Prosperous Spring

Chapter 7

Fu Rou couldn’t catch up to the furious Fu Jun, so upon returning to the mansion, she headed straight to Qiluo Pavilion in the east.

Before she even stepped through the door, Mingzhu, a maid from Concubine Liu’s household, greeted her. "Second Miss, you’re back? The shop just delivered a batch of silk. Mistress is choosing some fabric. You should go in quickly."

Fu Rou quickened her pace and entered the house.

Inside the eastern side room, several people were standing or sitting around, admiring the shimmering silk fabrics, which were of rare and exquisite colors. Even though Fu Rou had pressing matters on her mind, she couldn’t help but ask, "Spring clothes were made earlier this year, and it’s not yet time to change into summer clothes. Why is there new fabric arriving all of a sudden?"

"Why are you back so early?" The woman sitting on the edge of the couch took her hand, pulling her closer. "Why do you care so much? We were waiting for you. Now that you’re here, hurry and pick a few pieces you like. The world is at peace now, and banquets are becoming frequent again. You’ll need something suitable to wear."

Fu Rou flipped through the fabric, saying, "We rarely get such fine material. This must be from Anqing Hall, right? Did Mother take it?"

"Why are you making a fuss?" Madam Liu scolded with a glance. "Look at these fabrics, all in colors suitable for young girls. Anqing Hall has no use for them. And as for that dying girl, Fu Zhen, even if she took them, it would be a waste. So what if I took a few bolts of fabric? One day, everything that belongs to that Ning family will be mine!"

She smirked in satisfaction, then picked up a piece of rose-red brocade and draped it over Fu Rou, examining her from different angles. At the same time, she asked, "Did you see anyone from the Du family today? Did you meet the young master?"

"The Du family and other noble ladies were all having tea in the meditation hall behind the main temple. They didn’t make any appearances. There were many young men walking around, but I don’t know which one was the young master or if he was even there. I wanted to take Fu Zhen along to look, but who would have guessed—"

Fu Rou stopped abruptly, biting her lip and saying no more.

Madam Liu, noticing her dirty clothes, was about to speak but then gasped in shock. "What happened to your clothes? How did they get so dirty?"

Hearing this, Fu Rou threw herself into her mother’s arms and began to cry. "Mother, I almost didn’t make it back alive today!"

Madam Liu was even more startled!

"She—she almost strangled me to death!" Fu Rou sobbed on her mother’s lap, crying hysterically. She then exaggerated the earlier incident by the cliff.

Fu Rou had initially intended to use Fu Zhen’s name as a pretext to get closer to the Du family. However, Fu Zhen had feigned ignorance, claiming she didn’t know anyone from the Du family, which enraged Fu Rou. In her fury, she decided to take matters into her own hands, luring Fu Zhen to the cliff and attempting to kill her.

She had always thought that Fu Zhen, who was so frail, wouldn’t live long, and it was only a matter of waiting for her to die. But now, Fu Rou could no longer wait. The Du family had returned to the capital last month, and years ago, there had been an engagement between their family and Fu Zhen. The Du family, even as a branch of the Five Great General’s households, was still far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Such a good match—how could it be wasted on that sickly Fu Zhen?

As long as Fu Zhen died, Fu Jun would surely find a way to make Fu Rou take her place in the marriage and marry into the Du family.

But Fu Zhen hadn’t died!

Madam Liu was shocked and suspicious. "How is that possible? Fu Zhen isn’t a deity. How could she survive falling off a cliff?"

"It’s true! Not only that, when Father reprimanded her later, she kicked him over!" Fu Rou sprang up. "Father was so furious he nearly died from rage. He returned early just to punish her! This time, I think even the madam won’t escape punishment. Mother, this is our golden opportunity! We can use this to completely take down Anqing Hall!"