!”

…

On the rooftop of the prince’s residence, two tall men sat side by side, gulping down wine while braving the cold wind—it was hard to say whether the scene was more dashing or just plain bleak.

Had Tang Xiao known that “buying him drinks” just meant a few jars up here with the mosquitoes, he would never have agreed.

“Stop drinking! If you dare make a drunken scene in my residence later, I swear I’ll tie you up!”

“We’ve barely started! Why aren’t you drinking?”

Tang Xiao glanced at the pile of empty wine jars beside them and pressed his lips together in silence.