BMN : Chapter 26

When Jin Yi returned to the mansion, the earlier commotion had already subsided, so he hadn’t heard about what had happened. However, Bai Lu found an appropriate time to quietly inform Jin Yi about the day’s events.

After Jin Yi left for Fangmanting, Bai Xue asked Bai Lu, “Sister, why did you tell the master about this? Didn’t the old lady order that no one is to mention this matter again?”

Bai Lu replied, “Of course, no one will mention it in public, but in private, do you think people will stop talking? If we don’t tell the master and let Ming Gongzi swallow his grievances in silence, it wouldn’t be the conduct of proper servants who should share the master’s burdens and resolve his difficulties.”

Bai Xue laughed, “You’re so thoughtful, sister. You even talk about conduct, how refined.”

Bai Lu also smiled, “Even as servants, not everyone can do this job. We have to be refined, don’t we?”

When Jin Yi arrived at Fangmanting, Fu Ming had just sent Zhaoyan out and was standing in the courtyard, under the few remaining yellow leaves trembling in the late autumn wind.

“Let’s go inside. Even though the wind isn’t too cold yet, staying out too long can still cause a chill,” Jin Yi said as he half-embraced, half-pushed Fu Ming into the house.

“Is it cold for you? I’ll make you some tea,” Fu Ming said, feeling Jin Yi’s hand, which was warm. Jin Yi replied:

“No, I’m not cold, nor thirsty. Sit down; I have something to say.”

At Jin Yi’s signal, the maidservants left, leaving just the two of them. Fu Ming asked, “What do you want to say? Why all the secrecy?”

Jin Yi wasn’t trying to be mysterious; he rarely did such things. The reason he sent the servants away was simply to make Fu Ming feel more comfortable and maintain his dignity. “It’s nothing serious. I just heard about what happened today. The old lady was a bit harsh in her words because she was angry. Don’t take it to heart. We all know what kind of person you are.”

Fu Ming replied in a seemingly calm tone, “You’re overthinking it. I don’t dare, and I won’t be angry with the old lady.”

Jin Yi shook his head, “I’m not here to speak for the old lady. I’m worried that you’ll feel hurt and won’t say anything, bottling it up inside and feeling worse.”

Fu Ming wanted to smile but couldn’t manage it. He turned his head slightly, staying silent for a long time.

Jin Yi took Fu Ming’s hand, gently saying, “We all know how sincere you’ve been to us.” After a pause, he continued, “You are incredibly wise, but sometimes overthinking can be detrimental. It’s better not to dwell on things. That way, you can be happier.”

Fu Ming finally showed a slight smile and responded, “I understand your concern. Let’s leave it at that; I won’t dwell on it, and you don’t need to either.”

Jin Yi said, “Alright, let’s not think about it. If you want to go out in the future, just let me know, and I’ll take you.”

Fu Ming nodded, “Okay, I’ll let you know.”

Seeing that the gloom on Fu Ming’s face seemed to lift somewhat, Jin Yi felt relieved and noticed his stomach growling. He smiled and said, “Do you have any food left? I forgot to eat dinner.”

Fu Ming laughed, “I’ll go ask them to make something.”

“No need to trouble them; just heat up what’s there.”

Fu Ming shook his head, “The leftovers can’t be kept overnight, and I said I wanted to go to bed early, so there’s no midnight snack prepared. There probably isn’t any ready-to-eat food left. Let’s make something fresh; simple dishes won’t take long.”

“Alright. You probably didn’t eat much earlier either, so why not join me?”

Fu Ming nodded, “Alright. Wait a moment; I’ll call the maids. You sent them all away; we need to find them first.”

Jin Yi saw that Fu Ming was in the mood to joke and felt his spirits lift. He used to dislike the phrase “intense feelings,” thinking that deep emotions would surely weaken a hero’s resolve. But now that he had someone he cared about, he felt that indulging in emotions occasionally was natural and good.

After being semi-confined to the Jin Mansion by the old lady’s orders, Fu Ming received an invitation from the Zhou family, requesting his presence at Jianlou before the winter solstice. The invitation was signed “Xi Fu.”

Fu Ming had someone bring the invitation to the old lady for approval. Knowing it was an invitation from Zhou Chengyan, the old lady consented to Fu Ming’s outing.

On the day of the winter solstice, the weather turned colder. Fu Ming dressed in winter clothing and left the mansion with Bai Hua. Now Bai Hua served as his personal attendant, handling outside errands and accompanying him on outings.

As they walked through the bustling city streets, preparing for winter, Fu Ming took in the sights and sounds, noting the bustling markets selling winter vegetables. He planned to add these observations to his records once he returned home.

As they walked, they saw the Jin family’s steward and some servants busy purchasing supplies. After exchanging greetings, the steward continued his tasks, and Fu Ming continued toward Jianlou.

Upon arriving, the waiter led him to a private room upstairs. Inside, waiting for him was not Zhou Chengyan, but Zhou Wanqing.

The invitation had been signed “Xi Fu,” but it was not Zhou Chengyan’s handwriting. Fu Ming had assumed that Zhou Chengyan had someone else write it out of convenience, as he never let anyone else handle invitations addressed to him.

Though deceived into coming, Fu Ming wasn’t in a hurry to leave. He wanted to see what Zhou Wanqing had to say, given the effort she had put into arranging this meeting.

Seeing Fu Ming, Zhou Wanqing’s face showed a faint smile. She personally poured a cup of light wine for him, saying, “It’s cold outside; have a drink to warm up.”

“Thank you,” Fu Ming said, taking the cup and drinking it.

Zhou Wanqing continued, “I had to use my brother’s name to invite you because I figured you wouldn’t come if you knew it was me. It was deceitful, but I had no choice. I hope you can forgive me.” With that, she raised her cup, “I’ll drink this to apologize.”

Fu Ming didn’t stop her, letting her drink the wine. He then asked, “Why did you go to such lengths to invite me?”

Zhou Wanqing still smiled, “First, I wanted to apologize to you for some of my previous words. Second, I have some things I wanted to discuss with you in advance.”

Fu Ming nodded, “Go ahead.”

“Where should I begin?” Zhou Wanqing looked off into the distance, as if deep in thought. After a moment, she said, “What kind of person do you think my brother-in-law is?”

Fu Ming responded, “Don’t you know what kind of person he is? If you don’t, why are you going to such lengths to enter the Jin Mansion?”

Zhou Wanqing chuckled, “People say that you’re gentle and polite, treating others kindly. But I see you also have your sharp moments.”

“Just get to the point.”

Zhou Wanqing‘s smile faded slightly, “I was hoping to build a good relationship with you since we’ll be family soon. There’s no need for conflict.”

Fu Ming replied, “If by building a good relationship, you mean that I should bow to your wishes, then I can’t comply.”

Zhou Wanqing shook her head, her tone growing cold, “So be it. I thought that if you were sensible, I’d let things slide. But it seems you think too highly of your current status in the Jin Mansion and don’t take me seriously.”

Fu Ming smiled wryly, “You’re overthinking it. I don’t judge people by their status; I see them for who they are.”

“See them for who they are,” Zhou Wanqing repeated. “And who do you think I am?”

“You’re a daughter of the Zhou family, Chengyan’s sister. Soon, you’ll be one of Jin Yi’s concubines.”

“Yes, I’m a daughter of the Zhou family. So, do you think the Zhou family is more significant than the Fu family?”

“Of course, the Zhou family holds a higher status.”

“Exactly. So, I have my family’s support, while the Fu family, as far as I know, is just a name without substance. Moreover, though you were married into the Jin family by imperial decree, it wasn’t the genuine wish of the old lady or Jin Yi. My relationship with my brother-in-law precedes yours. No matter how you look at it, you, as the main wife, cannot compare to me.”

Fu Ming found this amusing and didn’t feel the need to refute her point by point. He simply said, “If you invited me here just to intimidate me, there’s no need. Reality will speak for itself.”

“Fine, then let’s wait and see. When I enter the Jin Mansion, marry Jin Yi, and bear children, I will still be the daughter of the Zhou family, Zhaoyan’s aunt, and the mother of his children. And you? Who will you be? Do you think the position of main wife in the Jin Mansion will still be your place?”

Seeing Zhou Wanqing’s determined expression, Fu Ming had no desire to continue the conversation. He stood up, pausing briefly to say, “If this is how you seek to establish goodwill, I can’t comply. We shall see how things unfold.”

Zhou Wanqing was stunned for a moment, then smiley coldly, “Deluding yourself. Just wait and see.”

That night, when Jin Yi came to Fangmanting, he was preparing to sleep and asked Fu Ming, “I heard you went out today at Chengyan’s invitation?”

Fu Ming initially considered hiding the truth but then remembered that Jin Yi was an open and straightforward person. There was no need to hide things from him. He replied, “It was Zhou Wanqing who used Chengyan’s name to invite me.”

“What did she want?”

“Nothing important. She just said a few things, sharing her vision for the future.”

Jin Yi thought for a moment, then said, “She has a young girl’s mindset. She won’t have a good attitude towards you, but you don’t need to cater to her or take her seriously. Let her put on her solo performance.”

Fu Ming replied, “Although she’s young, I think she’s quite clever for her age, with many thoughts. Now she’s at the Zhou family, and I’m here, so I can avoid her. But when it becomes unavoidable, Changjie, what should I do?”

Jin Yi responded, “We’ll deal with it when the time comes. Now, anything we say is just speculation. Don’t worry; I won’t let you suffer.”

Fu Ming shook his head, “I’m not afraid of suffering, but if I have to suffer because of her, I don’t think it’s worth it. Jin Yi, perhaps you’ll find this ridiculous, but these are my true feelings, and I hope you understand.” Fu Ming sighed softly, “I don’t regret marrying you. On the contrary, you’re a good person, and I’m willing to be with you. But I’m still a man. I can’t compete with a woman for your affection or a place in the mansion. But I also understand that many things are beyond our control. I don’t want to become someone I don’t recognize or hold any resentment towards you. So, if—if it really becomes unbearable in this mansion, I hope you can let me go.”

Every word struck Jin Yi’s heart, bringing a sense of pain and a touch of panic. He hugged Fu Ming tightly, his voice deep and serious, “That won’t happen. As long as I’m in this mansion, there will be a place for you to stay and be at peace. But if—if it does happen and you find it unbearable, tell me. I won’t let you be troubled.” He gently touched the face of the person in his arms, his voice filled with both promise and a plea, “Yexin, trust me.”

Looking at Jin Yi, seeing the myriad emotions in his eyes, Fu Ming felt a deep reluctance. Even the thought of parting, no matter how hypothetical, made him feel a sense of sorrow. He nodded and returned Jin Yi’s embrace, resting his face against Jin Yi’s shoulder, responding clearly and steadily, “Alright, I trust you.”

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