Court Lady

Fu Rou had been locked up for an entire day. She had tried to leave but Yan Zifang had locked the windows. She could not open it no matter how she tried. Now, she was stomping on the floor of the house, thinking whether it was possible to dig a hole and escape.

All of a sudden, the sound of the lock being unlocked could be heard. She ran back to the table to take a seat. 

Yan Zifang walked in carrying meat and vegetables. Fu Rou asked, “How long are you going to keep me locked up?”

Yan Zifang placed the meat and vegetables into the kitchen. He then walked out to set up the bowls and chopsticks on the table. “I thought you were no longer talking to me.”

Fu Rou’s expression was bland. “I thought I made myself clear.”

“Even if I released you, you can only return to the Royal Palace.” Yan Zifang looked at Fu Rou. “Could it be that you prefer to stay in that hellish place? Don’t forget that Grand Prince Liang is a prince. The Empress will not offend anyone for your sake. There is no one on your side.”

“I don’t like the Royal Palace, but…” Fu Rou paused.

“But you don’t like staying with me even more because you are not the same Fu Rou as back then.” It was only his unrequited longing.

“We are not enemies nor nemesis. There is no need to speak harshly to one another.” She just wished that he could let it go.

“I remember when we were young...you always carried this Longevity Pendant with you. You treated it as if it were your baby. You were willing to share everything with me except this Longevity Pendant. You did not even allow me to touch it. You said that this was left for you by your grandfather. However, on the night that your mother chased me out of the Fu Residence, you ran in front of me, crying and asking me not to leave. You gave the Longevity Pendant to me. This was the warmest thing I have held. When I was shot by Lu Yunji’s men and fell into the river, the river was icy cold. Only the palm of my hand remained warm because I was holding your Longevity Pendant. Even if I die, I will not let go of it.”

“Fu Rou, you don’t know how I managed to survive all these years. On the ocean, where storms could happen at any time, I was surrounded by pirates who killed without blinking. As a young brother, I had to worry that any of my older brothers would kill me when they did not like me. When I became the leader, I had to guard against any ambitious subordinates who could stab me in the back. All these years, I did not dare to come on land, I did not dare to meet you. I did not know how pretty you would have grown up to become. I did not know anything. However, one thing I knew was that I had a wife-to-be that I had yet to marry. At the end of the ocean, there would be a woman waiting for me on land. When I found out that you liked Sheng Chumu, you would never be able to understand how I felt.” To her, it was the past. However, to him, it was like yesterday, today and the following day.

Fu Rou fell silent for a while before saying, “Sorry.”

Yan Zifang laughed bitterly, “You don’t have to apologise because I don’t accept this fate. You are my wife and nobody can change that.”

Fu Rou was impatient. “You are being unreasonable.”

“Yes, I am unreasonable.” Yan Zifang held tightly onto the Longevity Pendant. “On the day that you placed this in my hand, I gained the right to be unreasonable!”

Fu Rou suddenly reached out to snatch the Longevity Pendant. Yan Zifang was not willing to let go. She was annoyed and scratched his face, causing a line of blood to form.

Yan Zifang touched his wound and looked at the fresh blood on his fingertips. “Rou’er, are you really this cruel?”

Fu Rou forced herself to be firm. “Feelings cannot be forced. I feel guilty towards you but I cannot force myself.”

“I gave up the ocean and came onboard to land. I bear with the attitudes people in Chang’an gave me all because of what you said. Now, you are telling me not to force it. I am sorry, Fu Rou. This time, I cannot listen to you.”

Yan Zifang took big strides out and locked the room. 

Fu Rou sat in the house alone for an unknown amount of time. Her emotions were all over the place. The memories from her childhood replayed itself in her head. It made her sigh and grieve. However, there was nothing she could do.

Dum dum dum!

Fu Rou pulled herself back to reality as she saw a shadow reflected on her window. Soon after, a hole appeared in the window. 

 

Yan Zifang was completely drunk. He thought about it and decided that he could not give up so easily this time. He returned to the wooden house. He wanted to tell Fu Rou that he was sincere.

The room was pitched black. His legs were unsteady and he fell to the ground. All of a sudden, a delicate hand stretched out in front of him.

“Rou’er?” He hesitated before reaching his own hand out. He felt the warmth of the other person transfer to him through his palm. He was delighted and immediately scooped the other person up in his arms. 

The faint moonlight could not illuminate the small room. He could only see a head of black hair, falling like a waterfall, buried in his arms. He was overjoyed and was extremely gentle as he placed a kiss on her head. He walked towards the wooden bed. 

“I swear that I will not let you down.”

He lay over her, kissing her hair gently before moving to her face and finally her lips. He hugged her tightly as if he wanted to merge together with her.

After that emotional night, he had a good dreamless sleep. The sunlight lit up the place. Yan Zifang opened his eyes. As he saw someone with black hair sleeping beside him, he blissfully let out a breath. He pushed her hair away and saw her features clearly. Then, he jumped out of the bed in shock. 

“Lu Yingying?!” He did not know what was happening. “Yesterday night...it was you?”

Lu Yingying blushed but maintained a smile. “It was me.”

She had originally wanted to ask him about the Zhenzhu Life-saving Pill but saw that he left his residence alone. She then followed him up the mountain out of curiosity and found Fu Rou, who had been locked up. Therefore, she freed Fu Rou and wanted to take the opportunity for herself. 

Yan Zifang was in disbelief. “You are a noble lady. Do you know what are the consequences of such an unscrupulous act?”

Lu Yingying did not reply. Instead, she grabbed Yan Zifang’s hand and looked at him earnestly. “Can we be husband and wife just for a day?”

Yan Zifang shook his head and wanted to pry her hands off him. Her charming skin and their intimacy last night flashed through his mind and his actions became a lot gentler. He took his hand back. 

“You were my first man.” Lu Yingying lifted the quilt and started to wear her clothes. “How about me? Am I your first woman?”

Yan Zifang turned over and spoke coldly, “Lu Yunji’s daughter should never be my first woman.”

“Do you still remember the song I sang at the beach? A twilight over the ocean, birds chase the day as it ends. Tears fall like pearls into my open hand, but Yingying will not regret. You appeared before me then and asked who was so cruel as to make me cry? You also asked me why I was so infatuated.” That look had determined her life.

“If I could do it again, I would never have bothered you.” At that moment, he had gone there to kill her. 

“You regret it but I don’t. I am Lu Yingying. Yingying will never regret. I wanted to be your wife for one day as a memory. But since you dislike me so much, then forget it. I won’t force you.” If he was going to toss her away even after the previous night, then she could not humiliate herself anymore. 

Yan Zifang watched her walk out and suddenly said, “I thought you came to exchange yourself for the Zhenzhu Life-saving Pill.” He did not know why but he saw himself in Lu Yingying. It turned out the devotion he had towards Fu Rou was actually so irritating.

Lu Yingying turned back and looked at Fang Ziyan in shock.

“Lu Qi is severely injured. There is a blood clot in his brain and he is unconscious. It is not a big secret. I have always paid attention to any information on Duke Chen Residence.” It is to ensure that he would be able to take revenge at any time.  

Lu Yingying’s eyes shone with delight. “Do you really have the Zhenshu Life-saving Pill?”

Yan Zifang took out a medicine bottle from his gown and placed it on the table. “Lu Qi’s life is not worth anything in my eyes. However, I will not take advantage of girls. Take this bottle and we will not owe each other for what happened last night. In the future, we do not know each other.”

“You are using a bottle of medicine to ask me to forget the first man in my life?” Lu Yingying stared at Yan Zifang, her eyes were pained. 

“If you do not accept it, you can throw the medicine away. But if you use it, it means you agreed.” Yan Zifang walked out. “Take one pill a day with warm water.”

Lu Yingying chased after him. “Yan Zifang, if I weren’t Lu Yingying and Lu Yunji’s daughter, would you still dislike me? Would I have a place in your heart?”

“There is no point in this question.” She was born to be the Lu family’s daughter and he was born as the Yan family’s son.

“No, there is. As long as you give me a confirmative answer, I can give up being Lu Yingying and Lu Yunji’s daughter. My father has a son. Without me, Duke Chen Residence will still be passed on. I can follow you to travel the world or even sail forever. As long as you take me with you, I will always follow you to the ends of the earth. Yan Zifang, can you forget your vengeance and take me away to find better and happier days?”

“If I killed your father and brother, would you be able to let go of your vengeance and spend the rest of your days with me?”

Lu Yingying was stunned as she shook her head. “You won’t. You are upright…”

“But it was your father that killed my parents and caused me to have no choice but to become a pirate and carry an infamous title. Every time I see you, I will think of the injustice my father felt and my mother’s blood. You ask me to let go, but have you put yourself in my shoes?!”

Yan Zifang stormed out, breaking the door. 

Lu Yingying bit hard on her lip. She knew he was right. It was easier said than done to eliminate the hatred that he had for them for exterminating his entire family. She walked to the table slowly and picked up the medicine bottle with trembling hands. Tears rolled down her face.