"Fugui, are you referring to that person...?"
In the Yan Pingliang Marquis's mansion, the old Madam Liu clasped her son's hand, inquiring about the events of the past few years. Zhou Fugui recounted them to his mother, carefully omitting the more harrowing and life-threatening details to spare her worry.
When Zhou Fugui mentioned Lin Yue, Madam Liu was instantly immersed in memories of the past.
"She said she was the daughter of the King of Xiliang," Zhou Fugui nodded.
"The King of Xiliang? The King of Xiliang had two sons and three daughters. Could she be... Princess Lin Yue, the youngest daughter of the King of Xiliang? Haha..." Madam Liu mused for a moment before laughing heartily at Zhou Fugui. "You child... you child... you actually... with her? You truly have a thick skin, you've truly brought honor to your father's name..."
"Mother, oh my dear mother..." Zhou Fugui said with a dark expression, "In that situation... and besides, I was unconscious at the time, I had no control at all... Even now, I feel ashamed. And to be lectured by you like this..."
"Ashamed of what? You rascal, you get the better end of the deal and then complain?" Madam Liu gently patted Zhou Fugui's cheek. "You look just like your deceased father... Fugui, Han people care about these things, but we Tu Ge people simply don't."
"You think it's quite glorious... is that it?" Zhou Fugui muttered softly.
"What did you say?" Zhou Fugui's voice was barely audible, like a mosquito's fart... so Madam Liu asked.
"Nothing, Mother, please continue," Zhou Fugui smiled.
"You rascal, there's definitely mischief in your belly..." Madam Liu poked Zhou Fugui's forehead with her finger and continued, "If she weren't the daughter of a rebel, what would be wrong with marrying her?"
"Rebel? What rebel?" Zhou Fugui asked in surprise.
"After the Emperor Father passed away... Hmph! How could it be the King of Xiliang's turn to inherit the throne? Yet, supported by a host of treacherous officials, the King of Xiliang declared himself Emperor. If that's not a rebel, then what is?" Madam Liu snorted.
"Oh, I see!" Zhou Fugui replied noncommittally.
Wei was destroyed by Yan. Naturally, all the dragon sons and grandsons of the late emperor of Wei aspired to the throne. It was not difficult to imagine the dragon sons and grandsons of the late emperor of Wei accusing, hating, and even attacking each other. Their animosity towards each other was even greater than that towards Yan.
"Fugui..." Madam Liu then looked at Zhou Fugui and asked, "What are your plans for the future? Or... or do you have any ambitions to restore the Wei dynasty?"
"Ah?" Zhou Fugui stared blankly at his rather uninhibited mother, not knowing how to answer...
Zhou Fugui never expected his mother to harbor such "lofty ambitions"...
Restoring the Great Wei, how easy could that be? Generally speaking, in the vast majority of cases, those with aspirations of restoration either met an untimely end or became deranged... Almost no one had a good outcome.
"Mother, oh my dear mother..." After a long pause, Zhou Fugui finally spoke, "Your son's surname is Zhou..."
"Nonsense, you are my son, how could I not know your surname? Your father's surname is Zhou, and yours is also Zhou. But your mother's surname is Hu Yan, and you are also a descendant of the Great Wei... Fugui, are you going to be content living under others forever?" Madam Liu glared at Zhou Fugui and asked.
"Your son is definitely not someone who is content to live under others, but..." Zhou Fugui glanced around and said softly, "Walls have ears."
"Does your mother not know walls have ears?" Madam Liu also said in a low voice, "Do you think your mother really likes that ridiculous 'tou hu' game? Your mother is merely trying to cover her tracks, just like you..."
"Good, Mother is truly a discerning person!" Zhou Fugui was overjoyed and praised her with a thumbs-up.
"Don't praise me yet..." Madam Liu pinched Zhou Fugui's thumb and asked, "Mother just wants to know, what are your thoughts?"
"What are my thoughts? Alas..." Zhou Fugui sighed. "Feeling our way across the river, taking it one step at a time, and seeing how it goes... Mother, the reason your son cannot act freely is because I am concerned about you all!"
"Fugui, my child..." Madam Liu embraced Zhou Fugui upon hearing this. "Mother knows you are a filial child... but... those who achieve great things are invariably ruthless and unfeeling."
"What ruthlessness? What unfeelingness? What great things?" Zhou Fugui shook his head. "If great things come at the cost of my family, your son would rather not have them. Your son would rather live under others forever." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Husband..." Just as mother and son were whispering, a sigh suddenly came from behind the screen, startling them both.
However, mother and son were not worried for long. The reason was that the sigh came from Xiao Qing.
In the vast Pingliang Marquis's mansion, only a few people were trusted by Madam Liu and Zhou Fugui, such as Zhou Fugui's elder sister-in-law Gu Shi, Sister Zhou Xiao Mei, and Xiao Qing.
"Mother-in-law, Husband, the food and bath are ready," Xiao Qing appeared gracefully from behind the screen after a moment. She placed her right hand over her left, her left hand on her left hip bone, her legs together, and curtsied.
"Good, daughter-in-law, come here," Madam Liu nodded.
Xiao Qing stepped lightly to Madam Liu's side and stood beside her.
"Fugui, Xiao Qing is a good girl. She took care of the household during your absence..." Madam Liu took Xiao Qing's small hand and said to Zhou Fugui, "You must treat her well. Fugui, why don't you marry her formally?"
"Mother-in-law..." Xiao Qing looked at Zhou Fugui with both joy and trepidation.
Zhou Fugui nodded. He rose and bowed deeply to Xiao Qing. "Xiao Qing, my wife, thank you. I will never forget your grace in not abandoning me. However... Mother, Xiao Qing, I have already made a vow of three lives with her, for three lives and three generations, never to betray! Therefore... Xiao Qing, it is I, Zhou, who has wronged you... However, Xiao Qing, in my eyes, there is no distinction between principal wife and concubine, so please rest assured... You are my woman, and she is also my woman. But on the wedding day, I must reserve it for her."
"I... slave... slave... Husband..." Xiao Qing said, moved yet also disappointed, "In this life, Xiao Qing only wishes to accompany Husband forever. As for principal wife and concubine, Xiao Qing does not mind..."
"You..." Madam Liu was so angry that she actually grabbed Zhou Fugui's ear and roared, "Where else can you find such a good woman? How can you look far away when you have something near? You want to climb up to that person, someone our family can never reach."
"Ouch, Mother, oh my dear Mother, can you let go first?" Zhou Fugui's ear hurt terribly, and he didn't dare to struggle forcefully, fearing he might hurt his mother. He could only beg for mercy repeatedly.
"Mother-in-law..." Xiao Qing, suppressing a smile, took Zhou Fugui's ear back from Madam Liu's hand.
"Mother... she... her family... is destroyed." Zhou Fugui rubbed his ear and said to Madam Liu.
"Hmph, then even more so, you cannot marry her," Madam Liu snorted.
"Mother, no matter what happened to her, your son is willing to wait for her forever. If I cannot wait for her, I would rather not marry," Zhou Fugui said.
In this world, one is considered to have a family only after marrying a wife.
"You..." Madam Liu pointed at Zhou Fugui in anger. "Do you know what she... she is doing now? You wait for her, does she wait for you?"
"Hmm? Mother, what do you mean by that?" Zhou Fugui became suspicious and asked in surprise.
Zhou Fugui had always had people inquire about Murong Huiying's whereabouts, but he had found no leads. Now, hearing his mother's implication, did she know Murong Huiying's whereabouts or have any news?
In fact, Zhou Fugui had long suspected that Murong Huiying had fallen into Murong Qing's hands, but he still held onto a sliver of hope or a faint glimmer of chance, hoping to reunite with Murong Huiying.
"What do I mean? She... she... daughter-in-law, you tell him." Madam Liu seemed somewhat reluctant, so she said to Xiao Qing.
"Slave... slave..." Xiao Qing also stammered.
A hint of displeasure appeared on Zhou Fugui's face. He turned to look at Xiao Qing.
"Why are you so fierce? Daughter-in-law, you go and serve Fugui his meal and bath first," Madam Liu glared at Zhou Fugui and then instructed Xiao Qing.
Zhou Fugui nodded.
Firstly, his stomach was indeed empty. Secondly, as long as Xiao Qing knew Murong Huiying's whereabouts, he was not afraid of not being able to extract it.
......
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Charge!"
"Giddy up... giddy up... giddy up..."
"Bang!"
"Crash!"
"Ouch!"
"Hoo... hoo... hoo..."
"......"
In a side room of the Yan Pingliang Marquis's mansion, where the Marquis and his concubines resided, sounds of clashing weapons and battlefield slaughter could be faintly heard. Through the windowpanes, it seemed as if swords and sabers were flashing...
Is this Marquis having intercourse or committing murder? The singing girls, dancing girls, and maids were all bewildered and greatly astonished. At the same time, their envy towards Xiao Qing turned into sympathy...
After such torment, would Xiao Qing still be alive?
......
"Hoo... hoo... hoo..." Zhou Fugui lay on Xiao Qing's embroidered couch, panting heavily, and asked, "I say, Xiao Qing, now you should tell me, right?"
"Husband..." Xiao Qing, enduring the soreness all over her body, struggled to get up and held a silk cloth, wiping the sweat from Zhou Fugui's body. She said, "Slave knows, slave knows Husband's suffering, knows Husband's frustration. You... do whatever you want, Xiao Qing will allow it."
A ruler governs his subjects, a father governs his son, and a husband governs his wife. These are the Three Bonds. Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness are the Five Constant Virtues. Xiao Qing knew this from childhood.
Therefore, even though Zhou Fugui was acting like a madman, Xiao Qing could only bear it with her delicate and fragile body.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Zhou Fugui looked at Xiao Qing apologetically and then asked, "Xiao Qing, actually, in my heart, you are the same as her, I can't let go of either of you."
"Husband!" Xiao Qing was moved and leaned against Zhou Fugui's strong chest.