NFBE Chapter 314 Hu Shi was unwilling to go out.
Chapter 314 Hu Shi was unwilling to go out.
With the matter now closed, everyone knew that today's events were over. Regardless of the apparent outcome, everyone understood that Hu's attempt to frame the Zhang family's young girl had backfired, and she had been outmaneuvered instead.
Knowing that there was no point in staying any longer, Lord Fu took his leave first, leaving with his wife and daughter.
After they left, Shen Jingheng and Grand Tutor Li went to the outer courtyard.
"These dishes are getting cold, take them away and bring fresh ones," Madam Jiang instructed the maidservants serving in the garden.
The ladies exchanged glances, and then one of them announced their departure.
"Madam Shen, there's no need to trouble yourself. Everyone has finished eating. It's getting late, so let's take our leave now."
“Yes, it’s getting late, so we’ll take our leave. Madam Shen must be tired after a long day; she should get some rest,” another lady added.
Several other ladies followed suit and took their leave. Seeing that everyone else had left, a few ladies who wanted to stay a little longer also had no choice but to say goodbye.
Jiang was exhausted because of what had happened that night, but she still forced herself to stay and politely asked them to stay a few more times. When she saw that they really wanted to leave, she led the maids and servants to see the ladies off to the second gate.
Although the male guests were unaware of these matters, they guessed that something must have happened to the female guests, and they noticed that Lord Fu had not returned after being summoned. Therefore, after Shen Jingheng and Grand Tutor Li returned and sat for a while longer, they also took their leave.
Inside the Fu family's carriage, Madam Hu wanted to say something, but was stopped by Lord Fu's gaze.
“Madam, you must be tired today. Let’s talk about it when we get home.”
At this moment, Fu Fen'er sat obediently beside her mother, very quiet. Almost everyone said she was her father's apple of his eye, but she was somewhat afraid of him. Some memories, whether from dreams or reality, she couldn't tell; she had seen her father holding a little boy, making that boy call him "Daddy." The smile on her father's face when he held that boy was different from the smile he gave her.
Soon the carriage arrived at the Fu residence, a simple three-courtyard house. The family alighted at the main gate. As usual, Master Fu gently helped Madam Hu down from the carriage, then turned around and carried his daughter down—everything was as usual.
Back in their room, Madam Hu first went to the dressing table to look for the ring. Her husband and daughter's confident assertions made her doubt herself; perhaps she really had misremembered. However, after searching the dressing table, she couldn't find the ring. She wanted to turn back to her husband to discuss it, but when she turned around, she saw him looking at her with a strange expression.
Hu suddenly felt a little scared by the way he looked at her.
"Madam, what's wrong?" The voice that spoke was still gentle.
"Master, I can't find the ring!" Although Madam Hu was domineering, she was very gentle in front of her husband and trusted him wholeheartedly.
“Madam, you and Green Silk both know where that ring is. Lord Shen and Grand Tutor Li are powerful enough not to send anyone to search for Miss Zhang, so just pretend that the ring is lost. Tomorrow, your husband will make you an identical ring, and you can wear it when you go out.”
After speaking, he stood up and addressed Madam Hu, who was sitting on the stool in a daze.
"I still have some official business to attend to, so I'll sleep in the study tonight. Madam, you should rest early too." After saying this, he patted Madam Hu on the shoulder before opening the door and leaving.
His gentleness was tinged with coldness, leaving Madam Hu tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep. She wondered if her husband was angry with her, otherwise why would he be sleeping in the study, something that had never happened in their ten-plus years of marriage.
However, her anxiety subsided the next morning when she saw the tonic brought by the maid.
“Madam, Master heard that you didn’t sleep well last night, so he asked me to brew you some calming medicine this morning. He said there’s nothing to do at home during the day, so you can drink the medicine and then go back to sleep. These are some candied fruits that Master bought. He said that since you’re afraid of bitterness, you can have a candied fruit after drinking the medicine to sweeten your mouth.”
The maid's words delighted Madam Hu. Forgetting her meal, she downed the bowl of calming medicine in one gulp. Just as she put down the bowl, the maid handed her some candied fruit. Madam Hu picked one and popped it into her mouth; the sweet taste instantly washed away the bitterness.
The calming medicine worked very well. Shortly after drinking it, Mrs. Hu felt drowsy and went to bed before even finishing her meal.
The events that occurred at the Shen residence inevitably spread. Hu's two sisters-in-law from her maternal family came to the Fu residence specifically to inquire about what happened that night. Upon learning the whole story, the two sisters-in-law were exasperated with their foolish sister-in-law, only advising her to stay home as much as possible and wait until things calmed down before discussing it further.
Even without their reminders, Ms. Hu herself felt ashamed and was unwilling to go out.
Although Shen Jingheng disliked Lord Fu, he did not remove him from the delegation's list. On the day the delegation departed, Madam Hu did not come to see Lord Fu off.
"Mother, Father is leaving with the delegation today. Everyone has gone out to see him off. Would it be inappropriate if you didn't go?" Fu Fen'er was very worried about her mother. Ever since returning from the Shen residence that day, she had sensed that her mother had changed. She no longer liked going out, nor did she care about pretty clothes, and she didn't even want to talk to Fu Fen'er. Every day she looked listless and had no energy at all.
"Ugh, it's such a mess, people everywhere, it's so annoying. And I prepared everything for him perfectly, but he came back after a few months." She finished speaking, noticing the worried look on her daughter's face.
"If you're worried, you can go and see him off, but I don't want to go. Your eldest and second uncles should be there too."
"Mother, it's not that I'm worried about Father, it's that I'm worried about you. Haven't you noticed that you've been a little different these past few days? You seem indifferent to everything, as if you've lost interest in anything."
"Maybe I haven't rested well, I always feel sleepy." Mrs. Hu didn't take her daughter's words to heart.