The Foolish General's Mute Spouse - Chapter 97

97: A Letter from the Southern Border

Though phrased as a question, his tone was firm—clearly, he already knew everything.

Fu Yu’an had long anticipated this day, though it came sooner than he expected.

It seemed Si Qi was indeed reserved and introverted, keeping his thoughts well-hidden—a trait well-suited for an official in the capital.

His gaze drifted absently to the fallen leaves on the ground as he softly replied, “Hmm.”

“You already knew?”

“Yes. Including that night when he secretly came to see you… I knew about that too.”

Fu Yu’an was startled, whipping his head around to stare at him, his pupils shrinking sharply. “He came that night?”

Now it was Si Qi’s turn to be surprised. “You didn’t know? He didn’t leave until dawn. I thought you two had…”

“……”

Fu Yu’an strained to recall the details of that night, but his memories were hazy. The only thing he vaguely remembered was shamelessly clinging to him, begging him not to leave.

He had thought it was just a dream, which was why he had been so bold. Surely, he hadn’t let any secrets slip?

His heart was uneasy, but Si Qi kept apologizing to him, though he didn’t quite understand what the boy was apologizing for.

Fu Yu’an’s mind was a mess, yet his heart felt as if it were soaking in warm honey—swollen and sweet.

So, he was just throwing a tantrum with me. He hadn’t stopped caring—he was just sulking.

That’s wonderful.

Suppressing a smile, he returned to his room. Instinctively, he reached to touch the bracelet on his wrist, only to remember he had given it to Xiao Zhu.

Yet, he felt an overwhelming relief—he had worried that this gesture of goodwill might disgust him, but now it seemed… it wasn’t a bad thing after all.

Si Qi observed his subtle expressions, still finding it hard to believe.

So, the young master hadn’t known about his visit that night. No wonder…

What a pair of oddballs!

…

The way of the world is that long unity must divide, and long division must unite. The previous emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty had unified the nation but lacked the military strength to expand its borders. His successors were all benevolent rulers, none stirring up trouble to wage war on neighboring countries, allowing the people to enjoy centuries of rare peace.

But just because they didn’t provoke others didn’t mean others lacked ambition. Some mistook Great Yan’s tolerance for weakness, assuming they had no capable generals, and grew increasingly audacious.

Qi Ren’s father was a rare military genius. Alongside his eldest brother, they repelled countless invasions. But the battle at Zhizhou had been a brutal blow to Great Yan’s pride.

With the Qi father dead and the eldest son crippled, Qi Ren—not yet of age—shouldered the legacy of his family, becoming the new undefeated god of war. His bold strategies and ruthless efficiency on the battlefield were terrifying.

But a powerful military presence was not a good thing, especially when his sister was a favored concubine in the imperial harem, and his nephew stood out among the emperor’s sons for his brilliance.

The older the emperor grew, the more suspicious he became—fearing interference from external relatives, fearing they might seize power or even commit patricide. Thus, Qi Ren had no choice but to feign foolishness and return to the capital, concealing his edge to dispel the emperor’s doubts, biding his time to deliver a fatal blow to the crown prince…

…

Dressed in a bright red cloak, Xia Xiu was having a snowball fight with Si Qi in the courtyard, his nose red from the cold.

As the year drew to a close, Fu Yanxiao grew busier. Once Xia Xiu learned that he was in the capital and wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon, he threw tantrums, begging to see him. After being refused several times by Fu Yu’an, he resorted to climbing walls and roofs like a thief, determined to catch him.

Fu Yu’an had no choice but to relent and meet him.

Truth be told, he had always felt guilty about leaving Xia Xiu behind back then.

Fortunately, Xia Xiu never brought up his departure. Even when they met, he carefully avoided any mention of Qi Ren, clearly steering clear of the subject.

“Come over and have some hot soup to warm up! Look at you two—freezing!”

Fu Yu’an stood at the doorway, holding two bowls of red bean porridge, calling out to them. Si Qi obediently came over, but Xia Xiu was still eager for more, rolling two large snowballs and aiming them at Si Qi.

“Hey!”

Si Qi tilted his head to dodge, and the snowball landed at Fu Yu’an’s feet.

The snowball shattered on his foot, dusting him with a layer of winter’s white.

“…I’m sorry! I’m sorry, An’an!” he quickly apologized, trotting over with his hands clasped together, looking at him pitifully.

Fu Yu’an smiled, not minding at all, while Si Qi gloated with a smug grin.

Xia Xiu shot him a glare, then brought over the bowl of red bean porridge and stood beside Fu Yu’an.

“The New Year is almost here. Do you want to spend it at our manor this year?”

“No, it wouldn’t be appropriate. What place do I have intruding on your family’s celebration?”

“What’s the big deal? We’re good friends! Besides, it’s just you and this kid—seems pretty lonely. Fu Yanxiao and I are just two people every year, and it gets pretty dull!”

Fu Yu’an still shook his head, refusing no matter what.

Whether out of politeness or genuine concern, it was entirely unsuitable for someone like him—officially “dead”—to join their household for the New Year.

Seeing his resolve, Xia Xiu had no choice but to sigh regretfully.

Si Qi finished his bowl and let out a burp. “Master, the Imperial Academy’s winter break starts in late December. Should I bring back those books first?”

Fu Yu’an thought for a moment. “If you want to review during the holidays, go ahead and fetch them. Is it a lot? I can send someone to help you carry them back.”

Xia Xiu waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t bother! Even if you bring them, you won’t study! I spent years at the Imperial Academy, and I can tell you with absolute certainty—you absolutely, definitely won’t study. It’s useless, just dead weight, and you’ll have to haul them back later.”

Si Qi rolled his eyes. “I’m not like you.”

“Hey, you little brat!”

Fu Yu’an quickly mediated. “Alright, alright, do as you please! It’s only a few days anyway. Are you planning to take the exams this year?”

“Yes. If I don’t take them this time, I’ll have to wait another three years… I don’t want to wait.”

He lowered his head with a sigh, his expression heavy.

Fu Yu’an understood his meaning. “But if you wait three more years, you might achieve a better ranking. If you go now… the pressure will be immense.”

Xia Xiu also advised, “Yeah, kid, don’t be in such a hurry to succeed!”

Si Qi shook his head: “It’s not about being impatient. Of course, I can wait, but the young master can’t afford to wait any longer.”

“Si Qi…”

“Besides, how do you know I won’t do well this time? I may not rank as the second or third top scholar, but securing a decent position shouldn’t be a problem.”

Xia Xiu forced a smile, hardly believing that the boy could stand out among so many scholars across Great Yan.

But he had a point—waiting another three years would indeed be far too long.

Yet, wasn’t this somewhat unfair to the child?

Before Xia Xiu could think it through, Si Qi had already cupped his hands in farewell and retreated to his room to study.

Fu Yu’an sighed. Faced with Xia Xiu’s puzzled look, he could only shrug.

The boy seemed obedient, but in truth, he was more stubborn than anyone else. Trying to persuade him would be futile.

While Si Qi immersed himself in his studies, Xia Xiu pulled Fu Yu’an outside to build a snowman in the courtyard.

By evening, Fu Yanxiao personally came to fetch him. When he saw Fu Yu’an, he didn’t ask any questions and handed him a letter as if it were the most natural thing.

Xia Xiu craned his neck to look—the letter was crumpled, likely delivered by express courier from Qi Ren on the southern frontier.

Fu Yu’an froze, glancing at the letter, then pointed at himself in disbelief, as if asking, Is this really for me?

Fu Yanxiao nodded, pressed the letter into his hand, and then led Xia Xiu away.

“Hey, wait! I—” Xia Xiu still wanted to see what was written, but he was dragged off reluctantly, glancing back every few steps.

He looked around, relieved to see no one nearby. He wasn’t sure why receiving a letter had to feel so clandestine, like a secret affair.

Since it was Fu Yanxiao who delivered it, he must have wanted to keep Fu Yu’an’s whereabouts hidden.

Fu Yu’an took the letter into his bedroom, his heart uneasy.

What would it say? Would he forgive me?

Sigh.

The paper seemed to carry the dust and wind of the southern battlefield—wrinkled and worn, the handwriting uneven, no doubt due to the lack of good ink in the warzone.

But the opening words, “Yu’an,” settled his heart.

Good, good. It really is for me.

The letter was brief, just a few lines, but he read it over and over carefully.

[The bracelet has been received. The war keeps me busy, and I fear I won’t be able to return to the capital anytime soon. Don’t worry about me. The weather is cold—dress warmly and take care not to catch a chill again.]

Fu Yu’an thought, He still cares about me. That alone satisfied him.

He carefully folded the letter and tucked it into a hidden compartment by his bedside.

The compartment held few items—aside from the letter, there was only a single ring. Fu Yu’an took it out, studying it under the dim candlelight for a long while. He even tried it on his finger, but in the end, he placed it back inside.

Tomorrow, I’ll find a string to hang it on.