The Foolish General's Mute Spouse - Chapter 92

92: The Legendary General Married a Man

“I didn’t provoke him.” Siqi said. “He’s been quite considerate toward me. He seems like a decent person.”

Unwarranted kindness often hides ulterior motives!

He smiled as he looked at Fu Yu’an, waiting for his response.

Fu Yu’an chuckled but didn’t comment further.

“The heart is veiled by flesh—better to stay cautious.”

Especially if he starts asking questions. Don’t tell him anything!

Absolutely nothing!

The two exchanged vague remarks for a while, but Siqi failed to extract any useful information from him.

…

The Imperial Academy reassigned classes every three months based on academic performance. Siqi, with his excellent grades, was promoted to the top-tier class as he wished.

As a result, Qi Ren no longer taught his former class. Instead, he followed Siqi, seemingly determined to instruct him for at least half a year.

When Siqi saw him during archery and equestrian training, he was puzzled.

His classmates were equally surprised. After all, this was the Imperial Academy—the top-tier class was filled with the sons of nobles and high-ranking officials, all of whom were well acquainted with Qi Ren’s reputation.

Song Cang nudged Siqi with his elbow and whispered, “Why is General Qi teaching our class now? This is really strange!”

“Didn’t he teach your class before?”

“No! Ah, you’re new, so you wouldn’t know. Originally, the general wasn’t willing to come. But for some reason, he changed his mind later. Still, he only taught that commoners’ class—oh, the one you were in before. It’s all very odd.”

Siqi nodded, about to probe further, when Qi Ren—who had been closely watching Siqi—frowned in displeasure. He kicked a small pebble, hitting Song Cang’s knee and making him yelp in pain.

“What are you two whispering about?! Both of you—ten laps around the field!”

Siqi shot him a resentful look but had no choice but to follow Song Cang and start running.

What an unjust punishment!

Still, he didn’t give up. Song Cang was the youngest son of the Grand Tutor, doted on at home and often the first to spread mysterious rumors.

As he ran alongside him, Siqi lowered his voice and asked, “Has General Qi always been this strict?”

“How would I know? I thought you two were closer—didn’t he even give you clothes?”

“You know about that too?”

“Hehe, I accidentally saw it.”

Siqi looked at him suspiciously, as if trying to gauge how much sincerity lay in that “accidentally.”

Seeing that he couldn’t fool him at all, Song Cang had no choice but to admit: “Alright, alright, the truth is I’ve always admired the general! So I’ve been hoping he’d come to lead us. Who knew… Ah, when I saw him bring you clothes, I was so jealous!”

He tugged at the martial robe on Siqi’s body, envious. “This must be the general’s, right? So envious!”

“…”

Are all young noblemen this strange?

Siqi pulled his clothes back and sighed, “Ah! The general is such a good man!”

“A great man! And so impressive! Back then—” His eyes sparkled as he lowered his voice and leaned in. “I can see you’re tight-lipped, so I’ll tell you, but don’t go spreading it around!”

Siqi’s ears perked up. He desperately suppressed a grin and nodded solemnly. “A gentleman keeps his word. I’d never blab!”

Song Cang couldn’t hold back either. Truth be told, he’d said the same thing to everyone—things like “I’m only telling you,” “We’re close,” or “You seem trustworthy.”

“When the former Crown Prince staged a coup, it was the general who led the troops to crush it! You could say His Majesty owes his throne to the general’s efforts!”

“…Is that why you admire him?”

It was indeed impressive, but it felt more like luck than anything.

“Of course not! The general has spent years on the southern frontier—that’s his real battlefield! To this day, he’s never lost a single battle! Isn’t that incredible? What man in our dynasty doesn’t aspire to be a hero like him?”

“That really is impressive.”

“And now he’s the Emperor’s uncle, a man of noble status. Don’t take your good fortune for granted! Honestly, I think even being punished with two laps by him would be an honor.”

“It’s ten laps. I still have eight left.”

He embellished the story of how Qi Ren had saved the emperor, mixing in plenty of court gossip along the way. Clearly, he was far more interested in the rumors.

“The general is also incredibly patient. He pretended to be mad for over a year and was even forced to marry a mute prince—though no one knows where that prince is now. But I heard he might be dead!”

“Dead?”

“Yeah! There were rumors in the streets that they were deeply in love, but I never believed the general was into men. That prince must have schemed to cling to him for protection! After last year’s Lantern Festival, there was no more news of the prince. Probably dead.”

“Didn’t the emperor care? Such a big deal.”

“Pfft! What big deal? The Seventh Prince wasn’t exactly favored—he grew up in the cold palace. If it weren’t for the marriage causing a stir in the capital, no one would’ve even known there was a mute prince in the palace!”

Siqi’s eyelids twitched. He wanted to confirm more details, but then he heard Qi Ren call them.

Turns out, he’d noticed the two of them slacking off during their punishment laps and added ten more.

Song Cang was miserable. No matter how much he loved gossip, he didn’t dare speak another word to him.

…

That evening, after finishing his studies, Siqi returned home and happened to see Xiaozhu visiting with Little Yuanbao.

But Li Ke was nowhere in sight.

Little Yuanbao babbled incoherently, but the young master was delighted, playing with her.

“Sister Xiaozhu! And Little Yuanbao! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you!” He rushed over joyfully and gently pinched Little Yuanbao’s cheek.

“Come to see you all!” Xiao Zhu said with a smile, tilting her chin toward the oil-paper package on the nearby table. “Look, I brought your favorite—beggar’s chicken.”

“You’re the best, Sister Xiao Zhu!”

Fu Yu’an couldn’t help but laugh. “How old are you, still acting like a child?”

Xiao Zhu, however, didn’t mind. “Siqi is only fourteen or fifteen, still a teenager—he hasn’t grown up yet!”

“Exactly! I’m not even a hundred years old! I’m the youngest in the Imperial College!”

Xiao Zhu was pleased by his youthful brilliance, so she continued, “How have you been at the Imperial College these days? I heard from the young master that you were moved to the top class? Can you keep up with their pace?”

Siqi immediately grimaced, his eyebrows drooping as he complained, “The instructors are all very knowledgeable and tireless in teaching, but that General Qi is just too strict! Today, he made me run twenty full laps around the training field! My legs are about to fall off!”

Xiao Zhu’s expression faltered for a moment, and she guiltily glanced at Fu Yu’an. Seeing no particular reaction from him, she dared to ask further, “Oh? What did he punish you for? How did you offend him?”

“Ah! It’s all Song Cang’s fault—he insisted on dragging me into gossiping about General Qi. When the general saw us, he punished us, simple as that!”

He shrugged, looking utterly helpless.

Fu Yu’an’s lips pressed into a tight line. He very much wanted to ask what kind of gossip they had been spreading, but he felt it would make him seem too invested, so he chose to remain silent.

Xiao Zhu adjusted Little Yuanbao in her arms and feigned curiosity. “Oh? What kind of gossip is there about General Qi?”

After so many years as master and servant, she knew Fu Yu’an well—she decided to ask on his behalf.

Sure enough, Fu Yu’an looked up, his expression slightly tense.

Siqi thought to himself, There’s definitely something going on here, but he maintained an innocent demeanor and sighed, waving his hand. “Who knows if it’s true or not, but they say General Qi once married a prince, and later that prince just… disappeared. No one knows if he died or not.”