The Foolish General's Mute Spouse - Chapter 85

85: I Don’t Want to Be an Official in the Capital

“Forget it. If you don’t want to go, then forget it.” His tone carried a hint of resignation. “Do whatever you want. I won’t force you.”

He was still just a child, Fu Yu’an thought. It was better not to be too strict with him.

Si Qi wrinkled his nose, sensing the dejection in his voice, and suddenly wrapped his arms around Fu Yu’an’s waist, burying his small frame against him. Muffled, he said, “Young Master saved my life and even gave me an education. I remember all of it! But the capital is no good. Every time you mention it, you look so sad—I don’t want to be some official there!”

Fu Yu’an hadn’t expected such sensitivity from someone so young. His heart warmed instantly, and he couldn’t maintain a stern expression.

“Being an official in the capital is something many people dream of, yet you’re unwilling! Fine, forget that devouring bureaucracy. Then what do you want to do?”

“Hmm… I want to help you run the bookstore…”

“…Pick something else.”

Peasants, scholars, artisans, merchants—merchants were the lowest in status. How could this child be so unambitious?

“Alright, alright. Actually, I want to be an official in Jiangnan. I’ve heard it doesn’t even get cold there in winter, way better than Sizhou! Look, Young Master, the scars from last year’s frostbite still haven’t healed!”

He rolled up his sleeves to show him, revealing dark marks on the back of his hand—scars from the cold.

Fu Yu’an’s heart ached at the sight, remembering how he, too, had often suffered from the cold as a child.

His own frostbite had probably been even worse.

“Fine, go if you want. If you really get assigned to Jiangnan, I’ll move there too and bask in your glory. How about that?”

Si Qi grinned widely and nodded vigorously. “Mhm!”

Fu Yu’an smiled as well, smoothing out the boy’s crumpled sleeves before ushering him out of the study.

Si Qi trotted out cheerfully, only to be abruptly dragged aside by someone covering his mouth.

It was that so-called “Brother Li.”

He struggled and bit down hard on the man’s hand. Li Ke hissed in pain and let go, frowning as he inspected the injury.

“If I didn’t know His High—ahem—the Young Master’s character, I’d think you were his actual son! So scrawny, yet you bite like a wolf!”

Si Qi took two steps back, eyeing him warily.

“What’s it to you? Since you’re Sister Xiaozhu’s husband, I’ll let your rudeness slide this time. But you’d better watch yourself—this is the Young Master’s residence!”

Sister Xiaozhu was the Young Master’s maidservant, and you were just a freeloader here, not even an official son-in-law!

Li Ke rubbed his temples. He hadn’t expected this seemingly well-behaved child to be so sharp-tongued and unyielding.

Digging into his pocket, he pulled out some candy and offered it placatingly.

Si Qi didn’t even glance at it.

This candy had been meant for Xiaozhu. Who knew the brat would be so ungrateful?

“What do you want?”

Li Ke withdrew his hand resentfully, crouched down to look up at him, and asked in a low voice, “Let me ask you something—do you know why your young master suddenly came here from the capital? He has no relatives or friends here—it’s so pitiful!”

Si Qi shook his head: “I wouldn’t dare ask. Every time the past is brought up, the young master gets very sad. I don’t want to upset him. Aren’t you Sister Xiaozhu’s husband? Why don’t you just ask her directly?”

“She won’t tell me. So you don’t know either?”

Si Qi shook his head again.

Li Ke felt it would be better to keep trying to get answers from Xiaozhu.

Oh well. He grabbed a handful of candies from his pocket and handed them to the boy before turning to leave in a huff.

Si Qi held the candies, utterly baffled, and couldn’t shake the feeling that this man didn’t seem like a good person.

Better save these candies for later!

Li Ke knew the general had sent him to find out why His Highness had suddenly left, but Xiaozhu refused to say a word, her face clouded with melancholy whenever the subject came up.

If he pressed too much, she’d get annoyed, and he was afraid of agitating her pregnancy.

While Xiaozhu was out on the street, he secretly found paper and a brush to write a letter back to the capital.

Li Ke, a mere martial man, wasn’t one for flowery language. His letter was a far cry from the elegant one Fu Yu’an had sent back earlier.

But at least it was straightforward—he even drew circles in place of the characters he didn’t know how to write.

Qi Ren eagerly received his letter and patiently read through a page detailing Fu Yu’an’s recent situation, followed by another page about the origins of that little Si Qi. The rest of the letter contained just one line:

“This subordinate still doesn’t know why His Highness left so suddenly. Xiaozhu refuses to tell me anything.”

“…”

Useless.

He realized sending Li Ke there had been a waste.

He couldn’t exactly use interrogation tactics on him, and Li Ke was at his wit’s end.

The letter took two months to reach him. Qi Ren had just arrived in the southern border when the letter was delivered.

He didn’t write a reply—figuring it would take another two months for a response to arrive. By the time it made the round trip, Xiaozhu would probably have already given birth!

Before long, autumn leaves had all fallen, and everyone in Sizhou City was bundled in thick cotton coats.

Xiaozhu’s belly grew larger by the day, and the child inside was restless, kicking often and making her increasingly uncomfortable.

Li Ke tended to her attentively while still dutifully trying to pry information out of Fu Yu’an.

It’s been two months, and the general still hasn’t replied. I wanted to use his letter to gauge His Highness’s reaction, but now there’s no chance.

The southern border army had always been highly disciplined under the general’s command, so there was likely no need for concern.

Fu Yu’an, holding a hand warmer, brought Si Qi to visit Xiaozhu. Si Qi had shot up like a sprout—in just a year, he was almost as tall as Xiaozhu.

Though, to be fair, Xiaozhu wasn’t very tall to begin with.

The room was warmed by a stove, cozy and comfortable. When Xiaozhu saw them enter, she even had Li Ke dig a roasted sweet potato out of the stove for Si Qi.

Si Qi, ever awkward, nodded without saying thanks and hid behind Fu Yu’an to nibble on it quietly.

Li Ke loved teasing him and always hoped the baby in Xiao Zhu’s belly would be as clever and pretty as him.

Preferably a girl—otherwise, he’ll totally outshine my own kid!

“What, not even a ‘thank you’? Where’d all your manners go?”

“……”

Si Qi shot him an unamused glare and shrank back even further.

“Si Qi’s throat has been hoarse lately—he’s just shy!” Fu Yu’an shifted slightly to reveal him, and everyone burst into laughter at the sight of his mouth smeared black from eating.

The atmosphere was warm and lively, but Si Qi ignored them all, turning his back to keep eating. Just wait till my voice comes back—I’ll recite poetry outside your doors every day and see who dares laugh at me then!

A faint crack sounded from the bamboo charcoal in the stove.

Fu Yu’an peeled a chestnut for himself, his heart aching at the sight of Xiao Zhu’s heavily pregnant figure.

Ten months of pregnancy—such hardship. It’s been so hard on her.

“She must be about nine months along now, right? They say ‘ten months of pregnancy’—you’ll need to be extra careful from here on out.” He said this to Li Ke, his expression serious.

Li Ke nodded eagerly, grinning foolishly as he promised to take good care of them.

Fu Yu’an wasn’t worried about that, but he’d come today for another reason.

Handing the peeled chestnut to Si Qi, he instructed, “After you finish this, go check if the congee in the kitchen is ready. Bring a bowl for your Xiao Zhu sister.”

Si Qi was more than happy to escape for some fresh air and immediately agreed, darting out of the room.