Azure Fall Palace.
Orchid Visiting Residence.
Knowing Fu Zhumei loved orchids, Wan Yu Yuedan arranged for him to stay in another courtyard filled with the flowers. Fu Zhumei’s martial arts also originated from the Skill Exchange Great Art, but contrary to everyone’s expectations, after being poisoned, he did not develop the same strong resistance to injuries and toxins as Tang Lici. Even after Wenren He performed the Silver Needle Technique on him, he continued to fall ill repeatedly.
“Young Master Fu, please don’t get up. You’re still recovering from the chill…” Yun Cui, a maidservant of Azure Fall Palace, held a bowl of fish soup and looked helplessly at Fu Zhumei crouching under the table, hammering something. “Whatever you need done, just order us servants to do it. Please get up.”
“Ahem…” Fu Zhumei, however, seemed quite accustomed to minor ailments like catching a cold. “It’s just a cold… ah, just a chill. It’ll pass in a few days, no big deal. I’m almost done here. Don’t… don’t tell Xiao Yue. I’m afraid he’ll throw this table away. He’s like A-Li—both of them are a bit wasteful… A little hammering will make it look good again.” Yun Cui stared at him, dumbfounded, as he hammered away. After just a few days of serving Fu Zhumei, she already felt as if the sky had collapsed several times over.
This Young Master Fu was terribly embarrassed to be waited on. At night, he wouldn’t let the servants fetch hot water for his bath, silently going to the kitchen himself to carry water. In the middle of autumn, he hauled back a bucket of cold water to bathe with, and the next day, he caught a chill. When she brought him tea and pastries for breakfast, she found he had already risen early, watered all the plants in Orchid Visiting Residence, and cleaned both inside and outside the residence. His breakfast was eaten with the servant who disposed of kitchen waste, leaving her utterly stunned.
The next morning, she went to the kitchen early to fetch congee, only to find Fu Zhumei chatting with Chef Zhang—the pot of congee had been cooked by the two of them together. Once again, she was left speechless. When she asked why he insisted on doing these things, Fu Zhumei rubbed his head for a long while before answering that he had already caused Xiao Yue enough trouble, so he ought to do whatever he could. Besides, cooking congee or sweeping the floor were things he did every day anyway. Only then did Yun Cui realize he had originally been a cook. But since he was a friend of the palace master, no matter how humble his status, she would serve him with all her heart. At noon, she carefully selected the finest dishes to serve with the wine, thinking that as a cook, he must be particularly particular about such things.
Yet the result of her meticulously chosen meal was Fu Zhumei offering her his chair, refusing to let her serve him, eating only half the dishes, and carefully saving the rest—claiming he would eat them in the evening. Seeing him stash away leftovers, Yun Cui nearly lost her mind and couldn’t help blurting out that there would be fresh dishes in the evening, so he needn’t be so frugal. Fu Zhumei merely rubbed his head, unbothered, and said the leftovers would do just fine. Unable to hold back any longer, Yun Cui struck up a conversation with him and finally understood—this so-called “Young Master Fu” had never truly been a “young master” at all.He had been poor since childhood. His mother died when he was four, and his seventeen-year-old father, after failing in business, drowned himself. He didn’t receive much education, surviving on odd jobs from a young age. During his poorest times, he went months without eating meat. Once, driven by extreme hunger, he tried to steal steamed buns. He climbed over a wall but couldn’t bring himself to take anything. Still, he was caught as a thief and beaten severely. Later, when he finally saved enough money to buy meat, the price had risen, and he never got to eat it. Drifting aimlessly until the age of twenty, he worked as a handyman in a tavern. It was there that he met a benefactor who offered him a chance to rise above his station. He toiled hard for over half a year, hoping for a better life, but due to various reasons, the opportunity slipped away.
Yun Cui, having grown up in the Azure Fall Palace, had never known hardship. Listening to his fragmented tale, she was astonished and asked how he had managed to master such formidable martial skills. Fu Zhumei frowned, thinking for a long while, but couldn’t articulate a clear answer. From his disjointed explanations, Yun Cui could only gather that his martial arts were deeply connected to Tang Lici. Yet, mastering these skills seemed to have changed little for him—he remained an insignificant figure, relying on odd jobs wherever he went, most often as a tavern handyman.
Some are born to be strong, to be leaders or heroes, while others simply aren’t. Wan Yu Yuedan possessed no martial prowess, while Fu Zhumei was highly skilled. Yet, it was clear at a glance which of the two was the stronger and which the weaker.
Still, Yun Cui didn’t dislike Fu Zhumei. Though he seemed shortsighted, shabby, and mediocre, was she any better? She was merely a lowly maid in the Azure Fall Palace. Apart from not worrying about food and clothing, she wasn’t so different from him. The world had far more ordinary people than extraordinary ones. Admitting that one wasn’t particularly unique or exceptional wasn’t such a bad thing.
“Done!” Fu Zhumei emerged from under the table, pleased with his repair work. “Look, look—how is it?” Yun Cui crouched down and examined the mended crack closely. “It’s really good…” Suddenly, the door creaked softly as someone entered, smiling. “What are you doing?”
“Palace Master!” Yun Cui startled—Wan Yu Yuedan moved so silently she hadn’t heard him approach. “We… we were just looking… at a very strange bug under this table.” Fu Zhumei looked nervous, but when she didn’t mention the table’s flaw, he visibly relaxed.
“A bug?” Wan Yu Yuedan crouched down as well, peering curiously at the table leg. “What kind of bug?” Yun Cui and Fu Zhumei exchanged glances. “Well… it had four wings, eight legs, and two heads… a very strange bug.” Wan Yu Yuedan gently stroked the table leg. “Next time you see a strange bug, be sure to call me.” Yun Cui nodded repeatedly. Wan Yu Yuedan stood up and took something from his sleeve. “Xiao Fu, guess what this is?”Fu Zhumei hadn't seen Wan Yu Yuedan for several days, having heard he'd gone out. Now noticing how smoothly the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes relaxed and how beautifully those distinct black-and-white eyes opened wide, he sensed Yuedan must be in excellent spirits. "I can't guess—what is it?" He could never fathom the thoughts of people like A-Li and Xiao Yue.
Wan Yu Yuedan spread open his palm, revealing a piece of soft white silk. The fabric slipped smoothly through his fingers as he unfolded it, unveiling a pearl with a gentle luster and a faint hint of green. Slightly larger than a fingertip, the pearl was exquisitely round and smooth, its shape and texture first-rate—though it bore slight scratches and a small section had been shaved off. Yun Cui couldn't help but gasp aloud, "Green Charm!"
Even the dullest person would recognize such a pearl as a rare treasure—the Green Charm from the Imperial Crown!
Fu Zhumei stared fixedly at the pearl in Wan Yu Yuedan's hand. When Yun Cui exclaimed "Green Charm!" he also blurted out, "Where's A-Li? Is he alright?"
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