CH 31

As for whether someone would suspect him of pretending to be stupid because of this matter, it was even more impossible.

Fu Zhiyu knew his own previous character well. If he had met this incident in his previous life, he might be willing to help, but he used to think too much back then. For fear of causing trouble to Liuli Palace, he would have never come forward and would basically help secretly. In the past, it would never have been possible for him to punish someone directly.

However, it was better to do things openly than in secret, and it was indeed better to live completely according to one’s own wishes than to have one’s hands and feet tied.

“Sometimes, ordinary people live happier than smart people,” Fu Zhiyu said to Yuan Mingdao with emotion. “The more you think about things, the more unhappy you are.”

When Yuan Mingdao heard this, he was relieved. 

As for the Thirteenth Prince, Fu Zhiyu didn’t care much about him. He couldn’t keep an eye on him, he didn’t know him well enough, and it was good enough that he agreed to help him. There were too many wretched people and unfair things in the palace for Fu Zhiyu to be able to manage alone, and it was already very kind of him to protect Fu Yanran for a while.

“It’s up to him,” Fu Zhiyu sighed, “Everyone has their own way of living.”

What happened after that was not much different from what Fu Zhiyu had imagined.

Momo Gui returned to the palace, covering her face in anger. When Fu Rongli saw her like this and heard the whole story, his face instantly darkened.

He was almost in good health now, and he was sent by Fu Rongye to help with the imperial examination. In fact, it really didn’t matter whether he drank the medicine or not.

“I told you that Fu Zhiyu was not stupid!” He felt like he had caught something, and said bitterly, “Speaking in such a shady manner, as annoying as always! Let’s go, let’s go find Mother Consort and Brother!”

However, Fu Rongye was busy at the moment and was not in the palace. When Consort Xue heard what happened, although she was also angry, she didn’t agree with Fu Rongli in some ways.

“Li’er, he will pay for this insult. Momo Gui will certainly not suffer this grievance in vain. Whether it is Liuli Palace or Hua Ruixuan, this concubine wants them to know who is in power in this palace now,” Consort Xue stretched out her hand and touched the pearls on her head, and then continued. “However, Fu Zhiyu not being stupid is not the matter to draw conclusions easily. He has never been so arrogant before, he was always doing evil in secret, just like his mother consort, looking like a white lotus but having a black heart. Now that he dares to be so straightforward, it just shows that his brain is broken and he has no idea what he’s doing.”

“Mother Consort!” Fu Rongli jumped to his feet anxiously, “Why don’t you believe me!”

Consort Xue had been completely convinced by Fu Rongye now. All the limelight for Linyue Tower came from the imperial examination. If Fu Zhiyu wasn’t stupid, how could he hand over such a good errand to someone?

“It’s not that Mother Consort doesn’t believe you,” Consort Xue said patiently, “But you should also learn more from your brother. Sometimes you shouldn’t just be angry, you have to be realistic and look at the facts, right?”

Fu Rongli couldn’t suppress his anger: “I won’t talk to you anymore! I’ll tell my brother! He will definitely believe me!”

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As soon as he said that, Fu Rongye walked in, but his face was distorted and gloomy. He asked in a low voice, “What’s all the noise about?”

Consort Xue was delighted when she saw her elder son and quickly beckoned: “Ye’er, come and sit down, Mother Consort has just asked the kitchen to make your favourite dish…”

“Favourite dish?! How can I be in this mood now to eat!” Fu Rongye’s face became even more ugly, “Something big has happened!”

Consort Xue was taken aback, quickly sent away her attendants and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Fu Rongye sat down next to her and said solemnly: “The imperial examination.”

“Isn’t that over already? The emperor is obviously also very satisfied…”

“The imperial censor found out the fraud and said that the test questions were leaked. Father Emperor already knows about this matter and has just started an investigation.” Fu Rongye’s expression got worse and worse, as if about to drip black water. “If it’s true, this is a big problem for us. I suspect that there is that demon behind it.”

“It must be Fu Zhiyu!” Fu Rongli looked as if he had guessed something, “It’s him! I told you he was not stupid!”

“What do you know?” Fu Rongye glared at him as if he was an idiot, “What does this matter have to do with him? I’m talking about Fu Lingxiao!”

Fu Rongli was scolded by his brother and didn’t dare to speak again. He lowered his head. After a long time, he said in a deep voice: “Then… What about Momo Gui?”

“Is this what you care about at this time? Momo Gui?” Fu Rongye reprimanded him, “If there is really a problem with the imperial examination, we, and the entire Xue family, will not be able to escape, and you will not be spared. Put all your thoughts on this. Be quiet and don’t cause me trouble outside!”

Fu Rongli grumbled for a long time, but he also knew the importance of this matter, so he obeyed and stopped talking.

While Linyue Tower was in a mess, Fu Zhiyu had already gotten into the carriage to go to the Yuan residence and slowly proceeded along the street in front of the palace to the market.

At this hour, the outside was already lively. He smelled the smell of steamed buns coming from outside, as well as the smell of oil poured on the wheat noodles. He had eaten breakfast, but he was a little hungry.

Fu Zhiyu couldn’t resist and asked someone to buy a bowl of Yang Chun noodles, and shared it with Yuan Mingdao.

Instead of going directly to the Yuan residence, he took a detour to go to the pastry shop in the east of the city to buy some pastries that his family liked. But if he went this way, he would pass by Grand Master Xu’s house.

When the carriage passed there, he couldn’t help but lift the curtain and take a look.

Grand Master Xu was his respected teacher. Although he had a bad temper, he was knowledgeable and taught Fu Zhiyu to write and draw. A lot of Fu Zhiyu’s knowledge had come from him, but now he had to let his teacher down.

After Fu Zhiyu returned to the palace, he heard that Grand Master Xu was sick. He sent a few messages but they were rejected. The Xu residence was closed to visitors for a long time, only saying that Grand Master Xu was so sick that he even couldn’t take charge of the imperial examination. 

A few days ago Dr. Chen sent by Fu Zhiyu entered the Xu residence and came back to report that there was nothing wrong, but Grand Master Xu was almost 80 years old this year. When one got older, his health would naturally deteriorate. It would be fine after more recuperation.

Fu Zhiyu didn’t know if this was a blessing in disguise. In his previous life, because of the imperial examination fraud case, although he found out the truth and proved his innocence, it took a long time.

For Grand Master Xu his face was very important. After being pointed at his back for so long, he was so angry that his body collapsed and he passed away soon after.

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Although he had also fallen ill now, he was in a much better condition than in the previous life. At least there was still a chance for recuperation, and Fu Zhiyu also felt some comfort in his heart.

This old man liked to smoke tobacco leaves and coughed a lot. Fu Zhiyu didn’t add his blood to pine nut candies this time. He made a jar of autumn pear jam and wondered if Grand Master Xu ate it every day according to Dr. Chen’s instructions.

Now the Xu residence still didn’t accept outsiders except for a few doctors, but when Fu Zhiyu was about to close the carriage curtain, he saw a man coming out of the small side door next to the main entrance of the Xu residence.

It was Shen Yang, the new top scorer in the imperial examination, and Fu Zhiyu heard that he had been appointed the compiler of the Hanlin Academy and given the sixth rank. Although it was not a good position, for a scholar from a poor family, with no backer behind him, this starting point was not bad.

Grand Master Xu really liked Shen Yang and treated him very well. Sometimes he even gave money to this student. Now that Shen Yang had won the first prize, it was reasonable that he had come to thank his teacher.

Shen Yang didn’t notice Fu Zhiyu’s carriage. There was an obvious smile on his face, as if his plan had succeeded.

When Fu Zhiyu saw this smile, he was a little uncomfortable. He always felt that Shen Yang was also a bit weird, but after thinking about it carefully, he felt that he was overly concerned.

Although it was somewhat different from the previous life’s performance, it was also roughly in line with Shen Yang’s character. If he were reborn, there would be no need for him to try to talk to Fu Zhiyu. He would have avoided the intermediate link and found Xie Ke directly a long time ago.

“What’s the matter?”

Yuan Mingdao finished slurping the noodles and saw Fu Zhiyu’s solemn face. “What is the Master looking at?”

“Nothing,” Fu Zhiyu closed the curtain casually and turned his head to Yuan Mingdao, “The snack shop is close, let’s get ready to go down.”

Half an hour later, Fu Zhiyu, carrying a box of pastries, entered the gate of the Yuan residence with Yuan Mingdao and heard a burst of laughter.

“Is what Sister Xi said true? Is it really that fun over there? Then I’ll make Dad take me there next time!”

This was Yuan Lu’s voice. He was the son of Fu Zhiyu’s younger uncle. He was eleven years old this year, with a tiger head and a tiger brain (dignified and strong). The baby fat on his face had not gone away yet; he was soft and very cute. He had a good relationship with Yuan Mingdao in his previous life. When he died, Mingdao was very sad. Since then, his whole personality had changed a lot.

“Of course!” The one who answered him was a girl, sounding bright and lively, “I also brought you a horse whip as a gift from there. Tomorrow I will take you to ride a pony outside the city. It’ll be fun!”

This voice belonged to Yuan Xi, the elder uncle’s daughter. She was two years older than Fu Zhiyu, eighteen years old. She had studied martial arts since she was a child, a heroic and valiant young woman.

Fu Zhiyu walked further and saw a group of people in the small courtyard. The two younger ones were sitting under the tree. The adults were chatting in the pavilion a little further away, looking over there from time to time. When Fu Zhiyu walked through the door, Yuan Lu was the first to see him.

It was a bit unlike the scene Fu Zhiyu had imagined. Yuan Lu and he hadn’t seen each other for three years. After Yuan Lu came back, he heard that Fu Zhiyu had been named Wang Zhao. Everything was different from before. Now when he saw Fu Zhiyu, he was a little scared and took a few steps back. 

“Wang… Wang Zhao,” Yuan Lu’s little face showed a bit of fear. He swallowed, stuttered and almost knelt down for him, “Greetings to His Imperial Highness.”

Fu Zhiyu: “……”

It was the first time he had seen this little fat man so nervous. He didn’t dare to pick up the pastries even when they were handed to him, looking like a timid fat rabbit.

Fu Zhiyu had no choice but to walk forward and pick the little fat guy up in his arms.

“What are you calling me, His Imperial Highness? I’m your brother, there are no outsiders here,” Fu Zhiyu patted the little fat boy’s bottom and said, “Don’t you remember me?”

Yuan Lu relaxed a little bit and said, “No…”

But he looked over Fu Zhiyu’s shoulder and saw Yuan Mingdao behind him, and then his eyes lit up.

“Ah, beautiful little sister!”

Yuan Mingdao’s warm smile froze at once.

He was well-nurtured in the palace. His skin was originally white and his long hair was not cut. Fu Zhiyu tied it in a braid that hung gracefully over his shoulder. He was now ten years old, and the contours of his face were still very soft. It was indeed a bit hard to say whether he was male or female.

Fu Zhiyu almost laughed out loud. At this time, Yuan Lu could no longer care about him. He twisted out of his arms and then cautiously approached Yuan Mingdao, saying hesitantly: “Little sister, what’s your name?”

Yuan Mingdao glanced at him and replied stiffly: “I am a man.”