Chapter 47: The Complexity of Human Affairs and the Ease of Changing One's Mind (Part 1)

  Fu Dinghai is a robust man with a strong physique, a square face and a pair of bright eyes that reveal his shrewdness at first glance.

  Fu Dinghai was a distant relative and younger generation of Fu Yanqing, with excellent spear and stick skills, and was also one of the top heroes in the entire Dingnan Army. However, he was born to be unruly and always at odds with his superiors, so after serving in the army for more than six years and fighting in three thousand miles, he only received a minor title of Deputy Lieutenant of Xuanjie, eighth rank, and became a small commander. Nevertheless, all the soldiers under his command admired this officer deeply, so staying in the army was also a disaster.

  "Fourth Uncle, you're looking for me?" Si Dinghai didn't show even a hint of respect, and his first words to Si Yanqing were this direct question. He was grinning from ear to ear, not looking like a soldier at all.

  Fu Yanqing looked at his junior in the clan and could only shake his head secretly. This kid was reckless and presumptuous, showing no respect for his superiors, not even putting several higher-ups in his eyes, and it was just that he still had some military demeanor in front of him, if not for his exceptional martial arts skills and repeated achievements, he would have kicked him out of the army long ago.

  "Ding Hai, go back and gather your men. In two days, report to the Zhao State's government office. From then on, you will follow the arrangements made by the Lord of Zhao."

  "Is that Lord Zhou De-yuan, the one who 'leaped over the walls of Jizhou City and conquered Luoyang in half a month'?" Suddenly, Fu Ding-hai's face showed an expression of reverence and admiration, but as his eyes rolled: "No, I heard it was all over Luoyang that Lord Zhou had died in Shu!"

  "Old Zhao Guogong has passed away, and the adult you are going to pay respects to is Young Zhao Guogong. The Zhao Guogong Mansion needs to train new troops, but they lack manpower, so I'll take charge of sending 100 soldiers from our department to the Zhao Guogong Mansion. From now on, you can go serve in the Zhao Guogong Mansion, and I'm sure they will make good use of your skills." Fu Yanguang said calmly.

  "Hey Fourth Uncle, are you trying to drive me away? Has that black-hearted kid reported on me again? I just went to comfort the widow of the Cui family, didn't actually sleep with her, and didn't mess up military discipline. Fourth Uncle, please don't treat me like this!" Fu Dinghai saw things were going badly and hastily bowed his head to apologize.

  "I don't have time to bother with your nonsense, I'm going to the Zhao State Duke's mansion. Remember to change that stinky temper of yours, and what kind of future you'll have depends on your own luck!"

  Fu Yanqing scolded without hesitation.

  "You can't just give me away for no reason, I'm not a thing. Besides, you've always been someone who only takes advantage of benefits and never suffers losses, so why are you being so generous all of a sudden?"

  Fu Dinghai was still shaking all over, with a rogue appearance.

  Fu Yanqing was also helpless with this guy who stuck to him like a dog skin plaster, let alone being his own clan's younger generation. So he could only explain: "I have already promised to marry Feng Zhen to the youngest son of Old Zhao Guogong, Zhou Wenbo, who is also the new Zhao Guogong. You are just a dowry, I say this, can you understand?"

  "Fourth Uncle, I'm a man of great integrity and honor, how can I be treated as part of the dowry?! You're not joking, are you? Feng Zhen's sister is so gentle and virtuous, even heavenly angels can't compare to her. If I weren't also surnamed Fu, I would have insisted on marrying Feng Zhen's sister myself! What qualifications does this young master Zhou have to marry my Feng Zhen?"

  Having heard the real reason, Fu Dinghai suddenly became anxious.

  "Who Feng Zhen marries is up to me or you?" Sima Yanqing was too lazy to entangle with this rascal, and threw over a volume of documents: "This is the transfer order, hand it over to the military commander Ba Liming, also go to the horse farm to lead 100 horses, this is also what I promised to the Zhao Guo Gongfu, take it and get out."

  "What? A hundred war horses? Fourth Uncle, since you're so generous, I, your humble nephew, dare not decline. Thank you, thank you!" As soon as he heard there were a hundred more war horses, Si Dinghai's dreams of becoming a cavalry commander seemed within reach, and he couldn't help but laugh like a blooming flower, his hands busy grasping the thin document.

  "This is not for you, it's a gift for Duke Zhao of Song!" Fu Yanqing rebuked.

  "I'm off, as you ordered! What was it that you just said? I didn't quite catch it." Zuo Dinghai had already taken off like a shot, holding his military order, and the last sound of his voice came from dozens of meters away.

  This kid! He's really...

  Suddenly, Fu Dinghai thought of this kid's appearance when he was under Zhou Wenbo, and Fu Yanqing, who had been pretending to be angry, suddenly burst out laughing.

  I've finally gotten rid of this damn kid, Zhou Wenbo, now it's your turn!

  ——————————————————————————

  Feng Zhen walked back to the house all the way, and was dazed, almost hitting the wall directly.

  Fortunately, the little green girl who was following behind her saw the danger and pulled back the second miss.

  "My second miss, what's going on? I see your expression, both happy and surprised, who did the old master betroth you to?"

  Xiao Qing couldn't help but ask.

  "Mr. Yu..." Feng Zhen's voice was low and almost as soft as a mosquito hum at this time.

  Luckily, Xiao Qing had rich experience in her daily life and at this time she stuck her ear tightly to the young lady's mouth, so she heard it clearly.

  "Ah! It's actually him..." Even Xiao Qing, who was usually bold, couldn't have thought of this twist and turn in the plot. It was just like the legendary story of a talented and handsome young man and a beautiful woman in a traditional Chinese novel.

  Feng Zhen had no idea how she walked back to her room, all she knew was that her heart seemed to have melted, and she felt light and warm all over, with a sense of comfort emanating from every pore.

  She felt that at this moment she was the most perfect and luckiest woman in the world, and had so easily made an engagement with her dream lover.

  Even the talented and beautiful sister could only marry a man over 40 years old, becoming his concubine, despite being married to the current emperor and holding the noble title of imperial consort.

  The little green girl sitting beside the young lady on the bed also began to daydream.

  As a personal maid of the second young lady, I will definitely follow her to get married. Doesn't that mean, in the future, I'll also have the chance to climb into Zhōu Cái Zǐ's bed and become his concubine or something?

  Although Xiao Qing is a tough and straightforward person in her daily life, she couldn't help but indulge in fantasies at this moment.

  Which maiden does not cherish spring?

  As the personal maid of the second young lady, even the contract for selling herself was held in her master's hand. Xiao Qing's fate for her whole life was tightly bound with that of her mistress, which was also her destiny as a personal maid.

  In later generations, there is a saying that the life of a young lady is determined by her fate as a maid. Xiao Qing deeply understood that she had a beautiful and charming appearance, with a slender and elegant figure, but as a maid, she had no chance to choose her own future husband.

  Fortunately, the second young lady was gentle and kind, relying on her a lot, like sisters, and even taught her to read and write, which made her feel a sense of dependence and warmth.

  However, the young lady will eventually get married. If she marries a middle-aged man or even an old man like her elder sister, wouldn't that be a pitfall for both of them? If so, it would be better to die than to live such a life.

  Just as the master and servant were in a daze, they suddenly heard someone shouting outside the door: "Xiaoqing, the old master has ordered you to go on an errand."