The Fu Family
As the year drew to a close, the Marquis of Pingnan's Residence remained the same as in previous years. Fu Dayong, known for his loyalty and bravery, stayed at the border to spend the New Year with his concubines and illegitimate children.
Fu Yunkai returned to the capital a month ago. However, he remained very busy after returning and did not have much free time to spend with Mu Qingqiang at home.
That day, he returned from Xiao Lingpu's residence, looking at his wife with a hesitant expression.
Mu Qingqiang was quite satisfied with her husband. Although Fu Yunkai couldn't be by her side all the time, spending most of the year at the border, he was extremely attentive to her and didn't take concubines like other men. For her, that was enough.
"Yunkai, is there something you need?" In private, the couple always called each other by their first names, only using different terms of address in front of outsiders.
Fu Yunkai asked, "Were you classmates with Layperson Zhiwei?"
That's how the question was asked, but Fu Yunkai was actually well aware of the truth.
He not only knew that Mu Qingqiang and Zhao Ruxi were classmates, but also that the two had a good relationship. Before her marriage, Mu Qingqiang would often visit Zhao Ruxi at the Earl of Suiping's Residence.
It wasn't that he still couldn't forget Zhao Ruxi. Long ago, when Zhao Ruxi said she wouldn't marry a border soldier, he had no feelings for her anymore.
He harbored no resentment towards Zhao Ruxi, but he also didn't have much affection for her.
However, it cannot be denied that he still acknowledges Zhao Ruxi's character and talent.
Therefore, when Xiao Lingpu hoped that he would marry into the Mu Family, he learned during his inquiries that Mu Qingqiang and Zhao Ruxi were friends, and his approval of Mu Qingqiang immediately increased.
A woman who can be friends with Zhao Ruxi must be of good character and talent. Birds of a feather flock together, after all.
Later, after getting to know Mu Qingqiang, he confirmed this.
He is now devoted to his wife. He will not follow in his father's footsteps, betraying the woman who loves him and hurting his children.
Mu Qingqiang glanced at him and nodded. "Yes."
Fu Yunkai had already told Zhao Ruxi about his marriage proposal before Mu Qingqiang got married.
It's impossible for Mu Qingqiang to be completely indifferent to this matter. But she was very Gao Xing that this man was willing to be honest with her about his past.
Moreover, he made it very clear at the time that everyone has their own ambitions, and since Zhao Ruxi didn't like him, he wouldn't dwell on her anymore. They weren't meant to be. He missed out on Zhao Ruxi, and perhaps he was waiting for her.
Hearing this, Mu Qingqiang felt a sweet warmth in her heart and naturally let go of her grudges. She was never one to overthink things, and now that Zhao Ruxi had become the Consort of the Prince of Qi, she had even fewer thoughts about it.
She was simply curious as to why Fu Yunkai had brought this up.
"I just came from His Highness Prince of An. He hinted to me that since you and Layperson Zhiwei were classmates, and now that Layperson Zhiwei has returned to the capital, you should spend more time with her."
He took Mu Qingqiang's hand and gently pulled her into his arms. "But I told him that you're pregnant and have severe morning sickness, so you really don't have the energy to socialize. That's why I turned him down."
Before her marriage, Mu Qingqiang was an innocent and naive woman. She was proud by nature and disdained to watch these vulgar people fight for fame and fortune.
But after getting married, especially after becoming pregnant, her thoughts gradually changed.
She still disdained high-ranking official positions and generous salaries. However, the situation was too chaotic, the Fu Family's position was sensitive, and Fu Dayong and Fu Yunkai were not in the capital. Fu Yunlang could not be relied upon, and it would be good enough if Madam Lady He did not become a hindrance. If she did not intervene, it was hard to say whether the Marquis of Pingnan's Residence could survive this storm. She also did not want her husband to be too tired, and she hoped to share some of his burden.
She didn't care about anyone else; she only hoped that her husband and children could survive well in this world.
Therefore, she can only come down from her ivory tower and pay attention to politics and current events.
She would carefully read each issue of the official gazette, the "Qiming Ten-Day Gazette), and the newly published " Great Jin Ten-Day Gazette) by the Great Jin government, proactively learning about the dynamics of the court.
She is a focused and serious person. She used to focus on academics, but now she has shifted her focus to the court. As an outsider, she has a clearer view of the situation than many court officials who are directly involved.
"You did the right thing," Mu Qingqiang said.
Zhao Ruxi has always been her idol.
Now that Zhao Ruxi has chosen to marry Xiao Lingyan, Mu Qingqiang intuitively feels that Xiao Lingyan is no ordinary person either.
Zhao Ruxi doesn't even think much of Fu Yunkai, so how could she possibly marry a mediocre man just because of a prince's title, and drag herself and her family into the struggle for the throne?
Therefore, Xiao Lingyan was able to catch Zhao Ruxi's eye because he was definitely not a mediocre man who could only follow behind Prince of An, assist him, and then live off a little favor from him after he ascended the throne.
Having grasped this point, Mu Qingqiang had advised Fu Yunkai: Although the Fu Family was tied to the Second and Fifth Prince and the Cen Family, they should never be at the forefront of the struggle for the throne, nor should they take sides too obviously, especially not offend the Fifth Prince for the sake of the Second Prince.
Who will ultimately stand at the top is still unknown.
Fu Yunkai had always tried his best to keep the Fu Family afloat. Now that he had a wife and children, he was even less willing to take risks.
Therefore, he completely agreed with his wife's statement.
"However, if you don't keep an eye on things at home, it might not just be a matter of whether or not you get along with the future Consort of the Prince of Qi, but rather that you'll seriously offend her," Mu Qingqiang said.
Fu Yunkai frowned. "What happened at home?"
Before he and Fu Yunlang got married, he was worried about Lady He, so he managed everything at home and outside, taking care of everything and worrying about everything.
After the two brothers got married one after the other, he stopped interfering in his younger brother's affairs. He handed over the management of the inner quarters to his wife.
Lady He of bad character, but also a very opportunistic person.
Mu Qingqiang was the eldest daughter of the Mu Family, with a good family background and a respectable origin. She was also very talented, Lady He felt inferior in front of her.
Furthermore, Fu Yunkai has never shown his mother much respect, ignoring her when she's being unreasonable, and he certainly doesn't pressure his wife to be filial to her mother-in-law. Lady He has a bad reputation; if she were to go outside and say that Mu Shi is unfilial, people would only say that she, as a mother-in-law, is bad.
Therefore, she didn't really put on airs as a mother-in-law in front of Mu Qingqiang.
She didn't make a fuss. Although Tenth Miss Cen, who married into the family later, came from a more powerful family than the Mu Family, she was born out of wedlock. Her biological mother had a low status, and she was prettier than the others. In the past, she was always ostracized by her sisters in the Cen Family. She didn't have much confidence in front of Mu Qingqiang.
Therefore, Mu Qingqiang managed the household quite well, without causing any major trouble.
However, minor conflicts and frictions have always existed.
Mu Qingqiang recounted how Lady He and Lady Cen had been gossiping about Zhao Rurui.
She said, "Even if you don't care about the monk, you should care about the Buddha. Although Zhao Rurui is only Zhiwei's distant cousin, your family's treatment of her is disrespectful to the future Consort of the Prince of Qi and shows contempt for His Highness the Prince of Qi. Although the matter is small, the consequences are serious. You need to have a serious talk with your mother and brother about this."